1700 Days Sober: How Homesteading Helped Me Reclaim My Life

Today marks 1,700 days since I took my last drink. That’s over four and a half years of sobriety—a milestone that feels both surreal and deeply personal. It hasn’t always been easy, but every single day has been worth it. This is the story of how I got here, how gardening became my therapy, and how Salty Dawg Homestead was born from the ashes of a life I no longer live.

The Hidden Struggle

From the outside, you never would’ve guessed I had a problem with alcohol. I was what they call a highly functioning alcoholic. I held things together. I never did anything “stupid.” I showed up where I needed to be. But inside, I was drowning. My entire life was planned around drinking. It dictated my schedule, my mood, my energy, and eventually, my sense of self. I wasn’t living, I was slowly dying, and I knew it.

One Day at a Time

When I decided to stop drinking, I didn’t have some dramatic rock-bottom moment. I just knew I was tired of living a half-life. I didn’t know what the future looked like, only that it needed to look different. So, I took it one day at a time. And as the days added up, something unexpected happened—the brain fog began to lift. I could think clearly again. I had more energy. I could breathe.

The Garden That Healed Me

Early in my sobriety, I found myself returning to my roots—literally. As a child, I had spent countless hours gardening with my grandparents, learning the rhythm of the seasons and the quiet joy of watching something grow. Even as an adult, I had tended gardens off and on, always finding a sense of peace in the process. So when I needed something to ground me during recovery, I knew where to turn. There’s healing in the soil, and I felt it every time I got my hands dirty. Gardening reconnected me not only to the earth but to who I really was beneath the noise and the fog.

The soil didn’t judge me.

The plants didn’t care about my past.

All they asked was that I show up—and I did.

Building Salty Dawg Homestead

As the months passed, I started saving the money I used to pour into alcohol. Eventually, that money became a down payment on a home. That home became the foundation for something even bigger: Salty Dawg Homestead.

This land is more than just property. It’s proof of change. It’s the physical manifestation of recovery, of growth, of second chances. Through homesteading—tending to my vineyard, orchard, and gardens—I found a way to rebuild my identity, reconnect with my values, and carve out a life of meaning.

A Better Man

I also sought help for my mental health. Recovery is never just about stopping a substance—it’s about healing the mind and heart too. Therapy gave me tools I never had before. It taught me to be honest with myself, to set boundaries, and to truly care for the man I’m becoming.

Today, I’m proud of who I am. I’m a sober man, a gardener, a homesteader, and a work in progress. And while every day still comes with its challenges, I wake up knowing that I’m no longer hiding behind a bottle. I’m living fully, with intention and gratitude.

If You’re Struggling

You’re not alone. Even if no one else sees it, even if you’ve kept it hidden, your life matters. You’re worth the fight. And I promise you—there’s beauty on the other side of the storm.

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Here’s to the next 1700 days.

And to all the seeds we plant, may they grow strong.

— Salty Dawg Homestead