What does Homesteading mean to You?

Homesteading is a lifestyle that is centered around self-sufficiency and sustainability and dates back to the Homestead Act of 1862. In my opinion, homesteading can mean different things to different people depending on their circumstances. Homesteading is such a personal journey, and it’s wonderful that it can be tailored to fit different lifestyles and goals. Whether someone is fully immersed in the homestead life or taking small steps towards self-sufficiency, every effort counts.

My personal approach to homesteading has been to dive in with a few key focuses: growing food, raising food, and preserving food. Along this journey, I’ve gradually incorporated other lifestyle changes, such as reducing waste by composting, minimizing plastic and packaging, and homeschooling to include fundamental and biblical teachings that are often overlooked in public education. These themes surface throughout my blog posts and website. By sharing my gardening experiences, creative and practical recipes, and insights on raising animals, I aim to inspire you, no matter where you are on your homesteading path. 

My homesteading journey has been quite an adventure! Here are some of the key tips and tricks to follow if you are on a similar path:

1. Growing Food: Start with a small herb or vegetable garden and gradually expanded it. Hardy herbs that are good to start with are oregano, sage, rosemary, chives, and thyme. Mint is hardy as well, but it will take over if you don’t contain it in its own separate space. Hardy and rewarding vegetables are asparagus (buy a root system locally and they will come back every year if you let them), peas, tomatoes, and zucchini or summer squash. If you are looking to start with a small variety, here are a couple great variety packs that I still use:
   • Gardeners Basics, 15 Herb Seeds For Planting Varieties Heirloom Non-GMO
   • Survival Vegetable Seeds Garden Kit Over 16,000 Seeds Non-GMO and Heirloom (currently on sale at 40% off)
2. Raising Food: Adding chickens to the homestead can feel like a big step but you can start out with a small flock of 4-6 hens. They provide fresh eggs and help with pest control. I recommend finding someone local to buy from.
3. Preserving Food: Learning various preservation methods like canning, fermenting, and dehydrating is essential. For me, fermenting tomatoes and canning them has been particularly rewarding this season. See my previous blog and recipe library for a guide on fermenting and canning tomatoes.
4. Reducing Waste: Composting kitchen scraps and garden waste can significantly reduce your household waste. You can also cut down on plastic use by opting for reusable containers and purchasing products that aren’t packaged in plastic. One of my favorite ways to reduce plastic is using shampoo and conditioner bars. 1 bar is equal to reducing 3 10oz plastic bottles. See my favorite hair care products on my Shop page along with a discount using my coupon code.
5. Homeschooling: Incorporating fundamental teachings into a homeschooling curriculum is a fulfilling way to ensure children learn valuable life skills. We use and love the Abeka accredited program which instills a biblical world view and is video led which allows me to continue working full-time.

What I enjoy the most about homesteading is the sense of accomplishment and connection to nature. There’s something incredibly satisfying about harvesting food you’ve grown yourself and knowing exactly where it comes from. Plus, the process of learning and adapting keeps things exciting.

Even though we have accomplished an incredible amount during the past few years, I still feel like my journey to become fully immersed in homesteading is ongoing. I aim to further reduce my family’s consumption of commercially processed foods and deepen my knowledge of traditional self-sufficiency methods. While we are not there yet, we are enjoying the learning process and the journey itself.

How about you? What steps have you taken, and what do you enjoy the most about your homesteading journey?

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