Homesteading is rough.

[thinkyesi]

Do you ever just feel like giving up after all the work you've put into your homestead?
I've been having one of the hardest 3 weeks with my homestead. Today I finally just broke down and cried. I've put so much time, money, energy, effort and love into what I do. But at times I feel like just selling everything and giving up. Any advice from any other homesteaders going/been through the same. I need some good encouragement right about now.

 

[sourland]

When dealing with plants, animals, and mother nature there are bound to be tribulations. Spring is coming - the birds are telling me so.

 

[Tre3hugger]

I feel you %100. Year 3 homesteader here and a lot of times I feel like a total crazy person. But look around. Take a deep breath. Try to learn a lesson from whatever hardship you are facing and steward on! You are a hero to Mother Earth.

 

[Sally PB]

Yes, you are a hero!

@thinkyesi, I'm not quite a homesteader yet, but working toward it. I have a big garden, and what it produced was the "income" from "my second job," as I called it. 2019 was such a poor harvest that when I thought about it, I probably barely broke even on what I got versus what I spent on seeds, etc. Maybe even lost money. Since I was still working, my husband mostly just scoffed at that and said, "Well, you enjoyed working in the garden anyway, right?" Ummm.... yeah.... but that wasn't the point.

I have to look at it as more than plus or minus, win or lose, up or down. As Tre3hugger said, you are a hero to the Earth. I like to think I am too. My soil is improving, I am a little more self reliant, and I am learning new things every season -- about gardening, chickens, and myself.

What all do you have on your homestead? Are you alone, have a partner, kids?

If you sold it all, I can practically guarantee that you would regret it. (I have some things I could sell for cold hard cash that might be more useful right now, but they could never be replaced, and I know I still want them.) Give yourself a day off (or an hour, or whatever you can) and think about the good things you are doing, for you and/or your family, your land, your neighbors, your animals, your garden.

I was very discouraged after 2019, but I planted again in 2020. And it was the best harvest ever.

Hugs!

 

[thinkyesi]

Thank you, sometimes I feel like I forget to just stop and take a breather. I'm on year 4 of homesteading.

 

[Sally PB]

If you have questions, a lot of people here have a lot of knowledge about, well, just about everything. Not just chickens. There are bakers here, gardeners, tinkerers, builders, and all kinds of "learned it by myself the hard way" doers. So ask questions. I think most people like to share what they know. I do.

 

[thinkyesi]

I have a husband, no kids though. He has a full time job. And homesteading is my full time job. I have 9 dogs, 15 chickens, 9 turkeys, 60+ pigeons, I have 12 does and 1 buck. And recently had 10 baby goats, 2 were stillborn. 1 of the baby bucklings got a really bad disease and hes been in and out of the vet. He was having horrible seizures today and it hurt me seeing him suffering while I've been trying to do all I can.
My husband gets mad at me because I spend too much of "his" money on the animals. He says 'they are just animals' but to me it's more than just that. I am their protector and guardian. I love my animals and want to help them. He never really helps me on the homestead and that makes it so stressful for me to care for 100+ animals on my own. I love homesteading, but it feels like the thing I love is starting to take a toll on me.

 

[thinkyesi]

Yes I've found much help over the past years asking for advice on certain issues on here. But even after much help on here, at time I still feel overwhelmed. I understand it's something we all go through, and I'm sure this storm will pass. But it hurts when you feel like giving up but dont actually want to.

 

[Sally PB]

Something that helps me is to write stuff down. It helps me see it more objectively, one thing at a time. What are my goals with XYZ? Break it down into small chunks.

What are your goals with each different species of animal you have? Are they for milk, meat, eggs? For breeding, for sale? Could you reach those goals with fewer animals/species? Fewer animals would be less work, less cost.

Homesteading is hard work. There are a lot of hard decisions too. Sometimes you need to step back from the forest and look at each tree.