The Reality Of Homesteading 

I am SO Thankful for all your love and support. So many of you inspired me, gave me confidence in what we are doing or put a smile on my face with your kindness. Thank you so much.

Spring will renew your motivation. Winter can bring out the worst in us.

A bad day on my homestead beats a great day at a regular job every time!! 😊❤️🐂🐓

For those of us dreaming or planning our homestead, it's important to see this side of it. Hang in there, appreciate the honesty.

I’ve watched some other homesteading RU-vid videos but am so drawn into yours because of how real you guys are.I don’t have farm animals but would love to one day and I love how you show real life and I’ve learned so much. Homesteading is more than an aesthetic and I appreciate you sharing snapshot into your life with us. 😊

Hold your head up. We need more people living this kind of life. Healing the land, tending the animals, feeding themselves, their family and their communities. This is a critical decentralized effort to heal our entire country from the ground up. I started a backyard flock 2 years ago. I now do my own meat birds every 4 months as well. In about a year I plan on being on 1 to 3 acres with 3-400 laying hens so I can also break the reliance on national supply chains and help feed my community. I am a 53 y/o single woman. Where these is a will, there is a way. God Bless.

Zac Zac Zac!! Please just breathe! You are an inspiration to all who watch you in your endeavours. You show us exactly hard it is to homestead. You take the greatest care of your animals and have made a beautiful home for you and Ashlyn. You should stand tall and be proud of all you achieve. Hang in there this low feeling time will pass and you will feel the sun once more. In the meantime know that you are loved and supported by those of us who care. And l do care. Sending biggest warmest hugs across the seas to you both from Traralgon Victoria Australia. 🙏🏻💙🙏🏻🩵🙏🏻💜🙏🏻🧡🙏🏻❤️

I am praying for you and Ashlyn and your homestead. I see the hard work you do. I worry about you. I’m a mother of three boys, that care is in my nature. I pray for you and your sweet animals. It’s normal to feel the way you do. You are a good guy. Take heart in the good people. Don’t take notice of bad comments. They don’t know you, they don’t live your life. I came to the conclusion that after 64 years that whatever anyone thinks of me is none of my business. Took me years to get this. I know the truth about myself and so do you know about you. You got this!!! You are both amazing! So is your homestead. Keep going. ♥️🙏🤗

Your honesty is welcomed. Hang in and succeed.

Thanks for sharing and being openly honest. Life definitely can be hard. We all get into slumps. Excited to see Rosie's calf. Hope the rest of your week gets better 😊

Winter doldrums. Go chill by standing in the sun with a good cup of coffee. It's normal. You both need to get off the farm. Take a walk around town.

One of the best video I have seen about homesteading. You are onest and tell the wiewer the real thing. I am sick of all so called homested videos that picture the live as a purple dream. Keep on your good work, you two have the right spirit.

You've made a subscriber out of me. I love the realness of this video and appreciate you showing the reality of homesteading. You love what you do so this is a temporary phase you'll get pass. Wishing you all the best.

so proud of you young people

Sooo normal to be feeling down at this time of year. I hope the calf brings joy and things start looking up. Some days ya just need a nap 😴 and to feel all the feels.

You have good days ahead fer sure.

There is hard times no matter what your lifestyle and that includes having millions, chin up! an old saying “and this too shall pass”

Hey we live in sweden with our homestead. My wife also works and I am on the farm and take care of 20 horses , cows, pigs, sheep and a load of chickens and turkeys. We do everything ourselves without help. And when it's minus 30 degrees , sometimes I have those days when I'm completely fed up. So it's nice to see that it can happen to anyone. We also get energy from small things that happen on the farm😇. Take a back seat where needed, and go full throttle when you can again. Good luck!!!🎉

Sending Hugs.

LOVE this! Story of my life.... and I only have quail... a lot of them

This happened to me. I was market gardening and working full time and keeping my garden alive and viable during a drought so I could have produce to sell, content to create and food for my family got OVERWHELMING.

I can relate. I think we all can. Winter definitely brings one down. The lack of sunshine and warmth, the drudgery of the cold and such can really bring you down. I went through a rough week a couple of weeks ago. The funk is temporary though. Keep your chin up and keep being real.

Wow! my feeling exactly this week..... I have really been second guessing alot of decisions I've made on the farm in the last year or so. Thinking about downsizing my cattle herd. This winter and the mud has me burnt out. Hopefully spring will revive me!

