
3 Ways to Get Free Organic Food (Without Growing It Yourself)
Wanna learn how to get free organic food without having to grow it yourself?
Sorry. Stupid question… Of course you do:)
* * *
Itโs no secret that organic food isnโt exactly the most affordable option when youโre purchasing it from the store. This is, of course, one of the main reasons we grow a lot of our own organic food at home, because growing our own means we have access to free* organic food all season long, and weโre able to preserve the excess to enjoy year-round.
* I say โfreeโ because it’s free to harvest, however there are, obviously, some costs involved in producing said food, although the costs are significantly less than if we were buying everything from the store.
But what if youโre not able to grow a garden at home? What if youโre just too busy to keep up with a large garden or donโt have the space to produce much?
For starters, I do think that everybody can grow at least a few things at home, regardless of time, space or experience. Herbs, for example, require very little time and effort and can be grown in pots on a small balcony or even in a window box.
But the reality is, if you donโt have a ton of space and time, then growing a large garden that will provide your family with an abundance of free organic food all summer and fall just might not be feasible for you. And while I do believe itโs worth a little extra money to buy organic, many people simply can’t fit store-bought organic food into their budget.
Now, there are definitely some more affordable ways to get your hands on organic food when itโs in season, including purchasing from local farms and roadside farmstands, visiting your farmers market, going to a u-pick farm or signing up for a CSA, but today I want to talk to you specifically about how to get FREE organic food, even if you donโt have a garden. Because while affordable is good, free is even better:)
Foraging
First up on the list is foraging. There are so many wild foods that you can go out and harvest no matter where you live, and of course wild foods are inherently organic because they havenโt been tampered with by humans.
Now, what you’re able to forage for at any given time depends largely on where you live, what grows wild in your area and what time of year it is. But generally speaking, most areas have at least some wild foods that can be foraged. Here are just a few organic wild foods you might be able to forage in your area:
- Weeds and greens (including dandelion greens, chickweed, purslane, chicory, sorrel, plantain, lambโs quarters, Japanese knotweed and stinging nettles, to name but a few)
- Wild asparagus and/or fiddleheads (young ferns)
- Wild mushrooms (including morels, chanterelles, oyster mushrooms, chicken of the woods, lionโs mane and many more!)
- Wild onions
- Seaweed (while I havenโt personally foraged seaweed, my understanding is that most if not all varieties are edible. If you know more about this please leave a comment as I would love to know more!)
- Berries (including blackberries, wild strawberries and blueberries, huckleberries, saskatoon berries, elderberries, goose berries, mulberries and many more)
- Wild apples, crabapples, plums, pears, persimmons, paw paws, etc.
Even cities offer opportunities for foraging. When I still lived in Vancouver, it was a summer tradition to go blackberry picking at the end of August in parks and along dikes where the Himalayan blackberries grow wild and are considered an invasive species.
Just be sure when foraging that you…
- are able to positively identify the food that you are foraging for and you know for sure that it is edible and safe to eat (this is especially true with wild mushrooms and also berries)
- donโt forage for wild edibles from polluted areas like busy roadsides or potentially contaminated industrial complexes, etc. (because then itโs not really organic, is it?)
- respect local laws and regulations and only forage where you are allowed (check local bylaws to find out where you can and canโt forage. Often times designated public parks are off limits, although an exception is sometimes made for invasive plants like blackberries).
- donโt over-harvest. The general rule is to harvest no more than one third of a particular wild crop in any given area and leave the rest for wildlife, other foragers and to allow the crop to go to seed and replenish itself each year.
Trading
Another great way to get โfreeโ organic food is to trade with others in your area. Now, technically this isnโt really totally free because you’re trading something for it, but you donโt necessarily have to spend money.
If you’re growing or raising some of your own food, (maybe youโve got eggs or you raise meat, etc.), but you donโt have any fruit trees, for example, you can trade what youโre growing for what somebody else is growing in your area.
If youโre not growing anything, why not trade something homemade instead. Why not trade some homemade soaps or candles or bottles of homemade kombucha or SCOBYs or homemade bread or pastries for a box of organic apples or a basketful of organic garden produce from someone in your area?
Another idea is to barter with a neighbour or someone near you for free organic food and promise to make them something with that food in return. So, for example, if someone has an apple tree in your area, you could offer to bake them an apple pie or make them a few jars of applesauce, some fresh pressed juice or a package of dried cinnamon apple slices in exchange for a box of apples.
If you donโt personally know anybody whoโs got anything organic to trade, Facebook marketplace is a great place to start your search, or you can create your own post advertising that you’re looking to trade with someone. There are also lots of Facebook groups dedicated to facilitating these types of trades between farmers, gardeners and other community members.
In my area, I’m part of a self-reliance group and a bunch of buy, sell and trade groups where members regularly set up trades with each other.
