What is a farmette? Honestly, I’m not sure there is a widely accepted "official" definition. For me, it is a small farm- a few acres of fresh air with a functional garden and a couple of chickens running around. Our farmette is where we have learned to revert back to a simpler way of doing things.
farmette: a small area of land used for backyard animals with a modest garden; a hobby farm or country home that serves as an intentional lifestyle not a main source of income.
We live on four acres, which is more like a large rural property by "country standards," but compared to our previous 30x60 postage stamp sized (.027 acres) backyard we came from in the suburbs, it feels like a sprawling ranch. I don't think a farmette is defined solely on how big or how rural your lot is though, living on a farmette is more about your lifestyle.
Maybe it's confirmation bias, but there does appear to be a reversion back to doing things the way our grandparents did. Raising chickens, gardening, composting, upcycling, recycling, simplifying. More awareness regarding organic, non-gmo, less sugar, less meat. A lifestyle my grandparents lived out of necessity during the Great Depression that I now want to teach my children in order to be better stewards of what God has provided.
I grew up on homemade, scratch cooking on a small farmette. We had horses, dogs, chickens, rabbits, and occasionally kept a small garden. My friends used to come to my house and tease me that we only had "ingredients" in our pantry. My mom made it her mission as a homemaker to feed us well on a budget; going out to eat was a rarity because my mom knew she could make a meal better and cheaper at home.
The convenience, fast-food phenomenon has produced a generation of many that lack basic cooking skills and patience for preparing a home-cooked meal. James and I fell into that lie for several years- believing that eating out was faster and cheaper because we were too busy to cook at home. I assumed that I didn't like to cook but in reality I just didn't know (or had forgotten) how! Now that we've moved out to the Farmette, eating out has become a rarity once again and scratch-cooking a necessity due to our proximity from restaurants and grocery stores.
I've learned to improvise like never before because running back to the store after forgetting one ingredient would take me more than thirty minutes. I've learned how to use leftover ingredients and properly utilize my freezer to minimize waste. I've learned what is more economical, and tastier, to make from scratch and which shortcuts are better bought.
Living the farmette lifestyle has allowed us to take back control of our time and our money. I can't wait to share with you my favorite classic recipes as I get back to basics, do more with less, and find happiness in the life made simple.
Do you want to know more about farmette living? Maybe you already are? I would love to hear about your backyard chickens or your blossoming garden.
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Beverly
I am so glad I came across you on the computer. I was looking for a recipe for an old fashion pound cake made from scratch like my mom use to make. The recipe I found sounds and looks just like my mom's cake she use to make. Also,
, my husband was a fireman on a large fire dept. in West Palm Beach, Fla. When he retired we moved to the Mountains in North Carolina. A small rural area right outside of Asheville, N.C. The town is a small farming area. We love living here. Looking forward to more of your recipes. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family. Beverly Cupstid