Homesteading in Virginia: This couple left the city to restore a piece of country acreage

With the help of their Wood Chipper the young couple have been building their own homestead in the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains

Val and Ryan had only just married when they moved into the perfect piece of land, a former vineyard in rural Virginia that they planned on restoring.

"It was definitely a big change," says Val, who moved from Spain to marry Ryan and create their ideal life together. "It's worth it, I love it."

The couple run Happy Fields Farm, a homestead in the the heartland where they share their adventures raising chickens, growing vegetables and other food as well as other farm life experiences from their stretch of rural Virginia property on social media.

The two say they've been loving the benefits of rural living, how their dogs have so much room to run around and they enjoy the peaceful surroundings of their land.

Introduction to homesteading

Homesteading is more than just a way of living; it’s a commitment to self-sufficiency and a deep connection to the land. It involves working a farm or a plot of land with the goal of producing one’s own food and living sustainably.

In Virginia, homesteading has become a popular choice for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and embrace a more rural, country lifestyle.

Many new homesteaders, including young people moving out from the city like Val and Ryan, begin with purchasing a property that offers ample space to grow fruits and vegetables like apples, tomatoes, cucumbers and more. Others raise livestock, and collect fresh eggs from your own hens. Ryan chose their property because it has six acres, including four acres of untended forest.

While many who go from living in the city to living off the land find the lifestyle challenging, requiring a lot of hard work and dedication, the rewards can be immense. Many homesteaders say they experience a profound sense of accomplishment and a unique connection to their land and community.

Becoming homesteaders

The couple met in Maryland while Val was temporarily in the US and they hit it off. When Val moved back to Spain they started a long distance relationship, with plans to close the gap eventually.

Ryan was already planning on buying a piece of property, a former vineyard which had fallen into disrepair. The new farmer says there are other similar properties in the region, and while there are some other young folks moving into the country to restore those lands, most of his neighbours are older farmers who have been working the lands their entire lives.

Val and Ryan didn't wait to capitalize on their dreams together, including wanting to make a "farm daycare" in the future, she says. So the two bought the property, beginning their journey to becoming regenerative farmers.

Their property became home to plenty of animals, including their dogs and chickens which they use to get eggs. They began to grow vegetables, like tomatoes, peppers and other fruits too.

Regenerative agriculture

Restoring the land has been difficult, even though the six acres they bought isn't as large an area as some of the other farm properties nearby. They've been learning new skills and trying to live with the land, planting native tree species, restoring dilapidated parts of the property and exercising other regenerative farming techniques to reclaim the land which had been neglected for some years.

"At the time no one wanted it, it was an overgrown patch of land," says Ryan.

Val says it's been challenging but rewarding, as they've been pushed over the edge from urban living into becoming full-time dedicated homesteaders and farmers. They've been careful to support the land and enjoyed the benefits as it's supported them back.

Ryan is careful. He uses a mobile chicken coop so his hens don't always stay in one place, helping to enrich the soil prevent any one area from becoming worn down. The couple put in a lot of research to ensure they were following the best practices, going above and beyond the average farmer.

He's removed invasive species and felled trees which are diseased. That's left him with a lot of tree branches and other debris which he can now chip up and use elsewhere.

Time to start chipping

The two planned on purchasing a Woodland Mills WC68 Wood Chipper, seeing how much it could benefit not only their animals but also their produce.

"It was almost a year of land management," says Ryan, removing shrubs and trees, meaning there was a lot of material that needed to be processed.

Turning the tree debris on the property into wood chips has required a heavy duty machine which can turn those materials into a useful resource. The wood chips they get from their chipper allows them to take that wood debris and "put it back into the land in that regenerative way," he adds.

It gives them bedding for their chickens, fills in low-lying areas and help provide valuable matter for building up parts of their land. Today they can see the difference in parts of their property. Areas which were once neglected and littered with leftover debris from the former vineyard are now lush and green again.

The couple states their wood chipper is helping to enable their restorative agriculture and bring life back to their land.

What's next?

Ryan and Val say they will continue to restore their property, using their wood chips to build up their animal pens and continue to grow more fruits and vegetables.

These homesteaders say they have exciting future plans for their property. They've only been at work for the past few years but their effort is already paying off and they're excited to see what comes next.

Their farm homestead in Virginia has become their little slice of paradise, a place where they can spend their days, weeks and years growing together.

Compared to their previous lives, Val and Ryan say it's much more difficult, but in general it's been much more rewarding and it's allowed them to connect with the peaceful nature of their property.