We all have this dream that if we could just move to the country and raise our own food, we would be self-reliant and have fewer bills. However, the fact is that if you can’t live within your means now you won’t be able to do so when you are homesteading.
We have several tips that can help you live within your means now so that you can be prepared.
Baking bread is a true homesteading skill. Almost a lost art, though it is making a come back.
There is nothing quite like biting into a freshly baked loaf of hot bread.
A friend once asked us why we bother to bake bread when it can be purchased so inexpensively in the store. There are many good reasons and these are what we shared with her. Continue reading
Canning isn’t complicated it’s just time-consuming. That’s why so many people choose now to freeze foods. However, that method takes up valuable freezer space that is better used for fresh meat.
Many fruits and vegetables lend themselves well to canning and everyone who cans has their favorites. In our family, we can tomatoes, stone fruits, apples, and pickles. The rest of the year we just eat what’s in season.
It’s important to note that there are two primary methods for canning: the water bath method, and the pressure canning method.
These days, modern kitchens are crammed with high-tech gadgets and convenient appliances. In a modern kitchen, cast iron cookware might feel out of place. However, in the homestead, it is almost a necessity.
Not only is it inexpensive, which makes it easy on the budget, but it is multi-purpose, and can last several lifetimes.
Some folks might be intimidated by cooking or cleaning cast iron but it is actually not as difficult as one might think. In fact, a well-seasoned skillet is easier to clean than most modern cookware.
If you are considering cast iron I have five tips for making your choice to cook with cast iron even easier: Continue reading
The number one reason why people begin homesteading is so that they can become more self-sufficient and rely on the food industry less. Milk and dairy are one of the biggest of these products, particularly for those who have children.
Gardening is a very basic homesteading skill but almost anyone can start gardening anywhere, even in an apartment with very little light. Continue reading
Western society, especially in the US has taught us for too long to rely on the almighty dollar. In recent years many of us have learned it isn’t as almighty as we, as a country, had once believed it to be.
Communities of swappers, barterers, and work-traders have cropped up all over the US. Sites like Craigslist, Freecycle, Timebanks, “really, really, free markets” and the like have also become incredibly popular.
Knowing how to purchase and raise/care for chickens or other poultry animals is an important homesteading skill. If you’ve never cared for more than a fish or housecat, being a homesteader is going to be a very big jump for you. You may think to yourself that you will start small but, like potato chips, you’ll soon find you can’t just stop at one or two. Well, maybe YOU can but we haven’t met any homesteaders yet who have been able to.
Poultry care can begin as early as brooding an egg or as late as adopting a retiring animal from an ailing “crazy chicken lady” or an adoption agency. Either way, there are basics you need to know.
One of the first things people often ask us when they meet us is how we managed to save so much money, so that we could “retire” and homestead. The fact is that we didn’t.