FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How long have you been prepping?

We, Trace and Sarah, each came to the goal of self-sufficiency from different angles. Sarah started from a sustainable, gardening, and debt-free perspective; while Trace's military background established his interest in being prepared for any eventuality. Upon getting married in 2010 we embarked on our journey together.

How long have you been homesteading?

We started looking for rural property about a year or so after getting married. We found our current home after a couple of false starts. It was a short-sale which had sat empty for almost two years, the buying process took almost a year before we closed in November 2014 - and since then it's been a work in progress to make the house, barn, and property in line with our goals.

How did you manage during COVID?

COVID impacted all of us; we were not excluded from the affects of a global pandemic. We had supplies, we didn't need to go out, we had a plan for quarantining, if needed. Beyond simply having supplies, we had things to do - projects and entertainment. But, where we really had an advantage was that we were mentally prepared to manage in a disaster. We were comfortable with the idea of living a relatively self-contained life.

What would you say to someone who asks why?

You are likely to wake up tomorrow and continue your normal life. Same with the day after that and the day after that. However, the likelihood of never waking up to or experiencing some upheaval in life is relatively low. We all need the basics every day. So by building in redundancies for those basics, we are prepared to manage the upheaval life throws our way.

What is your political point of view?

While not a big fan of politics, and especially the political system, we would describe ourselves as libertarian. We want to be mostly left to our own devices. We appreciate, and pay via taxes for, roads maintenance, fire protection, etc. but beyond those things that are impractical for the individual citizen to handle themselves, we prefer to have as little impact from governance as possible.

What do your kids think about your life?

Our kids don't know anything else - this is how their life has always been. They've learned about life and death, where food comes from, how babies are made, all by living this life. They know others do things differently but to them, this is normal.