I am 64 and grew up in the country. Still live a country life. I really enjoy your videos and I think what you do is very important to show people where our food comes from. One thing I have learned in my life, is that some people get enjoyment out of bringing people down. They are not happy with their miserable lives, so they want to bring you down. Don't let them. I can tell your both good people and wish you all the best. Cheers Dave from Australia

THANK YOU!!! For years people have given up or "failed" quickly because of the fantasy they found on social media. It's hard work, full of daily "have to" chores. Keeping it real is so appreciated. The slap of reality on these folks is why we scaled back our teaching. Keep on moving forward!

Hey Zach. I think you will feel better when Rosie's calf arrives. Ive owned and operated a small 40 acre dairy farm in southern Illinois for the last 35 years. The worries and stresses of owning and caring for livestock are real. I like your competitive, fix all, systematic nature. It will drive you to great things on your homestead. I've delivered over a hundred calves over the years. Judging by how Rosie looks, the calf will come soon. I wish you the best of luck on your noble homesteading adventure!

Hang in there buddy! You guys are AWESOME & it’s especially important to take care of your mental wellness so whatever brings you joy try to start incorporating those things in the week as well. Praying for you guys🙏♥️

I’m sorry it’s been so tough of late,and I pray that you will be reinvigorated so that you can soar again.

I appreciate real life content. Thank you for sharing

Zack, it is a huge privilege that you share a glimpse of your life with us, so we have to guess at some of your hardships. What you guys do is absolutely stellar!! But Zach, men need support from other men too, and if you don't yet have a neighbour who is a mate, it is critical that you need to join a group/club/.... where you make mates you can lean on. Keep doing what your doing and we support you.

We homestead. What you say is 100% true. When something good happens it reminds us why we keep going. When the downs happens we tell each other tomorrows another day. But in the end spring comes the flowers and sun is out and life is good. Homemade cookies helps.

Without the bad days we wouldn’t appreciate the good days. Find something that gives you that satisfaction and happiness. A hobby or something that will bring you up when you’re feeling down. We all need a diversion from reality sometimes when we’re feeling overwhelmed. I do handmade jewelry, I know that the couple of hours it takes me will end with something that will be rewarding. I only do it when I’m feeling down so that it’s kind of a reset activity.

Hey Zac!!! You are an inspiration young man, you are honest, sincere, talented, have an abundance of skills... God's hand is upon you young man , stay strong. Life is a challenge, life has its trials , sad days , good days, moments of joy , take these moments with you each day. (Ecclesiastes Chp 3) tells us this. My favourite piece of scripture says... So as you don't know where the wind came from, or where it will go next , so it is with the spirit! Ultimately.. you are a light in the darkness, stay strong and press in towards that goal (Philippians ch3 v 14) Stay strong!! You are loved and very much appreciated 😜

This was raw. Thank you very much for being vulnerable and honest. I’m not a homesteader or ever lived as close to nature as you have but this built a bridge and I understood you on a human level. Keep your head up high. I became a fan of this page and can’t wait to see more.

Thanks for keeping it real ❤

Thank you for being so open and honest. Was a privilege to view that. All the best, and spring is around the corner

Keep doing you man. You're doing great in my eyes

Thank you Zac you find that passion again I 'm 62 on 2 1/2 acers my helpers are my husband how has dementia and my granddaughter how is autistic she has a love for animals and gardeningso today i truly appreciate your talk i to are in the winter slumps,but spring is soon approaching

We have a responsibility to our land, to our animals, and to this way of life. - The Pastured Homestead

I am from Mexico, and I've been watching your videos everyday. Best things take time and hard work. I get the inspiration to continue my homesteading from you man, even when the emotions are low, its part of the life. Thanks for being real, and share this moments with all fo us. We got your back man.

I'm 67 years old and grew up on a share cropper farm. We ate what we grew, meats (pigs and chicken - an occasional piece of beef from the grocery store was a rare treat), vegetables and fruit. I myself don't have it in me having lived that life the first 18 years of my life. I think the two of you are doing a great service to yourself and possibly the country. I'm afraid in not so far away future, we may all hope we knew how to do more. Remember there will be people that comment to get their jollies. Bullies. It makes them feel better to put someone else down. They wouldn't dare to say it to your face because they are cowards. Keyboard smack comes easy to them. They couldn't do what you do if they tried. So keep at it and I think you will be ahead of the game. I appreciate you!

