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 you’re a seasoned homesteader on 10 acres of land or a city-dweller wanting to take more control over your life and personal security, there’s 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 you’re 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, I’m sorry to say but you’re bound to fail because you’ll be overwhelmed and faced with a very steep learning curve. If you focus on just a couple though, you’ll be able to gain real confidence in those areas and before you know it you’ll 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 you’re 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 you’ve 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 you’ll 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 you’re 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 it’s 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 you’re in a position to do so, add some livestock to your homestead this year. If you’re 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 you’re looking to level up a little bit, consider meat birds or rabbits or even goats if you have room (and good fencing). If you’re 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 you’re 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 you’ll still be able to water you garden even in a drought and you’ll be using less water from tapped out reservoirs when water’s needed most.
Second, you’ll 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. Let’s 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 you’re brand new to preserving or you’ve been doing it since before you can remember, there’s probably at least one type of food preservation you haven’t tried or at least haven’t mastered yet. If you’re at the very beginning of your food preservation journey, you can honestly start with just freezing food when it’s abundant and in season. If you want to learn to make your food shelf-stable so you don’t 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. It’s 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, you’ll need to learn how to pressure can. This can be a little intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it you’ll learn that it’s 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 you’ve 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, that’s 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 it’s 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 you’ll 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 you’ll be able to keep yourself and your family clean and sanitary if all hell breaks loose and it’s every man for himself, it also means you’ll save money and maybe even put some of your other homestead resources (like tallow) to use. You’ll also save extra money at Christmas time when you’ve 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 you’ll save money on store-bought candles (which are bloody expensive!) and you’ll 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 won’t 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 they’re all safe enough to eat.
Related: DIY Cleaning Recipes with Essential Oils
13. Build a natural medicine cabinet
While you’re 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 you’ll be able to mend ripped clothing and make clothes last longer, which means you’ll save money on buying new and you’ll have the skills to patch things up and make them last in case you’re 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 you’re 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 they’re called “handy”man skills!
Start by building your toolkit with these 15 essential tools for ever home toolkit.
17. Learn basic mechanic skills
While we’re 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 don’t 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 they’re in season without having to grow them yourself. As an added bonus, many edible and medicinal plants are invasive species, so you’ll 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 lamb’s 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 you’re 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 couldn’t afford themselves. Whether you’re aiming for self-sufficiency or not, it’s always a wise idea to pay down your debts as quickly as possible and then stay out of debt at all costs.
While it’s even better to be mortgage-free too, that’s 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 you’re 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 we’re 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 doesn’t 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 you’re a “prepper” or not, it’s 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 apocalypse…) having a bug-out bag that’s 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 someone’s 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 it’s so very important for so many reasons. For starters, if you’re fit and healthy, you’re less likely to get sick and injured, which means you’re also less likely to become dependent on doctors and drugs. Second, when you’re in good shape, you’re 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 you’ve even begun.
Finally, getting in great shape means you’ll 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, you’re 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?), you’re 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 haven’t 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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I’m all about practical gifts; Gifts that will truly make life easier and contribute to my and my family’s wellbeing. And our family includes our animals!
One of the ways we make sure our chickens are taken care of is by letting them free range during the day, but making sure they’re locked up and safe from predators at night. But who wants to be up at the crack of dawn to open the coop, or wake up to a bloodbath because you forgot to close the coop the night before?
(The answer is obviously no one… No one wants that).
Automating our homesteading tasks as much as possible allows us to worry about other things and saves us a ton of time. Plus, it makes sure that things get taken care of, whether we remember or not.
Using an automatic chicken door has been a GAME CHANGER for us. It’s one of those lesser known homestead tools that can make all the difference, and I’m always recommending one to anyone who keeps chickens!
This chicken door from @chickcozy_ is so easy to install and use too, and right now you can get one for a steal during their Black Friday sale!
Save over $40 off an automatic chicken door, plus use my coupon code for an ADDITIONAL DISCOUNT!
