49 Before We Plan Our 2027 Homestead | What Worked, What Didn’t & What We’re Changing

Before we order another packet of seeds, add another animal, expand the garden, or start another homestead project, we're doing something important, looking back before we look forward. In this episode of Handmade Happiness, Thomas and Jessica are sitting down to evaluate what actually worked on their five-acre Missouri homestead this year and what didn't before any plans are made for 2027. It's easy to open a seed catalog or see someone else's homestead and immediately start dreaming about everything we could grow, raise, or build. But we're learning that good homestead planning isn't necessarily about doing more every year. It's about figuring out what actually serves our family well. We're looking at what our family actually ate, which crops earned their space in the garden, what we grew way too much of, what performed well in our Missouri growing conditions, and which perennial crops we want to continue investing in. We're also taking an honest look at our livestock including chickens, ducks, turkeys, meat rabbits, meat birds, and KuneKune pigs and asking which animals truly fit our property, our family's needs, our budget, and the amount of time we have available. Then we're tackling something that can make an enormous difference on a working homestead, bottlenecks. Where did we waste time this year? What chores were harder than they needed to be? Where would better fencing, water access, feed storage, garden irrigation, processing areas, or other infrastructure make everyday life easier? One of the biggest things we're learning is that more isn't always better. The question isn't simply, “What else could we do with five acres?” but What is worth doing? What feeds our family? What do we enjoy? What fits our property? And how can we make what we're already doing work better? Because the best plan for next year's homestead shouldn't come from a seed catalog. It should come from everything this year taught us. Handmade Happiness is our weekly podcast about homesteading, gardening, traditional skills, growing and preserving food, homeschooling, family life, and learning to live a little more intentionally. New episodes every Sunday. #HomesteadPlanning #Homesteading #HomesteadGarden #GardenPlanning #MissouriHomestead #GrowingYourOwnFood #TheLarkLife #HandmadeHappiness ✨ Thanks for tuning in to Handmade Happiness! ✨ If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations about slowing down, creating with your hands, and living more intentionally. 💌 Stay connected: Visit me at TheLarkLife.com Follow along on Instagram: @The_Lark_Life Click to join my email list for updates, resources, and encouragement 🧵 Share the love: If this episode encouraged you, would you take a moment to leave a review or share it with a friend? It truly helps others discover the show. You can also support the show by making a donation at www.thelarklife.com/podcast Until next time, may you find joy in the simple things and beauty in the work of your hands.