25 Ways to Become More Self-Sufficient This Year
With the new year comes a fresh start and a new opportunity to do anything you set your mind to over the next 12 months. Why not work on increasing your self-sufficiency this year so that you can become more secure and independent and less reliant on others to take care of you?
Whether youโre a seasoned homesteader on 10 acres of land or a city-dweller wanting to take more control over your life and personal security, thereโs always more you can do to become more self-sufficient right where you are.
You may already have a self-sufficiency goal or two that you want to work on this year, but if youโre looking for a few more ideas, here are 25 for you, ranging from things you can do in your kitchen to skills you can practice in the wild.
Whatever you do, DO NOT try to tackle all of these in one year!
Remember, the key to success is to work on mastering one skill and completing one project at a time before moving onto the next.
If you try to do it all right away, Iโm sorry to say but youโre bound to fail because youโll be overwhelmed and faced with a very steep learning curve. If you focus on just a couple though, youโll be able to gain real confidence in those areas and before you know it youโll be building on your new-found skills and moving onto the next new project you want to tackle or thing you want to learn.
Remember, the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time! Choose the goal(s) that best suit where youโre at right now on your homesteading journey and work on smashing those out of the park this year! Then come back next year and do it all over again:)
25 Self-Sufficiency Goals for the New Year
1. Plant a veggie garden (or expand an existing one)
If youโve never planted a veggie garden before, this is a great first (or next) step on the road to self-sufficiency. There is just no feeling that compares to the pride you get from putting homegrown food on the table for your family!
If you already have a garden, work on expanding it. Whether you expand the footprint of your garden or find creative new ways to produce more food (like vertical gardening or succession planting), work on adding a little more homegrown food to your homestead this year.
Related: How to Grow More Food in Less Space
2. Plant perennials
Add some perennials to your property and youโll reap the benefits of these plants for years to come without having to plant them each year. Herbs like rosemary, sage and thyme are great candidates, but some fruits and veggies like rhubarb and asparagus will also come back year after year and make any effort you put into planting them this year well worth it in the years to come!
3. Add fruit trees & shrubs to your homestead
Like other perennial plants, fruit trees and shrubs will provide you with fresh fruit for years -decades even- without having to do the work of replanting every year. Find out what type of trees and shrubs grow best in your area and plant a few now. It may take a few years for them to actually produce fruit but once the bumper crops start coming you will thank yourself for planting them now.
Oh, and if youโre looking for something a little different to add to your food garden, try some nut trees! Hazelnut trees, walnut trees and almond trees are a few you might want to consider.
4. Plant a medicinal garden
While growing your own food is a noble goal, growing your own medicine takes your self-sufficiency game to the next level. Add some medicinal herbs and flowers to your garden this year and then harvest and dry them for use in your home medicine cabinet throughout the year. You can then use them to make salves, tinctures, teas and infused oils and honey to keep you and your family in good health, homesteader style.
Plant herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage and even cannabis (if itโs legal where you live) to be used medicinally. Flowers like echinacea, chamomile, lavender, yarrow and calendula are also wonderful candidates for a medicinal garden.
For help getting started, check out this post on 13 culinary and medicinal herbs for your garden.
5. Add livestock to your homestead
If youโre in a position to do so, add some livestock to your homestead this year. If youโre just getting started, laying hens are a great animal to get your feet wet with. Add a few hens to your barnyard and enjoy fresh eggs right from your backyard!
If youโre looking to level up a little bit, consider meat birds or rabbits or even goats if you have room (and good fencing). If youโre looking to level up a lot, maybe add pigs or even a cow! Just be prepared for the space and time-commitment that livestock takes. The bigger the animals, the more space and time needed to care for them.
6. Set up rain barrels on your homestead
If youโre looking to increase your water security, adding some rain barrels and a catchment system to your homestead is a great goal to work towards this year. First of all, catching rainwater in the wet months means you have a backup supply in the dry months when there are often water restrictions on. This means youโll still be able to water you garden even in a drought and youโll be using less water from tapped out reservoirs when waterโs needed most.
