Homestead Survival Hacks

How to Start Living on Your Own with a Self-Sufficient Life

Introduction

Having a homestead offers the freedom of self-sufficiency. With the right amount of investment, you and your family can live “off the grid” and provide a healthy lifestyle simultaneously. Homesteading, though, is not an easy life choice. However, the hard work and initial financial investment will pay off with healthy, high quality food and an independent way of living.

Each homestead is unique and will have a different approach. Most homesteads are based in rural country sides, though apartment dwellers can experience at least small amounts of self-sufficiency with a balcony or access to a community garden. A city dweller with a home and a lawn could replace the lawn with a garden. Plant fruit trees, vegetables boxes, and if appropriate for your zoning consider a henhouse.

The assumption in the following ebook is, in general, that a homesteader will have access to a home on 1 acre of usable land. 1 acre is a good size, especially when new to homesteading, ½ acre being devoted to animals, and ½ acre devoted to crops. What you choose to keep on homestead may vary from others making each homestead unique. For example, will you live vegan and have no animals, vegetarian and only use chickens for the eggs, or slaughter animals for your use or for sale? All choices are personal and will change the landscape of your homestead. Regardless, homesteading is a valuable way to connect with earth, your  work ethic, and become self-sufficient. Planting crops and raising animals requires a great deal of devotion, but financially will unburden the average family in the end, and the yield will provide higher quality foods for less than one can find in most chain stores. The hard work will pay off in the full and independent lifestyle that homesteading provides!

Copyright 2015 by Shane Reece- All rights reserved.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 – Raising Food (Plants)

Chapter 2 – Raising And Hunting Food (Animals)

Chapter 3 - Storing Food

Chapter 4 – Basic Medical And Health

Chapter 5 - Housing

Chapter 6 – Off-The-Grid

Conclusion

Chapter - 1

Raising Food (Gardening)

While many have successful backyard vegetable gardens, to be self-sufficient one must garden at a much more intensive rate. Half your homestead property when raising animals should be focused for grazing, while the other arable half is your garden. Divide this into four plots and rotate grazing and garden plots every four years to keep the soil fertile. John Seymore suggests growing potatoes in one plot, legumes in another, and the last two plots are cabbage-family plants and root vegetables respectively. Use the cow manure from your dairy cow or your composting to fertilize the soil as well. Any extra crops that you cannot consume should then go to feed first the dairy cow, and then the other animals you keep such as chickens and goats.

Composting is a worthy investment as well, though keeping animals makes this less necessary. If you compost correctly, it should not be a disgusting experience, though many assume a compost pile will smell terribly. Following composting rules carefully will prevent bad odors and make the compost decompose correctly to use as fertilizer. Composting prevents or at least lessons the 30-40% of food waste that Americans contribute to garbage heaps. Instead of merely wasted food, scraps from dinner preparation, raked leaves, even paper can feed your compost’s fertility instead of fill dump trucks. Also, invest in a worm farm to help the composting, and also to provide bait if you choose to fish.

Aim to grow enough crops for your family’s consumption, as well as enough to feed your farm animals as well. Especially with a dairy cow, a nutricious diet is vital to provide quality mild. What crops you cannot grow might be found in your neighbor’s farm. Ask about trading with your neighbor for other foods on your farm. Otherwise, consider visiting the local farmers markets to fill the missing foods.

The crops you choose to grow will depend on your interest, soil quality, and climate zone. Not all crops will grow the same in all regions, so ask neighboring homesteads and avid gardeners what they have been most successful with. Some to consider growing are sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplants, spicy peppers, tomatoes, melons, zucchini, berries, lettuce, lemon, radish, chard, snow peas, and kale.