Don’t forget to check out their chicken coop heaters too, which are also on sale right now:)
Whether you’re shopping for yourself or looking for the perfect gift for the chicken lover who has everything (which might also be yourself;) the @chickcozy_ automatic chicken door is one Christmas gift that won’t soon be forgotten!
Comment “Chicken” below for more info and to get my exclusive coupon code! 🐓
#chicken #chickens #chickendoor #chickcozyautodoor #chickcozy #chickensofinstagram #chickensofig #chickenlover #homesteadlife
Yes, you read that right…
Modern Homesteading Magazine is coming to an end.
This decision has not come easily, but there’s a season for everything, and more and more I’m feeling called to transition out of this season and into the next in both life and business.
And so this final farewell issue is bittersweet. On the one hand, it’s the first ever annual issue, with 100 pages packed with brand new content that celebrates the best of the past 32 issues!
And it’s the first issue I’ve ever offered in PRINT!
But on the other hand, it marks the end of an era, and of this publication that I’ve absolutely had the pleasure of creating and sharing with you.
If you’re a digital subscriber, you will not be charged a renewal fee going forward, and will continue to have access to the digital library until your subscription runs out. As part of your subscription, you’re able to download and/or print each issue of you like, so that you never lose access to the hundreds of articles and vast amount of information in each issue.
Rather than subscribing, you can now purchase an all-access pass for a one-time fee of just $20, which gives you access to our entire digital library of issues.
Plus, for a limited time, when you purchase an all-access pass you’ll also get a gift certificate for a second all-access pass to gift to someone else.
I’m also still taking preorders for the print version of this special edition issue, but only for a few more weeks!
When you preorder the print issue, you’ll also get a digital copy of the special edition issue (this issue only), and will receive a print copy in the mail later this year (hopefully by Christmas so long as there are no shipping delays!)
Click the link in my profile or visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com to check out the latest issue, purchase an all-access pass to the digital library and/or preorder the print issue today!
Thanks to everyone who has read the magazine over the past 4 years. I’m humbled and grateful for your support, and can’t wait to share whatever comes next:)
#modernhomesteading #homesteading #homesteadersofinstagram
It’s easy to romanticize homesteading, but the truth is that those homegrown vegetables, those freshly laid eggs, that loaf of bread rising on the counter, and that pantry full of home-canned food takes time, effort and dedication. It doesn’t “just happen” overnight!
But if you work on learning one new skill at a time and gain confidence in it before moving onto the next, one day you’ll be looking back and marvelling at how far you’ve come.
That’s where I’m at now. Life today looks a lot different than it did 10 years ago, when our homesteading and self-reliance journey was just beginning.
Back then we still lived in our city condo and were just beginning to dabble in all of this stuff. But my husband Ryan and I felt a sense urgency to start pursuing a more self-reliant lifestyle, and we committed to taking small steps, one day at a time to make that vision a reality.
Over the years we’ve continued to put one foot in front of the other, adding new skills and tackling new projects along the way that have helped us get to where we are today.
While there’s always more we want to learn and do, as I look around me right now, I’m so grateful that we took those first steps, especially considering what’s happened in the world over the past few years!
If you’re also feeling the urgency to take the first (or next) steps toward a more self-reliant life, this is your final reminder that today is the last day to join The Society of Self-Reliance and start levelling up your homesteading and self-sufficiency skills so that you’ve got what it takes to:
• Grow your own groceries
• Stock your pantry
• Create a natural home
• Get prepared
• Learn other important life skills like time management for homesteaders, goal setting and how to become your own handyman
And more!
If you’ve been feeling called to level up your self-reliance skills (because let’s be honest, we’re in for a wild ride these next few years with everything going on in the world), now is the time to heed that call.
