I was raised in Eagle, Idaho, where I spent barefoot summers picking strawberries from the garden in my childhood backyard. There was a box dedicated to tomatoes, peppers, and basil; another with string beans, zucchini, and squash. Raspberries lined the back fence, and blackberry brambles grew along the east side. In the kitchen, my mom’s signature look wasn’t complete without an apron, and the fridge was home to sourdough starters and kefir yogurt. Although at the time I swore that my future pantry would be stocked with fruit snacks and sugar cereal, growing up on home-cooked meals and self-sufficiency took root deeply inside me.

When I was in middle school, we moved onto a one-acre plot in Utah. The land had perfect potential for a hobby farm, and I wanted to be the farmer. I marked off a patch of dirt in the backyard where I spent hours pulling weeds, piling rocks, and planting sunflower seeds in infertile soil. I sourced a chicken coop and spent my babysitting money on spring chicks. When I wasn’t nurturing the land, I was nurturing my entrepreneurial spirit selling sewn garlands and hand-punched confetti on Etsy.

By the time I was in college, the dream of my own little homestead had been left in the dust. I had new dreams of making a difference in the world. I pursued a degree in Humanitarian Aid. Between semesters, I traveled around the world, spending months at a time in China, Texas, and West Africa. I sought fulfillment in a variety of jobs and went back to school more times than I would like to admit in search of my passion and purpose.

I met Noah in 2021 during my last semester at Utah State University, and we were married in June of 2024 at his family ranch in Wallsburg. Something about Wallsburg spoke to me. It speaks to most people, but to me, it looked like the dreams realized of a twelve-year-old girl. The property has since become sacred ground for me, and time spent at the ranch is where I am most content. Being in Wallsburg reignited what had been deeply rooted in my heart since childhood. My purpose was to be a wife, mother, and homemaker. I wanted a big garden and a chicken coop in the backyard. I wanted to be as self-sufficient as possible and raise my children to know hard work and love the land. I didn’t have to travel to Liberia to make a difference in the world — I could make a difference starting right here in my own home.

Right now, we live in a sweet little home on a cul-de-sac in Provo, Utah. I teach Pilates classes in the early mornings and come home to plan dinners, bake sourdough bread, and save chicken coops on Pinterest. Although we aren’t yet on acres, we are pursuing a purpose-driven, slower pace of living full of intention and self-sufficiency.

In October, we adopted our sweet pup, Maple — the first addition to my homesteading dreams that I am now lovingly calling The Yarrostead. She’s my baby and has increased the love in our home tenfold.

I found fulfillment documenting the first year of our married life on my blog Aysha Hailee and felt it was time for a rebrand that represented our current goals and passions. If you’ve made it this far, I hope you enjoy this documentation of our real life and all that we are learning along the way.

🤍 Aysha Yarro