What's homesteading to you?

[Emmy-Lou]

I ask this question as an Australian, where the term "homestead" isn't widely used. Though there are some people living it, it is perhaps considered old-fashioned.

Australia has a lot of farmland, so there are a lot of farmers but not all farmers grow a lot of food for their own consumption. Ie there are broad-acre farms, vineyards, fruit orchards, beef properties etc. A lot of it is mono farming due to the ability to streamline and improve profit as they scale up. It's a tough business and I get it.

Old-fashioned mix farms are not so common, but I think as we see increasing food insecurity, and a desire to know where and how food is produced they are perhaps becoming more common than they have been for a while. There has been a mass exodus of people moving to rural areas after COVID and land prices in a lot of rural areas have skyrocketed.

For me homesteading is a journey, though I grew up rurally on a property that produced wine grapes, we didn't homestead. There were no chickens, or veggie gardens though there was ample space. We had some herbs and a couple of fruit trees. I came to homesteading through wanting to live more simply and feed my family foods that were real without numbers and preservatives. The kinds of foods our grandparents would recognise. Over the years that led me to where we are now on our own 'Australian homestead'. Where we raise boer goats, cattle, chooks for meat and eggs and some veggies. I'm really interested in regenerative and sustainable farming. I hope to add a milking goat as soon as we have added a lean-to that can be a milking shed on the woodshed and progress to a house cow. We are increasing our veggie garden as we can afford the fencing. It's been incredibly slow due to job instability over covid, but we are thankfully slowly getting back on our feet. We are starting our property entirely from scratch, there was no home nor infrastructure here of any sort when we moved three years ago.

Pressure canning is not such a thing here, I think because we can produce food year-round in most of Australia? Though I would love a pressure canner for shelf -stable broth etc as we live totally off-grid and don't have much freezer space. I'm curious what pressure-canned meats are like? We do a lot of water bathing here, but that's only suitable for acidic plants like tomatoes or jams etc that have high sugar content. You can't water bath beans etc. Pressure canners are super expensive here, so a huge outlay. It's on my wish list. One day!

Hunting is also something not a lot of people do here. Though you can eat kangaroo and it is a delicious, lean meat, you don't want to be caught hunting them without a permit. All of our native animals are protected. Some areas have deer, but we don't on our property. Wild pigs are shot but not usually consumed, also not a problem where we are. Most people don't eat wild rabbits due to biological diseases that have been brought in to control them. Also, we have tight gun laws, which I understand is far from the reality in most of America. So that aspect is quite different. We do own guns and have the appropriate licences and storage for them.

Anyway, I was curious what homesteading meant to you?

 

[Curmudgeon]

I'm curious what pressure-canned meats are like?

If done correctly, very good. Right now in the northern US there is a lot of deer hunting going on, and quite a few people can it vs freezing. There will be a lot of canning of meat for the next 6 to 8 weeks. People also do burger, chicken and pork.

Welcome to the site.

 

[Sourdough]

What's homesteading to you?​

My answer is very different then all others. And your question (which comes up regularly) often gets me shouted down, and sometimes a curt message from a moderator or administrator.

The current answer (which I 100% oppose) is anything anyone wants to call themselves. You can live in center of New York City and have some flowerpots growing something editable and it is OK to call yourself a "Homesteader".

If you live in a suburb and have a six foot by six-foot garden, you are entitled to call yourself "Homesteader".

In Alaska if you called yourself a homesteader, in a room with those who "ACTUALLY" filed for and worked their ass off proving up on a wilderness homestead back in the 50's-60's-70's will snicker semi-politely. Might even break into an uncontrolled giggle, falling on the floor in spastic laughter.

That is my opinion, and out of tremendous respect for the men and women who suffered and labored to establish a homestead I'll defend it.


In conclusion a homesteader gets land direct from the government, a person who purchases land, no matter what they do with their purchased land is at best in a category best described as "Modern Homesteader".

Let the flaming begin, it is in the low teens, cold and I have to hike a slight bit over a mile roundtrip to the mailbox, then fetch water, so some flaming will be warming.

 

[Biggkidd]

For me Homesteading means living free from all the BS of society on rural acreage while raising gardens and animals. When I bought this place it was nothing but scrub timberland and over the last 15 years I've been clearing as I go. There wasn't a place on this land open enough to drive a truck now there's about 6 acres that are tillable.

