Homestead~Simple

THE ORIGINAL MEANING OF HOMESTEADING: Homestead Act of 1862. File an application for land that you picked out to live on, (usually 160 acres) it was government property, you settled ie stayed on the land, improved the land, gardened, built a home, and after a certain length of time you petitioned the government to give you a deed of title to the land. You provided witnesses that you followed these and other rules, and the court put a notice in the newspaper stating your claim, naming the witnesses, and after a certain length of time the land was put into your name. Simplified explanation, but this is the gist of what a homesteading really meant in the beginning.

Now, you have something called Homestead Exemption in certain states for people who are disabled, or over 65. You have to apply for this, and if you meet these and other requirements, you no longer have to pay taxes on your land.

Modern-day Homesteading

Start small, there's no need to go in debt, especially if you're just wanting a simpler lifestyle. If you're wanting to make money from your homestead, think diversity. Have you ever heard the old saying " Don't put all your eggs in the same basket?" Think of different ways, several ways, to earn a little extra income. And if you want your homestead to completely support you, diversity is very important in the times we live in. This thought came to me while I was watching the movie "Country", when the farmer delivered his corn to be sold, the FHA was going to hold out 1/2 of his payment to insure they would get their money back from the loan the farmer took out for his farm. Then they took the whole check because they saw he was behind on his loan. They were going to be foreclosed on in 30 days if he didn't pay back the loan in full. I can't even remember how it ended, but probably not well. Not having debts is something we should strive for, but if it's necessary then do what you have to do. I knew if corn was the only way he had of making money, he was in trouble. 
I know these little tips I give for making an income won't amount to tons of money, but it might keep your family from starving. When I was growing up my parents both worked, as a butcher and a cashier. Later they owned their own little country store, and dad built a meat processing plant on our property. Times were tough at certain times of the year, but then again at other times plenty of money was made for necessities. We had the farm, the little store, so we had food to eat. That's what I say about having a farm or homestead. If you have a source for at least food and ways to earn extra income, it might not be much but it will get you by until times get better. Then again, I think we sometimes need to really look and see if all we buy and do is really necessary. Sometimes we just need to stop buying, stop doing things that are considered a luxury. Save money for hard times, and don't go in debt. LEARN TO BE MORE FRUGAL. More on that subject HERE and HERE.

First decide what sort of things you want on your homestead. Maybe just starting small and just start a garden, and have a few chickens, and a couple of milk goats, or a bred milk cow to start with. You'll want to go with the animals you feel you can deal with, Have a place for them to stay, sleep, roost, lay eggs, etc. then find the animals. After you get used to them and used to growing food or foraging, and you begin to have a surplus of fruit, vegetables, etc., then you can find a place to sell some. . .Whether it's a Farmer's Market, roadside stand, word-of-mouth, family, relatives, etc. 

Garden

Image by Prawny from Pixabay

A garden, a little plot of land, or bins, buckets, or raised beds. Go in with your neighbor and share your land or see if they will share part of their land to have a garde. Both of you work, or work out another agreement on how to share the vegetables.

Veggies

Ways to process fruits and vegetables, baskets or boxes for picking, a place for washing (inside or outside), dishpans, knives for peeling and cutting. You'll need freezer bags, jars/lids/rings, pressure canner/waterbath canner.

Milk-Cheese

A place to milk, bucket, a strainer and jars to store milk. Plenty of space in fridge for milk, or an extra fridge. 
​Feed for the goat(s) or cow. An area for them to graze.

Fruits

Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay

If you want to make jellies, jams for yourself and to sell: You'll also need jars, rings lids, sugar and pectin. Ribbons, labels, etc.

If you grow a garden, you'll need to process, can, freeze, dehydrate them. You'll need freezer space, pantry space. Get creative, store under bed, in closets, in a spare bedroom, 

Chickens

Image by Lena Svensson from Pixabay

A few chickens, purchase grown hens if possible. They're more expensive, but the eggs come sooner. Little biddies (chicks) are cute as a button, but they won't lay eggs for nearly a year with some breeds. So if you want eggs sooner, get the grown ones, or at least pullets.

Eggs-Chicks-Surplus chickens

A chicken house, place to roost, place for them to roam a little, nests to lay eggs.
​Feed for the chickens.

Milk goat or cow

Image by svklimkin from Pixabay

If you're wanting a milk goat, try to find one that's expecting or one that is still in milk. Just because they're already bred, you won't have to find a person with a billy goat to get her bred, and if already in milk, you don't have to wait to start milking. After a certain amount of time you will have to get her bred again when/if the milk starts drying up.

 TIPS: We've had different breeds of goats over the years and some of the milk was bad tasting.

• We figured out the problem was keeping the male in there with them caused the milk to taste so horrible.
• On the other hand, one we had, had milk that was so good and sweet the cream tasted like whipped cream, and it was probably the breed, Saanen, I think, plus no male with her. I wish we still had her!
• Another problem we had was salty tasting milk, when she had free access to mineral salt before we got her. It took a long time to get rid of the salty taste.
• So using a small amount of mineral salt is better than free access at least in the case of it being a milk goat, and probably the same with a milk cow. 
• And whatever they eat can also affect the taste of the milk. For instance, bitter weeds.

Rabbits

Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay

Rabbits, for manure for garden, and for meat if you want that.
​You'll need a cage, feeder, water bottles, alfalfa pellets, or specified feed for the rabbits. They love grasses, weeds, and kitchen scraps - fruit and veggie scraps, etc., but do your research on what is edible for them and what might make them sick.

We finally have baby rabbits!

They are growing like a weed! We have three, and maybe more will be born soon. We really won't be processing them unless we have to for survival, if such a time comes, then we'll do what we have to do.

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