Homesteading Journey | What is Homesteading?

What is homesteading anyway? Today homesteading has a new meaning to most. Homesteading is whatever you want it to be. What home means to you. To most people it is about being more self reliant. Having a garden, raising chicken, keeping goats, making homemade items, learning ways to live with the land instead of just on it.

We love to raising chickens. I want to raise something else too, but I have not decided what that will be. Goats, pigs, and rabbits are all possibilities!

There are so many more ideas of what homesteading could mean to you, and to me and we will not all be exactly alike but that is just fine with me! We were made to be different!

Check out what we’ve been up to since we started homesteading… Maybe it will give you some inspiration!

In my homesteading journey so far, I’ve learned to make a great deal of homemade items. I have mastered cooking from scratch for my family and many ways to preserve food. Many of my recipes on this blog are quick and easy if you like that sort of thing. I’ve made things like, lip balm, and laundry detergent because it was cheaper to make them myself. Below you will find DIY recipes, and food recipes, and a good amount of posts on frugality. Below these I go into raising chickens and other livestock, gardening and other homesteading stuff.

Homemade Items

• DIY Twine Wrapped Planters
• DIY Citrus Peel Cleaner | Homemade Citrus Cleaner with Herbs | Stronger than your average homemade cleaner
• DIY Whipped Shea Butter Moisturizer – Homemade Body Butter
• DIY Upcycled Tin Can Organizers
• DIY Garden Markers – Printable Garden Markers – Cheap Garden Markers
• DIY Fall Wreaths – Super Cheap Craft Tutorial
• 4 Homemade Holiday Potpourri Recipes
• Homemade Carpet Refresher
• Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe
• Homemade Lip Balm Recipe – All-Natural and No Scents Added
• Natural Tick, Mosquito, and Flea Repellent
• Diffuse Your Favorite Essential Oils Everywhere You Go – Essential Oil Bracelet
• Easy DIY Valentine Flower Vase – Valentine’s Day Crafts – Valentine’s Day Flower Vase
• 6 Homemade Roll-On Scents – Homemade perfume & More

Canning Recipes

• Homemade Strawberry Jam
• Beautyberry Jelly
• Pear Butter

Dinner Recipes

• Salisbury Steak
• Beef Stroganoff
• Sausage and Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers
• Curried Quinoa
• Meatball for Spaghetti
• Homemade Marinara Recipe
• Chipotle Steak and Peppers
• One Pot Turkey and Pasta Recipe
• Hamburger Macaroni
• Zucchini Kale Casserole
• Zucchini Parmesan Casserole
• BBQ Ribs – Slow Cooker Style
• Dill Caper Pasta Recipe 
• Lamb Gyros With Tzatziki Sauce
• The Easiest Chili Recipe
• The Best Pork Chop Recipe
• Ham and Cheese Casserole
• Amazing Gluten Free Enchiladas
• Pot Roast – Slow Cooker Recipe
• Vegetable Stir Fry Recipe
• Mediterranean Chicken Recipe
• 20 Dutch Oven Recipes
• Chicken Marsala – Slow Cooker Recipe
• Cajun Spiced Sausage & Potatoes
• Lasagna – Slow Cooker Recipe

Soup Recipes

• Mulligatawny
• Chicken Quinoa Soup
• Spaghetti Soup
• Dill Pickle Soup Recipe
• Pumpkin Ginger Coconut Soup
• Cheddar Cheese Soup Recipe