 

[ClemKadiddlehopper]

What's homesteading to you?​

My answer is very different then all others. And your question (which comes up regularly) often gets me shouted down, and sometimes a curt message from a moderator or administrator.

The current answer (which I 100% oppose) is anything anyone wants to call themselves. You can live in center of New York City and have some flowerpots growing something editable and it is OK to call yourself a "Homesteader".

If you live in a suburb and have a six foot by six-foot garden, you are entitled to call yourself "Homesteader".

In Alaska if you called yourself a homesteader, in a room with those who "ACTUALLY" filed for and worked their ass off proving up on a wilderness homestead back in the 50's-60's-70's will snicker semi-politely. Might even break into an uncontrolled giggle, falling on the floor in spastic laughter.

That is my opinion, and out of tremendous respect for the men and women who suffered and labored to establish a homestead I'll defend it.


In conclusion a homesteader gets land direct from the government, a person who purchases land, no matter what they do with their purchased land is at best in a category best described as "Modern Homesteader".

Let the flaming begin, it is in the low teens, cold and I have to hike a slight bit over a mile roundtrip to the mailbox, then fetch water, so some flaming will be warming.

I agree, that was the way to become a homesteader under the various homestead acts that existed in the past, in the US and Canada. It is how I ended up a bush baby and I surely do understand where you are coming from.

However, the homestead acts are mostly in the past, and I can stretch the definition to cover people who are busting their chops and making similar improvements to develope land and sustain themselves.

When I lived in Texas for a few years, I ran into a similar problem with the way an acreage or small farm was called a ranch. I couldn't wrap my brain around it.

I guess there are now two of us in the canoe and up the creek without a paddle.

 

[Dani]

Homesteading to me is raising our own meat, cows and pigs. I do also have goats, but they are my babies and have yet to harvest their meat. I have run some of my older boys thru the auction barn though, so can only imagine what their out come will be. Even a few younger boys. I did get to meet up to say "goodbye" to one. The older man bought him because he tells me he hadn't seen toggles on a goat since he was a kid and bought him for his granddaughter. "Skotty" was only around a year at the time.

I also have a Jersey cow that I can milk after she calfs. She has been trained with a lead and will walk with you. She has also been trained to load up into the milk parlor and even with a machine will get milked out. I started traing Claire at 6 weeks old.

Our garden is what we normally eat fresh and with our climate, we can normally plant something year round. We do try to grow and preserve as much as we can ourselves. I have been canning for years now and also dehydrating. Only started freeze drying a couple years ago. I also have a small "kitchen garden" off my back porch where I plant my herbs along with a few tomatoes, peppers or salad types depending on the time of year.

When I boil a chicken or Turkey, I debone and then put in jars with broth to can. It is just fine using in recipes like casseroles or soups. I have even done leg quarters, with bone, put in jars to pressure can. I don't recommend doing it that way. My favorite is boil, debone, pour the broth on and then can.

With beef, I would NOT recommend packing it in raw. It can be done before pressure canning, but to me it came out like dog food. My favorite way is to brown it first and then put in jars with broth to be able to use in future recipes.

Here in Texas, we have a LOT of feral pigs and you can actually hunt them with NO LIMITS. Sometimes Hunny gets calls from law enforcement, since he is an ex-PD officer, to say something got hit. Yeah, I am not afraid of actual "road kill". Have processed quite a few actually. Free meat in my world!

Why does your country not eat wild rabbits? There are so many good recipes that are fall off the bone recipes.

 

[Emmy-Lou]

To both @ClemKadiddlehopper and @Sourdough there will be no flaming from me! I am simply asking what homesteading is to YOU. So what ever answer you give is more than fine by me. That is your experience and understanding of the term. If I had of asked the definition of homesteading that may be different, as it's a more concrete thing perhaps.
Homesteading isn't a term frequently used in Australia and some would accuse me of trying to 'Americanize' what we are doing, but to me it is a good term and I feel it describes what we are trying to do well, whereas other terms like mixed farm fall down and don't take into the home making parts of homesteading like preserving/cooking from scratch etc. For some, they may be less important parts of homesteading, and hunting or whatever may be a bigger part of it for them.
We are living what is considered to be a pretty unusual life in Australia, quite old-fashioned and most people don't start with bare raw land with. But I'm ok with that. It is the life we choose and we are lucky to have that choice.

