I speak with Kelsey Beck Fernandez about moving from restaurant and wine work into homesteading in Southern California, and how raising a family on one acre changed his view of self-sufficiency.
We talk about why communal sufficiency lasts longer than going it alone, building a local network, scaling back before burnout, whole-animal butchery, preserving food, and bringing family and community together around shared meals and work.
Kelsey Beck Fernandez is a husband, father, homesteader, and founder of Tenfold Tallow in Southern California. On his one-acre family homestead, Kelsey and his family raise pigs, chickens, rabbits, and ducks while pursuing a more resilient way of life centered on traditional food, whole-animal use, soil regeneration, and learning to produce more of what their family consumes.
Tenfold Tallow grew naturally out of that lifestyle. What began as rendering animal fats from the animals they raised eventually became a skincare company built around simple, traditional ingredients, including regenerative suet tallow, pastured pork lard, and raw beeswax. The original products were created for Kelsey’s wife and their babies, and the brand continues to reflect his belief that agriculture, food, family, and personal care don’t have to exist as separate systems.
Through his homestead, Tenfold, and his online content, Kelsey documents the process of rediscovering practical skills, using the whole animal, working toward closed-loop systems, and creating a family economy more connected to the land.
Thanks for listening.
What we cover:
- From restaurant work and wine to homesteading
- Food, family and the search for a more resilient local food supply
- A one-acre family homestead with pigs, chickens, ducks and rabbits
- Self-sufficiency versus communal sufficiency
- Balancing farm work, a full-time job and family life
- Whole-animal use, food preservation and consumer expectations
- Ducks, shared meals and community ties
Timestamps:
00:16 – From wine to homesteading
03:08 – Food and family during the pandemic
05:32 – First pigs and a one-acre homestead
06:44 – From self-sufficiency to communal sufficiency
22:57 – Burnout, family and scaling back
24:19 – Whole-animal use and preserving food
39:22 – Why food is expected to taste the same
49:02 – Consumers and the food system
53:46 – Cooking and sharing what you raise
59:12 – Adding ducks to the homestead
1:02:13 – Focus, limits and farm plans
1:12:18 – Faith, family and homesteading
Links & resources mentioned:
Kelsey Beck Fernandez on Instagram Tenfold Tallow