Side Dishes/Condiments/Spice Mixes

• Homemade Sandwich Bread Recipe – Bread Machine
• Macaroni Salad
• Egg Salad
• Deviled Eggs
• Green Bean Casserole
• Salty Southern Potato Salad
• Homemade Barbecue Sauce
• Homemade Chili Seasoning – Make the perfect chili
• Au Gratin Potato Casserole Recipe
• Easy Baked Macaroni and Cheese
• Roasted Portabella Sandwich with Red Bell Pepper
• Kale and Basil Pesto
• Kale Salad Recipe – Easy Raw Recipes
• Homemade Bone broth- Frugal and Easy
• Easy Homemade Veggie Broth
• The Best Sauteed Cabbage Recipe
• Homemade Mediterranean Spice mix
• Homemade Chili Seasoning – Make the perfect chili
• Homemade Chili Powder Mix – DIY Spice Mix
• Homemade Taco Seasoning – DIY Spice Mix
• Homemade Curry Spice Mix – DIY Spice Mix
• Homemade Cajun Spice Mix – DIY Spice Mix

Dessert Recipes

• Lemon Almond Pound Cake
• Solar Cooking s’more Pie
• Chocolate Toffee Dessert Recipe – Christmas Crack

Snacks

• Salmon, Brie, and Strawberry Fruit Spread
• Homemade Vitamin Gummy Bears
• 20+ Easy Healthy Kid Snacks
• Homemade Garlic Hummus Recipe
• How to Make Fruit Rolls at home
• Homemade Gluten Free Cheese Crackers

Breakfast Recipes

• Breakfast Burrito
• Breakfast Burrito to-go
• Frozen Veggies Frittata
• Fresh Vegetable Frittata
• Butter Biscuits
• Whole Wheat Biscuits
• Pancakes

Fermenting Recipes

• Tepache – A Fermented Pineapple Beverage
• Fermented Pineapple Chutney
• How to ferment garlic
• Fermented Bell Peppers
• Book Review of Fermented Vegetables
• Homemade Kimchi Recipe
• Homemade Almond Cream Soda – Homemade Fermented Probiotic Beverage
• Fermented Carrots with Garlic Recipe
• How to Make Your Own Fermented Pickles
• How to Make Sauerkraut
• How to Make Water Kefir Soda
• How to Ferment Whole Cherry or Grape Tomatoes

Holiday Recipes & other helpful holiday stuff

• 16 Homemade Christmas Ornaments – DIY Christmas Crafts
• DIY Gift Basket
• Cinnamon Ornaments with Glitter
• 5 Great Holiday Stuffing Recipes
• Christmas Dinner Recipes – Everything from Appetizers to Desserts
• New Year’s Dinner Recipes on The Homestead
• Sausage Stuffing Recipe – Turkey Stuffing With Sausage
• Giblet Gravy Recipe – What To Make With Turkey Innards
• Make Yummy Gluten Free Turkey Stuffing
• How to Cook a Juicy Thanksgiving Turkey
• Stuffed Cornish Hens – with Sausage Stuffing
• Salty Southern Potato Salad Recipe
• Holiday Ham Recipe; Christmas – Easter Ham
• Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes – Last Minute Thanksgiving Dinner
• Green Bean Casserole Recipe
• Chocolate Toffee Dessert Recipe- Christmas Crack
• Deviled Egg Recipe 
• 4 Homemade Holiday Potpourri Recipes
• 40 DIY Easter Crafts – Easter Crafts for Kids and Adults

Ways to Be Frugal!

• Stretching Ground Beef
• How to FREEZE GROUND BEEF- Easy cooking tips
• Garnishing Hummus -Healthy Additions to Add to Hummus
• 10 Frugal Tips For The Homestead
• Easy Microwave Cleaning – Without the Stinky Cleaners!
• 42 Dollar Tree Homeschool Supplies List – Frugal homeschooling
• What To Do When The Kids Are Eating You Out Of The House – Feeding Hungry Kids On A Budget
• Tips for the One Income family
• 20 Dollar Tree Gardening Supplies
• 80 Dollar Tree Preps
• 57 Homesteading Skills to Learn This Year
• Dollar Tree Bug out Bag List – Dollar Tree Preps
• How to Store Homemade Bread 

Raising Chickens & other Poultry

There are many books on Amazon for raising poultry. Here’s some to check out. If you’re interested in any of these below, just click on them and it will take you to Amazon. Or you can check your local library or bookstore. Below the books you will find a whole bunch of articles to help get you started with raising chickens.