@biggkid that sounds challenging but rewarding. We have about 150acres of forest here, we live in the mountains, and another about 100acres of pasture/pasture under shelter. 265acres all up. Which to Australian farm standards is still considered small. We were lucky to be able to do some sustainable logging about 12 months ago where a company came in and selected timber across the property under strict sustainability guidelines. They left us plenty of fence posts and scrap timber which is good for smaller jobs so it suited us well. You cant easily log this kind of country and take our heavy hardwood without their massive machines. No area is fully cleared. It cost us every doallr we had to buy this land and we camped for the first 4 months in an old caravan and tents. We have stated the entire thing from scratch with bugger all money too.

 

[Dani]

We have been on our homestead for years now. I am honestly hoping you get to your goal sooner then expected.

 

[Emmy-Lou]

Homesteading to me is raising our own meat, cows and pigs. I do also have goats, but they are my babies and have yet to harvest their meat. I have run some of my older boys thru the auction barn though, so can only imagine what their out come will be. Even a few younger boys. I did get to meet up to say "goodbye" to one. The older man bought him because he tells me he hadn't seen toggles on a goat since he was a kid and bought him for his granddaughter. "Skotty" was only around a year at the time.

I also have a Jersey cow that I can milk after she calfs. She has been trained with a lead and will walk with you. She has also been trained to load up into the milk parlor and even with a machine will get milked out. I started traing Claire at 6 weeks old.

Our garden is what we normally eat fresh and with our climate, we can normally plant something year round. We do try to grow and preserve as much as we can ourselves. I have been canning for years now and also dehydrating. Only started freeze drying a couple years ago. I also have a small "kitchen garden" off my back porch where I plant my herbs along with a few tomatoes, peppers or salad types depending on the time of year.

When I boil a chicken or Turkey, I debone and then put in jars with broth to can. It is just fine using in recipes like casseroles or soups. I have even done leg quarters, with bone, put in jars to pressure can. I don't recommend doing it that way. My favorite is boil, debone, pour the broth on and then can.

With beef, I would NOT recommend packing it in raw. It can be done before pressure canning, but to me it came out like dog food. My favorite way is to brown it first and then put in jars with broth to be able to use in future recipes.

Here in Texas, we have a LOT of feral pigs and you can actually hunt them with NO LIMITS. Sometimes Hunny gets calls from law enforcement, since he is an ex-PD officer, to say something got hit. Yeah, I am not afraid of actual "road kill". Have processed quite a few actually. Free meat in my world!

Why does your country not eat wild rabbits? There are so many good recipes that are fall off the bone recipes.

Some people do, but rabbits are not native and have wreaked havoc on our delicate bush, knocking out many of our native species. We don't have the variety of predators you have in America so they breed in plauge numbers.
To control them they introduced biological disease management. There is one disease called myxomatosis that is spread via mozzie that causes blindness and mucky discharge from various openings. There is another called calicivirus that causes the disease to the intestines and the liver which is spread from animal to animal. People breed rabbits to eat but they vaccinate them and keep them in mozzie-proof hutches. Some people eat wild rabbits but most don't given the disease potential. They are often considered quite dirty here. Pre the introduction of biological control, they were common fare.

 

[Dani]

Some people do, but rabbits are not native and have wreaked havoc on our delicate bush, knocking out many of our native species. We don't have the variety of predators you have in America so they breed in plauge numbers.
To control them they introduced biological disease management. There is one disease called myxomatosis that is spread via mozzie that causes blindness and mucky discharge from various openings. There is another called calicivirus that causes the disease to the intestines and the liver which is spread from animal to animal. People breed rabbits to eat but they vaccinate them and keep them in mozzie-proof hutches. Some people eat wild rabbits but most don't given the disease potential. They are often considered quite dirty here. Pre the introduction of biological control, they were common fare.

I find that so very sad. We shoot rabbits around here when out in the garden.

 

[Dani]

I find that so very sad. We shoot rabbits around here when out in the garden.

