As the year winds down, it feels like the perfect moment to pause and reflect on the gardening victories, DIY projects, and life lessons we’ve experienced on our 1.75-acre slice of paradise. Despite a few bumps along the way, we’re incredibly proud of how far we’ve come and the skills we’ve picked up. This year has been all about growth—both in our plants and ourselves—resilience in the face of challenges, and celebrating the fruits of our labor, both literal and figurative.
From bountiful harvests to a few beekeeping hiccups, here’s a look back at the highs and lows of our homesteading journey in 2024.
Our Top Homesteading Highlights of 2024
This year has been a busy one, filled with moments of creativity and hard work. A few of our proudest accomplishments include:
1. Watering Our Mini Fruit Orchard
Water truly is the lifeblood of any garden, especially when you’re caring for young fruit trees. Installing an irrigation system for our mini orchard turned out to be a rewarding project that’s already paying off. Watching our trees thrive—especially the lemon tree, which is loaded with fruit—has been so satisfying. We’ve even got three paw paws on the way! Here’s hoping 2025 brings us bananas too!
Watch: how we set up our irrigation
2. Building a Smokeless Burn Barrel
Innovation took center stage this year with our smokeless burn barrel. It’s been a game changer for clearing debris, and the best part is that it reduces smoke—good for us, our neighbors, and the environment. Sven had a blast building it, and we’re excited to share how we did it.
See how Sven built our smokeless burn barrel:
3. Restoring a Bench for the Greenhouse
We breathed new life into a bench that was given to us by our lovely neighbor. It now sits in our greenhouse as a cozy spot to sit and reflect after a long day of gardening. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine the space without it.
Unexpected Garden Surprises
Gardening always keeps us on our toes, and this year was no different. Here are some of the delightful surprises:
4. A Surprising Pumpkin Harvest
Our pumpkin patch was a delightful surprise, yielding over 60 pumpkins! This unexpected bounty led to some fun kitchen experiments—think pumpkin scones, soups, and even pumpkin brownies. While we might need to move the volunteer vine next year for practicality, it’s been a treat!
Try this easy pumpkin scone recipe:
https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/pumpkin-scones/688b4546-aeff-45da-85bd-f397317e0c7a
5. Building Dragon Fruit Trellises
We added trellises for our dragon fruit, and while the pruning set us back a bit, the recent rains have given them a boost. We’re hopeful for a harvest soon, and it’s been rewarding to see them grow!
Catch the trellis-building action:
6. Our Largest Onion Harvest Yet
This year, we pulled up the biggest onion crop we’ve ever had! There’s something so satisfying about seeing all that hard work come to fruition. The only downside? They weren’t quite shelf-stable, so I had to slice, dice, and vacuum-seal them for the freezer—but it was worth it!
7. Winter Harvest Success
Winter brought its little victory in the form of our largest cold-season harvest ever. While it’s not exactly freezing here, the sight of hearty greens and root vegetables was something to be proud of. I’m still munching on carrots from that harvest, and we have plenty of onions still in the freezer. It’s been a great success for us!
8. Creative Recycling and DIY Projects
One of our fun, sustainable projects this year was creating a DIY recycled bird feeder. Watching the birds flock to it has been a simple joy. We’ve had some beautiful visitors, including the pale-headed rosella, sulfur-crested cockatoo, and galah.
9. Mastering Pickled Beetroot
Sven’s love of beetroot led me to grow a whole crop just for him. I’m not the biggest fan, but I was surprised at how easy and low-maintenance the beetroot was to grow. Pickling them has been a fun and flavorful way to preserve our harvest, and it’s quickly become a favorite in our meals!
Check out this really simple pickled beetroot recipe: https://itsnotcomplicatedrecipes.com/pickled-beetroot/
Challenges We Faced While Homesteading in 2024
As with any homesteading journey, there have been a few bumps in the road. But these challenges have only reinforced the importance of perseverance and flexibility:
1. Beekeeping Trouble
Our bees ran into some trouble this year when mold took over their hive. But with a new hive that features a removable bottom tray for better airflow, they’re on the mend. We’re hopeful for some honey in 2025!
TIP: Improved ventilation and water drainage are key to maintaining a healthy hive in humid climates.
2. Garden Neglect
There were a few times this year when work and illness meant our garden was a little neglected. We’ve got some overgrown weeds to tackle, but we’re slowly getting back on track. We’re also planting trees for future shade and learning to be patient with ourselves.
3. IBS Tank Flow Issues
Our IBS tank flow system gave us some headaches this year. An attempt with a solar pump didn’t work as expected, but Sven is revisiting the setup. The heavy rains have renewed our motivation to get this right.
4. Postponed Projects
A busy year at work meant we had to put some projects on hold, and while that was disappointing, we’re looking forward to diving back into them with fresh energy in 2025.
Looking Ahead
2024 has taught us the value of flexibility, patience, and celebrating the small wins. As we move into 2025, we’re excited to revisit unfinished projects, deepen our gardening knowledge, and explore more sustainable practices. Here’s to fresh starts, flourishing gardens, and a new year full of possibility.
Closing Thoughts
This year has been one of growth, resilience, and learning. Through all the highs and lows, our 1.75-acre homestead has been a place of peace, joy, and inspiration. We’re grateful for every moment spent here and look forward to another year of growing and cultivating happiness, one seed at a time.
Here’s to 2025—a year of fresh beginnings, flourishing gardens, and endless opportunities!
Stay in touch!
What would you like to see us tackle or experiment with next year? We’d love to hear your thoughts!