Homestead And A Blog

In this post I share why I choose to homestead and blog. I talk about who encouraged and helped me along in the blogging journey.

My first blogging experience took place as a part of the 2015 TCA Thoroughbred Makeover where I posted 140 times sharing the story of preparing Navajo Bo for the event held at the Kentucky Horse Park.  I realized I loved to write.

Homestead and Blog

I knew I needed to step away from the horses for at least a season. A seed of desire planted when we had purchased this property, began to grow as 2016 rolled around. How could I use what I had in front of me to grow my own food? create an income? I needed a place to work within the boundary of my current limitations brought about by my health struggles. One of my ideas: Blog about my journey.

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Dr. Caroline Leaf’s book Think and Eat Yourself Smart

I have learned and been encouraged for years by what Dr Caroline Leaf teaches about the brain, and thought life. I happily participated in her book launch Think and Eat Yourself Smart. In reading this book, I found affirmation to the ideas bouncing around in my head.

This dream of mine did indeed meet a need in our land. I wanted to share with others how easy it is to produce your own food. The following describes the original idea put into words in October of 2019.

Our Vision
A world in which preserving and cooking from naturally raised foods became a norm instead of a rarity. Where both men and women would understand their ability to raise much of their own food instead of relying on handouts  
Our Mission
To provide information to others on best sustainable farming practices with little start up costs by using the resources available. Encourage those interested in returning to local foods no matter if they are grown themselves or purchased from local farms

2016 A Start with Chickens

On our property sat a 60’ X 30’ chicken barn. It had been partially insulated and used for storing hay and anything else we needed a place for. In looking around at what I had, I decided I wanted to get chickens. The blog post Why Pick Swedish Flower Hens tells that story.

In May of 2016 I drove 3 hours one way to pick up Swedish Flower Hen chicks. I destinctly recall the anticipation of endless possibility and prayfully telling the Lord I was giving this chicken project to Him.

I joined Swagbucks in 2017. I earned $250.00 that year. A part of the total was earned when I signed up for Blue Host to host WordPress.org through Swagbucks.

2017 Website: A Country Girl’s Heart ~ Beats that Matter

The desire to blog continued to grow in me as I learned about chickens, and continued to care for horses. Knowing my interest in blogging, my sister forwarded an email to me sharing about an inexpensive course to learn about starting a blog.

Cyrstal Paine who sold the course, had won my attention as the author of Choose Gratitude: Blessings Journal.

I jumped on the opportunity to learn for the tiny investment of $7. I learned enough from that short course to keep me working toward my goal.

Crystal encourages and teaches at Your Blogging University and through Your Blogging Mastermind.

I launched my blog in the summer of 2017. I sat in the Irma downtown Cody, Wyoming working on this new venture and feeling the excitement of all the possibilities.

Crystal Paine’s Your Blogging University continued to provide me with course content helping me along the way. Each new course she launched I purchased at her introductory price. Learning and growing with each new basic blogging course.

2019 Blogging Mastermind Opportunity

When the email came announcing her mastermind group, I felt excited and believed I wanted to be a part. None the less, I prayed over the idea, and gave it time. I think I waited until the last minute to sign up. I wanted to be sure that I did not throw money after an emotional desire. Looking back the value exceeds the cost.

What is the Mastermind?

The basic format consists of :

  • 2 live trainings every month
  • an online forum
  • an annual meet up
  • Office Hours: (new in November of 2019) live question and answer session 2 times a month.

The online forum provides a place to connect, network, view past trainings, ask questions of other bloggers and Crystal while inspiring each other to keep moving forward. 

“The blogging world often felt lonely to me as no one in my immediate circle worked in this niche. I knew connecting with other bloggers would benefit me.” ~ Maria Graber

The live trainings provide inspiration to me to try new avenues. One example, Instagram, motivated me to become serious about growing an Instagram account. I admit I continue to learn the best ways to use this platform, but I went from no Instagram to a following of about 170. If you are on Instagram and like homesteading, chickens, and growing your own food, be sure to follow CG Heartbeats Farm.

We are given monthly assignment that correlate with the monthly live trainings. New members may view all the past trainings.

Mastermind Meet Up

The first meet up took place in Franklin, TN. I felt for the first time that this blogging journey is the real deal. Listening to others share their dreams, where they blog at and how they earn money from their website.

We split into smaller groups and created a 6-month goal for our blogging business. As we brainstormed for each other and formed new relationships, I knew I wanted to continue this path.

Listening to a conversation on a subject beyond my current level, served to inspire me to keep working. I not only set a 6 month goal, I gained a picture of what the future might look like as the business grew. These are the ideas that marinate in my mind.

I left feeling motivated, believing I too am capable of owning a successful blog. Connecting with other bloggers and seeing what worked for them gave me ideas of what might work for me. The fun thing about blogging is the unique way each writer brings their topic to the online world.

A local blogger opened her house to me and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her and her family. She blogs at www.leslieslittlecorner.com . Check her website out.

Leslie sets up new blogs for a great price.

My favorite part of the mastermind? The in person meet up, hands down, gets me feeling excited every time I think about going, both the past and future events. I am certain the value of meeting, connecting, learning, and encouraging goes way beyond the monthly price to be a part of Your Blogging Mastermind.

