Welcome to White River Homestead, a safe haven in which I will share home cooked recipes, simple living tips, and everything homesteading. My desire for you is to leave this blog feeling like you too, can create your own simple life!
My husband and I just moved into a 900 square foot rustic cabin on seventeen acres. It is our own slice of Heaven! Although we just purchased our tiny homestead, we have been slowly incorporating homesteading habits throughout our life. My husband and I’s first adventure with homesteading was creating our own soap. In 2015, we started a small company called Washed By Grace Crafts. It has since evolved over the years, but we were drawn to the idea of handmade beauty products. Okay, maybe I was drawn to the idea of natural bath and body products, but my husband was a good team player. We have since adventured into more simple living practices and raising livestock on the farm.
Take a full tour of our homestead, here.
About Me
I was born in a small town in Arkansas, but spent most of my childhood living in Southern Missouri. Growing up, I lived right outside of a fairly large city in a suburb. I had the desire for a slower pace in life with lots of greenery, hence the farm life! My dad created a life on his family’s land where he farmed cattle. We are currently growing our stock in cattle on his farm, and we are up to six. *cue the excitement*
Living Abroad
Whenever I was sixteen, my mom and I took a leap of faith and moved out of the country. We settled into a small town in the county of Panama, called Santa Catalina! This experience was unforgettable and part of the reason I am writing this blog. I learned so much from the locals about simple living. So often we consume ourselves with the media, unhealthy habits, and boxing ourselves inside. My two year experience in Panama taught me so many different things, but most importantly it taught me to cultivate a life that I love!
Interesting Facts About Me:
I am a sixth grade literacy teacher at a rural school. I often get questioned about my craziness for teaching middle school, but it is something I love.
I am avidly pursuing my health. I love cooking from scratch recipes and fermenting foods. It is something that I am still learning, but I would love for you to accompany me on my journey. Let’s do this TOGETHER.
It took my husband THREE years to talk me into raising chickens. I was deeply afraid of homesteading cutting off my travels. It has not! Click here to read a post about how we are able to travel and homestead!
Despite my world wide travels, I am a homebody at nature. I love being immersed in new cultures and sightseeing, but there is also something so satisfying about pulling down our gravel driveway and greeting our little home.
I am twenty-five years old. I may not look it, but I am a 1996 baby. There’s also a reason I don’t teach students who are older than twelve; I’d blend in!
Alongside my mom, I worked with a local indigenous village in the country of Panama to create a cold pressed, organic coconut oil, fair trade! Panama is where my desire for natural living arose. My mom and I produced our first line of coconut oil beauty products using locally sourced flowers, herbs, and fruits from Panama.
Thank You
I would love to hear from you. Let’s be friends!
Shelby