Lauren Ware lives on 25 acres in rural Vermont, where she grows a large vegetable garden and raises chickens.

Lauren lives with on a small farm on 25 acres in northeastern Vermont. She moved there with her husband and children from the suburbs. She's written about her experiences for national magazines.

She's raised chickens for eggs and meat, grown vegetables and apples, and canned, frozen, dried, pickled and preserved food for winter. She currently manages 37 laying hens.

Lauren's farm plans include expansion to raising pastured beef and possibly sheep and/or goats.

I didn't grow up on a farm. I grew up in the suburbs, and only came to learn about homesteading and self-sufficiency as an adult. I know what it's like to start from scratch, without generations of experience behind you. I feel lucky to have local farmer mentors who have taught me and my family about raising beef, dairy cows, goats and sheep, as well as handling wool and making cheese. We live in a diverse yet tightly knit community of small farmers with access to information on raising animals and food plot gardening.

I find immense pleasure and satisfaction in connecting with animals, entering into a relationship with them where we provide each other with something tangible. I love digging in the dirt and harvesting fresh vegetables to feed my family.

There's always something new to learn about farming, and I'm excited to share with you what I know and what I discover on this journey.