From Chickens to Closings: Why Acreage Matters for Families Like Mine

When most people tour a property, they see the house first—the number of bedrooms, the size of the kitchen, whether the living room has enough space for their oversized sectional. Don’t get me wrong, those things matter. But as a mom, homesteader, and Realtor® who has chickens clucking in the background while I negotiate contracts, I can tell you this: the land around the home is just as important as the walls inside it.

Because acreage? It isn’t just “extra dirt.” It’s freedom. It’s possibility. And it’s value.

More Than a Yard—It’s a Lifestyle

For families like mine, acreage is the canvas for the life we want to build.

• Gardens: Rows of tomatoes, peppers, and maybe even a few stubborn zucchini plants that multiply faster than the kids’ Lego bricks.

• Chickens: My feathered ladies don’t just give us fresh eggs—they give my son lessons in responsibility (and a little comedy, because nothing’s funnier than a chicken chase).

• Kids Roaming: Acreage gives children a place to run, climb, and explore—without a video game controller in sight.

• Homestead Dreams: From canning our own food to building chicken coops, the land becomes an extension of our values.

This isn’t just about having “space.” It’s about cultivating a lifestyle where faith, family, and a little farm charm come together.

The Realtor® in Me Says: Acreage Adds Value

Now, let’s put my real estate hat on for a second (don’t worry, the chickens approve). Land is one of the most stable, long-term assets you can invest in. Here’s why:

• Scarcity: They’re not making more land. The house can be remodeled, but the lot is forever.

• Resale Value: Properties with acreage often appeal to a wider range of buyers—homesteaders, investors, families, and even those dreaming of a private retreat.

• Flexibility: Want to add a barn? Expand your garden? Divide a lot down the road? Acreage offers options.

In fact, buyers are increasingly looking for “breathing room.” According to recent real estate trends, homes with larger lots are holding value even when the market shifts—because lifestyle-driven buyers are willing to pay for space.

Why Families Like Mine Need It

For my family, acreage isn’t just a want—it’s a need. It means I can:

• Teach my son that eggs don’t come from the store, they come from hens named Pickles and Betty.

• Host neighborhood BBQs where kids chase fireflies while parents sip sweet tea.

• Watch the seasons change in our own backyard—knowing every inch is ours to tend, improve, and enjoy.

This blend of practicality, tradition, and future value is why I advocate for clients to look beyond the square footage of the house and really think about the land it sits on.

Closing Thoughts

At the end of the day, acreage is more than dirt—it’s where roots go deep. It’s where memories are made, work is done, and legacies are built. From chickens to closings, I know firsthand that land matters.

And if you’re dreaming of a home where your family has space to stretch out, grow, and thrive—well, you’ve found the right Realtor®. I’d love to help you find your slice of acreage heaven.

Because around here, land isn’t “extra.” It’s essential.

With love, listings, and a few too many unmatched socks,

Samantha 💛

Chickens, Cookies & Closings

Kids in the Garden: Age-Appropriate Tasks for a Wild-At-Heart 6-Year-Old

If you’ve ever tried to garden with a 6-year-old, you know it’s less Better Homes & Gardens and more Jurassic Park. But here’s the secret: those little wild things are actually the best garden helpers you could ever ask for (minus the occasional worm funeral or mud pie thrown at a chicken).

As a homesteading, chicken-loving, cookie-baking, real estate mom who thrives on community and creativity, I’ve learned that inviting kids into the garden not only helps the plants—it helps grow them. Their confidence. Their curiosity. Their ability to water the plants instead of the dog (well, most of the time).

So let’s talk about what a wild-at-heart 6-year-old can really do in the garden without you pulling your hair out—or replanting everything at midnight.

1. Watering (aka “Hose Olympics”)

Kids love water like buyers love a low-interest rate. A 6-year-old can absolutely handle watering with a kid-sized watering can or, if you’re brave, the hose.
Pro Tip: Give them a “watering zone.” Otherwise, you’ll end up with one VERY hydrated tomato plant and a crispy-fried zucchini patch.

