Claude Thompson

Homesteaders are warriors for the environment. They directly help to preserve natural resources by avoiding wasteful activities like over-consuming food and energy.

Before you can ADD something into your lifestyle, it’s often necessary to take other things out. For this, you’ll need some of these essential homesteading tools.

Fencing

4-Inch Pots

Dehydrator

An Accurate .22

Seeds

Spare Lumber

Five-Gallon Buckets

Rain Barrels

Chainsaw

Generator

Source: themeateater.com

Homesteading from Scratch is for people who want to do things differently: the type of people who want to eat real food, grow herbs, make cheese, raise baby animals, hunt mushrooms, pick blackberries, can jelly, ferment kraut, farm organically, connect to nature, live intentionally, and more.

Guiding readers from a desire to full-blown off-the-grid living (and everything in between), this book covers farming, animal husbandry, food preparation, homeschooling, fiber arts, and even marketing. It inspires homesteaders who have made a go of it with operations large and small and outlines their successes and failures. The book helps to democratize the homesteading movement by providing “ins” for nearly every level of dedication, from the container gardener to the full-time farmer. It provides the knowledge necessary to discover homesteading as a movement and lifestyle.

Inspired by From Scratch Magazine, an online publication devoted to homesteading and intentional living, this book provides readers with continued support and community for information and resources online. Homesteading from Scratch serves as a reference and a cheerleader for those who want a bit more control and responsibility over where their food comes from, what they consume, and how they live their lives.

Source: store.motherearthnews.com

Taking care of crops and livestock requires time-consuming work, so make sure you have a partner who’s committed to homesteading. It’s also crucial to research and fully understand what this lifestyle is all about.

Adding homesteading to your life usually means cutting other things out. For example, you may need to spend the winter figuring out how to build time-saving systems in your garden and house.

Looking to make extra money on the homestead? Teach homesteading classes! Teaching homesteading family classes and on-farm classes can supplement your income without the need to peddle a product.

There is an audio version of this article for your listening pleasure. Scroll down use a little bit and look for the “Audio Article” link.

My spouse, Amelie, and I have built up our homestead for the past decade. Slowly but surely, we’ve achieved a certain degree of autonomy. We haven’t bought eggs at the store for many years, nor chicken, red meat, goat cheese, canned tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, garlic, onions, carrots, or sweet corn. We also make our own soap, including laundry detergent; try to water our crops only with rainwater; don’t use fertilizers or insecticides other than the ones we fabricate; and mill most of our own lumber to build amenities, such as goat shelters, decks, and chicken tractors.

While we continually strive for more autonomy, we also understood long ago that one element would never grow in our garden beds or on our trees: money. Though it would be easy to sell a portion of what we produce, we much prefer enjoying the fruits of our labor over selling them for what appears to be unreasonable prices, considering all the hard work that goes into sustainable agriculture.

Selling a service or a value-added product can be much more profitable than selling a raw good. I often encourage farmers, young and old, to consider this when trying to make ends meet. But while selling ready-to-eat food might be more profitable than selling produce, it remains more time-consuming than, let’s say, a paid consultation. Billing for a consultation isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, however. It isn’t mine. So, in the interest of small farm profit generation, we opted for one-day homesteading classes comprising a thorough guided tour of our property; a hearty farm-to-table lunch; and demonstrations of chicken processing, goat milking, and soap- and cheese-making. The day ends with an open Q&A session where people are invited to ask questions pertaining to their own personal projects.

Small Farm Profit Generation

We’ve offered these homesteading classes since 2017 at the rate of 8 to 10 full-day events per year, usually in August. We limit participation to eight people per day and charge $100 (CAD) per person, plus tax (about $90 USD total), which must be paid in full at the time of booking. We don’t allow children to tag along for free anymore, unless they’re babies. Our daylong workshops don’t appeal to most children and preteens, so the few times we allowed children, parents spent the day running after their kids, hampering their own learning experience and that of the other participants. We also don’t allow pets.

We don’t accept “blind” reservations through automated online booking services. People must contact us by phone or email to make a reservation and pay for the workshop. This means we talk to everybody at least once before they enroll. A couple of days prior to their visit, we send an email reminder detailing how and when to get to our farm, what to bring, and the day’s schedule. We also ask people to inform us of any food allergies or intolerances they have.