Don’t forget about herb and mushroom gardens. This can be done right from your kitchen or on a balcony. Mushrooms require no light and very little space, though they must be kept moist. A dark, breezeless corner of your home is perfect for growing a variety of mushrooms. Two of the easiest and most common to raise are portobellos and wine caps. Starting a Portobello mushroom garden requires compost in a tray about eight inches deep, covering the mushroom spores with peat moss to insulate the moisture. Temperature gaging is important; depending on the stage of growth, mushrooms should be kept between 55 and 70 degrees F. Wine caps, however, can be grown outside, but again the soil must be over 50 degrees F to grow. If growing mushrooms doesn’t suit you, many areas have wild mushrooms that are collectable. Be cautious, though, as many varieties look quit similar, so a poisonous variety can be mistaken for a safe mushroom if one is not well informed.

Herbs can be grown in a relatively small space as well, and some herbs can also double as medicinal supplements. For a list of suggestions for medicinal herbs, see Chapter 4. Otherwise, choose herbs that will deepen your cooking, such as basil, thyme, cilantro, or even rosemary. Growing edible perennials is also an option, such as asparagus, rhubarb, artichokes, and especially berries. All these take small amount of space in your land but provide hearty foods that can be stored easily.

A last piece of advice for keeping cost low is to start saving seeds from each year’s produce allows for planting the next year without reinvesting financially in more seeds. This way, the initial investment will pay off within a short few years, provided the crops germinate and come to fruition.

Chapter - 2

Raising and Hunting Food (Animals)

This section may not apply to those who choose to have a vegetarian or non-meat homestead. In this case, the grazing land can instead be used for grains such as wheat. However, most homesteads invest in cows for milk and manure, and chickens for eggs. All homesteads are unique in this, so choose what fits your needs best.

Dairy cows, such as a Jersey cow, can benefit you in many ways so keeping a dairy cow is generally suggested. Having a cow that provides milk can improve the quality of the farm and what it produces. The fresh milk can be unpasteurized, which many claim holds more nutrients and is healthier for human consumption, and the other homemade dairy products of cheese, butter, and even ice cream are higher in quality than some chain dairy farms. Milk by-products you and your family may not consume also improve health of pigs and poultry. The cow’s manure vastly improves fertility of garden, which makes the cow a worthy investment. Overall, one must invest hundreds of dollars initially for the purchase, feed your homestead cannot provide, and upkeep (such as veterinarian visits and insemination) and also building a barn for her to stay in during winter. However, consider this initial investment something that will repay itself over and over again.

Briefly, care of a milking cow takes time and discretion. A dairy cow must be milked twice a day (after the birth of her calf) or milked once a day by hand and let calf milk once a day. She will need to be milked at roughly 12 hour intervals so as to keep the udders from getting too full and thus painful. It is important to note that because a cow will need to be regularly milked, vacations will be more difficult unless a substitute for you can come milk her once or twice a day.

In general, you can count on 9-10 months of milk, giving a break to the cow for a few months prior to the next calf’s birth; to continue her ability to produce milk she will need to be bred (generally by artificial insemination) at the second heat after giving birth. Other general instructions are to keep the milking area clean by mucking regularly, and if you have a 9-5 job, consider leaving the calf with the cow overnight then separate each morning. She will be ready to milk when you return from your job.

Plan on the cow providing about 3 gallons of milk a day, though half of this may be consumed by the calf. Sanitation is vital! Keep the area, udders, and hands clean. Milking by hand (and into a bucket) is more cost-efficient on a small homestead than using a milking machine. Look into instructions through homesteading books or find homestead comment boards on the internet for advice. Once you have milked the cow, strain the milk immediately through cheesecloth, then cool the milk to keep bacteria from forming. Many choose not to pasteurize their milk, but if you do, there are at-home pasteurizers you can use before cooling the milk.

To feed your dairy cow you will need roughage of a summer pasture and during winter additional grain like ground oats, barley, corn or premixed feed, as well as protein from something like alfalfa hay or protein supplements. A cow will also need mineral supplements, salt, and up to 30 gallons of fresh water.

