Question for those who homestead?

**Simple Living Mom** · 06-20-2007, 12:49 PM

I would love to learn how. Have you always lived this way or did you grow into this lifestyle. It's a dream of mine (now that I know what it's called). I've had the dream for a while just not a name for it. I'd love to learn what I can begin to do now (without property) to begin to prepare myself to homestead in the (hopefully not too far off) future.

Thanks

**freyadog** · 06-20-2007, 02:34 PM

My health caused us to homestead. I developed asthma in Las Vegas after living there for 17 years. So it was back to Virginia but we did not want to live in a city or actually any town. We live 7 miles from the town limits and love it. We just jumped in. The first major buy for us outside of paying cash for our home was buying a staber washing machine made for wells. the second was a used tractor. Being frugal now will prepare you for living rural. Its quite simple actually. We have a few fruit trees, lots of berries and alot of natural remedies on our land. We have a garden of vegetables and also a plat of herbs. Just stick 'em in the ground and they grow. Living rural does have a few drawbacks. No noise if that is a drawback and have to learn to be frugal with water even if it is from a well. You can not using a well wash all day and water the way you do on public water but that is easy to learn to do. I wouldnt trade where we live for anything.

Barbara

**Edna_E** · 06-21-2007, 08:34 PM

I share the dream, but have not done it. I think planning what you think life could be like, and then practicing whatever aspects are practical would be helpful. I use very little electricity, am comfortable shopping monthly with occasional runs for fruit/veggies/milk (eggs CAN be kept for a month), and enjoy a quiet life. Learning to garde effectively should be useful, and any other skills that you want to use (some people raise sheep and spin their own yarn and so forth - that would not be an option I would choose to pursue).