The Homestead Education Center, cozily called “The Homestead,” is a 5,000 square-foot lodge settled on a lake right off of Highway 12. Creative, culinary and literary minds flock here for a taste of life, simplified.
Despite both having doctorate degrees, founder Alison Buehler said she and her husband Mike discovered five years ago they knew nothing of living well.
Going back-to-basics was their family’s way of scrapping stressful and unhealthy habits.
The couple created the Homestead to share their journey of natural living with others. While new problems undoubtedly arise even in the Homestead, Buehler offered some encouraging advice to curious homesteaders.
“It feels like our family is more aligned with our values,” Buehler said. “I think that is a good place to start.”
Some Mississippi State University students visit the Homestead looking for a home away from home. Students visit in search of a place outside the classroom to learn about real life, including useful talents like sewing and cooking.
Ultimately, Buehler said the aim of the Homestead is to provide its students lessons for real life. 
“Making a living and making a life are two very different things,” Buehler said.
The Homestead feels, looks and acts as a retreat from busy campus. One former student, Anne Claire Rogers, credited the Homestead for her healthy lifestyle.
“I met some of my best friends at the Homestead,” Roger said. “It changed the trajectory of the way I take care of myself now.”
Wildlife enthusiasts can eagerly await sights of deer, beavers, cranes, turtles and more on Homestead land. The Homestead also houses a saltwater pool, two teaching gardens, rain catchment, compost systems and a greenhouse, along with its own chickens and bees.
The Homestead’s membership program is divided into several categories, ranging from guests to heroes. Membership levels are determined by the amount of tax-deductible donations a person makes to the facility. Members receive free or discounted prices for every event.
The Homestead’s upcoming events offer something for everyone. On Oct. 1, an online writing course taught by Buehler herself opened. After publishing five books, Buehler said she wishes she had someone walk her through the publishing industry.
Over the course of four weeks, she will explain the publication process and how being a writer differs from being an author.
One week later, the Homestead invites anyone interested in learning how to make sourdough bread to its test kitchens on Oct. 8.
Taught by Marion Sansing, this hands-on course will teach students to make a sourdough starter, handle dough, shape a loaf and finally, bake bread.
“Baking your own bread will give you a feeling of accomplishment,” Sansing said. “It fills your home with a wonderful smell.”
Sansing said other benefits of learning how to make homemade bread include controlling the ingredients, saving money and having fresh bread. The cost of the course is $15 for guests, and the class is limited to 14 people.
Oct. 12 is “Ladies’ Night In” at the Homestead, a chance to relax and learn some helpful home-organizing tips. Shannon Voges Haupt of Worker Bees, a Starkville cleaning service, will share her best cleaning hacks, sure to improve any apartment or dorm room.