2. Weeding (but make it a game)

Let’s be real: most kids can’t tell a weed from a carrot sprout. But they can pull dandelions, crabgrass, and the obvious invaders.
Make it fun: Set a timer and have a “Weed Race.” Loser has to feed the chickens. Winner also has to feed the chickens (because you’re no fool).

3. Harvesting the Easy Stuff

Big, obvious crops—like cherry tomatoes, snap peas, or strawberries—are perfect for small hands.
Reality Check: Your harvest may never actually reach the kitchen. Consider it “garden-to-mouth” eating. It’s organic, it’s fresh, it’s fine.

4. Bug Patrol

A 6-year-old is the perfect candidate for “Seek & Destroy.”
Give them a small jar and challenge them to find potato beetles, snails, or grasshoppers. Just remind them: ladybugs are friends, not foes. (And no, we cannot keep a jar of roly-polies in the fridge next to the eggs.)

5. Chicken-Helper Crossover Tasks

If you’ve got backyard chickens like we do, let your 6-year-old scatter scratch, refill water, or collect eggs. Nothing teaches responsibility faster than realizing an egg in your pocket is not as strong as a rock.

Why This Matters (Beyond Keeping Them Busy)

When kids help in the garden, they learn responsibility, patience, and the wild joy of eating something they grew with their own muddy little hands. Studies show that gardening improves mental health, builds physical coordination, and even encourages kids to eat more vegetables. (Yes, even broccoli, if they planted it themselves. It’s basically magic.)

And honestly? The garden is where the best conversations happen. Amidst the dirt, the sunshine, and the occasional chicken photobomb, kids get to see that growth takes time, care, and consistency—just like family, faith, and building community.

Final Thoughts from ChickensCookiesClosings

At the end of the day, gardening with a 6-year-old is like real estate: it’s a little messy, takes patience, and sometimes the results aren’t what you expected… but with love and consistency, it always grows into something beautiful.

So let them dig, let them water, let them wear that superhero cape while harvesting jalapeños. The garden isn’t just about plants—it’s about planting memories that will last far longer than the zucchini ever will.

Sam Says: “A wild-at-heart child and a wild patch of garden? Perfect match. Just don’t forget the sunscreen and snacks—trust me, both will save your day.” 🌱🐓🍪

With love, listings, and a few too many unmatched socks,

Samantha 💛

Chickens, Cookies & Closings

There’s something about kids and dirt—they either avoid it like it’s lava or they roll in it like puppies. Mine? Definitely the second option. By the end of a gardening day, he looks like he wrestled a mud pie and lost. And yet, here’s the miracle: my selective eater—the one who side-eyes dinner like it’s plotting against him—will eat anything that comes out of our garden. Why? Because he helped it grow.

Turns out, when you let little hands drop the seeds, water the rows, and pull the weeds (or in our case, mostly pull the flowers I wanted to keep), they’ll eat the harvest like it’s candy. Suddenly, green beans are their beans, carrots are their crunchy treasures, and cherry tomatoes are garden Skittles. It’s like the magic spell of motherhood: farm-to-table, with a dash of dirt.

Recipes Even Kids Dig (Literally)

1. Jeremiah’s “Garden Pizza”
Forget fancy toppings—when your kid pulls basil and tomatoes straight from the vine, they’ll pile it on with pride. Bonus: homemade pizza dough doubles as an edible playdough session.

2. Dirt-Lover’s Carrot Fries
Slice carrots into sticks, toss with olive oil and salt, roast until crispy. They look like fries, but you get mom-points for sneaking in veggies.

3. Chicken-Approved Salad
Okay, maybe the chickens didn’t really approve, but they did peck around while we picked lettuce leaves. Add cucumbers and a handful of cherry tomatoes, and suddenly salad is “fun food.”

4. Garden Popsicles
Blend up strawberries, mint, and a little honey, freeze in molds. Kid-friendly, mom-approved, and perfect for hot days when they’re already sticky from running wild outside.

Why This Works

It’s not about the recipes—it’s about ownership. When kids grow it, they glow about it. And honestly, it makes me glow too. Because in the middle of the chaos (and laundry piles), I get to watch my boy beam with pride as he chomps on veggies he once wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole.

