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    42 Homesteading Skills for Self-Sufficiency

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    42 Homesteading Skills for Self-Sufficiency (With Links!)

    Starting your own homestead is an exciting idea that can definitely turn into reality. Homesteads don’t have to be 40-acre farms in the country anymore.

    Plenty of city dwellers and suburbanites are choosing to incorporate homesteading skills into their property. Not only do these skills help to make your family more sustainable, but they also bring back a sense of what life was like in the past.

    While you may have dreams of tending your own chickens, growing a vegetable garden big enough to feed your family, or raising livestock, there are many skills to learn before starting your homestead. Plenty of other homesteaders have paved the way for those new to the idea.

    You’ll find a lot of different options, ideas, and rules that people use to create the homestead that fits their needs. While you won’t be able to use all of the ideas out there, it is a good idea to research what others have done.

    In an effort to support your desire to homestead, we have put together 100 links to the top homesteading skills that have worked for us in our quest to homestead. From videos, to articles, to books, you’ll find what has helped us build a successful homestead.

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    Table Of Contents
    1. Setting Up the Homestead
    2. General Homesteading Skills
    3. Growing a Garden
    4. Plants on the Homestead
    5. Food Storage
    6. Small Livestock
    7. Large Livestock
    8. Energy Efficiency
    9. Pest Control
    10. Health and Medicine
    11. DIY Supplies

    Setting Up the Homestead

    General Homesteading Skills

    There are several skills that are needed to find success on the homestead. These general skills will help start your journey at home.

    Building

    Knot Tying

    Knife Sharpening

    Growing a Garden

    Basket of Produce from Garden

    One of the first things that homesteaders do is create a garden. While vegetable gardens are the usual standard, you can also grow fruit as well. Orchards are another way to add fruit to the property.

    Starting A Garden

    Starting Seeds Inside

    Building Raised Beds

    Adding a Greenhouse

    Cool and Warm Season Vegetables

    Companion Crops

    Planting an Orchard

    Native Plants

    Composting

    Plants on the Homestead

    Tree Care

    Native Plants

    Flowers

    Farmer’s Market

    Foraging

    Food Storage

    Food Preservation Cans

    After you grow all of that food in the garden, you’ll need a way to store the food for the future. Preserving food is a time-honored tradition that is still used all over the country today.

    Canning

    Dehydrating

    Preserving and Fermenting

    Root Cellar

    Baking

    Raising Livestock

    Caring for animals on the homestead is another way to increase your land’s yield and provide food sources for the family. It is one of the most exciting parts of becoming a homesteader, although there is a learning curve to raising animals.

    Small Livestock

    Most new homesteads start out with smaller livestock before graduating to the bigger animals. Learn more about these little but powerful additions to the homestead.

    Beekeeping

    Chickens

    Turkeys

    Rabbits

    Ducks

    Large Livestock

    Goats and Cows in Pasture

    These larger livestock animals require more space, shelter, and gear. Raise them to milk, sell or butcher to fill your freezer.

    Pigs

    Goats

    Sheep

    Cows

    Horses

    Energy Efficiency

    Being resourceful is one of the key skills of any homesteader. Learning how to live off the land for your basic needs is the only way to get off the grid.

    Water

    Heat

    Pest Control

    Critters can be the worst part of homesteading. Not only can they devour an entire garden or steal all of the eggs, but they can bring disease to the homestead as well.

    Varmints

    Bugs

    Barn Cats

    Health and Medicine

    Many homesteaders prefer to use natural remedies for common ailments. Knowing how to care for small and large wounds also keeps you safe as many homesteads are far away from emergency care.

    Healing

    First Aid & CPR

    DIY Supplies

    Making your own supplies from items that you probably already have on hand is important when living on a homestead.

    Sewing

    Soap Making

    Cleaning Supplies

    Learning all that you can about homesteading skills is important when starting your own homestead. No matter where you live, you can tailor these skills to your land and your goals when starting a homestead.

    Learn from other successful homesteaders in our continued quest to become more self-sufficient and prepared at home.

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