Homestead
Modern day homesteading is a lifestyle movement with foundational principles centered around self-sufficiency and a deep connection to the land. Homesteading encompasses a wide range of practices meant to reduce reliance on mainstream systems that include cultivating food, conserving resources, and incorporating do-it-yourself (DIY) skills for home maintenance and crafting.
Homesteading at its core involves working to produce food through gardening, raising livestock (where feasible), and preserving harvests. This can be done on a scale starting with a small urban balcony garden to farming on a sprawling rural property. Beyond food, homesteading principles also include efforts to manage resources sustainably, such as rainwater catchment, composting, and using renewable energy sources.
People’s motivations to pursue homesteading are as diverse as the people themselves. Some folks desire the ability to eat healthier, homegrown food while others are seeking increased self-reliance, a simpler way of life, or as part of their commitment to environmental sustainability. Regardless of any path an individual chooses, homesteading requires significant time, effort, and a willingness to learn new skills. It is a journey that prioritizes resourcefulness, resilience, and a hands-on approach to daily living. Most people find this to be truly rewarding.
We established Homesteaders NOW to provide a community for homesteaders nationwide to share information, stay informed with current news and events, and network with one another. Whether you’re interested in learning more, just getting started on your homesteading journey, or are an experienced homesteader, we welcome you and look forward to sharing in your journey!
This page is dedicated to discussing homesteading information, ideas, tips and techniques. Some of the topics that may be discussed include:
- Gardening
- Soil preparation, soil testing, amendments (perlite, vermiculite, peat, etc.)
- Raised beds, row gardening, aquaponics/aquaculture, container gardening, French intensive method/square foot gardening, greenhouse, foraging
- Planning, garden journals
- When to plant, zones
- What to plant, cultivars, non-gmo, heirloom, how much to plant
- Organic fertilizers vs. chemical
- Organic pest control vs. chemical
- Seed starting and saving
- Companion planting
- Resources (web, books, county extension office, etc.)
- Animal Husbandry
- Chickens
- Goats
- Rabbits
- Cows
- Pigs
- Fish
- Bees
- Other (turkey, duck, etc.)
- Shelter for animals
- Animal feed
- Resources
- Water: Access, Purification and Storage
- Public (municipal or county)
- Well
- Pond
- Rainwater catchment
- Cistern
- Boiling, distilling, filtration, iodine, UV purification
- Storage containers/devices
- Rotating water so it doesn’t get bad
- Land/Shelter
- Land requirements (how much, water/mineral rights, subsurface rights)
- Housing
- Emergency shelters
- Energy
- Electric (on-grid/off-grid)
- Liquid Fuel (gas/diesel/natural gas/propane/butane/kerosene)
- Solar
- Wind
- Generator
- Gasifier
- Fire (wood)
- How to build
- Wood storage