Though cows are best for providing foods for chickens and pigs, goats are certainly an option. Just like cows, goats will graze happily in warmer months and in cooler months need supplemental foods and a place to keep warm. Though they do not provide as much manure, they also do not require as much food or straw for bedding. Goats are a good option for milk if your cow is dry, or if you choose not to have a dairy cow.

Pigs are a great source of meat, and require less work than a dairy cow. You will need a moveable house and fence and pigpen. Keeping pigs helps in your gardening as they will plow up land or tromp down harvested land. Feed them leftover wheat, barley, or corn as well as the skim milk from the cow. Of course, the main purpose of keeping pigs is food; if you do not eat pork you may consider not keeping a pig.

Cows, goats, and pigs are generally not an option if you happen to be a city dweller. However, depending on your zoning, you might be able to keep at least a chicken coop. Chickens are very easy to care for and a small investment of time, money, and energy after building the coop. In fact, many claim that chickens can be affectionate when cared for properly. If possible, hens keep best in mobile coops so that their scratching and defecation can improve land quality in different parts of the farm. Chickens require little grain, but you should supplement their diets with compost, leftovers, sunflower seeds and buckwheat. While chickens of course can be raised for meat, it is often a common practice to raise chickens for fresh eggs. The better quality of feed will improve the manure they provide, which in turn creates even better mulch for your garden. Also depending on the quality of their feed, the eggs can have higher amounts of protein and omega-3 than farm-raised store bought eggs. Fresh eggs are notably more delicious as well!

Also a possibility for city living, keeping bees in an apiary is a worthy investment as they help gardens grown through pollination. Aside from this vital step, an apiary can also provide bees wax (for candles and soap, etc), but best of all will create raw honey. The benefits of honey are endless, including increased allergy tolerance when eaten raw and regularly, and anti-inflammatory qualities as well. For those fearing the bee stings often associated with beekeeping, a new system was recently unveiled from Australia that negates the need to remove honeycombs altogether and instead drains the honey from the comb without invasion of the hive. This makes harvesting less painful and time consuming.

Another option for being self-sufficient with food is hunting and fishing. Though many may balk at the idea of hunting wild animals, to be truly self-sufficient and be a meat eater, learning how to hunt really adds independence to your skill set, especially if you do not have a great deal of land for raising animals for meat. This should not be attempted by the untrained, however. Find hunting clubs or organizations that can help you learn your way around safely and ethically hunting, such as what weapons to use, what animals to hunt, and when to hunt. Fishing is also an excellent tool for fresh homemade meals with relatively little investment. Knowing what kinds of fish are near you, types of bait, and plenty of patience will make fishing a great supplementary form of food gathering.

Chapter - 3

Storing Food

Storing your crops can be summed up with dehydrating, canning and jarring. For example, a common produce to grow is tomatoes for their ease and small area needed. If you have a large yield, making and canning tomato sauce is a good way to store your fresh vegetables. Jarring your fresh fruit into jams and jellies is a great way to enjoy your fresh fruits all year.

If you have an herb garden, dry your herbs and store them in an airtight container. Simultaneously, a food dehydrator is great for making jerky out of the meat you hunted, as well as fruit roll ups, and dried fruits from your orchard. Remember that if you don’t grow a certain fruit or vegetable you want to stockpile, local farmers markets or neighboring homesteads are a great place to look.

Because you have worked so hard to grow and raise food and then to store the food, you may be more likely to only cook what you need. This eliminates waste, which in turn saves you money. An added benefit is that when you do cook food from scratch, you know all its origins, that it is nutritious and real, and also is much more cost efficient than eating out.

Be creative in your storing. For example, if you have extra fruit, learn how to make cider or wine. It is cheaper to consume homemade adult drinks out of surplus foods than to purchase from the stores. Even dandelions can produce wine!

Anything you gather from the hunt or from fishing can be stored as well. Processors can prepare your meats for freezer, turn into jerky, or you can use a pressure canner to keep.

Milk (whether cow or goat) can be stored in the form of cheese, yogurt, butter, and even ice cream. In essence, before you take your yield, consider how you will store the food so that you can enjoy it for weeks and months to come.