Link in profile to enroll before midnight tonight, or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society
#homesteading #selfreliance #selfsufficiency #homesteadingskills #preparedness
There are so many reasons to grow your own food at home:
💰 Saves you money at the grocery store
🍴 Healthier than conventionally grown food
🔑 increases your overall food security
🫙 Gives you an abundance to preserve and share
But perhaps the number one reason is because it just tastes better!
Not only does food taste better when it’s freshly picked or allowed to ripen on the vine, there’s something about putting in the work to grow something from a tiny seed and then getting to see it on your dinner plate that just makes it so much more satisfying than anything you’ll ever buy from the store.
Plus, having to wait all year for fresh tomatoes or strawberries or zucchinis to be in season makes that short period when they’re available just that much more exciting!
With the world spinning out of control and food prices continuing to rise, it’s no wonder more people are taking an interest in learning to grow their own food at home. But that also means changing our relationship with food and learning to appreciate the work that goes into producing it and the natural seasonality of organically grown fruits and vegetables.
(It also means learning to preserve it so you can make the most of it and enjoy homegrown food all year long).
In my online membership program, The Society of Self-Reliance, you’ll learn how to grow your own food, from seed to harvest, as well as how to preserve it so you can enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor all year long!
You’ll also learn how to grow and craft your own herbal medicine, detox your home, become your own handyman, and so much more (because self-reliance is about more than just the food that we eat… But that’s a pretty good place to start!)
The doors to the Society are now open for a limited time only. Click the link in my profile or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
#foodsecurity #homegrownfood #homesteading #selfreliance #selfsufficiency #homegrownfoodjusttastesbetter
If you’ve been watching events unfold over the past few years and you’re feeling called to start “cutting ties” with the system and begin reclaiming your independence, The Society of Self-Reliance was made for you!
When I first launched this online membership program last year, my goal was to create a one-stop resource where members could go to learn and practice every aspect of self-reliance, as well as a space to connect with other like-minded people pursuing the same goal. And that’s exactly what you’ll get when you join!
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn inside the Society:
🌱 Food Security and Self-Sufficiency: Learn the art of growing and preserving your own food, ensuring you and your loved ones have access to nutritious meals year-round.
🌿 Natural Living and Herbal Medicine Mastery: Discover the secrets to creating a low-tox home and and to growing, making and using herbal remedies to support your family’s health, naturally.
🔨 Essential Life Skills: Learn essential life skills like time management, effective goal setting and practical DIY skills to become more self-sufficient.
As a member, you’ll enjoy:
📚 Monthly Video Lessons: Gain access to our ever-growing library of video lessons, with fresh content added each month.
📞 Live Group Coaching Calls: Participate in our monthly live group coaching calls, where we deep dive into a different self-reliance topic every month, and do live demonstrations and Q&A’s.
🏡 Private Community: Join our private community forum where you can ask questions, share your progress, and connect with like-minded individuals.
I only open the doors to The Society once or twice each year, but right now, for one week only, you can become a member for just $20/month (or $200/year).
In today’s world, self-reliance is no longer a luxury, a “cute hobby,” it’s a necessity. Join us inside The Society of Self-Reliance and empower yourself with the skills you need to thrive in the new world!
Link in profile or visit thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
#selfreliance #selfreliant #selfsufficiency #selfsufficientliving #sustainableliving #modernhomesteading #homesteadingskills #preparedness
Got out for an early morning harvest today. Been up since 3am, contemplating life, the future and the past, the order of things…
There is a rumbling right now, not just in North America, but around the world. Many of us can feel it, and know we are on the precipice of something big.
I’d been hearing about this new song that’s become an overnight viral sensation, written by an (until now) unknown singer named Oliver Anthony. His new song Rich Men North of Richmond has had 14 million views on YouTube in the past week alone, so I decided to check it out.
I also saw a clip of him playing a Farmers Market last week, and anything that has to do with Farmers Markets always has my attention;)
I can’t tell you how many tears I’ve already cried listening to that song. If you’ve heard it already, you probably know what I’m talking about, and if you haven’t, I highly recommend giving it a listen. All I can say is it’s been a while since a song resonated so deeply with me, and in this strange new world, I know I’m not the only one.
