Homesteading Conference Takeaways

Last weekend was a full, busy, delightful, standing in front of a garden hose on full throttle type of a weekend. Why was that?

Our farm was invited to be a vendor for the second year in a row at the Modern Homesteading Conference, held in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. And this year I was able to sneak away to a couple of presentations which were stocked full of wisdom.

All of the presentations were recorded and available for purchase which I highly recommend. I’ve already placed my order!

https://modernhomesteading.com/2024-recordings-special/

As I listened to the presentations and visited with customers, old and new, I realized that there is a wonderful community right at our fingertips while at the same time, I began to feel overwhelmed. I have so much to learn and as I began to sink into despair, I reread my notes from Joel Salatin’s presentation. Buy those recordings and listen to his talk!

He said to abandon fear as fear makes us run and faith makes us stop. He encouraged us to stay within our sphere of influence and work on what each of us CAN fix. We all need to learn to grow more of our food, fix things, and build what we need. We need knowledge, skills and experience. And he encouraged us all by telling us that, “If its worth doing, its worth doing poorly first.” Just like a little one learning to walk, we don’t discourage our babies not to walk unless they can do it well. We cheer and applaud every wobbly cautious step. So it’s okay that my garden will struggle in certain areas (maybe even fail!), our pastures still struggle with proper rotational grazing and I’m still learning about natural tinctures and what to give my family during an illness.

So as I sat down and rethought, I realized that I want to learn more about natural remedies for the health of my family, grow more of our food (beginning to do that…poorly, but my garden is starting), and make our farm raised food more convenient to use. I also realized how much we already are doing and to be thankful. Yesterday my tasks included harvesting peppermint from my garden for the best tea in the future months, freeze drying our goat milk to make goat milk powder, making goat milk ice cream & cheese, collecting our own farm fresh eggs, and making dinner using our own pasture raised beef. Much learned already and even more knowledge to gain. Learning is joyful and satisfying.

Another great presentation I was able to attend was presented by Dr. Patrick Jones, “Herbscaping: Make your Yard a Pharmacy.” Right up my alley as I want to be better prepared to care for my own family. And I believe more herbal knowledge will help my soap making skills as well. I also want to learn how to grow many of those plants right here on the farm. Doesn’t make sense to exchange dependency on the local grocery store to a supplier of dried herbs. I’d like to shorten the path as much as possible…like walk out to the garden and pick what I need to help heal.

Dr. Patrick Jones has a wealth of information and our plan is for me to begin his Homegrown Herbalist School of Botanical Medicine this month. It will take some dedicated time to delve into this course and I’m excited to begin. I hope to create a medicinal garden that is not only able to help my family’s health but also to be a spot of visual beauty. We will see…remember that if something is worth doing, its worth doing poorly at first. So here’s to applying what I learned this past weekend to our farm and family life.

Order the 2024 Modern Homesteading Conference presentations here:

https://modernhomesteading.com/2024-recordings-special/

And come join me! Here is where to enroll in the HomeGrown Herbalist Online School Of Botanical Medicine:

https://homegrownherbalist.net/

And here is where to order your tickets for the Modern Homesteading Conference 2025:

https://modernhomesteading.com/eb-tickets-2025/

See you there next year!