Our Ohio Homestead

Hi! I’m Karli.  I started my first garden in 2015. Ever since then, I dreamed of having space to plant, not just an annual summer vegetable garden, but a homestead full of perennial plants and animals to allow for access to fresh, healthy food all year long for myself and my family.

My husband, daughter, and I currently live in the city on a half acre property where we have been gardening since 2020. Over the years, we have built 15 raised bed gardens, added a small chicken coop, and an 8 x 12 foot greenhouse (new in 2026!) to our backyard. 

In 2025, my husband Cameron and I purchased 23 acres of land in Ohio with the plan to move there in 2028.  The property was mostly wooded when we purchased it, with a small cabin on it. That summer, we worked hard to clear 5 acres of land for our future homestead. 

In spring 2026, we are building a 100’ x 100’ fenced area at our new property, where I will be planting perennials as future food for ourselves and our animals. This includes fig trees, pomegranates, apple, pear, cherry, mulberry, persimmon, chestnut, sea berry, hazelnut, paw paw, peach, plum, nectarine, blueberries, and more. In order to achieve all this, I will be rooting cuttings, starting trees from seed in air pruning beds, and grafting whenever possible to keep costs down. 

This blog was created to show what we are growing. What has worked for us. What hasn’t. Our successes and our failures in trying to reach closer to the goal of growing as much of our family's food as possible on our land and hopefully inspire other people to grow more of their own food too. I will also be sharing gardening tips and advice, based on things I am trying in my own garden to improve soil health and have healthier plants. Whenever possible, I will be trying to use my own homemade or natural products to feed my soil, including homemade compost and plant feeds, as well as seed saving, and planting as many perennial plants as possible to create a more productive and self sustaining homestead.