An unexpected, encouraging word came to me today from the blogosphere – thanks to The Prairie Homestead (by way of Pinterest – my new favorite virtual indulgence).

Jill, the young farmer (and pro blogger) behind this site has a fresh take on the whole homesteading concept that gave me one of those “well duh” moments when I considered it.  It also gave me the renewed spark I needed to look at my own sustainability aspirations through fresh eyes.

Her premise is this:

“ANYONE can have a piece of the homesteading dream, regardless of where you live…because homesteading is a fill-in-the-blank kind of venture.”

As in, “The _________ Homestead”.  Urban, Island, Mountain, whatever – it matters not.  Each person can have their own distinct version of the homesteading dream, without necessarily owning the acres of farmland and the big red barn. It’s really all about having the mindset of returning to a natural lifestyle rooted in simple pleasures, fresh food, and good old fashioned physical effort.  It’s the antithesis of the advertising-driven capitalist principles we’ve been drenched in from childhood in this culture – “only having the best/most A & B & C = the truly happy and successful life”.  Any version of a back-to-nature life that makes you feel more connected to the earth, as well as those you share it with – that reorders your priorities to what truly enhances and enriches your life rather than mires you in debt, dis-ease, and despair – that is success, regardless of the component parts.

Here I’ve been struggling with trying to find the most earth-friendly locale, affordable land, cultural kindreds, etc. – the right external environment – when the opportunity to cultivate my homesteading mindset further and allow it to manifest in the world around me, was there all along.  Be it through container and/or community gardening, connecting with organic farms and sources nearby, making more of what I eat and use myself instead of buying pre-made, and making what I do purchase as natural and local as I can, I can begin living my homesteading dream, and find contentment in the midst of the small steps.

This paradigm shift puts our pending trip back to our previous locale in a whole new light. I have a new challenge, a newly defined target to pursue, which is: what does “The Nomadic Homestead” look like, at least for us?  I’m sure there are others out there living their own version of that (note to self – research!), but for us, it’s uncharted territory – my favorite kind.

On this day of Beltane, the festival celebrating the return of fertility and new life to the earth, I have a renewed sense of excitement, as I expectantly await what is to be birthed in this next season of my life.

So I can have my nomadic cake, and homestead it too.  Who knew?