myBackyardHomestead is tucked away in the high-altitude pines of Colorado, our little slice of heaven that we lovingly call Cheesecake Bear Ranch is more than a home — it’s a living story. A place where creativity, resilience, and nature intertwine. Over the years, this little mountain haven has grown from a simple garden into a full expression of intentional living — art, sustainability, and heart all stitched together beneath the wide Western sky.

I often say I’m a modern mix between Ruth Stout and Martha Stewart — one known for her no-nonsense wisdom and deep connection to the soil, the other for her love of beauty, order, and craft. And our slice of heaven, Cheesecake Bear Ranch lives somewhere between those two worlds. It’s the place where practicality and artistry shake hands. Where compost meets candlelight. Where you can plant garlic by the moon, then head inside to edit a video, write a reflection, or bake something with too much butter and love every second of it.

The Mission

At its core, Cheesecake Bear Ranch is about living with intention — nurturing what we have, creating what we can, and finding joy in both the process and the imperfections along the way.

We focus on three guiding values:

Sustainability and Stewardship
Growing food at this altitude is not easy. Between unpredictable weather and curious wildlife, every harvest feels like a small miracle. But it’s worth it. The food forest here — with its plums, currants, grapes, strawberries, and rhubarb — is a daily reminder that abundance is possible even in rugged places.

Creativity and Craft
Whether it’s art, design, gardening, or writing, Cheesecake Bear Ranch is a creative studio disguised as a homestead. Every season inspires new projects — from deck makeovers and garden experiments to digital art collections and mindful journaling tools.

Community and Connection
This ranch isn’t just for me. It’s for everyone who believes that slowing down, growing something with your hands, and creating beauty from what you already have still matters. Through my websites, videos, and writing, I share not only how I live — but why. To remind others that joy can be cultivated, even in difficult seasons.

Who I Am

I’m an artist, designer, and writer who has spent over 20 years blending technology, creativity, and storytelling. But here, at Cheesecake Bear Ranch, I’ve returned to something simpler — something older. I live surrounded by mountains, gardens, dogs, and memories, carrying forward the spirit of what Tim and I built together.

This land has taught me patience. It’s taught me things don’t have to be perfect to be meaningful. Every project — whether it’s repainting the deck, planting berries, or creating a new digital tool — is another step toward a life lived fully and authentically.

I’ve built a network of sites and projects under the Vlane.ART lifestyle brand — each one a different expression of this philosophy. From art and AI to gardening and wellness, they all connect back to one idea: living with purpose and creativity in the modern world.

A Work in Progress

Cheesecake Bear Ranch is not a finished picture. It’s a living, breathing experiment in mindful living — sometimes messy, always meaningful. Things break, weeds grow, dogs dig where they shouldn’t. But somehow, it all fits into the story.

If you’re new here, welcome. Wander through the gardens, explore the stories, and follow along as I keep building this little piece of heaven — one project, one plant, one idea at a time.

Because life, like a garden, doesn’t need to be perfect to be beautiful.

🍂 Rethinking Fall Cleanup at Cheesecake Bear Ranch

vee — Sat, 04 Oct 2025 03:22:23 +0000

As the days grow shorter and the crispness of fall settles in, gardeners everywhere feel that old familiar pull: the great fall cleanup. Out come the rakes, the pruners, and the endless urge to “tidy up.” We trim, we cut, we sweep away every last leaf, convinced that neatness equals health.

But what if that instinct is backwards? What if the healthiest, most ecologically vibrant gardens are the ones that stay a little wild through winter? The truth is, the best fall gardening practices often look like less work, not more.

At Cheesecake Bear Ranch we’re learning to rethink cleanup with our plum trees, espaliered apple trees, tulip bulbs, strawberries, currants, jostaberries, lilacs, marigolds, and more.

1. Forget the Fall Cleanup: Let Your Garden Stay a Little Messy

It’s tempting to cut everything down to the ground. But leaving standing stems and seed heads can be a gift to wildlife.

Marigolds, zinnias, and cosmos: their dried flower heads are a banquet for finches and chickadees.
Garlic chives and borage: left to stand, their seed heads provide food for pollinators next spring.
Strawberry beds and currant canes: a light layer of leaves insulates their roots while sheltering beneficial insects and salamanders.

That “mess” of leaves isn’t waste. It’s mulch, habitat, and protection.

2. Put Down the Pruners (Until the Time is Right)

Pruning isn’t one-size-fits-all. Timing matters:

Lilacs bloom on last year’s wood. Cut them in fall and you’ll lose next spring’s show. Wait until they finish flowering.
Espaliered apple trees should be pruned in late winter while dormant, when you can clearly see the structure.
Plum trees are best pruned in mid- to late-summer to avoid disease pressure.

Resist the urge for fall “haircuts.” Your patience will be rewarded with blooms and healthier trees.

3. The Best Time to Plant is Now

Fall isn’t just cleanup time. It’s prime planting season.

Tuck in tulip and iris bulbs now for a burst of spring color.
Plant black lilies for dramatic accents that emerge in spring.
Establish jostaberries and currants in autumn while the soil is still warm. They’ll focus on root growth and explode with vigor in spring.

By planting now, you’re aligning with nature’s cycles. Roots establish quietly under cool soil while the tops rest for winter.

4. Treasure in Imperfect Produce

Maybe your plums split in the rain, or a bear “taste-tested” your strawberries. Don’t see them as failures. See them as seed stock.

Let those overripe marigold blooms dry fully for free seeds next year.
Save seeds from cosmos and zinnias for self-seeding beauty that costs nothing.
Even quirky fruit from your apple espalier can provide viable seed for grafting experiments or rootstock.

Imperfect produce can become tomorrow’s abundance.

5. Beware the Hand Cream Trap

When handling seeds, especially small ones like borage, marigolds, or garlic chives, avoid pouring them into your hand. Oils or lotions can coat the seed, blocking the water it needs to germinate. Use a clean envelope, spoon, or gloves.

🌱 The Thoughtful Gardener

A thriving garden isn’t about tidiness. It’s about intention. By letting your plum trees hold their shape until summer, your lilacs bloom in spring, your currants overwinter under leaves, and your bulbs rest beneath the soil, you’re gardening with nature, not against it.

So this fall, resist the urge to over-clean. Keep a little mess, a little wildness, and a lot of patience. You’ll discover that joy grows best when we align with the rhythms of life.

👉 What old garden “rule” are you ready to break this season at your homestead?

food forest gardening | myBackyardHomestead

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