Always here to Watch & Support you guys. Thanks for sharing parts of your Life with us & for being Honest & Real. 🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

Broken sleep with the calf coming makes things even harder. I think you & Ashlyn are wonderful and amazing! Love from Australia 💞

You guys are adorable...and I understand the struggle. I've definitely had those days. Hang in there...yall are doing amazing things! 😊

Zack, you are human. We all go through just not feeling it. We are so grateful that we have you and Ashlyn to keep the older generation motivated. Don’t listen to the naysayers. Just keep doing what you are doing. We love you. You are living the life most of us would like to live. I’m 72 and too old to start that journey.

Thank you for showing both sides of homesteading

Saying it like it is… thank you. I am a single female senior homesteader just starting out. I often think “why am I not out traveling more etc?” Because I have big goals. Big goals require dedication. It is easier to deal with remembering the big picture of the goals. Thank you for the rawness of this video. No worries about ignoring comments. “It’s none of my business what others think of me.”

Zach, we love your videos and what you and Ashlyn are doing with your homestead. Pretty much every time we watch one of your videos, my husband and I will comment how refreshing it is to see two people in their 20's doing what you are doing! You are amazing. We cannot believe how knowledgeable and skilled you are. Your abilities are far beyond those of many people twice your age. So, you just keep doing all the great things you are doing and, those who make negative comments??...they are just jealous. We love y'all and love following along on youre homesteading journey. Thanks for letting us tag along. ❤

I truly appreciate you and Ashlyn for sharing your life with me and mine. You two are a tremendous inspiration to us. Thank you for being vulnerable and honest. You are a blessing to us! I needed to hear this today. It is my prayer that you and your homestead continue to prosper and grow! Much love! 🙏❤

You are very realistic and honest, also very lucky with the life you are living, I'm old and single, yet wish I could. I feel your pain but keep going, I have always wanted that lifestyle. I think you are a very lucky man... Enjoy what you have, everyone has ups and downs, you'll make it thru and I believe you will go far in life. When I was young (A KID) I lived on a farm, no running water, no power, no phone, no internet and so far back in the woods you had to come out just to hunt and yes it was hard work but it was the happiest memories I have in life.

Enjoy every moment in your farm you guys are doing great i love your videos !!!!

You're going to be okay❤ it is a big job but you're doing great

Wonderful!don’t beat yourself up over it.good and bad days are part of life!youll be okay and both of you will have a wonderful life together! Cheers from Australia!😊

You do an amazing job and you are so wise beyond your years. You inspire many people to keep living their dream. Thank you for sharing your ups and downs! We are all rooting for you!!

Zac, I just came across your channel and felt the need to say, that for a young fella, you have a wise head on your shoulders. May your homesteading journey with Ashlyn be rewarding and fruitful.

Great video, we live the life every day just as you. I feel your pain, it’s rinse and repeat everyday. Don’t let it get you down, we’re 58 years old and get up every day and do it. I have to remind myself that we are blessed to live this life. As far as criticism, those people are completely out of touch and when the supply chains break down will be the first ones coming to us looking for handouts. RU-vid is much harder than it appears, especially in our genre. Just because it’s a lot of repetition. So then I find myself trying to do projects faster to keep people interested. Keep up the great work

Hang in there man! Watching you guys on here has helped inspire my wife and me to take the leap and get some property in KY and start a homestead. Thank you both for the content you provide in a teaching spirit. Make it a great day brother!

Thank you for this balanced perspective. Stay encouraged.

I don't see how you have anything negative. What you are doing is so normal and natural. There are just so many people in this world that are so far removed from the realities of self sustaining life today. You two are awesome. Excited for your wedding and seeing you with kids growing up with you on the farm. Thank you!

You are so spot on!! Farming life is hard! Never ending and it’s amazing and how evident what great care you take of your animals!! You can see how much they love you and that’s because of the great love and care you give them!! You do a good job at expressing your feelings and the realities of it!! Even though it’s hard it is still all worth it!! You have a beautiful farm!! Keep your head-up better days ahead!! But you know that already!!

