The off-grid country life of homesteading sounds ravishing, doesn’t it? But can you handle homesteading?
Handle homesteading? Easier said than done! Homesteading can take a very emotional toll on the homesteader if not prepared.
Homesteading success requires physical AND mental strength. To find success, one must learn to outlive the barriers and events thrown his/her way.
Enjoying the beauty of world around you is only the dreams and rainbows part of the experience. In reality, you have to learn to live and survive in order to make homesteading truly work.
I don’t want to scare you away from your dream. I simply want to be sure you can deal with the reality that homesteading can be very hard. I want you to reach your dreams and be successful. You have to know what’s at stake before you take the plunge.
So, can you handle homesteading? Here are 5 tips to analyze if you can make it in the homesteading world.
Can you deal with death?
Death is part of life. It is the end of life and it happens sometimes without warning.
Accidents happen. Illness happens. Can you deal with the death of your animals or plants?
You need to understand that it happens. You have to be willing to be able to move on and keep going. You’ve come too far to quit now.
One of the most common reasons homesteaders can’t handle homesteading is because they have trouble dealing with situations they can’t control.
Can you deal with situations you can’t control?
Learn to deal with those situations.
The weather is an example of that situation. No one can control the weather. During a drought, you might run out of vegetation and even hay for the livestock.
But, you can be prepared for situations you can’t control. You can keep extra bales of hay for your livestock during seasons of good rainy years. Water the garden when it’s too dry to ensure the crops will emerge.
You will learn you can control certain situations. It’s all about putting your thinking cap on and creatively thinking.
A good humble homesteader is always thinking.
Are you good at thinking outside the box?
Resources aren’t always readily available in the country. There’s no grocery store down the block if you’re deep into the country.
Maybe you’re just like me and you want to focus on producing your own food for your family.
That’s great! But, what if you don’t have everything you need? You can adjust by simply thinking creatively outside the box.
Have you ever substituted apple sauce for oil in a recipe? This is only one example. There are so many ways to substitute and conserve resources.
Another way I enjoy thinking outside the box is making one meal into several meals. For example, I can cook one of my beef roasts for one meal. After the meal is over, I have left overs for meals later in the week. Perk = I don’t have to cook! It’s definitely a win for this busy mom.
This is called “doing more with less.”
Can you do more with less?
More with less is a common term these days. The economy isn’t what it used to be. Even larger industries are doing more with less.
Doing more with less simply means completing the same tasks with less resources. Sometimes it very difficult but sometimes it’s easy.
If you’re truly wanting to homestead, you might be embracing this concept of downsizing. It’s the romantic beauty of the simple life that draws people in to becoming homesteading.
You must also be willing to work hard. The simple life is not simple at all. There’s a lot of things to be done to be comfortably self-sufficient.
With that said, you’ll need to learn to balance more tasks with less time.
How well can you balance tasks with time?
When you’re competing with mother nature, time is of the essence. Remember, you can’t control her.
Mother nature sometimes works with you, but more often than not she doesn’t.
She rains when you need to plant veggies. She’s dry when you need the rain.
The rule of thumb is this: When you have the perfect day and the chance, take it. Save indoor tasks for a rainy day.
Can you learn and master new skills to save and survive?
Learning is the key to being able to handle homesteading.
If you can learn and master the skills needed to survive and thrive, you’re halfway there.
One easy task homesteaders learn is to can and preserve food they grow. Can you handle the hard work it takes to preserve your own food?
Can you handle homesteading when it throws it’s wrath on you? When your animals or vegetables die of disease or insects? Or, what if you have an over abundance of onions or cabbage you don’t know what to do with?
If you can handle homesteading, you’ll learn how to use what you get. You’ll learn how to LEARN from mistakes and to try again. To do better next time. There’s always next time.
In the mean time. learn all you can. Never stop learning. No one can take away the education and skills you learn to be a prepared homesteader.
You can handle homesteading!
I believe you can if you focus on your strength and keep learning new things. You also must be proactive towards time and nature. Listen to your surroundings and go with it.
Things happen that you can’t control. You have to learn to be smarter than the situation life hands you. Be willing to let people help you learn.
Of all things, keep your attitude positive. Always believe you can handle homesteading and be happy doing so.
If you aren’t happy with your homesteading life, you won’t be able to enjoy the beauty of the natural world around you.
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Nicole 'Huffer' Nelson
Saturday 23rd of April 2016
I want to say that I can. We don't have land right now, but we're working on developing the skills we need and "homesteading" in the ways that we can!
Mindy Young @ Farm Fit Living
Saturday 23rd of April 2016
Great, Nicole! Homesteading is about becoming self-sufficient in ways you want. It's as easy as learning to sew or preserve food. You don't need extra land for that! Learning the skills first will prepare you for what is to come.
Susannah
Saturday 23rd of April 2016
Nope. I'm pretty certain I couldn't handle homesteading.
Mindy Young @ Farm Fit Living
Saturday 23rd of April 2016
I admire your honesty, Susannah! But, I do encourage you to learn a new skill. You might be surprised in what you find out.