13 Winter Homesteading Activities for Modern Homesteaders
When we think of homesteading, visions of backyard chickens, bountiful veggie gardens and jars of home-canned foods lining pantry shelves are usually the first things that come to mind.
We think of pulling weeds and planting seeds; Of long, hot days gardening and farming livestock; Of evenings spent steaming up the kitchen windows while the canner runs steadily.
We think of collecting fresh eggs on a dewy summer morning and snapping green beans on the front porch on a warm summer night. And of course we think of eating fresh food, made from scratch with ingredients grown and plucked from our own land.
Indeed, these are all noble homesteading activities in the fair-weather months, but what about when winter sets in?
What happens once the first hard frost comes to claim any life that remains out in the garden? What do we do when the snow starts falling and the hens stop laying? How do we fill our days and nights after the canner gets put away?
Homesteading is a Year-Round Lifestyle
For whatever reason, homesteading is most often thought of as a three-season āactivity.ā Planting season begins in the spring, gardening and farming season runs from spring through the summer and canning and preserving season takes us from summer into fall. Winter often only gets mention when we talk about how best to use the other three seasons to prepare for it. So much of homesteading centres around preparing for winter. But what happens when winter finally arrives?
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, working hard and creating as much as possible with our own two hands. In other words, we tend to go a bit stir crazy sitting around on the couch for too long.
Now, let me just make this clear before we continue: I am not at all suggesting that you shouldn’t take a well-deserved break in the winter. On the contrary, I think itās 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 youāre looking for some (mostly relaxing) homesteading activities that you can do throughout the winter months to help keep you occupied, save you money, ward off cabin fever and keep the pioneering spirit alive all year long, Iāve got a few suggestions for you.
Letās begin with my personal favouriteā¦
1. Cooking & Baking
Although it could be argued (with sound reason) that cooking and baking are year-round activities, thereās no time like winter to fire up the oven, the slow cooker or the wood stove and create amazing comfort foods to fill the belly and warm the soul on cold, snowy days and nights.
Winter is all about cozying up and filling the house with the warm, comforting smells and tastes of home-baked breads, biscuits and desserts. Itās about creating hearty soups and stews, slow-cooked roasts and meals that stick to your ribs.
Related: Homemade Honey Brioche Bread Recipe
Itās also the perfect time to put some of that home-canned food you worked so hard on to good use. Use your home-canned green beans in a comforting green bean casserole. Enjoy some home-canned tomato sauce over a hearty pasta bowl. Make soups out of home-canned stocks and broths. Make your own homemade flaky pie crust and use the home-canned fruit pie filling you put up in the summer. And of course savour every pickle, preserved fruit and jar of jam, jelly, relish, chutney, salsa and sauce you worked so hard to preserve in the summer and fall. After all, there is no better way to enjoy the fruits of you labour than to literally enjoy the fruits of your labour!
2. Winter Gardening & Farming
While many plants won’t survive the winter, there are a handful of cold-hardy veggies that you can grow throughout the winter.
Greens like kale, collards, bok choy and Swiss chard grow well even in cold, snowy conditions. Although you will still need to protect them from getting crushed by the weight of the snow. You can do so by building your own DIY Hoop House. Or better yet, you can use a heated greenhouse to extend your growing season right through the winter and keep your root vegetables growing while extending the life of summer veggies and getting an early start on spring planting.
Related: 3 Ways to Protect Your Plants from the Cold
For an even simpler winter “gardening” project, try growing your own sprouts or microgreens indoors!
And of course if you have livestock they will need to be cared for all throughout the winter. Be sure to keep them safe, dry and warm with extra bedding and always make sure they have enough liquid water to drink as water can easily freeze during winter. We use heated water dishes like these in the winter for our chickens and rabbits.
3. Knitting & Crocheting
If you like to keep your hands busy, there is no better way to accomplish this in the winter months than to start a knitting or crocheting project.
If youāve never knit or crocheted before, there are some great videos on Youtube to help you get started. Thatās where I began, and although Iām still not great at either, itās a skill Iām working on. Itās also something I find I only have time to do in the winter when I have more time to sit and devote to it.
