HOMESTEADER ABOVE THE 45TH
FAITH – FAMILY – FOOD

I’m Laura Lawrence-

— a Midwest homesteader, educator, and author of Seed to Plate: A Homesteading Gardening Guide and Cookbook. My journey into homesteading began over 24 years ago in the heart of the Midwest in Northern Michigan above the 45th parallel, with a single garden box and a few tomato plants — a humble start that grew into a life I now consider deeply blessed.

Back then, I was a vegetarian living off pizza, completely disconnected from where my food came from. But here in the Midwest, the seasons have a way of teaching you. Long winters, short growing windows, and unpredictable weather force you to either learn… or go without. What started as curiosity quickly became a calling.

Gardening led to preserving. Preserving led to raising animals. And eventually, to respectfully processing our own meat — embracing the full, honest cycle of food in a way that many have forgotten. Living this way, especially above the 45th parallel, teaches you that food isn’t just a meal — it’s preparation, stewardship, and survival.

Today, my husband and I, along with our three kids, raise and preserve the majority of our food using organic, practical methods that actually work in a cold-climate, Midwest setting. Homesteading for us isn’t about perfection — it’s about resilience, resourcefulness, and making the most of what God provides, even in the hardest seasons.

Through my book, speaking, and workshops, I teach real-life, Midwest-tested skills for those who want to grow their own food and live more intentionally — whether you have acres of land or just a small backyard. Because here, it doesn’t start with perfection… it starts with a single seed — and the willingness to grow because “The Love of a Garden Starts with a Single Seed”.