Top 10 Homesteading Resolutions to Make for 2017

Are you tired of a full schedule that is void of substance?  Do you want more Freedom, Independence and a Self-Sufficient lifestyle? Does Homesteading appeal to you? If you answered yes to any of these questions then it’s time to start your homesteading journey and make these resolutions for the new year.

What is Homesteading?

Homesteading is about reviving old skills, a lifestyle of self-sufficiency, joining others on the journey, sharing your knowledge to pass down for generations, turning away from a consumer culture and finding happiness with less.
Many Homesteaders, rural and urban, practice: Agriculture, Food Preservation, Textile Production, Use Renewable Energy, Preserve Heirloom Vegetables, Raise Livestock and Bees, Composting, Self-sufficient living: re-using, repairing, and recycling items.
Homesteading is not defined by where someone lives, such as the city or the country, but by the lifestyle choices they make.

You don’t have to own a farm or 100 acres to homestead. To work towards a self-sufficient Homesteading lifestyle, you can do it with what you have right where you’re at. The good news? Homesteading is a frugal lifestyle so it can fit any budget.

But where do you start? The answer is somewhere, anywhere but the key is to start.

Scott Terry, from North Country Farmer, said it best when he said today’s homesteading generation is at a disadvantage because we don’t have the knowledge that has been passed down from generation to generation teaching us the hands-on skills that we need to sustain ourselves. Now most of us are self-taught from the internet or just trial and error.
In this article of 10 Homesteading resolutions to make for 2017, Homesteaders from all over the country from all different walks of life have shared their knowledge to help get you started towards your Homesteading goals.

Homesteader Resolution to Make #1- Be a Good Steward of the Land

Homesteaders respect the earth and the land, from the dirt to the animals that roam on it. They realize we can get all we need from the land and  do their best to take care of it and respect it.
How to be a good steward? Start with the 5 R’s (yes 5- not 3).

• Refuse– Refuse to buy something that has a one time use
• Repurpose– Whatever you do buy, try to find another purpose for it once you are done.
• Reduce- Think twice before buying. Buy reusable gift bags once instead of wrapping paper.
• Reuse- Buy used items that look new. Give your unwanted items to someone that would appreciate them or have a yard sale.
• Recycle- As a last resort, recycle. This should be the last step you take with products you buy. Don’t purchase a convenience product with the mindset “I can recycle it later” . Remember there is no “away” , when people throw “away” it is just being relocated, so do your best at reducing the amount of items you need to relocate.

Ways to Go Green in 20 Easy Steps

The 3 G’s of Kitchen Cleaning by The Coastal Homestead

Clothes Drying Rack: Off-Grid Wherever You Live by The Homestead Lady

Solar Water Heating Basics by Common Sense Homesteading

How and Why to Use Greywater by Survival at Home

Homesteading Resolution to Make #2- Grow Food

From a windowsill to a field, growing food helps create food independence and a sustainable lifestyle. There is something empowering about sowing a seed, nurturing it to ripeness then sitting down with your family to a home-cooked meal.

To help you achieve your food independence, I am sharing articles by Homesteaders who have experience with growing food.

10 Tips Everyone Should Know About Small Space Gardening by Common Sense Homesteading

What You Need to Grow a Successful Vegetable Garden by Untrained Housewife

Planning Your Vegetable Garden: Making a Seed List by Growing a Good Life

New to Gardening- Start Here- 10 Tips for Beginning Gardeners by Common Sense Homesteading

Raised Bed Garden 101 by The Homestead Lady

Pallet Gardens; Simple, Easy and Free by The Coastal Homestead

Vegetable Gardening 101 by Learningandyearning 

Getting Started With container Gardening by Survival at Home

Garden Planning When You Aren’t Sure by Grace, Garden and Homestead

Homesteading Resolution to Make #3- Cook From Scratch

I remember back in the day when Home Economics was taught in school; meals involved the whole family and were ate at the dinner table.
Now meal time consists of a drive-through and comes out of a box. Take back your meal time (and your health), one recipe at a time and start cooking from scratch.

The Lost Art of Scratch Cooking by The Organic Prepper

How to Make Mozzarella Cheese by Reformation Acres 

Quart Jar Kraut by Little*Big*Harvest

Planning for Seasonal Cooking by Grace Garden and Homestead

Never buy Bread Again- 14 Homemade Bread Recipes by Common Sense Homesteading

How to Make Yogurt The Easy Way by Grace Garden and Homestead

No Knead Dinner Rolls by Little*Big*Harvest

How to Make Butter by Food Renegade 

Homesteading Resolution to Make #4- Learn to Preserve Food

Because food is so important for survival, food preservation is one of the oldest methods used by human beings.
When preserving food, you are not just canning or dehydrating food, you are insuring you will eat tomorrow, preserving your harvest, and saving money. To learn more about food preservation, read the articles below, you can also check with your local Extension Service to see if they have any classes available.

How Food Preservation Works by How Stuff Works

How to Can by Simply Canning

Vegetable Dehydrating 101 by Common Sense Homesteading

How to make Yogurt by Grow Forage Cook Ferment 

Quart Jar Kraut by Little*Big*Harvest

Food Preservation Techniques by The New Survivalist 

Root Cellaring by Mother Earth News 

Homesteading Resolution to Make #5- Homeschool

Everyone’s decision to Homeschool is a personal one, and they are all different. Our children have been in public school, private school and homeschool. Each school had it’s advantages and disadvantages, you have to make the right decision for you and your child.

