What is Homesteading?

A cellar full of shelves lined with canning jars of homegrown harvests, chickens in the yard and a big, beautiful garden… that’s usually what people think of “homesteading”.

Have you been thinking that? I did too! I only just found out that I’ve been homesteading for 10+ years now and didn’t know it!

It turns out homesteading is actually a lifestyle.  It doesn’t matter whether you live in a high-rise in the middle of downtown, or a full Charlotte’s Web farm in the middle of nowhere. Homesteading is a lifestyle of self-sufficiency.

It’s based on the choices you make as a consumer.   You don’t need an acreage to homestead! You can literally do it in your apartment building with no balcony.

Now, before you start second guessing your qualifications; the homesteading lifestyle has many interpretations.  It’s a scale and the best thing is to find what works for you and your family.

You can grow your own garden, make your own food, make conscientious purchases, use reusable items, buy second hand, and DIY all the things.

Homesteading is definitely a slippery slope! A fun one! It’s generally started by a small passion to change something in your life.

As you learn and grow, your version of homesteading will change too.

Origins of Homesteading

Before we get right into it, it’s important to know your roots. The ‘Homesteading’ term originally came from settlers being given a “homestead” through The Homestead Act of 1862. This Act was used to populate certain areas.

Homesteading began to change in 1960s and again in the 1990s and 2000s. It’s become a social movement of sustainable agriculture and self-reliance.

The Modern Movement of Homesteading

People are getting sick of being sick.  They’re tired of being told what to do, where to do it, and how just to eck out a living.

Our society has moved far away from knowing where our food comes from and using natural remedies. We now favour the “convenience” package that’s sold to us by smooth marketing companies.  

As a result, more people are exhausted by the fast-paced lifestyle that leaves them feeling burnt out and stressed. Mental health issues of anxiety, stress and depression are on the rise.

Homestead is a mindset above all else.  It’s an attitude of resilience and “Hey, I can do that!”

You’ll often find modern homesteaders using re-useable energy such as wind or solar.  Their gardens are filled with heirloom and heritage vegetables. And, if they have any livestock, the focus would be on old-world, heritage breeds. 

Basically (and I love this), the beauties of the ol’ times, with the benefits of modern amenities.

Urban Homesteading

Homesteading can be done even in the centre of the largest city! Urban homesteaders usually have window gardens in abundance, are part of a CSA, or garden plot.  

Our First Foray

For us, it all started with the rising cost of food and toxic chemicals.  I’d read a review of Food Inc. and we sat and watched it for date night. That was the beginning of a lot of thoughtful changes for us.

Add in the rising cost of food, and serious unexplained health issues, and the knowledge we were beginning to acquire, one day I said, “Hang on, I can grow some of my food myself!  Then I know what’s in it and I can save money too.”

Having that mindset to learn how to do it (and actually doing it) had me expanding my ‘can-try’ attitude into other areas like building and DIYing. 

Many homesteaders start seeing quickly that our consumer-driven society is not sustainable and is already cracking under the strain.  Above all, it’s really a fun slipper slope! Once you see how you can do one thing, you start looking at other areas to change!

Right now we live on 5 acres but we started our homestead journey on a postage stamp size property in the heart of the city. All it takes is one simple “yes” to get the ball rolling!

Make it Work For You

Where you fall on the scale is completely up to you.  You may start at one end and end up at the other, but not everyone has goals to live on an acreage and have the “farm life” homestead.

Many homesteaders have a deep satisfaction for their life and standard of living. They feel their lifestyle is healthier and more rewarding than the fast-paced, materialistic conventional way of living and they’re all for showing others how to experience it!

What about you? Tell me in the comments what kind of homesteading you do already?