4. Sewing & Quilting
Winter is also the perfect time to for sewing and quilting projects. If youāve been wanting to try a new sewing project, finish a quilt thatās been sitting in your closet for ages or even just mend some clothing, winter is a great time to break out the sewing machine (or a simple needle and thread) and get to work!
Likewise, if you’ve never sewn anything before but you’d like to learn, winter is the perfect time to focus on learning and acquiring these skills!
5. Candle-Making
I don’t know about you, but the long, dark winter days and nights would be a lot more depressing around our house without the light and beauty that emanates from the plethora of candles that we burn throughout the winter months. There’s just something about natural candlelight during the winter that makes this this time of year just that much cozier and more enjoyable.
But candles aren’t just beautiful luxuries; They’re also essential items to have on hand during the winter months in case the power goes out or if youāre living off-grid. But the cost of buying candles from the store can add up pretty quickly. Not to mention, store-bought candles are often made with ingredients that you might not want to be burning and breathing in. By making your own candles at home, you can control exactly what goes into them and do so at a fraction of the cost of buying store-bought.
Processed with VSCO with a5 preset
The best options for homemade candles are beeswax or soy. You can make them scented or unscented. Using essential oils is usually your best option as the fragrances are natural, but you can use fragrance oils as well. I have used both and enjoy each for different reasons, but the choice is yours.
–> Click here to learn how to make your own scented soy wax candles with essential oils.
6. Making Soap & DIY Body Products
Just like candles, you can whip up your own homemade soap and body products at home in your kitchen (mostly). Of course if you are making soap with lye you will want to go outside due to its caustic nature. But otherwise everything can safely and easily be made in your kitchen.
Choose from cold-process or melt & pour soaps, DIY body butters, healing salves, lotion bars, salt and sugar scrubs, bath salts, perfumes, hair products, milk and herbal baths, bath bombs, lip scrubs, chapstickā¦ the list goes on and on. In fact, anything you can buy at the store you can pretty well make at home, including most makeup.
The basic ingredients for some of these projects can cost a little bit of money up front, but will almost always save you money in the long run while using safer, healthier, more natural ingredients. You can even make some things with a few simple ingredients you probably already have in your home pantry, like white sugar and olive oil. Just mix these two ingredients together and add a few drops of essential oil to make a beautiful homemade sugar scrub!
7. Making Homemade Cleaning Products
Winter is a great time to restock your cleaning supplies by making your own safe and natural homemade products. Just like bath and body products, the list of DIY cleaning products you can make at home is seemingly endless!
Make your own laundry detergent at home using a few simple ingredients. Infuse white vinegar with the rinds from citrus fruits that are in-season in the winter and make your own multi-purpose surface cleaner. Or blend together some baking soda with some dried, grated lemon peel and lemon essential oil to make a homemade sink, tub and toilet cleaner.
You can even make your own potpourris with dried herbs and flowers and chemical-free homemade room sprays with essential oils and alcohol. These double as Christmas gifts as well!
Related: DIY Christmas Scented Room Sprays with Essential Oils
8. Building & Crafting
Whether youāre a skilled carpenter or just enjoy breaking out the hot glue gun and getting creative, winter is a the best season to devote some time to all of those DIY projects youāve been wanting to tackle but never seem to have time for.
Having a basement workspace or a heated garage is handy when it comes to woodworking and other building projects in the winter, but a simple craft room or even a dining room table is enough to do most DIY-ing. Whether youāre making your own homemade Christmas ornaments or building a bookshelf, winter is the time to break out the craft supplies and get making!
For more simple winter woodworking projects, be sure to check out the Winter 2021/22 issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine, which includes a step-by-step beginner woodworking tutorial for making your own versatile wooden crate at home, as well as tips from professional woodworker and homesteader Anne of All Trades who walks you through how to source green wood for carving.
9. Reading & Writing
I’ve always loved to write, which is why I chose to start this blog in the first place! If you love writing too, winter is a great time to focus on journalling, blogging or maybe even starting the manuscript for that book you’ve always wanted to write!
The peace and stillness of this time of year lends itself to being a great time for reflection and contemplation, which is best expressed in writing. The quiet of a winterās evening is the perfect environment to let your thoughts flow onto paper (or a keyboard).
