What is homesteading anyway? Today homesteading has a new meaning to most. It’s whatever you want it to be. What home means to you. To most people, it’s about being more self-reliant.
I started my journey by beginning to make more and more recipes from scratch. The more I looked at labels, the less I wanted to buy the processed foods that had been previously ruling our kitchen.
We lived in a suburban area, and many of the homesteading things I was interested in wasn’t exactly possible there.
We had a huge yard, and I wanted to build a garden. However, we had so many trees that there was little to no sun in the yard.
I also wanted chickens, but with neighbors being so close, and many of them owning dogs, it didn’t seem like a good idea at the time.
Years went by, and then we finally moved to a more country type setting. Where owning chickens, and growing a garden was possible.
We live on 5 acres. We have about 20 chickens or more, 2 ducks and a dog.
I have a garden, where I love to grow herbs and a few vegetables.
Over the years I’ve learned how to make so many things myself. We’ve built 3 chicken coops, after learning that store-bought ones don’t hold up very well.
Our journey was slow when I compared it to others. However, I’m happy with where we are.
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’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.
I’ve 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.
We’ve been raising chickens for several years now, and last year we added ducks! Ducks are so much fun!
Here’s a giant list of some of the blog posts I’ve written about my homesteading journey. I hope these help you start your journey!
Homemade Items on The Homestead
- 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 on The Homestead
Dinner Recipes From The Homestead
- 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 From The Homestead
- 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
Homesteading Dessert Recipes
- Instant Pot Vanilla Extract
- Lemon Almond Pound Cake
- Solar Cooking s’more Pie
- Chocolate Toffee Dessert Recipe – Christmas Crack
- Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake
- Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bites
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
Homesteading Breakfast Recipes
- Breakfast Burrito
- Breakfast Burrito to-go
- Frozen Veggies Frittata
- Fresh Vegetable Frittata
- Butter Biscuits
- Whole Wheat Biscuits
- Pancakes
- Burrito with Bell Pepper Cream Sauce
- Egg Bites and Egg Muffins
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 While Homesteading
- 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
- Make your own Hand Sanitizer
- Homemade Baby Wipes
Raising Chickens & other Poultry | Homesteading
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.
Posts all About Chickens/Ducks
- Chickens Eating Feathers | Why Do Chickens Eat Feathers?
- Chicken Feather Loss | The Many Reasons Why Chickens Lose Feathers
- How Many Eggs Do Chickens Lay Naturally? | Daily & Yearly
- Raising Baby Ducks For Beginners
- Do Ducks Lay Eggs?
- Can Chickens Eat Bread?
- Homemade Suet Cakes | Cold Weather Treats For Wild Birds & Chickens
- How Much to Feed Chickens Per Day? | Chicken Feeding Guide
- Frozen Treats For Chickens | Cooling Summer Treats For Chickens
- Can Chickens Eat Celery?
- Can Ducks Eat Bread?
- Peanut Butter Dog Treats | Perfect For Chicken Treats Too!
- Do Ducks Have Teeth?
- Storing Eggs at Room Temperature | Why, What, How
- Can Chickens Eat Apples? Do Apples Make Good Treats?
- Can Chickens Fly?
- Can Ducks Fly? | Wild and Domestic Ducks
- What Do Chickens Eat?
- How Long Do Chickens Live?
- What Do Ducks Eat? What To Feed Ducks and What Not To Feed Them
- How Long Do Eggs Last?
- Egg Float Test | How Old is That Egg?
- Which Chickens are the Best Egg Layers?
- Backyard Chicken Coop | Truck Topper Chicken Coop Tour
- Gifts For Chicken Lovers – Holiday Gift Guide For Chicken Lovers
- Trailer Chicken Coop – Upcycled Horse Trailer Turned Into A Chicken Coop
- How to Raise Baby Chicks | A Simple Guide For Raising Baby Chicks
- 70+ Really Cool Signs for Chicken Coop
- Chicken Coop Inspiration – Inspiration for Building or Buying a Chicken Coop
- Chicken Pecking Block Recipe
- Top 10 Ways to Have Healthy Chickens
- How Long Do Baby Chicks Need A Heat Lamp?
Raising Goats
There are several books on Amazon about goats. Before I start something I usually start with research.
You can 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.
Posts about 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 them out for free! Check out the posts on raising pigs, find them below the books.
Posts about Pigs
- 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 of books 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.
Posts about Cows
- 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.
Posts about Gardening
- DIY Garden Markers
- 40 Things To Read Before Starting a Garden
- 5 Steps to Start a Garden
- Tips for Winter Gardening
- Everything You Need to Know About Rosemary
- Prepping your Garden for Spring
- How to Propagate Aloe Vera
- Aloe Vera Troubleshooting
- How to Care For Aloe Vera
- How to Start an Herb Garden
- DIY Herb Planter
- Best Gardening Tools
- Garden Pest Control
- What to Wear While Gardening
- What Seeds to Start in March | Zone 8
- 25 Things to Plant in May | Zone 8
- 41 Things to Plant in April |Zone 8
- 41 Things to Plant in March | Zone 8
- DIY Twine Wrapped Planters
- Top 10 Best Edibles to Grow Inside
- Benefits of Aloe Vera
- 6 Ways to Preserve Herbs
- Creative Ways to Use Herbs
- How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies
- Cheap Gardening Supplies
Popular Homesteading Books on Amazon
Homeschooling
I homeschool my boys, and I use mostly free resources. Check out some of my favorites!
- Coding For Kids | 33 Homeschool Coding Classes!
- Free Homeschool Curriculums | 9 FREE Curriculums
- Virtual Field Trips | Zoos, Museums, Landmarks, And More!
- Virtual Math Manipulatives | Homeschool Math Websites
- Typing Games For Kids | Perfect For Homeschoolers!
- Totally Free Homeschooling Resources | How To Homeschool For Free
- Free Printable Valentine Matching Game – Free Valentine’s Printables
- Why Homeschool Is The Right Choice For Us – Our Reasons to Homeschool
- 34 Free Valentine Printables – Free Valentine’s Day Printables
- Free Printable Valentine Word Search – Free Valentine’s Printables
What’s 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-reliantLearn 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.
I’d love To Know what you think!… Leave me a comment!
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Wonderful!
Thanks for sharing. Its such an exciting trip to be on 🙂
I look forward to hearing more.
Thank you Joby! I look forward to it myself and I hope the kids do too! 😉
A most interesting read, we are embarking on our homestead journey too. About to buy a farmhouse with land on a remote island. Love your website.
Sorry it took so long to respond and approve your comment. I was out of town. Anywho, I am so happy for you. A remote island, huh? That is super exciting. I will have to check out your website to see some pictures! I can’t wait to follow your journey also!!! Thank you for stopping by and thank you for the compliments!