One of the lines in Anthony’s song is “Livin’ in the new world, with an old soul,” and that’s something I think so many of us in the homesteading community can relate to.
Trying to cling to better days; To a simpler time; To the old ways, all while doing our best to get by in the new world.
The world has changed drastically in the last few years especially, and it’s set to change in immense ways over the next few years. Today I’m feeling thankful for people like @oliver_anthony_music_ who give a voice to what so many are feeling right now.
Know that if you’re feeling it too, you’re far from alone. And while the future may feel uncertain and even a little scary, remember that if we stand united, we the people are a force to be reckoned with.
(Continued in comments…)
Another garlic harvest in the books!
Garlic is easily one of my favourite crops to grow. It’s pretty much a “set if and forget it” crop. We plant in the fall and leave it to overwinter, fertilize a couple times in the spring, start watering only once the ground starts to dry out, and then harvest in the summer. We can even plant a fall succession crop after our garlic if we want so it really makes great use of garden space all year round.
Over the years we’ve managed to become completely self-sufficient with garlic. We now grow enough to eat all year (and then some!), plus we save our own seed garlic and usually have extra to sell or give away. And around here fresh, organic garlic ain’t cheap, so it’s a good cash crop for anyone who’s serious about selling it.
It took me a few years to really get the hang of garlic, but it’s one crop I’m now very confident with (knock on wood, because it’s always when we make statements like this that next year’s crop fails! Lol.)
A while back I compiled a comprehensive guide to growing, harvesting and using garlic both as an edible and medicinal crop. This is usually only available as part of a paid bundle (or in the fall 2022 issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine if you’re a subscriber;), but for a limited time I’m offering it for free, no strings attached!
Plus you’ll also get access to my step-by-step video lesson on planting garlic so you can set yourself up for success with your garlic crop this year.
Comment “Garlic” below or head to thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-guide to get your free copy!
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#garlic #garlicharvest #homesteading #selfsufficient #selfsufficiency #selfsufficientliving #selfreliance #homegrown #groworganic #growfoodnotlawns #gardenersofinstagram #homesteadersofinstagram
Going through photos and videos from our trip to the @modernhomesteadingconference and the vast majority are of our daughter having the time of her life!
Even if I personally got nothing else out of this gathering (which I most certainly did), watching her discover her own love of this lifestyle outside of what we do at home made my heart grow three sizes!
Homesteading is about so much more than homegrown food and self-reliance. It’s about passing on invaluable skills and an understanding of and respect for our connection to the land that provides for us to the next generation.
Being around so many other kids and families who are also pursuing a homesteading lifestyle helped show our little one that this is a movement that is so much bigger and greater than what our own family does on our little plot of land. This is a lifestyle worth pursuing, with a community unlike any other.
Glad to be back home and more excited than ever to involve my kids in everything we’re doing. But also, I think I speak for my whole family when I say we can’t wait to go back someday!
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#homesteading #modernhomesteading #raisinglittles
If you’re simply looking for ways to save a little extra cash this summer and live well for less, here are 12 tried and tested frugal living tips for summer that you can use to save money this season without sacrificing a thing.
Head over using the link in my bio!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/12-frugal-living-tips-summer/
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#houseandhomestead
#momentsofcalm
#pursuejoy
#simplepleasuresoflife
#thatauthenticfeeling
#findhappiness
#artofslowliving
#simplelifepleasures
#lifesimplepleasure
#simplepleasuresinlife
#thatauthenticlife
#authenticlifestyle
#liveanauthenticlife
#livinginspired
#savouringhappiness
#livemoment
#localgoodness
#simplelive
#lifeouthere
#enjoywhatyouhave
#frugallifestyle
#homesteadingmama
#offgridhomestead
#modernfarmhousekitchen
#crunchymama
#rusticfarmhouse
#farmhouseinspo
#farmhouselife
#modernhomesteading
#backyardfarmer
A brand new issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine just dropped!
