We are Ed and Connie Hall.  We met in 1982, when we were both stationed in Korea with the US Army, but lost track of each other soon after we returned stateside. Twenty-seven years later, we got back together, and married in 2013.  Ed was 62 and Connie was 49.

We bought our little five acre homestead in North Central Missouri in July of  2014, and are working on turning it into a working farm, while dealing with the challenges of getting older. The rest of the homestead crew include Connie’s 15-year-old high-functioning autistic daughter Katherine (whom she homeschools), two lab mix dogs, and three generations of American shorthair cat.

Our goal is to be as self-sufficient as possible. We want to grow a  large portion of our own food, and learn to make what we need from whatever raw materials we have. Connie particularly, loves to repurpose those things most people would throw away. That being said, we know the source of our true sufficiency. We love Jesus, and have committed our lives and our home to him.We feel that every gift God  gives us is a stewardship that we must care for wisely (we don’t always do as well as we would like).

We both love music. Ed plays guitar, six-string banjo, and a little harmonica and jaw harp. Connie plays a little piano, and even less guitar, and has been known to beat on a washboard. Kat plays flute and has just started learning violin.

In addition to the blog, we both write poetry, and have written a song or two.  We both love books and reading.  Currently, our home library contains about 3000 books. Katherine insists we have too many books, but there is no such thing, right?

After spending 22 years in the mililtary, Ed worked as a North Carolina corrections officer for several years and studied engineering. Early in his employment  career he learned to cook, and it has always been the job he falls back on. Currently, he works as a line cook in a truck stop.  He likes it and he’ is very good at it.

Connie has a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, but has spent most of her adult life raising her children from a previous marriage.  In addition to Katherine, she has two grown sons. Working as a para educator with children with behavioral disorders, opened her eyes to issues with her oldest son, who has Bi Polar disorder. That diagnosis led to her own which she controls with natural remedies while making sure she gets plenty of sleep. Someitmes that’s a neat trick on a homestead.

Ed also has two grown daughters from a previous marriage.

We’re glad you’re here. Come in and sit a spell.