If cooked correctly I really don't think you would have to worry .

Some people do, but rabbits are not native and have wreaked havoc on our delicate bush, knocking out many of our native species. We don't have the variety of predators you have in America so they breed in plauge numbers.
To control them they introduced biological disease management. There is one disease called myxomatosis that is spread via mozzie that causes blindness and mucky discharge from various openings. There is another called calicivirus that causes the disease to the intestines and the liver which is spread from animal to animal. People breed rabbits to eat but they vaccinate them and keep them in mozzie-proof hutches. Some people eat wild rabbits but most don't given the disease potential. They are often considered quite dirty here. Pre the introduction of biological control, they were common fare.

 

[Emmy-Lou]

I find that so very sad. We shoot rabbits around here when out in the garden.

I guess that depends on the context you are looking at it from. Australia has very unique wildlife and many native animals that are not found anywhere else in the world. Australia is a huge island and animals have evolved differently. If the rabbits, which are common across the globe, were allowed to run wild, these rare and vulnerable species would be lost forever. Australians as a whole are very happy to have them under control no matter what it takes. To us, it would be sadder to loose our unique wildlife forever.

 

[Dani]

I guess that depends on the context you are looking at it from. Australia has very unique wildlife and many native animals that are not found anywhere else in the world. Australia is a huge island and animals have evolved differently. If the rabbits, which are common across the globe, were allowed to run wild, these rare and vulnerable species would be lost forever. Australians as a whole are very happy to have them under control no matter what it takes. To us, it would be sadder to loose our unique wildlife forever.

THAT IS SAD!

 

[Emmy-Lou]

THAT IS SAD!

What is sad? Wanting to protect our rare native wildlife?

 

[Dani]

What is sad? Wanting to protect our rare native wildlife?

No. The fact that you can not harvest the meat that is coming in to eat your hard earned garden harvest.

 

[Emmy-Lou]

No. The fact that you can not harvest the meat that is coming in to eat your hard earned garden harvest.

Ah yeap, it is a con for sure. But they are such a serious issue they were breeding hugely faster than people trapping, farmers hunting and removing their burrows, and every other method under the sun people could do to keep them under control. They would decimate vast areas of crops in plague numbers, risking Australia's food supply. Apart from dingoes and predatory birds, they don't have any other wild life here keeping their numbers in check naturally. They should never have been introduced.

 

[Wingnut]

I may be one of those "Modern Homesteaders" mentioned by Sourdough, lol... though my hard-earned money bought this property and my hard labor & sweat is what improves it. Though I'm relatively new to the concept of homesteading (having lived on the beach for much of my life), I have enjoyed some success and I have big plans for the next outdoor growing season. One day, I'd like to try my hand at raising chickens & goats, other folks here in this rural subdivision do it, some keep horses too. I'm not sure whether cattle are allowed here, but there are larger ranch properties right nearby where folks raise cattle. I know I can raise chickens & goats here, but one step at a time, yeah?

Now, frankly, I don't think I'll ever reach the point where I'm entirely self-sufficient: I'm still gonna need fuel, for starters, though I might try solar & wind power in due time. This whole process is a learning curve for me, even though I've spent much of my life in the field doing various outdoor activities: hiking, remote camping (where everything must be brought with you), technical rock climbing, sailing to remote islands off the coast of Baja and spending days there, etc. So it's not like I'm some "city slicker" plunked down on this rural property, lol... me beloved & dear departed mum was a true 'green thumb' and she could grow ANYTHING, and I reckon some of that ability must have rubbed off on me, lol.

Now that I'm 60 years old, this homesteading venture is a way for me to increase self-sufficiency and save money... I'm a notoriously cheap b@stard when it comes to money, lol. For instance, I don't pay ANYBODY to do something I can do myself, UNLESS I'm doing other work and actually have the cash to "farm out" the work. If I can reduce my grocery bill by planting a bunch of stuff next spring, that's what I'm gonna do... everything I plant (with the exception of weed or MMJ) will be edible, or produce something edible, lol. I already planted some fruit trees, but I'm gonna plant pecan and pistachio nut trees next spring, they do very well in this climate. Melons, squash, hot peppers, and other garden truck too...

