On July 15, Homestead on the Range passed a major milestone—the five-year mark.

July 15, 2013, saw the publication of the first post at our website. All about living debt-free, this was also the first installment in our Getting Started series. Tips for what do when the hens stop laying, the Arkansas River Lowlands entry in our first-ever guide (Kansas Regions), and a link to a free eBook titled Beans as a Field Crop in Kansas rounded out our lineup for that first week.

Why We’re Here

Our story is told in depth on our About page. Hands-on experience with learning the country lifestyle in Kansas was proof sufficient that a better source of information was needed—one dedicated to learning how to live with the vagaries of this unique state.

Country living can be a challenge in Kansas. In addition to the usual complement of beginner’s mistakes and unexpected mishaps, a newbie can expect to face everything from drought to flood, heat and humidity to biting winter winds. When it comes to the Kansas climate—expect the unexpected. And climate affects everything from the laying rate of chickens to the size of the vegetable harvest to the household electric bill.

But we believe that every Kansan can live their dreams and enjoy a country lifestyle, because we believe that abundant living is possible no matter where you are. And we are here to help. Our mission:

Homestead on the Range is a Kansas-based small business dedicated to serving country living enthusiasts by supplying them with the innovative resources that they need to succeed. Whether your family’s farm or ranch is 5 acres or 500, a business or a hobby, in Kansas or in some other part of the world, our goal is to keep you informed and inspired.

To accomplish this, we have created a number of resources with your needs in mind.

What We Do

So what will you find here at Homestead on the Range? Our posts on a wide range of country living topics are likely the first thing that will meet your eye. However, we have a few other free online resources that we hope you will find useful:

• Guides. In-depth articles on topics ranging from vitamins to vegetables to Kansas birds. Think of them as online encyclopedias.
• The Homestead Bookshelf. Gathering knowledge is a big part of successful country living. This is where to go for inspiration, how-tos, or just the facts. Covering topics from Bible reading to crop planting to exploring Kansas, the Homestead Bookshelf is a growing repository of quality information (and a good place to find books to complete our reading challenges).
• The Gallery. Free stock photos relevant to country living or the Kansas outdoors can be hard to find. Our photos of wheat, composters, wind turbines, and more are available for commercial and noncommercial use without attribution. (Please see our Stock Photo Terms of Use.)

Also free to all are our email newsletters:

• On the Range. Your weekly country living update! Every Friday, receive notice of new posts, site updates, country living tips, Scripture Passages of the Month, reading challenge hints, relevant headlines, and more, right in your inbox!
• Publishing Newsletter. A good way to keep up with our newest book releases, specials, and freebies.

And speaking of publishing, that brings us to our books. Our publishing catalog is still in its infancy, but we currently offer The Family Garden Journal and The Worst Jokes I Know with more books in the works.

Thank You, Readers

We are on a mission to collect as much useful Kansas country living information as possible into one place, and we would love nothing better than to have you alongside!

Thank you, readers, for five great years!