Homesteading Blogs to Read in 2021 - Happy Homestead Interview Series

Imagine if you could learn from the experts on how to manage your time to increase your productivity and find joy while meeting your homesteading goals. Well now you can. Welcome to the Happy Homestead Interview Series.

Every Monday I invite homesteaders who have conquered this challenge to share their stories, from realizing they could homestead where they are to building a homestead that meets their families needs, dreams and goals.

If you want to quit your job, and purse your homestead dreams wholeheartedly, read on to learn how you too can have a productive and happy homestead to discover your homesteading purpose, find success and live the life you want to.

Homesteading Blogs leading the way in 2021

If we’ve learned anything, this decade is all about leading a more self sufficient lifestyle that helps us connect with each other, our food and our planet.

I’m interviewing the best homesteaders that I know that are leading the way of living a handmade homegrown lifestyle to sustain their families while still enjoying a simple happier life.

The fun thing about these interviews is they are strong willed women who are passionate about what they do. Their interviews will inspire you and lift you up, help you get your own realistic homesteading goals and encourage you to just start no matter where you live or what skills you might have.

HAPPY HOMESTEADING STARTS HERE.

AN INTERVIEW WITH LEAH LYNCH OF LEAHS LOVELY LOPS

Today I’m extremely excited to share with you my friend Leah, the go to rabbit breeder in her area and an expert and teacher to learn how to start your own profitable rabbity.

In this Interview you’ll learn from Leah

How to make money raising Rabbits
How to stay true to yourself as a homesteader, and business owner
Her secrets to staying motivated

1. How and when did you start your homesteading journey?

“My answer to this is never a short one. I have had my own herd of rabbits since I was 10 years old. I remember my dad and I trying to figure out webs.com so I could set up a free website for my rabbitry of Jersey Wooly rabbits.

Fast-forward to the age of 17 I made a breed transition to French Lops. I can’t tell you how I found out about the breed but as soon as I saw them I fell in love. I brought home my first two boys and within a year I had about 5 does and more buyers than I had babies available.

That grew to the level that I was able to pay for my college education and graduate debt-free. Now I make it a point to stay focused on the aspects that I love and not to do, raise, or grow something because “that’s what homesteaders do”.

I see so many homesteaders stretch so thin they don’t enjoy life.

So I set in my mind that anything new has to support what I am already doing, save me money, or bring me & my family joy in some way.“

2. How big is your property and what does your homestead look like? (what do you grow and raise?)

“We have a small 1-acre property with of course my rabbits and a variety of poultry (what country girl doesn’t at least a few birds.) My husband and I both hunt to add deer and my new found favorite fish to the freezer.

As far as non-livestock I am more of a flower and herb gardener. The herbs help me treat any issues that come up with the rabbits or our other animals. And the flowers bring me joy.”

RELATED: HERB GARDEN PLANNER

3. What are your biggest struggles or least favourite parts about homesteading?

“Honestly, the hardest thing I struggle with on a daily basis isn’t the work. It’s the balance between having the heart to help others and teach realistic and practical ways of raising animals, without getting attacked for the way I do things.

There are those that think things should be done in a certain way. But they have a delusional view of the way farming and animals are.

So in short. Keyboard warriors. People condemning others when they really have no clue how this world works. If someone’s animals are healthy. You don’t have to agree with everything they do.”

4. What does a typical day look like?

“After my husband leaves for work and have my cup of coffee in hand I sit in my favorite chair (that actually fits all of my 5-foot 11inch self) and read my morning devotions.

Then sit with my planner and make a plan for the day. Marking out the first one to two tasks for the day and leave my other tasks on a list. Because as we all know a day’s plans can change in the blink of an eye. So leaving the day flexible helps to keep the day’s work realistic and adaptable. “

“Then I MUST have a shower. I can not function if I don’t have one every morning… I don’t care if I have a day planned that will leave me drenched in sweat. If so then I’ll take two.

