Kody Hanner
How to have a homestead AND a life.
I’m not going to lie; depending on the type of homestead you have, it can be a full-time job – plus some! But I’m here to tell you that it is 100% possible to have a life and be a homesteader. My husband and I both volunteer in our community, our kids play sports, we hunt, we go on short and long vacations (or business trips), we have leisure days, and not ALL of our money goes to the homestead. At certain times of the year, our homestead can be all-consuming, and there are seasons of life when we invest more financially in the homestead. Overall, using the suggestions below to balance time on the homestead can allow you to homestead AND have a life.
Change Your Mindset About Homestead Life
First of all, understand that homesteading is a way of life. Therefore, that also means that it will probably be your hobby, what you enjoy doing, and possibly a source of income (hopefully your food, at least). If you genuinely do not enjoy this lifestyle (or at least respect it), it WILL feel like a burden or like you have no life. If you do feel this way but are choosing to homestead for health or financial reasons, there are ways to enjoy the benefits by building a local food system, buying from local homesteaders, making work trades, and many other options without turning your home into a full-time job that smells like poop.
However, if you truely love this lifestyle, it’s very empowering and freeing! When you can shop from your own pantry, avoid costly trips to the grocery store, and know that you are feeding your family the healthiest and most secure food possible, then every bit of time spent is worth it. And honestly, it is more than that. There is joy in knowing that you chose this lifestyle.
Create Systems in Your Homestead Life
Being organized and proactive will save you the most time (and money) in your homestead life. It makes it so that the job is done right each time, therefore creating more time in your schedule. The streamlined chore process and reduction of homestead catastrophes will allow you to have control over your schedule. Although I’ll tell you right now, the cows have access to your Google Calendar and WILL get out when you have somewhere important to be. I could write a whole book about creating systems on your homestead, but here are some ideas to consider (and possibly invest in):
Write SOPs (standard operating procedures)
Or at least good lists. This way, as you grow, you can find places to be more efficient. It also makes it easier to have a family member or farm sitter tend to your homestead.
Don’t be a slave to water
One of the biggest chores on a homestead is making sure that everyone/everything has water. Invest in timers, automatic waters, and heated water options for colder climates. These save you time daily and decrease issues from water down times, crop loss, and frozen water tanks.
Have Goals for Your Homestead Life
Know where you want your homestead to be in a year or five years. Then, you work towards goals and make solid choices for each purchase, improvement, and investment (both time and money). If you want a completely grass-fed dairy one day and do not want to spend all your money on hay, maybe you should focus on pasture health while starting your herd.
Do It Right the First Time
If you can afford it, build the pen right, invest in frost-free waterers, purchase the higher-producing animals, practice preventative livestock health management, and fence the garden! Your homestead life will be much more peaceful when you aren’t constantly fixing something. When you have the right set-up or the right tool for the job (yes, animals are tools), you aren’t going to be fighting your life in arrears; you will be striving for and attaining those goals I talked about in the last section. Goals will also make it so that you aren’t months or years into your homestead and have to make big changes. If you can’t invest in all the right tools at once, make a plan and a budget and stick to it.
Don’t Tackle Homestead Life By Yourself
I’m not saying you have to be married with a big family to homestead effectively. I am saying that if you are, don’t be afraid to delegate. Your spouse and your kids are your biggest asset on your homestead. Discuss your goals together and decide who is doing what. We meet quarterly as a family to make decisions on the homestead and divide the responsibilities.
“The difference between a chore and a responsibility is that a chore is an obligation, and a responsibility is a privilege.”
The more your kids are on board for homesteading, the easier your homestead life will be. Your kids will get on board when they understand the “Why” of what you are doing. This can be done by talking to them openly, educating them, and asking their ideas and goals. One way to learn together is through my Homestead Science program.
Find a Trusted Farm Sitter
A trusted farm sitter is priceless whether you’re considering a vacation or need someone in an emergency. This can be a professional (or at least someone who does this for a living), a friend or neighbor who knows your homestead or a local teenager looking for some spending money. This takes a huge stress off of you. Have the sitter come by a few times in advance and pay them to learn and work on your homestead. This way, you can correct their work or your systems before they are alone.
Don’t Try To Tackle Everything In Homestead Life All At Once
Even those familiar with homestead life get overwhelmed when taking on everything a self-sustaining homestead entails. So, only tackle a few things at a time. Some people will suggest starting small, which is solid advice in some ways. For example, in the kitchen, instead of learning how to make everything from scratch, start with something you eat every day like bread. Master baking bread for the house to the point that you aren’t thinking about it, it’s just part of your day. Then start learning how to make cheese or fermenting sauerkraut.
The animals and gardens are a different story. The garden has to be planted in the spring if you want vegetables this year. So focus on the foods that you know you will eat. Then, implement the systems like a timer for your watering system. When it comes to livestock if you can afford it, start big. It could take up to five years to put your first steer in the freezer if you start with a heifer calf that won’t have her first calf until she is two years old, and then that calf won’t be large enough to butcher for 18-30 months depending on breed. Invest in good fencing, good feed, and good stock. Then, as you can afford it, add the chickens or the pigs that could start producing in as little as a year.
Bottom Line To Create A Homestead Life That You Aren’t a Slave To
Be organized and embrace this beautiful adventure that you have been blessed with!
