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What is Homesteading?
Okay, let’s talk homesteading. What is it, who does it, and why YOU should start a homestead today! Homesteading is an age-old lifestyle that has existed for generations. Before the era of electricity, supermarkets, planes, trains, and trucks came around, much of the population raised or grew a portion of their own food out of necessity. Today, homesteading is exploding in popularity as an alternative lifestyle. Why is that? Let’s dive into why thousands of people have started homesteading.
Before we dive into why you should homestead, let’s figure out exactly what homesteading is. Modern homesteading is a way of living that is more self-sufficient. Homesteading allows you to independently produce your own food. This can mean rooftop gardens, a flock of backyard chickens, or a small farm. In addition, a lot of homesteaders also choose to live off-grid and follow permaculture practices. You don’t need a massive farm to homestead. I think anyone who grows their own food is a homesteader.
There are dozens of reasons to start homesteading and everyone has their own. To help clear things up, I’ve outlined the top four reasons you should start a homestead.
Food Security
Food security is something that most people never think of. In developed countries, most of us don’t need to worry about where we get food. If our pantries are running low, we head down to the nearest grocery stores and stock up on whatever takes our fancy. But in 2020, we learned that we are not immune to disruptions of the food supply chain. For the first time in recent history, people visited grocery stores to find limits on staple items and quarantine limiting their ability to visit stores.
Even though our farmers were still working to produce essential goods, statewide shutdowns limited how quickly goods could be processed and transported. The public health crisis also created labor shortages in nearly every industry. Such labor shortages left businesses unable to keep up with demand. Recently, natural disasters have blocked shipping routes and destroyed farms.
Food security is a big reason why I chose to start homesteading. I realized that, despite our best efforts to be prepared, stuff happens. Whether it’s a global pandemic causing labor shortages, inclement weather that slows down deliveries, or violent storms that wipe out farms, no one is immune to food supply issues.
Homesteading creates a guarantee that you will have food no matter what happens in the rest of the world. By growing our own food, we no longer rely on grocery stores and corporations to provide it for us.
Independence & Self Sufficiency:
We live in a world where everything can be bought. We no longer need to grow food or have the survivalist knowledge of our ancestors. Homesteading can help you become more financially free and self-sufficient.
Financial Independence:
You’re probably wondering how it’s possible to save money while running a small farm. It’s true that homesteading can be expensive, but there are lots of ways to reduce expenses. You can create financial freedom on a homestead by saving money on you and your animals’ food and selling your homestead products.
I’ve already explained how you can create food security on a homestead. And that same concept can save money too. An average homestead will find their need to buy certain foods much reduced.
With correct management, you can save your hard-earned money by growing food instead of buying it. You will cut out all the extra costs of grocery store foods and only pay for seeds or feed!
(Check out this amazing couple who hasn’t bought groceries in over a year!)
Just like you can reduce your grocery budget, you can also reduce your feed bill. Crops like kale, chard, pumpkins, carrots, beets, and squash can replace a large portion of a purchased food ration for your animals. 
And of course, you can help offset homestead costs by selling extra products. Meat, honey, vegetables, fruits, fibers, feathers, soap, and dairy products are just a few options. Many people are willing to pay a premium for handmade, local, organic goods. With a bit of hard work, your homestead can help increase your income.
Self Sufficiency with Food:
Beyond financial freedom, homesteading can also create independence by reducing your need to buy food and household products. Did you know you can produce more than food on a homestead?
Homesteaders can produce items like beeswax for candles, furniture polish, lip and lip balm. You could also try your hand at making milk soaps and lotion. Furthermore, you can raise fiber-producing animals like sheep to make your own yarn for sewn goods. Or use a plentiful poultry byproduct like feathers to stuff your pillows.
With homesteading, the opportunities to produce food and household goods are almost limitless.
Nutrition & Health:
With the advent of the internet, health and nutrition information is more widespread than ever. Every day, we learn more about the benefits of free-range, pasture-raised, and organic food. Thus, thousands are turning to farmer’s markets and gardens to eat healthier.
There is lots of research showing the health benefits of eating unconventionally raised food. Eggs, beef, and dairy are just a few of the foods that are healthier organic. Below is a quick summary of a few of the health benefits of organically or pasture-raised food.
Pasture-raised eggs are one of the easiest products for homesteaders to produce. All you need for eggs is a small flock of chickens and a bit of space. Pasture-raised eggs are more nutritious than conventionally raised eggs (where chickens are kept indoors on a prepared ration) with higher levels of protein, vitamin E, vitamin A, and omega-threes. Pasture-raised eggs are also lower in cholesterol and saturated fat. (Read more here and here.)
In addition to eggs, free-range chicken is also more nutritious than conventionally raised chicken. Free-range chicken is lower in fat and higher in protein, iron, and zinc. The same pattern emerges in dairy and beef. Grass-fed milk is lower in cholesterol than grain-fed milk. Likewise, grass-fed beef has higher levels of healthy fats and chemical precursors to vitamins A and E.
There are many ways to eat better food. Organic farms, farmers markets, and backyard gardens all play a part in growing healthier food. Homesteading creates access to more nutritious food.
Enjoyment:
Finally, after all the science-y reasons for homesteading comes the incalculable metric of enjoyment. There’s an undeniable enjoyment that comes from gardening and raising animals.
It’s also well known that getting fresh air and absorbing vitamin D
from natural UV light is very healthy.
Enjoyment is a huge motivator for me to homestead. I love being outside, working with animals, and eating food that I have raised with my own two hands. There’s a certain sense of pride that comes from eating food raised in your own backyard.
Wanna hear my story about why I love ducks on my homestead?
Modern homesteading is a great way to create self sufficiency, eat healthier and happiness. If you’re an outdoors man, animal lover, nutrition enthusiast, or have an interest in self-sufficiency, you should give homesteading a try – you might find that it’s right up your alley!
