About
Howdy from Northwestern Ontario!
Hey there, I'm Kevin – the forty-something homesteading nerd behind Rainy River Homesteaders. I thought I'd kick off this page like we're old friends catching up on the front porch (imagine a couple of rocking chairs and a pot of coffee, maybe spiked with a little dandelion wine). I'm a 40-year-old guy living the rural life in northwestern Ontario, and let me tell you, it's one wild ride.
Homesteading out here means snow up to your eyeballs in winter, mosquitoes the size of sparrows in summer, and enough hilarious mishaps to fill a book (or at least a blog... which explains a lot).
I didn't exactly escape the city – I grew up on a farm just down the road, so you could say dirt runs in my veins. Still, every day on this homestead teaches me something new (usually the hard way). I've been at this for years, and I've got the scars, stories, and sarcastic one-liners to prove it. My goal? To live as self-sufficient and sustainably as possible, have a heck of a lot of fun doing it, and help you learn from my triumphs and faceplants along the way.
My Homesteading Journey (The Good, The Bad & The Muddy)
So, what got me started on this crazy homesteading journey? Honestly, I think it began when I was a kid, watching my folks can tomatoes and raise chickens. I swore I wouldn't be waking up at dawn to muck out stalls when I was grown... yet here I am, loving the smell of fresh manure with my morning coffee. Life’s funny that way.
I spent my teens and twenties dabbling in “normal” jobs, but I always felt the pull of the land. Eventually, I planted (pun intended) myself firmly back in the rural life. My family and I settled on a patch of land in the Rainy River district, and I dove headfirst into the world of organic gardening, raising animals, and even a bit of off-grid tinkering. It wasn’t an overnight transformation – more like a slow crawl powered by curiosity, caffeine, and a streak of stubbornness.
Along the way, I’ve made every mistake in the book (and probably a few new ones). I’ve planted way too many zucchinis (see: that summer we ate zucchini in everything), learned that “free-range” chickens will literally go range free if you forget to latch the coop, and discovered that a nice solar setup can keep the lights on – except when Northwestern Ontario decides to throw a week of blizzards at you. Through it all, I’ve learned resilience, resourcefulness, and how to laugh when things go sideways (because they will, trust me).
Living (and Laughing) in Northwestern Ontario
Living in northwestern Ontario means embracing extremes. We get winters that could make a polar bear shiver and summers that are a gardener’s dream (if the mosquitoes don’t carry you off). This landscape has shaped me as a homesteader. When it’s 40 below and your truck’s battery gives up, you learn real quick how to improvise (I've used a hairdryer to warm up an engine – don't judge). When the growing season is short, you cram every sunny minute with planting, weeding, and praying over your tomato plants.
But I wouldn’t trade it for anything. The Rainy River community here is tight-knit; folks help each other out. I’ve spent winter evenings ice fishing on frozen lakes (drilling through two feet of ice is my idea of fun) and summer mornings foraging for wild berries in the bush.
Northwestern Ontario keeps you humble. One day you’re proudly holding up a basket of garden veggies; the next day a raccoon breaks into your coop and you’re chasing a chicken in your pajamas at 6 AM. Through blizzards, blackflies, bumper crops and bone-chilling cold, this place has given me plenty of material to chuckle about and lessons to share.
Why I Started Rainy River Homesteaders
I’ll let you in on a secret: I started this blog partly as a journal for myself and partly to find my tribe. Homesteading can feel pretty darn isolating if you don’t have a community. Not everyone in my life wants to hear me ramble about composting toilets or the best way to keep deer out of the carrot patch (their loss!). So, in 2020-something, I fired up Rainy River Homesteaders to connect with folks like you who get it – or who want to get into this crazy lifestyle.
Rainy River Homesteaders is my way of sharing the wealth of practical know-how, hard-earned wisdom, and yes, funny failures I've collected. My mission is simple: to empower and guide aspiring homesteaders (and curious onlookers) with real-life tips, honest advice, and a hearty dose of humor. I remember what it’s like to start out overwhelmed – not sure what to plant, how to fix a leaky barn roof, or whether you can homestead without quitting your day job. This site is the resource I wish I had back then.
Over time, what began as “me talking to the void” turned into a lively community of readers. I’ve heard from urban apartment dwellers dreaming of acreage, retirees starting a backyard garden, young families wanting to raise their kids closer to the land – you name it. Whether you’re a total newbie itching to dip your toes into homesteading or a seasoned old-timer looking for fresh ideas, I want you to feel at home here (virtual sweet tea and pickles on the house).
Oh, and if you are just starting out and wondering what you’re getting yourself into, I’ve got something for you: a free 30-Day Homesteading Challenge. It’s basically a “try before you buy” for homesteading. Each day gives you one beginner-friendly task – like baking bread from scratch or finding wild edibles in your local park – so you can get a taste of the life without immediately buying a farm. (City folks, I'm looking at you!) In fact, if you’re thinking about trading pavement for pasture, you might want to check out Thinking About Leaving the City? Try This 30-Day Homesteading Challenge First before you quit your job and buy a goat.
