There’s a rhythm to homesteading- feeding animals as the sun rises, harvesting at just the right moment, preserving food before it spoils. It’s a life rooted in attentiveness and hard work. But even in this deeply connected way of living, it’s easy to get swept up in doing rather than being.

Last weekend, I stepped away from the garden beds, the hens, the sourdough starter, and the list of “should-dos” to go camping. Just a few days by a lake in the wilderness with no t0-do list, no real schedule- just a camper, a campfire, and the sound of wind threading through the trees.

“Intentional days create a life on purpose.” – Adrienne Enns

Leaving the homestead, even briefly, is never easy. There’s always something that needs tending. But nature has a way of reminding us that rest is also part of the cycle. I didn’t realize how tightly I’d been wound until I breathed that first breath of lake air. Lots of things have been going on in my family lately, and once my husband and I set up camp, we both sat there and just took a deep breath and looked at another, and released a sigh of lots of built up stress.

We fished for fun, rented a boat to relax and do more fishing, hiked and explored the forest with no destination, just following curiosity. Meals were simple, hamburgers on the grill (with beef from our steer of course), eggs from the homestead, bacon, sandwiches. It’s like everything tastes better after a full day outdoors and some dirt on your hands. At night, the stars reminded me how small- and how special- this little pause was.

What strikes me the most when I camp is the silence. Not the absence of sound (although there was no sound but nature up there), but the kind of silence that lets your thoughts stretch out. I found myself listening more- to God, the birds, the breeze, the water, and my body agreeing, “This. This is what you needed. What we needed.”

Coming home, the homestead looked a little different. Not because anything had changed- but because I had. I walked a little slower, looked a little longer, and felt re-rooted. Quieting the mind and soul is needed. I am remembering how God used this lifestyle to bring about healing in me and to continue to live slow and intentionally in this season.

This camping trip was more than break- it was a reminder. Slowing down doesn’t take you away from a meaningful and intentional life, it brings you back to it.

“We must feed our minds, hearts, and souls upon all that is virtuous. Our souls reflect our true selves.” – Sally Clarkson

So if you’ve been running on empty- even in the good work of homesteading- I hope you give yourself the gift of pause. Whether it’s a weekend in the woods or an hour in your garden, the land can wait. And when you return, you’ll bring back more than you left with.

-Taryn