It’s not Pinterest-perfect. The garden is messy, the kid is messier, and the recipes are simple. But here’s the truth: food grown with little hands tastes better. Dirt and all.

✨ Final Thought: If you want to turn picky eaters into proud eaters, hand them a seed packet and let them dig in. Sometimes the best seasoning is ownership (and maybe a little dirt).

There’s a shift happening, friends—and I’m here for it. Families are packing up their big mortgages, saying goodbye to neighborhoods where kids are more likely to bump into a Wi-Fi signal than a grasshopper, and moving out to land. Yep—good old dirt, wide open skies, and room to breathe.

And I get it. As a mama, a homesteader-in-progress, and a Realtor, I see firsthand how families are craving a lifestyle that’s simpler, slower, and—dare I say—sweeter.

The Why Behind the Move

1. Freedom Over Fancy
   Less square footage doesn’t mean less life—it means more of the right life. Smaller homes mean fewer rooms to clean (hallelujah 🙌), lower utility bills, and the ability to invest in what really matters: time together, memories, and maybe even some chickens.

2. Room to Roam
   A yard is nice. Five acres? That’s a childhood. Families are waking up to the truth that kids don’t need the latest iPad—what they really need is space to climb trees, chase chickens, build forts, and get just dirty enough to drive Mama a little crazy.

3. Simplicity is the New Luxury
   Granite countertops? Lovely. But a sunset that paints the sky over your land every night? Unbeatable. Families are trading “stuff” for experiences—and realizing that joy isn’t found in the walk-in closet, but in watching their kids catch fireflies at dusk.

Why It Works for Families

• Stronger Bonds – Smaller living spaces mean families actually see each other. You can’t hide in the west wing if there is no west wing.

• Life Lessons Everywhere – Kids learn responsibility and independence through chores, caring for animals, gardening, and simply living on the land. (Trust me—collecting eggs will teach a kid more patience than any screen ever could.)

• Financial Breathing Room – Smaller homes + land often come with smaller mortgages. That extra cash? Families are using it to build dreams, not just pay bills.

What I’m Seeing as a Realtor

This trend isn’t just Pinterest-pretty—it’s real. More of my clients are asking for land, even if it means scaling down on the house itself. They want space to raise animals, grow gardens, or simply let their kids roam free without worrying about traffic or cranky neighbors.

And honestly? It feels like a return to something we’ve lost along the way. A lifestyle where family, faith, and freedom matter more than square footage.

Final Thought 🐓✨

Sometimes smaller square footage leads to a bigger life. Don’t be afraid to trade in the extra living room for a little extra land. You might just find the freedom you didn’t know you were missing.

With love, listings, and a few too many unmatched socks,
Samantha 💛
Chickens, Cookies & Closings

If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a homeschool mom, homesteader, and keeper of too many chickens to count without a calculator, it’s this: kids thrive when they’re given real responsibility. And I’m not just talking about “pick up your toys” (though that’s a solid start). I mean honest-to-goodness chores—work that matters.

And yes, sometimes that “work” means your 6-year-old is proudly hauling chicken feed in a bucket twice his size while narrating an entire dinosaur documentary under his breath. 🦖🐓

But here’s the magic: chores aren’t just about a cleaner house & let’s be honest, sometimes they don’t result in that. They’re about teaching independence, building confidence, and giving kids a sense of purpose that no tablet app can compete with.

Why Chores Matter

Kids want to help. Sure, it might take longer, be messier, and involve approximately 37 more questions than if you just did it yourself, but the payoff is huge. When we give our kids jobs, we’re teaching them:

• Responsibility – They see firsthand that their effort makes the household run smoother.

• Confidence – A boy who can crack eggs for sourdough (with only a tiny bit of shell added in) feels like he can conquer the world.

• Independence – Each small task builds toward a “I can do this myself” mindset.

• Entertainment – Let’s be real, a bored child is a dangerous child. Give them a broom, a garden hose, or a pile of laundry to sort, and you’ve got 30 minutes of peace.

