Hey there, I'm Annie!
I’m here to help you cut through the noise and actually figure out chickens, gardening, and homesteading—without the overwhelm, guesswork, or Pinterest perfection pressure.
Midwest girlie
I didn’t grow up on some Pinterest-perfect homestead. I grew up in South Dakota, where real food came from someone you knew and "slow living" wasn’t a trend — it was just life. These days, I live tucked into the Idaho mountains, raising birds, building off-grid systems, and figuring it out as I go. I'm not fancy. I'm just resourceful, stubborn, and not here to be told by the FDA what's "safe."
Green Thumb Guru
If I’m not out wrangling chickens or hauling buckets, I’m probably elbow-deep in the garden. I grow what I eat because I don’t want produce that’s been sprayed, picked before it's ripe, shipped, and stored for weeks. Give me dirt under my nails and heirloom seeds over sterile grocery store shelves any day.
Community Builder
I’m not interested in chasing followers — I’m here to build something real. Whether it’s helping you automate your coop, decode your chicken’s weird behavior, or learn why your towels feel crunchy (hint: it’s your detergent), I create tools and content that actually help. I believe in local connections over internet likes, and if I can help you grow your first garden or raise your first flock, that’s a win in my book.
Why Trust ME
Because I’m not here to sell you a fantasy — I’m living the real thing.
I didn’t grow up doing this. I learned the hard way: one frozen waterer, failed garden, and rogue chicken at a time. I built my homestead from scratch in the Idaho mountains, off-grid and off-script — with a grow room inside and almost 100% chemtrail-proof greenhouse outside (yes, really).
I don’t gatekeep. I share exactly what’s worked for me — from mealworms to meat birds, soil hacks to coop automations — because you deserve more than half-baked advice from someone who’s never actually hatched a chicken.
I’m not a guru, I’m just saying what everyone’s thinking: the system’s broken, and growing your own food is the most radical act of rebellion we’ve got left.
So if you want someone who gets it — someone who’s walked through the overwhelm and figured out how to make this lifestyle doable (and actually fun) — you’re in the right place.
Let’s grow something real.
Why choose my course
Because Googling every chicken question at midnight isn’t a strategy.
My "Hatch to Harvest" course is the guide I wish I had when I started — no fluff, no filler, just straight-up answers and hard-earned experience. It's for people who actually want to raise their own meat birds without the overwhelm, confusion, or sugar-coated nonsense.
Inside, you'll get step-by-step instructions for everything from setting up your brooder to harvesting clean, healthy meat — ethically, confidently, and with your sanity intact. Whether you're brand new or just tired of piecing together info from a bunch of random YouTube videos, this course will walk you through it all — start to finish.
You don’t need to be a full-blown farmer to raise your own food. You just need someone who’s done it, messed it up a few times, and figured out what actually works.
I made this for the everyday homesteader who’s ready to do things differently — because raising your own food shouldn’t be complicated. It should be common sense.
What problems can I solve
You’re here because you want real answers from someone who’s lived it — the good, the bad, and the broody.
If you’ve ever felt…
Overwhelmed by chick care and unsure if you're doing it "right"
Confused about coop setup, predator protection, or how to keep things clean
Frustrated with all the conflicting info about raising meat birds ethically
Grossed out by store-bought chicken and ready to take control of your food
Tired of wasting time searching through YouTube videos and Facebook groups
I’ve got you.
I’ll walk you through every part of raising chickens from hatch to harvest with clear, practical steps — no jargon, no guilt-tripping, no fluff. Just real help from someone who’s done it off-grid, on a budget, and without a team of farmhands.
This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about learning, doing, and feeding your family real food with real confidence.
Read The Blog
Common Misconceptions About Egg Incubation
Common Misconceptions About Egg Incubation
If you've ever thought about hatching your own chicks but felt intimidated by the process, you're not alone. Learning any new skill can be daunting. I remember buying my first incubator and it sat in the box for months because I didn't feel ready. But you can do it!
There's a LOT of misinformation floating around about incubating eggs—so today, we're busting some of the most common myths and setting the record straight!
Myth #1: You Need an Expensive Incubator
Truth: You don’t need a top-of-the-line, high-tech incubator to successfully hatch eggs!
While some high-end models have extra features like automatic egg turning and humidity control, plenty of budget-friendly incubators work just fine if you know how to manage the basics.
🔹 A simple incubator with steady temperature control, proper ventilation, and consistent humidity levels is all you need for a successful hatch.
🔹 Many homesteaders and backyard chicken keepers hatch eggs with affordable tabletop incubators.
🔹 Even DIY incubators can work—though they require a little extra monitoring.
The key is following a reliable incubation process—and I cover everything you need to know in my Egg Incubation Guide.
Myth #2: Incubating is Too Hard for Beginners
Truth: If you can follow simple steps, you can hatch eggs—no experience required!
I get it. The idea of managing temperature, humidity, and turning eggs can sound overwhelming. But guess what? Incubating eggs is actually super easy once you know what to do.
✔ Modern incubators do a lot of the work for you. Many have built-in thermometers, hygrometers, and automatic turners.
✔ You don’t have to be perfect—small fluctuations in temperature and humidity are normal.
✔ Step-by-step guidance makes all the difference—which is exactly why I created my incubation guide!
If you’ve been putting off incubating because you’re worried it’s too complicated, this is your sign to just start. I promise—it’s easier than you think!
Myth #3: Once You Put the Eggs in the Incubator, You Can Just Set It and Forget It
Truth: Incubating eggs isn’t hard, but it’s not completely hands-off either!
A lot of beginners assume that incubators do all the work—but that’s not entirely true. You still need to:
🔹 Monitor temperature & humidity daily – Even with automatic controls, slight adjustments might be needed.
🔹 Turn the eggs (if your incubator doesn’t) – Most eggs need to be turned at least three times a day to prevent the embryo from sticking to the shell.
🔹 Check for development – Candling eggs at days 7 and 14 helps ensure they are growing properly and lets you remove any that aren’t developing.
🔹 Lockdown period requires extra attention – The last few days before hatching (days 18-21) require stable humidity and no opening the incubator!
While it’s not complicated, it does require some involvement—but I’ll walk you through every step inside my Egg Incubation Guide so you can hatch healthy, thriving chicks with confidence.
Have You Heard These Myths Before?
Hatching your own chicks is one of the most fun, rewarding, and budget-friendly ways to grow your flock—and it’s WAY easier than you might think.
Which of these myths have you heard before? Did any of them hold you back from trying incubation? Let me know in the comments!
Ready to start incubating? Grab my Egg Incubation Guide for step-by-step instructions! And if you want to take your chicken-raising skills to the next level, my full Chicken Course will guide you from hatch to harvest.
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