Homesteading Skills to Learn

The definition of the term “homesteading” has gone through a number of changes over the years. But these days, it is primarily used to refer to the idea of self sufficiency. In other words, homesteading is a way of life that involves people providing for themselves. This of course also means foregoing some of the conveniences that the modern world has made available to us. But if the price is sacrificing a little bit of convenience, then the reward is being able to live a happier, healthier, more fulfilling, and more environmentally friendly lifestyle that many people are unfortunately missing out on these days. If this sounds like something of interest to you, continue reading. There are a number of skills you can learn that will help you achieve this kind of lifestyle.

One of the most important skills to acquire for homesteading would be gardening. If you learn how to garden, you can grow any kind of food you need to survive. Not only is gardening very environmentally friendly, it can also save you money. Growing your own potatoes, peas, tomatoes, etc. is cheaper than buying them from the store. It’s also healthier, too, considering that much of the produce found in stores these days has been sprayed with pesticides. Anytime you can get the opportunity to remove man-made chemicals from your diet, you should take advantage of it. Speaking of health benefits, gardening has been shown to be good for your mental health as well. Studies have shown that people who regularly have hobbies such as gardening tend to live longer and happier lives.

Another useful skill you can learn for homesteading is how to ride a bicycle, or any similar non-motorized transportation vehicle. The direct health benefits you receive from riding a bike should be pretty clear. It’s a great and fun way to get a good cardiovascular workout. If you have a few pounds to drop like so many of us do, riding a bike regularly instead of driving a car is a great way to solve that problem. Even if you’re already in great physical condition, riding a bike will help you stay in shape. In addition to health considerations, the environmental benefits of riding a bike are not to be ignored. Everyday, more and more people are driving cars on the road and releasing tons of carbon dioxide into our earth’s atmosphere, which causes damage to our planet by contributing to the global warming epidemic. You can do your part by choosing to ride a bike instead of driving a car.

Last but not least, you may be interested in finding a way to get off the grid and produce your own electricity. This is admittedly a bit more ambitious than the previous two ideas, but you might be surprised what you’re capable of. There are a number of options out there. If you live in an area that gets a consistent amount of wind, you might want to create a wind turbine. If you live close to a river or anything that has an adequate supply of flowing water, maybe hydro power is the answer for you. On the other hand, if you have neither of these luxuries, but price is not a big deal to you, you can always opt for expensive yet effective solar panels. Needless to say, the details involved in building your own energy source are well beyond the scope of this article. But if you’re committed and willing to do some research on your own, there is no reason you can’t pursue one of these options.

Hopefully you’ll find these ideas for homesteading useful. If it seems overwhelming at first, don’t worry. Start with something simple and go from there. Once you get the ball rolling, everything will come easier. If nothing else, you might just find a new hobby you can enjoy for a lifetime.