Second, youโll have an emergency supply of water for things like bathing, doing dishes and laundry if the power goes out and the water shuts off. This just happened to lots of people close to where we live when the power got knocked out from a windstorm for almost a week right before Christmas a couple weeks ago. Letโs just say that those with rain barrels on their property had a much easier time getting water to their homes all by themselves than those without.
Learn how to build your own homemade rain barrel out of a garbage can and a few simple pieces of hardware.
7. Learn a new kitchen skill or recipe
No matter how skilled (or unskilled) you are in the kitchen, there is always something new you can learn and master. Set a goal this year to bake a cake from scratch, make your own condiments like ketchup or mayonnaise, make homemade broth, yogurt or pasta. Or maybe practice your knife skills and learn how to julienne a carrot, filet a fish or cut up a whole chicken. Or maybe even take your kitchen game outside and learn to cook over an open flame.
Kitchen skills are always invaluable on any homestead, modern or traditional. The more you know and the more skilled you are in this department, the less dependent you are on restaurants and grocery stores to prepare your food for you.
8. Learn a new way to preserve food
Whether youโre brand new to preserving or youโve been doing it since before you can remember, thereโs probably at least one type of food preservation you havenโt tried or at least havenโt mastered yet. If youโre at the very beginning of your food preservation journey, you can honestly start with just freezing food when itโs abundant and in season. If you want to learn to make your food shelf-stable so you donโt depend on electricity to power your freezer, canning is an obvious option (and one I highly recommend learning!)
Water bath canning is a great place to start. Itโs really easy and all you really need is a large pot full of water and some canning jars. Learn more about how to get started water bath canning here.
If you want to level up and learn to can vegetables, meats and other low acid foods, youโll need to learn how to pressure can. This can be a little intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it youโll learn that itโs really quite easy. Click here to learn how to use a pressure canner safely.
Other types of food preservation that you might want to try out include dehydrating (one of my personal favourites) and fermenting. I recommend choosing one new form of food preservation to try out this year and once you feel like youโve got that down, move onto the next.
9. Learn to bake bread
Having flour on hand and knowing how to bake bread from scratch means that, no matter what, you and your family will never go hungry. In fact, thatโs why bread (in some form) has been a staple food in just about every culture since man learned how to convert grains into this hearty, filling food. Homemade bread is also what kept many people and families alive during the Great Depression when food was scarce and unaffordable.
Whether itโs a loaf of sourdough sandwich bread, a rustic baguette, dinner rolls or flatbread, learn to bake at least one type of bread and make sure you have a go-to recipe printed out so that youโll always have it on hand to reference. A sack of flour and a good homemade bread recipe is like food security insurance.
Related: Easy No-Knead Homemade Bread
10. Learn to make soap
Learning how to make your own soap not only means that youโll be able to keep yourself and your family clean and sanitary if all hell breaks loose and itโs every man for himself, it also means youโll save money and maybe even put some of your other homestead resources (like tallow) to use. Youโll also save extra money at Christmas time when youโve got a stockpile of homemade soap to give away as gifts!
11. Learn to make candles
Just like soap-making, learning to make your own candles means youโll save money on store-bought candles (which are bloody expensive!) and youโll have quality homemade gifts on hand for everyone and their brother when special occasions roll around. Also, making your own homemade candles with all-natural ingredients means you wonโt be exposing your family to the toxic chemicals that are in the dyes, fragrances and even low-grade waxes common in store-bought candles.
Related: Homemade Soy Candles with Essential Oils
12. Make your own cleaning products
Have you seen the chemicals and warning labels on store-bought cleaners? Many of them have explosive and poison warning signs on the packaging! No thank you. Not in my home.
The good news is, a few simple ingredients like baking soda, white vinegar and a little lemon juice, plus maybe a few essential oils are all you need to clean just about everything in your home, from your kitchen counter to your toilet bowl. And theyโre all safe enough to eat.
