Happy 2024! One of my latest posts was about the staples that everyone should consider having on hand. This post will be the first of many dealing with skills that would be a good idea for everyone – whether they have a homestead or not- to consider learning or brushing up on.
I confess this particular blog post was inspired by Riley Carlson’s article on Homesteading dot com. They came up with 145 different homesteading skills, all of which are great, but they aren’t necessarily applicable to anyone who simply wants to live a simpler, more self-sufficient lifestyle that is more in tune with our environment and the times that we live in. I will be adding other topics and hopefully coming up with ones that are especially applicable right now – no matter where you are in your homesteading journey.
What’s at Stake and Why Any of This is Needed?
I won’t pretend to the readers of this blog that I am in some way some homesteading know-it-all. Homesteading is an individual journey, and none of us sprung from the womb knowing any of this stuff. The beauty of the homesteading/self-sufficiency movement is that more and more people are coming together and teaching each other. Some are coming together to form communities or are establishing schools, and I personally think that is wonderful. Through my own lived experience and observation of others, we have had decades where we didn’t have to put much thought into how we lived our lives or maintained the quality. Most of us could go to the store and purchase the foods we needed, almost all of which were already made. With the current uptick in inflation and what many, including myself, refer to as “shrinkflation” – where we are paying more money for less. 
If we opt to eat out, the situation is even worse. How often do we actually know what is in our food or how it is being prepared? Most eating establishments are supposed to have at least one person on staff who is trained and certified in safe food handling, preparation, and storage, but that is never 100 percent either.
To combat this, I took the advice of one of my favorite cooking show hosts on PBS, Nick Stellino. Nick has a tagline on his show saying, “Turn your home into your favorite restaurant.” Over the past three years, our family has worked at doing exactly that, and we’ve never looked back. Of course, we do go out to eat on the very rare occasion, but it is nowhere near what we used to do.
So, what are a few of the things coming to this blog in 2024?
Here ‘s a short list:
- Tools that every homesteader should have on hand
- Getting ready for spring planting – When you should start seeds indoors and when to plant your garden
- Non-toxic, earth-friendly cleaning alternatives
- Star homesteading wherever you are – even in an apartment
- Farming the forest
- Making plans for a more sustainable lifestyle
- Seed catalogs you can get for free! (Update for 2024)
- Ways to use IBC containers
- Homesteading on a Budget
- Homesteading blogs, podcasts, authors, and creators to check out
- What you need to get started on your homestead journey
- Introduction to foodscaping: Turn your yard into a food-producing yarden
- Effective garden design
- Making the move toward going off-grid
- Assembling your own home herbal apothecary – herbs to include and how to prepare them
- Books for your herbal library
- Meal planning with the seasons
- Building your own smokehouse
- Connecting with your homesteading community both locally and across the globe
- Ethical consumerism while trying to become more self-sufficient
- DIY natural pest repellants for home and garden
- Plant a pollinator bed for bees and better crops
- Turn your homestead into an ecosystem of its own
- Creating a drought-resistant garden
- A complete guide to composting
Of course, this is not the exhaustive list that Riley Carson created. However, as I am starting back up, I will say that you can expect more recipes and how-tos on various homesteading, sustainability, permaculture, and foodscaping projects to try.
It’s a brand New Year, and there has never been a better time to make the move toward creating a homestead of your own. However, really aren’t ready to consider taking that first big step, that’s ok, too. It takes time and lots of hard work to create a homestead of any size. Having a plan is a good idea, no matter how large or small your budget is.
Like most homesteaders, I will be learning things I don’t know as I research and write each blog post. For those who are readers of this blog, first, let me offer my heartfelt thanks. Secondly, if you have any ideas for blog posts, tips, constructive criticism or questions, feel free to reach out to me at realworldhomesteading at geemail dot com.
Real World Homesteading 