Our mission is to cultivate a healthier, more connected way of life through homegrown food, sustainable practices, education and community. From vibrant gardens, fresh fragrant flowers, and friendly farm animals, we invite you to slow down, enjoy the seasons, and create lasting memories with us. 

Hey. I'm Denise.

 

I’m a wife, mom of five, author, baking fanatic, struggling gardener, and the person behind most of the crazy ideas that somehow turn into projects around here.

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I’m a bit of a weirdo compared to the rest of my generation, but that doesn’t bother me a bit. I believe in hard work, making mistakes, personal responsibility, thinking for yourself, learning as you go, and getting dirt under your fingernails. I’m constantly dreaming up something new—whether it’s a recipe, a product, another way to use what we grow, an educational idea, or a Pinterest picture that I show Aaron and say, “I want this. Can you build it?”

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Neither Aaron nor I were raised as homesteaders. Heck, we didn’t even grow up in the country. We both had pretty conventional childhoods, and for the first few years of our marriage, we lived the life we thought we were supposed to live: work, buy our food from the grocery store, pay the bills, and do it all over again the next month.

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But as a young family, we decided we wanted to do life a little differently.

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What started as wanting healthier food for our own children slowly became something much bigger. We learned to garden, raise animals, preserve food, bake bread, fill shelves for winter, and make plenty of mistakes along the way. More importantly, we wanted our children to grow up knowing where their food came from and having skills and knowledge they could carry with them and someday pass on to their own families.

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Eventually, we realized we weren’t the only ones interested in homegrown food, homemade breads, unusual jams and jellies, and learning some of the skills that generations before us simply considered part of everyday life. So we kept growing—not just more vegetables, fruit trees, and animals, but the idea of what Leddy’s Homestead could become.

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These days, I’m usually somewhere between the kitchen, garden, greenhouse, computer, animals, and whatever new project I’ve managed to start. I’m still learning, still experimenting, still occasionally killing plants, and still coming up with more ideas than we probably have time for. But I wouldn’t trade this life for the conventional one we walked away from.

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Howdy. I'm Aaron.

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I’ve been interested in woodworking since I was young, when I first started learning skills and tricks from my dad. What began with smaller projects eventually turned into building things around the house—and then came the homestead. These days, my projects have gotten quite a bit bigger. Coops, barns, greenhouses, fences, shelters... if Denise can find a picture of it on Pinterest, there’s a pretty good chance she’s going to show it to me and ask, “Can you build this?”

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And somehow, I usually do.

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I’ve become the builder behind a lot of what you see around the homestead. I enjoy figuring out how things work, solving problems, and learning new ways to tackle whatever project is in front of me. I may not always agree with every crazy idea Denise comes up with—or understand exactly where she’s going with it at first—but I’m usually there helping her figure out how we can make it happen. Over the years, her ideas and my ability to build them have become a pretty good team.

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Working with my hands has also become a way for me to slow down and stay grounded. When I’m not building something, I enjoy walking through the woods, spending time by the pond, meditating, and simply being outside. I strongly believe nature can be some of the best medicine, and having this land has given me a place where I can work, think, breathe, and reset.

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I’m also one of the official taste testers around here. New jams, sauces, breads, seasonings, or whatever else Denise has decided to experiment with usually make their way to me eventually. I’m happy to take that responsibility seriously—as long as she remembers which fruits I’m allergic to.

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Most of all, I’m proud of what we’ve built together and excited to see where Denise’s next idea takes us. I may be the one holding the tools, but there’s usually a pretty good chance she’s standing nearby with another picture saying, “Okay, hear me out...”

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Hey there. I'm Tristan.

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Growing up on a homestead has given me a love for animals, building, and coming up with ideas for what we could do next. I’ve always been pretty creative, and I enjoy taking an idea and figuring out how we could actually make it happen. I’ve worked in construction and really enjoyed building things, and I’m usually thinking of something new we could add around here. One of my ideas is growing our own wheat so we can eventually make our own flour—and trust me, that’s only one of many ideas I’ve had for this place.

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These days, I’m beginning to build a life of my own while still being part of everything happening at the homestead. I’ve spent several summers working as a youth counselor at a Christian camp, something that has given me the opportunity to work with kids, take on responsibility, and hopefully be a positive influence on others. I’m also considering joining the Army as I figure out where the next chapter of my life will take me.

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I still love being around the animals and helping out where I can. The Blue Laced Red Wyandottes have always been some of my favorites—their feathers are incredible. But there is one thing that hasn't changed: I still draw the line at weeding. Mom isn't particularly thrilled about that, but she'll manage. (And yes, I'm probably still going to get in trouble for saying that.)

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Hello. I'm Gabe.

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I’ve grown up right alongside the homestead, and even though life looks a little different now that I’m working and finding my own path, this place is still home. I currently work in road construction, but I’ve talked about eventually building my own cabin here on the property and maybe even taking over the homestead one day. Who knows where life will take me, but I like knowing that I’ll always have roots here.

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I’m usually one of the people Mom calls when she needs an extra set of hands. Over the years that has meant everything from helping with animals and feeding chores to baking bread, running errands, and working alongside her at the farmers market. I may have my own schedule these days, but when something needs to be done, I’m usually willing to jump in and help.

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I’ve always had a big heart and tend to see the best in people. Animals have always been special to me too—there’s something therapeutic about being around them and the comfort they give without ever needing to say a word. And while I may not spend quite as much time with them as I did when I was younger, that hasn’t changed.

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One job I definitely haven’t outgrown is being Mom’s official taste tester. Whenever she’s working on a new jam, I’m usually more than willing to volunteer for quality control. Some homestead responsibilities are just harder than others.

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What's up. I'm Sam.

