I get asked, often half-jokingly, maybe sometimes with a little condescending tone, about the homestead movement of the 21st century.
Usually because when people hear homesteading, their minds go straight to the late 1800s and early 1900s. Wagons. Prairies. A time we could never truly understand from where we stand now.
And honestly? I get that.
Our modern world offers resources that those first families never had. To pretend otherwise would feel shallow. Their hardship, isolation, and uncertainty were real in ways we’ll never fully replicate or even understand.
But I couldn’t shake a question that kept growing louder the longer we lived this life:
What actually motivated those early homesteaders and do any of those motivations still exist today?
What surprised me most wasn’t just the grit.
It was the togetherness.
Many families didn’t homestead alone. They moved alongside relatives, neighbors, and friends. Intentionally settling near one another to prove up land side by side.
They understood something we often forget today:
Success wasn’t individual. It was communal.
Their ability to survive, and eventually thrive, was deeply tied to the resilience of the people around them. Shared labor. Shared hardship. Shared hope. Who better to understand the challenges than those living them with you?
That truth hasn’t changed.
Modern homesteading isn’t, or shouldn’t be, about romanticizing the past. It’s about rebuilding what industrial life stripped away:
interdependence, shared skills, mutual aid, and communities strong enough to weather hard seasons together.
We don’t need to do this alone.
We never were meant to.
“Ma the longer I stay here the better I like it. There are but very few old families here. They are mostly young families just starting in life the same as we are and I find them very generous indeed. We will all be poor here together and grow up together and I hope to be happy together.” — A Young Family Homesteads in Nebraska, 1872 by Uriah W. Oblinger
We can romanticize the past, but the part of their story that matters most today isn’t the wagons or the prairie sod, it’s the community. Those early families didn’t just survive because they had land. They survived because they had each other.
They shared skills. They shared labor. They shared hope.
That’s what builds resilience.
That’s what sustains us through hard winters and hard choices.
That’s what makes food on the table more than just survival, it makes it meaningful.
And it’s why I believe the future of homesteading is not about doing everything ourselves, it’s about doing life and work together.
If you feel that pull too, the desire to grow your own food, raise healthy livestock, preserve what you harvest, and build relationships with people who are actually doing the work, then I want to invite you to something special.
North Dakota has not only a rich agriculture history, but also a rich homesteading heritage. And it is why it makes perfect sense to share that western North Dakota, specifically Watford City, is hosting its FIRST Annual Prairie Roots Homesteading Summit at the McKenzie County Ag Expo in May.
📍 The Prairie Roots Homesteading Summit — Watford City, ND (May 15–16, 2026)
This isn’t just another event, it’s an opportunity to connect with people who get it within the context of the beautiful Prairie and what she has to offer. People who want to recover real skills, grow & raise whole foods, and regain ownership over how their families are fed.
Our family can't wait to join you there. And if you are nice and tell people about this event, I may bring you a wheel of homemade cheese 😆 or at least a slice
🎟️ Learn more and save your seat at: mcagexpo.com/homesteading-summit
📸 Cred: Heritage and Homestead Films
Transform your summer BBQs with an unforgettable twist—introduce Cowboy Candy BBQ Sauce to your culinary repertoire. This sweet and smoky delight blends the rich flavors of leftover cowboy candy syrup with tomato, brown sugar, and a hint of liquid smoke for a mouth-watering glaze that dances on your palate. Whether you're grilling up a storm or looking to elevate your canning game, this sauce guarantees to add a flavorful kick that will have everyone at your table coming back for seconds. Ready to dive into this unique recipe? Try it once, and it might just become your new go-to BBQ staple.
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Disclaimer:
I am not a fluff writer when sharing recipes... You are welcome, HA! Let's get to it!
Know thy farmer, my friend
Mascarpone: the easiest soft cheese
Mascarpone: the easiest soft cheese
Makes 1.5-1.75 Cups
Ingredients:
2 Cups Raw* Cream
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
Notes:
- Whipping cream from the store may be used, but I recommend you stay away from ultra-pasteurized as it doesn't usually set well.
