Homesteading is not an inexpensive venture. It can take some individuals years to save enough money for land. Because farming equipment and livestock are also costly, many homesteaders spread out their purchases and work toward their homesteading goals over several years.
However, part of homesteading is learning to live frugally. There are many projects you can DIY to save money and achieve your homesteading goals more quickly. By completing projects yourself, you’ll also build confidence and develop much-needed skills for running your homestead once it’s complete.
DIY homesteading projects range from building compost bins to chicken houses to DIY solar heaters. If you haven’t been able to invest in land yet, you can start developing skills and building equipment for your future lifestyle right where you are – even if you live in the middle of a major urban center.
One of the most valuable assets for a homesteader is experience. Although running a small worm farm in your city apartment may not feel like progress, it’s building your knowledge base so you can achieve a better and bigger result next time. Here are 15 DIY projects you can tackle for your homestead.
1. Graph Your Property
Before you start working on your homestead, take the time to create a detailed plan for your property. If you already have land, use Google maps to copy a realistic outline and insert important features like trees, water, and buildings. Homesteaders still living in the city can use this exercise to draw out their dream property.
Now that you have a rough outline, think about the layout of your property. What do you want to build or cultivate, and where should it be? Remember to take shade, elevation, and soil quality into account. For example, you shouldn’t plan a garden for a shady hill.
Examples of homestead features to include are a garden, beehives, grazing fields, sheds, fruit groves, and off-grid electric features.
2. Grow an Herb Garden
Growing herbs is an easy way to get into gardening, regardless of where you currently live. Many people grow herbs in pots on their kitchen windowsills. However, herbs also thrive outside and are a staple for any kitchen garden. They add fragrance, variety, and healthy phytonutrients to your food and have many uses for a homestead.
In addition to adding flavor to your food, herbs can also be dried or used fresh for homemade tea. If you don’t have enough space to grow herbs yet, consider foraging for wild herbs in your local area. Avoid places that may have been chemically treated, as plants soak pesticides up. Learning about the complexities of herbs now will equip you to grow and use them later.
3. Build a Compost Bin
Another essential for a homestead, composting bins allow you to recycle food scraps and outdoor waste into rich fertilizer for your garden. You can construct an easy compost bin with inexpensive wooden pallets and some hardware. The bin doesn’t need to have…