All of this limits the unpleasant surprises that can arise at the event, such as people not showing up; bringing their children or pets; forgetting proper apparel; not enjoying their meal; or, most detrimentally, not understanding what they’re getting themselves into.

Audio Article

Homesteading Classes: Full-Day Schedule

Workshop time and commitment varies depending on what you’re offering, but we provide a full day of activities encompassing various parts of our farm.

6:30 a.m. We wake up and Amelie bakes dessert and three loaves of homemade sourdough bread that have been rising in the fridge overnight. We slice and serve one and a half loaves to our guests, and the rest constitutes our daily bread. Whenever we can, we try to get things done for both ourselves and the workshops. It helps us get through the “workshop month” without being too overwhelmed or exhausted. The same principle applies to the chickens we slaughter during workshops, as well as the milk we process and the soap we make.

9:30 to 10 a.m. We ask that people arrive around 9:30 so we can start promptly at 10. We live 90 minutes from Montréal, but people come from all over the province to attend. Most make the drive the same day, hence the importance of not starting too early. Amelie, myself, and our trusty farm dogs (on leashes) greet participants at the eight-car parking spot along our driveway entrance that we cleared especially for this purpose.

Upon arrival, we direct people to the washroom in the outbuilding nearby. Set on a 10-by-10-foot wooden deck, it features an outhouse fitted with a rudimentary composting toilet consisting of a simple bucket with a snap-on toilet seat, toilet paper, a trash can, and a bucket full of sawdust. We’ve included a laminated instruction sheet that explains how to use the toilet. Next to the outhouse sit two free-standing utility sinks hooked up to our house’s potable-water outlet using an RV-style drinking-water hose, as well as liquid soap and paper towels under a pop-up canopy. (A guest bathroom like this is important if, as I recommend, you don’t want people in your house.) The outhouse also doubles as a changing room, and the potable-water hookup allows people to fill their water bottles during the day.

10 to 10:30 a.m. We move to the goat shed and milking parlor, where Amelie talks about proper goat care, demonstrates sanitary goat-milking techniques, and helps participants try their hand at it, which is always a big hit. While she teaches, I greet latecomers or help out where needed.

10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Amelie takes the milk pail to the house and prepares lunch while I begin the guided tour. First, I talk about the goat shed’s design, then our garden beds where we grow corn, carrots, potatoes, garlic, onions, and asparagus. Next, we’re off to the garage, where our 100-chick brooder resides. On hot days, this gives everyone a little respite from the heat. Then, it’s off to the pasture, where I talk about the many virtues of perennial grasses and demonstrate daily maintenance of our chicken tractors, such as moving them around and giving the birds food and water. Next stop is the laying hens, raised inside a mobile poultry net. Of course, questions abound, and I happily answer all of them.

At this point, it’s close to noon and we’re near the final part of the tour: our 1,000-square-foot greenhouse. I’ve installed a few wooden benches under trees in that area, and many participants appreciate the opportunity to sit while I launch into a rather lengthy description of the greenhouse’s construction, including its custom radiant in-earth heating system and automated drip-irrigation setup connected to two 1,000-liter totes. I also explain how we winter our laying hens inside the greenhouse from Nov. 1 to April 1, and how I prepare the soil for summer production once the birds are back on pasture. We then go inside the greenhouse, where kale, bell and hot peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, and cucumbers grow spectacularly well. Finally, it’s off to lunch.

12:30 to 1:30 p.m. While Amelie entertains our guests and serves a terrific meal, I’m off to the chicken-processing post to turn on the scalder and prepare everything for the afternoon’s demonstration. Then, it’s back to the house, where I catch my breath for about a half-hour and have a bite to eat.

Rain or shine, participants sit on our terrasse, inside a 10-by-20-foot wedding-style outdoor canopy tent with side walls. The tent sits beside our kitchen, making it quick and easy to serve our guests. The sit-down lunch has three main courses: a lovage or carrot soup made with our own chicken broth, potatoes, and store-bought cream, crowned with a kale chip; and a mixed plate comprising a leafy green salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and maple-garlic vinaigrette, with roasted baby potatoes, oven-crisped eggplant slices, chicken liver mousse with honeysuckle jam, a scoopful of egg salad, and a thick slice of our fresh country bread. For dessert, we serve a canelé de Bordeaux, a wonderful French pastry made with our eggs, goat’s milk, and beeswax, and cooked individually in traditional striated copper molds. Still and sparkling water accompany the meal. For most participants, lunch is a highlight of the day.

