SUMMERVILLE, Ore. — For Madeline Koenig and Chas Koenig at Little Dry Creek Ranch, homesteading is a way of life.

The couple started their foray into homesteading 16 years ago while living in a converted garage in La Grande. Madeline Koenig convinced the owners to let her turn the yard into a garden.

“We kind of joke that since the beginning of our relationship we’ve been doing some form of homesteading — either on a very small scale in our rental or to more of our large scale now that we have a much larger space,” she said. “We’ve had homesteading in our relationship and the way we approach life since the beginning.”

Eventually, they moved out of the converted garage and into a little farmhouse on the edge of La Grande. There they grew their garden space and learned different processes and techniques for gardening, such as irrigation.

“Now it’s grown into a really fun project out here,” she said.

For some people homesteading is about self-sufficiency, but for Koenig, modern homesteading is all about intentionality. It’s not about how much land you have or how much knowledge you already possess — it’s about the journey of learning. If farming is about the crops and ranching is about the animals, then homesteading is the combination of the two. It’s how the whole ecosystem of plants and animals comes together.

“I do it for the mental health aspects of it,” she said.

Koenig likes to know where her food comes from — how it was grown and cared for — and the easiest way to get that knowledge is by growing it herself. However, she doesn’t know where this passion for gardening and growing came from.

“My parents didn’t garden until they retired, so I didn’t grow up with it. I just love the process of watching things grow, but we also really like eating clean food, so growing our own food just makes sense,” Koenig said.

In October 2021 the Koenigs bought a 118-acre property in Summerville and started the Little Dry Creek Ranch. Koenig said they’ve had to learn where they can be more efficient and save time.

Now, the Koenigs want to give a hand to anybody thinking about homesteading — and are part of a homesteading academy scheduled for June 29.

On top of the work at Little Dry Creek Ranch both she and her husband have full-time jobs. The tasks around the ranch change with the season, Koenig said, but there are always morning and afternoon chores that need to be done to care for the plants and the animals.

In the winter, this may mean waking up at 4:30 a.m. to plow snow, so that they can access the animals. Currently, the family has chickens, goats and pigs. Koenig added that they plan to get cows when the soil health is good enough.

During the school year, Koenig said that many of the morning chores are accomplished while she walks their two boys down to get picked up by the bus.

Summer changes the daily tasks again. The chores can be minimal, but in July Little Dry Creek Ranch runs a crop-sharing subscription service, which means that Koenig is walking through the garden mornings and night to pick the ripe produce.

The Koenigs also grow cut flowers for U-pick and are adding u-pick pumpkins to their offerings this year.

What? A workshop offering sessions themed around homesteading taught by local experts, including beekeeping, garden design and planning, canning, preservation techniques, sourdough skills, equipment and more. Participants can sign up for six breakout sessions.

Where? Little Dry Creek Ranch, 69190 Craig Loop, Summerville

When? June 29

What time? The workshop runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. followed by a networking social hour until 5 p.m.

Want to get involved? Tickets are $75 and can be purchased at https://littledrycreekranch.com/homesteading-academy.