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Life is pretty busy for me these days. Between school, studying, working out, and sports, I’m usually always on the go. Over the years I’ve been involved in football, track, tennis, and even band, and staying active is a pretty big part of who I am. I’m also beginning to plan for college, where I hope to study kinesiology and nutrition and turn my interest in health and fitness into something I can build a future around.

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Growing up on the homestead has taught me plenty—even if I’ll admit that farm chores aren't exactly at the top of my favorite-things-to-do list. Somehow I have developed a pretty impressive ability to disappear when there’s work to be done. Unfortunately for me, Mom has also developed a pretty impressive ability to find me. When she really needs me, though, I’m there to lend a hand.

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I’m also a pretty hands-on big brother to Malakai. Having a toddler around definitely keeps things interesting, but whether it’s hanging out with him, keeping an eye on him, or helping Mom when she needs it, he’s become a big part of my everyday life. And while I don’t spend nearly as much time around the animals as I did when I was younger, Sparkles will always be my girl.

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I like nice things, I like looking my best, and I’m probably the one in the family most likely to believe that upgrading to the better version is completely reasonable. What can I say? I have standards. Between sports, fitness, school, family, and figuring out what comes next, I’m excited to see where life takes me—and I’m grateful that the homestead will always be part of where I came from.

 

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Yo. I'm Luca.

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I may not be one of the little kids anymore, but I’m probably still one of the biggest troublemakers in the family. I’m adventurous, goofy, and always up for having some fun—whether that means swimming, going to the skating rink, playing video games, hanging out with friends, or roughhousing with my brothers until somebody inevitably gets annoyed. Sometimes that somebody is me.

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These days, I’m figuring out what I’m into and where I fit. I like working out and ran track last year, and while I gave football a try, I figured out pretty quickly that it wasn’t really my thing. I used to skateboard quite a bit, and I still love anything that gives me a chance to get out, explore, or have a little adventure.

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Growing up on a homestead means there’s always something happening around you. I’ve grown up with gardens, animals, ponds, fresh food, and plenty of chores—although I can’t promise the chores are my favorite part. I’m still figuring out what my place in all of it will be as I get older, but for now, I’m enjoying being a kid, spending time with my friends and brothers, and seeing where life takes me next.

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Merry meet. I am Malakai.

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I may still be the littlest member of the Leddy bunch, but that definitely doesn’t stop me from trying to be part of everything! I love following everyone around, seeing what they’re working on, and making sure I get my hands right in the middle of it too. Whether we’re feeding animals, working in the garden, cooking in the kitchen, or starting a project, I’m usually close by saying, “I help!”

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There is a lot to learn when you grow up on a homestead, and I’m busy soaking up as much of it as I can. I love asking questions, figuring out how things work, and doing things myself—even when the grown-ups think I might need a little help.

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Sometimes there’s just so much I want to see, touch, learn, and do all at once that being little can get a little overwhelming.

For now, I’m growing up surrounded by animals, gardens, family, and plenty of people willing to teach me along the way. I may not know yet what my favorite part of homestead life will be, but I’m having a whole lot of fun figuring it out.

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Guten Tag. I'm Oma Ute.

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I’m Denise’s mom, born and raised in Germany, and although I still live there, I make my way to Texas about once a year to spend time with the family. When Denise and Aaron first told me about their plans to build a homestead, I thought they had completely lost their minds. But after visiting, spending time with the animals, and watching everything they were creating, it didn’t take long for the homestead to find a special place in my heart. These days, whenever I’m here, I settle right back into homestead life—and I may even claim a few of the animals as my own while I’m at it.

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Cooking and baking have always been a big part of my life, so when I visit, you’ll often find me in the kitchen. I especially love using fresh vegetables and ingredients harvested right here on the homestead to cook for the family. Denise and I both have our own ideas and ways of doing things in the kitchen, which makes cooking together interesting from time to time, but our shared love of good food and family traditions is something that has always connected us.

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You may also recognize a little bit of my influence in Oma’s Originals. Some of the recipes and flavors are rooted in the German food and traditions I grew up with, and I love being able to share a little piece of that heritage through the homestead.

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When I’m not in the kitchen, you’ll probably find me loving on the animals, sneaking them entirely too many treats, spending time with my grandchildren, harvesting something from the greenhouse, or finding something that needs doing. I love helping wherever I can—as long as the Texas heat isn’t trying to cook me alive! I may live an ocean away, but a little piece of Oma will always be part of Leddy’s Homestead.

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​​​​Hiya! I’m Marti.

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I may not have been born a Leddy, but somewhere along the way, I became one of them. I’m kind, sweet, goofy, and known to get a little sidetracked from time to time. I bring plenty of laughter and personality into the house, and while I might be a little more girly girl than farm girl, when there’s a big project happening and extra hands are needed, I’m not afraid to jump in and get dirty.

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Right now, I’m finding my own path and beginning a new chapter working as an EMT, with the long-term goal of becoming a nurse. Helping and caring for people is something that comes naturally to me—and that carries over at home, too. Whether that means jumping in with Malakai when things get busy or helping wherever I’m needed, I’ve found my own ways to contribute to the family. I’m also really into fitness and working out, and staying active has become an important part of my everyday life.

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I’ve even tried my hand at sourdough and learned how to make bread with Aaron. Once I decide I want to learn something, I’ll look it up, figure out what I need to do, and give it a try. Some attempts work better than others, but that’s half the fun of learning.

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Over time, I’ve become something of a long-lost sister to the boys—complete with all the teasing, bickering, laughter, and sibling rivalry that comes with it. I’ve found my own relationship with every member of this family and a place that feels like home. I may not have been born into the family, but “bonus daughter” feels pretty close to the truth.

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