Secrets You Should Know Before Living on a Homestead

  • The decision to switch to a homestead lifestyle should be given more weight than any other move you’ve made. It’s more than just a transfer to a different city with a different job and different people. It’s a complete change in lifestyle and daily routine. The benefits to homesteading are well worth it, but you must first make sure the life is what you expect it to be.

    YOU’RE GOING TO FEEL ALONE SOMETIMES.

    The cure is getting connected, and quick, with others that have chosen to homestead whether in their backyards or on acres of land. You can find them in local gardening groups, on Facebook and other online forums.

    YOU’RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO SAVE MONEY.

    In fact when you start out homesteading you may find you’re spending more money. Seeds, soil or soil amendments, garden boxes, animals, animal pens, animal feed. But you’ll get into a groove eventually and as you’re making less mistakes your bills will be less.

    THINGS DIE.

    When you’re homesteading, plants and animals die. You’re going to have some trial and error with your garden and sometimes it will feel like more dies than you get to eat. But don’t give up. If you’re raising animals, some will sadly not live as long as you had thought. Some will die at your hand for meat. If you’re not comfortable with that you need to have a back-up plan. You are not less of a homesteader if you don’t kill your animals…truth be told, I leave that to my husband. Reconsider naming your livestock; I still do it but I always regret naming chicks that turn out to be roosters.

    VACATION? HA, YOU’RE FUNNY.

    Even if you’re backyard homesteader with a small garden and 4 laying hens, it may be difficult for you to get away. The average Joe isn’t super comfortable with tending either of those things, much less a full-fledged working farm. Get to know other homesteaders, ask for farm sitter recommendations and/or be willing to train someone.

    IF YOU’RE OUT OF SHAPE, IT IS GOING TO HURT YOU.

    Coming from one who knows all too well my friends. If you are out of shape it is going to be harder, take more time and keep you sore. But hey, if you do it right you’ll probably get in better shape without even going to the gym.

    YOU MAY WANT TO QUIT.

    It may not take long for you to feel frustrated, overwhelmed and exhausted; and you just may want to quit. But DO NOT DO IT! Give yourself a chance to be mad, have a good cry even; but then dust yourself off and get back to work. It may help to write down your reasons for pursuing this homestead life, at the start, so you can look back on them in your moments of doubt.

    ONCE YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH IT, YOU’LL WANT IT FOR LIFE.

    Once you really fall in love with this homesteading life you’ll always want it. Yeah, I still get mad and my green beans for dying in the Phoenix heat. I still wish I had more space for everything I want to do. But I wouldn’t give it up for anything. I have a dream, a legacy mapped out in my heart for this life; and nothing is going to take my eyes of the prize!

    If you live on a homestead, what other surprising things did you experience when you first started?

    Article Source: Imperfectly Happy



    *

    *

    Top