Related: DIY Cleaning Recipes with Essential Oils
13. Build a natural medicine cabinet
While youโre replacing those cleaning products with all-natural homemade alternatives, start replacing the contents of your medicine cabinet too. Replace over-the-counter bottles of pills and cough syrups with your own homegrown dried herbs, tinctures, infused oils and honey. Work on building your collection of essential oils and learn to use them safely and properly to treat everything from common colds to cuts and scrapes to headaches and hangovers and everything in between.
For more inspiration, come take a peek inside my natural medicine cabinet!
14. Learn to sew a button or stitch a hem
Having some basic sewing skills in your back pocket means youโll be able to mend ripped clothing and make clothes last longer, which means youโll save money on buying new and youโll have the skills to patch things up and make them last in case youโre unable to buy them new for any reason.
15. Learn to knit or crochet
Knowing how to knit or crochet well means you have the necessary skills to keep yourself and your family warm in the winter without having to spend money on store-bought winter gear like hats, scarves, sweaters and wool socks. If youโre just getting started, learning how to knit or crochet a scarf is fairly easy and makes another wonderful Christmas gift for someone special on your list!
16. Learn basic handyman skills
Much like learning basic sewing skills, having some basic handyman skills in your tool belt will go a long way when it comes to being able to handle a wide range of home (and homestead) improvement tasks on your own without having to call and/or pay someone. Being able to do small home repairs, build sheds and outbuildings and erect and fix fencing will definitely come in handy on any homestead, big or small. Hence why theyโre called โhandyโman skills!
Start by building your toolkit with these 15 essential tools for ever home toolkit.
17. Learn basic mechanic skills
While weโre on the topic of being able to repair things yourself, having some basic mechanic skills is another important one to have in your toolkit. Basic mechanic skills can help you fix vehicles and machines like cars, trucks, tractors, excavators, mowers, power tools and anything else powered by an engine. More money saved. More self-sufficiency. Vroom vroom.
18. Learn to hunt or fish
While growing and raising your own food are benchmarks of true self-sufficiency, having the skills and knowledge to hunt and fish for food in your area means you can fill your freezer and pantry with wild-caught, healthy meat and seafood whether or not you have the space and resources to raise your own meat.
If you donโt have anyone close to you who can teach you how to hunt or fish, contact your local rod and gun or fish and game club or even ask at your local outdoor sporting goods store to find out about getting the proper licenses and safety training and possibly finding a mentor to take you out. You can learn a lot from Youtube, but this is one where having a guide to get you started will really help.
19. Learn to forage plants in your area
Like hunting and fishing, learning to forage for edible and medicinal plants in your local area means you can gather wild edibles and medicinals when theyโre in season without having to grow them yourself. As an added bonus, many edible and medicinal plants are invasive species, so youโll be doing your local environment and community a favour by foraging them and eating them!
Plants like stinging nettle, dandelions and Japanese knotweed are all weeds that are both edible and nutritious. Other plants and weeds you can forage include lambโs quarters, chickweed, purslane, fiddleheads, rosehips, wild berries, seaweed and mushrooms.
Related: How to Safely Harvest and Use Stinging Nettles
*When it comes to foraging for mushrooms, it is essential that you get yourself a good field guide and hire a guide to take you out the first time to help you positively identify certain species of mushroom. Eating the wrong kind of mushroom can have fatal consequences, so make absolutely sure that you know what youโre eating before you put it in your mouth.
20. Pay off debts
No one can really be self-sufficient when they owe other people money that they used to pay for things they couldnโt afford themselves. Whether youโre aiming for self-sufficiency or not, itโs always a wise idea to pay down your debts as quickly as possible and then stay out of debt at all costs.
While itโs even better to be mortgage-free too, thatโs another, bigger goal altogether. For now just work on getting your consumer debts paid off and freeing yourself from the slavery of owing other people money and interest.
*For help with paying off debts and getting your personal finances under control, I highly recommend reading The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey.
