‘American Idol’ judge grows produce, raises sheep and finds spiritual connections in her homesteading lifestyle

Carrie Underwood is embracing life as a country girl.

When the country superstar isn’t performing or working as a judge on “American Idol,” she spends time at her family farm just outside Nashville. There, Underwood and husband Mike Fisher and their two sons, Isaiah and Jacob, practice homesteading.

Underwood grows produce and raises livestock, and she has been dabbling in canning foods and crocheting clothing, all seemingly part of her move to live a simpler life.

Carrie Underwood poses with two of her sheep at her farm outside Nashville. (Carrie Underwood/Instagram)

Earlier this month, she shared photos of tomatoes and peaches she’d grown. In June, she shared a post about an experience she had tending to her sheep.

The “Before He Cheats” singer explained that, at the time, she’d gone to her orchard to feed some of her animals, and while she was checking on her fruit, she got the idea to pray.

“I love praying out loud in the orchard…it’s so beautiful and peaceful,” she wrote. “I was about 15 seconds into my chat when I was surprised by a snake in the blueberry bush. Just a rat snake…nothing dangerous. But he was there…JUST as I began to pray. It obviously made me think…about God…about the devil.

Carrie Underwood has said she likes to grow different varieties of tomatoes on her farm. (Carrie Underwood/Instagram)

“The devil is always there…watching…lurking…even when we feel at our closest with God. Being a Christian isn’t a free ticket out of trouble. The world is full of evil…BUT God is with us. The snake and I kept our eyes on each other…but I got what I came for, finished my prayer and went about my morning…having faith that Mr. Snakey and the devil will both be moving along…out of my orchard and out of my way!”

Carrie Underwood attends the 2024 Songwriters Hall Of Fame Induction and Awards Gala at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel June 13, 2024. (Joy Malone/Getty Images)

Just before sharing her experience with the snake, Underwood detailed an experience she had canning, writing, “Canning is the perfect way to make use of everything and save myself some time later on when I need a quick meal!”

She prepared soup and pot pie filling, then made some filling for cobblers. She admitted she “tried to do something with all the plums we’ve got growing here.” And while she wasn’t sure if she made “jam or plum butter or some sort of sauce out of it,” she looked on the bright side, writing, “I’ll figure out something to do with it! I feel accomplished!!! Yay me!”

Carrie Underwood has been getting into canning, sharing this photo in June 2025 of the work she’d done. (Carrie Underwood/Instagram)

Underwood got her start in the music industry by competing on (and ultimately winning) season four of “American Idol,” and she made news when she made the decision to return as a judge for season 23, which aired earlier this year.

She found a way to tie in the new gig with her life on the farm, naming a lamb that was born the same day as the season finale of the show Jamal after winner Jamal Roberts.

Carrie Underwood named this lamb, born at her farm in May, after “American Idol” winner Jamal Roberts. (Carrie Underwood/Instagram)

The “American Idol” set got another glimpse of Underwood’s homesteading life during a taping in May when the singer arrived to work in a shirt she’d crocheted herself featuring tomato designs.

In 2023, Underwood did a collaboration with Epic Gardening, a gardening brand with a YouTube channel. The team behind the brand traveled to her farm to help her build one of her greenhouses.

There, she explained that as soon as she and Fisher moved to their home outside Nashville, they started working on the garden. But, in 2020, when the pandemic hit, they were able to really get something major started.

Carrie Underwood and husband Mike Fisher were married in 2010. (John Shearer)

“I love the heat here in Tennessee, and it just made me happy to, you know, grow something from nothing,” she said. “It feels like little miracles every time I get something.”

In a 2023 episode of “The Dr. Josh Axe Show,” she said that, with the farm, her ultimate goal was to no longer have to purchase any food from a store.

Carrie Underwood frequently shares photos of food she’s grown herself on her farm. (Carrie Underwood/Instagram)

At that point, she was still working toward the goal, admitting her children made it a bit more difficult, but added, “I love that our meals, especially dinner, it’s like you look on our plate and everything on our plates is something that either came from the garden or my husband’s a hunter, you know. The meat is something that he got.

Carrie Underwood, husband Mike Fisher and their son Isaiah at Underwood’s star-unveiling ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Sept. 20, 2018. (Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images)

“We eat what we have. We eat seasonally. It all tastes delicious because it’s food.”

Another important part to her, she explained, was that her home doesn’t produce any food waste. Anything her family doesn’t use either goes to her chicken coop or to compost, and they use it in another way.

“It’s fun,” she said. “You know you’re doing something good for you. It feels good to physically do all of these things.”