Late to your party, but really enjoy your content. My fiancé is 82 and I’m 70 and we are getting married in May ‘24. We have been working hard to get his home ready for me to move in, starting seeds for the big garden, getting my home ready to sell. We are 90 minutes apart, so lots of travel involved over the past few months. I appreciate your honesty and insight. Thanks for all the information. ❤

God’s got this wonderful man of God!! We’re right beside you, in the same boat. Keep courage. Praying for you guys from Nova Scotia 🇨🇦 💕

I love channels like yours who homestead for REAL. This is your life. Its not just having a petting zoo so you can make youtube videos. Hold your head high and continue on with joy. You work hard and deserve to enjoy the fruits of your labor. ❤😊

I just started watching your videos last week it's so enjoyable to see a young couple working so hard to achieve their dreams. Life is full of ups and downs, I'm 77 years old and a widower twice. One died just short of our 26 anniversary and the second died on the date of our 16th anniversary . I was so lucky to have had them both, God blessed me with them and I have daughters and grandkids and great grandkids. I miss both of those ladies so very much. So enjoy each other and your life and the day comes when you have children what a wonderful place to raise them. God Bless you both.

I hear you!! These last few months have been especially hard. My husband had a heart attack on Christmas Eve. I came very close to losing him. Before that, I turned 65 and the government automatically put me on Medicare and proceeded to deduct $164 out of my meager SS. I went through a process to try to get it back, but it looks like I'm not going to be able to. I have been building my homestead, virtually by myself, for 5 years. My husband didn't do much, and since his heart attack I have had to pick up the little that he did do. I do not have running water yet. I was hoping to have it finished this spring, but since the government cut my SS check, I really don't know if I will be able to or not. I raise meat goats. A couple of months ago I lost my breeding buck and a bred doe to Listeriosis, and I think another doe miscarried. That leaves only 6 of my 10 does bred and due to kid in a couple of weeks. I had high hopes for this years crop of kids from that buck. Now I am second guessing about what I am going to do from here. I need to either get this homestead making money, or get out of it. I love this life, as hard as it is. If I sold out, I don't know what I would do with my life.

Awe Zac , the compassion ,humility and humanity you bring is amazing, both you and Ashland are true stewards to your animals and the land you love. Your totally slaying it we all see it - pretty sure your seeing it too, but yeah some stages just suck hang in there!! You are an inspiration ( even this video ) and your appreciated for sure!!!!

Thank you for showing that it's not all sunshine and rainbows like some do. I find it inspirational that you're honest and do show us just like anything else in life it's not always going to be all sunny smiles but is still worth it in the end. Hang in there spring is coming and hopefully, that will help as winter can make things harder and put us in a funk as you said. Before my own disabilities became much worse that I'm not able to work I was a caregiver for my mom and even though that is different from homesteading in some ways it's similar you do get burnt out caring for someone especially when you care so much. For me it was caring for a human for you it's caring for the animals. I hope that things will turn around with the funk soon and can't wait to see the project you're working on as well as Rosie's calf. I pray all goes well with Rosie calving soon🙏

Praying for your strength!!! You are teaching us how to press through daily.

You guys are awesome! Keep doing what you're doing! Hubby & I bought an acre 2 yrs ago. Our grandbaby just turned 2 and she picks veggies from our garden, wipes them off and eats them. When she was 1 we went by every fruit tree to show her the fruit growing. When the fruit matured we went by every tree and she would pick a fruit and eat it. She tries everything! We have animals and loves them all. She helps gather eggs ,helps feed the animals and has so much love for all of them. Country living is the bes t for children if their parents can commit or put the effort into it.

You are not alone on homestead burnout. The first two years of running the homestead for me was really hard especially putting it on RU-vid. You nailed the bit about negative comments, they can actually rob your happiness and enthusiasm for what you’re doing. Stay focused on your bigger picture and ignore the negative stuff and remember you are living the life you want to.

I want to thank you for pouring your heart and the truth about what you are going thru. You are appreciated for the light you have been shedding. Don't get detoured by everything that is difficult. That is the beautiful thing about life things get hard but when you make it thru that you find the most beautiful parts that are not meant to share with everyone. So share the knowledge and enjoy the beautiful moments that you and ashland get to have in private. And, please remember this, continue to do what you love and share it with people like myself that are needing to hear the knowledge that you have. Keep fighting family you guys are amazing and loved.

Brother I really appreciate the time you take to set up the cameras for our entertainment along with doing your chores

Can't wait to see what the surprise/big project that y'all are working on is.

Thank you for being honest! I prayed for you today. I appreciate your videos!

Your honesty is greatly appreciated

Hang in there, give the time that you need back to yourself. You have worked so hard and have created such a bountiful, beautiful life. Be good to yourself, take time to relax, enjoy and sit back and just look and admire all that you have done, all that you have accomplished! Know that this time shall pass and soon Spring will bring renewal, hope, warmth, color and joy!