21. Start an emergency fund
If you want to become more self-sufficient because youโre looking for some extra security in a world that seems more volatile and insecure every day, having an emergency fund will definitely help you sleep a little better.
To start a basic emergency fund, save up $1,000 in cash or in a savings account in the bank. Do not touch this money for anything other than a real emergency such as a car breaking down, a flood in your house, unforeseen medical bills or in the case of a job loss. This is your safety net. Keep it as long as you can and top it back up as soon as possible if you have to dip into it.
22. Create a source of income from your homestead
While weโre on the topic of money, if you want to take your self-sufficiency to the next level, maybe you should consider creating a primary or additional source of income right from your homestead. Being able to save money is one thing, but being able to generate your own income is like growing your own food: You cut out the middleman and you gain total control over the money you earn.
Or you can just pad up that emergency fund with a little side hustle like selling eggs or fresh veggies from your garden or soap or candles or homemade bread, etc. Or you can sell your skills. If you can do handyman work especially, there are always people looking for help with those types of jobs. Or you can teach your skills to other people by way of teaching classes at your local community centre or teaching online via online courses, blogs and ebooks. This blog is my source of income for our house and homestead, and although it doesnโt earn me much right now, it has the potential to earn a full-time income (which is my ultimate goal), and if I can do it, you can do it too.
23. Pack a bug-out bag
Whether youโre a โprepperโ or not, itโs smart to have a bug-out bag packed and ready to go in case of an emergency. If you need to evacuate for any reason (think wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, zombie apocalypseโฆ) having a bug-out bag thatโs ready to grab and head out the door will save you valuable time and help keep stress levels in check when tensions are already running high. Plus, having a three-day supply of emergency preparedness gear and rations in a bug-out (or bug-in) bag is imperative in case of an emergency as you are expected to be able to take care of yourself and your family for a minimum of 72 hours before any help arrives.
Related: 15 Emergency Preparedness Items You Need to Have Packed and Ready To Go
Much like an emergency fund, your bug-out bag is for emergencies only and acts as a safety net. That means no eating the granola bars and beef jerky from your bug-out bag! (Unless they need to be rotated anyway. In that case, eat them and replace them ASAP).
24. Learn basic First Aid
Knowing basic First Aid can literally save someoneโs life in the event of an emergency, especially if you live rurally where it takes a substantial amount of time for emergency responders to get to you.
Check online to find a First Aid certification course near you. Repeat training every year if possible. Practice often. This is definitely not something you want to have to read up on or search on Youtube in the middle of an emergency.
25. Get in shape
This one rarely makes lists like these about self-sufficiency, but itโs so very important for so many reasons. For starters, if youโre fit and healthy, youโre less likely to get sick and injured, which means youโre also less likely to become dependent on doctors and drugs. Second, when youโre in good shape, youโre better able to do things like haul animal feed and water, stack hay, fix fence, chop wood and tend your garden without injuring yourself or becoming winded before youโve even begun.
Finally, getting in great shape means youโll also be better equipped to take care of yourself and your family in the event of an emergency. After all, if that zombie apocalypse does ever come, youโre gonna wanna be able to outrun them.
The Benefits of Self-Sufficiency
Becoming more self-sufficient and being able to care and provide for yourself and your family is an increasingly important goal in a world full of uncertainty. Whether you want to be more prepared for a widespread emergency like a natural disaster or economic collapse (or, I don’t know, a global pandemic, perhaps?), youโre looking for a little extra security in the case of a more personal crisis like a job loss or medical emergency or you simply want more control over your life and to be less dependent on other people, corporations and government entities to take care of you, well my friend then you have come to the right place.
If you havenโt had a chance yet, I invite you to spend a little time browsing the content on this blog. All of it is geared toward empowering and inspiring you to become more self-sufficient and teaching you valuable skills (like the ones mentioned above) that will serve you well on your journey.
If you’re ready to REALLY dive in, I also invite you to subscribe to our very own digital magazine, Modern Homesteading Magazine.
