Little did we know, we were embarking on a life we never intended.

On our less than 2-acre property, I learned how to grow an intentional garden that provided us with produce well into the winter months. We raised poultry for eggs, chicken, duck, and rabbit for meat. Goats quickly graced our small homestead to provide us with milk and clear the land. At the end of spring, we incorporated two feeder pigs raised on our neighbor’s property to assist in clearing land. They went off to the processors 120 days after their arrival.

However, my desire to feed my family year-round grew, and the focus of our small homestead changed. I immediately shifted from eating in season to consuming the bounty of our garden and meat harvest year-round. Preserving the harvest became my focus, and what came next was a true blessing.

I spent three years studying how to properly dry, ferment, cure meat, freeze dry, and store fresh produce long-term. I read every food preservation book I could find and studied every website on preserving the harvest, including the National Center for Home Food Preservation. My desire to learn how our ancestors preserved foods before using a pressure canner, dehydrator, and freeze dryer dropped me down the rabbit hole.

Studying traditional food preservation methods blew my mind, yet many techniques made sense. I quickly realized that to understand the art of food preservation truly, one must first understand the science. Then, and only then, did I realize that many traditional methods were suitable in the modern world, contrary to what the NCHFP stated.

At the end of our fifth year of homesteading, I signed a contract to write my first book, The Farm Girl’s Guide to Preserving the Harvest. This book summarizes all methods used to preserve foods long-term, guiding new and seasoned homesteaders to explore all techniques available to preserve the harvest year-round.  

Yet again, we were being called to do more

May 2021 changed our lives forever. I had returned from a conference in Tennessee, and upon returning home, something was on my heart and mind, but I could not comprehend what it was. On the ninth day of returning home, I did not sleep a wink.

It was the morning of the tenth day that I knew we were to begin a pilgrimage by God. Our calling was clear and direct:

• We were to relocate – my recent trip to Tennessee started flashing in my mind.
• His demands were precise: Create a place of refuge, feed, and teach his people.   

Justin and I complied with His commands without hesitation, and three months later, we left Washington State for Tennessee. The relocation process was not easy, and it was a journey filled with challenges, but we were guided by our faith and the belief that we were following the path He had set for us.

Our journey brought us to Southern Middle Tennessee, where we purchased a 42-acre family farm. Acorn Creek Farmstead was established, and our journey began to comply with what God asked of us.

In three short years, our small family farm began offering our community:

• Hand-on workshops covering necessary skills to live a more sustainable life.
• Real milk and its by-products are available through our herd share.
• Pasture-raised chicken, poultry, forested pork, and soon pasture-raised beef. 
• A seasonally based CSA package for 10 families.
• Vegetable starts.
• Onsite infrastructure tours.
• A seasonal farm experience weekend rental.

We have been incredibly blessed over the years. Our small family farm is thriving, and I have been busy speaking at various conferences across America. Stay tuned, my second book will be available in October 2025.

Am I experienced enough to mentor aspiring homesteaders in their journey to create a more traditional, sustainable, and profitable life?

I am experienced enough to share what I know and to let others decide if this site will help them achieve their goals.