Story Time Thursday

While homesteading is nearly impossible in an apartment or the suburbs, there are still things you can do to learn about and practice useful homesteading skills. One thing we’ve been doing is discussing what we want most from homesteading (as far as food produced).

A vegetable garden is one thing we’d like. It can take a bit more time and experimentation to see what grows well in each area, but would provide a lot of good, fresh food that can be pretty pricey from the grocery store. This is also something that most people can practice in an apartment or small yard.

Our family has grown some vegetables, but it has been difficult in our current climate. Regardless of our success, we have learned some valuable lessons about choosing the right plants, giving them enough space to grow and thrive, and the balance of water and sunlight.

We’d also like fruit trees. Although this isn’t something we can really practice taking care of before moving, they tend to be a bit lower maintenance. This planning stage is a good time to discuss and research which fruits grow well in the area you’ll live and which ones you enjoy eating. A healthy fruit tree can produce plenty of fruit that can last the whole year if preserved.

As far as animals, we’re hoping for a flock of ducks or chickens for eggs and meat, honeybees, as well as a couple goats for milk. The goats will probably be the last investment for us as milk animals can be quite high maintenance.

With city and HOA regulations, it’s difficult to practice caring for these animals beforehand as well. However, volunteering at a rural animal rescue, ranch, or offering pet sitting services can be a good opportunity to learn about the general care they require.

Ways to prepare for homesteading:

• Grow a vegetable plant in a pot or small planter or start a small herb garden

• Research what grows well in the area you want to homestead

• Research and budget for any animals you want to keep

• Offer pet-sitting services for farm animals

• Volunteer at a rural animal rescue or ranch