Lifetime long farmer gives you the top tips on what to do getting started as a new homesteader.
There is a huge learning curve when you start out homesteading. These tips will go a long way to help keep you out of trouble in the beginning.
1. Get seeds form the most repeatable seed company. Don’t waist your time with iffy dollar store seed packs. Spend just a little more and get a much larger return on your vegetable and fruit production.
2. Read up and study what are the best products before you buy something for your homestead. Search for book deals to learn more about homesteading here.
3. Look for free building and gardening supplies first before you go out and buy new items. Look out for people throwing out items like pallets and scrap wood. Wood scraps are something you can never have enough of. Many uses from building rabbit cages to just using it for firewood.
4. Grow the fruit and vegetables you like to eat. Not just what people recommend you grow in your area. And look for high yield foods like tomatoes, bunching onions, leaf lettuces, Summer squash, peas and beans and the like. I have always had great luck buying from Johnny’s Seeds
5. Have each family member specialize in things they like to do. If mom likes to sew and knit don’t force her be the one feed the pigs as her first chore. Most kids love taking care of rabbits and ducks. Let them do that to start and ease them into working the compost bin as you get them more involved in the homestead.
Gradually easing the family into homesteading over a few years builds a lifestyle most people can handle. If you force eveyone in wide open family members will quickly get burnt out and want to quit. Make it fun and not just hard work at first and the homestead will be the happy home you hoped it could be.
Listen to this farmer and homesteader of 33 years to get a more in-depth rundown on how to get into homesteading with the least pain.
You can find many homesteading books and eBooks for free or cheap here.