1:30 to 3:30 p.m. We split the group in two for the afternoon. Half the participants walk with me to the chicken-processing post while the other half follow Amelie to our government-inspected commercial kitchen.

Amelie describes our installations and the specialized equipment we use to process food, including a freeze dryer, pressure canners, and can seamers. She then demonstrates how to make a basic fresh goat cheese, starting with filtering the milk that was collected that morning. Meanwhile, I’m processing chickens.

After choosing two broilers from our chicken tractors, I demonstrate turning live poultry into oven-ready birds. The first one I do slowly, explaining every step. The second one I do quickly so people see how fast it can be done once you get the hang of it. Then, Amelie and I switch groups.

3:30 to 4 p.m. Everybody meets back under the lunch canopy, where Amelie gives the final demonstration: soap-making. Meanwhile, I clean the processing post, bring the chickens and giblets to the house, rinse them off one last time, and put them in the fridge. Some of these birds we eat fresh, and others we freeze for later.

4 p.m. The final Q&A session lasts about 30 minutes. While I answer questions, Amelie tends our small farm shop set in our commercial kitchen, where we offer fresh eggs, goat’s milk soap, some canned products, a dozen or so canelés, and the books I’ve written. In Québec, we aren’t yet able to sell homemade dairy products and farm-slaughtered meat, but things are moving quickly in that direction!

Before they leave, we tell participants that our homesteading classes come with one year of free technical support. Most don’t take us up on the offer, but a few have over the years, mostly to ask where we bought our equipment and what brand it is.

Beyond Profitability

We offer these homesteading classes primarily because we believe encouraging people to be more autonomous helps bring about the kind of society we wish to live in. The most common questions we get revolve around time and energy expenditure: “Isn’t all this a lot of work?” “Don’t you get tired of all of this sometimes?” “Don’t you feel trapped at home?” “Do you have any free time?” I respond by saying that every person’s existence comes with a significant burden that most of us choose not to see or acknowledge. But a homestead lifestyle means that we’ve chosen to actively engage with the burden of our existence. What people might consider “useless” time-consuming chores represent the true amount of work that goes into keeping humans alive and healthy, both physically and mentally. As I often say: “Our actions here feed our bodies and our soul, and this is what makes the most sense to us right now.” Investing in something as meaningful as keeping ourselves sheltered, clothed, and fed should be a common priority, and a skill set that more people possess.

Lessons We’ve Learned from Teaching Homesteading Classes

In the five years we’ve hosted  workshops, we’ve learned a few things that help our days run smoothly and keep our guests happy with the experience.

Summer is the busiest time of year on a homestead. Here in northern Québec, late July to late August is when our farm is at its best. Our goats are full of milk, our hens lay abundantly, our birds are ready for slaughter, and our produce is ripe and plentiful — making it the ideal time to host workshops. However, organizing farm tours is a balancing act. Proper planning is key. It’s unrealistic to think you can do more than 8 to 10 workshops a month.

We’ve found that keeping two days open between each workshop is a must. The first day we try to rest a little, and the next we do all the prep required for the coming event. If you’re doing seasonal workshops, as we do, plan a five-day break somewhere in the middle of your workshop schedule.

We announce workshop dates every year around the end of January on our website En Pleine Guele, Facebook page, and mailing list. We also send out a press release then, and again in May. The first year, we booked only half our dates. The second year, we booked all of them within a couple of months. Since then, thanks to word of mouth and a growing number of online followers, we’re sold out within a couple of weeks. While weekend dates sell out first, limiting ourselves to those would prove much too constraining.

Eight participants is the perfect amount to show around a small homestead, feed a decent meal in 60 minutes, and interact with on a personal level. Four participants is ideal for the chicken-processing and cheese-making demonstrations.

