Chris and Kelly both grew up with a love of country life, good food and watching things grow. Their first tiny garden together started on a balcony in a city apartment 12 years ago and has grown, along with a family of children and animals. Now on 10 acres of pasture and fresh water creeks, they raise their own livestock, dairy products, fruits and vegetables…all done naturally while being stewards of the land and caring for a family of seven.
In order to get to this “little house on the prairie,” one has to drive pretty far into the sticks, near Honeoye, New York. It’s a place where cell phone service hardly exists and the nearest next-door neighbor is a mile away. But that’s just what the Bakers love about their little homestead. They can live and raise their children without the worries and politics of society and the big city. Plus goats scare easily, so you know — rural life it is.
But the Bakers don’t always stay on their farm. They often load up their van and drive an hour north to Rochester, where Chris and Kelly’s parents live. The grandparents are always welcome to a visit from their son, daughter, and grandchildren, and often times as most grandmas and grandpas do, spoil them with sweets and toys.
The kids (Emma, Douglas, Julius, Dominic, and Lydia) enjoy their time spent with their grandparents and exploring the city, where they buy seeds, baby chicks, and explore and play with each other.
At their very essence, the Bakers aim to simply reconnect with their roots and disconnect from modern distractions and frantic living. They prefer to “clear out the clutter” in order to make way for what’s most essential and nourishment to the mind and body, which according to Chris are: “faith, family, community, fresh food, and healthy traditions.” Their passion for country living, good eating, and nurturing life has grown into a passion of having a healthy homesteading life for not only themselves, but for their children as well.
And in between it all, a whole lot of love, laughter, friendship, and of course…a lot of wonderful memories.
Indeed, the Bakers live near the middle of nowhere. The drive through the countryside is filled with forest and farmland. Their closest neighbor is a mile away. The nearest town is 15 minutes away, which only has a population of 600.
One of Douglas Baker's favorite activity outside is to build miniature snowmen in the yard. The household sits on acres of trees and prairie, and is often times covered in snow during the winter.
Chris Baker, 31, stands in front of his family of seven's house, which is located at the bottom of a valley near Honeoye, New York.
The Baker family tend to visit Chris's parents home in Rochester, New York, which is an hour drive from where they live. Grandma Baker enjoys having her son and his family over, providing them with food and love with every visit.
The eldest Baker child, Emma (right), had to wait six years to get a little sister (Lydia). Since that time, the two girls have become inseparable and love making each other laugh.
Lydia, who is 2-years-old, plays with her toes at her grandparent's house.
Two of the Baker boys, Dominic and Julius, get caught being too rambunctious by grandma, Pam Baker, while Lydia tries to join in on the fun.
The three Baker boys, Douglas, Julius, and Dominic roll around on the floor, pretending to be police, firing their "finger guns" at unseen robbers.
What child doesn't like stomping on bubble wrap, hearing the loud pop reverberate through the air? Apparently Dominic is one of the few that doesn't enjoy this type of activity.
Emma lays on the couch while thinking of ideas to write down for her father's surprise birthday party.
It's often times frowned upon to fire a weapon in the house, but in this case, a Nerf bow and arrow is acceptable. Douglas (center) and his two brothers all have the same type of toy weapons and have bow and arrow fights in the living room from time to time.
Lydia checks on the Baker's baby chicks during a snow storm. The Bakers brought the infant chickens inside to make sure they stayed warm.
Chris, along with one of his dogs, River, check on the two turkeys, which roost on top of their pen at night. Coyotes roam the area where they live, so being perched up high is vital to the turkey's survival.
