So you’re starting a homestead? You’re embarking on a wonderful and highly rewarding journey. Here are 11 tips to get you started.
Interested in homesteading, self-reliance and debt-free living? Learn how to start your own homestead and overcoming the struggles of everyday survival. We’ve come up with 11 helpful tips for the average ‘Joe’ who is about to embark on the bumpy ride to self-reliance and modern-day homesteading.
Tip 1. Start Small
As a starter farm, a hundred acres might be too much to handle. Start with, lets say, 3 acres — it will be enough to teach you the basic things about growing plants, raising animals and learning to improvise.
Check Out: Modular Garden Systems For Tiny Homes & Apartments
Tip 2. Don’t rush things
Do not overwhelm yourself by raising pigs and chickens, growing acres of crops, and learning to mill your own flour all at the same time. As a starter homestead, pick one or two big projects and see how everything goes. When you feel you’re getting the hang of things, then venture into adding more animals to your homestead.
Check Out: Raising Backyard Chickens
Tip 3. Start your own garden patch
You don’t need to plant an acre of potatoes right away! Start planting in a small area and, if all goes pretty well, expand from there!
Check Out: How to grow everything you need in your own backyard
Tip 4. Get to know your soil
Soil is composed of varying percentages of sand, clay and other organic matters. Getting to know your soil will help you determine the type of plants that are appropriate for your soil. A vast homestead may mean that there are different types of soil in different sites. Take the time to walk around and run your fingers in your homestead’s soil.
Check Out: A Homesteader’s Guide to Composting | How To Compost Tutorial
Tip 5. Be familiar with your climate
Know your climate and custom-tailor the plants you’ll grow and the animals you’ll breed to fit the climate. This will increase their chances of survival.
Check Out: 133 Homesteading Skills for the Modern Day Homesteader
Tip 6. Avoid unnecessary expenses
Keep your expenses at bay by not buying things you do not need yet. You certainly don’t need a tractor for your budding garden patch! A tractor may be suitable later on but for now a lawn mower will suffice.
Check Out: How to Gain Financial Freedom While Homesteading
Tip 7. Learn how to improvise
Some of the best homestead tools and devices around aren’t for sale in any store. And some of the best farming tricks are not written in any book. They are conceived and tested by none other than yourself.
Check Out: 20 Things You Should Never Throw Away
Tip 8. Always clean your tools
Tools are expensive. Maintain a habit of cleaning tools after use and keeping them rust-free to prolong their lives!
Check Out: Essential Tools Every Homeowner Should Have for their Homestead
Tip 9. Set realistic goals
Do not frustrate and overwhelm yourself by taking in more than you can handle. The trick is to set solid and achievable goals over a period of time and stick to it.
Check Out: 12 Goals for Ever Homesteader
Tip 10. Learn to be flexible.
As a homestead newbie, try to take it easy on yourself. You may not be able to reach your goals the way you planned it. Learn to adjust your sails — reflect on new goals and adjust your self-imposed deadlines.
Check Out: 12 Ways Self-Sufficiency Will Make You a Happier Person
Tip 11. Know your limits.
You can’t expect to do everything right the first time. Starting a homestead is not an easy task, it requires a lot of skills and knowledge which can’t be learned overnight. Do not be afraid to ask for help when you need it. And most importantly, enjoy the learning process involved with starting your own homestead.
Check Out: 6 Things Homesteaders Can Live Without …Can You?
Lacey says
January 10, 2015 at 1:01 AMThis is a great list thanks for sharing!! We are about to start homesteading!! Starting with a small garden and maybe some meat rabbits!!