Homesteading Is hard work! I'm writing this right now at night because I'm tired and am quite often tired at the end of the day.
So why do it? Is it worth it? These are the questions I often ponder and constantly make me consider why I'm doing this.
Here are 10 reasons I homestead and believe it's worth it.
Better Health
This is the main reason I started homesteading and the main reason I keep doing it. Much of the food in restaurants and grocery stores is poison in too much quantity and buying organic gets expensive. Growing and raising my own food insures I get the highest quality, free from pesticides,herbicides, hormone induction, steroids and God only knows whatever else gets pumped into food, at the best prices. Sure my time and labor are worth money but that leads me to the next reason.
Love of the Lifestyle
I really do enjoy gardening and raising livestock, I enjoy preserving and cooking, I enjoy repairing and repurposing, I love being tired at the end of the day and seeing everything that was accomplished. In general I love most everything about homesteading. This is the way I was raised and when I was a kid I never had any doubt it was the way I would always live.
Self Sufficiency
This term is kind of deceptive as I believe no one is completely self-sufficient. What I mostly mean by this reason is the development of skills that enable me to provide for myself and my family. I am constantly trying to learn new things that enable me to do more and provide more without depending on someone else to do it for me. I feel like this is important in a time when most skills of the past are forgotten by the majority of the people and we collectively become more and more dependant on a "system" that provides for us.
To Connect The Past With The Future
This means I want to teach my children and grandchildren what was handed down from my parents and grandparents. We are the link between the past and the future and if that link doesn't hold tight and connect the two then they become separated from one another and the legacy does not carry on. My grandfather was a homesteader with wicked carpentry skills, my dad grew up learning all that he taught him and then passed it down to me. I want to continue that legacy for many generations.
To Help The Environment
That's right I'm a bit of a tree hugger. I love nature and the beauty of the planet and I want to preserve it for future generations. I believe homesteading is one of the most generous things we can do for our planet. Most homesteaders use organic practices that are generous to the soil and nature in general. The more that people grow their food in this manner the less poison is sprayed elsewhere. Yeah I know I'm only making a small difference but it's the difference I can make so I'm going to do it.
Preparedness
Okay so I'm a prepper, no not the crazy kind ;) Not all preppers are homesteaders, I mean buying food and cramming it under your bed and in your closet doesn't make you a homesteader but I think every good homesteader is a prepper. It is just what we do, we grow and raise our food and preserve it and put it up for when we can't grow it. We prepare for winter and weather events and anything unforeseen that comes our way. That is basic preparedness and it's not crazy, it's responsible.
For Freedom
Yep Freedom! I mean this in a few different ways.
Food freedom, the freedom to put into my body what I choose to put in there, not what food manufacturers want me to put in there.
Freedom from the system, the system that says "this is how we want you to live" work a 40 hour a week job, pay your taxes, buy your food like everyone else and have the same dreams as everyone else.
Financial freedom, as I mentioned before, I believe this is a much cheaper way to eat healthy and live in a more frugal manner. Translation - more money in my pocket at the end of the day.
To Be A Better Neighbor
Because I'm growing an abundance of food I get to share with my neighbors, just the other day some neighbor kids were walking down my fence line eating blackberries, this makes me happy, I want to share and they know they are allowed to do it. I love handing the neighbors a bag of food occasionally (and not just the zucchini). I love seeing the face of a next door neighbor biting into a fresh vine ripened tomato out of my backyard and telling me "you can't buy anything like that in the store".
The homesteading community
This is a reason I knew nothing about when I started down this journey but it is definitely a reason I do it now. The homesteading community both online and local are some of the most friendly, caring, and difference making people on the planet and I'm proud to be part of the community.
To inspire change
I do think this is a way of life that is better for people and planet and because I believe that I want to constantly encourage other to get started right now, right where they are if they have a desire to go down this path. To put it humbly, I homestead because I want to change the world!
So is it worth it?
You bet it is!
You bet it is!
Well you have wrapped this up nicely, well said. We have been homesteading to a few years now and I don't know how I could do anything else! I believe that the most important item you brought up was freedom, Most folks don't know what it is like not to have to rely on someone else for everything, food especially. We raise our own animals and grow our own vegetables. We are down to paper products and some cleaning supplies from the grocery store, it is so cool. I could go on and on but there is work to do, nightly chores need to be done. Thanks for the great post!
Thanks. Sounds like you are doing a great job building that freedom into your life.
Good post. One day I should write why I do aquaponics, I share some of these ideas. Had to laugh at not just sharing the zucchini with the neighbours. Man do these overgrow sometimes.
Thanks. I believe zucchini are trying to take over the world :) Following you, I'm a big fan of aquaponics.
I agree. Zucchini do so well everyone is passing them around every year here too....
SO many people romanticize homesteading and don't realize just how much work it is. It's rewarding for sure but its hard work. Today, I'm out cutting slab wood and building fires in 90 degree heat for smoking salt and canning peaches. My solar power allows me time during my day to take my breaks reading great articles like this. THANKS!
I've watched your videos and I know y'all have a lot of hard work going on at your homestead. It is important that people know it ain't easy but also know it's worth it in the end. Thanks for the comment.
By the way, your videos are the reason i found my way onto steemit. Thanks for that as well.
Glad I could help! You put out good content and I will try to keep up with it all so I don't miss any. :)
Sounds like you got a bit of freedom. Good luck to you. Peace.
