With rising awareness of the consumer’s impact on the environment, many folks are opting to consume less and make do with what they’ve got. The homesteading lifestyle encourages self-sufficiency and reduces waste. Flex your domestic skills and pick up new ones with these unique ways to start your own homestead.
Learn, Learn, Learn
Get into the mindset of a student. When you’re not actively working on your homestead, take classes or watch tutorials on new skills that can help you become more self-sufficient. Get in touch with other homesteaders in your area and ask them for advice.
Get Comfy in the Kitchen
Your homestead doesn’t begin and end with your garden. While growing your own food is essential to increasing self-sufficiency, you’ve also got to know how to use that food.
Equip your kitchen with the implements you need to make meals from scratch. In addition, consider learning how to preserve foods! Pickle some of those vegetables and learn to make jams and jellies from fresh fruit.
Grow Unique Foods
Think outside the planter’s box, if you will. Herb gardens are practically mandatory for any homesteader but spend time thinking of the other foods you love. How can you grow them at home?
Plant a few berry patches outside if you love fresh fruit and preserves, or reap the benefits of growing your own mushrooms indoors and enjoy a perpetual supply.
Monetize Your Work
What skills do you have that can benefit your community? Make some extra pocket money in your simplified lifestyle by offering your skills to others.
If you’re passionate about woodworking, make and sell one-of-a-kind furniture. Many homesteaders also frequent the farmers market—set up your own stand and sell the fruits (and other foodstuffs) of your labor.
Tiptoe off the Grid
If you feel that you’re ready to run a full-time homestead, consider more extensive ways to increase your self-sufficiency. The tiny home movement, in particular, aims to reduce environmental impact and encourage an off-grid lifestyle.
Install your own solar panels for electricity, and secure an off-grid source of clean water. Aim to visit the grocery store as little as possible by growing (and perhaps hunting for) your own food.
When you embrace the homesteading lifestyle, you empower yourself to make educated and eco-conscious choices for your life. These unique ways to start your own homestead are a perfect starting point to get you thinking about your future.