Chapter - 4

Basic Medical and Health

It is unrealistic for a newcomer to homesteading and independent living to believe he or she can do without healthcare professionals. However, it is possible to keep yourself healthy through daily care and natural remedies to limit the amount of professional health care needed. One suggestion is to grow herbs in your garden that can help in basic health care. Some basic herbs and plants to grow are listed here:

Basil- a staple in Italian cooking, this also helps with cuts and scrapes

Chamomile- dried and made into a tea, this herb is excellent for indigestion, tension, sleeplessness, but also for irritated skin. Lemon balm will achieve similar effects.

Echinacea- Not common for cooking, this herb is said to improve your immune system, especially when plagued with a cold or the flu.

Feverfew- Chew the leaves to ease headaches; peppermint can also soothe heads.

Lavender- Known for its ability to relax the most stressed of folks, it also acts as an antiseptic and can lessen pains of bruises and cuts.

Rosemary- Can help improve memory and mood as well as freshen breath (so excellent added to your homemade toothpaste).

Sage- Though most used in the kitchen now, its initial purpose was to relieve throat inflammation.

Thyme- An excellent antiseptic and relief for cough, congestion, or gas.

Some other plants best known for their medicinal qualities are ginger, garlic, and dandelion. Consider also adding these to your medical garden!

Outside of this, staying healthy in the first place is the most important way to avoid costly medical bills. Eating a healthy diet and keeping your weight down is vital. If you are growing and raising your own food, the nutrients and thus health benefits are even greater. Make certain to keep your diet balanced with vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy and protein sources, consuming a great deal of water but not a lot of alcohol. Outside of this, get plenty of sleep, exercise regularly and vigorously, avoid smoking and smoky situations, and wear protective gear. This includes sunscreen, helmets, and even your seat belt. Stress can also affect your health, and while a natural life on a homestead sounds relaxing, it is still work. Yoga, meditation, and relaxation will help manage this stress and help you avoid high blood pressure, heart disease, anxiety, and more, like keeping friendships. Especially on a totally self-sufficient homestead, you may find yourself feeling isolated. Make certain to have time to keep family and social ties strong.

Gum disease and poor oral health in general is also another concern that can be easily avoided. Brushing and flossing each day, even with natural toothpaste made at home, can help prevent diabetes, heart disease, and even strokes! Getting a yearly dental checkup can help avoid future major problems as well. If you don’t have health insurance, some dentists offer special promotions to keep you healthy at a low cost.

Chapter - 5

Housing

If possible, purchasing a home outright will allow you to live without mortgage and therefore allow more independence. Getting out of debt, saving money, and purchasing within your realistic means will lead you to affordable housing. For most people, home ownership also means having a mortgage. If this is your situation, live within your means. However, for some people, owning a homestead is not a possibility and because of financial restrictions, must remain in urban areas. Living in the city can still offer many self-sufficient advantages. Though a city dwelling will not offer the possibility of a cow, for example, you can still grow vegetables or at least herbs at home. Some cities have “community gardens” where you can rent a small plot of land. This is still a better option than relying on supermarkets wholly.

If you do have the opportunity to live on that one acre of land, you have more opportunity for self-sufficiency. Aside from previous division of land use, there are other suggestions for keeping independent. Around your property, create rainwater collection systems so as to provide your animals and crops water. This makes you less reliant on your local water district, and are better prepared if you are faced with a drought as many Western American states currently are. Secondly, start making your home power smart by conserving electricity wherever you can. Invest in solar panels or windmills to provide your own power, but also unplug unused electronics, lights, and turn down the heater. Also, consider setting up a clothesline either outdoors or in the laundry room so as to use the clothes dryer even less. Thirdly, really consider how to renovate your property to meet your needs best. Do what upgrading you can on your own to save money and to maintain control over the project.