Perhaps I'd be better labeled a "hobby farmer"---but I intend to put much of this 1/2 acre to work next spring, and the sunshine here in the high desert is of decent quality, so I know I'll be able to produce stuff, and our community well system is reliable. All it takes is soil amendment to grow things here... beyond the native flora, I mean. Some of that is edible too, as I'm learning. For example, I have 30 pine trees on my property (which produce pine nuts), and a number of agave plants, which the Mescalero Apache use as a food source. Moi, I'll wind up making tequila out of it, lol. I'm learning about fermentation too, and I plan to make some hard apple cider here soon, I'm just waiting on airlocks & yeast.

To me, "homesteading" is an adventure, the same way much of what I do in life is an adventure: sailing & trucking back in the day, cycle riding, exploring the local mountains which are chockablock with wildlife, including many deer, elk & wild turkey, etc. My family is related by marriage & blood to the Boone Family, as in Daniel Boone, which may be why I view life as an adventure... that's no Internet jive either, me beloved & dear departed mum was Registrar for our local chapter of the D.A.R. in Coronado, and she used all the resources of that organization to trace our family tree. So if we ever see a SHTF situation, you can safely bet that I'll be availing myself of the resources & wildlife here in New Mexico.

It's okay if folks want to look down upon me as some sorta 'new breed' of homesteader, I couldn't care less. I've done things on this planet that they'll NEVER do, particularly in the nautical world, but now I'm living in the high desert, go figure, with a majestic mountain range right nearby... again, not as majestic as some ranges on this planet, but it'll do just fine for me, and my big ol' thumper will take me up there again come Monday (when the weather forecast is ideal, lol). I reckon that if I'm gonna live in the boondocks, I'm gonna have some fun too, though I also keep survival situations in mind as I learn the lay of the land. I'm a former USA INF soldier too, so that makes a difference in my perspective.

In this Brave New Fraudulent Third World, I'll take whatever freedom I can get, AYE? Hell, just moving out of the Big City was a GIANT STEP in the right direction, and I did THAT six years ago. I still have relatives in the Socialist Republik of Kalifornia, including nieces & nephews, and they already know that if things go south, they are welcome here. In a way, I view it as "holding the fort"---and every improvement I make upon this property is a step in the right direction for all of us. So I'll continue this homesteading adventure and do the best I can at it, as I do in most of my endeavors. Anything I can do to become more self-sufficient, I will eventually try... I may only be one man at present, but I'm as tough as I'll ever need to be, and I stand alone with strength and honor. I will VIGOROUSLY DEFEND myself, my family, and our property against ALL COMERS, and I'm qualified to do just that. Now, back to more positive subjects, like growing things, lol...

 

[Dani]

There is a reason with the term "breeding like rabbits". . .

 

[dademoss]

Not a homesteader, I live on on .173 acres in a suburb of Cincinnati. However, there is a garden, chickens, compost piles, dog, barn cats, house cats, berry patches, yuccas, fig trees. No Bears, No Acres, but it suits me fine. Rabbits and squirrels are about, so are possums and Raccoons. See an occasion fox around.

Not A "prepper". more of a boy scout, be prepared.

 

[Sourdough]

It's okay if folks want to look down upon me as some sorta 'new breed' of homesteader,

To be clear I don't look down on the current use of the word Homestead. I call my property the homestead. I simply feel that someone calling themself a Homesteader is disrespecting those who actually Homesteaded. Think of it this way the term "Stolen Valor" enrages those who served. I actually think most people think Homesteading ended in the late 1800's. Something the pioneers did.

 

[Amish Heart]

My nephew told my favorite cousin (who is in her 70's) that they bought a five acre homestead that he is homesteading. She asked what that meant. She lives on a very large off grid amish farm.
I'm not sure what I call it. What we do, I mean. Everyone on the forum does different things in different ways, and some don't do much at all. Does it need a name?

 

[Wingnut]

And in the Lower 48, it certainly tapered off... but not in Alaska, or so I've heard.

Moi, I certainly ain't no "homesteader" right now, drinking beer & Apple Jack and waiting on news of this Bama-LSU game, lol (which Supe mentioned in another thread, I always liked that matchup over the years)...