- Due to the inconsistency of the pH level between fresh lemon juice, I use bottled lemon juice.
- *Raw Cream... is it even safe? Click here to learn more: RAW MILK SAFETY
Directions:
Add the cream to a thick-bottomed saucepan. Turn the burner to medium, heating the cream to 185 degrees (185-190 degrees is perfectly fine). Once at 185 degrees, add the lemon juice stirring well with a whisk. Continue whisking, while holding the temp between 185-190 for 5 minutes. Then pull the pan from the burner and allow to cool down for 30 mins.
While the mixture is cooling, grab a sieve, a bowl that the sieve can rest in without touching the bottom, and a cheesecloth or flour towel. Place the sieve in the bowl and add the cheesecloth to the sieve. When the mixture has cooled for 30mins, slowly pour it into the cheesecloth lined sieve. Either pull the corners of the cheesecloth over the top of the mixture or gently press plastic wrap onto the surface. Let sit another 20mins and then move into the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.
After resting in the fridge, gently scrape the mascarpone from the cheesecloth and add to a glass jar add a lid, and store in the fridge until used.
After resting in the fridge, gently scrape the mascarpone from the cheesecloth and add to a glass jar add a lid, and store in the fridge until used.
If you try, please let me know ♥️ Reach out if you have any questions.
Disclaimer:
If you keep scrolling, you will see the Buttermilk Pie Crust Recipe also. I am not a fluff writer when sharing recipes... You are welcome, HA! Let's get to it!
Know thy farmer, my friend
DOWNLOAD RECIPE
Grandma Helen's Lard Pie Crust Recipe
DOWNLOAD RECIPE
Grandma Helen's Lard Pie Crust Recipe
Makes 4 Pie Crusts
Ingredients:
5 Cups Flour
1 Tablespoons Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
2 teaspoons Salt
1 lb Lard
1 Egg
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Cold water
Directions:
Add the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt to a bowl. Whisk to mix those ingredients. Cut the lard into chunks and add to the flour. Use a pastry blender (or a fork or your hands) to blend the lard into the dry mixture. Blend until it is in uniform pea-sized crumbles.
Add the egg and then pour the lemon juice and water over the top of the flour. Mix with a spoon or begin to knead it together with your hands. Once mostly combined, add to a lightly floured surface and knead until fully combined and smooth.
Cut into four equal pieces. At this point, you can begin to make your pies or wrap them in plastic wrap and store them in the fridge or freezer. This pie dough works great even when not chilled. In fact, I recommend if you store it in the fridge, let it warm up before forming.
✨ Pie crusts can be placed in the fridge or stored in the freezer for future use
✨ If the pie crust is very sticky, add more flour, a teaspoon at a time, and knead in
If you try, please let me know ♥️ pictured My Sweet Grandma Helen & me
Buttermilk Pie Crust
Ingredients:
- 2 Cups of Unbleached Flour
- 1 Tablespoon of Sugar
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 4 Tablespoons of Cold Butter
- 1/2 Cup of Cold Buttermilk
Instructions:
Mix the dry ingredients and then cut in the butter with a pastry blender, forks, or your hands, until it is in crumbles. Please note if you use your hands, it will heat up the butter quicker, I use the pastry blender to avoid this. Add the buttermilk and form it into a ball. Cover in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. After it is chilled, lightly flour your surface and roll out. Add to your 9” Deep Pie Dish. Form the edges into a pretty pattern (learn how-to here) and voila! I did use this recipe to make the bottom shell and the top piece of the Chicken Pot Pie. I rolled it out thinner.
I would love to hear if you are adding this to your must-make list or if you try it! Drop a comment below
Happy Pie making! Reach out if you have any questions.
Looking for a delicious recipe to make with strawberries? Look no further than this homemade Strawberry Jam with Natural Pectin recipe! Using only pureed berries, sugar, lemon juice, salt, and butter, this recipe takes a bit longer but results in the perfect consistency that's not too runny. Plus, it's easy to can so you can enjoy it all year long. If you're in search of a community that shares tips and tricks like this, consider joining the Haven Community.
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