A Simple Life Homestead

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A Simple Life Homestead A place to rediscover the old ways through heritage cooking, gardening, preserving, homemaking, and simple living.

Join us as we gather, learn, preserve, and share from our Northern Maine homestead.

There are little moments throughout the day that often go unnoticed.The sound of the kettle beginning to warm on the sto...
10/20/2026

There are little moments throughout the day that often go unnoticed.

The sound of the kettle beginning to warm on the stove. The familiar rhythm of preparing something in the kitchen. A basket brought in from the chicken house, or the afternoon sunlight finding its way into a quiet corner.

They're such ordinary things, and perhaps that's why I treasure them so much.

I've come to believe that a simpler life isn't necessarily about doing less. It's about being present in what we're doing and finding contentment in the everyday work of home.

Sometimes the simplest moments are the ones we remember most.

What is one little thing in your home that always brings you a sense of comfort?

With this past weekend behind us, our little Roadside Pantry has officially closed for the season.This past weekend mark...
10/19/2026

With this past weekend behind us, our little Roadside Pantry has officially closed for the season.

This past weekend marked our final opening for the year, and we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who stopped by throughout the spring, summer, and autumn. Whether you purchased a loaf of bread, picked up a sweet treat, or simply stopped to see what was available, your kindness and support have meant so much to us.

The Roadside Pantry will remain closed through the winter. We will not be taking regular bakery pre-orders during this time, although you may occasionally see a few freshly baked offerings available here and there. We'll be sure to share those opportunities here on our page when they arise.

But as one season comes to an end, another begins here at A Simple Life Homestead. The cookstove will be burning, and life around the home and hearth will continue. We have more homestead gatherings and experiences planned for the coming weeks, along with a new calendar of opportunities to gather, learn, and experience the simple pleasures of the seasons in 2027.

So while we close the door on another wonderful pantry season, we're looking forward to all that lies ahead.

Thank you for walking alongside us and being part of our journey. We look forward to welcoming you into our home for many more moments of learning, gathering, and sharing the simple pleasures of life. ❤️

Homestead Gift Bags ❤ Now Available for Preorder ❤I’ve been putting together something simple and useful for this seaso...
10/17/2026

Homestead Gift Bags
❤ Now Available for Preorder ❤

I’ve been putting together something simple and useful for this season, Homestead Gift Bags filled with a few homemade favorites from A Simple Life Homestead.

They will make a lovely hostess gift, teacher gift, housewarming gift, something special for a neighbor or friend, or a thoughtful addition to your Giving Shelf for someone who could use a little extra care.

Gift Bag No. 1 — $40

* 6 Raspberry Cheesecake Muffins
* 1 Loaf Brown Bread
* Homestead Lentil Soup Mix (with cooking instructions)
* 6 Molasses Crinkle Cookies
* 1 A Simple Life Homestead Note Card

Gift Bag No. 2 — $40

* 6 Lemon Blueberry Muffins
* 1 Loaf White Bread
* Wild Rice Soup Mix (with cooking instructions)
* 6 Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
* 1 A Simple Life Homestead Note Card

Each bag will be packaged and ready for giving, finished with a simple homespun touch.

PREORDER ONLY.

Orders will be accepted through Saturday, October 31 at 6 p.m.

Pickup will be Friday, November 6, with two pickup times available:

9:00–11:00 a.m.
4:00–6:00 p.m.

To order, simply send me a message letting me know which gift bag you would like and which pickup time works best for you.

Garden Vegetable SoupThis is the time of year when the last of the garden vegetables are coming in, and one of my favori...
10/17/2026

Garden Vegetable Soup

This is the time of year when the last of the garden vegetables are coming in, and one of my favorite ways to use a little bit of everything is in a simple pot of vegetable soup.

There really doesn’t have to be a strict recipe. Use what you have.

For one good-sized pot:
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2–3 carrots, sliced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 potatoes, diced
- 1–2 cups green beans
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 2 cups cabbage, chopped
- 1 quart tomatoes or about 4 cups crushed/diced tomatoes
- 4–6 cups broth
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or a few cloves fresh garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery in a little butter or oil until they begin to soften. Add the remaining vegetables, tomatoes, broth, and seasonings.
Bring everything to a simmer and cook gently until the vegetables are tender, usually about 30–40 minutes.

That’s really all there is to it.

You can add corn, peas, beans, lentils, leftover meat, or whatever else needs using. And if you have a slice of homemade bread alongside it, even better.

One of the nicest things about garden soup is that it never has to be exactly the same twice.

What vegetables would go into your pot?

It’s a cold one out there today, but the shelves are filled and ready. Today’s baked goods and other offerings...Brown B...
10/16/2026

It’s a cold one out there today, but the shelves are filled and ready. Today’s baked goods and other offerings...

Brown Bread
Honey Oat Bread
Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Raspberry Cheesecake Muffins
Pumpkin Muffins
Molasses Crinkle Cookies
Blueberry Banana Bread

And there’s a little something extra this weekend too. I did some pantry cleaning this week and brought a few cookbooks, dishes, and other odds and ends out to the roadside pantry. They’re marked FREE, so if you see something you can use, please feel free to take it home.