Likewise, the same qualities about winter make it a great time to get some reading done as well. Iāve never understood those people who lay by the pool all summer reading their books. Even before I began homesteading, I still never had time to read in the summer! There was always so much else to do. But in January, after the rush of holiday madness has passed and the long-haul of winter really begins, I love to curl up with a hot cup of tea and a good book or magazine.
If you’re looking for some great reading material that will keep you inspired this winter, subscribe to Modern Homesteading Magazine and gain instant access to our entire library of issues!
Over the past 2+ years we’ve covered everything from organic gardening and backyard chicken keeping to herbal medicine, home canning, fermentation and sourdough bread (and SO MUCH MORE!)
Get exclusive articles, interviews, recipes and resources in every issue, and get brand new issues delivered right to your inbox!
Whether you use the time to write your autobiography, start your own blog, get lost in a story or learn something new from a non-fiction book, winter is the best time of year for busy homesteaders to slow down enough to really sink into some reading and writing.
10. Playing an Instrument
This is one thing I donāt do but really wish I did. Thereās something about playing an acoustic instrument for entertainment in the winter that harkens back to times of old.
Whether you play Christmas carols on the piano, strum folk tunes on your guitar or organize a sing-along with the whole family, making music with your own voice and hands, without the need for electricity, follows in the tradition of the pioneers.
I always think of āLittle House in the Big Woodsā when Laura Ingalls Wilder describes her favourite time of day: When Pa comes home and strikes up his fiddle.
Playing an instrument is truly old school entertainment, and definitely something you should consider learning if you ever plan on living off-grid!
11. Seed Shopping & Garden Planning
Winter is also a great time to do a little dreaming. Usually by January or February, we begin longing for the warmer, brighter days of spring to return. One way we can help get out of the dark, winter mindset and brighten things up a bit is to browse through seed catalogues and start planning our spring and summer garden.
February is usually the time when we begin starting some of our seeds indoors as well. Let the summer dreaming begin!
Related: How to Read and Understand Seed Packets
12. Self-Improvement/Personal Development
Winter and the New Year in particular is THE time to reflect on whatās working and what needs improvement in our lives, and to set new goals for ourselves to improve some areas of our lives that need some attention.
Whether you want to quit a bad habit, start a good habit, improve your physical body, get your finances in order, organize your home or learn a new skill, the New Year is the best time of year to set new goals, make plans for the future and take the time to focus on yourself and your dreams.
If you’re looking for some inspiration or ideas to help you get started with your own goal-setting, check out this list of 25 self-sufficiency goals to set (and smash!) this year!
I love to start each new year by creating a vision board full of things that I want to do, be or achieve. I hang it somewhere where I will look at it every day (like in the bathroom) to help keep my goals and dreams fresh in my mind each day. Itās amazing watching the things on my vision board materialize!
I truly believe in the power of visualization and the law of attraction, and have achieved many of the things I’ve put on my vision boards in the past. I encourage you to make your own vision board too! Visualization and goal setting combined with intentional action is a winning combination for achieving anything you set your mind to!!
13. Family Time
I almost didnāt add this one as family time should be a priority all year long. But winter allows us the time to reconnect with family and friends and the seasonal celebrations and traditions to do so.
Itās the time of year when we open our homes to extended family, friends and neighbours or when we travel to see relatives we donāt visit with every day. Itās a time to make merry and celebrate the love we share with others. Itās the time to let others know we love them and to make plans to get together and enjoy their company. And of course itās a great season to spend quality time with our immediate family playing board games, building snowmen, going skiing, reading books and enjoying hot chocolate in front of the fire.
As homesteaders, spending time with our families is often at the top of our list of priorities. But throughout much of the year, that time is often spent working together. While that is excellent bonding time, itās also nice to take a load off and simply enjoy each otherās company and revel in some good fun together. Play a board game, go for a winter walk in the woods, or just enjoy each other’s company as you linger a little longer over meals together. Whatever you do, put your phones down and give each other your undivided attention. Be fully present and enjoy every moment together.
There are so many activities that are perfect for winter, and I could probably make a list a mile long full of everything you could keep yourself busy with in the āoff-season.ā But these are my personal favourites and are the perfect activities for homesteaders to focus on.