Then I sit down and get a few hours worth of work done for my business. Take a break around noon to do the feeding and spend time with my animals. Then it’s back to work on my business for a few more hours until my husband comes home.

I purposed in my mind years ago that I would shut the laptop when it was family time. If he has a project he is working on then yes I am back to work but only if he is busy too.

When it comes to house chores I use those tasks as break times from my business and work. Instead of scrolling social media or catching my favorite show, I use that time to sweep, do the dishes, and laundry.

Could I be better at taking some relaxing time? Sure. But I am in a season of building and I am going to work like crazy while I have the time to do so. Evenings are spent enjoying what is right in front of me. Or working on bigger projects.”

5. How do you stay motivated?

“I am naturally a driven person but on the days when I wonder if the long days are worth it. I scroll back through the comments I get on my social media posts or I go read email responses I have gotten that I keep saved in a special folder.

When it comes to losses or struggles with the animals I remind myself of the good and that there are going to be struggles along the way. I just have to find the answer to the problem and take my emotions out of the results and know I did my best.

In the areas where there is actually something not working well I step back and ask myself why am I doing this thing? Can something be tweaked to make it better? Or should I give it up altogether? Sometimes the hard times are a sign that something needs to change.”

6. How do you celebrate success after finishing a project?

“I wish I was better at this. But I’m not. I tend to jump right into the next.”

NOTE FROM DIANA:

Most homesteaders find the greatest joy in completing projects but don’t forget to celebrate your successes no matter how big or small. This makes the journey memorable and not just about the destination. For more celebration ideas grab our cheatsheet here.

7. What advice would you give someone who wants to start homesteading?

Start small, get so good at one thing that you could do it in your sleep. Then add another thing. It’s so easy to want to do “all the things” but that is the best way to overwhelm yourself and get burnt out.

There is this stigma that homesteaders want to get back to the old ways of doing things. Yet they are still trying to do all of that around a 9-5. In the “old days” growing food and supplies WAS their 9-5.

So don’t put so much pressure on yourself to do the impossible. And if you don’t love it. Let it go! You don’t “have to” do something because it’s what “homesteaders do.” You are not less than because you don’t have a vegetable garden or raise chickens.

If you could speak face to face with yourself when you first started your business, what pearls of wisdom would you impart?

Keep at it and the growth will come. I heard someone say on a podcast really hit this home. They said ” you don’t get a job, and in six months expect to be running the company.” Some how we expect online businesses to be making five and six figures in the first year. That’s unrealistic. Do your time and the reward will come.

What are you most looking forward to for 2021?

As far as the homestead goes I have plans to dip my toe into heritage turkeys. I raised them for years in 4H and they really are so much fun.

With the blog and business. I am slowly moving the content toward to the hearrt of stay at home wives.

Helping them find their worth in a world that values a job outside the home it is hard to feel like you fit in or measure up. I will be keeping all things animals but that is the next big move that just feels right.

Meet Leah of Leah Lynch.com

< Rabbitry Expert 🙂

Hey I’m Leah, a stay at home wife, rabbitry owner, blogger and online educator. Creating online resources for rural stay at home wives. Helping them find purpose and bring heart back into their home.

Come visit me at leah-lynch.com.

Learn how to start your own profitable rabbitry with Leah’s Profitable Rabbitry Playbook. She’s a star, and I highly recommend her to expertise to beginner homesteaders just like you.

GRAB THE PROFITABLE RABBITRY PLAYBOOK NOW PROFITABLE RABBITRY PLAYBOOK

Thank you Leah for sharing your experience and expertise with us.

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Homesteading Blogs to Read in 2021 – Happy Homestead Interview Series

Homesteading Blogs leading the way in 2021

AN INTERVIEW WITH LEAH LYNCH OF LEAHS LOVELY LOPS

1. How and when did you start your homesteading journey?

2. How big is your property and what does your homestead look like? (what do you grow and raise?)