We make homesteading accessible

What comes to mind when you think of homesteading?”Is it rolling acres, blue skies and prairie dresses? Re-think it with us.

The term “homesteading” comes from an act of Congress in the 1800s that provided land in the west to settlers who agreed to live on it and farm it. People dreaming of self-reliance and independence from institutions took up this lifestyle.

We resurrect and reclaim practices from these first homesteaders—like sewing, gardening, and cooking, in the reorientation of our lifestyles to consume less and to create more. Yet, we distinguish ourselves from historic homesteaders and call ourselves “modern” in a few key distinctives: 

Modern Homesteading

city-dwelling

We no longer live in a world with acres available or accessible for ordinary people; there is no wild west and no free land.

Urbanization is the reality we face. Although we hope to own land and homestead on it someday, we embrace the city as the new frontier.

With or without a yard to call your own, join us to practice ancient tradtions and skills.

community-focused

We don’t consider our habits or choices in isolation. We believe that our neighbor’s flourishing matters; we value co-operating, sharing, giving, loving, and healing. Also–we also don’t believe we can suceed on our own.

Rather than focusing on self-sufficiency, we are focused on building skills that serve and heal our neighborhoods and worlds.


modern resources

Due to decades of conventional agriculture, our soil is depleted of vital nutrients. We value new solutions to issues like this one—such as hydroponic gardening. 

Additionally, we factor in the limited time and tight budgets that people in our modern world are equipped with as we work toward modern homesteading.


Our Core Values

We consider homesteading a way of life that’s available to anyone interested. We are intentional and strategic about promoting projects that are city-friendly & apartment-friendly. Whether it be learning how to sew, making food from scratch, making natural cleaning products, or foraging edible plants, we’ve got an eye out for accessibility.

Our goal is to become better artisans and people, and to help others do the same. We hope that as we learn to make homemade things, learn to mend things, and learn to grow things as a community, we will rely less and less on manufactured solutions and more and more on our own ingenuity and creativity.

To quote one of our favorite writers:

“We have lived our lives by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world. We have been wrong. We must change our lives so that it will be possible to live by the contrary assumption, that what is good for the world will be good for us. And that requires that we make the effort to know the world and learn what is good for it.” 

― Wendell Berry, The Long-Legged House

We believe that the answer to environmental challenges we face lies in a grassroots sustainability movement, powered by everyday people.

When we talk about sustainability, we’re talking about the path toward long term vitality, equity, and flourishing on earth. On a personal level, sustainability is a way of being; it centers around making choices that promote balance ecologically, and in our modern context, it involves taking a few steps back and re-orienting ourselves to the way we live on earth. 

It’s factoring in the needs of our complex environment—oceans, soil, air, global resources, food, animals, & human communities both present and future—into everyday decisions; it’s unselfish; it’s inherently empathetic and generous. It’s why we value community and it’s why we value cities and the people who live in them.

Whether it be waiting for yeast to rise over a period of days, or eggs to hatch, or seeds to sprout, we hope to help others find freedom by aligning with natural rhythyms.

Our telos is to become people who are handy, to rid our homes of toxins, and to celebrate the domestic arts. To learn to live integrated lives of flourishing in nature—that is the real mission here.

Read Our Stories

With unique backgrounds and expertise with organic agriculture, Evelyn and Hannah are finding innovative ways to bring their homesteading experience to their current lives in the cites.

Evelyn T. Zeller

Founder
Evelyn is a Michigan-native who currently resides in the Windy City. She is a forager, gardener and home chef. When she’s not occupied pickling vegetables and blogging about her endeavors, she spends time on her family’s farm on the other side of Lake Michigan. 
Read Evelyn’s Story →

Hannah Pugh-Mason

Founder
Hannah is an Oklahoma native who currently resides in Denver, Colorado. She’s a lover of all things linen, floral, and homemade. Hannah enjoys tinkering with DIY projects and bringing her farming experience to her garden in the city. 
Read Hannah’s Story →