Welcome to Cornish Cottage Homestead

Hello, and a warm welcome to Cornish Cottage Homestead! We're thrilled to invite you into our world, a journey just beginning from our off-grid home—an old coach house perched above the wild, windswept shores of Cornwall, where the sea’s rhythm and the land’s bounty shapes our days. This blog is our way of sharing our passion for self-sustainability, growing as much of our own food as we can, and weaving the beauty of this life into watercolour paintings and heartfelt recipes. We hope you’ll join us as we learn, grow, and embrace the joys and challenges of this journey.

A Life Rooted in the Land

Living off-grid in Cornwall, surrounded by rolling fields and the salty tang of the sea, we are driven by a mission to become self-sufficient, starting with providing all of our own vegetables and herbs. Our garden is our heart—visions of rows of carrots, beans, courgettes, and fragrant herbs like rosemary and thyme, tended with care to raise alongside our chickens and ducks, who gift us fresh eggs daily. Inspiration is everywhere: the curve of a cabbage leaf, the buzz of bees in wildflowers, or the weathered patina of an antique trowel we use to dig our beds. This is a life of old-world values—hands in the soil, meals made from scratch, and a deep connection to the natural world.

Painting and Cooking Our Story

As we cultivate our homestead, I’m also using my skills as an artist, using watercolours to capture its moments—whether it’s a sketch of our harvest basket brimming with veg or a delicate illustration of herbs for ancient remedies. These paintings will weave through our blog, telling the story of our days in hues of green, gold, and sea-blue. We'll also share our favourite 'from-scratch' recipes, like a hearty vegetable soup born from the garden or a rustic loaf baked with home-grown herbs, inspired by the simple, honest food we love.

The Journey Ahead

This is just the start. We are learning as we go—how to coax more from our veg patch, how to blend herbalism into daily life, and how to balance it all with our family, four dogs, and the quiet joys of this old coach house. Our goal is to grow enough to feed us year-round, leaning on the land and traditional skills to make it happen. We'd love for you to come along, whether you’re a gardener, an artist, or simply someone who dreams of a slower, more intentional life.

Join Us

Through this blog, we'll share our triumphs (and inevitable missteps!)—from planting tips and harvest updates to watercolour sketches and recipes that celebrate Cornwall’s bounty. We hope Cornish Cottage Homestead becomes a space where you feel inspired to dig in, cook, or create, wherever you are. Subscribe to follow along, and let’s grow together—root by root, brushstroke by brushstroke.

With warmth from Cornwall,

Sarah & Damian

P.S. Stay tuned for my next post: a glimpse into our August garden and a watercolour of our beef tomatoes,, plus a simple recipe for tasty focaccia baked using sustainable olive oil and home-grown rosemary.