Chapter - 6

Off-The-Grid

Getting as far “off the grid” as possible helps one become more self-sufficient. Choosing to spend less money is one such step. Alternative energy, such as solar panels, wood stoves (if they are allowed in your area), or even gas or battery lamps, are options to be less reliant on big energy companies. If you choose solar panels or even to just remove electricity altogether, have backup (gas or propane) generators at the ready in case an emergency arises.

Being debt free is vital here. Pay off and avoid using credit cards. Review your budget before jumping in and seriously decide what you need and what you don’t. For example, is paying $70 a month for Internet vital, or is there a library nearby where internet is free? Do you need cable, or can you rent a DVD for $1? Living off the grid also means staying out of debt and spending less. We can do this by making better financial decisions and only spending cash on the most important things. To save money, cutting our own hair, for example, could save potentially hundreds of dollars a year. Also, re-purposing everything we have, without becoming hoarders, can save not only money, but prevent unnecessary waste. Repurposing is more environmental as you are not sending a doomed bottle to the trash dump and instead offering it new life as, say, a vase.

“Off-the-grid” is also about being frugal. Reuse what you have, recycle what you don’t need, and do without things that are unnecessary. Buying “new” is not always an advantage. Thrift shops, second hand stores, or even “clothing swaps” offer a variety of goods that will cost you close to nothing and often are new or good as new. Clothes, tools, toys, and even furniture found in this way can end up saving a great deal of money in the long run. Stop buying paper products (such as paper towels and napkins) and bottled water. These items are easily replaced with more environmentally friendly options! Transitioning into this lifestyle is a challenge, so give yourself and your family time to adjust.

Conclusion

There will be many who try to talk you out of this lifestyle. Because it is not ordinary, and because it is not an easy path, many naysayers will try to convince you to stay operating as “normal.” Just remind yourself that this lifestyle will allot you the ability to deal with droughts, food costs rising, financial hardships, and even power outages. For many, this lifestyle provides a deeper appreciation of life and all its offerings, as well as provide more independence and self-sufficiency. Working for and creating your own food, power, housing, and an independent life makes everything you earn more valuable.

Bonus Book Excerpt

Backyard Homesteading

A Beginner’s Guide to Providing Organic Nourishment for Your Family

Introduction

Every day in the news, we hear about GMOs (genetically modified organisms), the latest cancer causing pesticide, and how processed foods make us fat.  Sometimes it can feel overwhelming when you want to feed your family healthy all-natural food, on a budget.  If you are in charge of the food shopping in your home, you know the all-natural chains such as Whole Foods are extremely expensive and often the price exceeds the value.  But what other options are there?

Allow me to introduce the concept of a Backyard Homestead.  This is far from a new notion, though most people think back to the 1800’s when many hardy folks migrated West in search of a better life.  The Homestead Act was passed in 1862, giving land to anyone who wanted to build a life living off the land for a minimal filing fee.  Today, the homesteading movement is still a self-sufficient way of life, limiting the amount of products you purchase at the store.  Imagine doing a large portion of your food shopping in your backyard!  The extent to which you grow your backyard operation is entirely up to you.  In this book, I will outline the options available to you and choose what suits your lifestyle the best.

Whether you live in an urban or suburban area, you can create your own homestead by utilizing whatever space you have available.  Living in a rural area is not required to have a significant food source in your backyard.  There are some restrictions for what types of animals you can raise in an urban setting; however that leaves you with more options for the gardening side of homesteading.

Aside from what sources you can develop outside your home, there are many you can turn to inside the home that will save you money, and promote a healthier lifestyle for you and your family.  Making your own soaps and household cleaners (very expensive in the market!) to crafts and even sewing your own clothes can add more money to your bank account instead of spending it on over priced items in your local stores.  We will cover everything from gardening, options for egg and meat sources, to in-home opportunities with easy to follow steps and suggestions in creating a better quality of life.

