How I Actually Keep Up With a Garden, 30 Chickens, 2 Dogs & 2 Kids (My Real Summer Routine)
The question I get asked all the time: “How do you actually do all of this?”
If you follow Garden Nextdoor, you've probably asked me this yourself. Between 30 backyard chickens, a full vegetable garden of raised beds, two Australian Shepherds who think they're also chicken keepers, and two young boys who somehow need to be fed, entertained, and occasionally found — it looks like a lot from the outside. Some days it is a lot.
But here's what I've learned after several summers of doing this: it isn't about having more hours in the day than everyone else. It's about having the right systems in place, knowing what to let go of, and accepting that some days will be chaos and some days will be the exact peaceful homestead life you pictured — sometimes both before lunch.
This post breaks down my actual daily routine this time of year, the products and systems that make it sustainable, and an honest look at what doesn't make it onto Instagram.
The Systems That Actually Make This Sustainable
I am not doing all of this manually every day. Here are the specific systems that save me hours every single week:
1. Automatic Coop Door
This was, without exaggeration, one of the best investments I've made as a chicken keeper. It opens and closes on a timer, which means I'm not racing outside at dusk to lock up the flock or worrying about predators getting in overnight.
The automatic coop door I use is from Run Chicken.
2. Deep Litter Method in the Coop
Instead of cleaning the coop daily, I use the deep litter method — layering fresh bedding over time rather than fully cleaning it out every week. It cuts my coop maintenance down dramatically and, done correctly, is completely sanitary for the flock.
3. Drip Irrigation on a Timer
My raised beds are on a drip irrigation system set to run early morning. I am not standing outside with a hose every evening in July. This single system probably saves me 30+ minutes a day during peak summer.
My raised beds are from:
○ Vego Garden Hose: https://amzn.to/49Zo6ov
○ VegegaRaised Beds (10% off with code SplitArrow): https://www.vegega.com/discount/splitarrow?ref=t5kp0ff6
4. Batch Harvesting
Rather than harvesting daily, I do a real harvest pass twice a week. It's more efficient, it matches how fast most of my crops actually mature, and it means meal planning happens around two big harvest days instead of constant small ones.
5. Kids Have Actual Jobs
My boys are young, but they have real responsibilities: collecting eggs, refilling a water dish, picking tomatoes when they're ready. It's not just cute content — it genuinely lightens my load, and they're proud of it.
The Honest Part Nobody Shows You
Some days, this is exactly the life I pictured when we started this whole thing. Other days, a chicken escapes, one of the dogs digs up a bed, somebody is crying, and dinner is cereal. Both of those things are true, often in the same 24 hours.
I don't think you need to have it all figured out to start homesteading with a family. You just have to keep showing up — and build the systems that let “showing up” actually be manageable.
Everything I Use, Linked
Here are the exact products mentioned in this post and in the accompanying YouTube video:
Vego Garden raised beds — the metal raised beds used throughout our garden https://vegogarden.pxf.io/MAznvK
Vegega raised beds — additional raised bed setup for our expanding garden (10% off with code SplitArrow): https://www.vegega.com/discount/splitarrow?ref=t5kp0ff6
Branch Basics — non-toxic cleaning products safe to use around chickens, dogs, and kids
Fast Growing Trees — fruit trees and perennials added to our backyard homestead
Just Ingredients — clean pantry and seasoning staples used in our homestead kitchen [Affiliate link]
