When we first acquired our little 4 acres, we started brainstorming names for ourselves. Those of you who have followed this blog may have noticed that it used to be my craft, furniture redo blog. It has now transformed to fit our current life. It’s purely for my pleasure, other’s curiosity and those arbitrary moments when I just want to write.
Back to the name. It comes down to how do we categorize ourselves as. The husband likes to say farm, and indeed those around us think it’s a farm if I base their thoughts on the “farmhouse” labeled gifts they give us. I truly believe it’s an insult to the real farmers out there to call ourselves a farm. For one, we don’t provide goods for others unless you count the occasional dozen eggs we give to our neighbor. Secondly, real farmers are in a league of their own. They make a living working tirelessly preparing food for the entire country all while dealing with crazies who have little understanding of crops and livestock calling for more regulation on crops and livestock… I imagine their lives to be wonderfully fulfilling and fearfully trying. We’re not there and won’t be. I will continue to be super thankful for America’s real farmers.
Are we a homestead because we’re not big enough to be a ranch? What is a homestead exactly?
home·stead
ˈhōmˌsted/
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a house, especially a farmhouse, and outbuildings.
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LAW a person’s or family’s residence, which comprises the land, house, and outbuildings, and in most states is exempt from forced sale for collection of debt.
That’s helpful. Do we have a house? Yes. Do we have outbuildings? Yes. It doesn’t say anything about raising animals or growing a garden though.
We don’t live solely off our animals or garden or off grid, so does that make us a legit enterprise? I don’t know for sure, but what I do know is that homestead has become a very generic term of endearment for those of us who want a simpler way of life. We want to get back to the good ole’ days when children played for hours outside and all ages learned how to gingerly take care of creatures and beings smaller or less superior than them. We want to get our hands in the dirt, enjoy fresh eggs and veggies and acquire some calluses from a good, hard labor. We see the value in the life of all things. We have moments of profound happiness like when a hen lays her first egg and moments of infinite grief like when we have to put a horse down from colic.
So, are we a homestead?
I believe we are. Hobby homesteaders to be specific, combining new day technologies with old world techniques. If you need us, we’ll be mucking the paddocks and cleaning the duck waterers. Messy things. 😉
thehomesteadkings.com 
We have less than an acre, but I definitely consider us homesteaders! We try to be as self sufficient as possible and grow what we eat! Your place sounds amazing, and labels are just labels!
Agreed! Thank you. Our naming dilemma is mostly a dilemma because we want to get a big metal “farm” sign for the property. 😂
Wonderful. I could have written the same explanation for my blog- the history of it and everything!
A definition I saw for homestead was settler/colonizer and that didn’t sit right with me. There ought to be a clever term coined for those of us trying to diversify the process of living ♡ best wishes!
Agreed! I’m sure the definition will catch up to us one day. Thanks for stopping by! 😊
We’re on 2 acres, and I have determined “homestead” to be the right term for us as well!