Alyson Poland of Leeds, owner of Barefoot North and an expert on self-sufficiency. Submitted photo

Typically in a Face Time column, we’d offer up a quick introduction to the subject of this week’s feature. But summing up Alyson Poland in just a few words is proving difficult. We’re talking about a lady who dabbles in things like bear fat, beeswax and a heal-all herb known as prunella vulgaris while chickens and bunnies roam her home in Leeds.

Poland, who operates a business called Barefoot North, is a wife, a mother, a homesteader and in many ways a healer. She’s married to a UPS driver and together they have six children. On her website, Alyson describes herself this way: “I’m a lazy artist, novice writer, animal lover, light seeker, world’s ‘okay-est’ guitar player, forever barefoot and an avid plant hoarder. That about sums it up.” 

But clearly that does NOT sum her up because we still had plenty of questions for her about her embrace of the natural world, and she had plenty more to say — and every bit of great interest to anyone drawn to the homestead lifestyle. 

How did you get into homesteading? Barefoot originally started as me wanting to lead a healthier life for my family. My daughter, who is now almost 2, was born June 2021, and dealt with eczema from the beginning. I wanted to find a more holistic alternative to ease her discomfort without all the chemicals in store-bought products. I started making my own holistic body butters after studying different flowers and herbs and their holistic properties and infusing oils with them. I use all natural ingredients and organic essential oils. That being said I ultimately became more concerned about everything I was using on my family or feeding them. Faced with both of these concerns, I thought, “Well, what did we do before the commercial industry that keeps us at whim?” We did it ourselves! We made it ourselves, we grew it ourselves, we foraged it, etc. and it was better for us! I started trying to live a more “back to nature” way of life. I started making my own dish soaps, cleaning products, body soap, hand soap, moisturizer, wine, kombucha, canning what we grew, etc. It wasn’t until I had friends and family try my products that I realized I had something decent going on. 

Barefoot North has now turned into a full backyard homestead where we have a farm stand people can come and visit in summer and pick up orders in winter. We specialize in unique jellies and jams such as wildflower jellies, lilac jelly, dandelion jelly, wild violet jelly, smoked strawberry basil jam, lavender blueberry jam, fresh garden canned goods, salsa, pickles and much more! We have our farm fresh eggs and foraged goods available, including things like dried chanterelles, black trumpet mushrooms, chaga, and a special herb ‘heal all’ also known scientifically as “prunella vulgaris.” Also our holistic skin care can be found in there (when we aren’t sold out). I recently designed a bear fat soap which is super nourishing for the skin and made with all natural ingredients including bear fat I rendered down myself! I also make chemical-free candles made from beeswax, soy wax and a wooden wick. I scent them with organic essential oils and decorate them with hand-pressed flowers from my gardens.

Chanterelles and black trumpet mushrooms foraged off the Barefoot North property in Leeds. Submitted photos

We also have a small community book exchange in the farm stand where people can come and drop off old books they have already read and grab a few new ones that interest them! There’s something about reading a book and knowing that someone else can find the things you’ve read just as useful. 

How did you get into homesteading? I’ve always had an interest in the “homemade” things. Growing up, my mom always made things from scratch from mayonnaise to baked goods, having a garden, chickens, things of that nature. It wasn’t until I was older that I really appreciated the older ways of doing things and the health benefits that came along with it, including the positive mental effects. Now that I have a family of my own I want the absolute best for them. I want my kids to grow up knowing where their food comes from, spending more time outside than on a screen, seeing firsthand what hard work can produce. There’s something very satisfying about knowing you can do something yourself without having to rely on anything, including our commercial system which seems very unstable at the moment. I know at the end of the day I can provide for my family and “think outside of the box” utilizing all the skills I have learned from this lifestyle.

Is this an easy kind of lifestyle? Anyone that lives this life knows it isn’t for the faint of heart.

It’s work. It’s sacrificed time. It’s loss. To some it might seem “archaic” even.

It’s hours spent in the garden only to have Japanese beetles decimate everything you’ve worked so hard for.

It’s not having the finances for that project you wanted to do so badly this year because the farm always has other ideas for your saved money.

It’s watching all your new chicks you got not make it and being told it was “just a bad batch.” 

It’s doing barn chores in -25 degrees or 90+ degrees.

It’s having to cull a terminally sick animal because its suffering is worse than its survival.

It’s the new rabbit momma who just had her first litter of kits and didn’t know how to take care of them, resulting in a total loss.

What are the most rewarding parts of what you do? It’s seeing my kids faces light up when they see a happy and fat litter of healthy baby bunnies from the mama who just needed another chance.

It’s going out into the garden to get veggies for the night’s dinner or fresh eggs for breakfast. Food security in itself is worth it.

It’s being able to teach my kids firsthand the work that goes into where our food comes from and bringing back “slow food.”

It’s going to bed tired at night because you’ve spent the whole day outside in the sun doing what you love.

It’s seeing the veins and cell wall in an egg knowing there’s brand new life being created before your eyes.

Life begins and ends on the farm. Everything has a cycle of life on the homestead from the animals to the plants, and I think it’s beautiful to be a part of it, no matter how messy it can be.

A baby mini Rex rabbit at Barefoot North in Leeds. Submitted photo

At the end of the day we can take our good days as a win and on the bad days we can remember, there’s always tomorrow. 

Something else that’s very rewarding is teaching people who are new to this way of life something new, and seeing the confidence that comes from them trying new things. A lot will message me later on and tell me that they harvested a certain type of flower and they made their own jelly and they are so ecstatic about it because they never would have thought to try that! I have made some really great connections within this community who have helped me just as much, and I hold dear every conversation I’ve had with people who have come to my little homestead to try one of my products. My inbox is always open to people who want to learn or ask questions. One of my favorite things about running my Facebook page is the folks that reach out with questions. Sharing the knowledge I do have with people is one of the most rewarding parts.

Any advice for others wanting to homestead? If I had any advice for someone wanting to get into this lifestyle it’s do your research and start small. Think about why you want to do this and what you want to achieve. Once you have that clearly set in your mind, start with small steps. 

We talk about homesteading as not being an “all or nothing label,” but instead a spectrum. There’s no hard fast rule that says “as soon as I hit this specific goal, then I’ll be a homesteader.” It’s a journey.

You don’t need 100 acres full of live stock, totally off grid, washing your clothes in a bucket to be a homesteader. (But if you do, kudos to you!) Sometimes it’s as small as learning a new skill of self sufficiency, like making your own dish soap or starting a compost bin, baking your family’s bread for the week, or even just starting to get in the mindset of “I see the way the world is turning and I would like to start learning some of these skills.” Small pebbles create large ripples. I’ve fallen flat on my face before, but in this lifestyle, you have to learn from your mistakes and try again. Eventually it will all fall into place and you will be on the journey to self sufficiency.