Starter Homesteader: Just Learning My Way

I used to live on 5-acres in the thumb of Michigan, but in 2012, I made the trek back south to a small town to re-establish my life.
I left behind a large garden (which at the time I didn't appreciate), the wide open spaces of rural farm country and a life I hadn't realized was making me unhappy.

The trade off was a smaller garden, the determination to learn to can the fruits of my labor in the garden, a small greenhouse for herbs, neighbors that are closer than a mile and the love of my life.
Yes, quite the positive trade in my opinion.

I have always wanted to live in the mountains somewhere. Preferably Idaho for some unknown reason. Idaho just calls out to me, but for now I am satisfied with Michigan. I have also always wanted to be self-sufficient, have a rural home on a small plot of land that I could garden, grow and create my own way of living and learn to be more appreciative of the earth and what it has to offer.

My top five homesteading and prepping tasks I want to complete in 2017, are as follows:

1. Develop a rain-catch system. I have two 55-gallon drums which were given to me from a local pickling plant/facility and I plan on creating my first ever rain-catch system to reduce water usage for my garden.
2. Build a larger greenhouse. My current one is only 4x4 and I realize my desire to grow more herbs. I want to eventually use certain herbs for medicinal purposes.
3. After last year's attempt at canning garden vegetables, I now have a better understanding of how much I need to can for one year's worth of food.
4. Re-plot my garden. After a few years of planting and growing, I now see some errors in my ways. Companion gardening and plotting out for the best yield are so important- something I never really considered when gardening was just a hobby. Now I am in it for more production and I see where I need to change certain processes.
5. Build a website and connect online with like-minded people. A good support system is important in all aspects of life and business. I see how it can assist me with questions, sharing and progress.

So there it is, my homesteading/prepping introduction. Small steps but positive ones that I am determined to accomplish.