What You’ll Find Here (AKA My Life’s Lessons, Unfiltered)
Rainy River Homesteaders has a little bit of everything from my homestead life. I’m not a one-trick pony – I’ve dabbled (and fumbled) in just about every aspect of sustainable living. Here’s a sneak peek at the kind of topics (and true stories) you’ll find on the blog:
• Gardening & Growing Food: I’m an organic gardening enthusiast, always trying to grow more food than my family can possibly eat. From heirloom tomatoes to giant pumpkins, I love it all. Of course, sometimes I get a bit overzealous – like the year I planted so many beans and zucchini we were buried in produce. (If your garden ever exploded with too much bounty, you’ll relate to What to Do When You Planted Too Much… Again. I’ve become the king of creative zucchini recipes!). I also chat about permaculture principles – basically working with Mother Nature so she does half the work. Whether you’ve got a sprawling yard or just a few pots on a balcony, I’ve got tips for you. (Yep, even small-space gardeners – I see you. Check out Best Crops for Small-Space Homesteading for ideas on making the most of a tiny plot!).
• Critters & Livestock Adventures: Animals are a huge part of my homestead – and a constant source of comedy and chaos. We’ve got chickens, ducks, and usually a goat or two wandering around. I’ll be honest: before I got my first hens, I seriously thought keeping chickens was going to be peaceful. Ha! Spoiler alert: my chickens turned into little feathery anarchists. (I even wrote about it in I Thought Homesteading Would Be Peaceful – Then I Got Chickens – because nothing says “relaxing country life” like yelling at a rooster in your bathrobe). And when we decided to raise meat chickens, of course the kids went and named them things like Princess Fluffybottom and Batman. Suddenly, butchering day turned emotional (big surprise, right?). I share that story in Raising Meat Birds When Your Kids Name Them. From goats on the loose to tough lessons (like protecting your flock from foxes), I keep it real about the work and the joy of raising critters.
• Foraging & Wild Food: One of my absolute favorite parts of homesteading is foraging – roaming the woods and fields to gather nature’s free goodies. I’m a bit obsessed, to be honest. Berries, mushrooms, wild greens – if it’s out there, I want to learn about it and taste it. Foraging has kind of spoiled supermarket produce for me (and I’m not even sorry). After savoring wild blueberries straight off the bush and frying up foraged fiddleheads, grocery store lettuce just doesn't cut it. (I vent about this in How Foraging Ruined Grocery Shopping for Me Forever – once you try wild asparagus, you might never look at the canned stuff again). I also love bringing my kids along on these wild food adventures – which is always an unpredictable mix of chaos and curiosity. (I have a post titled Foraging with Kids: Chaos, Curiosity & Cattails that says it all!). Around here we forage in every season – yes, even in the snow. From plucking spruce tips in spring to gathering rose hips in fall, I’ll show you how we turn the wild landscape into our pantry (while trying not to poison ourselves in the process).
• Homegrown Cooking & Preservation: Living this life, you quickly learn to make the most of your harvests. I’m a decent cook (out of necessity) and an avid home canner/jammer/pickler. If there’s a way to stash food for winter, I’m on it. My kitchen has seen it all – salsa experiments, jam sessions, and canning marathons that leave me with tomato sauce on the ceiling (don’t ask). I share my favorite homestead recipes, from rustic stews to berry cobblers, often with a side of storytelling. And when it comes to preserving, I can get a tad obsessive. (I even made a list of 20 Foods to Can – from dilly beans to wild plum jam, I've probably canned it all!). We try not to waste a thing around here, and I’ll pass on all those tips to help you fill your pantry and enjoy the process.
• DIY Projects & Sustainable Living: Homesteading tends to turn you into a DIY fanatic. Partly because it’s cheaper, partly because the nearest hardware store is an hour away. I’ve built chicken coops out of reclaimed lumber, rigged up rain barrel systems, and turned old junk into useful treasure. Ever heard of making planters out of old tires or converting a pallet into a garden bed? Yep, done that – my yard is basically a shrine to upcycling. I also geek out about renewable energy and off-grid tech – think solar panels, wood-fired everything. It’s all about sustainable living and making do with what you have. I’ll tell you what’s worked for us and what turned into a comedy of errors (RIP to the greenhouse that blew away). If I can save you from wiring a solar inverter wrong or choosing the wrong kind of fencing for pigs, then my mistakes have served a purpose.
Pull Up a Chair and Join Me
At the end of the day, Rainy River Homesteaders isn’t just a blog – it’s a community and a conversation. I’m not some all-knowing guru preaching from a stump. I’m a regular guy who occasionally burns bread, gets chased by angry geese, and has duct tape on at least three pieces of equipment at any given time. I’m learning right alongside you. And I figure if I can share a story that saves you a headache or gives you a good laugh on a tough day, then it’s all worth it.
So consider this an open invitation to join me on the journey. Follow along as I share real stories (the good, the bad, and the muddy), step-by-step how-tos, and maybe a few cautionary tales of what not to do. I want you to feel like you’re right here with me – sitting by the woodstove, sipping something warm (or a cold one after chores), and figuring out this homesteading life together.
Got questions or something you’d love to see on the blog? Shout it out! Some of my best posts have come from reader questions like, “Hey Kevin, how the heck do I start canning?” or “Any tips for dealing with bears in the berry patch?” (Answers, by the way: start with jam and pickles – they’re beginner-friendly; and for bears, give ’em the right of way and maybe share some berries).
Thank you for being here and making this homesteading adventure a two-way street. My hope is that by sharing my experiences – the successes that make me fist-pump the sky and the failures that make me facepalm – you’ll find inspiration, solidarity, and the confidence to pursue your own homestead dreams. We’re in this together, my friend.
Now, enough about me – go grab a shovel or a jar or a fishing rod (or whatever floats your boat) and make something happen! And don’t forget to drop by the blog anytime you need a tip, a recipe, or just a reminder that if this sarcastic Canadian farmer can do it, so can you. Welcome to the Rainy River Homesteaders family – I’m glad you’re here.
