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The Miller Acres

We help young families pursue a simple, more sustainable lifestyle by planning purposefully with frugality in mind.

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Choosing to Sit in the Unknowns, Enjoy the Mundane, and Cultivate Rest

December 7, 2021

I very much consider myself a beginner gardener.

I very much consider myself a beginner gardener.

Daily, I am googling when to harvest this plant or why that plant is turning yellow. There is so much to learn, but I think that’s the beauty of it.

I’ve lost more plants than I can count, but with each loss I’ve learned more about how to better care for it in the future.

My sweet son is learning right alongside of me. He can recognize rhubarb and knows when spinach has gone to seed. His vocabulary is filled with words like compost and chamomile and cabbage and caterpillars. One of my favorite times of day are my evenings spent working in the garden with him.

You don’t have to know everything before starting something. I think our children learn so much from watching our learning process, too. They notice the reading, researching. The way we respond to failure and how our faces light up with success. It’s a privilege to learn alongside of them.

I don’t view sustainability as an all or nothing

I don’t view sustainability as an all or nothing thing. At least not anymore.

For example, I do not have the time or resources to grow all of our food right now, but I can grow some of it.

Every item in my home is not plastic-free or sustainably made, but I can choose to think about the businesses I am supporting and about ways to be a more conscious consumer when making a purchase.

I’m finding a balance of getting creative with resources I have, shopping for new items with intention, and caring for the things I own to make them last.

Living sustainably isn’t just about considering sustainable materials… you also have to think about your time and energy and monetary resources.

My friend Noel said this so well in her stories yesterday:

“If it’s not affordable, it’s not sustainable! Extremely inconvenient? Not sustainable! For something to be sustainable, it has to be realistic. Mental health is a huge factor and something can only be sustainable if it’s promoting mental health, not adding to stress and mental load.” @zerowastemaker

There are certain sustainable living things that I have had to say no to or put on hold during this season. For example, I used cloth diapers with my son but despite my best intentions I still haven’t pulled them out for my daughter. I’m already drowning in laundry and wouldn’t be able to keep up with my garden if I had any more laundry to fold! Sometimes saying yes to some things means saying no to others and that’s ok. Sustainability should be considered from a wholistic perspective and certainly not as a competition.

So if you have a desire to live more sustainably, don’t raid your closet of all fast fashion or completely forego supermarkets or ban convenience from your vocabulary altogether.

Start small. Make thoughtful choices. And know that your small decisions to live sustainably do have an impact on our beautiful world over time.

Just think about how many people took up gardening over the last few years? 🌱

Outfit Details:
- Drawstring Backpack: @nisoloshoes save 20% with code THEMILLERACRES
- Flatform Sandals: @nisoloshoes
- Silk Cami: @everlane from @thredup
- Jeans: @levis

#inmynisolos #nisoloshoes

I had an abundance of rhubarb, kale, spinach, and

I had an abundance of rhubarb, kale, spinach, and green onions that were ready to harvest. Here’s how I’m storing them to use throughout the year!

Rhubarb
- Stalks are ready to harvest when they are between 7-15 inches long.
- Twist and pull near the base to harvest!
- Don’t eat the leaves… they are toxic to eat but make interesting hats 😂
- Chop into 1/2 inch pieces and freeze on a baking sheet for 2 hours.
- Put in a freezer container for future use! I’m planning to make pie, jam, and baked oatmeal!

Spinach + Kale
- My spinach bolted so I wanted to try to save as much of it as I could. I chopped the leaves and flash froze it before storing in a freezer container. I’ll use these in soups, smoothies, and pasta throughout the year!

Green Onions
- Some of my green onions bolted early, so I pulled them because they won’t grow much bigger.
- I separated the onion bulb and chopped and froze it. Then, I flash froze the greens. I’m planning to use these in soups and on baked potatoes for months!

I’m researching as I go because there is SO much to learn. But it is so satisfying growing, harvesting, and preserving your own food for your family!

What’s your favorite way to use green onions? I’ve got tons and need ALL of the recipe ideas!

#notillgardening #preservingfood #firstharvest #momswhogarden #gardenwithkids #homesteadlife #homesteadinginthecity #urbanhomestead #backyardhomestead #rhubarbseason

Some homesteading projects can cost you thousands

Some homesteading projects can cost you thousands or they can be completely free!

I wanted to build some winding pathways leading to our chicken coop, compost bin, orchard, and garden. So, we dug the rocks out of a pile on our property (thanks @sarahashley_97 for helping me with this!), saved cardboard and asked around for it, and ordered a free Chip Drop.

I’m using the same method that I used when making my no-till garden pathways. I laid cardboard directly on the weeds, making sure to cover any gaps. Then, I covered it with 6 inches of mulch.

Eventually, I want to surround the pathways with whimsical cottage gardens 🌹 It’s a work in progress, but it is well worth it!

There is something so satisfying about creating me

There is something so satisfying about creating meals with food from your own backyard! I threw together this salad to go with our sandwiches tonight using mostly food from our garden:

1. I picked mulberries from the tree on our property.
2. I grabbed a few eggs from our backyard chickens.
3. I harvested some spinach, kale, and a green onion from our garden.
4. The dressing was a mixture of olive oil, balsamic, salt, pepper, and dandelion jelly that I made with the kids.
5. I hard boiled a few eggs, added some sunflower seeds, threw in some goat cheese (someday I want to make our own!) and tossed everything together!

I can’t wait until later this summer when our fresh tomatoes can be added to the mix!

Our first official harvest of kale, spinach, and g

Our first official harvest of kale, spinach, and green onions! Something that I have loved about homesteading is learning the vocabulary and process right alongside of my children… driplines, companion planting, harvest dates, and more!

You don’t have to be an expert to teach your kids. There is so much value in modeling a growth mindset and learning right alongside of them. 🌱

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