The Poison Ivy That Changed Our Lives: How One Small Problem Led Us to a More Intentional Life
Have you ever looked back at your life and realized that one seemingly insignificant moment changed everything?
Not a grand plan.
Not a life-changing decision.
Just one small event that sent you down a completely different path.
For our family, it was poison ivy.
I know that sounds strange.
Most people don’t think of poison ivy as life-changing. It’s usually just an annoying weed that leaves you itchy and miserable.
But sometimes the things that frustrate us the most end up becoming invitations to something bigger.
And that’s exactly what happened to us.
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The Seeds Were There Long Before the Poison Ivy
Looking back now, I can see that the clues were always there.
People used to tell me I had an old soul.
While other kids were busy doing typical kid things, I loved spending time with my grandparents. Some of my favorite childhood memories were the summers I spent with them.
I learned how to knit.
I spent hours outside.
I listened to stories that most kids probably would have found boring.
I loved every minute of it.
I’ve always been fascinated by growing things.
As a child, I remember growing mustard seeds in wet sponges and checking them every day to see if they had sprouted.
I begged my mom to buy me one of those tiny plant necklaces that promised you could grow a plant around your neck. When the little plant died and the gel dried up, I was devastated.
My mom and I planted flower gardens together.
Years later, as a teacher, I taught first graders about monarch butterflies and milkweed.
At the time, these felt like random experiences.
Now I realize they were planting seeds.
Not just seeds in the soil.
Seeds in me.
The Year Everything Changed
Fast forward to 2020.
Like so many families, we were navigating uncertainty.
The world felt heavy.
The news never seemed to have good news.
Everything felt stressful.
We desperately needed a break.
So we packed up and headed to the Sedalia Center in rural Virginia.
The Sedalia Center is a beautiful community arts center tucked away in the countryside. I had done social media work for them before, and our family had visited several times.
It felt familiar.
Comfortable.
Safe.
Exactly what we needed.
What I didn’t know was that this trip would completely change the direction of our lives.
A Flower Bed Full of Poison Ivy
While we were there, we volunteered to help with some projects around the property.
One project involved cleaning up a flower bed near the entrance.
Simple enough.
Pull weeds.
Clean things up.
Help out where we could.
Then we discovered the poison ivy.
And not just a little poison ivy.
It was everywhere.
Now, for most people, poison ivy is simply annoying.
For our family, it was a much bigger deal.
My husband, Jamie, is extremely allergic.
A small exposure often means prescription creams, steroids, doctor visits, and weeks of discomfort.
At the time, our daughter Marisol was only a few months old.
The thought of Jamie needing medical care during a pandemic wasn’t something we wanted to risk.
The possibility of exposing our newborn to poison ivy wasn’t worth it either.
So we stopped.
The project was over.
At least for us.
But I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Searching for One Answer
The Sedalia Center has always embraced a more natural and holistic approach to caring for the land.
That inspired me to start researching natural ways to eliminate poison ivy.
I thought I was searching for an answer to a gardening question.
Instead, I found an entirely different way of life.
As I researched, I stumbled across websites written by women who lived differently than anyone I knew.
Women who gardened.
Women who cooked from scratch.
Women who preserved food.
Women who raised animals.
Women who worked with nature instead of constantly fighting against it.
One of those websites was Homestead and Chill.
There were others too.
But what I remember most isn’t the websites.
It’s how I felt while reading them.
Something inside me immediately recognized what I was seeing.
Not because it was completely new.
Because it felt familiar.
Discovering Modern Homesteading
The more I read, the more I realized something surprising.
We were already doing pieces of this life.
We heated our home with wood.
We cooked most of our meals ourselves.
We valued family.
We enjoyed simple pleasures.
What I was discovering wasn’t a completely different lifestyle.
It was a framework that connected all the things we already valued.
That’s when I first began learning about modern homesteading.
Not the version people often imagine.
Not living off-grid.
Not owning hundreds of acres.
Not giving up every modern convenience.
Instead, I discovered that modern homesteading is about intentional living.
It’s about learning practical skills.
It’s about becoming more capable.
It’s about creating a life that feels rooted and meaningful.
And for the first time, everything started to make sense.
