Feature Learning and Growing

By Bethany Salisbury, Saratoga Homestead

While there is an immense amount of truth to that image, my personal experience has shown that both homeschooling and homesteading are much more complex. They require hard work, flexibility, patience and a willingness to learn from your own mistakes. At the same time, this lifestyle has blessed my family with opportunities and experiences that would be difficult to find anywhere else.

As a first-generation farmer and homesteader, I did not grow up with generations of agricultural knowledge being passed down to me. Much of what I know today has come from late-night hours of research, hands-on experience and learning through trial and error.

The same can be said for homeschooling. I was intimidated by this choice. I went to public school as a child, whereas my husband was homeschooled. I have been learning how to school my children as well as what style of schooling works for us. Every day presents new challenges, but it also creates growth opportunities that extend far beyond traditional academics.

Lessons From the Land

One of the greatest benefits of homeschooling is the ability to tailor my children’ s education to real-life experiences. Instead of separating learning into neat subjects and class periods, our lessons often happen naturally throughout the day, mostly on the fly. A trip to the garden can become a science lesson about soil health, pollinators and plant life cycles. Feeding livestock provides opportunities to practice math through measuring feed rations and calculating costs. Even preserving food from the garden teaches chemistry, food safety and history.

Homesteading provides endless opportunities for experiential learning. Rather than reading about agriculture in a textbook, my children can experience firsthand how and where food is grown and raised.

They learn that eggs do not simply magically appear on grocery store shelves and that they can come from more birds than just chickens; we have ducks, geese, guineas and quail. They learn that vegetables require planning, care and a heaping ton of patience before they can be harvested. They know that meat is a cycle of honoring the animal that provides for us, stewarding them daily and then using them to nourish people. These lessons help them develop a deeper appreciation for food and the work that goes into producing it.

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Challenges & Failures

Of course, homeschooling and homesteading are not always easy. There are days when the weather does not behave as we hoped, livestock requires extra attention or garden crops fail despite our best efforts. Likewise, there are days when lessons do not go as planned or when balancing educational responsibilities with farm work feels overwhelming. However, these challenges often become some of the most valuable teaching moments in time management and how to be flexible with both plans and expectations.

Homesteading has taught my children that failure at some point is inevitable, but it is not something to fear. If a crop performs poorly, we evaluate what happened and try a different approach next season. If a project does not work out, we adjust and move forward. These experiences encourage problem-solving skills, critical thinking and resilience in ways that are difficult to replicate in a traditional classroom setting.

Deeper Bonds

Another aspect I value about homeschooling is the strong family connection it fosters. Spending significant time together allows us to learn alongside one another and share experiences that strengthen our relationships.

A study from the University of Illinois has shown that parental involvement in education is associated with improved academic achievement, motivation and social adjustment among children. While every family ' s experience is different, I have found that being directly involved in my children ' s education allows me to better understand their strengths, challenges and interests. It allows me to learn who my children are on a deeper level at any given time.

July 2026 AcreageLife 15