~ Maria Graber

Do you think Your Blogging Mastermind is for you? Enrollment is open for a limited time.

Your Blogging Mastermind: Additional Value for Me

In addition to the forum, weekly trainings and bi-annual in person meet up, Crystal gave us a unique opportunity. Her most recent course Monetize your Blog launched the end of September. Pre-launch, she gave anyone in the mastermind who wanted it, the entire course. In exchange for writing a review of the course, we could participate in her month-long coaching group of the course. I felt happy to review and share my thoughts of the course. I had no idea how the month of coaching would move me forward in my blogging journey.

All I accomplished as a part of Crystal’s Monetize Your Blog Coaching group: In the month of October, I applied and re-applied to be part of affiliate programs. I wrote my blogging why, ideal audience, and privacy policy. I had been procrastinating about these last 3. When I started blogging, I felt like I had no idea and after 2 years I have a better picture of who I serve. I learned more about affiliate marketing and sponsored posts including a guideline for pricing. I created my first media kit. I wrote an affiliate post and mock sponsored post. I have a clearer picture of what a monetized blog can look like. I am finishing up the assignments as I write this post. I will be brainstorming ideas of other income ventures and going over a disclosure policy to make sure all the legal stuff is in place.

Crystal does not promise these extra bonuses, but looks for ways to add value to our mastermind experience. The afore mentioned opportunity added value for me. I wonder what else she has in store?

Right now you have the chance to try it FREE for one week.

Do NOT miss this week’s training if you have a blog up and running.

What does a Blog have to do with a Homestead?

For where I am in my health journey, sitting down to rest is a part of my every day life. In the spring of 2014 when I became unable to work using physical labor, even at home, I would sit and watch movies or TV. It felt unfulfilling and like I was wasting my time. I occupied myself, but had nothing to show for it.

I would at times write out my struggles, but that produced no income. Fast forward through spiritual, emotional and physical healing, blogging as a business gives me a chance to work toward earning money. Have I earned much via my writing? Not yet. I am beginning to see a small amount. I trust that as I continue to learn and apply, the result will be money additional money earned.

A Country Girl’s Heart ~ Beats that Matter has been and continues to be a great way to showcase the 3 heritage chicken breeds I am raising. We all know how undependable social media selling has become. One has to tip toe around on Facebook to promote anything related to animal sales. A website provides a place online that you own no matter what a social media platform’s current trend may be.

I need these times to rest my body and still use my mind. Most days I need to be up moving, caring for animals and working combined with the times of resting and writing.  Blogging about the homestead life gives me a way to do both.

For you, a homesteader, a website provides a place to share your knowledge, promote crafts created, animals raised and share your story with the world.

If you do not have your blog set up yet, check out these courses at Your Blogging University

Using what I Had

2014 found me feeling frustrated and defeated with my present circumstances….

I knew I was not going back to previous jobs(for a long term solution) working as an equine trainer and manager.  My current health would not allow it. Recovering from a tough onset of Mono while dealing with other chronic illness left me floundering. I found some encouragement in 2015 as I participated in the 2015 TCA Thoroughbred Makeover with Navajo Bo.  As 2016 rolled around I was giving serious thought and prayer to what was next. I strongly desired to raise my own food. I had a few ideas rolling around in my head. Chickens for eggs and meat, my own milk, butter and cheese via a cow, a garden, canning, a green house, perhaps a spring house, and a hydroponic system were some of my farming/homesteading ideas. Somewhere in all that I should be able to find a way to earn an income was my thought.

Using what I had….

​I looked around at what buildings were currently standing on the almost 12 acres.  One was a large chicken barn.  The design did not leave room for creating stalls for horses or cattle.  It was however double walled and even had some insulation were it looked like a previous owner had started to make a shop out of it. 

Chickens became the first project to pursue.  With 3 heritage breeds, they are all a developing work in progress.  I like many qualities of Scottish Highland Cattle for milk, butter, cheese and meat.  I do not have them yet and have strongly considered the American Milking Devon.  Truth is, until I actually own them, there is that possibility I will change my mind.

Chicken Project

Thirteen Swedish Flower Hen chicks were my first purchase in May of 2016.

I have since added Swedish Flower Hens from 3 additional farms to create diversity in the breeding stock.  In the fall of 2016 two more breeds caught my eye, Silver Gray Dorking and Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner.  Both are rather rare and hard to find I discovered but by mid November 2016 I had chicks from each breed.

Fruits and Vegatables

I planted garlic for the first time in the fall of 2016. I also grew Sweet Potatos in buckets during 2016.  I transplanted wild Black Raspberries to create a row of black raspberries. I started some grapes plants from vine cuttings and will be producing concord grapes in the future.  Did you know that in 1849 Ephraim Wales Bull planted 22,000 seeds before deciding on the what we now call the concord grape?  Amazing!  Has me wondering what variety I could develop.

The spring of 2017 found me foaling out mares for an Arab training barn.

The additional work left no time for me to plant and garden in 2017. The exception being a harvest of garlic in August.

I am always on the look out for ways to accomplish my goals with what I have, be it material possessions or personal skills, and building on that to achieve other dreams I have.

One way I helped to finance my chicken project and this website was through Swagbucks.  In 2017 I earned over $225.00.  While not a huge amount, it all adds up.

What ways have you accomplished goals and seen dreams come true using what you had available?