Most importantly, we live in Wisconsin; arguably the prettiest state in the country, with a rich culture and all 4 seasons clearly defined. Cranberries, cows, cheese, beer... if you enjoy any of those, Wisconsin is pure paradise. Flat prairie, rolling hills, beautiful lakes (WE actually have 10,000 of those, Minnesota).
throwback to climbing Castle Mound 8 years ago
We live right down from the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge, which is one of my favorite places in all of Wisconsin. The endangered Whooping Crane is a regular occurrence there, as is the now protected Blanding's Turtle. With 5 established wolf packs and a plethora of Wisconsin's best flora and fauna, the Necedah NWR should be on everyone's bucket list.
now, living happily near my favorite refuge
My husband, 
our beautiful baby girls, Myree and Robyn
by no means a tiny space at all
the nursery, still in progress
playroom for the grandkids, right off the main room
We all have so many plans for the house and small homesteading area. The interior only needs some new paint and a kitchen remodel (11 people and a tiny kitchen don't mix), but the outside has a lot of room for improvement. Short term plans are, as mentioned by my mom in her post here, the pantry inside and the raised beds and chicken coop outside. Long term plans are making those raised beds and chicken coop be sustainable and reduce our grocery budget, and my hubby wanting to redo the garage.
I am most eager for the pantry remodel, and learning to use a pressure canner in order to save and store more food. Wisconsin winters, our storming summers, and just wanting to save some $$ means that canning food can be one of the best options. I've not canned before, but I have temporarily stored homemade cranberry sauce and turkey stock (that recipe here) in jars and in the refrigerator. Jarring them while hot and turning them onto their lids seals them and keeps them fresher longer, rather than putting them into plastic containers.
I have several books that will hopefully make this house lot homesteading go more smoothly.
(Scroll all the way to the bottom of this post for the titles)
it is quite the reading list
It may seem a little crazy to some, discussing the start of homesteading just when Winter is rearing its ugly head, but that really is the best time. At dinner we ask around the table, seeing which person wants to take care of which garden goodies. In the afternoons we sit in front of the TV and watch YouTube videos from other homesteaders. In the evenings we sit at our computers or, as we should do more often, with books in hand; reading the how-to's, the why-not's, and the must-haves when it comes to raising a family and their food in a backyard.
Happy Homesteading! We can't wait to share this journey with you.
Books:
(contains affiliate links)
Mini Farming: Self-sufficiency on 1/4 Acre
The Backyard Homestead - Building Projects
Keep Out - Build Your Own Backyard Clubhouse (it may help with creating a cute coop)
Back to Basics (how could you not own this book if you want to homestead?)
Square Foot Gardening
Made From Scratch
#wisconsin #homesteadingchallenge #necedahnationalwildliferefuge #nature #wildlife