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There’s flour in tall glass jars.
Wooden rolling pins resting on marble.
Mason jars lining the counter.
A few chickens out back.
No acreage.
No barn (yet).
Just a quiet corner of the kitchen that says: we’re building something here.
This is what homesteading looks like in the in-between.
The Tools That Make It Feel Intentional
Everything in this picture has a purpose. Nothing flashy. Nothing trendy. Just simple tools that make everyday cooking feel rooted.
And yes — fresh eggs from our chickens land on this counter daily. 🤍
🫙 Mason Jars (On the Shelf & Counter)
Those jars on the shelf?
They hold more than ingredients.
They hold intention.
I use mason jars for:
- Dry goods
- Sourdough starter (coming soon 👀)
- Homemade yogurt
- Elderberry syrup
- Storing leftovers
- Collecting and storing extra eggs
- Pantry organization
I prefer wide-mouth jars because they’re easier to clean and scoop from.
If you’re wanting to start slow living where you are, start with jars. They instantly shift your kitchen toward simplicity.
🪨 The Marble Board
Front and center in the photo — my marble board.
It’s cool to the touch, which makes it perfect for:
- Rolling pie crust
- Working sourdough
- Shaping biscuits
- Cutting butter into dough
When I pull this out, it usually means something homemade is happening — maybe even eggs from our hens folded into the dough.
🌾 Wooden Rolling Pins
Simple wood. No bearings. No silicone grips.
Just classic rolling pins.
They remind me that women before me rolled dough on wooden counters with eggs gathered that morning and flour scooped by hand.
It’s amazing how one small tool can make a kitchen feel timeless.
🫙 Large Glass Flour & Sugar Jars
On the middle shelf — tall glass canisters filled with flour and sugar.
Switching from paper bags to glass jars:
- Reduced clutter
- Made baking easier
- Made the kitchen calmer
- Helped me see what we actually have
And when you bake regularly (because fresh eggs encourage that 😉), having staples visible just makes sense.
🥣 And Not Pictured… The KitchenAid
It may not be in this exact frame, but it absolutely belongs in this kitchen.
It helps with:
- Bread dough
- Sourdough
- Whipped cream
- Yogurt prep
- Butter
- Frosting for birthday cakes made from scratch
It’s the modern tool that supports an old-fashioned rhythm.
Homesteading in the Middle
We may not have acres (yet).
We may not have a barn (yet).
But we do have:
- Chickens
- Fresh eggs
- Scratch cooking
- Mason jars lining the shelves
- A counter that gets used daily
Homesteading doesn’t start when you “arrive.”
It starts when you begin stewarding what’s already in your hands.
And this little kitchen corner?
It’s where ours is growing.
A Quiet Kind of Faithfulness
There’s a verse that keeps coming to mind when I look at this kitchen corner:
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.” – Luke 16:10
Maybe we don’t have the full homestead yet.
Maybe we don’t have acres or a big farmhouse kitchen.
But we do have:
- A counter
- A few chickens
- Flour in jars
- Hands willing to work
God doesn’t require land to grow faithfulness.
He asks us to steward what we have.
Homesteading isn’t about aesthetics.
It’s about obedience in the small things.
And sometimes the “very little” is exactly where He builds the “very much.”
Coming Soon on Grace & Grit Living:
- How I Make Homemade Yogurt
- Simple Sour Cream From Scratch
- Elderberry Syrup for the Family
- Starting & Maintaining a Sourdough Starter
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Shelby McCallum is the founder of Grace & Grit Living, a Christian lifestyle blog dedicated to helping women grow in biblical stewardship, simple living, and faith-centered motherhood. Through practical Bible study guides, encouragement for everyday life, and Christ-centered routines, she writes to help women deepen their relationship with God and apply Scripture to daily living.