What is Homesteading?

So what exactly is homesteading? I was recently listening to a podcast where he tried to define homesteading. As society progresses words often times pick up new meaning So what does it mean today? Here is what I feel it means today. Living a self sustaining life. This could be extream or it could be minimal. It could mean you live on 50 acres and raise a huge garden filled with a variety of veggies and fruits, raise cattle, milk goats, use work horses, chop your own wood, and can everything you grow. Or it could simply be someone with a dream and a small balcony off their city apartment with potted plants of tomatoes, squash, lettuce, radishes, and spinach. It's doing as much as you can with what little you have. 

So you live in a city in a trailer park with a tiny yard you say? What can you do besides just dream you ask? Well I will tell. Container gardens and raised beds would be perfect for this situation. You would be amazed how much food you can grow in a small space. You can even get some worm bins and make yourself some very nice soil called vermiculture. Most city's allow rabbits and a lot even allow chickens. A trio of rabbits, depending on breed, can produce more less 480lbs of meat a year. Need more? Add another doe. Another very simple livestock to raise would be quail, need very little room and you will get eggs and meat. Depending on your city ordinances you can get a couple chickens or even a dairy goat. So look here, a small shed and some containers and raised beds in a tiny yard and you have eggs, meat, and veggies. No you will not be able to do as much as someone with 10 acres but you are on your way. 

Homesteading is a way of life, a state of mind, not where you live or how many acres you have. How do I know? Because I'm the one that lives in that trailer with the tiny yard. I made lots of excuses why I couldn't follow my dream but that's all they were, excuses! Follow me on Facebook on the page "two chicks and a Homestead Dream" to see what all we do and how it's going. Ultimately the goal is to move to the country but doing what we can where we are for now.