“Homesteading” typically means living on a homestead, raising animals and growing your own food, and being independent and self-sufficient. As the global economy seems to teter on the brink of total collapse, modern life becomes more and more reliant on large-scale grids subject to fail, and urban environments are becoming increasingly dangerous, more and more
You might be wondering about the title. How is it possible to start becoming a homesteader before you have land and an actual homestead? It is easier than you might think and it is actually a good idea to do this before you buy a large plot of land. This simply means that you are
One of the biggest draws towards homesteading is trying to achieve energy independence. It sure is rough out there today. Electricity costs are soaring and you probably know the feeling of dread that comes over you each time you open up an energy bill. Well, it actually is possible to be completely energy-independent, and never
Last week, we shared the very cool idea to make a beehive using mason jars, so since it did not come with instructions as to how to actually start a hive, I thought I’d go ahead and follow up with that one. Bees are a wonderful thing to do on the homestead, or even in
Our kitchens can produce tons of waste. Food scraps, packing, plastic bags, used napkins, and paper towels. Unfortunately, all this waste just ends up in a landfill somewhere, after being hauled away, of course. If you have any kind of desire to be more self-reliant, off-the-grid, and self-sustainable, waste removal is going to be an
The Great Depression was one of the most harrowing periods of history in our country, and there are many lessons we can take from it. It dramatically changed our economy, our government, our agriculture and our people. We made it through the recent Great Recession with far less damage than the Great Depression, but the
As the cost of energy rises, more and more people are looking toward solar power. One of the areas that interest them the most is solar water heating. While it can seem more expensive in the beginning, utilizing a solar water heater has the potential to provide you with a substantial amount of saved money
If you’re homesteading, you’re probably already pretty self-reliant. But if you’re not and you wish you were, there are still many ways you can become more self-reliant, no matter where you’re living. Every little thing you can do counts, and also will help you assess just how much you rely on “the system” and what
A lot of people don’t like pigs because they’re stinky, dirty and loud. But most people won’t object to bacon, ribs or pork chops. And this is a pretty good reason to have pigs, and why most people raise them! Not only are pigs delicious, however, they are also very cost-effective sources of meat, especially
Storing dry foods can be tricky. Ideally, you want to store your food at about 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit, with low humidity (less than 15%). Of course, that just isn’t possible for a lot of people, especially those who live in exceedingly warm or cold climates, floodplains, etc. So how can you improve your food’s
Whether or not you’re a homesteader, there’s no arguing that vegetables fresh from the garden just taste better than the ones you buy at the store. Even organic store-bought veggies just don’t have that same delicious taste that you get from vegetables that you grew yourself. If that isn’t enough to convince you to grow
Making soap is a wonderful skill to gain, and given the amount of harsh toxins and chemicals in commercially-available soap, it’s also a great way to guarantee you’re getting wholesome, natural ingredients. Speaking of chemicals, one reason a lot of people are intimidated by soap-making is the use of the ingredient lye (remember that scene
Whether you’re stuck in a cramped apartment in the city or living in a suburban starter home while you save up to buy land, there’s no reason you can’t start building your homesteader skills now, as you dream of more self-reliant times ahead. You can check out our guide to how to homestead in a city if
Many of us would like to be able to afford a plot of land in the middle of nowhere and set up an amazing homestead, but that’s not always an option for everyone. One of the big appeals of homesteading is becoming self-reliant. So while you may be tethered to an urban lifestyle for now,
It’s often much easier for adults to embrace the homesteading lifestyle, because they are able to look at their life as a whole picture and consider the benefits. But children don’t have the same perspective, and their point of view tends to be more immediate. In order to help kids learn to love a self-reliant