Buttervale began with a simple question:
What if life could be a little slower, a little simpler, and a lot more connected?
The Buttervale Life officially began in 2023, but the idea started growing years earlier during the COVID Pandemic, when many of us began rethinking what really matters.
Like a lot of families, we found ourselves questioning the pace of modern life and saw some of the “bubble” living we did during the Pandemic as more pro than con.
Why are families often spread across multiple homes, multiple mortgages, and multiple schedules working harder while seeing one another less?
What if there was another way?
What if home could be more than a place to sleep?
What if it could be a place to gather, grow, learn, and build a meaningful life together?
Those questions eventually became conversations.
Conversations turned into plans.
And plans turned into Buttervale.
What Is Buttervale?
Buttervale is part homestead, part family experiment, part life journal, and part retirement adventure.
It’s where two families came together to create something entirely new.
When our families blended, this wasn’t really OUR home or THEIR home. We wanted something fresh. A shared place with its own identity and story.
So, naturally, we asked ChatGPT for homestead name ideas.
Out of a long list came one we all loved:
Buttervale.
To us, Buttervale feels like a sunny valley filled with butter, abundance, and prosperity, not necessarily measured in money, but in relationships, memories, and shared experiences.
It represents the life we hope to build:
A place where grandchildren grow up surrounded by family.
A place where generations help one another.
A place where grandparents someday receive the same care and love they helped provide.
A place rooted in connection.
That vision still guides everything we are building.
The Beginning of the Buttervale Homestead
Multigenerational living.
Today, Buttervale is home to:
- A husband and wife learning what retirement really means
- Our daughter and son-in-law
- Two energetic grandchildren (currently ages 5 and 3)
- A rotating cast of birds, rabbits, garden visitors, and occasional backyard drama
Living together across generations isn’t always picture-perfect.
There are toys underfoot.
Competing opinions about projects.
Schedules to juggle.
And occasional moments where everyone suddenly seems to need something at the exact same time.
But there is also something incredibly meaningful about grandparents being part of ordinary everyday moments and not just holidays and birthdays.
Shared dinners occasionally.
Pool and sandbox adventures.
Story time.
Gardening together.
Life together.
Buttervale is our attempt to intentionally create a home where family matters more than hustle.
What You’ll Find at The Buttervale Life
This isn’t strictly a homesteading website.
It isn’t exactly a travel blog.
And it definitely isn’t one of those perfectly curated lifestyle sites where every chicken coop somehow looks magazine-ready.
Buttervale is a life journal—a place to document the real-life adventure of building a meaningful home and life.
Here’s what you’ll find along the way:
Homesteading & Gardening
We’re building a backyard food forest one project at a time.
Expect stories, experiments, successes, and failures involving:
- Gardening and food forests
- Fruit trees and raised beds
- Backyard growing projects
- Wildlife-friendly spaces
- Seasonal lessons from nature
Sometimes things thrive.
Sometimes rabbits eat the flowers.
Sometimes both happen on the same day.
Birds, Wildlife & Nature
Buttervale pays attention to the small things.
Birdsong at sunrise.
Unexpected visitors at the feeder.
Native plants.
Dawn chorus recordings.
Quiet moments outdoors.
Nature has a way of slowing us down—and we think that matters.
Multigenerational Family Life
At its heart, Buttervale is about family.
Living with multiple generations under one roof has taught us a lot already about patience, humor, compromise, and the joy of ordinary moments.
You’ll find stories about:
- Raising grandchildren nearby
- Family traditions and memories
- The realities of shared living
- Building stronger family connections
Some days are heartwarming.
Some days are hilarious.
Most days are both.
Aging Gracefully & Aging in Place
Buttervale is also about preparing thoughtfully for the future.
How do we age well?
How do we remain independent?
How do we create homes and routines that support us as life changes?
We explore practical topics related to:
- Aging gracefully
- Aging in place
- Home safety
- Smart technology for easier living
- Health, wellness, and independence
Growing older doesn’t mean growing smaller.
We believe later chapters can still be full of curiosity, purpose, and adventure.
RV Travel & Adventure
Retirement also means exploring.
You’ll find stories and practical tips from our RV travels, including:
- National Parks adventures
- Scenic drives and hidden gems
- Campgrounds and road trip planning
- RV upgrades, troubleshooting, and lessons learned
We love the kind of travel that leaves room for stories, discoveries, and occasional wrong turns.
Projects, DIY & Practical Living
There is almost always a project happening at Buttervale.
Something being repaired.
Improved.
Built.
Or occasionally overcomplicated.
From backyard ideas to practical fixes, technology, tools, and systems that make life easier, we enjoy experimenting and sharing what works.
And sometimes what definitely does not work.
Everyday Stories & Reflections
Some posts may simply be about life.
A favorite song.
A story about grandchildren.
The rabbit eating the echinacea.
Thoughts on retirement.
A pool robot review.
An unexpected life lesson.
Maybe even a political rant now and then.
Because real life doesn’t stay in neat categories.
And neither will Buttervale.
Why We Share This Journey
Truthfully?
Much of this matters mostly to our family and that is really who this is for.
Buttervale is a way to preserve memories, tell stories, and document the life we are building together.
But maybe these stories will resonate with someone else too.
Maybe you’re thinking about:
- Starting a homestead
- Bringing family closer together
- Slowing down and simplifying life
- Traveling more in retirement
- Gardening, birds, or backyard projects
- Aging gracefully and intentionally
Or maybe you just enjoy following ordinary people trying to build a meaningful life.
If so, welcome.
We’re glad you found us.
The Heart of Buttervale
We are not experts.
We are not influencers.
And we definitely don’t have everything figured out.
Buttervale isn’t about perfection.
It’s about participation.
Learning as we go.
Building intentionally.
Trying new things.
Laughing at mistakes.
And creating a life rich in the things that matter most:
Family.
Connection.
Curiosity.
Nature.
Adventure.
Stories.
And a little sunshine along the way.
Welcome to The Buttervale Life.
We’re glad you’re here.
The Buttervale Life 