It all started because she had seven children. With nine mouths to feed three times a day, Stacy Lyn Harris was forced to give a lot of thought, time, and energy to the meals she prepared.
Thus was born a food-lover’s blog that morphed into so much more: a celebration of gardening, home, family, chickens, bees, land, wildlife management, and artful living. “I believe all of life is art – the perfect canvas for beauty and creativity,” says Harris, who delights in finding the extraordinary in the ordinary.
She also feeds a hunger many people never realize they have – a hunger not just for good old-fashioned home cooking, but for home life. Trained as a lawyer, Harris found a new passion as a homemaker extraordinaire, including homeschooling the seven young minds entrusted to her care. In a world increasingly dependent on technology and complexity, she became an advocate for the radical notion of self-sufficiency and simplicity.
This lifestyle baffles some people, who don’t understand why Harris would undertake all the work involved. “The question I hear most is, ‘How in the world do you do all that? How do you do it all with seven kids?’” Harris says. “I think most people have that reaction because it does seem overwhelming when you look at all at once. The truth is, you just do a little each day, plus the kids really help a lot. I haven’t had to make them help, they want to be involved with what we are doing. It’s super fun!” She adds, “Anyone can do this. It just takes time and passion and a willingness to fail from time to time.”
Everything Harris does centers around home. “Home is the most special place in this world to me,” she notes. “Home is where life is real, where dreams begin, where creativity is sparked, and industry takes place. It’s a solace, shelter from the storms of life, and the most comfortable place on earth. Home is a retreat to raise children, a place of hospitality for friends, family and even strangers. Home is a place of celebration and sometimes a place of healing. Home is intimate and necessitates thought.”
This last bit – “necessitates thought” – can’t be overemphasized. A happy home life doesn’t just happen. It takes thought: planning, effort, and creativity mixed with a huge dose of love and humor.
This focus on domestic tranquility is what fascinates her audience. The practice of turning a house into a home is more art than science, and Harris made it her career with the aim of inspiring and encouraging others to follow. Her books (including Stacy Lyn’s Harvest Cookbook and Happy Healthy Family Tracking the Outdoors In) support this.
Lehman’s advocates the simple life, and Harris demonstrates – with strength, beauty, and energy – how it can be done with a large family. In the crucible of chaos that comes with so many kids, Harris has created a peaceful refuge for her family, the very thing everyone longs to experience.
Which is why Lehman’s is proud to host Stacy Lyn Harris as one of our speakers for the Country Living Workshop, Saturday, June 29. Come learn how this domestic diva does it all.
Learn more about Stacy by visiting her website stacylynharris.com
Editor’s Note: Lehman’s hosted Stacy Lyn Harris in June 2019, where she presented at our Country Living Workshop. For the latest store events and visitors coming to Lehman’s, check out our store events page.
