As I reflected on my homestead’s transformation, it became clear that the essence of ‘home’ was being lost amidst the chaos. My once-beautiful homestead had devolved into a factory-like environment, far removed from the cozy haven I longed for. To rediscover my sense of home, I embarked on a self-guided tour of my property, seeking ways to integrate beauty and self-sufficiency.
This introspective journey revealed that the processes essential to self-sufficiency – be they gardening, animal care, or preservation techniques – possess an inherent beauty when executed with intention. Much like a photographer carefully composes their shot, I realized that a little creativity and planning were necessary to highlight these often-overlooked aspects of homesteading.
In this post, I’ll share some simple yet impactful projects I’ve undertaken (or plan to) around my homestead, each requiring minimal time and effort. My hope is that these ideas will spark your own creative endeavors and encourage you to let your unique tastes and passions guide the development of your homestead.
Potager Your Production Garden
For years, my main vegetable garden was a uniform rectangular space with rows of identical vegetables, looking great just before harvest time. However, once I’d pulled out the mature crops, I’d be left with bare soil until new seedlings grew large enough to fill the space.
While this approach may be suitable for market gardeners who need to focus on specific crop yields, as a homesteader, it’s easy to combine production crops with come-and-cut crops, as well as add herbs, spices, and flowers for visual interest. In fact, I’ve found that incorporating these elements not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of my garden but also creates a more diverse and resilient growing environment.
If you’re interested in learning more about growing a potager-style garden, check out my previous post on the topic. In this piece, I’ll share some specific projects I undertook to transform my production garden into a thriving potager.
1-Day Project 1: Add Edible Landscaping
Around my vegetable beds, I’ve created an edible landscape by reclaiming some bedding spaces. The area is now teeming with a diverse array of plants, including dwarf apples, medlars, and Mirabelle plums, which were planted first. Next, I filled in the gaps with comfrey, asparagus, various mint species, perennial garlic, horseradish, Aronia berries, blackberry, grapevines, strawberries, and self-seeding flowers.
While it may seem like a lot to accomplish in one day, my existing soil conditions made the process straightforward – simply planting and mulching was all that was required. Interestingly, this arrangement has ultimately led to an increase in food variety and yield, despite initially taking up space from my vegetable beds.
The beauty of perennials lies in their ability to take a few years to mature, at which point they can produce more food per square foot than labor-intensive annuals, making them a valuable addition to any edible landscape.
1-Day Project 2: Make a Hugelkultur
A hügelkultur is a unique type of garden bed that combines large tree sections, branches, and fast-decomposing organic matter with topsoil. While it may not be the most visually appealing at first glance, its potential for growth is undeniable. Simply add some seeds, water regularly, and within weeks you’ll be rewarded with a thriving, vibrant garden.
As the interior decomposes, this self-sustaining system becomes virtually maintenance-free, requiring no additional watering, fertilization, or compost additions. In fact, hügelkultures are known for their high fertility and ability to support an astonishing number of plants per square foot.
I’ve had great success with one in my own garden, transforming a previously unproductive area plagued by poor drainage into a thriving haven for spice seed crops like mustard, coriander, poppy, Nigella sativa, cumin, and many more.
1-Day Project 3: Create a Bistro Seating Area
I transformed my vegetable garden into a stunning edible landscape by incorporating features like snail-shaped raised beds, bistro seating, wattles, and hugelkultur. These additions not only boosted productivity but also made the space visually appealing throughout the year. In fact, it became so charming that I found myself wanting to spend more time there. This inspired me to take on my next project – creating a cozy bistro seating area.
Given my tight budget, I relied on creativity and resourcefulness to bring this vision to life. I repurposed existing furniture, used free plant divisions, and incorporated pea gravel and repurposed pavers to create the seating area. A few hours of digging helped me achieve a ‘built-in’ look and a sense of seclusion. The result is a serene oasis that feels like a slice of French countryside in my own North Carolina backyard.
For a detailed account of the process, refer to my post on designing and creating a cozy bistro dining area in your garden.
1-Day Project 4: Faux Raised Beds
While I’m not a fan of raised bed gardening, which requires excessive watering and plant maintenance, I do appreciate their tidy appearance. In fact, during the winter months when only hardy greens like spinach, corn mache, and mustard are thriving, raised beds can add structure to an otherwise barren garden landscape. To compromise between my preference for in-ground gardening and the aesthetic appeal of raised beds, I opted for a hybrid approach.
I created borders around some of my in-ground beds using natural materials like fruit tree prunings (in the form of a wattle) and cinder blocks topped with granite slabs. The wattle was a zero-cost solution, while the cinder blocks required an investment. Fortunately, I already had the necessary granite blocks on hand from a previous project, making this compromise not only visually appealing but also budget-friendly.
Invite Wildlife to Thrive
As a result of the changes I made to my vegetable garden, I’ve been delighted by an unexpected abundance of wildlife. The hummingbirds are so bold that they’ll flit in and out of earshot as I sit down at my new seating area, while the indigo buntings serenade me with their melodic songs.
This experience has instilled in me a desire to create similar havens throughout my property, where songbirds, chirping crickets, trilling frogs, buzzing bees, and other creatures can provide a lively soundtrack to my homestead life. To achieve this goal, I’ve embarked on transforming my open spaces into wildlife sanctuaries.
1-Day Project 5: Plant Pollinator Plots
Creating a pollinator plot is surprisingly straightforward. Building upon previous guidance (5 Reasons to Start a Pollinator Garden [and 6 Tips to Help You Do It]), I’ve taken it up a notch by incorporating new techniques. Whenever I receive bulk deliveries of mulch or compost, I seize the opportunity to expand my pollinator plots by an extra yard.
