A Basic Herb Wheel

With warmer weather it’s time to get those herbs that have been basket-bound all winter out into the fresh air!

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 homesteader.

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  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 -
• 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

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 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!

Being an urban dweller, you’ve probably had to face a credit and financial squeeze, prevalent in these challenging economic times.  You’ve gone on austerity drives to stretch your dollar and save your costs.  But you’re not going to compromise on your health and wellness – you’re cognizant of the fact that what you eat defines your health.  So you’re part of an increasing number of North Americans who have declined nutrient poor fast food in favor of the wholesome wellness of homesteading and gardening.

Tips for Urban Homesteading and Gardening

You can cut costs and save your dollars in the concrete jungle by adopting these practical strategies:

• Container gardening:  

  Grow tomatoes, lettuce, potatoes and squash in pots, miniature barrels or oblong containers. Use hanging baskets to grow zucchini and strawberries. You don’t need a large greenhouse or plenty of acreage for your own supply of organic vegetables. With proper planning, your balcony could hold quite a few plants.

• Rearing fowl: You can hatch chicks from fertilized eggs by using an electric skillet on low, some water to moisten the air and a soft towel to cushion the eggs. You can then keep the hens in your backyard for a daily supply of eggs. Most US states will allow urban dwellers to raise a maximum of six hens.

• Using heirloom seeds: Your local farmers market will probably have hybrid, pest resistant tomatoes and squash plants.  These are genetically modified plants that have been grafted to make them resistant to bugs, pests and drought.  However, the vegetable will be seedless – which means that you won’t be able to re-plant any.  I would strongly advise against any hybrid seeds!  Buy heirloom seeds instead for growing your vegetables.   Heirloom plants have retained their specific traits through open pollination and are suitably resistant to extremes in weather and bio-diseases.  You’ll have plenty of seeds for frequent re-planting!

Getting Suitable Supplies

For city gardening, you can make do with containers that can be comfortably accommodated within your apartment.  If you’re in the suburbs and have a nice backyard, then you can even erect a small 12×12 greenhouse to cultivate your plants.

Space constraints will dictate the variety and abundance of vegetables and greens that you can tend.  You can utilize coffee grounds as organic fertilizer and obtain soil from the market.  If you’re rearing chickens, the coops are best maintained in an airy space and cleaned regularly.

By embracing homesteading and gardening, you’ll take full advantage of spectacular reductions in your expenses and elevated levels of vigor, energy and vim.  Maximize your intake of organic leafy greens and vegetables, and augment your health exponentially!

Once you’ve gotten the homesteading ‘bug’ it is almost impossible to get rid of it. We had a short stint in Southern California suburbia that down-right almost killed me! Who mows the lawn with an electric PLUG IN mower? Yikes!

But that ‘bug’ can also make you bite off more than you can chew. Those dreams of land spreading out so far and wide, possibly crops or livestock, rolling hills or wide open prairies, mountains to climb or root cellars in the ground, stream, creek, river or lake, it doesn’t matter, your mind can wander all day long once you’ve gotten the homesteading ‘bug’ – but if you can’t keep up with that land (and yes, any homesteader knows it really doesn’t just SIT THERE) then you will lose sight of your dreams as they give way to tired bodies and aching muscles. So start small.

Our first journey into homesteading was my back yard garden in a quiet suburban neighborhood. I didn’t know what I was doing, I just know I loved the smell of the dirt, getting dirty and then reaping the rewards.

Next we moved to about 7 acres and expanded to some fruit and nut trees, figs, two rows of grapevines, and a much larger and more productive garden. Closer to the house we built a small chicken coup with a run outside (although the chickens roamed freely all day) and a bunny cage with four bunnies (for fertilizer purposes, they were pets). We also managed to have an acre out back for some sheep and goats. This was quite manageable even with small kids and work, this was enough room, yet not too much to manage. It was a very, very productive little homestead.

Currently we are on 15 acres of which about half of it is woods. Don’t let those woods fool you, they too need occasional tending. When they are yours, and a stray cow or neighbor’s livestock wander into your woods, you need to know you can get through there to find it. Also, woods tend to attract ‘wayward’ hunters and their hunting dogs (that will wreak havoc with your livestock if they spy them through the trees). So don’t assume a lot of woods mean ‘care-free’ land.

On what can be utilized we have expanded our fruit and nut trees, have other grapevines and the garden is about 20 times the size what was in the first back yard garden. Our livestock did not make the move here, so we are slowly rebuilding the chickens, bunnies, goats and sheep. The grain business keeps us busy as well.

But I share all this to say it is a process. Don’t shoot for your dream 288 acres right out of the gate! You might just get overwhelmed and give up and regret giving up! Build those homesteading skills like any other skill – with fundamentals and practice.

Take into consideration what you want to do, start small and build on it. Most people who truly want to homestead know the patience of growing things and the seasons it takes for planting, growing and harvesting are in order. So, don’t jump the gun and bite off more than you can chew (how’s that for combining two clichés?) and get overwhelmed!