October 2024: How We Manage Self-Reliance (even in our hectic weeks)

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Welcome, good lifers! If you’ve found yourself here, you’re probably a bit like us at Castle Good Life: juggling work, life, and an unwavering commitment to a homestead lifestyle. This week has been especially full of activity for us, but it’s reminded me of the small, intentional steps we take to keep our homestead running smoothly without veering off our self-sustainability path. Even when life gets hectic, we strive to stay grounded in our values of self-reliance and sustainability; and today, I want to share a few ways we make it work.

The Power of Planning for Busy Weeks

When the calendar’s packed, it’s easy to resort to quick fixes or convenience foods. We’ve all been there! But here’s the thing: with a bit of advance planning, it’s possible to avoid those pitfalls and still enjoy good, homemade food while staying true to our values. At Castle Good Life, we believe in planning not for the perfect homesteading day but for the busy, imperfect days too.

For us, this means prioritising three core values:

• Cooking from scratch as much as possible.
• Minimising waste in everything we do.
• Being as sustainable as we can within our resources.

If you’re just getting started, it can be helpful to define what matters most to you. These values help us stay on course, especially during those weeks when time is in short supply.

Batch Cooking, Freezing, and Preserving for Quick Meals

One of the first habits we embraced was batch cooking. Rather than prepping a week’s worth of meals in one go (which doesn’t suit us), we aim to double or triple recipes when we’re cooking. For instance, if we make a hearty stew, we’ll freeze the extra portions. When things get too busy to cook, we know we’ve got good food ready to heat up. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it helps us avoid those takeaway nights that can be both costly and wasteful.

Here’s our trick: we store these portions in silicone freezer bags, which take up far less space than plastic containers. To stay organised, I even created a system with QR codes on each bag, which I track on a spreadsheet (call me a nerd!). This way, we know exactly what’s in our freezer and can choose meals we might have otherwise forgotten about.

Embracing Canning for Shelf-Stable Essentials

Another habit we’re excited about is canning, which we do with our electric pressure cooker. This process has been a game-changer for storing single-serve portions of things like sauces, soups, and even rice pudding! With just a bit of upfront work, you end up with meals and ingredients you can rely on when you don’t have time to cook. Plus, it’s incredibly satisfying to see rows of homemade, shelf-stable foods in the pantry – a visual reminder of our self-reliance efforts!

Making Time Together Count

Life can easily get consumed by work and projects, but we believe it’s important to set aside quality time as a couple. Even if we’re just sharing a cup of tea on the sofa while I stitch up a repair or work on a small project, these moments help us stay connected and balance our busy lifestyle.

Being intentional with your time – even a few minutes here and there – can make all the difference. Whether you’re homesteading solo or with a partner, remember to carve out time for yourself or your loved ones. It’s just as essential to sustaining your homesteading journey as any practical skill.

Finding Balance Amidst the Chaos

We’re on a constant journey to simplify and streamline our lives, but we’re far from perfect. And that’s okay. Each season brings new challenges, and this autumn promises to be as full as ever. The beauty of homesteading, though, is that it teaches us resilience. No matter how busy things get, we’re always learning, adjusting, and finding ways to live more sustainably and thoughtfully.

So, how do you navigate your own busy life while keeping to your homesteading goals? Do you have any tricks up your sleeve for staying on track without losing your mind? Let’s share our journeys together, good lifers – we’re all in this together.

Until next time, stay inspired, stay grounded, and remember to find joy in the journey.

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