The homesteader finds happiness when he goes to his cellar instead of going to the store to buy something for dinner. The homestead process uses available land and resources to create an environment that is sustainable, or self-sustaining as much as possible. This lifestyle can cover various aspects of life, ranging from boards, clothing, and energy. Some people start living as homesteaders for financial reasons or want to focus on living a healthy life in the area where they live. Creating a homestead will take effort, patience, and determination-but the payoff will be well worth all the effort.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Keeping Your Homestead
Step 1. Make a plan
Before you dedicate your life entirely to the homestead lifestyle, think again carefully. What are your long term goals? Do you hope to live more sustainably by growing your own food and finding your place in society? Or do you wish to be completely self-sustaining, grow your own food, and live completely devoid of public utilities? Whether you're looking to buy a 26-acre plot or make sure your suburban home can support you, you'll need to set goals and take the time to plan. The following steps will help you learn the basics of a homestead, but you'll also need to build your homestead and make it fit for your purposes.
It can be helpful to talk to someone (or several people) who have already started homesteading. They can give you advice
Step 2. Consider alternative energy sources
Part of doing a homestead is the unconventional concept of living. In particular, renewable energy methods are an important thing to think about when planning your homestead. Consider building your own solar panels, buying a wind turbine or various hydroelectric systems. Consider harvesting your own wood so you can burn it for winter warmth.
You may consider using alternative fuel sources such as biomass, ethanol or biodiesel
Step 3. Prepare your homestead for winter
If you are planning to live a self-sustaining life, you will need to prepare your home for winter to keep your homestead comfortable when the time comes. In particular, this is important for homesteaders who live in colder climates. If you don't plan to prepare your home for winter but plan to use heating in your home, you will waste a lot of energy keeping your home warm.
Step 4. Make your own organic fertilizer
A big part of doing a homestead is about creating a profitable garden (and providing food for your family.) If you raise farm animals, especially cows (which are discussed in Part Two of this article), you will have plenty of nutrient-dense and nutritious fertilizer. ready to use. However, there are other ways to make fertilizer, such as by making compost piles and rotting leaves and grass.
Step 5. Buy a dog
Every good homestead has a dog, especially if your homestead is in a very remote rural area. Dogs can be guards, both for your family and your life supply. Dogs are also great companions when you're out on errands.
Part 2 of 3: Growing Your Own Food
Step 1. Create a garden
Just by spending money on a few seeds, you can reap a much larger and more profitable harvest than if you bought it in the store. These fresh produce not only provide the best nutrition, they also give you control over the produce that will become your food. If there is excess, you can sell, exchange, or give it to someone else.
- Plan ahead by growing fruits and plants that will ripen at different times of the year so you'll have food for the whole year.
- Plant an herb garden so you have fresh herbs when you need them. Once your herbs have sprouted, you can dry them so you can use them all year round.
Step 2. Understand about crop rotation
If you decide to grow crops in large numbers, you need to understand this.
Step 3. Build a chicken coop
Chickens are one of the easiest livestock to keep. Instead of letting your chickens wander around in vain, you need to build a coop to keep your chickens in. The best chicken coops have enough space for the chickens to walk around in it as well as a laying area. You may also consider raising ducks or geese.
You will also need to build a rabbit cage. Rabbits are easy animals to care for. Many homesteaders believe that rabbits and chickens are equally good at producing fertilizer, with rabbit droppings being 'cold', while chicken droppings being 'hot.'
Step 4. Consider raising cows
Of course, you can only do this if you have enough land to be able to raise cattle properly. Usually, the minimum land area you must have to raise a cow is one hectare. Raising cows provides unlimited benefits. Your family will be able to consume fresh, completely organic dairy products, your other pets will be healthier because milk is a by-product; like whey they will consume. Your garden will be happy too because of the large amount of fertilizer your cows produce.
If you have sufficient acreage capacity to do so, raise dairy and beef cattle
Step 5. Take care of other farm animals
Goats and pigs are good livestock as choices. Goats make great livestock because you can add the dairy products you get from your cows to your goat's milk. Pork is a good source of food and the meat can be sold. Pigs can also be used to plow the land and make fertilizer.
Step 6. Start breeding bees
Breeding bees is another good way to support yourself. Eat your harvested honey, make beeswax, sell it, or ferment it to produce honey.
Step 7. Canned your fresh produce
Almost any fresh fruit and vegetable can be canned (though some fruits and vegetables are better canned than others.) If your garden produces an excess of fruit or vegetables, can them and store them for a season when they are scarce. If you plan to do a lot of canning, it's best to buy a pressure canner, as it will make the canning process easier and more efficient.
You should also consider learning how to preserve food. Like canning, preserving food can be especially useful in winter when fresh produce is scarce
Step 8. Make your own dairy products
If you have cows or goats, you need to learn how to turn their milk into a dairy product that the whole family can enjoy (or sell at the farmer's market.) Make butter, cheese, yogurt or ice cream, and enjoy the fresh milk provided by your livestock.
Part 3 of 3: Developing Skills in Homestead
Step 1. Learn how to use the toolbox
When it comes to building and maintaining your homestead, you will no doubt come across many problems that can only be solved using the tools found in the toolbox. Familiarize yourself with simple tools like hammers, screwdrivers, saws and learn how to use more different tools.
You'll also need to buy a good knife and a sheath that can be tied around your belt. You never know when you'll need a knife in this homestead lifestyle-whether it's for cutting rope or gently slashing a fleece that gets tangled up in a wild rose
Step 2. Learn how to sew your own shirt
Part of supporting yourself is the fact that you don't have to buy anything from anyone else. At the very least, you need to learn how to patch shirts, patch socks, and sew rips. If you can make your own clothes, you will be more able to support yourself.
Step 3. Consider raising an animal for its fur
In particular, llamas and sheep are suitable livestock kept on a homestead, because their fur can be used as a tool for exchange or sale.
Step 4. Make your own soap and other products
Items like soap and candles can be easily made at home-all you need is a little practice. Learning how to make simple home appliances will help you transition from being a consumer to a manufacturer.
You can also sell or trade your own products. Establish yourself as an expert craftsman in your community
Step 5. Reuse as many items as possible
Creating cycles with the resources at your disposal, by reusing the tools or using something you build yourself, will improve your homestead and make it easier to run and succeed. You can use eggs from your hens. You can replenish seed deposits from plants that have become seeds. Collect and reuse rainwater.
Tips
- Read this article as a guide to help you get started, but adapt these tips to your own plans and goals.
- Talk to people who have already started the homestead process before you start your own. Chances are, they will give you lots of tips that can help you.
