The Homemade Haven

12/09/2024

Our newest (to us) Christmas display..
And I'm in love 😍

I couldn't figure out what to put on this dresser this season, so I set out to the thrift stores and found a few pieces that inspired a Victorian Christmas theme.. and the rest was history
😆😜 (see what I did there?)

I've always swooned over early American antiques and decor.
Christmas time at Tryon Palace or the Biltmore was the feeling I was trying to capture and I'm thrilled with how it turned out.

A little secret picture hack:
You can buy image downloads from etsy and print them at your local print store (Staples) for a fraction of buying new.
Reuse old frames or thrift those as well.

I'm all for joy inducing decor & saving money 🎉

12/03/2024

Us, southern North Carolinians, aren't kin to the kind of cold temps we've been experiencing this early in the season! Never seen anything like these before.. fascinating!
❄️❄️❄️

"Frost flowers" are thin layers of ice that form on the stems of plants in late fall or early winter. They are a rare phenomenon that requires specific conditions to occur, and are often described as looking like spun glass or cotton candy.

11/24/2024

Just a couple of happy weekend moments ❤️

We started decorating for Christmas this and the house just feels so warm & magical ✨️

Today was moving day for our sheep, and though our pasture is still in its infancy, the fresh patches of green sure make our gals happy campers.. along with excessive head scratches 😉

And to cap off the evening, a sweet homesteading friend dropped by with some homemade egg nog and my, oh my.. 😍
It's good to have great friends!

I sure am thankful for the little sprinkles of joy found in every day.. these kind of God winks keep me going!

11/20/2024

Rams will be rams 😆

11/18/2024

Me & my gang 😆

11/18/2024

This weekend closed the chapter on this semester's small group we've been teaching over the past few months.
In this class, we shared our homesteading lifestyle and how it directly connects us with the Creator.
We discussed the many ways that stewarding the land is Biblical and how we can honor God in all that we do!

Our final (optional) class was chicken processing.
Though these kind of days are never "fun", it was great fellowship, and everyone (us included) learned something!

What a gift we've been given, to be able to partner with the Lord in growing our family's food... and even more to be able to teach others how to do the same.
Not one single moment is taken for granted..

God is good.

11/08/2024

When you wake up HONGRY..

Sourdough pancakes for the win 👌

Nothing cooks like cast iron.. you can't convince me otherwise!

11/08/2024

Some itty bitty cuteness for your timeline this morning ❤️

Small litters from our girls this go around, but I'm believing it's because they produced quality kits 😉

Adorbs.

11/05/2024

This morning's thoughts, after moving our meat birds onto fresh grass...

Conventionally raised chickens never see the light of day, let alone touch or eat a blade of grass.
They live their short lives, cramped in dusty rooms, constantly ontop of their own filth, then are treated with chemicals to try to neutralize the bacteria that is inevitable due to their environment.

I'm thankful to be able to grow our birds on fresh, daily grass, non-gmo feed, and personally witness their wellbeing from the start to the finish of their lives.

Though they are a lot of work, knowing exactly how our meat has been raised makes it all worth it.

11/04/2024

The season is shifting and the farm is busy!

TO EVERYTHING there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under Heaven.

Join us as we move from the heat of the summer into the harvest season... it's Fall on the Farm and many there are many changes taking place.Thank you for wa...

10/31/2024

Happy post!!

After we brought home our two new barn patrol cats, within 2 days one of them (Hazel) decided to jump the barricade we made and run away.

We had her microchipped before leaving the animal shelter and had a collar with our number on it.. and we reported her missing after missing after a day passed in hopes that someone would find her and let us know.

After almost 2 weeks with no signs or reports of kitty.. we had assumed the worst.

But last night, while harvesting a deer.. a little kitty popped out of the woods and rejoined her sister and is back home where she belongs 🙌

A deer & a returned kitty all in one night..
Double portion blessing!
Praise God!

10/29/2024

Just a couple of fall sprinkles throughout the house that make me happy 🥰

Secret: most of it is thrifted 🤫😁

Any other thrifters out there??
What's your favorite find most recently??

10/26/2024

Just some beautiful fall colors lately ✨️🍂

10/26/2024

Putting up a deer is like running a marathon..
Not that I've ever ran a marathon, but I can only imagine it being tedious and grueling...like at one point, you look down at your watch and think, I'm not even close to done yet.

But when you reach that finish line.. sweet victory!

It takes me several (long) days to break down a deer to the point where it's ready to can.
Silver skin, anyone?! 🥴

But having shelf stable, ready to eat, nutrient dense meat & broth readily available in our pantry sure feels good.. and it's some of our favorite ways to enjoy it!

We are forever grateful that the Lord has blessed our land with abundance that sustains us and for the fortitude to utilize it to the best of our ability.

10/12/2024

The only thing cuter than a baby lamb..
Is TWO baby lambs 😍🥹

If yall need me, I'll just be sitting in the sheep pen staring at them all day!

❤️

10/11/2024

If your chickens are starting to look at little....
eh, homely.. 😆
Chances are they are going through a molt, like mine are!
Why chickens shed old feathers as the weather cools down is beyond me!

Maybe it has something to do with the shorter days and their slowing down of egg production.
Their body sees this as a good time to put energies towards new feathers growth? 🤷‍♀️

Some chickens lose significant amounts while others don't seem to be affected at all.
This is all normal!

So along with the falling leaves, enjoy the falling feathers as well 😅

10/10/2024

Very excited to introduce these lovely gals to our haven ❤️

Y'all knew I wouldn't go without sheep for too long 😅

We decided to switch over to a breed of sheep that is known for its parasite resistance, heat tolerance, hoof stability, and overall low maintenance.
The St. Croix fit the bill for us!

We're working on getting warmed up to each other, but it didn't take me too long to be smitten.
Especially by the 2 fresh lambies that were part of the package 😍

My sheep loving heart is happy!!