Why I Homeschool by The Homestead Lady

Agrarian Homeschool- Nature Study by North Country Farmer

A Homeschool Planner is Key to Success by Untrained Housewife

Why we Homeschool by Growing in His Grace

Including Faith in Home School Plans by Untrained Housewife

Why We Homeschool Year Round by Growing in His Grace

Homesteading Resolution to Make #6- Buy a Homestead

The American Dream (or Worldwide Dream) to own your own Homestead. The first of the acts, the Homestead Act of 1862, opened up millions of acres. Any adult who had never taken up arms against the U.S. government, could apply. Women, blacks, and immigrants were eligible. The Homestead Acts were several United States federal laws that gave an applicant ownership of land, typically called a “homestead“, at little or no cost.

Now owning your own homestead seems like a fantasy you get to day-dream about on your coffee break at work, but owning a homestead might be more obtainable than you think.

How to Make Money When Living a Self-Sustainable Lifestyle by Frugally Sustainable

Finding Your Homestead by Homestead Honey

Planning Your Homestead by Survival at Home

Where to Find Free Land for Your Homestead by The Frugal Chicken

Purchasing an Existing Homestead by Homestead In The Holler 

The Cost of Setting Up a Homestead by Our Simple Life

50 Ways to Homestead No Mater Where You Live by Little Blog on The Homestead

12 Questions to Ask About Homestead Land and a Free Printable by Just Plain Marie

Homesteading Resolution to Make #7- Tools of the Trade

‘It’s not the brush, but the artist”,ever heard that before? While that may be true with art, it doesn’t always ring true with the Homestead. Having the right tool for the job can help save you time and money. Read the suggestions from Homesteaders to start your tool collection.

4 Essential Tools Every Homesteader Should Have by North Country Farmer

10 Homestead Tools You Should Have- They’re Inexpensive by Frugal Chicken 

30 Must-Have Items for Every Homestead by One Ash Homestead

The Best Garden Tools to Help Make Gardening Easier by Common Sense Homesteading

10 Hand Tools Every Homesteader Should have by Homestead Dreamer

Homesteading Resolution to Make #8- Add Livestock

Don’t let land stand in your way of owning livestock (although some laws may, so check your local laws before you buy). Provided that your state/county/city allows you to have livestock, there are a lot of animals you can raise for sustainability in a small area.
For instance, we live on just over 1/4 acre and have two milking goats (who are both pregnant-Yippee, baby goats!), 15 chickens, 6 ducks and honey bees.  Our livestock provides: fresh milk, cheese, eggs and honey. Other options to consider are pigs, fish, sheep, rabbits, turkeys, guineas, quail, and mini cows- just to name a few.

10 Commandments of Good Animal Husbandry by Life From Scratch

Getting Started with Chickens from The Coastal Homestead

Homestead Rabbits- Getting Started and Finding the Right Breed by Common Sense Homesteading

Raising Rabbits on The Homestead for Beginners by Frugal Chicken

Goats for Sale- 6 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Goats by Common Sense Homesteading 

7 Tips for the Novice Pig Farmer by The Flip Flop Barnyard

Planning for Alapacas by Our Simple Homestead

Lessons Learned from a Rabbit Newbie by The Cape Coop

What a Rabbit Needs to Be Healthy by Untrained Housewife

Fall if the Best Time to Raise a Calf by Our Simple Homestead

Beekeeping on a Budget- How to Bee a Frugal Beekeeper by The Coastal Homestead

Buying a Pig- Taking The Self-Sufficient Plunge by Untrained Housewife

Getting Started with Bees and Start-Up cost by The Coastal Homestead

Homesteading Resolution to Make #9- Make it Yourself- Learn a Skill

If you are living on a budget, learning to do things yourself is a vital part of financial survival. Therefore being able to do something yourself without calling a specialist or going to the store is not only empowering but it could also save you thousands. So once you perfect your skill or trade, you could turn it into a money-making opportunity to help support your family.

Beginners Woodworking- 5 Skills You Need to Know  by Make Use of

How to Make Your Own Natural Beeswax Candles by DIY Natural

Sewing With Children by Schnider Peeps

Knitting Beginner Cable Coffee Cozy by Idlewild Alaska 

How to Crochet by Annie’s Craft Store

Homesteading Resolution to Make #10- Share with Others

If you could do good things for other people, you had a moral obligation to do those things! That’s what’s at stake here. Not choice. Responsibility.
~Ben Parker

With great knowledge comes great responsibility. So it is our responsibility to share the knowledge we have with others and to pass it down to our youth in order to live an independent (not co-dependent) life.
Homesteaders look out for their neighbor and fellow man; in addition they still have a cup of sugar to borrow; you can call them in the middle of the night when your goat is getting ready to kid; they will pray for you when you ask, and homesteaders will show you how to cook that amazing casserole they made (without leaving out the secret ingredient!).

• Start a 4-H club,
• Offer tours of your homestead
• Teach workshops on how to make bread
• Share your sourdough starter

The Homesteaders Heart Creed

By Tracy, from Our Simple Homestead 

1. Honor old-fashion skills.

2. Live a self-sufficient lifestyle.

3. Resist consumerism.

4. Be good stewards of the land.

5. Reuse, recycle and make do.

6. Shop local.

7. Share with others.

8. Pass on homesteading skills.

The one thing we all can count on is homesteaders across the country care about living an authentic homesteading lifestyle, not complicated by today’s fast-paced, technology laden lifestyle, are you ready to join us?