• Meet Our Baby Chicks
• 10 Reasons to Have Chickens
• How to Care for Chickens – Chickens Beginners Guide
• Frequently Asked Questions about Chickens – 36 Chicken FAQ
• Getting Chickens on the Homestead
• Should I Let my Chickens Free Range? – Free Range VS. Chicken Run
• How Do You Take a Vacation When You Have Chickens
• 3 Awesome Reasons For Feeding Pumpkin to Chickens
• All Natural Chicken First Aid Kit | Chicken Emergency Kit | Chicken Wound Care Supplies |

Raising Goats

There are several books on Amazon about goats. Before I start something I usually start with research. You could click on each book and it will take you to Amazon, if you want to buy them, or you can see if your local library has them to check out for free. Below the books are some posts I found on Goats. Below the books are a couple of posts I found from fellow homesteaders to help you get started raising goats.

• • The Complete Quick Start Guide to Raising Goats – The Free Range Life
  • A Simple Guide to Raising & Milking Goats – Weed ’em & Reap
  • How to Raise Goats | Survival Life
  • Raising Goats as Pets | Modern Farming Methods
  • A Beginner’s Guide to Raising Goats | Florida Farm & Feed, Inc.
  • Raising Urban Dairy Goats – Farming My Backyard

Raising Pigs

There are plenty of books about raising pigs on Amazon. You can check them out below. Click on them if you want to see them on Amazon. You could also check your local library to see if you can check the out for free! Check out the posts on raising pigs, find them below the books.

• • Raising Pigs: Pros & Cons | The Prairie Homestead
  • 12 Tips on How to Raise Pigs for Meat | Melissa K. Norris
  • Raising Pigs For Meat | Becky’s Homestead
  • Lessons in Raising Pigs – The Elliott Homestead

Raising Cows

It looks like there are plenty on book on Amazon about raising cows too. Click the books that you are interested in to take you to Amazon or see if your local library carries them.

• Pros and Cons of Raising Your Own Grass Fed Beef | Melissa K. Norris
• Raising Cows – Joyful Homesteading
• The Homesteader’s Guide to Raising Healthy Cattle – Survival Life
• The Perfect Family Cow? Pros & Cons of Dexter Cattle – Reformation …
• Raising Irish Dexter Cows – The Paleo Mama
• 5 Reasons To Have A Cow On The Homestead | The Easy Homestead

Gardening

Check out a couple of the books I found on Amazon. I need to add a couple of these to my reading list this year! I don’t know about you but I would love to do some vertical gardening this year! You can also check your local library for these books.

• The First 5 Steps to Starting a Garden
• 40+ Things to Read Before Starting a Garden
• What to Wear While Gardening- Gardening Clothes
• Start an Herb Garden – Beginners Guide to Start an Herb Garden
• What Seeds to Start in March (Indoors)
• 20 Dollar Tree Gardening Supplies
• DIY Garden Markers
• How to Prep Your Garden For Spring
• Tips for Winter Gardening
• 41 Things to Plant in March (In The Garden)- Zone 8

Popular Homesteading Books on Amazon

What is left in my homesteading journey?

• Turning my brown thumb green – I need a homestead garden!
• Learning about and purchasing essentials oil
• Owning my own land, and home
• I want chickens!
• Goats?
• What about pigs?
• Being more self reliant
• Learn more skills
• Outside laundry washing station
• Outside fully loaded kitchen
• Building or buying a better chicken coop
• Adding ducks to the homestead

Thank you for reading about my journey so far!

Want to check out what other homesteaders definitions of homesteading? Check out homesteading.com’s definition.

Let Me Know What You Think!

I would love to know what you think, Please leave me a comment or a question below… Thank you for visiting. 🙂

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