Chapter - 1

Efficient Space

Making use of whatever space you have may seem like a daunting task.  However, there are some really unusual and super cool tricks out there, no matter if you have 5 or 50 square feet with which to work.  I will cover the three main types of homesteading so you can grasp the big picture.  With each one, it requires a change in mindset, especially if you are a true city slicker.  Your old routines will become a thing of the past, especially if you sleep, wake up, go to work, come home, eat, watch TV, go to bed, and repeat.  Being a homesteader requires a little bit of ingenuity and work, but the benefits you reap will be completely worth it.

Apartment living can offer a simplicity that takes away the responsibilities of maintaining a yard, and worrying about home repairs.  However, you may have to rely on the laundromat for cleaning clothes, and the ease of grabbing take-out food makes it hard to always eat healthy.  Becoming a homesteader can not only be a great hobby, but help change your life for the better.

Some easy steps to get you started are listed below, and I will go into greater depth later in the book:

         Make use of your windowsills and create gardens! You can plant spices and small quantities of vegetables.

         If you have a balcony, create a wilderness of edibles! Container gardens are just as effective in growing vegetables as any other system.  There is nothing nicer than seeing a balcony loaded with beautiful plants.

         Make your own cleaning supplies.  The chemicals used in most in cleaning products can be harmful to the environment and your family.  By making your own, you save money and keep a healthier household.

         Give up the clothes dryer.  String a clothesline outside or if that isn’t possible, have a drying rack in your apartment for your clothes.  It will save money and energy.

         Learn food preservation.  All those goodies you grew on your balcony can last you through a winter by learning how to preserve them naturally. 

All of these steps can be implemented in your apartment, urban or suburban home.  Additionally, there are even more homesteading tips can be used in an urban home, with even a small yard.

In an urban homestead, you have an opportunity to utilize the small space efficiently to create a source of all natural food for your family.  Depending on the size of your space, here are some ideas you can implement with even the smallest yard:

         Vertical gardening is a huge space saver.  You may have seen hanging tomato plants, but pretty much anything that is a vine plant can be grown in a vertical garden.  Some examples are peas, beans, cucumbers, even melons!

         Beekeeping is a new trend for urban homesteaders because it doesn’t require a lot of space to care for the bees and harvest that delicious raw honey.

         Create a homesteader kitchen!  Learning how to make your own bread, cheese and other common products you normally purchase at the market will save you money and be very satisfying.

         Compost! This is a key to all natural and chemical free fertilizer.  Not only does making your own compost pile save you money, help grow gorgeous vegetables, but it also cuts down on waste at the landfill.  Use eggshells, coffee grinds, paper, leaves, grass cuttings and scraps from the table to create your very own compost.

The urban homestead options are a bit broader than the apartment choices, as there is a little more space.  However, if you live in a suburban setting, on even just a quarter acre lot, there is so much more you can do!

         Have an egg source – more cities and towns are allowing backyard chickens.  They are natural pesticides (they eat ALL the bugs!) and their waste is awesome fertilizer.  Check your local town/city codes for guidelines and permits for backyard chickens.

         A BIG garden! I am a fan of square foot gardens as they are easy to build and maintain.  In Square Foot Gardening by Balal Naeem, there are many tips on it as well as how to build your own 4’x4’ box.  The great thing about this is you can have as many as you want, depending on space and what other options you want for your homestead.

         Goats aren’t just for funny YouTube videos… They provide milk and you can make goat cheese (Mmmm!) Of course, goat meat is popular in the Caribbean, another option for your family too.

         Rabbits multiply like crazy.  I think we have all heard the expression regarding rabbit’s reproduction skills… Anyhow, they are a great source of meat for your family.  They are easy to breed, and they also require a fraction of the space that a cow or pig would require.

         Create a root cellar.  This is much easier than it sounds as you do not need a large space, just dig a hole.  If you plan to grow potatoes, squash, onions, carrots, or parsnips, this will help keep them for the winter.

As you can see, there is a plethora of ways to create your own homestead, regardless of size of your space.  In the following chapters, I will discuss in depth some of these options available to you.

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