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Homesteading

Its funny that I started this blog more or less in isolation (no one I knew was blogging at the time) in 2011 to chronicle the projects that friends and family were always asking me about without realising until recently that I was part of the Homesteading world!

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Homestead is defined as “a house and the farmland that it’s on."

I think homesteading is a bit more than that and I use it as a term to describe a lifestyle that covers everything from a self sufficient farm that grows all its own supplies and generates it own power to the person in a high rise who has a few herbs on their window sill and is seeking to simplify their life. I think there are as many variations of the homesteading lifestyle as there are people living it!

To what extent you develop your homesteading lifestyle depends on your talents. abilities and areas of interest. My husband is very interested in making a solar array that could power a small city but has no interest in baking bread at all. I, on the other hand, can bake bread with my eyes shut but cant tell one end of his solar powered whatsit from the other!

There different styles of homesteading, each of them as valid as each other that fall into loose categories.

I liked these categories below from the Homesteading website:

"The Self-Sufficient Homestead
At one end of the homesteading spectrum is the completely self-sufficient, independent family or individual. These “off grid” types seek to divest themselves of all reliance on modern conveniences. Many eschew even a simple connection to the power grid, preferring to generate electricity by solar or wind power.
These self-sufficient homesteads are typically found in rural areas where crops and livestock can be raised and food sources supplemented through hunting. Many such rural homesteads provide eggs, meat, dairy products and grain right from their own farms. What cannot be used in season is canned, dehydrated or stored for later consumption.

Blended Homesteads
A blended homestead combines modern conveniences and luxuries with some degree of self-sufficiency. Such a homestead may be found in any environment: urban, suburban or rural. These are families or individuals with a desire or love for one or more aspects of homesteading, but who have neither the time nor the interest in committing to a fully self-sufficient lifestyle. One family following this model may how to grow and can vegetables, but have no interest or desire to raise livestock. Another may love keeping backyard chickens but purchases feed from the store instead of raising it.

The Urban Homestead
Some homesteads may even be found in the middle of cities! An urban homesteader may enjoy home sewing, canning fresh jam made from produce purchased at the local farmer’s market, and growing herbs and small vegetables on an apartment balcony.  Just because someone lives in a condo or an apartment doesn’t mean that they can’t enjoy many aspects of homesteading."

Beginning the Homesteading lifestyle can be done no matter where you live or how you live. Its more about your mindset and attitude where you are now than a destination. You can develop skills and talents and create a unique homesteading lifestyle no matter where you are in the journey now. Any home can become a "homestead" with the right attitude!

Let us know where you are in your journey in the comments below and link us to your blog or site so we can all share ideas and build a community!

Homesteading websites: (Some with links to other homesteading blogs!)
Happy Homesteading!


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