10 Things I Brought Home from the Modern Homestead Conference

And Why I Came Home Even More Grateful for This Life

Every year I look forward to attending the Modern Homestead Conference.

It isn't really a vacation—it's an investment.

As a small family farm, every hour spent away from home has to be worthwhile. Between arranging animal care, preparing for the farmers market, and making sure everything keeps running while I'm gone, attending takes planning.

This year was no different.

While I wasn't able to attend every presentation in person since I was a vendor; I was able to pop into a couple (thankfully I purchased the recordings) sessions. Those couple sessions still filled pages of notes, I met wonderful people, and came home inspired.

As I unpacked my suitcase, I realized I hadn't just brought home conference notes. I brought home a notebook full of ideas, a new pressure canner, a handful of solid maple clothespins, a children's book for Little Farmer, and a renewed excitement for this life God has called our family to live.

More importantly, I came home with a fresh perspective on what truly matters.

Here are ten lessons I'm bringing home to Meadowlark Heritage Farm.

1. Our customers are a wealth of knowledge.

One of the biggest surprises wasn't something a speaker said—it was the conversations with other attendees and fellow homesteaders. It reminded me of something I've experienced for years here on our own farm. Our customers teach us, too.

Whether someone shares a favorite recipe using our goat milk, a better way to preserve food, or simply encourages us through a kind conversation at the farmers market, wisdom grows when it's shared.

One person doesn't have all the answers.

Together, we all become better.

2. I know more than I give myself credit for.

This isn't meant to sound prideful.

In fact, it's quite the opposite.

Sometimes we spend so much time learning that we forget how much we've already learned.

I've spent years raising dairy goats. I know my herd. I can read their behavior and health. I've kidded several hundred goat kids by now! I know when something isn't right.

I know how to turn goat milk into valuable products. I know how to safely make goat milk soap. I know how to make a good bar of soap. I know what has worked—and what hasn't.

But my education hasn't just come from farming.

For the past 28 years, my husband and I have had the privilege of raising our daughter, Cecily, who has special needs. She has taught us patience, perseverance, flexibility, and how to celebrate victories that others might overlook.

More recently, God called us to adopt our grandson, who has become our son—our Little Farmer. Raising him has brought a new season of learning, joy, and purpose to our family and our farm.

None of those experiences came with a manual.

They came one day at a time through mistakes, prayers, hard work, and God's faithfulness.

Meeting people like RuthAnn Zimmerman reminded me that there is always more to learn. At the same time, the conference reminded me not to overlook the wisdom God has already been teaching me through the life He has given me.

Experience is a gift, and I'm learning to be thankful for it.

3. Homesteading isn't something you simply add onto a modern lifestyle.

This lesson may have impacted me more than any other.

We often think we can keep our schedules exactly the same and simply add a garden, chickens, homemade bread, canning, and food preservation. It rarely works that way. Homesteading isn't just a collection of hobbies.

It's a mindset.

It's choosing a slower, more intentional way of living. It changes how we spend our time, how we think about our resources, and even how we define success.

One of my favorite purchases at the conference was a bag of solid maple clothespins.

My husband had already surprised me and ordered a clothesline for me, and I couldn't wait to bring these home.

Hanging laundry outside isn't really about saving electricity.

It's about embracing a different pace of life. It's being intentional with our laundry and wardrobe.

It's about slowing down, working with our hands, appreciating God's creation, and choosing simplicity whenever we can. Sometimes a simple clothespin represents a much bigger lifestyle change.

4. Simplify your diet, but make it incredibly nutritious.

Ruthann Zimmerman challenged us to think differently about food production. When beginning a homestead, focus first on growing protein. A garden is wonderful—and I love our tiny one—but in the beginning it often requires more calories than it produces.

Protein feeds a family.

Think chicken eggs.

Meat chickens.

Goat or cow milk.

Home-raised meat.

Once those nutritional needs are met, everything else becomes a wonderful addition.