Dreaming About a Different Future
The rest of that trip looked very different than we originally planned.
Instead of scrolling social media or watching television in the evenings, Jamie and I sat together researching.
Reading.
Talking.
Dreaming.
We imagined what a more intentional life might look like for our family.
Not a perfect life.
Not an easier life.
Just a more meaningful one.
A life where we were more connected to our food.
More connected to the seasons.
More connected to each other.
More connected to what truly mattered.
Taking Messy Action
When we got home, we didn’t have all the answers.
We didn’t have a five-year plan.
We didn’t have everything figured out.
What we did have was curiosity.
So we started taking messy action.
We planted a garden.
We learned new skills.
We cooked more meals from scratch.
We paid attention to where our food came from.
And honestly?
We made a lot of mistakes.
Some gardens failed.
Some projects didn’t work.
Some skills took far longer to learn than I expected.
But we kept going.
One small step at a time.
One skill at a time.
One season at a time.
Because that’s how confidence is built.
Not through perfection.
Through practice.
The Real Lesson We Learned
Somewhere along the way, I realized this journey was never really about gardening.
Or sourdough.
Or food preservation.
Those things are wonderful.
But they aren’t the point.
The point is becoming more capable.
More connected.
More intentional.
More confident.
The garden wasn’t just teaching us how to grow food.
It was teaching patience.
Responsibility.
Stewardship.
Problem-solving.
The skills mattered.
But the person we were becoming mattered even more.
The Meaning Behind Hummingbird Acres
There is another piece of this story.
Several years before all of this began, my mom passed away.
Losing her changed how I viewed the world.
Grief has a way of doing that.
Not long after she passed, I had an experience that has stayed with me ever since.
A hummingbird appeared.
Maybe it was coincidence.
Maybe it wasn’t.
But in that moment, it felt significant.
It felt like a reminder.
To slow down.
To pay attention.
To notice beauty.
To remember what matters.
Over time, hummingbirds became deeply meaningful to me.
When it came time to name this journey we were building, Hummingbird Acres felt exactly right.
Because hummingbirds remind me of my mom.
They remind me to be present.
To notice the small things.
To appreciate the season I’m in.
And ultimately, that’s what this entire journey has taught me.
What the Poison Ivy Really Gave Us
Looking back now, I realize the poison ivy was never the point.
The poison ivy simply sent me searching.
What I found was a life.
A life built around stewardship instead of consumption.
Capability instead of convenience.
Connection instead of constant distraction.
A life where progress matters more than perfection.
A life where family and legacy matter more than keeping up with everyone else.
A life that feels rooted.
And maybe that’s why this story still matters.
Because so many women are waiting until they have everything figured out before they begin.
They’re waiting for more time.
More money.
More land.
More certainty.
But meaningful change rarely starts that way.
You Don’t Need Everything Figured Out
If you’re dreaming about a simpler life, let me encourage you with this:
You don’t need a five-year plan.
You don’t need acreage.
You don’t need to know exactly where you’re going.
You simply need to take the next step.
Learn one skill.
Plant one tomato plant.
Bake one loaf of bread.
Start one new family tradition.
Take one small step toward the life you’re longing for.
Because you never know.
The thing frustrating you today might not be an obstacle at all.
It might be an invitation.
An invitation to become the person you’re meant to be.
An invitation to build a more rooted life.
An invitation to create something worth passing on.
And just like a patch of poison ivy changed our lives, one small step could change yours too.
Frequently Asked Questions About Modern Homesteading
What is modern homesteading?
Modern homesteading is the practice of learning practical skills that create a more intentional and self-reliant lifestyle. It can include gardening, from-scratch cooking, food preservation, homemaking, and other traditional skills adapted for modern families.
Can you homestead without land?
Absolutely. Many people begin homesteading with container gardens, small backyard gardens, cooking from scratch, food preservation, and learning practical household skills.
Is homesteading expensive?
It doesn’t have to be. Many homesteading skills can be learned gradually using resources and materials you already have.
What’s the best way to start homesteading?
Start with one skill.
Choose one area that excites you and focus on learning it well before moving on to the next thing.
Remember: messy action beats no action every time.
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