Thank you guys SO MUCH

Thank you Zac, for keeping things real for us!! It's always a blessing to see honesty and the realities of all the efforts you put in. Too many tubers, glamourize things and it can end up being costly for them, and sad for the animals. Your commitment to you lifes and the lives of the animals is important and genuine. Thank you!! Keep on sharing please!

I appreciate your transparency. Keep your head up

This was absolutely inspirational for me, & a reminder how much a supportive partner is crucial to success. I needn’t beat myself up when I’m doing EVERYTHING all by myself.

Zach, you are doing an amazing job! Stay positive and keep doing what you're doing! Love your YT channel, you are an inspiration! Sending prayers of encouragement for you!

Hang in there. So grateful for your video and your willingness to share your story. We have a half acre where we raise our chickens, grow some veggies, and dream of a day where we might have 10 to 25 acres to live and grow on. You guys are an inspiration. Keep going. Keep sharing your story, the good and the bad, because you are are inspiring so many!

Thank you for sharing, for being honest and real. We are considering this way of life, so it's great to hear the realities of it.

Love your wonderful videos. You all are doing and have a lot of what we wish we could do and have. Please keep posting and bringing your journey to us. I pray God gives you that sweet peace to carry on. You two are living the life a lot of us wish we had. I watch a lot of homesteading videos and thank you for being honest about how hard it can be. Just a sweet thought that your RU-vid channel will get so big that Ashlyn can quit her job and be on the homestead full time. I see you're on Patreon,that's great. That'll grow . We'll I've written a book. I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate your channel and keep it coming. I myself don't watch regularly cable TV, and I'm continually trying to find family-friendly RU-vid channels to watch that are decent. Thank you again for sharing your journey with us.

Zach your so right about homesteading that’s why I love this channel so much is that it’s real and I’ve even had times where I’m the same way don’t want to go out & do anything on the homestead but winter also contributes to that too & it’s okay as long as you don’t stay in that funk but homesteading isn’t all sunshine & happy faces either as I’ve found out also but hope Rosie delivers a healthy calf for ya’s hopefully that will change things for the homestead ❤

100% true in every way. We are all feeling this on and off. Thank you for your honesty.

bless you guys. praying for joy amongst the gloomy days that life can bring us

Winters are depressing time of life for anyone,things dont go as planned and its cold and the list goes on, so i encourage you and your lovely wife to go forward and keeping living your dream on the homestead,you vented today on your video and that is most precious,from your hearty you told us how you felt, that is so precious. love your honesty,i remember a saying from the old school and was told there is a storm in everyone's life,but after the storm there is the rainbow 🌈 🌈 Hang in there Zack the rainbow is coming,love your channel and all the hard work you do to make this happen.

You guys are doing great! Keep up all of your hard work! I look forward to watching your videos!

i appreciate your honesty, i love that you share it all. thank you for showing us all you share. burn out is so normal. keep it up

Y’all are doing great! Spring will renew your spirit. Hang in there, everything will get better.

Thanks for sharing. Hang in there, guys.

Been watching your content for a while. This posting made me a subscriber. I need this realistic input as I'm on the verge of taking to growing some of my own food and raising some of my own meat. Can't thank you enough. I root for you and yours.

We did our first pigs in winter and it really took an tole on our motivation, the mud… OMG THE MUD. the lack of light and worry of dealing with freezing water or crazy rain etc. Wait until you have sausages for your bbq and sunshine on your face in spring and relax. I’ve found that taking just a day away can be as good as a holiday. A trip out and a change of scenery. Take care of yourselves. You guys are chasing your own dream, keep going :)

you are appreciated!

Hang in there, Zach. You are doing a great job! People who feel like they can complain don't understand farm life or are jealous. You have learned and accomplished so much these past few years. I am always amazed at your maturity for your age. You are more mature and have a haeder work ethic than many people twice your age. Keep your chin up, Spring is just around the corner!

I appreciate your honesty and perspective. My family is hoping to someday be able to do more than a garden and move a little out of the city but it's nice to hear the hard sides to that lifestyle as well as the fun things.

Love the content, love what yall do..stay strong 💪

I didn't see this as negativity. Just plain truth about life itself. I try to never get down on anyone, even if I see something wrong. I do mildly suggest at times, based on my experiences. Hang in there. I'll be watching next time. Thanks for good, clean videos.

Awe. Sending up prayers for God’s strength. You guys rock. Love- love Rosie. Prayers that she and baby are safe.