I know that homesteading appealed to me in large part because I love keeping busy, creating, learning new skills and improving all the time. And while I love to relax in the winter, I love to feel like Iām still being productive while enjoying life at a slower pace than the rest of the year.
Winter offers us the gifts of peace, quiet and time that we donāt always get to enjoy during the other three seasons. So let us not wish it away, but embrace it and use it to our full advantage. After all, spring is just around the corner;)
Save
CATEGORIES
6 Comments
Submit a Comment
ABOUT ANNA
You Might Also Like
What does it really mean to be self-reliant?
Iāve been thinking a lot lately about what it really means to be āself-reliant.ā We talk a lot about self-reliance (or self-sufficiency) in the homesteading community, and outwardly it may seem as if the goal of āachievingā self-reliance is what ultimately...
How to Make Your Own Indoor Grow Light Stand
* This article contains affiliate links. For more information, please read my Affiliate Disclosure. If you grow plants from seed (or if you want to), you’re likely going to want to start a few of them indoors. And if you start your seeds indoors,...
And then there were 3 š
Despite fending off an eagle attack the other day, a sneaky raccoon got into the chicken run early this morning and took out one of our girls.
Having animals die is definitely the hardest part of homesteading, but itās a reality of this lifestyle that everyone must come to terms with sooner or later.
While we care for our chickens and want to give them the best life possible while theyāre here, we understand that theyāre livestock, not pets, and that weāre not the only creatures who see them as a food source.
Luckily we have a new flock of up-and-comers who will be ready to lay in a few months. Until then, egg production around here is gonna be pretty scarce.
So this is 35ā¦
I decided to read my horoscope today (since itās my birthday and all). I donāt really buy into the horoscope predictions, but I do think thereās something to be said for the personality traits weāre born with when the stars are aligned just so. Here are a few snippets that I found to be almost eerily on point:
āTauruses born on May 18 are characterized by love of freedom and independenceā¦They possess extraordinary creative energy, and they are never without an important cause to champion. They enjoy taking risks, but only when they believe the risk really matters.
As a rule, most decided early in life what they wanted to do and are not likely to deviate from that path. Their independent spirit makes them ideally suited to careers where they are their own boss, or are at least autonomous within a larger structure.
May 18 people want to make it on their own. No matter how successful they become, they never forget their roots and may even draw upon them for inspiration.ā
Every year on my birthday I reflect on where Iām at, where Iām headed and where Iāve come from, and all I can say is that each year Iām only more grateful to be living life on my own terms, doing what I love most next to the people I love more than anything else in the world.
Iāll never forget where I came from and Iāll never have any regrets, because I wouldnāt be right where I am now without all of the experiences -good, bad or otherwise- that Iāve had along the way.
I knew when I was a little girl that I wanted to be a writer and a content creator. Homesteading came a little later in life, but when I knew, I knew.
I hope to be doing what I love and sharing it with you all for the next 35 years too! (Well, actually, if Iām being honest, Iād like to retire and throw my phone in the river long before that;) But until that day comes, thanks for being here to celebrate life with me today and every day. Cheers to another turn around the sun š»
My daughter stayed overnight at her grandmaās last night, and this morning when I talked to my mom she said āEvelyn told me sheās never been to the doctor before.ā
Proudly, I replied āno, she hasnāt, because sheās never needed to.ā This is thanks in large part to the fact that we keep a well stocked natural medicine cabinet at home and do our best to treat everyday illnesses and ailments ourselves.
Having a well-stocked home apothecary (and the know-how to use herbal and natural medicine at home) is yet another important piece of the self-sufficiency puzzle, and one that weāre working on a lot right now, both in our home and in my membership program, the Society of Self-Reliance.
If herbal medicine and building a home apothecary is on your to-do list as well, Iāve got some great tips and a printable checklist of items youāll want to start stocking up on now so youāre prepared to make all sorts of medicinal preparations in time for cold and flu season later this year.
This is also a great time to plant certain medicinal herbs so that youāve got a personal, sustainable supply of herbal medicine at home, because who knows what supply chain issues are gonna hit next!
