I waited a long time to become a mama and for a long time I thought it wasn’t in the cards for me.  Now I’m living this dream and I’m all in.  I want to raise my babies, care for my marriage, and create a beautiful home.

This sudden clarity of priorities reminds me of the current trend amongst the mothers I interact with in life and through business/social media.

I was raised on a mini farm, which may have been a little ahead of its time in its simplicity and sustainability.  I was greatly influenced by powerhouse women who knew the old-fashioned way of doing things.  They were “crunchy” before crunchy was a thing.  I watched them cook wholesome dinners, educate their children at home, grow vegetable gardens, and raise chickens.  What amazes me is how happy they were to buck the system and follow their hearts. There was no social media to show off for back then.  They surrounded themselves with like-minded families and the only showing off was for showing how.

Maybe you could call this self-reliant lifestyle “homesteading” but we think of Little House On The Prairie or an Alaskan claim when we hear the term “homesteading”. Perhaps “Homestyle” is a better description?

We didn’t “homestead” for an identity or to align with current trends. The way we were raised and taught came from a mother who was confident in her true identity and convictions which turned out to be safe and beneficial for her family. Maybe this life was a little old fashioned for a generation or two, but I’m forever grateful for the conservative values instilled in us. Not only in beliefs, but in the practices which return us to a simpler and healthier time of (actual) whole foods, self-care, and love of the outdoors.

So, despite the obvious pressures of modern society and the understandable need to sometimes take the easy way out, I strive to be the collective result of all the little things done in the name of Faith, health, satisfaction, and overall quality of life. My identity is now in the family I take care of, not a job I attend, and I am forever thankful for that.

Over the past three years I’ve witnessed a momentous shift towards a more basic and healthier lifestyle. It’s my belief that “homesteading” is making a comeback because people are waking up to the fact that we are inundated with too many toxins in our daily life. We’ve also become aware that there very well may be another lockdown or supply shortage in our lifetime, and relearning our heritage skills can only benefit us.

The pandemic and the subsequent public health conversations, thankfully, have pushed the toxicity of modern life into the spotlight. Many have known for a long time how toxins in our daily life affect our health and hormone levels. Food quality in the US is shameful, just look at the newest version of the food pyramid that recently came out. The impact of physical fitness on overall health and quality of life cannot be understated.

The pandemic gave us a much needed “pause” to reevaluate the way we live our life, experience a different pace, and explore the possibilities of a deliberate lifestyle. Suddenly, work and school returned to the home, families started spending more time together, and corporations have learned that the 9 to 5 days can be done in other ways.

The result of all of this has been an explosion of families looking for crunchy lifestyles or falling in love with what they found outside of corporate America.

My husband and I laugh at some of the telltale signs of crunchy moms that are becoming more common: backyard chickens, sourdough, raw milk, gardens, and essential oils… but these are NOT bad things. Finding time for any of these things is a step in the right direction and a return to what was the norm before we got lost in professional identity and materialism. Even if you can’t suddenly dedicate all your time to this lifestyle, finding time to participate in the occasional “homesteading” hobby is progress towards self-reliance and health.

So here are my final thoughts:

What would you call somebody who lives an old-school, self-reliant lifestyle dedicated to a healthy family? Someone who values quality over convenience and puts the time in to complete tasks the better way? Parents who say no to the status quo and limit their kids’ exposure to toxins? Families who call home the land where they live out their lives, not the building that sits on it? Families that put God above all else and trust in prayer? Is it called crunchy, or is it something else? Do we even need to coin a new name?

When did housewife begin to take on a negative connotation? The Real Housewives of TV are not real housewives. Why do women sometimes say “JUST” a stay-at-home mom? Is it cooler to say I’m a #crunchymom than to honor the legacy of housewives who stayed home and raised generations of Americans?

Maybe focusing on doing the small things right instead of focusing on a label, we become something beyond a simple label.

So call it what you want but I’m cheering for us all!