Over the past 2+ years, we’ve covered everything from organic gardening and raising livestock to canning, fermenting, home dairy, sourdough bread, herbal medicine and much, much more!
When you subscribe, you’ll get instant access to our entire digital library of issues. Plus you’ll be the first to know when new issues drop!
Wishing you homemade, homegrown, homestead happiness…and a self-sufficient new year!
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For many, wood heat and wood burning stoves conjure up nostalgia and cozy feelings. But more importantly, wood heat is reliable, affordable and gives us the ability to heat our homes without relying on the grid or on other types of energy, which are currently in short supply.
While we typically think of wood stoves and traditional fireplaces when we think of wood heat, there is an even MORE efficient and sustainable way to heat our homes with woodโฆ
Introducing the Rocket Mass Heater: A slow release radiant heating system that consists of a fire box, an insulated combustion chamber that burns fuel at very high temperatures, and a thermal mass -typically made out of cobb and stone- attached to the exhaust pipe, which snakes through the thermal mass before connecting to the chimney pipe.
Due to their highly efficient design, rocket mass heaters emit more heat for longer than conventional wood burning stoves and fireplaces, and are more energy efficient and environmentally friendly than other types of wood heat.
They burn at a higher temperature, emit practically no smoke at all, and charge the thermal mass around them, which continues to emit radiant heat long after the fire goes out. Not to mention, rocket mass heaters require much less fuel than conventional wood stoves or fireplaces. Some estimates even say rocket mass heaters can reduce fuel consumption by up to 90 per cent!
If youโve thought about going off-grid or youโre simply looking for alternatives to expensive, unreliable electric heat and youโre in a position to build and install one of these bad boys at home, I highly encourage you to consider a rocket mass heater for your homestead, Earthship or otherwise humble abode.
Thanks to guest contributor Sunflower Craig from Permies.com for this insightful article on rocket mass heaters! Click the link in my bio @anna.sakawsky or go to https://thehouseandhomestead.com/rocket-mass-heater/ to learn more!
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โNot eating mushrooms is like not eating an entire food groupโฆ And a healthy one.โ
Mushrooms have had a bit of a bad rap in the west for a long time. Depending on the type of mushroom in question, theyโve either been regarded as something to turn your nose up at or even something to be afraid of.
But in recent years mushrooms have started gaining momentum as both medicine and superfoods, and with more and more people looking for natural alternatives to conventional (and often harmful) prescription drugs, psychedelic mushrooms are even being legalized and used in small (micro) doses to treat mental health issues with promising results.
The story of mushrooms and the entire fungi kingdom is as complex and captivating as the mycelium networks they fruit from, and the potential health and wellness benefits of adding more mushrooms into our diets and lives are only just beginning to be understood.
I sat down with Louis Giller of @northsporemushrooms for the winter issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine to talk all about the wonderful world of fabulous fungi, how to get started foraging or growing mushrooms at home (even if you live in an apartment!), and why mushrooms of all kinds (edible, medicinal and psychedelic) are rightfully having a moment right now.
If becoming more self-sufficient and optimizing your overall health and wellness is part of your master plan for 2023, mushrooms should definitely be a part of your approach.
Start by checking out my full interview with Louis in the winter issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine - Link in bio to sign in or subscribe.
And while youโre there, be sure to check out our feature on medicinal mushrooms, as well as our elevated mushroom recipes, all of which make perfect winter meals for your family table.
Link in bio @anna.sakawsky or head to https://modernhomesteadingmagazine.com
#mushrooms #medicinalmushrooms #eatyourshrooms #fantasticfungi #homesteading #modernhomesteading
When I first started growing my own food at home, the gardening world seemed pretty black and white to me: plants grow in the dirt, outdoors, in the spring and summer. Thatโs what us city kids always learned in school anyway.โฃ
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And obviously thatโs not wrong, but once you get into gardening and growing food, a world full of endless possibilities starts to open up, including growing food indoors year-round.โฃ
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Sprouts are considered to be a superfood because of how nutrient dense they are and when we eat them, we get the health benefits of all of those nutrients in our own bodies.โฃ
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If you live in a climate that remains colder half the year or more, sprouts can be an excellent way to get the benefits of gardening even when it's not "gardening season". โฃ
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I've got a full list of tips & tricks on growing sprouts indoors all year round that includes: โฃ
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-How to grow sproutsโฃ
-Different ways to use them โฃ
-Where to buy seeds and more! โฃ
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Visit this link https://thehouseandhomestead.com/grow-sprouts-indoors/ or check the link in my bio to see all the details.
