Homesteading is important to me because....
...of all it represents and brings to our lives.
I'm not getting philosophical on you here, I'm pretty much a realist and one to tell things like they are. Sometimes this gets me into trouble. Oh well, it happens (see... I told you).
I view homesteading as a descriptive term acting as the hub of a greater network of values.... or, as Beryllium... I'll explain that in a minute. But first...
My Definition of Homesteading
Homesteading cannot be put into a neat little box. It is not a shopping list or a level in a game with specific tasks to be done before reaching it. You can be a homesteader on 50 acres or in a city apartment. The home doesn't make the homesteader... the homesteader does!
Instead, homesteading is a mindset. A way of looking at the world and choosing to behave in a way that is more independent, nurturing, and responsible rather than dependent, consuming, and selfish.
Beryllium
Originally I only picked this element because it matched with my graphic below illustrating my point of a center nucleus and four electrons around it. However, as I read about it on Wikipedia, there were some terms that could be applied to Homesteading as well...
"...improves many physical properties when added..."
"...tools made... are stronger..."
"...desirable... for use in outer space..."
Okay, so I was reaching for a correlation in that last one.. but c'mon...
Alright, here's my graphic that I'm going to expand upon further. As you can see, I put Homesteading at the center and alliteratively added four categories around it to talk about.
Educational
Everything about a homestead is educational. You're surrounded in an environment where you are learning new things, doing new things, and repeating.
For children especially, a homestead can be a sea of knowledge and learning. Parents will find no better classroom to cultivate and nurture their child in. We have two boys, with the eldest starting homeschool later this year. In the limited time we've been at our homestead, it is amazing all the things he as learned that he otherwise would not have been exposed to. My boys' foundation's in life will be so much broader than mine was. The thought of all the good this will do for them in their life is a huge motivator by itself!
The educational merits don't stop at the children, rather, it could be said they start with the adults! Unless you grew up on a complete nirvana of a homestead, you're going to have things to learn. New projects, animals, gardens, technology, etc. The list goes on and on!
Economical
I have yet to see a millionaire homesteader. If you're out there, fly me to your place so I can redact this statement. Then adopt me.
Most homesteaders are of the financial means to always appreciate and welcome ways to save money. I also think it's kind of at the core values of a homestead to try and be as economical as possible.
Even if economy is not a forerunner in one's mind, the practices and lifestyle of a homesteader inherently lean towards it. Reusing plants to become compost and new soil, having animals eat your food waste to then become your food, saving your seeds from vegetables you grow to then grow again next year. These are just a few ways that a homestead naturally revolves on itself. Once you see the costs of things, it may even become a personal challenge to reduce your costs every where you can. Go for it!
Now wait a minute... a homestead is not cheap!
I agree with you... a homestead is not cheap! However, for every financial challenge there is almost always a practical workaround to come out cheaper or in an alternate way. Barns can be built from recycled materials, animals can be found for free or cheap, compost can be made from natural debris and your own pee! If you're creative, patient, and hard-working there is nothing you can't accomplish at a great savings.
Empowering
You will gain experience with each challenge you face on a homestead; whether or not you succeed at it. Perseverance will provide successes, success gives confidence, and confidence is empowering to take on your next challenge!
Entertaining
There's never a boring moment on a homestead, no matter how small it is. Especially if you follow the words of Mary Poppins:
"In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun, and snap! The job's a game."
Working in a garden, building something for a project, feeding your farm critters, or checking on your off grid resources. You can find enjoyment in maintaining your homestead and getting a sense of satisfaction from the fruits of your labor. If those don't cut it, just give it time. Something crazy will happen and entertain you one way or another. Just go ask @farmstead about her quail!
If You Take One Thing Away From This Post
You will be faced with so many things that you have no idea about. Whether new animals, problems with the garden, how to preserve food, how to get off grid, or one of one billion other things that a homestead may have; you must be able to research, seek out, learn, and tech yourself.
Online resources such as Steemit, Google and YouTube are great for a fast answer. Paper references are just as important to have, too. Thrift stores such as Goodwill or Salvation Army are wonderful places to pick up books for cheap. We have found many great homestead resources for less than $2.00 a piece as such places. If nothing else, your local library would also work.
We are surrounded with knowledge in this modern age. We must know how to glean what we want from it!
Where Do I Go from Here
Right to Smash that Upvote Button!!!
I'm just kidding.. well, not really.
But seriously... You're already in a great place! Steemit has a ton of homesteaders and gardeners actively sharing their knowledge, and more are joining with each day! Do a search for anything you're interested in, odds are you will find it here.
Thanks to @kiaraantonoviche and her most recent #homesteadingchallenge named Steemit "HomesteadingChallenge" #1 - Theme Announcement and Rules - SBD Reward for Winner! This is my entry into her contest... as well as another awesome post for you all.
See you in the comments below, and on the next post!
Until next time, @greenacrehome
I think the best part of this article is Learning to Learn! Absolutely right! I am constantly searching google for something new whether it be how to properly take care of quail or a new wild bird or animal I've seen. :D It's probably my favorite part.
I agree. It's probably the most important thing! Thanks for reading and commenting. Also thanks for mentioning this in the http://steemitbc.slack.com site! I would probably have missed it otherwise. Even though I'm following kiara
I love the whole idea of this challenge! I'm really looking forward to more!
Me too. I've enjoyed reading how differently we have interpreted the challenge thus far. Hoping it catches on.
I'll have to look up the tag, but I bet it does! Ps. Look at my newest post!
This is my ultimate dream - to have property and build our homestead! I want to have a garden, some aquaponics, and some animals too. I love recycling and repurposing things when I can. Sites like Freecycle keep things out of landfills because they are still useful goods! I won't ever be fully off the grid but what I have pictured in my head will eventually become a reality and my side of heaven. :)
I hope you get there!!! We started small--in a suburban home with very little land--but did as much as we could. Good luck on your journey, hard work and perseverance will get you there.
Fantastic post on homesteading. Great points presented with very nice graphics. Thanks for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed it, thanks for stopping by to comment!
No matter how much you already know, you can always learn something more when it comes to homesteading.
That is so true! Even if you aren't adding anything new there will be things come up to test you. It's the perfect life for someone with ADD. :-)
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STOPWell said! Awesome graphics!
Thanks!
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Thanks for another encouraging article.
At this point, homesteading is still just a dream for me. I'm all about frugality, making do, stretching a budget, and building what I need. Also about access to resources. I'm trying to cut back on paper books. Wish I could have given you the stack of Mother Earth News that I got rid of sometime last year...
😄😇😄
Thank you! Those are all great skills for homesteading, so it sounds you at least on your mental journey. :-)
Wonderful article! You have been entered into the challenge - thank you!
Hooray! Thank you, and thank YOU for the #homesteadingchallenge
Sometimes I am so torn between taking the time to do the research and doing the actual things that I had researched already. It's like not wanting to put a good book down even when the oven timer has already gone off 3 times and supper is in the oven., KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! Thanks for sharing
It's definitely a balancing act. :-) I tend to buy things for "projects" then get distracted and never do them. I've found making a list of the projects I could do right now (since I've bought the items) and referring to it regularly helps keep me on track. Maybe something similar would help? Dunno. Thanks for commenting!