While many people peg the homestead life as a ideal lifestyle, however, very few truly know what goes into just one day. Sunup to sundown. Every day. No breaks. No sleeping in. No “I’m too tired”. Chores have to be done. Living breathing animals entrust that you are going to get your butt up at the crack of dawn each morning and tend to them. All of them. In the rain. In the snow and in the extreme heat. Water troughs need filled. Animals need fed. Poop needs shoveled. Cows need milked. Gardens need weeded and bread needs baking. Those are a FEW of the morning chores to keep the homestead going, not to mention that one still has family household chores to do to keep the house running smoothly.
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Some days are nothing but giant poop covered choas. While some days are total bliss. But everyday I am thankful for the choice we have made to live this way and everyday I love my job. I may not always love getting up before the rooster, but I do feel truly blessed to be a modern day homesteader.
I have compiled a small glimpse of my average day in a series of photos, hoping to shed some light for those who are curious what we wake up too each day. This is a just glimpse of a day in the life of a homesteader.
The only way to start my day. Coffee and the great outdoors.
Time to let out the flock. 30 chickens and 3 ducks are always anxious to get out in the morning.
Time for barn chores. Word to the wise, never think you’ll leave with clean clothes.
Wash. Wash. Then Wash again.
Farm fresh milk. Milk cows twice a day. There are currently 2 cows in milk on the farm and 1 heifer waiting to calve.
Filtering milk into clean, cold gallon jars. Two gallons per milking. Per cow.
Start them young. Feeding the cows. 6 cows eat ALOT of hay!
There are 7 waterers to fill up on the farm, every day. Hoses are always in short demand. Thankfully, water is not.
Never walk in front of a cow with horns.. Some life lessons are learned the hard way.
Poop. Theres SOOO much poop.
Breakfast time for the hogs.
Locally milled grain for the pigs. 25 pounds in the morning. Repeat with 25 pounds in the evening.
The pigs meal wouldnt be complete without a gallon of milk once in the morning and once in the evening.
Happy as a pig in mud!
Pigs LOVE mud. Pigs need mud. Due to their lack of fur, pigs use mud as a method of cooling their body..
Morning egg collection.
The garden is calling. 3-4 hours per day is what it takes to keep this bad boy weeded.
The corn is tasseling all ready. About a month early due to the extreme heat.
Pulling beets to can up. Our pantry isn’t complete without at least a dozen jars.
Time to start a loaf of bread
As morning homestead chores wrap up, regular household chores begin. Laundry, beds, floors, prepping dinner and running kiddos around is just part of day to day life. Not just for the homesteader but for most people. I figured y’all could go without me photographing laundry piles, fussy kids and split milk. Your welcome!
When the sun goes down, evening chores begin. Mostly a mirror image of the morning. Cows get milked and alfalfa gets tossed. Pigs are fed and sprayed down. Eggs hunted and gathered. Garden gets watered.
Of course the day wouldn’t be complete without a “What The Heck!!” moment. I walked into the barn to do evening chores only to see the frost free bubbling up water and the floor under my mats beginning to flood.. Not cool.
And it had to be dug up, so it can be replaced. In the meantime, I’ll be hauling 5 gallon buckets down to the water troughs. A homestead isn’t a homestead if something isn’t broken. Good times.
But it doesn’t break our homestead spirit.
Evenings always include a hunt for the pullet eggs.
Teenage boys are excellent at herding pigs.
Processing milk, not a bad evening view from my dairy room.
There’s nothing more delicious than walking into the house after barn chores and smelling freshly baked bread.
And finally I sit down to my desk to tell you all about it.
Want to see how other homesteaders spend their day?
A Day in the Life by Ashley of Whistle Pig Hollow
Homesteading On The Farm: A Peek Into Our Life by Ashley of The Browning Homestead
The Answer to “And what did YOU do today?” by Chris of Joybilee Farm
A Day in the Life of an Urban Homesteader by Connie of Urban Overalls
A Day in My Shoes by Emilie of The Toups Address
Homesteading Rhythm with Little Kids & A Bump by Isis of Little Mountain Haven
Homestead Truths, Minus the Sugarcoating by Janet of Timber Creek Farm
A Day of Homestead Living by Jessica of The 104 Homestead
A Typical Day of Homesteading by Laurie of Common Sense Homesteading
It’s Not About The Work by Leona of My Healthy Green Family
Life, Unfiltered by Melissa of Ever Growing Farm
A Day in the Life of This Urban Homesteader by Meredith of ImaginAcres
A Day in the Life of a Homestead by Quinn of Reformation Acres
A Day on Acorn Hill Homestead by Teri of Homestead Honey
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Poop, there’s so much poop. HAHAHA I love it, and it’s so very true. It’s incredible how much excrement this critters create! Loved your stories and your photos, I can’t wait to get some big animals, chickens are just our gateway animal!
Thanks for sharing, I can relate!
I love it. We have a small homestead, however only the laying hens are outdoor year round animals. You just convinced me to not get into milking animals. It always sounds lovely in the spring, but as I sit home with a house full of sick little ones today, I realize I couldn’t handle the outside chores on TOP of the inside winter sick duties.
Question – do your ducks live with your chickens? I’d like to get ducks, but would have to keep them all together. thoughts?
Yes, my ducks live with the chickens. They are actually easy keepers and so entertaining. They go into the coop at night, just like the chickens and eat the same homemade poultry food.
Thanks for sharing 🙂
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