A local homesteader and content creator will host a book signing for her cookbook, which was released this winter.
Vintage West will host Katherine Umbarger on April 26, at 10 a.m. to sign copies of “Pantry on the Homestead.” Umbarger said the book was born from requests made by the online community she created with her social media presence.
“I’ve been posting recipes and ‘how-to’ posts on and off for a couple of years, then last July, I started sharing all of that in the form of reels on Facebook,” Umbarger said. “At the end of each reel, I post the recipe for anyone to screenshot.”
After a while, there were too many recipes and followers began asking if those recipes could be put into a book. Umbarger said the process from there went quickly since she already had all of the recipes and photos prepared.
“It just took off,” Umbarger said. “They were so excited to have all the information in a physical form.”
Umbarger began creating content on social media roughly six years ago.
“I started on TikTok with our RV-life journey. My husband was a pipeliner, so we traveled with,” Umbarger said. “After traveling for a few years we decided this wasn’t the life we wanted for our kids, so we moved out to a piece of land we owned and slowly started building our home.”
She started gaining more followers on TikTok and Facebook while she and her husband, Kyler, built a house in their spare time.
The Umbargers started their homestead in the fall of 2020.
“Kyler and I both grew up on farms and it was something we wanted for our children,” Umbarger said. “The last two years we’ve really been able to do more.”
In the beginning, Umbarger started her homestead with chickens and goats and built up to owning Longhorn and Highland cattle.
“Homesteading has changed everything for me. It’s a simpler life. Definitely harder work, but a lot more rewarding,” Umbarger said. “You learn to find love and joy in small things like the first-morning sunlight coming into your room and hearing the rooster crow.”
She also enjoys witnessing animals taking their first breath alongside her six children. She also appreciates knowing what goes into their food and knowing where it comes from.
“This life makes you enjoy more, love deeper, and appreciate nature,” Umbarger said.
The journey is not without its challenges though.
“You have trial and errors. Sometimes things just don’t work,” Umbarger said. In her own experience, there can be significant loss. Her family lost their barn due to a fire last month, and this included losing tools, equipment, a skid steer, hay, and many of their animals.
“We’re basically back at square one,” Umbarger said. “We are currently in the process of putting up a small temporary barn for the kids’ new 4-H animals, and just slowly doing what we can.
Despite the hardships, Umbarger said they will continue rebuilding their farm. She also has plans to produce more cookbooks in the future.
“I have a couple of other ideas brewing too,” Umbarger said.
In addition to assisting with her husband’s construction business, creating content, and working on the homestead, Umbarger also works for an online wellness company.
Umbarger had the following advice to offer those who are interested in homesteading.
“Take it slow. It doesn’t happen overnight. Don’t go buy all new items, find auctions,” Umbarger said. “It’s about working with what you have and always be willing to learn.”
