practical skills for life beyond the city

About Life Beyond the City [PHOTO: Natural photo of you in the garden, with a harvest, or with the chickens] Hello, I’m Autumn — welcome to Life Beyond the City. This blog is where I share our family’s journey toward simpler, more self-sufficient living on our Northern California homestead. We raise a flock of laying hens, grow a wide variety of produce, cook and preserve what we harvest, and continue learning practical skills that help us live a little closer to the land. You’ll find honest, hands-on advice about gardening, caring for animals, making the most of homegrown food, and creating a functional home. I also enjoy exploring traditional techniques alongside modern methods — the kind of practical knowledge that works whether you have acres of land or just a few containers on a patio.

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This isn’t a perfect, picture-ready farm. It’s real life: the successes, the failures, the lessons learned along the way, and the everyday work of growing food and living more intentionally. I started Life Beyond the City to encourage others who feel that same pull toward self-sufficiency and simple living — no matter where they’re starting from. What you’ll find here: Practical gardening and seasonal growing tips Raising backyard animals (starting with our laying hens) Cooking and preserving food from the garden Simple living and home projects A mix of traditional wisdom and modern methods If that sounds like you, I’m glad you’re here. Look around, explore the posts, and consider joining my email list for seasonal tips, garden updates, and practical ideas for life beyond the city. I’d love to hear what you’re growing or working on — feel free to leave a comment or say hello. — Autumn

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