Is homesteading today still possible and practical?

Is homesteading today an attainable goal?

Is homesteading still possible these days.? The answer is yes, but homesteading today is different than you might expect from the tradition of pioneer days. It is still possible to live self-sufficiently on a small piece of land; it's just that many of the tools and technique to achieve your homestead dream have changed.

By the way, my original inspiration to write this piece about the realities of homesteading was brought about by a catastrophe here at the farm; a hail storm hit our farm and just about wiped out our market garden.

So, to get something positive out of that event, I decided to write something about the realities of small farm and homestead living, and how things have changed from 'pioneer days'.

Finding land for your homestead

As an example of things changing, finding free land in exchange for developing it is a rare situation these days. There are no national programs currently in existence to provide free homestead lands. And while there are still rural communities that will deed you a property if you commit to building a home on it, the opportunity is not realistic for most people.

True homesteading properties tend to be in remote and fairly isolated parts of the country. While the land, the people and the lifestyle may have some old-fashioned attractive charm, opportunities to make a living will be restricted.

There are also restrictions on these local programs, and some may include penalties if you fail to comply with the conditions. If you want to pursue the search for free land, try Googling "find free land" and following up with what you find.

There are organizations that can help you find farmland to buy or lease. If you live in or want to move to one of the New England states, Land For Good is worth a look. They provide resources to navigate the complex challenges of land access, tenure, and transfer.

And if you are looking to move to the Ottawa, Ontario area, I know a couple people that can help.

But the good news is, you don't need a huge farm to be more self-sufficient. You can grow a lot of food even on a relatively small plot. Practical homesteading today is all about working with what's possible.  Increasing food security and self-sufficiency is possible even on a small plot of land. Check out homestead garden as a place to start

A prototypical homestead garden we built one year as an experiment

So if you plan on homesteading today, you will most likely have to acquire your homestead land by purchasing it. Here's a few points to consider when buying a rural property

There are still bargains available in good land once you get outside of major urban centers. The amount of land you buy will depend on what type of homesteading enterprises you plan to carry on to support yourself. Here are some suggestions for deciding what to farm on a small property

The tools and skills you need to survive on your homestead today have also changed. While many 'old-fashioned' methods of gardening, animal husbandry, and home-scale construction are still valid, there are appropriate technologies that can be applied to make the job easier.

There will always be sufficient work to do on your homestead without making it harder by refusing to use technology when it makes sense. I am a big believer in taking advantage of the technologies while we have them, and at the same time planning for how I would do without them if necessary.

Are you psychologically ready for homesteading today?

Homesteading today can be stressful; at times over the last 10 years I've been broke and literally not known where the next dollar was coming from. And there is always more work to do than time (or money) to get it done. And, things don't always work out like you plan; it sometimes seems to me that Mother Nature is carrying on an illicit affair with Murphy (of Murphy's Law fame.)

So, stuff will happen on your homestead; and you will be the one that has to solve the problem and save the day. As well as all the practical skills – e.g. gardening, plumbing, animal husbandry, carpentry, equipment repair, marketing, business planning (those last two might surprise you but they are necessary) – you need the emotional resilience and entrepreneurial attitude to treat problems like learning opportunities, and keep on truckin'.

However, don't let this discourage you; despite the ups and downs, this is still the best job I have ever hallucinated. Carving your own path holds a lot of satisfaction that is unknown to the denizens of cubicle farms in corporations everywhere.

If you are still not sure about making the leap to your own homestead, read my Staying Sane and Staying In the Game page and maybe be inspired to give it a try.

How much homestead do you need?

I think its a mistake to take on more land than you can efficiently manage. It takes a lot of attention and effort get full use from even a small property. You can get a lot of food from very little land, if you integrate animal and garden production and use intensive growing methods.

Based on my experience raising chickens, pastured pigs, and market gardening here at New Terra Farm, I would suggest that you could raise an appreciable portion of your own food on about one-quarter acre (10,000 square feet). Check out my Quarter acre farm plan

This much land in good condition would let you raise a batch of 50 chicken, 2 pigs, and have a large garden as well. You could also have some laying hens roaming around to provide eggs, set up a beehive or 5, and plant the perimeter of your property to fruit and nut trees to provide even more food.

