Grow. Cook. Eat. Share.

Homesteading is not for the faint of heart—Caran Jantzen confesses in this honest memoir—although I have felt faint of heart often since homesteading. It is physically, mentally and emotionally taxing. Although falling into bed after a long day of outdoor labouring or indoor jam making has its appeal, to do this daily requires more than an acreage and a yearning for the country life. It demands equal parts grit and romance, seeing through both the sweat of my brow and through rose-colored glasses. I am still trying to decide if I have what it takes. The Jantzen family’s homesteading journey has proved equal parts headache, humor, and heartache since leaving suburban life for a five acre homestead. Though the goal of Caran, her husband Mr. Green Thumb, and their four kids was simply greater food independence, they have gained much more in this five year process. Their accomplishments and growth has led them to discover what truly matters in life: relationships—relationships with their food, their environment, and with one another.