here’s a growing interest in how to homestead and become more self-reliant. While the days of earning free land by farming it for a period of years is long gone, there are still many ways that most of us can incorporate homesteading principles into our daily lives. (Note – Although it sounds romantic and adventurous, “free land” often came at a high cost to those original homesteaders.) My great-grandparents were part of the original homesteading movement out west, and I remember my mom telling me a story passed down through her family about a young boy of 11 who was left to hold a homestead claim on his own for a year so his family could have more land. The boy survived, but the loneliness changed him and he was never quite right after the experience. The “good old days” weren’t always good.
In this post we’ll take a look at the fundamentals of homesteading and self-reliance, which include providing for our basic needs such as:
- Food and Water
- Shelter and Hygiene
- Clothing
With money being tight for many and economic uncertainty, saving money by doing more for yourself can be as good or better than simply busting your backside to try and earn more money. (The IRS is not taxing garden produce, chickens and homemade clothing – yet.) My grandparents got along pretty well when the Great Depression hit compared to many because they were able to provide for many of their own needs right on the farm.
Read more here.
