So, you have decided you want to be a homesteader. You are excited and have your head filled with visions of fresh vegetables that are completely organic being harvested, chickens following you around the yard as you tend to the chores, and a more simple, ‘back-to-basics’ lifestyle. That is wonderful! Hold onto those visions as tightly as you can because you will need them, especially when just starting.
The fact of the matter is homesteading is anything but simple. The only real ‘simplicity’ I can vouch for is that you no longer work for someone else to make the money to buy what you need. You grow it, harvest it, craft it, and preserve it yourself instead. Your life shifts from the cube farm to the veggie farm but that does not mean it is more ‘simple.’ In fact, I daresay it is more complicated due to all of the things you need to learn!
One of the fans asked me several questions a few months ago about gardens, chickens, and raising livestock. I am happy to answer it to the best of my ability!
Jennifer A. – “I am looking for ways to get back to the good old days – an easier time ( I am looking to buy a farmette in the near future) When recipes were simple and food was good. What are the best veggies to grow? Are chickens easy to raise. Is it better to raise your meat or buy it from the farmers market. I want to get away from the supermarket.”
I can relate not only to her questions, but her motivations for wanting to make the lifestyle change, as well. Many Americans want to take back control over their food from the government. To do this, they start gardens, frequent farmer’s markets more often (or exclusively), and begin researching different aspects of their lives they want to change (and how to do it, too!). This is exactly how I started on my journey and my answers will be based on my own experiences.
What are the best veggies to grow? I get asked this question often when I get to babbling about my garden. For a long time, I could not answer it very well because each person’s criteria for ‘the best’ is different. It depends on what space you have, light exposure, and what style of gardening you are doing (container, raised beds, greenhouse, etc). One day, I had a lightbulb switch on. I had my answer!
The best veggies to grow are the ones you like to eat the most.
Mother Nature is a tough lady and as a result, plants can be grown in multiple ways and in multiple conditions. You can tailor your garden to fit what you have (or don’t have). For us, ‘the best’ veggies to grow are potatoes, green beans, carrots, several types of onion, garlic, herbs and spices, and don’t forget tomatoes. If I can ever get them to grow – tomatoes have been the bane of my existence 2 years running now.
Are chickens easy to raise? – Ahh chickens. The ‘gateway’ animal to having a farm. By all accounts, raising livestock is an addiction. This is a great question, and one that I have personally asked several people I know who have raised multiple flocks. In short, YES IT IS. The longer answer has some catches to it though that should be considered such as space, feed, time, and money. You also need to ask yourself what it is you really want to get out of your chickens? Are you interested in using them for eggs, meat, and little workers in your garden? Are you more in love with the romantic idea of having a few free range chickens pecking around the yard?
While we do not own any chickens (yet. It will happen), I have done extensive research into the topic and like I said, spoken with several locals who raise chickens to get a good idea on the challenges for here.
Overall, chickens are like having any other animal but there are more things to watch out for regarding living space and medical health. Chickens can get bramblefoot, or blocked up with a particularly large egg, and then there is the consideration of what type of food and making sure they have grit, etc. Once you have the basics down though, chickens are not overly difficult. You gather eggs each day, make sure they have food and fresh water, their coop is clean and there you have it (basically).
Daily maintenance time will depend on how large your flock is. Larger flocks need more space to be healthy, too. Free range is, of course, the best way if you are able. It will cut down on the feed cost. Letting them loose in your garden at the beginning and end of the growing season to clean up and til up the soil is another bonus for all involved. I personally can’t wait to watch my chickens scurry into the raised bed garden section with fluffy glee, pecking up the slugs, snails, and bugs. Plus, I won’t really have to pull the plants up as the chickens will eat them up and turn em into tasty eggs!
Cost wise, hands down, having chickens for eggs alone is an expensive egg habit but in my opinion, the pros outweigh the cons.
Is it better to raise your meat or buy it from the farmers market? – This is a very subjective question, therefore there is no one answer for it. I can say with confidence that going with either choice is better overall than buying at a large chain grocery store. In both cases, you are benefiting the overall agricultural system in your local area. Either you are paying a farmer/homesteader for excellent meat (be sure to learn about them before buying!) which helps them continue doing what they love, or you yourself have your own system and know precisely how the animal was raised, what it ate, and how it was processed. If you think about it, that is very liberating! There are few things in my life that have given me as much satisfaction as opening the cupboard and pulling out a jar of carrots that I grew from a seed, raised, harvested, and processed. Especially when it is the middle of February! I would imagine it would be even more so with raising your own meat. The catch is that it can be very expensive to raise livestock. I strongly suggest you network with some local people to get a better idea of what it takes to be successful.
I completely understand people who want to get away from their reliance, not to mention food quality, on supermarkets. We are the same way! It is unreasonable to think you will be able to never go shopping – even the old pioneers went to the trading post for staples – there are always things you can produce for yourself. That is our goal: to provide as many food products ourselves as we can and get away from the boxed and canned goods.