To help make building and stocking your home apothecary or natural medicine cabinet a little easier, I compiled a list of all the ingredients I like to keep on hand for making my own medicinal preparations, as well as a suggested list of herbs to start growing or stocking up on, and some other great resources to help you get started preparing and using your own herbal medicine at home.
Link in bio @thehouseandhomestead to read the full article and download the checklist, or go to https://thehouseandhomestead.com/stock-a-home-apothecary/
With Easter just around the corner, why not forgo the dry, lackluster store-bought hot cross buns this year and make your own from scratch instead!
This recipe combines the warm and comforting flavours of vanilla, cinnamon nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cardamom with homemade sweetbread and raisins.
Oh, and none of those awful, hard, jujube candies that you often find in store-bought hot cross buns. (Seriously... Why the jujubes??)
As is the case with most homemade versions of things, homemade hot cross buns are about 1,000 times better than anything you'll find at the supermarket. But I'll let you be the judge! If you try the recipe (and I hope you do!) leave a review and let me know what you think:)
Recipe link in bio or go to https://thehouseandhomestead.com/homemade-hot-cross-buns-recipe/
Stinging nettles are one of my favourite things to forage for in early spring. Theyāre ready to harvest well before just about anything is ready in our garden, and theyāre a superfood as well as a medicinal plant packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, B, C & K, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and iron, plus theyāre super high in protein.
As a medicinal plant, nettles are a natural antihistamine and can help with season allergies, they have properties that reduce inflammation and especially joint inflammation and arthritis, they can be used to treat of urinary tract infections and enlarged prostate symptoms, the e been shown to lower blood pressure and control blood sugar and more!
Some people even swear by harvesting stinging nettles with their bare hands as the sting itself is said to help with muscle and joint pain/arthritis!
I, however, am not that brave. I definitely recommend wearing gloves, long sleeves, long pants and boots when harvesting stinging nettles! But the good news is that once you cook or dry the nettles, they no longer sting you. My favourite way to prepare them is to dry them and enjoy them as a herbal tea! But theyāre good sautĆ©ed in stir fry or added to soups (in place of spinach or Kale) too. Whatever you do, just donāt put them fresh into a salad!
Stinging nettles grow wild all over North America (as well as other places), and spring is the best time to forage for them. To learn how to safely identify them, harvest them and prepare/preserve them, check out the link in my bio @thehouseandhomestead or go to https://thehouseandhomestead.com/harvest-and-use-stinging-nettles/
Have you ever foraged for stinging nettle before?
If you're looking to increase production in your own home garden, you know how important bees and other pollinators are to your overall yield.ā
ā
Honeybees get a lot of the glory, and for good reason: It's said that honeybees alone are responsible for pollinating 80% of our fruits and vegetables! Not to mention, they make honey... Sweet, glorious, highly nutritious and DELICIOUS honey!ā
ā
In this day and age of global food shortages, we need to do whatever we can to help increase food production at home and abroad, and helping honeybees is one of the best ways to do just that.ā
ā
Click the link in my bio @thehouseandhomestead or go to https://thehouseandhomestead.com/3-easy-ways-to-help-save-the-bees/ to learn what you can do at home to help save the bees, and the many, MANY reasons why it matters!ā
ā
I don't know about you, but around here spring officially marks the beginning of what we call "busy season."ā
ā
I always remind myself, though, that the payoff from the work we put in at this time of year is so totally worth the extra elbow grease and long hours.ā
ā
The seeds we sow now will provide us with food and medicine to stock our pantry and apothecary with in the summer and fall.ā
ā
The projects we start now will (hopefully) be finished and ready to serve us later in the year.ā
ā
And the deep cleaning and organizing we do now in our homes will set the stage and the tone for the rest of the season.ā
ā
Personally, I don't operate very well in a disorganized, messy or dirty environment. Whether I'm working or just relaxing, if my home is in disarray I feel like I can't fully concentrate on or enjoy whatever I'm doing.ā
ā
For most of the year this means sticking to a daily routine of tidying up and light cleaning when necessary. But in the spring, I like to take a few days to deep clean our home so that the rest of the season runs smoother; So that when I'm in the thick of gardening and harvesting and preserving season, I'm not also contending with dirt and stains and pine needles from Christmas!ā
