Homesteading is as much attitude as it is acreage. It’s the idea of becoming more sustainable by any means necessary, from growing your own herbs to using eco-friendly cleaning products. Ultimately, the broadest definition of homesteading is a lifestyle with a commitment to self-sufficiency. This can encompass growing and preserving food; making food items you typically buy, such as bread or yogurt, from scratch; driving an electric car or using solar energy; and even making your own fabric and clothing.
However, homesteading is not reserved for the landed gentry. There are hundreds of micro moves toward self-sufficiency you can make, and no step is too small to be worthy of micro-urban homesteading.
Isn’t urban homesteading a contradiction in terms?
Urban and suburban homesteading is a subset of homesteading. It describes people who live in or near cities, who are still considered homesteaders because they’re trying to provide for their own needs within the confines of a small suburban house and yard or even a tiny city lot.
Regardless of where you live, it’s about using less energy, eating wholesome local food, becoming involved in the life of the community and making smarter choices that will improve the quality of life for your family, community and environment.
What skillsets will I need to homestead?
Traditional skillsets are in big demand in any kind of homestead. Think cheesemaking, sewing and mending, making jam, and even brewing your own beer, wine or kombucha. Most people think about homesteading as chickens, goats, dairy cows and gardening. But there are many more skills involved in a homesteading lifestyle, primarily these traditional skills that generations previous had a better handle on. I
t entails developing an appreciation and aptitude for the fine art of food preservation, such as canning, freezing, drying, dehydrating and pickling. Often, gardens deliver a bonanza of food all at once, so learning different methods of food preservation can help you become self-sufficient long after your garden harvest.
How to urban homestead
You can begin with something super simple—for example, you can learn to grow your own sprouts (just soak a lentil-like mung overnight in water, drain and put in a colander, rinsing twice a day). One tiny sprout can be the gateway to a future large scale homestead enterprise. Here are six more small steps you can take toward incorporating homesteading principles into your daily life.
Grow your own food
Growing food is a core part of homesteading and you can do it on any scale. Herbs, easy to grow, are a great launching point. You can start with a few small pots on your windowsill. Once you are hooked, a way to scale up is to invest in a hydroponic system, especially handy if you live in an apartment or do not have access to a garden. The other advantage of hydroponics is for temperate climates they allow you to grow a decent crop in winter. They’re efficient, compact and produce an impressive bounty.
Try: The Aspara smart grower makes the argument for urban homesteading compelling. It’s a sleek, hydroponic indoor grower that provides a controllable environment, plus the convenience of automatization, making it a cinch for anyone to grow healthy plants, fresh vegetables, herbs and fruits.
Preserve your harvest
Transform your kitchen into a homesteader’s kitchen by focusing on farm-to-cupboard as much as farm-to-table. No matter what type of homesteading you do, food preservation is a key aspect. Learn how to can and preserve the glut fresh produce you find at your farmer’s market.
If you have room in your basement or garage, consider purchasing an upright or chest freezer to hold frozen fruits and veggies. Besides canning and freezing, dehydrating is a delicious way to preserve food. You can make your own prunes and other dried fruits, sun dried tomatoes, and experiment with over vegetables as well, such as making zucchini and kale chips.
Try: The Nesco Gardenmaster Dehydrator, is expandable, which means you can add as many trays as you need. Adjustable temperature control gives you the flexibility to achieve the best results for drying different foods that need varying temperature settings.
Compost
Turn your coffee grounds, eggshells and kitchen scraps into valuable (and free) food for your urban farm garden. Composting set-ups vary, and feel free to think outside of the bucket. Build your own bins, use re-purposed materials (trash cans, plastic storage totes, etc) or purchase ready-made composting buckets or tumblers. Use your rich compost to amend your garden plot, raised beds or containers.
Hang clothes
It’s simple, easy and in the warmer months can save you tons of energy, while simultaneously reducing your carbon footprint. All you need to do is hang a clothesline outside, or even make do with a drying rack. You can save energy by reducing your dryer usage (and save money, too).
Step up your green cleaning game
Using cleaning products free of harsh chemicals helps you, your family and the planet in multiple ways. You’ll avoid breathing in harsh chemicals and improve the quality of your indoor air. You’ll also do your part to prevent several dangerous chemicals from being released into the environment, particularly through waterways.
Try: Many green cleaners are not only toxin-free but also biodegradable. Ecos Glass Plus Surface Cleaner, for example, offers climate positive cleaning products that are sustainably manufactured as well.
Shop at the farmer’s market
The grocery store imports food from all over the world, leaving a huge carbon footprint. If you can’t grow everything you eat, try to shop at a farmer’s market when possible. Then you can eat a bigger proportion of food that is local, seasonal and has a far shorter route from the ground to your dinner plate.
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