To ensure diversity and continuity, I utilize seeds collected from mature plants in other plots and divisions, gradually transforming my entire landscape into a thriving wildlife sanctuary.
1-Day Project 6: Install a Frog Pond
As I’ve continued to cultivate my pollinator plots, I’ve also made it a point to incorporate frog ponds into my garden design. Some of these ponds are deliberate creations, featuring carefully arranged rocks and water plants, while others are more informal affairs, like kiddie pools surrounded by lush, fast-growing flora and herbs.
The time required to set up one of these miniature ecosystems can vary greatly, ranging from a full day spent digging and installing the pond’s infrastructure to a quick hour-long process of filling the pool with water, camouflaging it with rocks, mulch, and plant divisions repurposed from other areas of my yard.
By inviting pest-eating frogs to make their homes near my gardens and edible landscapes, these frog ponds not only provide a welcome habitat for these beneficial creatures but also create microclimates that help keep nearby plants cooler during the hot summer months.
Improve What You Have
In recent times, I’ve found myself drawn to projects that focus on elevating everyday objects into works of art. Rather than seeking out new materials or tools, I’m inspired by the potential for transformation and rejuvenation that lies within my existing possessions.
1-Day Project 7: Mulch Everything
One of the most effective ways to safeguard your soil’s integrity is through strategic mulching. Not only does it conserve moisture, prevent erosion, and regulate temperature fluctuations, but it also breaks down into nutrient-rich plant food over time. The visual appeal of fresh mulch is undeniable, transforming even the most mundane landscapes into visually stunning masterpieces.
If you’re physically capable and possess a sturdy wheelbarrow, you can easily transport 5 or more yards of mulch in a single day, even with regular breaks in between. This year, I chose to allocate a portion of my COVID-19 stimulus check towards enriching my soil by investing in high-quality mulch. The end result is a breathtakingly beautiful landscape that also secures my food security for the future by protecting and enhancing the soil’s fertility.
When it comes to pathways and perennial beds, I prefer hardwood mulch, while leaf compost has become my top choice for vegetable gardens.
1-Day Project 8: Greening the Greenhouse
After years of underutilizing my greenhouse, I decided to transform it into a thriving garden space. Gone were the days of sparse plantings and limited use. Instead, I began treating my greenhouse as an extension of my outdoor garden, with carefully prepared soil and an array of containers to expand the growing area.
As new plants arrived via mail, I simply planted them in their new homes, and before long, my greenhouse had evolved into a lush jungle where I spent most winter days, surrounded by greenery and growth.
1-Day Project 9: Pretty-up with Paint
While many perennial plants in my garden shed their leaves during the winter months, I’ve found solace in a few hardy species that maintain their interest year-round. Mock orange, yucca, red osier dogwood, and elderberry are just a few examples of plants that continue to thrive even as the temperatures drop. In addition, evergreen shrubs scattered throughout my landscape provide a constant splash of green against the winter’s snowy backdrop.
However, it’s not until I began painting gates, doors, and other wooden features in vibrant hues that I truly felt like my winter landscape had come alive. The pops of color were especially striking during the spring when the lush foliage provided a beautiful contrast to the bright paintwork. But it was in the dead of winter that I truly fell in love with this decorative touch.
The stark beauty of the snow-covered landscape served as the perfect backdrop for my colorful creations, and I found myself scouring the hardware store’s paint returns section for new colors to incorporate into my projects. When I’ve got a spare three hours, you can bet I’m out painting something – whether it’s a birdhouse, compost bin, or duck house – using my stash of discounted paints to add a splash of color to our homestead.
My partner may tease me that our place is starting to resemble a Crayola box, but we both love the whimsical touch it brings.
1-Day Project 10: Create a Courtyard
As I reflect on my previous home, I fondly recall the serene courtyard area where I’d sit and indulge in my favorite pastimes. However, our current mobile home setup didn’t quite lend itself to such a luxurious feature. The desire for a quiet retreat, though, persisted. So, I set out to create a mini oasis that would still capture the essence of a traditional courtyard, albeit on a smaller scale.
While we may not have the grand architectural backdrop of a formal courtyard, I discovered that with a little creativity and resourcefulness, it’s possible to craft a cozy space that feels just as inviting.
Future 1-Day Projects
As I reflect on the numerous landscape projects I’ve undertaken, I’ve come to realize that transforming my outdoor space can be achieved through incremental progress. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by a single large-scale endeavor, I find it more manageable and effective to tackle each project individually. To facilitate this approach, I maintain a running list of projects, procuring necessary materials or gathering them in advance.
When the time is right, I dive into the project, breaking it down into smaller, more manageable tasks.
My next objective is to convert the outlet on our spring-fed pond into a captivating small waterfall and create an inviting Japanese-inspired garden seating area around it. This undertaking will likely require a single day to construct the fountain itself, followed by another to install lush greenery and hardscape the seating space.
Prior to commencing the actual work, I’ll dedicate time over the coming weeks to plan and gather materials as needed. Eventually, one ideal day will arrive, marking the start of the hands-on process.
Pleasurable 1-Day Projects
Through incremental progress, avoiding pressure and witnessing tangible results each day, daunting tasks have transformed into enjoyable endeavors for me. If you’re currently facing the same challenges I once did – homesteading in an unconventional setting – don’t lose hope. Focus on completing one manageable project at a time, and you’ll be amazed at how even the most seemingly insurmountable obstacles become surmountable.