If you are planning to make money on your homestead, I would suggest that a 1 acre mini-farm is about the most two people could handle with primarily hand tools. You can see more about this in my one acre farm plan The one acre mini-farm could provide 80% or more of your own food, as well as a surplus for sale to bring in some cash.

If you have or can acquire farm equipment, you could homestead a larger piece of property and produce a full-time income. You can see my five acre farm plan for ideas on how this might work.

5 acre farm plan

You're gonna need some cash for homesteading today

Despite how things have changed, homesteading today is still all about self-sufficiency. This means you will probably need to generate some cash income working from home. Even if you are lucky enough (or careful enough) to be mortgage-free, some cash income will always be required, if only to pay property taxes.

One of those 'appropriate technologies' I mentioned previously makes this more possible than ever: the Internet. The Internet makes starting an online business from home more realistic than ever, and well within reach of most people.

The technology and the tools are so good these days, that anyone, regardless of technical skill or experience, can learn to create an income-generating website.

I truly believe this is one of the greatest opportunities for sustainable, practical, homesteading today. You can create a real work-from-home business on your own time, one that has the potential to significantly change your life.

My Internet business provides a significant portion of my farm income; in fact it generates enough cash to pay the mortgage on the farm itself!

And (BIG POINT) my online business keeps producing income regardless of what happens with my garden - as you can imagine this is a particular comfort under my present circumstances.

Read more about that and other income-generating possibilities at 7 Farm Side Hustles.

Download my FREE One-Acre Farm Plan and learn how to raise pigs, chickens and more, integrated with an organic market garden, to make more money from your small property.

Imagine building a profitable and sustainable mini-farm even on a small piece of land.

Enter your email address and your free report will be sent to you right away. 

For further reading

If you are thinking about homesteading today, now is the time to start planning for next season. Check out the links below and the resources at right to help you make next year the most successful one on your homestead . . .

I've been living the country life on New Terra Farm for 20 years. I've learned quite a bit about that topic over that time, so I thought would pass along some of that experience.

There's a world of difference between the typical home garden and a successful market garden. Here's some thing you need to know about vegetable farming for profit

Growing a high income market garden is within the reach of most growers. It's possible to gross $40,000 or more from a one-acre garden, but achieving this revenue depends on careful crop selection, good marketing, and efficient work methods.

Here are some suggestions for the most profitable crops to grow in your market garden. The High Income Market Garden

Vegetable garden site selection is critical for the success of your homestead or market garden. You need to consider the following factors in selecting your vegetable garden site

A backyard nursery can be a profitable home-based business for the new grower or would-be small farmer. Learn the ropes here Start a backyard nursery

How much money can you make raising chickens for meat on your homestead? Here's a sample budget for raising chickens for meat and money

If you want to raise a large number of meat chickens on your homestead, you don't need to spend a lot of money to build a chicken coop. Check out the New Terra Farm Movable Coop

If you just want to raise a few chickens for eggs, and need plans to build a small or medium sized coop to shelter your hens, these are the best chicken coop plans

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) might be defined as a partnership between farmers and consumers. CSA is a great model to start homesteading today, and can provide you the start-up cash you need to launch your market garden. Find out more about Community Supported Agriculture

Raise a livestock animal that can actually improve your land. Raising pigs on pasture is a great way to put some food in your freezer and a little folding money in your wallet. Raising Pigs on Pasture

Other links of interest

Here's a great resource for to find the ABSOLUTE BOTTOM LINE for the cheapest food supply.  Efficiency is Everything

This is a pretty good article about Urban Survival.

You might also want to up your survival game with my Homestead Book Bundle

New! There is  more to self-sufficiency than just food, here's a resource with literally HUNDREDS of great tips and low-cost projects for your homestead.

From subjects such as water, food preservation, off grid power, and growing a medicinal garden, to building a year-round geothermal greenhouse,this book provides step-by-step guidance.

The Self Sufficient Backyard. Highly recommended for new or experienced homesteaders looking to upgrade their self-sufficiency game.

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