Thanks. Yes, a bit of freedom but always striving for more.
Your title gave me a good laugh. I think your 10 points are great. I'm struggling with picking one to say, "that's the best point." LOL.
Thanks.
Keep sharing pictures and insights. Good article.
Up-voted.
Will do...thanks
I enjoyed learning about homesteading and its benefits in your post. I especially like what you said here, "We prepare for winter and weather events and anything unforeseen that comes our way. That is basic preparedness and it's not crazy, it's responsible."
I am a prepper and not a homesteader. I can only imagine how much work goes into fulfilling daily chores and projects. In my opinion, homesteaders have a much better chance of surviving a major event. Thanks for sharing and the title is hilarious.
Thanks for the comment. I don't understand the mindset that thinks it's crazy to prep.
You are very welcome sir. I address that stigma in one of my recent posts. It's not my intention to appear to be a spammer right now, rather just providing a link for you to check out to see if it makes sense:
https://steemit.com/survival/@prep4shtf/prepping-doom-and-gloom
If you want this to be taken off, reply to this and I will edit it out. Thanks in advance if you decide to read it.
It's cool. I'll check it out.
Nice to see you on Steemit-- keep sharing!
Thanks. Loving the platform.
"Because I'm growing an abundance of food I get to share with my neighbors"..Same here .Having so much excess means its a pleasure to share with friends and family
It truly is one of my greatest joys.
Like minded. Love this description of what we feel when we put the time in and the hours to give us all these rewards. I homestead because my husband passed 6 years ago and left me with 3 kids so I had to find a way to feed us all and the healthy aspect, plus to teach my kids these ways. I have come a long long way. Thanks for your post and inspiration to push further.
Sorry about the circumstances that got you homesteading but glad you are. I'm sure your family is all the better off because of your commitment to this lifestyle.
Zucchini's are trying to take over the world ! Just don't tell Bezo's or he will want in on it! I too like to see what's been accomplished at the end of the day. Many rewards await. 🐓🐓
Lol...sounds like a conspiracy theory i could buy into.
Excellent post. I am older and have gone into a more urban environment after years of homesteading in Alaska and latter near Mt. Saint Helen's in Washington. The journey began for me when I was only 19 in Alaska. Now, I apply the same skills to an urban setting. The Urban Homestead is fun, a way of life, and I love to garden. Old habits don't die, so I can, dry, freeze, and several other ave. of preparedness. Prepping is a way of life.
I eat what I grow and I love it. I also enjoy watching the children eat berries growing on the fence and I share my surplus with my neighbors. I have a granddaughter that is interested in learning, so I am transferring skills. Thanks and upvoted.
Thanks. So awesome to hear you're continuing the lifestyle where you are in life now and passing on a homesteading legacy to your granddaughter.
Great post!
I totally agree! I have been building my sustainable eco village for over 8 years and have invested thousands of hours of blood and sweet to the project. I do it for all those reasons and while it is hard work anything great is.
So why not put hard work into something that TRULY pays off?!?!?
I have experienced so much fulfillment and improvements in quality of life and when living sustainably it actually gets easier and more abundant every year.
Where as with a job its the same grind forever.
This kid of life pays off more and more and becomes more and more worth it!
Hope to see you posting more. I will give you a follow and see whats to come!
SteemON!
Thanks. I just read your post about your garden of eden, love what you're doing. Excited to read more about it.
Thanks!
Yes its super amazing. I appreciate your support and comment. I will post more about it for sure. If you want to check out a LOT of info try @gardenofeden or www.intothegardenofeden.com
Hope to see you around! Keep up the good work!
Congratulations @sthomestead!
Your post was mentioned in my hit parade in the following categories:
This is fabulous!!! Thanks so much for finding my post and linking to your post. I am glad to have found you on here! Also, it made me smile to read that one of your reasons is the environment. Thanks for making the world a better place!!'
Thank you. I can tell the care of the environment is a passion of yours as well.
Yes. Sure is. It's nice to find others here who share that. :)
This is our dream! However we would like to incorporate aquponics into our homestead! Up-voted and followed, check out our recent post on aquaponics. https://steemit.com/life/@steemtobefree/one-hell-of-a-way-to-grow-the-best-food-our-trip-to-the-aquaponic-ouroboros-farms-in-half-moon-bay-california
Awesome! I'm a big fan of aquaponics. I've been doing some on a small level.
Great post! I'd like to impart some wisdom... broody hens are annoying without a rooster. Look forward to more great posts like this!
Thanks. Sounds like wisdom gained from experience. :)
I love the reasons you give. I have a family of 8 and our ultimate goal is to have our plot of land and to be as self sufficient as possible. I know we will get there and I want it for a lot of the same exact reasons. Thank you for laying them out...
You have a great goal to aim for. Thanks for commenting.
Very nice post.
Luckily for you, Indiana has much better soil than North Cackalacky. My family didn't have any issues growing things when we lived in Thorntown, but down here, it is a bit of a struggle.
Good luck!
Thanks. We are blessed with some great soil around here.
@sthomestead Great post, I love hearing about people's experiences being self-sufficient. As a prepper and owner of a prepping website I'm always looking to learn more about this sort of stuff. Thanks!
Thanks. I always enjoy hearing about others experiences with self sufficient living as well.
wow thanks for sharing. this is so nicely presented
Dang, missed the payout on this to give you my vote, but still wanted to drop a comment saying I really liked the post and agreed with everything you said! See you on the next one.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting.