Our Story

Hey neighbor, thanks for stopping by The Stryker Homestead! I’m Jason, an aspiring entrepreneur, woodworker, DIYer, and big kid at heart. I’ve put my days in the suburbs behind me and moved to an 1850s farmhouse that I hope to one day upgrade to “fixer upper” status on 14 acres of land in Western NY. My family, or should I say business partners, are my lovely wife Becky and our two young sons, Jacob and Nolan.

The Stryker Family
That’s us! Becky, Jacob, Nolan, and yours truly

I enjoy the city and all that it has to offer, but I know in my heart I will always love the sound of songbirds and the hint of manure in the “fresh country air” that reminds me of how I grew up.  Becky may have been a suburban girl growing up, but she has the heart and soul of a country girl. She looks like a million bucks in a baseball cap and work boots, and she’s agreed to be my partner on this crazy adventure. The boys have really started to dive into gardening and construction, though scooping up animal poop is still under negotiation…

Becky working in the front yard
I told you, she looks like a million bucks!

I know, I know, homesteaders implies that this is all we do, but we both have great day jobs so this is going to be one of those… what are the kids calling it…. yeah, side hustles!  We want to use our our spare time to share our family’s passions and experiences with yours.

We are currently selling woodworking items that we handcrafted from trees felled locally, either on our own land or helping out friends and family. We love to create conversation pieces that bring beauty and functionality for you to enjoy in your home. Woodworking will always be one of our main focuses, but we will be expanding into gardening, canning, land management, animal husbandry and many other experiences that come with making this land and house our own.

The Dream: The Stryker Homestead

If I could capture my country upbringing and distill my family’s heritage in a bottle to share with you, I would. The lessons learned from getting my hands dirty in the garden and working around the house are not only my fondest memories, but ones that helped define who I am today. I aspire to pass on those lessons to the boys and anyone else willing to listen.

I want to take all that our land has to offer, show how we’re improving it, create products that you will love, and foster an environment where you can feel the connection to family and country living that we are lucky to enjoy.  If nothing else, I want you to feel like you made a friend and met folks who truly care about what we produce and how you use it.  I hope that every visit with us leaves you feeling much like the boys did with their garden haul last year.

Jacob and Nolan lining up vegetables on a wood bench
Gotta love those grins!