ā
That being said, I don't like to use any commercially produced chemical cleaners, so I always make sure to keep a few natural ingredients on hand to get the job done.ā
ā
Over the years I've tried a lot of store-bought "natural" cleaners, and honestly I haven't been impressed with most of them. In fact, I find some white vinegar, baking soda, dish soap, water and a few essential oils are all I really need to clean most of my house!ā
ā
If the spring cleaning bug has bit you too, be sure to check out my DIY Spring Cleaning Recipes via the link in my bio. Every recipe is made with simple, natural ingredients that you probably have on hand already. I also like to add essential oils to my cleaning products for their scent and natural cleaning and disinfecting power, but you can omit them if you like:)ā
ā
Link in bio @thehouseandhomestead or go to https://thehouseandhomestead.com/spring-cleaning-recipes/
If there's one thing we should all be doing to hedge against looming food shortages and inflation right now, it's growing some of our own food at home.ā
ā
I've been preaching the many benefits of homegrown food for years now... Long before any of the madness we're currently experiencing took hold.ā
ā
A couple years ago when I launched my first gardening course, I mentioned in my sales video that we were just one emergency situation away from grocery store shelves being cleared out entirely. Within two weeks of that video, the pandemic hit, and the rest is history.ā
ā
The fact is, whether you're worried about shortages, the skyrocketing price of EVERYTHING, or you simply want to eat better, healthier foods free from GMOs and chemical sprays, learning how to grow even a little bit of your own organic food at home puts power and food security back in your hands.ā
ā
That's exactly why Iāve teamed up with 16+ other speakers for the Backyard Vegetable Gardener's Summit: A free, 3-day online event where you can learn how to get started or get better at growing food and creating your own personal grocery store, right in your own backyard!ā
ā
Here are just a few of the presentations coming up this week:ā
ā
š± 7 Ways To Maximize Space In Your Urban Gardenā
š± Creating a Personal Seed Bankā
š± How to Generate Income From Your Gardenā
š± Easy Ways to Quickly Improve Your Garden Soilā
š± Indoor Container Gardeningā
š± Growing Turmeric & Ginger at Homeā
š± How to Use Succession Planting for Higher Yieldsā
ā
And more!ā
ā
Plus, don't miss my masterclass where I teach you everything you need to know to grow a BUMPER CROP OF TOMATOES in your backyard! š
š
š
ā
ā
From starting your seeds to planting out and caring for your tomato plants all season long, I'll show you the exact method we use to grow hundreds of pounds of tomatoes at home for fresh eating and preserving each year.ā
ā
The summit officially starts TODAY! If you haven't registered yet, click the link in my bio @thehouseandhomestead or go to https://thehouseandhomestead.com/bvgs to save your seat and start watching and learning right away!
āWhen I think of self-reliance, I think of any ability to rely less on āthe system.āā
I sat down with Ashley Constance from @dirtypawshomestead and the @alittleselfreliant podcast to talk about what it means to be self-reliant, if itās even possible to be 100% self-reliant and why itās a goal worth striving for even if complete and total self-reliance isnāt possible.
Be sure to check out the full interview in the latest issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine!
Subscribe @ modernhomesteadingnmagazine.com
Iād love to know, what are you currently doing to become a little (more) self-reliant? Let me know in the comments!š
What self-reliance skills do YOU want to learn most??
If you've been reading my posts or getting my emails lately, you've probably heard me mention my brand new private membership program called the Society of Self-Reliance, which is set to launch for the first time TOMORROW!!!
I'm so excited about this project as it's something I've been dreaming of creating for a long time. With everything going on in the world right now, I knew I had to stop overthinking it and just go for it!
The membership will include video lessons and downloads on a wide range of topics related to homesteading and self-reliant living, as well as a private community message board (ie. OFF social media;)
Each month we'll focus on a different theme or aspect of self-reliance, and then once a month we'll get together for a live group coaching call to discuss that month's topic (and whatever other questions you have and self-reliance topics you'd like to discuss!)
Since we're just starting out, I'm offering new members a special introductory rate of just $20/month. This is the only time I plan on offering it for this price, so if you want to get in and lock in at this rate, you'll be able to do so as soon as the doors open tomorrow!