Nobody has ever complained about the price. Quite the contrary. Other workshops in a comparable price range often don’t include a meal, don’t offer the amount and diversity of practical advice we give, are half as long, and allow for much larger groups (20 to 30 people). People love the intimate feel of our workshops and tell us so often.

We ask to be paid in full at the time of booking and explain that all sales are final. People who can’t attend can get a 75% refund if they give us two weeks’ notice, pick another available date, or postpone until next year. They can also transfer their spot to somebody else, but they have to tell us in advance so we can contact that person as we do everyone else.

Surprisingly, we’ve found that people don’t care much for hands-on activities, save the goat milking. When we first started, we had people process their own chickens, but many preferred to just watch me do it. Often, people want to get a feel for the amount and diversity of work involved in a homestead before taking the plunge themselves; they don’t necessarily want to roll up their sleeves and get dirty.

In conclusion, don’t underestimate the energy involved in giving these workshops, and don’t plan other major activities during your workshop times. Don’t organize more than a few the first time, and make sure people understand you’re not offering a petting zoo or a leisurely walk in the park. Consider investing in liability insurance, and post clear signage around your property. Amelie and I are 46 years old. I believe we can keep this up for another decade, probably two.

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Dominic Lamontagne lives on a small farmstead in Québec, where he leads homesteading workshops and advocates for small-scale farming rights. He’s the author of La ferme impossible (The Impossible Farm) and L’artisan fermier (The Artisan Farmer).

Source: motherearthnews.com

The off season is the best time to buy your tools and supplies for a homestead. Many homesteaders create a one year, five and ten year plan.

Frugality and saving is key for homesteaders. It’s also a good idea to have multiple income streams.

Homesteading as a term can be derived from the Homestead Act of 1862, in which eligible adults who had not taken arms against the U.S. could claim 160 acres of surveyed government land to live on and improve for at least 5 years. Today, homesteading signals a self-sufficient, “back to the land” way of life emphasizing sustainability and self-reliance.

Some homesteaders even embrace off-grid living, growing their own food, collecting their own water, and relying on renewable energy to minimize their carbon footprint. Whether you’re ready to take the plunge into the homesteading lifestyle or just want to add some sustainable practices and independence to your life, these homesteading trends and ideas can help anyone be a little more self-sufficient.

RELATED: The 8 Best Essentials for Off-Grid Living

1. Grow a garden.

Many homeowners have at least a small garden, and you don’t necessarily need a lot of space to grow your own food. Opt for a raised bed or prepared ground and choose a sunny spot. Next, a homesteader can amend their soil as necessary, select the household’s favorite fruits and veggies, and follow relevant directions for spacing, water, and fertilizer.

If you have more space and a greener thumb, consider adding fruit trees to your plot. The key is to select varieties suited to your hardiness zone. To round out the homegrown food availability, add some perennials, such as berry bushes, asparagus, strawberries, grapes, and herbs.

2. You can can.

If a garden produces an abundance, can some of that produce to get through the winter. Water-bath canning is a simple method best used for acidic foods, such as tomatoes. It also works well for pickling and making jam and salsa.

Pressure canning is better for low-acid foods since the water-bath method can’t achieve the internal temperature of 240 degrees Fahrenheit necessary to kill bacteria. This method requires a pressure canner appliance.

3. Compose compost.

Composting is an environmentally friendly way to dispose of yard waste and kitchen scraps—and it will enhance soil with beneficial microorganisms that aerate the soil and break down organic material that feeds the plants. It’s a natural alternative to chemical fertilizers, and composting also diverts waste from landfills.

It’s important to balance materials rich in carbon and nitrogen when composting. Equally critical is the avoidance of perennial weeds, toxic substances, meat and bones, pet manure, and any material containing pesticides.

4. Bake bread.

Bread is the staff of life and, as everyone knows, there’s not much better than the aroma and taste of freshly baked bread. So, why not bake it at home? It’s not as difficult as it may seem, and (with a little experience) homesteaders can mix it up by adding their homegrown herbs or other ingredients for a rich palate.

The kitchen may already be stocked with many of the ingredients and equipment necessary, such as flour, yeast, salt, water, and loaf pans. Some breads call for eggs, milk, or butter. Time is also an important element, as the dough should sit awhile as it rises.

