Christine McGuigan Homesteads In Fresno, Ohio: Winter, Spring, Summer, And Fall
Christine McGuigan is an Ohio native who specializes in primitive skills and homesteading.
Ever since she was a child she has had an intimate connection with nature.
After graduating high school, Christine felt pressure from her family enroll in college even though it wasn’t what she wanted. A couple months later she started her first semester at Kent State University to study Conservation. However, she decided to follow her gut and leave after one semester. She realized her studies held her back from her true calling — working closely with nature.
Shortly after leaving University, Christine heard about “WWOOFing” which is a movement that helps connect volunteers to organic farms in order to encourage educational and cultural experiences. Through the organization she found her first farm in Virginia and began her lifelong journey in self-sufficiency.
Ever since then, Christine has lived and worked on farms across America. Today, Christine resides in Fresno, Ohio to assist Andy and Stacey Pastor with their farm. The Pastor farm is picturesque with views featuring highland cattle atop rolling hills.
Along with the highland cattle, she takes care of several animals such as emus, pigs, chickens, goats, sheep, a horse, and a donkey.
In exchange for her efforts, the Pastor family has offered her to stay in a cabin with running water and electricity; these are utilities that she has not often received whilst homesteading.
In her free time she works on various personal projects such as tanning hides, brewing kombucha, and hand-making leather bags. Christine also journalizes her life and connects with other like-minded people through Instagram. Her handle is @christine_rewild.
This photo-story takes the viewer on a journey through her daily routine and beyond with a four season backdrop.
It’s fall of 2018. Christine stands against the backdrop of her current home. Behind Christine is a highlander cattle hide getting ready to be tanned. Christine refrains from using toxic chemicals to tan her hides.
Opal, a Tortoiseshell cat, is Christine’s companion and roommate. Opal was a former barn kitten who needed help. Christine found Opal suffering from severe congested sinuses and malnourishment. Opal’s mother was ready to let her go. Christine decided to take her in and try her best to nurse Opal back to good health. After some vet visits and some tending-to Opal was able to make it. Christine makes sure that Opal stays in good health and even feeds her a raw meat diet.
In the winter Christine feeds the wood-burning stove to keep warm.
Christine leaves the cabin fairly early to start her morning chores.
Highland cattle stand behind Christine as she lugs the pig food up the hill.
After a long trek to the pig pen, Christine pours the swine pellets into a bucket for the pigs’ morning meal.
Back up the hill Christine goes to start filling up a bucket of water for the emus.
Christine pours water for the emus. It can be a challenge for Christine to keep the water from freezing in the winter.
The Pastor property has breath-taking views. This hill in particular is the home to their highland cattle.
In the spring, the grass is tall and green. There isn’t a high demand for hay as there is a surplus of greenery.
Highland cattle are quite docile even though they may look intimidating at times.
When feeding the highland cattle, Christine spreads out the food so that the cattle are not bunched together.
Christine wades through the tall grass to her next stop, the emu pen. To her right stands a barn where a horse, a donkey, and some goats live.
The emus run fast! They also make a drumming noise that you can hear from a distance.
An emu watches from behind as Christine fills their food trough.
The day is far from over. Christine latches the gate as she moves on to her next task.
Summer calls for basking in the sun. The barn goat takes advantage of the platform as it sun bathes.
Christine loves the solitude that comes with living on the farm. However, she enjoys having friends stop by.
It’s afternoon and Christine helps tend to a fire with long stick. The Pastor family is getting ready to roast a pig.
Christine’s helping hand is Seth, a good friend who drives quite a distance to visit her.
Next on Christine’s task list is to feed the barn animals.
The horse and two goats stand ready at the window to receive food.
It’s the beginning of fall and the leaves have not yet turned. The grass is no longer tall but the sun still shines with intensity.
Christine wades through the wildflowers as she heads over to feed the emus.
Opal enjoys playing outside and casing the joint for small prey.
The emus can roam around in a large enclosure and they use the small pen for food, water, and shelter.
The emus pace as they await their next meal.
When Christine can find a break, she takes advantage of it. Today she is driving to a farmers market with a corn maze.
After a couple twists and turns, Christine finds her path.“Ultimately, you have to pursue your own path, not someone’s idea of the right path. You need to stay on your path.” - Baz Luhrmann
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