About A Better Choice Homestead: My Journey to a Healthier, More Resilient Life

Hi there, I’m Kelly, and if you’ve found your way here, chances are you’re looking for a better way – a more intentional, self-sufficient, and healthy approach to life. You might know me from my YouTube channel, or perhaps you're just discovering A Better Choice Homestead. Either way, I’m so glad you’re here, and I want to share a bit more about the unexpected path that led me to this very space.

The Life Before: Corporate Demands & a Different "Best Home"

For most of my adult life, I walked the well-worn path of corporate America. My days were filled with deadlines, meetings, and the relentless pace of business. My focus, even then, was on building the "best possible home" for my family and our beloved fur babies. This meant stability, comfort, and providing everything I thought we needed. We had a nice house, a seemingly comfortable routine, and a life that, from the outside, looked perfectly aligned. But beneath the surface, stress simmered, and my body was quietly sending signals I wasn't fully ready to hear.

The Unignorable Whispers: A Profound Shift Towards Health

As I entered my 30's, my world began to shift dramatically. Not by choice, but by necessity. I faced a series of significant health challenges that forced me to confront my own well-being head-on. First, came the need for three total hip replacements. The physical pain and the long, arduous recovery periods were humbling, making me acutely aware of my body's resilience – and its breaking points. The last revision, which was completed in 2013, was redo of my first and it threw my world into chaos as it required an extended recovery period.

Just as I navigated that last recovery, a far more chilling reality emerged: breast cancer, not once, but twice. Those diagnoses were a seismic shock, a profound wake-up call that echoed through every part of my life. It was in those moments of vulnerability, fear, and determination to fight that my entire perspective on "health" fundamentally changed.

I realized that true well-being wasn't just about managing symptoms or bouncing back from surgery; it was about nurturing my body from the inside out. My focus turned fiercely to real, nutritious food – not just as fuel, but as medicine, as a source of healing and strength. This deeply personal journey, fraught with its share of tears, research, and radical shifts in thinking, taught me the undeniable, profound impact of what we put into our bodies. It transformed me from someone who provided a comfortable home to someone obsessed with creating a healthy foundation for life itself.

2020 and Beyond: The Call for Self-Sufficiency

Just as I was deeply entrenched in my personal health transformation, the world faced its own upheaval in 2020. The disruption to our food system and supply chains during the pandemic was another critical turning point for me. It highlighted a stark reality: even in a modern world, our reliance on external systems for basic needs could be fragile. This experience ignited a powerful drive within me for self-sufficiency and community resilience.

Suddenly, my newfound passion for real food intertwined with a deep desire to provide for my family, not just with healthy choices, but with a reliable supply, regardless of external circumstances. It made me understand the profound importance of being able to grow, preserve, and utilize resources from my own environment, and to build connections within my community.

My Urban Homestead: Growing, Preparing, Preserving – Right Where We Are

You might envision a vast expanse of land when you hear "homestead," but my reality is a very small urban lot in central New York. My journey has been about proving that self-sufficiency isn't about acreage; it's about mindset and smart practices.

Here at A Better Choice Homestead, I wholeheartedly embrace a lifestyle of subsistence gardening – growing as much food as I can in my small space. Then comes the magic of preservation, transforming our garden's bounty into shelf-stable goodness through canning, dehydrating, and yes, freeze-drying! And with every seed planted, every harvest gathered, and every jar sealed, I continue to delve deeper into the fascinating world of health and nutrition. This isn't just about food; it's about understanding how every bite fuels our bodies, supports our immune systems, and contributes to a vibrant life.

Our Community: Growing, Learning & Thriving Together

A Better Choice Homestead is more than just a website or a YouTube channel; it's a culmination of my life’s most profound lessons and a platform to share what I’ve learned. It's about empowering you to make those same conscious choices for your family's well-being and resilience, no matter the size of your backyard or your starting point.

Here, you'll find resources, tips, and inspiration on:

*Growing: Maximizing your garden space and yielding abundant harvests.

*Preparing: Transforming fresh ingredients into delicious, wholesome meals.

*Preserving: Safely storing your bounty for year-round enjoyment and preparedness.

*Health & Nutrition: Understanding the powerful connection between real food and vibrant health.

My journey has been one of unexpected turns, profound lessons, and ultimately, immense empowerment. I truly believe that every step we take towards self-sufficiency and healthier living is a step towards a more secure and fulfilling future.

I invite you to join our growing community. Share your triumphs, ask your questions, and let's learn and thrive together. Because when we choose a better way, we build not just better homes, but better lives.

Thank you for being here,

Kelly