You want to be a homesteader and you can’t wait to get started!
I understand that feeling. Once the “sustainability bug” bites you, it seems that you can’t get enough of Mother Earth News magazines and seed catalogs! However, most of us don’t have enough time in the day to make all of the mistakes ourselves. Not to mention the fact that most of us don’t have money to blow due to the fact we have no idea what we’re doing.
By taking it slow and methodical, you’ll be a better homesteader in the long term.
Take the Time to Learn About Your Farming Community:
This approach will take some time, but will reap benefits in your own sustainable living efforts for years to come.
1. Locate Farmer’s Markets Near You- Not sure where your Farmer’s Markets are? No problem. Check out www.localharvest.org. You can also check in your local papers and health food store bulletin boards.
2. Frequent Farmer’s Markets – By doing this, you’ll gain a lot of information about what grows well in your area, as well as what the going rates are. Farmers and other vendors typically love to chat and will offer a world of education that you can’t get anywhere else.
3. Buy local – Once there, spend some of your money with these farmers. Prices might be a little higher, but that’s the “real” price of food, as opposed to the artificial discounts of the big stores.
4. Notice the array of industry – At a farmer’s market, you’ll certainly find farmers, but you’ll also find a number of other vendors who create other things like pottery, fabric arts, woodcrafts, clothing, garden tools, etc. You don’t have to be able to grow food to be a homesteader! While it’s helpful, it’s not a deal breaker. If you are creative in other ways, you can always barter with your skills for the things you need.
5. U-Pick Farms – I love u-pick farms. Until I could grow my own, I was always keeping tabs on when fruit was ready to be picked. I not only learned a lot about when fruits and vegetables come into season, but I learned about what good fruit should look like and about diseases as well. Great education!
Do Your Homework:
1. Read, read, read! – Not all gardening and homesteading books are created equal, so make good use of your public library. Only buy the books that will serve you long term as reference books. Here are a few recommendations (although there are so many good ones!):
Click the pictures to purchase from our Amazon Store!
2. Get familiar with your local extension office – The county extension office will generally offer classes about things homesteaders love and for a very reasonable price, if not downright free. They are a tremendous source of information and resources. I love my extension office.
3. Follow informational blogs and websites – Yep, like The Morristribe. Once again, why not learn from those who have already made the mistakes?
4. Subscribe to good publications – I love Hobby Farms and Mother Earth News. Their websites are very informative as well.
Find Community:
1. Find the gardeners – Experienced gardeners can help you be successful in more ways than one. Find the gardeners in your neighborhood, place of employment or church. Let them know that you’re interested in homesteading and see if they have room in their lives to be a mentor.
Another way to locate the gardeners in your neighborhood is to peek at their backyards. Look for those with gardens, they are usually the best ones to get to know.
2. 4-H – The four clovers can offer you a world of education that you never even knew was out there! Our first year of 4H was just one of observation and listening. We met a lot of great people and learned a lot, just by showing up.
3. Word of mouth – Keep asking, keep listening….you’ll find the right folks.
Step 2: Assessing Your Ability to Grow Food!
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About kmorris
it’s so easy to get overwhelmed and not know where to start!
Cool! We have been taking the right steps! We love our farmers market and read Mother Earth News…my hubby has been taking an organic gardening class through school and we are meeting with a few different organizations to move forward with homesteading…this summer we are finally starting a small garden!
Charyse,
That’s great! You’re on the right track, so proud of you guys!
I am stopping by from Frugal Days Sustainable Ways. I am so glad to find your blog. Very interesting information. Looks like I have got a lot of reading to do. I am bookmarking your site. thanks for sharing.
Great to have you, Grandma Bonnie!!
Great tips! I am trying to turn my little quarter of an acre homestead into a producing home, instead of a consuming one, it is hard! I garden every year, but this year we have added 10 baby chicks to the mix, looking forward to eggs from our backyard!
Heather,
I love to hear that! That’s so awesome!
I love the book by John Seymour (Self-Sufficient Life). It’s very inspiring and has a list of seasonal tasks, ideas for homesteading on small acreage and good info on rotational gardening. I need to buy it… I’ve checked it out at the library but it’s one of those books I wish I had around to refer to again and again.
Katrina,
I, too, LOVE THAT BOOK! Gotta own that one!
Great pointers, Kelly. Spot on about visiting the farmers’ markets frequently. We’ve learned a lot just chatting with the locals!
What part of Ohio is your incredible family located in? We are in Centerburg, and each time I read your blog, I want to meet you and your delightful family!
Love your insight, your hard work, your love of God and your desire to share all these with others!
Brandy,
We are in the Dayton/Cincinnati area, not too far from you! I sent you a note about beef, so perhaps we’ll meet yet this year!
New follower. Love reading your blog. Thank you for sharing your insight. I know first hand that it is feedback that makes it all worthwhile, so kudos and five ♥’s, cuz ♥’s are warmer than stars!
I own all three of these books and then some! It is amazing how much it helps to have books to read read read and wonderful sites and communities online to go to when you are learning to homestead!
All of these may work in most areas of the country, but not here. We’re on the prairie in the middle of Big-Ag-turned ghost towns.
Our local farmers markets are probably two hours away. We are surrounded my farms, yet live in a food dessert.
Nice thoughts and it’ll probably work for most…
Great suggestions for the first steps to take! This is also a good list for urban ‘homesteaders’ who want to do as much as they can while living in an apartment.
got the books, go to the farmer’s market, barter with the neighbors for fruit from their trees, get advice from older wiser gardeners in my area, – yep- i’m on the right track. (got the chickens too- does that count for extra points? lol ) thanks!
What a great post…and great resources as well.
I love your site! Thank you so much for this great information, I am a new follower!
Hi, Kelly!
We are also in the Cincinnati/Dayton area (Hamilton)! I love your site! I’m looking for connections to processors willing to sell venison. It’s one of the few meats I can eat due to health restrictions.
We are also interested in frugal and sustainable living. Feel free to visit our blog about our preparations to move to West Texas.
Linda
aka Ratwife
Hi, I’m Anne, from Life on the Funny Farm (http://annesfunnyfarm.blogspot.com), and I’m stopping by from the Barn Hop. Nice to “meet” you!
These are great recommendations. The books, in particular, look like a great place for me to start. We do some things that are considered “sustainable”, but I need/want to do more. I have layer chickens and I’m expecting shipment of meat birds (day old Cornish/Rocks) this week. A first for me! Wiah me luck….
Great thoughts on getting started! Love some of those books. I just started a new hop, and would love if you would link up. http://www.simplejoyfulliving.com/2012/10/backyard-farming-connection-hop-2.html
Gretchen
What a great list of ideas. Thank you for sharing.