Chores That Work for Busy Boys (and Save Mom’s Sanity)

Here are a few hits in our home that keep little hands busy and little hearts proud:

• Chicken Duty 🐔 – Feeding, watering, and even collecting eggs (bonus: the daily “which egg is the biggest?” competition).

• Laundry Helper 🧺 – Sorting socks becomes a matching game. Folding towels turns into “towel burritos.”

• Kitchen Assistant 🍪 – Stirring, measuring, and taste-testing (the most sought-after role in our house).

• Garden Patrol 🌱 – Watering plants, picking veggies, or pulling weeds (while asking, “is this a weed?” 4,000 times).

• Vacuum Champion 🌀 – Kids love pushing buttons and making lines in the carpet.

The Long Game

Chores aren’t about turning our kids into mini adults before their time. They’re about building life skills in the small, everyday moments. Jeremiah may be knee-deep in Legos one minute and knee-deep in chicken bedding the next, but both teach him problem-solving, creativity, and grit.

And let’s be honest—when you see your child proudly set the table (forks in wild, creative directions), you don’t just see a messy table. You see a boy growing into a capable, confident young man who knows he’s a vital part of the family team.

Chores may take twice as long with little helpers, but the confidence they build lasts a lifetime. Plus, hey—entertained kids don’t climb the curtains.

With love, listings, and a few too many unmatched socks,
Samantha 💛
Chickens, Cookies & Closings

Let’s be honest: “Mom guilt” should come with its own reality show. One episode could be about skipping the Pinterest-worthy lunch and throwing chicken nuggets on the plate (gasp!). The next episode? Forgetting spirit day at school—again. And then, for the season finale, juggling work emails, homeschool prep, and wondering if your kid will grow up to tell their therapist, “Yeah, Mom was great, but she really dropped the ball on my copywork notebook.”

Sound familiar? Welcome to the club.

The truth is, so many of us chase this idea of the dream life—the spotless home, the thriving business, the obedient kids who never smear peanut butter on the walls (still waiting for that day). But chasing perfection often leaves us feeling like failures when life looks a little more… messy.

Spoiler alert: the “dream life” isn’t found in perfection—it’s found in peace.

Mom Guilt: The Sneaky Thief

Mom guilt whispers all kinds of lies:

• If I was really present, my house wouldn’t look like a toy tornado hit it.

• If I loved my kids enough, I’d never need “me time.”

• If I was a better wife, I wouldn’t feel so stretched thin.

But here’s the truth bomb: guilt rarely comes from God. It’s usually just shame in a sparkly headband, trying to convince you that your worth depends on your performance.

The Dream Life: Not What You Think

We think the dream life is a perfect balance. Spoiler—it doesn’t exist. Even the most Instagram-perfect mamas have laundry piles hiding just out of frame.

The dream life is less about doing everything right and more about:

• Presence over perfection (reading to your kiddo with dishes in the sink).

• Grace over guilt (laughing when you burn the cookies instead of spiraling).

• Progress over pressure (celebrating that you showed up, even if it wasn’t flawless).

The middle of the mess is where the memories live. It’s where our kids see us as human, resilient, and—most importantly—real.

Finding Peace in the Mess

So how do we find peace when guilt and chaos are running the show?

1. Redefine success. Did your kids eat, feel loved, and laugh today? Ding ding—you win.

2. Stop the comparison game. Your story isn’t supposed to look like hers. Comparison is the thief of joy (and the friend of mom guilt).

3. Invite your kids into the mess. Baking with flour everywhere? That’s the stuff childhood dreams are made of.

4. Rest without shame. Rested moms don’t mean lazy moms. They mean strong moms.

“Your kids don’t need a perfect mom—they need a present mom. And sometimes being present means choosing peace over Pinterest and grace over guilt.”

At the end of the day, mom guilt will try to steal your joy, but peace is waiting for you right in the middle of the Legos, snack crumbs, and half-drunk cups of coffee. The dream life isn’t somewhere far away—it’s already here, in the messy middle.