Living a slow, simple life isnโt easy in this fast-paced world.
No matter how much I preach it to everyone else, I still struggle with the guilt, shame and โnot enough-nessโ that I feel every time I choose rest, relaxation, stillness, disconnectedness or being โunproductiveโ when I feel I SHOULD be working, hustling, moving, checking emails and being โproductiveโ (which is almost always).
We all know that our culture praises productivity and busy-ness, and most of us know itโs a scam that keeps us stressed, burnt out and focused on the wrong things in life. Ultimately many of us end up feeling unfulfilled even though weโre spinning our wheels every day working to keep up with the demands of the world and our never-ending to-do list. Most of us would rather be resting, relaxing, spending quality time with our loved ones and doing things that light us up rather than simply keep us busy. But itโs hard to break free from the societal pressure to do more, produce more, earn more, acquire more and ultimately BE more.
So while I still struggle with this daily, and I donโt have any easy answers for how to overcome this, I wanted to share that today Iโm choosing slow; Today Iโm choosing to be present in the here and now rather than worrying about yesterday or tomorrow; Today Iโm choosing snuggles with my baby boy over emails and deadlines, and while I still feel that guilt rising up inside me, Iโm making a conscious effort to remind myself that the world wonโt end because I chose to slow down today, and at the end of my life I wonโt regret taking this time with my son, but I might regret NOT slowing down to enjoy it.
I encourage you to apply the same thought process to your own life and give yourself permission to slow down and enjoy the gift of time youโve been given today. After all, you never know when it might be your last day. And if it were your last, how would you wish youโd spent it?
In the dark, bitter cold days of midwinter when weโve been deprived of quality time in the sunshine and the trees are all bare, it can be easy for almost anyone to feel depressed and to overlook the tiny miracles that are happening all around us.โฃ
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Signs of life abound, even in the dead of winter! โฃ
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Connect with nature and enjoy the little things to help beat the winter blues. Go for a walk in the woods or the park and really pay attention to the natural world around you. Watch the songbirds flitting back and forth, gathering winter berries. Look for signs of greenery and new growth; Maybe even some snowdrops or crocuses have begun to emerge from the ground where you live. โฃ
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If you're feeling the effects of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) right now, please check out my full list of Natural Ways to Combat SAD and additional resources to seek out help from various care providers here https://thehouseandhomestead.com/natural-ways-treat-seasonal-affective-disorder/ or visit the link my bio. โฃ
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Spring is coming!
While most people run to the store every time they need something, you and I are not most people. Oh no friendโฆ We are modern homesteaders.โฃ
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Weโre a special breed, and one thing that sets us apart is that we are always thinking about preparing for the future and about stocking up when the things are abundant (and cheap!) which they aren't so much right now. โฃ
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When it comes to citrus fruits, if you live in a place where you can grow them yourself, then youโll probably have more than you can handle fresh when theyโre in season. Knowing how to preserve them will help ensure nothing gets wasted.โฃ
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Whether you're a seasoned homesteader or this is your first season preserving, I've got a hearty list of ideas of how to get the most out of your citrus fruits for the year to come! Visit the full list here https://thehouseandhomestead.com/12-ways-use-preserve-citrus-fruits/ or check out the link in my bio. โฃ
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What do you usually do with your extra citrus fruits? Have you tried any of these preservation methods?โฃ
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Let me know in the comments below!