In this issue:
🌱 How to forage and use five common edible and medicinal weeds
🏠 A sustainable, affordable alternative to traditional homes, greenhouses and more
👨👩👧👦 Tips for managing a homestead while raising a family (big or small!)
🫙 What to focus on when preserving food for true food security
🌹 How to grow and arrange your own cut flowers at home
🍓 The many ways to preserve summer berries (including 5 delicious recipes!)
💇How to make your own all-natural herbal hair care products at home
🧑🌾 Why “community sufficiency” is the new self-sufficiency
And more!
Visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com (or click the link in my bio) to subscribe or login to the library and read the latest issue.
Plus, be sure to check out all of our past issues as well! There’s a wealth of information in our library on everything from farming and gardening to cooking and canning to herbal medicine, natural living and so much more!
*** This will be the last quarterly issue! ***
This little magazine has grown so much over the past 4 years and 32 issues, and now it’s time for another exciting evolution.
I’m excited to announce that we will be moving to an even more robust annual publication with the intention of offering the first ever print edition this fall if there is enough demand.
I’m also excited to announce the brand new Modern Homesteading Magazine blog, which is currently under construction and will be launching soon. While we will still be maintaining digital subscriptions, the blog will be accessible to all, free of charge, so that more people might benefit from the empowering and increasingly important information that we cover in each issue.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this issue happen! @homesteadingfamily @oatsandhoneyhomestead @omnivore.culture @thetaylor.leigh @doeraydesign (and more who don’t have IG pages;)
And a HUGE thank you to everyone who has subscribed over the years. Modern Homesteading Magazine would never have become what it is today without each and every one of you.
#homesteading #modernhomesteading #selfsufficiency
If you’ve ever grown your own garlic, you might have noticed the spiral-shaped shoots that suddenly pop up in the centre of the stem, usually about a month or so before the garlic bulbs themselves are ready to be harvested.
These are garlic scapes, and believe it or not- they make delicious pesto! Get the recipe through the link in my bio- https://thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-scape-pesto/
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#houseandhomestead
#homesteadmom
#homesteadmoments
#homesteadingskills
#homesteady
#thehomestead
#thehomesteadlife
#summeronthehomestead
#suburbanhomesteading
#lovemyfarm
#modernhomesteader
#countrygal
#country_living
#urbanhomesteading
#selfsustainableliving
#homesteaderslife
#garlic
#garlicscapes
#garlicscapespesto
#granolamom
#urbanhomesteader
#homesteadlifestyle
#farmerslifeforme
#backyardhomesteading
#homesteadingfamily
#sustainablelifestyles
#happyhomesteading
#homesteadersofamerica
#homesteaders
This honey and chive blossom vinaigrette is a frugal, easy and healthy homemade salad dressing that pairs beautifully with fresh garden salads all season long.
Get the recipe through the link in my bio.
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/chive-blossom-vinaigrette/
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#houseandhomestead
#herbalgarden
#gardenherbs
#herbsfromthegarden
#freshherbsfromthegarden
#gardenfreshherbs
#chiveblossoms
#homesteadmom
#homesteadmoments
#homesteadingskills
#homesteady
#thehomestead
#thehomesteadlife
#summeronthehomestead
#suburbanhomesteading
#lovemyfarm
#modernhomesteader
#countrygal
#country_living
#urbanhomesteading
#selfsustainableliving
#homesteaderslife
#seasonalrecipes
#eatinseason
#liveseasonally
#eattheseasons
#seasonaleats
#summersbounty
#eatseasonal
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 don’t know that I’ll ever be in a position to totally homestead, but I’d 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 I’d like to have a small garden even if I can only do container gardening at first. I’d 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/