5. Live with livestock.

Adding animals to your homestead can be as simple as raising a few chickens to managing larger livestock, such as cattle, hogs, sheep, goats, or alpacas. Whatever animals you choose, be sure to thoroughly research their proper care, feed, and housing needs.

Chickens are popular backyard animals because they are easy to raise. In addition to providing delicious eggs, chickens are voracious bug eaters. Caring for chickens is relatively easy, as long as they receive the right food and safe, dry housing. Chicken coops can be small or large—or even mobile—but should include a covered run, perches for roosting at night, nesting boxes where hens can lay their eggs, and security from predators. In the spirit of homesteading, there’s also the option of building your own chicken coop for a bespoke addition to your yard.

RELATED: The Best Nest Boxes for Your Chicken Coop

6. Sew what?

Pick up a needle and thread to learn to darn socks, sew on buttons, and mend torn clothing, or get more ambitious and start sewing your own clothes. If you don’t want to use up stored electricity, you can still find an old treadle sewing machine—or sew by hand.

Knitting and crocheting are other ways to produce clothing and useful items such as blankets. Those who raise sheep or alpacas on their homestead will have their own supply of material. It will need to be skirted, washed, carded, and spun before you take knitting needles or crochet hooks to it, but making your own clothing can be rewarding and satisfying.

7. Make a clean commitment.

Making your own cleaning supplies can be more affordable and more environmentally-friendly. Several ingredients are common household items, such as white vinegar, salt, lemon, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and borax. You may even be able to add essential oils to some concoctions for a pleasant fragrance.

Be sure to follow established recipes. Some household chemicals, such as bleach and ammonia, are dangerous when combined. Also take care to ensure that the ingredients you choose are safe for pets and people.

8. Remember to recycle.

Part of the homesteading mantra is about leaving a smaller (negative) impact on the land. Thus, recycling is an important aspect of this lifestyle. From hand-me-down clothes to composting to repurposing worn-out appliances, recycling and upcycling double as economical and environmentally friendly facets of homesteading.

Recycling can include using found items, such as rocks and branches, in practical and useful ways. Sturdy branches can be turned into chicken roosts, for example. Rocks can line flower beds or walkways.

RELATED: Earthship Homes: Are They the Next Big Sustainable Housing Trend?

9. Bee mindful.

Bees are crucial to our survival, but bee colonies are being decimated by habitat loss and pesticides. You can support bees by maintaining hives. This does necessitate the purchase of supplies and protective gear, as well as acquiring beekeeping knowledge. However, many homeowners find beekeeping a fun hobby, with harvesting honey regularly being an added benefit.

If you’re not ready to become a home beekeeper, you can at least plant a pollinator garden to attract bees and other beneficial insects. This will also help the garden produce more fruits and vegetables.

10. Build carpentry skills.

Whether you’re simply repairing items or building new structures, it’s a good idea to learn some basic carpentry skills—even better, you can also master the basics of plumbing or machinery repair. Keep in mind the old adage: Measure twice, cut once.

Be sure to assemble some essential tools, such as: a hammer, nails and screws, screwdrivers, saw, pliers, drill, wrenches, tape measure, level, files, clamps, vise, square, safety goggles.

11. Weave a network.

Networking provides more than companionship and advice. It’s a good source of labor for big jobs. Having an extra set of hands is helpful if you’re constructing a chicken coop. Maybe you need someone to look after your garden while you travel.

Networking also can provide a customer base for bartering goods and services. If you grew too many cucumbers and want to swap for some pole beans, or if you’re skilled in carpentry but not sewing, look for people with skills you need; both parties can benefit from bartering.

12. Go off-grid.

Cutting the (electric) cord may seem like a daunting task, but some locations make off-grid living easier. In general, warmer climates are more conducive to living without electricity, but solar panels and wind turbines make it feasible virtually anywhere. Of course, you’ll need a power storage system because the wind doesn’t always blow and the sun isn’t always out when you need energy.

Keep in mind, you’ll have to dig a well and septic field—and you’ll probably need a water collection system. However, you may find full homesteading freedom to be worth the effort.

RELATED: The Best Home Wind Turbines

Source: bobvila.com