Tips to Homesteading

Archive for the ‘Tuesday's Tips’ Category

So how long before a child starts taking his/her first steps (at about 10 months to a year old) before you expect them to be in the Boston Marathon? Tomorrow?

If you think about it, that’s what we do to ourselves. We take huge leaps past some vital steps that are needed in homesteading. We think we need all the equipment, land, livestock and THEN we’re homesteading.

This is not the case. If we are taking ‘baby steps’ we’re still walking.  If we are doing a little of ‘this and that’ we are still homsteadING. Notice the ‘ing’ – it is a process.

Only if we give up on the process do we cease stepping in the homesteading direction.

Keep walking, taking baby steps and keep working out that dream of homesteading. Don’t be so hard on your self if you’re at least taking steps.

EnJOY the journey!

Best Blessings!

The Millers

Donna Miller is an author, teacher and entrepreneur. Her favorite roles are that of wife and mother to three home-school graduates. Living with a Homesteading Mindset in the country, the city and suburbs has been an adventure! The Millers own and operate Millers Grain House  which offers Organic and Chemical-free Whole Grains, Bosch Mixers, the NutriMill, instructional tutorials, recipes and more. Listen to her Radio Show – Live or Archived at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/millersgrainhouse

Technorati Tags: baby steps, equipment, homesteading, land, livestock, tips

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So the economy has turned topsy-turvy and you’re wallet has turned inside out.

The dream of having that large spread of land and the acres of fertile soil to grow and homestead on seems farther out of reach than ever. Don’t give up on the dream, learn some much needed skills (and scratch that homesteading itch) by becoming an urban homsteader.

This is not as new of a twist on homesteading as the recent media may make it seem. Many people who have dreamed of owning a large homestead have learned to make a life of homesteading in a more urban environment.

Here are a few things that can get you started:

• Compost – fruits and veggies can be composted with little annoyance to the neighbors.
• Grow Boxes – or indoor growing gardens like this one turn counter space into garden space.
• Study/learn skills – Libraries, on line, good subscriptions to magazines help keep the dream alive. So does this book – “Making the Best of Basics”
• Practice skills – Contact your local Co-op or Agricultural extention for classes and fairs.

Look at all areas of your urban environment more creatively and you can learn many needed skills that any homesteader needs. From tending small animals (some areas will let you keep a chicken or goat or two) to gaining that green thumb, you can preserve and go back to basics right where you are!

Homesteading on a Sub-urban Scale

Happy Homesteading – no matter where you live!

Best Blessings!

The Millers

Technorati Tags: book, dream, garden, grow box, homestead, homesteader, indoor, land, soil, urban

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The weather is changing in many parts of the US.
Time to decide what to do with the herbs.

Lovely Fresh Parsley

We like to have fresh herbs year round so I traditionally plant them in window boxes for the inside. A few tips before planing:

1. Make sure you get something that has a drip tray or pan to keep furniture safe.
2. Always add ample drainage such as rocks or broken pottery to the bottom before soil
3. Lightly transplant and only slightly disturb the roots before re-potting – a little is good.
4. Keep in a sunny window, but be sure to close drapes or shades at night when the temperature drops.
5. Keep an eye on watering and don’t over-water.

Having your own herbs indoors and on hand year round is a real treat! It brings the freshness of spring to your table and livens up those dull winter windows. Next spring, just transplant again and move outdoors!

EnJOY the journey!
Donna

Donna Miller is an author, teacher and entrepreneur. Her favorite roles are that of wife and mother to three home-school graduates. The Millers own and operate Millers Grain House which offers Organic and Chemical-free Whole Grains, Bosch Mixers, the NutriMill, instructional tutorials, recipes and more.

Technorati Tags: herbs, indoors, spring, transplant

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Bloom where you're planted!

So, you dream of living in the country, living off the land, having small livestock and a serious spread of a garden. Life will be good then, and don’t we know it! For now, you’re in the suburbs though and there’s no sign of leaving any time soon. Can anything be done to start your homesteading journey? You’d better believe it!!

Homesteading in towns and inner cities are becoming not only trends, but growing vital branches of homesteading. Call them urban homesteaders or whatever you’d like; the truth is more people are bringing back the ‘old ways’ in the ‘new areas’.

Some tips to doing this are:

~ Window boxes, Indoor Grow Boxes.
~ Grow your own small, raised bed victory garden.
~ Join in a neighborhood community garden.
~ Compost yard clippings.

No matter where you are, you can begin to learn and develop skills that will and can be used when the eventual dream of homesteading comes to life for you!

Technorati Tags: city, compost, country, garden, homesteader, inner cities, livestock, suburbs, urban

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Ah, the cooler breezes of the country without all of it’s concrete and noise beckon many of us now that those days seem so far removed from the hustle and bustle of ‘normal’ life. There are many people who want to someday move to the country. My tip for you is, don’t just wish and wait for it, start now!

It doesn’t matter if you currently live in an apartment, sub-division or in the country (and have yet to till or get any animals), you can start your homesteading journey right now. Study, read and plan. Dream, arm-chair shop and set goals. Much of the life of homesteading has to do with training the mind, buffeting the body and THEN going ahead and doing (on a consistent basis). So get a head start and start now!

Go to the library (if you prefer tactile pages, as I do), browse the internet and subscribe to a magazine or two. Through these venues you can learn and practice valuable skills even if you’re not ON a homestead just yet.

Next Tuesday’s Tip will be about how to become an URBAN homesteader. This is the action step to starting now – no matter where you live!

Donna Miller is an author, teacher and entrepreneur. Her favorite roles are that of wife and mother to three home-school graduates. The Millers own and operate Millers Grain House which offers Organic and Chemical-free Whole Grains, Bosch Mixers, the NutriMill, instructional tutorials, recipes and more.

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