'If you put your mind to it, you can actually do it:' 12-year-old works toward goal of leading life of self-sufficiency
WAUKESHA COUNTY -- If you need a pick-me-up, there are a collection of feel-good stories at ShareLemonade.com.
It’s a place to celebrate the good.
One freshly-picked story from the site focuses on a 12-year-old who has a goal of one day leading a lifestyle of self-sufficiency.
Natalie isn't your typical suburban pre-teen.
12-year-old Natalie raises ducks and chickens
"When I’m older, I want to be more self-sufficient," said Natalie. "So, I want to start when I’m younger, and I want to know what to do."
"I’ve watched some YouTube videos, and I’ve watched some homesteaders live off the land with their bunch of chickens that they have," said Natalie.
Natalie spends time tending to her own garden and collecting fresh eggs from her backyard chickens.
Then COVID-19 hit and this 12-year-old wanted to take her self-sufficiency one step further.
"I made up a little presentation one day when I didn’t have too much school work and I just sat down at dinner and I’m like, 'Can we get meat chickens?'"
Natalie says the chickens will live on the land for eight weeks, then they'll be butchered.
She promised her parents she'd do all the work.
"All you have to do is just help me build the chicken tractor so I can move it around the yard and pay for them, and just help me get started with this," said Natalie.
Her parents agreed and her mom even suggested adding ducks to the mix.
They got 13 ducks and 13 chicks.
Natalie was more than prepared to take on her new responsibilities.
"First, I have to take out everything on the ground so I can move them, and then, I’ll make sure all their feed is topped off, and their water is topped off," said Natalie.
The ducks even get a tiny pool to dunk their heads in during the day.
Through all of this, Natalie understands something very important.
"These girls are like pets, and these are livestock," said Natalie. "And I want to teach some people."
And she is, on her very own YouTube channel called 'Natalie's Hen House.'
"I have taught them what I used and I’ve taught them the process of getting the chickens," said Natalie. "I also have some of my family members watching it so during this time they can see what I’m doing."
She's doing it all by herself and sharing her new-found passion.
"If you put your mind to it, you can actually do it and as long as you stay focused and make sure they're all doing well," said Natalie. "Then you've accomplished what you've wanted."