Checking in on all my #homesteadpantrychallenge participants today :) โฃ
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During the pantry challenge I always find it pretty easy to make my way through the canned items. A side dish here, a breakfast there, but what about bulk items that we have on hand like bags of sugar and flour?โฃ
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Well have no fear, this bread recipe is a game-changer! Not only does it only require 3 simple ingredients (plus water), it can be whipped up in a bowl using an ordinary kitchen spoon and it comes out perfect every time. It will help you make your way through that 5lb bag of flour just sitting on the shelf, and it only takes a couple minutes to prepare. โฃ
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This is a really nice bread to dip in olive oil and balsamic vinegar or as part of a spread or cheese board. For the full recipe click here https://thehouseandhomestead.com/easy-no-knead-homemade-bread/ or visit the link in my bio. โฃ
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Let me know how it turns out and if you decide to add any herbs or other toppings to spice it up, I want to hear about it!
Iโve tried my hand at many skills and tackled my share of adventurous projects over the years. Along my homesteading and journey Iโve tried everything from candle-making to cheesemaking, sourdough bread to fermented vegetables, canning and dehydrating to rendering lard and more. When it comes to home medicine, Iโve learned how to make may useful concoctions, from herbal teas, tinctures and syrups to poultices, salves, ciders and more. But encapsulating my own placenta after the birth of our son was definitely a first, and by far my most adventurous โkitchen projectโ and foray into home medicine so far.
I have to admit, I was a bit squeamish at first, but Iโm fascinated by this kind of stuff and love learning skills that allow me to take my health and well-being into my own hands. I also love challenging myself to try new things and pushing myself out of my comfort zone.
A few of the possible benefits of consuming placenta after birth include:
โข Hormones in the placenta can improve mood and lessen symptoms of postpartum depression
โข Can reduce postpartum bleeding
โข Provides a natural source of iron and other micronutrients
โข Can help boost milk production
And did you know, around 99% of mammals are know to consume their placenta after birth? Only humans and marine mammals do not typically consume their placenta.
But more and more humans are opting to consume their placentas after birth to reap the potential health benefits. The most popular way to do so is through encapsulation.
First the placenta is steamed, then it is sliced thin and dehydrated before being ground up into a fine powder. The you add that powder into some capsules using an encapsulator and youโre done!
Iโve been taking 2 capsules 4x/day for the past week. Any real results are yet to be seen but I didnโt want to pass up the only chance Iโll probably get to try my hand at this home medicine project! I mean, you just never know when this skill might come in handy;)
So tell me, whatโs the most adventurous thing YOUโVE tried in the name of homesteading and/or natural health? Comment below and let me know!
Since the weather is often cold, dark and gloomy, there arenโt as many fun, free things to do outdoors, so itโs easy to blow your budget on other things that will help you beat cabin fever like eating out, going to the movies and even going shopping just for something to do.โฃ
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But the flip side to this is that, once January hits, many people are motivated by the fresh start the new year brings and are ready to hunker down for a while and get their finances on track after the holidays. So in many ways that makes winter the perfect time of year to adopt some frugal habits. โฃ
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Visit this link https://thehouseandhomestead.com/12-frugal-living-tips-for-winter/ or the link in my bio for the full list of Frugal Winter Living tips, and if you're already looking and planning towards Spring you'll also find more frugal living tips for every season linked at the bottom of the list!
