How To Become A Homesteader… No Matter Where You Are!
“How Can I Become A Homesteader?” I was asked a question by one of our readers the other day…
Here is my response. All of us started most likely with a vision, a dream, a hankering to get back to nature in a way, to be a little (or a lot) self sufficient, to do it ourselves…But where to start…
When thinking about it, I figured that the best way to start is to just begin wherever you are … whether you live in a city apartment, the ‘suburbs’, or maybe you already have a plot of land, or access to some. No matter where you are tight now, you are you can do something – it might be as simple as growing wheatgrass and herbs on your windowsill in your tiny apartment, or putting some seedlings into pots on the small deck you have, or beginning to compost on the bench.
Whatever it is, wherever you are, change the way you think to one of a homesteader – think about ways to recycle, build something out of nothing, how to grow your own food, think about ways you could make money when you are out there on your perfect plot of land, living the dream.
Study it, think about it, envisage it. Put together a ‘swipe file’ of what you like, what you might consider you could do, how others do stuff that you think you could do to. Perhaps you have come across an article of how to use pallets to build, say a shed. Well tuck that bit of information away – you never know when it will be useful.
Bottom line, reprogram your mind to thinking like a homesteader.
Everyone approaches becoming a homesteader very differently depending on what the vision they have, whether they want to be a homesteader on a large plot, or an urban homesteader or something in between.
In other words, the best advice I can give is that you study homesteading, check out what others have done, and consider whats important to you – how you will make money, what size plot, where, what can you do on the land, what is allowed and not allowed in the area that you are considering. And most of all BEGIN. Doesn’t matter, if you living in one tiny room, or have a mansion on a hill, its about starting…
If you would like a little inspiration to get the ball rolling this story is a fascinating place to start…
5 Acres & A Dream The Book: The Challenges of Establishing a Self-Sufficient Homestead
Its the story of a couple who had a dream, put it into action and this is their experience. The wife, Leigh, put their experience and learnings into a fascinating book. There is a ton of information in there around what challenges they faced in trying to establish a self-sufficient homestead; from defining their dream, finding property, and setting priorities, to obstacles and difficult times, to learning how to work smarter, not harder.
Click here to learn more about this book on Amazon.com >>
The Encyclopedia of Country Living, 40th Anniversary Edition
There is also a ‘bible’ of homesteading – up to its 40th edition now! and a lot of homesteaders have this on the bookshelf:
This is a bestselling resource for modern homesteading. It covers everything from growing and preserving foods, and raising chickens. The Encyclopedia of Country Living also includes how to cultivate a garden, buy land, bake bread, raise farm animals, make sausage, can peaches, milk a goat, grow herbs, churn butter, build a chicken coop, catch a pig, cook on a wood stove, and much, much more.
Click here to learn more about this book on Amazon.com >>
Check out the many articles on this site here too – you might find something useful for example if you are living in an apartment already, click here to see the things you can do right now.
Or Click here to check out 20 basic homesteading skills that we consider important and what you can learn right now, today.
I hope this helps. Bottom line, you have to start where you are at, dont be hard on yourself, take each day at a time, an build your vision and therefore your life…
Happy Homesteading!