The possibilities are pretty much endless when it comes to trading, and to be fair thatโs how we used to do business with each other long before money was required for every transaction. Plus, learning to trade and barter with your neighbours and community members is an invaluable skill to have as a modern homesteader working toward self-reliance and freedom from dependency on grocery stores and the almighty dollar.
Gleaning
This is hands-down my favourite way to get free organic food, and itโs gaining popularity as both food waste and food shortages become an increasing problem.
So, what is gleaning?
In short, gleaning is the act of harvesting and collecting excess leftover or unwanted crops so that they donโt go to waste.
Historically, gleaning was actually considered a human right in parts of Europe and the middle east. In fact, the right to glean was even written into the Old Testament:
โ’Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger.โ – Leviticus 19:9-10
It was common practice to leave the excess crops in the field for the poor and peasant class to come glean, and in 18th century England it was the legal right of those without enough land of their own to grow food, to glean the fields of local farms after the majority of the crops were harvested. Similar laws existed in France too at the time.
Gleaning eventually fell out of fashion though when private property rights began to take precedence over charity for the benefit of all, and over time not only did it become illegal to waltz onto someone elseโs property and pick over their excess harvest, but the volume of food waste in the west also began to climb.
Today an estimated 96 billion pounds of food is left in the fields and wasted before it even gets a chance to make it to market. And up to 50% of fruits and vegetables are discarded for being โuglyโ or imperfect looking.
Luckily gleaning is making a comeback in communities across North America and the world, and community food recovery programs are popping up all over to facilitate the process. These programs typically donate large portions of the food to local food banks and initiatives, but volunteers usually get to keep a portion of the harvest for themselves too.
So while you could certainly ask local farmers and neighbours with fruit trees and large gardens if you can come glean their properties when theyโre done with their main harvest, you might have better luck finding and joining a gleaning organization in your area. Not only will you get some free organic food to take home, youโll also be helping to provide fresh, healthy food to your communityโs most vulnerable members.
Where we live, in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, thereโs a program called the Lush Valley Food Action Society that we volunteer with (if you’re in the area then join us for a pick!). They organize โfarm picks,โ where volunteers help local farmers harvest their crops and are usually rewarded with a bag of organic produce to take home. Or they do โfruit picks,โ where volunteers pick fruit from trees that landowners donโt want or are unable to pick themselves. In the case of fruit picks, โ of the produce goes to the landowner (if they want it), โ goes to local community organizations and food programs.
Itโs a win-win-win!
Yesterday my daughter, Evelyn and I helped pick garlic at a local farm and we got to take home a large bundle of organic garlic that was deemed too small for market (still larger than ours this year, sadly), along with a small bag of organic tomatoes.
Tonight our whole family helped pick apples at a local property and were gifted a large box of apples to take home for ourselves! Any guesses what Iโm doing this weekend?
To find a gleaning organization in your local area, you can either search Google, ask online in local community groups (like on Facebook), or check out this list of gleaning programs across North America to see if thereโs an organization listed near you!
*Please note that this is not a complete list of all programs currently operating.
Organic food doesnโt have to cost a fortune!
Even if you can’t grow your own organic food, you can still get your hands on some for little more than the cost of some time spent foraging, bartering or volunteering in your local community. And that means you can still prepare and preserve organic food for you and your family to eat all year long!
On the flip side, if you have excess produce of your own, consider trading it or donating it to someone else in your community who could really use it. Contact your local gleaning program or food bank to learn how you can help!
Do you know of any other ways to get free organic food even if you donโt have a garden? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below!
Wishing you homemade, homegrown, homestead happiness:)
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ABOUT ANNA
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My Favourite Things – 2022 Edition (aka. The Modern Homesteader’s Christmas Wish List)
* This article contains affiliate links. For more information, please read my Affiliate Disclosure. Every year around this time, I compile a list of my favourite things: Things that I love, use or covet for my own homestead, and things that I know other modern...
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!
#woodheat #rocketmassheater #woodstove #energycrisis #alternativeenergy #homesteading #modernhomesteading #offgrid #sustainableenergy
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!

Thanks for sharing this useful information,regards
Organic online store hyderabad
Glad to know these less popular methods of getting free organic foods. I will try these for sure! ๐
Thank You! Good information. Well done!
I would love to learn how to forage…but how do you find a group of people who can be mentors?
Hi Robin,
Many communities do have foraging tours and organizations that you can join. We have local foraging tours for mushrooms and when I lived in the city I did a foraging tour for local greens, berries and seaweed. Otherwise you might be able to connect with others online, through Facebook community groups or Meetup.com and find others to go with who can show you the ropes:) Orherwise there is a lot of info online about plants that are easy to forage and identify. But for things like mushrooms I would recommend finding a local guide for sure just to be safe.