There's No Wrong Way To Homestead

For me, this title goes hand-in-hand with the old saying, "There's no wrong way to do the right thing." For me, homesteading is the right thing. That doesn't mean that it is the right thing or the right terminology that describes the ideas and values of everyone in the world, but it's right for me. There are people who would say that I'm doing it wrong. Even if I winnow down and call my journey "urbansteading" there are people who want to say that I'm just playing around. Those people are clearly missing the point.

[Image from publicdomainpictures.net - CC0 Public Domain]

The story hasn't changed since the founding of our country. The pilgrims who first came here had no clue what they were doing. (Seriously, have you ever researched what a complete and total circus the colony at Jamestown was?) It was a similar story for the pioneers who settled the American West. Some of these people might have had minimal experience with gardening and livestock, but many people who chose to go west were several generations removed from rural farm living and the inherent skills that would have come with that kind of upbringing. There was a steep learning curve for these greenhorns and there was certainly no such thing as a "typical homestead."

We are now experiencing a kind of resurgence of the pioneer mentality. More and more people are becoming aware of the world that has been created for them and they want out. There is a wave of people who feel like homesteading, permaculture, or subsistence farming could be the right answer for them and they are packing up everything they thought they knew and moving forward with little more than inexperience and gumption to guide them - and that's okay. The thought that there are people in the world there who think that the only right way to do things is exactly how they've been doing them is ridiculous. Now, like then, there is no such thing as a typical homestead.

[Image from publicdomainpictures.net - CC0 Public Domain]

In its very essence, homesteading is about doing the best you can for yourself and your family with what you have on hand and/or what you can get easily in your area. It doesn't matter if your spouse works full time at a corporate job while you stay home and help with a kidding. It doesn't matter if your garden doesn't actually go in the ground. It doesn't matter if you don't home-school your kids and, in my case, it doesn't matter if I'm in a 600sqft apartment in the middle of downtown. The only thing that matters is that you're doing it.

Everybody is just doing the best they can and instead of telling someone - or telling yourself - about what is and isn't homesteading, perhaps we could do better. Perhaps we could remember that homesteaders have relied for centuries on a strong sense of community and togetherness. We could remember that the things that our neighbors did differently from us used to be considered a benefit to the community. Learn what your neighbors are good at and allow them to learn the same about you and.

Allow yourselves to make a better, weirder-looking, homemade homestead community that is stronger together than apart.

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I believe every day we all live this...

There was a steep learning curve for these greenhorns and there was certainly no such thing as a "typical homestead."

YES! We're all just running around and bumping into stuff. Sometimes you just bump into it the right way and it makes potatoes or zucchini or something lol!

I like this because recently I've been feeling down that I don't have the finances to make a "real homestead" right now. This is a good reminder that every little step is at least a step in the right direction! May I link this article and feature your username in the next issue of the Weekly Homesteading Newsletter this Sunday? Let me know, thanks!

Kiara, you are a huge part of what links this homesteading community together, so remember that next time you catch yourself thinking that way. I think there are a lot of us who are stoked to have you back again. You were missed in your break.

@perceivingalife is so right, a real homestead is what you choose it to be.

You sure can :) I'm glad I could provide a little encouragement! I have a hard time being patient with myself and my situation, too. Hang in there!

This article has been linked and featured in the newest issue of the Weekly Homesteading Newsletter! Thank you and have a Merry Christmas!

Yes, do what you are able, where you are able to do it.

If you can make a big move to improve your condition. Do it. If it takes sacrifice and hard work to make something happen, don't neglect it.

But just do what you can, when you can. Nothing wrong with that. And if we call it permaculture or a permanent - culture effort... it is doing some good stuff!
Thx

This post gets the #healthy-home seal of approval!

Thanks to @goldendawne for resteeming it!

Amen. We (3 people) are currently in a 624sqft apartment in the capital of our country but we do what we can with what we have where we are and that's the homesteading mentality summed up for me :)

Yes! It's me, a dog, and three rabbits. This spring we'll have a large container garden and I'm going to be a canning fool but I'm not doing anything any differently than anyone else. I'm just doing it on a smaller scale. If anything, what I'm doing is more intense. I do all of this and more in a smaller area by myself. I know plenty of homesteaders who wouldn't be willing to wash their laundry by hand like I do lol keep on doing what you're doing!

Exactly. You actually just gave me a great idea for a post... Will try to remember to tag you in it..

Awesome! I'm just glad to have inspired something!

Me too 2 cats, 1 dog, 3 kids and a more gardens than them all together. But it's my land and my crazy homestead

Sounds to me like you're doing it right! :)

This will get the #healthy-home seal of approval!

Please go to the first post of @healthy-home and make a wonderful comment and an upvote, and say that @em3 sent you.... And a 20cent or better upvote will follow!!!

Thanks for sharing!!
Peace

I really agree with the "It doesn't matter..." part. When I started down the path towards farming and homesteading I had these specific ideas in mind about what I needed to do and how it would look. Since being more exposed to the "lifestyle" I have become more idealistic about what I want my life and this planet to look like but also much more accepting about the reality of both. Thanks for your uplifting and inspiring words :)

I'm going through the stage right now that I'm so far from what I ultimately want that I feel like I'll never get there. I'm just trying to be patient with myself and I feel like if I can be nice about my situation, everyone else should, too. I'm glad that you've found your own understanding :)

I guess that's the wisdom of "its the journey not the destination". How do we make our homesteading journey our destination rather than the other way around?

I don't know if I'm making anything into anything else. It helps to view the whole situation as a fluid and not as a solid state that you're trying to get to. Embrace the fluid state of it all and let it wash all over you :) (hippie wisdom of the day lol)

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So eloquently put. I'm trying to let my voting power go back up and I find this little gem that just deserves a full vote and so much more! What are you doing to me!!? 🤣

Lol! Sorry but thanks! :P