Do you want to learn how to begin homesteading? This post will share some great tips that will help you to easily make the transition and take the leap.
Want to know how you can begin homesteading?
The idea of beginning your own homestead can be both daunting and challenging. Find out how you can easily start homesteading today.
I really enjoy and appreciate magazine articles of how others have successfully followed this path. It is a great way to build confidence and gather ideas for moving forward.
No matter where you are right now, beginning your own homestead is possible when you take the first step on the journey you have been dreaming of.
I hope to inspire you to become more self-reliant and begin your homestead journey whether you own a home or rent an apartment. Go ahead, get your feet wet.
HOW TO BEGIN HOMESTEADING
You can begin homesteading by first changing your mindset from the mindless chatter of never being able to reach your goal to that of beginning your homestead from right where you are.
Sure, you can make goals and continue to work towards them but start today. Begin learning new skills and creating the foundation of your newly designed way of living.
Follow both your interests and passion to see where that leads you. With your mind focused on your goal of homesteading it is time to explore those things that seem most exciting to you right now.
The list below is offered to open your heart and get you moving towards your goal. They are all items that you can make or create from your homestead kitchen.
Homestead Now!
Cheese
Yogurt
Almond milk, Almond butter or peanut butter
Bread, Jams and jellies
Fermented foods
Food plays a major role in the homesteader’s life. Knowing exactly what is in the food you are eating gives you control. The more food items that you can make yourself the more independent you become.
Stocking up by canning, freezing, dehydrating food
This is a continuum of food. By processing the abundance of summer through freezing, dehydrating or canning you are extending the harvest throughout the colder months. It is also extremely gratifying to just grab ingredients from your well stocked cupboards and freezer eliminating trips to the grocery store.
Personal care products
Household products
Since homesteading is about self-sufficiency rather than purchasing the end product you could also consider making non-food items as well such as laundry soap, dishwasher soap and even bar/bath soap. Hand creams, lotions and salves without the chemicals can easily be made and are healing for the skin.
Knitting/crocheting/sewing/quilting
Braided rugs, coasters and chair pads
These are skills that can be used to make hats, scarves, mittens, sweaters, blankets, quilts, tablecloths, aprons, potholders, throw pillows, curtains, and clothing.
Repurposing worn and outdated clothing into other uses is both creative and practical.
I for example, used worn out denim jeans to make a dog blanket that could easily be cleaned. I customized it as well by including a pocket. Inside the pocket, I tucked a cotton make-up pad with a few drops of essential oil. This helps calm the anxieties of my senior dog at night.
When thinking about your homestead consider all of the items that go into making that a working operation. Review each item that you currently buy. How many of those items could you make yourself?
PLANT A VEGETABLE GARDEN AND BEGIN HOMESTEADING
For those eager to sink their hands into the soil, planting a small vegetable garden could easily be the next phase, of beginning your homesteading journey. A high-quality grow light that has both the red and blue light spectrum is necessary for starting seeds indoors. If you live in an apartment you can grow the various greens and herbs under one of these lights.
Sunny balconies are also well suited for a few plants. You might also want to check in your area for a community garden where you could rent a plot of land. This method could be used to give you more gardening space if your current residence doesn’t have enough or it could be your main garden space if you are currently living in an apartment.
Purchasing quality seeds is an overall very small investment to the vegetables you can harvest. Buying organic and heirloom ensures the seeds have not been genetically altered or pre-treated with toxic chemicals as some of their commercial non-organic counterparts have.
Be sure to look at a gardening zone map for the area in which you live to determine which plants/seeds are best suited for your particular area.
Buy fresh organic produce that you simply cannot grow, weren’t able to grow enough of or have the space for. You can learn and then practice the different methods of preserving food that appeals to your lifestyle. Different types to consider are freezing, dehydration and canning.
I support a couple of pick your own farms in my area to harvest organic strawberries and low spray blueberries that I freeze. I also pick wild black raspberries and blackberries and get red raspberries from a friend’s yard. Some are eaten fresh but most are frozen for later use. The taste of the fruit on a cold winter morning quickly brings back the memories of picking it on those hot summer days.
Let your energy and enthusiasm for homesteading propel you towards your goals. It is truly a lifestyle choice that offers a sense of purpose and independence when you are able to do more for yourself.
HOW TO BEGIN HOMESTEADING QUICK START POINTS CHECK LIST
□ Gather information from magazine articles
□ Change mindset
□ Follow interests and passion
□ Pick those things that excite you and begin doing them
□ Add more and more things as your interests grow & develop