DON'T ACT LIKE HONYOCKS!

We often get asked how we came up with the name "Honyock Homestead". Well, here it is...

As kids, whenever we were on our way to some event—Christmas at Granny's, church, or anywhere we had to sit still and use our manners—my mom would always give us the same warning before we got out of the car:

“Don’t act like honyocks!”

I didn’t really know what a honyock was, but I knew what she meant. It wasn’t a compliment. She’d also say it when we were being wild or ridiculous around the house:

“Stop acting like honyocks!”

One day I finally asked her what it meant. She said she wasn’t really sure—it was just something her dad used to say to her and her siblings (mostly her brother) growing up.

Apparently, “honyock” was a generational heirloom.

Fast Forward a Few Decades

My husband and I were walking our two very ill-mannered dogs from the car to the dog park. They were pulling on their leashes, getting tangled up, wrestling, tripping us... Without thinking, I shouted:

“Stop acting like honyocks!”

My husband lost it. He laughed so hard he could barely breathe. “What’s a honyock?!” he asked between fits of laughter.

And of course, I had to admit—I still didn’t know. All I knew was that it was deeply ingrained in my DNA.

So later that night, we looked it up. Turns out, there are lots of meanings floating around out there.

What is a Honyock?

Originally, “honyock” was a not-so-nice term used out West to describe immigrant homesteaders from Central or Eastern Europe—folks who were trying to make a living off the land but were often seen as greenhorns or unprepared to work the rough terrain.

Over time though, the word softened. It became more of an affectionate jab—a name for someone a little foolish, a little wild, but full of heart.

And when I read that, I couldn’t help but smile. Because honestly, that’s us.

The Birth of Honyock Farm

When we bought our homestead, we knew it needed a name. I tossed around a few ideas, but Russ had one he couldn’t shake:

“It has to have ‘Honyock’ in it.”

And he was right. We’re total newbies to this farm life—learning as we go, making mistakes, laughing at ourselves, and loving every bit of it.

We’ve got a streak of stubbornness, a heap of curiosity, and just enough of an adventurous spirit to keep life interesting.

The True Picture of a Honyock

Before moving, we agreed we wouldn’t get any animals our first year. We moved in mid-October, and the plan was to wait until spring before diving in. Winter, we said, would be for learning.

So naturally....within two months, we had:

• A lazy Hugelkultur garden

• A baby fruit orchard planted in soil we knew nothing about

• A zero-turn mower for the pasture

• Ducks, rabbits, and a pig

And that, my friends, is the truest picture of a Honyock—stubborn, hopeful, slightly chaotic, and loving every minute of it.