You don’t need a farm to grow a life you love
Welcome!
My name is Karen. I’m the writer and backyard gardener at Not Quite a Homestead.
In my backyard you’ll find all kinds of vegetables, herbs, fruit trees, and cut flowers grown on a regular ol’ suburban lot.
I’ve started gardening in suburban Indiana, Zone 6a in 2021 and have been shaping my garden into a place I genuinely love being in ever since.
It’s not a homestead or a farm, and definitely not acreage.
Just a backyard with a few raised beds that I designed with my husband.
This is Not Quite a Homestead.
And by “not quite,” I don’t mean we’re trying to become a homestead.
We live on a small lot with no plans of leaving or scaling up.
That’s how we like it, and that’s exactly enough for us.
Maybe you feel this way too
Have you been drawn to the idea of homesteading?
Of growing all your own food, filling your home with handmade goods and secondhand, vintage pieces, and spending evenings in a rocking chair on your back porch watching the chickens make their way into their coop?
I love imagining what that would be like.
But when I really picture my life, a farm isn’t actually what I want.
What I want is a beautiful backyard garden.
Vine-ripened tomatoes and a vase of zinnias on the table.
A bowl of freshly snapped beans next to the stove.
My family gathered around the dinner table saying grace.
This kind of garden fits my everyday life. It’s not one that takes over.
A garden for everyday life
I started gardening (veggies) in 2021 with big dreams and almost no experience.
This was after I’d tried growing my very first garden and it ended up being a complete flop.
Six tomato plants and only one tomato to show for it.
But, I decided to try again. My husband and I built a large raised bed garden together (bigger and prettier than I would’ve managed on my own) and I became determined to learn to grow food as organically as I can for my family.
I’ve learned to grow my family’s favorites, preserve what we can’t use, try new varieties, and pay attention to what actually works in the garden.
I also grew a love for flowers and arranging bouquets.
What I’ve come to believe after a few years of gardening is that beauty and productivity aren’t mutually exclusive.
A garden can be beautiful and still feed you.
A harvest doesn’t have to be enormous to be meaningful—or appreciated.
Having enough, whether that’s cucumbers or dahlias, is its own kind of abundance.
And having a quiet, joyful moment in the garden is also abundance.
Though I’ll admit, nothing tastes better than food grown and cared for by your hands, and few things are more satisfying than feeding your people from your own garden!
What you’ll find here
Not Quite a Homestead is a real garden created by a real and very ordinary person (me).
I write from my own experience and share what actually works in my garden—vegetables and flowers I grow, systems I’ve tried and tested, the things I’d do differently, and lessons that have proven to be worth their weight in sun-ripened tomatoes.
I also share recipes born from an overwhelming amount of harvest, easy preservation projects, flower arranging tips and what-not-to-do’s, and DIYs using things grown in my backyard.
This isn’t a blog about doing it all.
It’s about growing what you love, in the space you have, for the life you’re actually living.
Your garden exists for you
That’s the belief at the core of everything I do here.
I’m not trying to feed my whole neighborhood, or trying to impress anyone (OK, maybe a little!), and I’m not trying to prove my way is better than anyone else’s.
I believe your garden should be your own.
It should feed you, yes, but also delight you, and give you something to look forward to.
If you’re also growing in a small garden and want food, beauty, and a little simplicity in your everyday life, you’re in exactly the right place.
I’m so glad you’re here.
Come grow with me.
New here? A few places to start:
- Stop Gardening Like a Farmer: 10 Mistakes Beginner Gardeners Are Making
- 2025 Garden Notes: What Actually Worked in My Garden This Year
- Design a Potager Garden You’ll Never Want to Leave
- A Small Cutting Garden Plan for Homegrown Bouquets
Where you can find me:
When I’m not out in the garden, you can find me here, on Instagram, and on Pinterest.
How can I help?
Do you have questions or suggestions for me? Leave a comment through the form on this page and I will contact you when I can.