The Living Homestead
Where slow living, sustainability, and soul come home.
The Living Homestead is more than a backyard — it’s a living classroom, a sanctuary for pollinators and people, and a bold, beautiful experiment in regenerative life. Nestled in a small Indiana neighborhood, our in-town homestead serves as the first demonstration site for Return to Vital Roots™ — where native plants, food forests, chickens, bees, apothecary herbs, and rainwater harvesting all come together in harmony.
Here, we explore what it means to truly live in alignment with Earth:
to tend the soil beneath our feet
to honor seasonal rhythms
to nourish our families from our land
to design with intention, not just aesthetics
It’s also a place of imperfection, experimentation, and evolution — a reminder that sustainability isn’t about having it all figured out, but about returning again and again to what matters most.
What We’re Building
Pollinator-Friendly Native Prairie – supporting bees, butterflies, and biodiversity
Edible Gardens + Raised Beds – seasonal food for the family and community
Permaculture Zones – layered design inspired by nature
Herbal Apothecary Spiral – cultivating healing herbs for teas, tinctures, and ritual
Chickens, Doves & Bees – gentle animal companions that nourish and connect
Water Catchment + Composting – closing the loop through simple sustainability
Sacred Gathering Spaces – a firepit, mud play zone, and intentional places for reflection
The Living Journey
Every season brings new growth — not just in our soil, but in our spirit.
The Living Homestead is more than a backyard project; it’s an unfolding experiment in what it truly means to live in reciprocity with the Earth.
We invite you to follow along on Instagram [@returntovitalroots] and through our Rooted Reads blog series, where we share honest reflections, seasonal rituals, plant guides, evolving designs, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of how we’re learning to live this work — imperfectly, beautifully, and wholeheartedly.
But this is just the beginning.
Over time, we hope to replicate this living model in neighborhoods and bioregions across the country — weaving a resilient network of urban and rural homesteads that embody the spirit of Return to Vital Roots.
Because sustainability doesn’t live only on distant farms or wellness retreats —it starts right here, in our own backyards.
