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Beginning Homesteading
Even Without An Acreage
Beginning homesteading might be your dream and the reason you are reading this site.
You hope to pursue the self-reliant life someday when you get that large - or even small - acreage.
But you don't need a large plot of land to pursue the homestead life.
In fact, you don't even need land at all. Here are some tips on beginning homesteading today whatever your situation.
Grow a Garden
You can grow vegetables anywhere, including in
containers on a balcony.
By growing your own food, you not only get fresh and healthy vegetables, you also derive the satisfaction of growing it yourself.
Compost
Using composting worms
will help you build a rich soil.
Save your carrot and potato peelings along with all other organic matter and throw them
in a compost pile.
If you have limited space, get a worm composter.
The only organic matter you shouldn't put in your pile is manure from animals that eat meat - otherwise you'll be likely to attract rats to your pile.
You'll be building wonderful, rich soil that will feed your plants and produce a healthy, bountiful garden.
Learning to recycle waste is a great start to beginning homesteading.
Keep Chickens
Even city dwellers interested in beginning homesteading can keep a small flock in most suburban neighborhoods.
Hens don't need a rooster to be able to lay eggs, so focus on getting anywhere from four to six hens.
Just check your city ordinance before your order or purchase your birds, and if your town forbids chickens, work on getting a
chicken ordinance passed.
You don't need a large flock of hens to be self-sufficient.
Each hen will lay an egg on average about every 36 hours. Four hens will provide you with more than a dozen eggs per week.
Keep Goats
Goats don't need much space,
especially the smaller breeds such as the Nigerian Dwarf breeds.
Even the smaller breeds will provide you with manure for your garden and milk.
Two dwarf does can produce about two gallons of milk per week - usually enough for the typical family.
Using a good-quality dehydrator like this one
is a cheap and easy way to store your garden's bounty.
Preserve Your Own Food
Learning to keep food in bulk is a great first step in beginning homesteading.
Buy quart-sized freezer bags and freeze the broccoli and peas that come from your garden.
Buy a water-bath canner and can your tomatoes. They'll be far better than anything you can find in a store.
If you want to learn about canning, an excellent reference is Putting Food By .
An even easier way to put food by is by dehydrating it.
Buy in Bulk
Buying beans in bulk like these black beans will save you money and help your prepare for the worst.
Look for dealers who provide storable foods.
Not all of it may be to your liking; the powdered butter, for example, takes some getting used to,
but if you can afford it, buying items such as beans, oatmeal and whole grains in 50-pound bags is a great way to save money.
If you do buy the food in 50-pound bags, then you will need to divide it up into gallon-sized freezer bags and then store them in plastic buckets.
Purchase new, unused buckets at a reasonable price at paint supply stores.
Practice Simplicity Now
Get rid of the clutter in your life.
Here's a test to see whether you really need something: pack it away in a box, seal the box up, and store it in your closet for one year.
If at the end of that year, you still have not used any of the items, take the box unopened, and donate it to a thrift store.
More Helpful Information on Homesteading
Do you feel alone in your zest for homesteading? Find others who share your passion for self reliance.
Learn how.
Can you work on your homestead full time, and still earn a living?
It may take a little creativity, but it can be done.
Here's how.
Is it still possible to earn your land just by living on it? It is if you're willing to living in a more remote area.
Learn more here.
Have you ever been curious as to what the term homesteading means?
Learn what homesteading means today.
Learn lifesaving tips to survive a global crisis. Click here to view more details
Worried about a financial meltdown? You're not alone, and there are steps you can take to protect yourself.
Click here to learn more.
Learn how past generations have been successfully pursuing self sufficiency, and what you can learn from them by
reading these books.
Read one man's story of what he learned from his grandfather about harvesting wild plants by clicking here
Growing your own food is a crucial part of self reliance. But how do you keep it fresh? There is a way if you build a cellar to store your food.
Learn how.
By building your own hown in the country, you save tons of money, and there are a variety of ways you can build your home.
Learn more.
Ready to learn how to be more self sufficient? Learn fourteen ways to live off the land by
clicking here.
Learn crucial tips to survive any emergency with this helpful resource.
Learn why so many people, including me, are turning to homesteading by
clicking here.
Think you need a large plot of land to pursue the homesteading life? Think again!
Learn why you should start homesteading now by clicking here.
The self reliant life is great for the individual, but is it good for the nation as well? And what happens when self reliance is destroyed?
Learn more by clicking here.
Feel guilty because you can't do it all? Homesteading is a life skill that has to be done in degrees to prevent burnout.
Learn more.
A great, low-cost alternative to traditional building methods is cordwood construction, using split wood and mortar to build your home.
Learn more.
Agritourism is a fast-growing industry that allows you to earn money off your land while pursuing the self-reliant lifestyle.
Want to find out if it's right for you? click here.
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You Can Build a Chicken Tractor Provides you with step-by-step instructions on how to build a chicken tractor and also provides helpful information on how to get free wood and how your chickens can pay for themselves.
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