hey, i’m courtney.
I’m Courtney, the person behind half-assed homesteading. This little corner of the internet is where I share what I’m learning about making more from scratch, preserving food, growing what I can, and creating a more homemade life… without pretending I have it all figured out.
Our house is home to a family of six, with kids ranging from 19 years old all the way down to 9 months, so “slow living” around here isn’t necessarily quiet living. Add in Max, our Rottweiler, a bunch of chickens, and the everyday chaos that comes with a full house, and there’s usually something going on.
I’m learning how to make this kind of life work right in the middle of all of that, not someday when life slows down or when everything is perfectly in place. And if I have my way, there will be even more growing, making, animals, projects, and probably a little more chaos in our future.
This is our version of the simple life… a little messy, a little half-assed, and very much ours.
a little about this place.
half-assed homesteading. started with a simple idea: I wanted to rely a little less on the store and learn how to do more for ourselves at home. Cooking from scratch, preserving what’s in season, growing food, and learning skills that used to just be a normal part of everyday life.
But I’m also doing all of this in the middle of real life. There are kids to take care of, schedules to juggle, unfinished projects, and days when absolutely nothing goes according to plan. The garden gets away from me, things don’t turn out, and sometimes dinner is whatever I can pull together.
For me, living more simply isn’t about doing everything myself. It’s about being more intentional about the things that matter to us, learning as I go, and finding satisfaction in knowing I can make, grow, or preserve something that I once would have automatically bought.
That’s why half-assed homesteading. exists. I wanted a place to share all of it like what works, what doesn’t, and everything I learn in between, without pretending there’s only one right way to live a little more simply.
what you’ll find here.
You’ll find simple from-scratch recipes, preserving projects, garden successes (and failures), and practical ways to make a little more at home. Nothing here requires doing everything from scratch or turning your entire life into a homestead. Take what works, skip what doesn’t, and call it good.
around here, you’ll probably find me…
in the kitchen making something I could have bought at the store, preserving way more produce than I originally planned, attempting to keep the garden alive, or starting another project before I’ve finished the last one. There’s usually a baby nearby, something simmering on the stove, and at least one thing not going according to plan.
glad you’re here.
Whether you’re here because you want to grow a little food, fill a few jars, make something from scratch, or simply slow things down a bit, I hope you find something that makes you think, I could do that.
You don’t need acres of land, endless free time, or a perfectly curated home to make things a little more homemade.
Start where you are. Do what you can. Half-ass the rest.