Amish Heart, just saw your post, and YOU are DEFINITELY a HOMESTEADER, lol...

 

[Amish Heart]

Ha, ok Wingnut. Am an ex New Mexican, too, and have extreme sympathy for your goathead issues.

 

[Wingnut]

I actually have the goatheads under control, go figure... I saw ONE vine today, but the last time I was in the yard I didn't see ANY, lol. So my eradication campaign has actually worked, but I will remain on the scout for more of those pesky weeds next spring! I'll tell ya, that was a "job of work" pulling all of those goldurned goatheads in months past, but I'm very happy with the results of my campaign! Cheers!!!

 

[Magpie]

I'm one of those people that will read a book if it has 'homestead' in the title. The romantic in me!
I agree with lots of comments above; It is considered an old-fashioned- and often American term - I suppose here in Ireland self-sufficiency is now the equivalent? Whatever you call it, it rasies eyebrows I can tell you! One thing above that stood out to me was someone mentioned 'adventure' - and that is how I picture it- it's not just buying a reading made farm, it's making your own from scratch - clearing land etc,building a home- doing it full time-and being reliant on your efforts to live, other than bartering. But like @Amish Heart says, it doesn't need a name. As long as it makes you happy.

 

[Spikedriver]

I don't call myself a homesteader at all. I currently live in a downtown apartment in a small town of 2,000 residents. I did grow up on a farm, but it was well established 100 years before I was born.

Even back when it really was "homesteading" where I grew up, there was not total self sufficiency. The land was tall grass Prairie. There wasn't wood to burn in the stove. My great great grandfather made a 3 day round trip on a horse drawn wagon to buy coal twice a year. It was supplemented with corn cobs and dried cow chips.

So anyway, I have no real experience with homesteading. But, there's a reason why the forum is called Homesteading & Country Living - and I've done the country living part most of my life, since I can stake my claim on that...

 

[Magus]

To me a homesteader is a person who for whatever reasons, got sick of the status quo-9 to 5 BS world and decided to make their own world and life anew on their own terms with an eye on self sufficiency and privacy. it's a whole different view of life and how to live it and a desire to be left in peace.

When I bailed out on the world three years ago, that was all I wanted, to be left alone and live in peace on my own terms and to make my own life.

 

[UrbanHunter]

To me homesteading is an elusive dream. The dream of having a place with enough space to grow your own food, make your own power, and cover most of your everyday needs. In my eye a fully accomplished homesteader is someone who has become fully independent and can take society on their own terms.

 

[sonya123]

To me homesteading is an elusive dream. The dream of having a place with enough space to grow your own food, make your own power, and cover most of your everyday needs. In my eye a fully accomplished homesteader is someone who has become fully independent and can take society on their own terms.

That's what we thought we wanted to do when we first moved to our farm/ homestead, be self sufficient. but that's really impossible. We don't have the equipment or acreage to be 100% food self sufficient , we can't grow grain here for example nor harvest it if we could. We are not energy self sufficient, have to buy fuel for the vehicles and equipment. We are no health self sufficient, we do have to go to the doctor sometimes.
Even the Amish here are not self sufficient ( they hire drivers, and shop at Walmart also., and go to the hospital if they have to)

I think homesteaders are people living out in a rural area trying to be as self sufficient as possible.
But we now run a small commercial farm and sell stuff at the farmers market, livestock auctions and privately so are will still homesteaders?

 

[UrbanHunter]

That's what we thought we wanted to do when we first moved to our farm/ homestead, be self sufficient. but that's really impossible. We don't have the equipment or acreage to be 100% food self sufficient , we can't grow grain here for example nor harvest it if we could. We are not energy self sufficient, have to buy fuel for the vehicles and equipment. We are no health self sufficient, we do have to go to the doctor sometimes.
Even the Amish here are not self sufficient ( they hire drivers, and shop at Walmart also., and go to the hospital if they have to)

I think homesteaders are people living out in a rural area trying to be as self sufficient as possible.
But we now run a small commercial farm and sell stuff at the farmers market, livestock auctions and privately so are will still homesteaders?

I would have to say YES!!

I think homesteading is a journey to be striven for, knowing it may not ever be fully achieved.... I imaging that even living in a city or an apartment we can participate in the homesteader journey....