Modern Homesteading Today - Homesteads, Homesteading, Living Off The Land

Finances

Finances are extremely important as a homesteader. You start small, you grow slowly, and you save.

Starting small -- means just that. A small house or shack is adequate for now, but you can add on or build new as you have the funds. We make use of available local logs, lumber, or stone, and we build using natural materials. For example you can use logs, cement and stones, stacked firewood, or straw bales for your walls, cut lumber or cement for our floors, used windows or plastic sheeting for natural lighting and ventilation, and logs with sod for a roof, etc for that first year. Keep in mind that local building codes may apply!

There will be lots of labor but minimal cost. Keep it small and if anything you can use it later for a barn when you have more time and money to expand! Try to use hand tools as they need only a little maintenace compared to power, or mechanical tools. If you alreay have them then they can be an asset if used properly.

Your first year garden should also be small as you wil be busy building your home, possibly building fencing, plowing, who knows? The other aspect is that you may not have much experience with soil conditions or gardening and by keeping it small you will know how much you really need and how much more you may need to plant next year, and other undetermined factors such as animals, pests, insects. One of them being you may not like gardening! Get used to it -- it will feed you and your family all winter long!

Plan to live off the grocery stores the first year or first few months until the harvest is in. We prefer to move to a homestead in April before the planting season begins and then start eating the garden as it produces from May to October, while canning or freezing for winter. This way our grocery costs are minimal.

I also highly recommend only a few pets or livestock for your first year. A cat will be very good at cutting down the mice population, a medium size dog will scare away raccoons and deer from your garden; and a milk goat will give you milk and cheese. All of these animals require little food and give back something in return.

Bees are also very good the first year. They take little care or expense and will provide a natural sweetener for baking, beverages, or spreading on your breads, biscuits or whatever else you enjoy.

All of the above requires minimal time and money if done right.

The worst lie spread throughout our culture is that you have to have a credit score. Credit scores are for people who want to be in slavery to the lending institutions all their life.

Start with cash, earn cash from crafts, vegetables, flowers, honey, milk, meat, spend less than what you earn, and you wil be richer than you can think or imagine.

If you follow this advice you should have a happy homesteading life!