Andrea Borsvold: Establishing our roots, our traditions, our years (2024)

I think it’s safe to say we are in our “establishing era” right now. We recently bought my husband’s family homestead of nine acres and we’re trying to plant all the perennials and trees we can this year.

They say the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, but the second-best time to plant a tree is today. So we have planted over 100 new trees in our yard in the past week and now I’m focusing on the perennial fruits. Friends have been so generous to trade some of their raspberry plants and rhubarb cuttings for some of the landscaping plants we’ve been pulling out.

We also have three young children, so we’re in the establishing years of our family. Traditions are still in the works, whether it’s for holidays, birthdays or summer vacations. We are still trying to not only decide what great memories we want to draw out of our childhoods and impress upon our children, but also what new family traditions we want to include. And with little kids, it’s important to have at least a semi-set routine for your days, so they know what to expect throughout the day. Chores are a new addition to our daily rhythms, and while the 6-year-old is less than thrilled to empty the dishwasher, the 2-year-old is always willing to help with anything I ask.

I feel like when you’re fresh out of high school or college, you’re in your establishing years as an adult — you are figuring out who you want to be and what impact you want to make on the world. Then some people get the travel bug and don’t want to be tied down to any one thing just yet. My husband and I lived in Glasgow, Scotland, for a year while we completed our graduate degrees, traveling worldwide, and even writing a book (just search “Dead Company Borsvold” on Amazon). When we returned to the States with our degrees in hand, we knew we wanted to start a family, so we started establishing our roots.

Now I feel that we have our little family and are officially homeowners, we are establishing who we are in the neighborhood and in our community. We love living out of town, even if it means a dust-covered vehicle most of the time and driving farther to do anything. As a homeschool family, we are working at establishing our presence in that realm in the community, making new friends and finding a group to do field trips and nature studies with. It’s not easy, but neither is changing schools.

The next thing I need to establish is my garden. The garden plot had not been tilled completely for many years, so I’m fighting against all the weeds and grass that have crept in over the years. Working it up entirely each year will make things easier, but I’ve got my work cut out for me this year. The strawberry patch, which is sparse at best, is covered with dandelions, a plant which I love, just not in my strawberry patch. And the compost bin, which I started within the first month of moving to this place, is also in its establishing year. I need to turn it and keep practicing the balancing act of green and brown materials, but in time, I’ll learn to feed it well and the compost will in turn feed my garden.

It's important to establish good habits and strong foundations in every area of our lives. Whether it’s how you spend your mornings before the kids get up, what your creative outlet is, how you spend your free time, or what relationships you prioritize in your life, consider the long-term effects of what you choose to put your energy into. I’m not one to think of the lasting results so much as the immediate improvement, so this has been a challenge for me, but I’m grateful to have good people in my corner to keep me in check. What are you working on establishing right now? Email me at andrea.borsvold@gmail.com and share your thoughts.

Andrea Borsvold is a busy homesteading mama of three who loves God, coffee, sewing and the beauty of nature living in northwestern Minnesota.

Andrea Borsvold is a busy homesteading mama of three who loves God, coffee, sewing and the beauty of nature living in northwestern Minnesota. She writes regular columns for the Grand Forks Herald.