Our#homesteadpantrychallenge is in full-swing and now that our little one has arrived, simple and frugal pantry meals are a necessity to ensure we are getting adequate rest and not overdoing it during these newborn days. โฃ
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When I'm staring at the pantry wondering what to make, I love referring back to this list for a little bit of inspiration for either bringing back an old recipe, or creating a new one. โฃ
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๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐'๐ ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐น๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑ: โฃ
Breakfastsโฃ
Soupsโฃ
Homemade Breadsโฃ
Main Dishesโฃ
Snacks & Sidesโฃ
Sweets & Treatsโฃ
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So whether youโre trying to save a little extra money on your grocery bill, or prioritizing rest this season these 35 frugal recipes will help you get good, wholesome, delicious homemade food on the table every day, which means you have one less thing to stress about. โฃ
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Check out the full list at https://thehouseandhomestead.com/frugal-recipes-roundup/ or visit the link in my bio. โฃ
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Eat well friends:)
I hope you had a wonderful and restful end of holidays, and are also feeling ready to get back on track with your daily schedule here in the new year. It can sometimes feel like a lot to get going, but those "regular days" help us to regulate our rhythms, and in turn help us slowly, gear up for the Spring season ahead. โฃ
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In our Winter Issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine, my friend and fellow homesteader, Ashley Constance of @alittleselfreliant wrote "Breaking Your Cabin Fever" a list of ideas for staying productive over the winter months. โฃ
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If you're feeling a bit restless and up to it, this list of ideas is a perfect way to get back into a daily routine. โฃ
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From making and creating, to preparing, planning and organizing you'll be feeling ready for Spring in no time. โฃ
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To see the full list, subscribe to Modern Homesteading Magazine here at https://modernhomesteadingmagazine.com/subscribe/ or visit the link in my bio.
Homesteading is a year-round lifestyle, andโฃ
for whatever reason, homesteading is most often thought of as a three-season โactivity.โ โฃ
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1. ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ข๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐จ๐ช๐ฏ๐ด ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฑ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ. โฃ
2. ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ง๐ข๐ณ๐ฎ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ข๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ด ๐ง๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฎ ๐ด๐ฑ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ถ๐จ๐ฉ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ณ.โฃ
3. ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฆ๐ณ๐ท๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ข๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ด ๐ถ๐ด ๐ง๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฎ ๐ด๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ญ. โฃ
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So much of homesteading centers around preparing for winter. But what happens when winter finally arrives?โฃ
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Sure, we could just hunker down and relax, enjoy the fruits of our labour and rest until spring returns and the really busy seasons begin again. But the very nature of most homesteaders is that we tend to enjoy keeping busy. In other words, we tend to go a bit stir crazy sitting around on the couch for too long.โฃ
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Now, let me just make this clear before we continue: I think itโs VERY important to take time to rest whenever possible so that you can feel rejuvenated and be more productive when you really need to be, but if youโre looking for some (mostly relaxing) homesteading activities that you can do throughout the winter months to help keep you occupied, Iโve got a few suggestions for you:) โฃ
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My full list of winter homesteading activities can be found here https://thehouseandhomestead.com/winter-homesteading-activities/ โฃ
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Happy homesteading!
LOL!! We joke about the Zombie Apocalypse too! The kids have informed us that when it happens, they’re all coming to our house. We have the gardens, lake, and chickens, not to mention necessary equipment. I told them that’s fine, just BYOPF (bring your own pet food) haha!!!
I just want to say that I have been a city girl all my life. But have always had a homesteaders heart. I thought I was doing enough to do this for myself and family, until I read your articles. You have opened my eyes to doing so much more now, even if I live in the city. Thank you.
So glad I could help! Good luck in your journey:)
I just wanted to say that I really enjoy your blogs! I donโt know that Iโll ever be in a position to totally homestead, but Iโd like to incorporate some of the lifestyle into mine. All I really have now are chickens for eggs (and pets… along with ducks and pigs, dogs and cats lol) but Iโd like to have a small garden even if I can only do container gardening at first. Iโd also learn to can and preserve some food. I enjoy reading and learning. Thanks for all you share!!
Thank you for the kind words! It always helps to validate the time and energy I put into blogging when I know that someone is not just reading, but really enjoying it/learning something:)
And the great thing about modern homesteading is that there are no hard and fast rules about how much you have to do or what makes you a homesteader. Having some egg-laying chickens is a great start! We don’t even have chickens yet. For us it made more sense to start with the garden.
As for canning and preserving food, there are lots of great articles and recipes on this site that can help you with that! Check out The Beginner’s Guide to Water Bath Canning to get started: https://thehouseandhomestead.com/water-bath-canning-beginners/