That lesson really resonated with me. I think I'll be concentrating a long while on protein since my gardening skills still need much improvement!

But good nutrition doesn't have to be complicated. Often, the simplest foods are the most nourishing.

5. Convenience foods don't have to come from the grocery store.

One purchase I was especially excited about was finally buying a pressure canner.

I've wanted one for years. My goal is to preserve more of the meat we raise into shelf-stable meals for those busy farm days when cooking from scratch just isn't realistic.

Convenience isn't the enemy.

Poor nutrition is.

Imagine opening a jar filled with home-raised beef stew, chicken soup, or taco meat.

That's the kind of convenience I'm striving for.

Real food.

Ready when life gets busy.

6. Strength training is built into the homestead lifestyle.

Forget expensive gym memberships.

Carrying hay bales.

Milk buckets.

Feed sacks.

Garden harvests.

Laundry baskets.

And sometimes a sleepy preschooler.

Walking up and down the hill to and from the barns.

Homesteading has its own version of strength training—and every bit of it has purpose.

7. God's economy looks different than the world's economy.

This lesson reached much deeper than dollars and cents. Success isn't measured only by income. It's measured by working together as a family.

Making memories together.

Teaching our children responsibility.

Growing through challenges together.

One quote from RuthAnn Zimmerman made me laugh because every parent understands it:

"The whining and bickering of children is simply the sound of character-building opportunities."

That perspective changes everything. Instead of viewing difficult moments as interruptions, we can see them as opportunities to disciple our children, to teach perseverance, kindness, forgiveness, and responsibility. Those moments become part of God's economy.

8. Every task has its proper priority.

RuthAnn Zimmerman also shared three priorities that have stayed with me ever since.

1. The emotional needs of the family.

2. The nutritional needs of the family.

3. Housekeeping.

   
   

Every task on our to-do list should fit somewhere within those priorities. The order may shift from season to season. Or day to day. If the kitchen is so messy that I can't prepare healthy meals, then housekeeping temporarily moves higher because it supports our nutritional needs. If my children are needing more emotional support, then the housekeeping moves to the bottom of the list.

As someone whose to-do list always seems longer than the hours in the day, I found this incredibly freeing. Instead of trying to do everything, I can ask, "What does my family need most today?"

9. Intentional living is built one small choice at a time.

The more I reflected on everything I learned, the more I realized nearly every lesson pointed back to one simple truth.

Slow down.

Choose what matters.

Work alongside your family.

Learn new skills.

Eat nourishing food.

Build memories.

Whether it's hanging laundry on the clothesline, preserving food with my new pressure canner, caring for and milking our goats, or sitting around the supper table together, these aren't just chores. They're the life we're intentionally trying to build.

10. Home is still my favorite place to be.

As wonderful as the conference was, the best part wasn't a speaker or a workshop. It was coming home.

When I pulled into the driveway, Little Farmer spotted my suburban.

Before I could even get out, he was standing at the door with both hands stretched high in the air, jumping up and down with the biggest smile on his face. That moment melted my heart.

Conferences are wonderful.

Learning is important.

Meeting new friends and hearing new ideas fills my cup.

But nothing compares to coming home.

The goats greeted me, along with a new goat baby.

The alpacas were waiting.

Chores were waiting too.

And inside the house was a little boy who reminded me that the greatest work God has given me isn't simply raising goats or making soap.

It's building a home where our family feels loved, safe, and joyful.

Every lesson I learned ultimately pointed back to that truth. Homesteading isn't really about gardens, pressure canners, clotheslines, or even goats. It's about intentionally building a life centered on faith, family, nourishing food, meaningful work, and serving others.

Thank you for supporting Meadowlark Heritage Farm.

Every purchase you make allows us to continue learning, growing, and investing in this little farm and the family God has entrusted to us.

My prayer is that these lessons don't just strengthen our family—they encourage yours as well.

Thank you for being part of our story.

With gratitude,

Charlene

Meadowlark Heritage Farm