About Mary’s Journey to Homesteading

Hello and welcome! I’m Mary Woita, the writer behind Boots & Hooves Homestead. I’m a Traditional Roman Catholic, a homeschooling mother of four, and a rancher’s wife. I’m also an accidental country girl.

I grew up in Southern California and came to Nebraska for a job. Then I met and married my real-life cowboy. Before long, I was learning how to make a home in the middle of cattle country. Let’s just say there was a little culture shock along the way!

When I was pregnant with our first child, I started paying closer attention to what we used in our home. I began reading cleaning product labels, making my own cleaners, and looking for simple ways to use fewer harsh chemicals.

I also began rethinking the food we ate. I grew up with plenty of convenience foods, but I wanted to learn how to cook more from scratch and use real ingredients for our family. Living with endometriosis and rheumatoid arthritis has made me more thoughtful about the choices we make at home, too.

These days, our approach to food is simple: we cook with whole-food ingredients, choose organic when it makes sense for us, and enjoy things like fermented foods and homemade bone broth.

We’ve been building this homestead life for more than 14 years. In that time, we’ve learned to grow more of our own food, care for our animals, and find a rhythm that works for our family. I certainly didn’t know how to do all of it when I arrived in Nebraska. Most of what I share here comes from learning, trying, and sometimes figuring out what to do differently next time.

That’s why I started sharing our journey. I hope what I’ve learned helps you take the next small step toward the home and life you’re hoping to build, wherever you live.