The Homestead
Buying A Home
Homeschooling

Homeschooling in the early years? 

Here’s 15 Things We Memorise In Our Classical Homeschool

Twelve Things Banks Look At When Applying For A Mortgage (NZ)

Applying for a mortgage in New Zealand can be overwhelming and stressful. Trying to get preapproval is made much easier when you get your ducks ...
/ Buying A Home In NZ

15 Things We Memorise In Our Classical Homeschool

There’s something so special about the early years of a classical homeschool. In the grammar stage, children are naturally wired to absorb the world around ...

Our Simple Classical Homeschool Routine in a Busy Season

Life looks a little different right now as we pack and prepare to move into our new home. Homeschooling took a back seat for a ...
/ Homeschooling
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How We’re Homeschooling While Preparing for a Move

Life is feeling a little chaotic lately. Especially since we are homeschooling while moving house. We are slowly packing up our four-bedroom bungalow and preparing ...
/ Homeschooling
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Ten Tips for Buying A Home in New Zealand when Self Employed

Buying a home in New Zealand can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re self-employed or raising a young family on one income. As a stay-at-home mum ...
/ Buying A Home In NZ
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How We Bought Our Heritage Homestead in New Zealand (Being Self Employed!)

Follow our journey to buying a heritage homestead in New Zealand after finance hurdles, heartbreaks, and last-minute miracles. We were denied finance, made an offer ...
/ The Homestead

Our Story

We are a family of seven, living in a six bedroom, heritage-listed homestead that we are slowly restoring and making our own.

The moment I saw Fernielea Homestead pop up online for sale, I knew it had to be ours, and I had to make it happen somehow. Getting here wasn’t straightforward. Being self-employed made the process of buying a home more complicated than we ever expected. There were setbacks, moments of uncertainty, and times where it felt like it simply might not happen for us. Read more about our story of buying our homestead here.

Over time, we built equity, made careful decisions, and stayed focused on the kind of life we wanted to create for our family. Eventually, everything came together, and we found ourselves here at Fernielea, stepping into a home that holds so much history, and so much possibility.

What You’ll Find Here

Here you’ll find:

  • Traditional Homemaking, creating a warm, intentional home through simple routines and daily rhythms

  • Homeschooling, practical approaches to a classical education at home

  • Frugal Living, preserving fruits and veges from the garden, cutting grocery bills

It’s about building a meaningful life that feels steady, grounded, and aligned with our values.

We’re still learning as we go.

This home and this lifestyle is something we’re growing into day by day. I share what’s working, what isn’t, and everything in between.

The joy is in the journey!

-Emma

Follow us over on Instagram @Fernielea_homestead