Hello wonderful soul!
I wanted to invite you along our journey of off-grid homesteading and tending to the Freeborn Family forest farms. For the past 4 months, we moved up to 10 acres of old growth forest, on a mountain. We are the last residence on that mountain road. We are completely off grid and run electronics on generators. There are two springs on the property and we are blessed with artisan spring water bubbling out of the earth. An infinite filling of the spring box that we pump with a marine battery to fill a large water cistern. The other spring naturally waters the garden and it gravity feeds the cabin sink for dishes. We button up next to National Forest and we have been enjoying foraging as a family to make herbal remedies to share with you and yours. So many hidden antiques and relics remain on this ancient land. We love to find these old treasures that tell a story of a time when life was simpler and folks made their own tools and made everything they needed by hand. If you needed food you wouldn’t go to the grocery store. The food was in your neighbor’s orchard or farm. Folks would trade and barter. We are going back to this way and enjoy trading with our mountain community neighbors and friends. We look out for each other and help is never far away. We trade with each other for what we need from what we have to offer. Jason and I have been documenting all of the medicinal and edible plants and mushrooms on this mountain and we have a list of over 70! These plants, trees and mushrooms will be shared in another blog and writing. Oh the lessons we have learned to get rid of the modern convenience of electricity and living on the grid. There are so many to share. Some were hard lessons that made us tougher yet most were empowering lessons and prosperous ones.
Here are the lessons I have learned this summer living nearly 24/7 with my husband and kids in an off-grid mountain homestead:
1.) There are so many magical impromptu moments during work and recreation that we all got to experience together and shall forever be etched into our memories. Such as the bounty of morels that popped up in a thick forest that we happened to find. Or the baby white pine trees healthily growing in the National Forest that boundaries our road.
2.) When the going gets tough, we lean on each other. That is the only way we can thrive and survive!
3.) It is utterly exhausting being incessantly questioned and challenged by a 9 and 6 year old. Inquisitive minds are busy! I suppose I’m getting my karma when I lectured them to question everything; especially from the authority!
4.) There are everyday miracles found in nature that makes you pause and feel the presence of God who created and fillest all things.
5.) The unforeseen challenges makes you tough, resilient and humbled.
6.) The ups and downs, the happiness and sorrows are deepened. The feeling of joy when you get that water tank filled for the first time. The feeling of heartache when you lose a beloved animal or a loved one who moves or departs this life.
7.) The feeling of satisfaction and empowerment when you grew/hunted/foraged/gathered/ prepped/ fermented and prepared the meal on your family’s table. Everything tastes better on a mountain!
8.) Those anxious moments where your mind says, “Oh shit, how will we fix this?”
9.) Sharing those precious moments with family and friends who come to visit for a nature retreat. The fun "work parties" with neighbors. Many hands make small work!
10.) Driving up and down the rocky mountain road and seeing all of the wild life and stopping to say hello to friendly neighbors.
11.) Learning together as a family about all of the healing and medicinal plants growing wild and we keep discovering and learning about more plants!
12.) Being surrounded by pristine artisan water! Natural springs, lakes, creeks, streams, and rainfall.
13.) Daily chores and tasks completed as a family are more gratifying and wholesome.
14.) The hustle, bustle and quick pace of city life no longer exist which creates a blank canvas to paint your ultimate happiness upon.
15.) Gratitude for sacred life and all the unforeseen blessings and life’s lessons.
16.) The days are long but the weeks and months are short.
17.) Youth grows so fast yet wisdom and grace come with age.
18.) Being a vendor at Farmer’s Market has been such a wonderful experience. Especially for our boys. They have learned how to be good at sales! Our community has one of the best Farmer’s Market on the planet!
19.) The sunrise and sunsets that take your breath away and give you a glimpse of heaven.
20.) Learning how to water bath can and realizing it is so easy! We canned a wild berry jam and it was such a cool experience picking berries as a family and putting up for winter.
21.) Stocking the pantry with ferments and jars of food and medicine is so satisfying.
22.) Living every day with intention and purpose that feels like this is how life is supposed to be: simple country living.
I promise to stay in touch!
Be well and blessings, Jessica Freeborn
I love this so much! You are brave, resilient, strong, resourceful, imaginative and I admire you and love you so!