If you haven't yet joined the waitlist, click the link in my bio @thehouseandhomestead or go to https://thehouseandhomestead.com/society to add your name and save your spot. Waitlist members will be the first to know when enrollment opens tomorrow morning!
Hopefully you're just as excited as I am about this new venture! I've already got the first 8 video lessons up, as well as a few sweet bonuses too:)
We'll be kicking things off with the theme "Grow Your Own Groceries," and then we'll move into other topics like herbal medicine and food preservation over the summer months. But I'd also love to know from you, what self-reliance topics would YOU like to learn most over the next few months?
Let me know below š
I hope to see you inside!
Iāve been thinking a lot lately about what it really means to be "self-reliant."
We talk a lot about self-reliance (or self-sufficiency) in the homesteading community, and outwardly it may seem as if the goal of "achieving" self-reliance is what ultimately drives many of us to live this lifestyle in the first place.
But what does self-reliance look like in the 21st century? Is it actually achievable, or just a pipe dream?
Is it even possible to be truly self-reliant?
A few years ago, Forbes published an article titledĀ Dear Homesteaders, Self-Reliance is a Delusion.
In the article, the author arguesĀ that "self-reliance is for the most part a myth. Unless they live in an extremely remote region, use all homemade tools, and will refuse the safety net if they need it, most homesteaders are far from self-reliant."
While he makes some compelling points, but I've always felt as if he missed the point of what self-reliance actually means in real life.
No man (or woman) is an island. None of us can ever be 100% self-reliant without ever relying on anyone other than ourselves. But that doesn't mean that we should give up trying altogether.
Even one small step toward being more self-sufficient is a step in the right direction.
Maybe the point is not to everĀ BECOMEĀ self-reliant, but rather to becomeĀ MOREĀ self-reliant as we progress on our journey. Maybe self-reliance isn't a destination, but a pursuit.
Like just about everything that's worth doing,Ā working toward greater self-reliance and independence is worth doing imperfectly.Ā It's better to take a single step in the right direction than no step at all.
I decided to unpack this in more detail on the blog this week. (Link in bio @thehouseandhomestead or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/what-is-self-reliance to read the full article).
With the doors to theĀ Society of Self-RelianceĀ opening in just a couple more days, I wanted to be sure I can confidently provide an answer to the question "what is self-reliance?"
But Iād also love to hear what YOU think!
Is self-reliance just a delusion? Is it an achievable goal? Or is it more about the journey than the destination?
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
š± Have you started any seeds yet?
If not, NOW is the time!
March is a great time to start tomato seeds, peppers, lettuce, brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, etc.) and direct sow peas in most gardening zones.
Starting from seed is exponentially cheaper than buying starts from the nursery, especially is youāre growing on a larger scale. But seed starting supplies can add up quickly if youāre not careful.
In the spring issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine, contributor Kayla Adams of @oatsandhoneyhomestead shares her best tips for finding cheap or even free seed starting supplies. From pots and lighting options to soil and the seeds themselves, Kayla covers everything you *actually* need to start your edible garden completely from seed (and not break the bank).
Check out the full article, along with a preview of the spring issue at modernhomesteadingmagazine.com
Link in bio @thehouseandhomestead to SUBSCRIBE or login to the magazine library and read the full issue (for current subscribers).
What are you MOST excited to grow in your garden this year??
Let me know! š
#seedstarting #seeds #springgardening #growyourowngroceries
I always look forward to the winter because I have so many interests that I love to spend time on! I spend my winters practicing instruments, sewing, baking , and catch up on reading and writing so Iām right there with ya!
This is a good read with great Winter ideas!!! Thanks for sharing:)
What a lovely post! Iām really enjoying your homesteading content. (As I sit inside and my husband goes outside to let the chickens out and walk the dog š
Homesteading grounds is in nature, draws us to quiet. Love it.
Hi Teresa,
I couldnāt agree with you more. I find this lifestyle very grounding, very humbling and very awe-inspiring all at the same time. And I totally hear you about sitting inside on a cold winterās day while Hubby heads outside to feed animals/do chores. This is often the case around our house as well;)
Love doing most of these, and it is really nice to have a neighbour to share some of the activities ..time to get together to crochet and inspire each other..
Yes! I need your help with a scarf I’m making š