Another great friend of mine became friends because of the teaching jobs we once held. I’m so thankful for that season, and our friendship. I am also more grateful than ever to teach and raise our children, and this interview with Dana reaffirms the importance of parenting, raising and teaching our children. She is a mom-preneur (mom + entrepreneur). This homesteading mom is living in the city, raising five children under six years old. She will provide encouragement to you, wherever you are in your journey.
Interview with Dana about Mom-preneurship
- Where are you located? What does your family look like?
I am married to my husband of 5 years in August. We have 5 children and a dog: Russell 6, Colette 4, Nicholas 2, and Emmeline and Josephine 7 months. Calvin the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is 4 years old. We also have an outside cat named Ron after Ron Swanson. We live in Ankeny, Iowa.
- Iowa State Cyclones or Iowa Hawkeyes? (Or favorite team?)
Iowa State
- Why do you feel like natural living is important?
I think it’s really important to teach our children how to find food in our yards, use it, cook with it, preserve it, etc. It’s really important for them to learn where food comes from and how to feed our body good food! I still love sour gummy worms, but I love foraging with my children and hearing them call out plant names!
- If you could choose one treat what would it be?
Either a warm slice of sourdough bread or a snickerdoodle cookie
- What have been some struggles with living on an urban homestead?
I would say animals, but I’m not sure that’s an urban problem. I also sometimes see how “pretty” some people’s gardens are and I feel inadequate. I have to remind myself that it’s not about aesthetics, it’s about function and food growth.
- What has been the most rewarding part of holistic living?
Seeing my children enjoy the whole gardening experience with me, picking, planting, planning, canning, chopping (snacking while chopping), etc.
- Beach or mountain? Why?
Beach because I love the sand and swimming.
- What hasn’t worked?
Trying to do more than I’m actually capable of doing. I can’t plant massive gardens when I am super pregnant or just had a baby. I’ve learned that most will go to waste.
- What else are you doing that is awesome? (Feel free to brag about yourself here!!)
It might not sound like much, but I’m raising 5 children 6 and under. The babies (identical twins) are just so busy. It’s been a very relaxing year where we find joy in where we are and not in what we are doing or places we are going.
- What have you learned now that you didn’t know before?
It’s okay to take a break year. It’s okay to do less because sometimes less is more. We have had a great year of learning and planning for next year.
- Favorite thing to do in your free time?
Paint, sew or read
- Do you homeschool, why?
Yes! We homeschool because we want our family relationship close, our children to grow in their love for the Lord, and for our children to receive the education they individually need by going at their pace.
- What piece of advice would you give to yourself when you started this journey?
Don’t make a five year plan! Throw it out! Don’t make a two year plan! Throw it out! Take it day by day, month by month and season by season. What works this year, may not work next year. What worked last month, may not work this month.
- What is the next thing you are wanting to pursue?
Learning more about compost, how and when to use it. I started over a year ago but have much to learn about it. Having twins threw a wrench in my learning or goal for it. I set it aside, but now am picking it back up as my time and schedule is changing. I also want to get better at canning so I can hold a class for homeschool children to learn how to can. I’m hoping for not this summer and fall but next year. Always room for improvement or growth.
- Favorite thing to make for dinner?
Chicken pot pie because I love the process of making it and it’s my husband’s favorite meal I make.
- How do we find out more about you? Facebook, Instagram, etc. Give me all of the details
I’m only on Facebook.
Words of Encouragement
King Solomon talks about just the thing that Dana talks about here. Check it out,
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace
Wow, there is a lot to unpack there! Here is the overarching theme I see, God has a plan written for you, and you just need to lean into Him and His words already written in the living, and true Gospel. He has the time table written for you. Trust. Trust in Him. Pray to Him. Pray to Him for guidance in this season. Listen to Him, and follow his lead.
You’ve got this. I’m cheering you on! If you want to find out more about some of my other entrepreneur friends, visit them HERE! Sometimes moms work away from home, some work in the home, some do both, some have a side hustle, some do a combination of all of the things. Listen to, and follow God’s instructions for YOUR life.
This is the start of something GOOD! (I can tell!)
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