Sometimes a good cleanout means someone else gets just what they needed. ❤️

As one season closes, another begins. The roadside pantry is open for its final day today, but here at the homestead, th...
10/16/2026

As one season closes, another begins.

The roadside pantry is open for its final day today, but here at the homestead, the work simply changes direction.

The colder months draw us back toward the hearth, to soup simmering, bread baking, handwork, old-fashioned skills, and the kind of slower days that seem to belong to autumn and winter.

There is something I love about that shift. Summer asks us to be everywhere at once. Winter invites us to come back in, gather close, and make home the center again.

The pantry will close after today, but there is still much to come in the months ahead. I’ll be working on new gatherings, seasonal projects, and a few new note card collections as well.

This watercolor is a little peek at one of the designs that will be included in an upcoming collection.

Back in the DayWinter preparation once meant far more than pulling out a warmer coat.Before the deep cold settled in, th...
10/15/2026

Back in the Day

Winter preparation once meant far more than pulling out a warmer coat.

Before the deep cold settled in, there was work to be done. Garden tools were cleaned, sharpened, oiled, and put under cover so they would be ready come spring. Root crops and apples were sorted for storage. Anything that could be damaged by freezing had to be brought in, and sheds, barns, and animal quarters were made ready for the months ahead.

And then there was the wood.

Enough firewood had to be cut, split, stacked, and kept dry, not simply for a cozy evening fire, but for cooking, hot water, and often the only real source of warmth in the house. Running out in February wasn’t much of an option.

People certainly had wool, layers, mittens, shawls, coats, and heavy stockings, but winter clothing and homes did not offer the kind of warmth and convenience we take for granted today. Once the bitter weather arrived, every trip outdoors took a little more effort, which made the work done beforehand all the more important.

There was wisdom in being ready before winter came knocking.

Maybe that is something worth remembering even now: winter preparations are best made before the snow begins to fall.

For us, we still have to winterize the chicken run, add straw bedding to the coop, and get the rest of the cabbage and carrots in. Only then will we be officially wrapped up for the cold winter months ahead!

What's left on your list??

This time of year the kitchen begins to change.In summer, so much of what I make is tied to the garden, fresh herbs, ber...
10/14/2026

This time of year the kitchen begins to change.

In summer, so much of what I make is tied to the garden, fresh herbs, berries, vegetables, preserves, things gathered and used almost as quickly as they come in.

By October, the pantry begins to take over.

Jars are lined up on the shelves. Dried herbs are tucked away. Flour, grains, and lentils are brought forward. Soup, bread, roasted vegetables, and all those slower foods begin finding their way back to the table.

There is something very comforting about cooking from what has been put up. It feels like one of the quiet rewards of the season.

What foods start making their way back to your table when the weather turns cooler?

Just a little reminder that this coming weekend will be the last weekend of the season for our Roadside Pantry.We’ll be ...
10/13/2026

Just a little reminder that this coming weekend will be the last weekend of the season for our Roadside Pantry.

We’ll be open Friday and Saturday, all day until sold out. After this weekend, the pantry will close for the season and reopen around Mother’s Day next spring.

Although the roadside pantry will be tucked away for winter, A Simple Life Homestead will still be offering gatherings and experiences throughout the colder months, and I’ll be sharing that upcoming schedule very soon.

I’ll also be putting together some Giving Shelf gift bags, and I’ll be announcing pre-orders for those this week for anyone who would like to purchase one to give to someone who could use a little extra kindness.

It’s hard to believe we’re already at the end of another pantry season. Thank you so much for stopping by, supporting what we do here, and being part of this little corner of the homestead.

As the days grow shorter and the evenings come a little earlier, I always find myself reaching more often for the quiete...
10/12/2026

As the days grow shorter and the evenings come a little earlier, I always find myself reaching more often for the quieter kinds of work.

A bit of crocheting. Mending something that has been waiting in the basket. Picking up a quilt. Reading a few more pages of a book. Small things done by hand while the house settles around you.

For women in the 19th century, these skills were not simply hobbies. They were part of knowing how to keep a home. A capable homemaker was expected to know how to sew, mend, knit, cook, preserve food, care for clothing, and make useful things last. In many homes, there was no one else to do those jobs, and even in households where certain work was hired out, these skills were still valued.

There is something about this time of year that makes those old ways feel especially fitting. Summer carries us outdoors and keeps our hands busy with gardens, preserving, and all the work of the warmer months. Then the colder season begins to draw us back inside, where the work becomes quieter and, in many ways, more deliberate.

I think that is one of the things I love most about handwork. It asks us to slow down just enough to notice what our hands are doing.

Do you have a handwork project you tend to pick up once the colder weather arrives, knitting, crocheting, quilting, embroidery, mending, or something else?

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63 Trafford Road
Blaine, ME
04734

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