Hello everyone! Let me introduce myself so you can learn a little about me. My name is Chelsea, and I am the voice and photographer behind Semi Homestead Life (SHL). All of the articles you read, as well as the images you see, are done by me with no AI or purchased content. (Sad that I have to mention that, but it is what it is!)
Using all the personal experiences and knowledge I’ve gained over the years, I help families learn how to grow their own food, bake and cook from scratch, raise chickens, and implement other semi-homestead type of skills in their everyday lives.
At the same time, I recognize and know that today’s world is already busy and overwhelming enough. Because of this, I try to make the information I provide realistic and obtainable, whether you are a complete beginner or are just looking to brush up on your current skills.
A Bit About The Author Of SHL
I currently live with my high school sweetheart husband and our two kids in rural Illinois. While I might mention my kiddos in my articles or on my Instagram page, you won’t see their faces, unfortunately.
We have one teenage boy and one teenage girl. Both kids attend public school and are active in sports and other activities. (In fact, my son is a senior this year, so if you see me out and about with sunglasses on, mind your own business!)
My husband works full-time out of the home, and SHL is my full-time “job”. Not only is this website my main source of income, but it is also my creative outlet. I feel much more comfortable in front of a blank screen or a notebook page than I do in front of a camera or on a stage. (That’s why you will mostly see images of my hands as opposed to my face here!)
My Background & Experience In Gardening
I grew up on a small family farm where my dad grew corn, soybeans, and sweet corn, and still does to this day. We raised livestock, and I was extremely active with 4-H and FFA. (I was the Chapter and Section Reporter, received my State Degree, and even won 1st place in the Agriculture Communications SAE.)
In college, I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Graphic Communications and minored in Studio Art, being one class away from double-minoring in Creative Writing. (Man, does that seem like a long time ago. Oh wait, it was!)
Now that I have a family of my own, I have been gardening for over 10 years on our 1-acre lot on the edge of a small village in rural Illinois. (Yes, I said village!) That’s 10 years of gardening trials, errors, wins, losses, and a whole lot of challenges – ones that I hope my articles can help you avoid making!
My garden is now up to over 1,200 square feet and features all sorts of growing setups like in-ground gardens, row gardens, raised beds, containers, vertical growing, etc. I also have a mini orchard and several berry bush patches. I grow a variety of annual and perennial vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruit, and more, and am constantly adding new varieties to my rotation.
Since we live in the Midwest, a lot of the tips and information are geared to that growing location. In terms of gardening, I am specifically in Growing Zone 5. (You can find your specific Growing Zone using the USDA’s Hardiness Zone Map.)
Learning How To Cook From Scratch
I didn’t grow up in the kitchen baking and cooking with my mother very often. She worked full-time, and we kids were busy with FFA, sports, and other school activities. That didn’t leave a lot of time (or energy!) for homemade, from-scratch meals!
I really didn’t start gearing away from quick, pre-made meals until I got married almost 20 years ago. In those 20 years, there have been a lot of trials and errors. Even though I am still learning, I now consider myself to be a confident baker and cook who has the ability to play around with ingredients and flavors.
I also love to use and revamp recipes that have been passed down from both of my late grandmothers as well as my mom. It makes it feel like they are right there in the kitchen with me every time I cook.
But I won’t lie, I also love a good McDonald’s Diet Coke and convenience foods! So I’m still very practical when it comes to making life realistic and practical to today’s world while trying to sprinkle in as much from-scratch foods as I can!
Raising Chickens & More
Some people had COVID babies, I got COVID chickens! Without doing a lot of research and knowing completely what I was getting myself into, I jumped headfirst into raising chickens.
We ordered the chicks, then started putting together a homemade chicken coop, hoping it would be ready by the time the girls arrived. (Spoiler alert, it wasn’t! Also, yes, this was during the timeframe when a 2×4 board cost an arm and a leg. It wasn’t very smart timing on my part, but I don’t regret it!)
Since we technically live within village limits, we have restrictions on the number of chickens we can raise, we can’t have roosters, and we have rules on free ranging. However, I have still learned a ton of tips and suggestions for raising chickens, especially if you are a busy family and don’t want to be chained to the coop. (Call it lazy chicken raising if you want!) All of these tips I want to pass along to you!
My Goals For SHL – All About Me
Including the main three categories of gardening, making food from scratch, and raising chickens, there are also several other core skills I want to pass along to you. Items like canning and preserving food, using cast iron cookware, composting, caring for houseplants, thrifting/vintage decorations, and so much more.
In addition to the written text, I will also be sharing my own personal images that show real-life experiences, mistakes, examples, and more. I love taking photos, and even though they might not be “professional”, they will show you what practical semi-homesteading is all about.
I hope you enjoy checking out SHL and can leave entertained with a few tips along the way to help make your life easier or more fulfilling. Please feel free to shoot me a message if you have any questions. Also, drop me a note if you have anything you’d like me to write about. I look forward to getting to know you all!
Until next time, thanks for stopping by!
– Chelsea