If you’ve been wanting to become self-reliant but are unsure how to proceed, consider these 12 steps to becoming more self-reliant to get you started. If you’re already on your path to self-reliance, there may be some items in this list you’ve never considered but after some thought, may decide to pursue. The items are in no particular order of importance. Garden that Will Feed Us All Year 1. Plant a garden Often this is one of the first steps someone chooses to become more self-reliant and for good reason. Freedom from supermarket produce means you can be certain of how vegetables were grow ..read more

If, like us, your goal is to be as self-sufficient as possible, we can recommend you raise these 6 herbs for homegrown herbal teas. We’ve grown these 6 herbs for years and never tire of drinking them. They are as good as store bought herbal teas yet because you can grow them yourself, you are a step closer to independence from the supermarket. Herbs Washed and Spun Dry Many of the following herbs are perennials meaning once established, they will come up every year. Although in truth some are only perennials in the deep south of the United States. Lemongrass and Stevia are 2 herbs that are p ..read more

As we’ve eluded to in previous posts, winter on the homestead is the perfect time to engage in pursuits there’s no time to do during the busy summer months. Knitting is a pleasurable hobby but for the self-reliant homesteader it’s an invaluable skill that’s part of a well rounded basket of survival skills; one that you can draw upon in hard times to help keep the family clothed. Familiarizing yourself with basic knitting equipment increases your level of self-reliance and may give you an edge in the future. Using Double Points to Make Gloves Equipment While there’s a lot of paraphernalia ava ..read more

Is raising 100% of your own vegetables possible? Absolutely. We’ve done so for decades. Why not make 100% self-reliant vegetable production your 2023 resolution. 100% Home Grown Meal We raise 100% of our vegetables which means we don’t rely on the grocery store for any of our veggies regardless of the time of the year. This was particularly relevant when we lived remote in the bush of northern Saskatchewan where our homestead was only accessible via bush plane. We flew to town twice a year and it was only during those biannual trips to civilization that we did any shopping. Being self-relian ..read more

Aging is a fact of life. Even though we’ve been homesteading for over 43 years and we’re in our 60’s, we haven’t slowed down much. But we know the day is coming when we’ll slow down to the point it will take us longer to accomplish tasks. As the aging homesteader knows, they may put in the same number of hours as always but their productivity will decrease. In other words, they won’t be able to accomplish the same amount of work in the same number of hours as they had in the past. Elevated Bed in Full Production This will be hard to accept but is to be expected. Since we know the day is comi ..read more

Whether you’re a backyard gardener, a homesteader or someone contemplating joining the ranks of those desiring to be more self-sufficient, we’re all busy and are looking for ways to save time and effort. Raising perennials is the answer. Why not grow more perennials and save labor? Grapes with Vines Behind Ron What are Perennials? Perennials are plants that once established, will come up faithfully every year with little or no help from any of us. While they require some effort to get established at planting time, that time and energy expenditure is a one time item. As a result, they are a g ..read more

Compost is the lifeblood of any organic garden since it not only enriches the soil, but also improves soil structure. Both clay soil or sandy soil can be transformed into a productive loam through the addition of compost. Lush Garden of 2021 Thanks to Compost What is Compost? Simply put, compost is decayed organic matter. That organic matter can be plant waste such as pea and bean vines, empty pea pods, corn stalks, as well as vines from cucumbers, squash, pumpkins or potatoes. It can be vegetable and fruit trimmings such as peels, outer leaves of cabbage or carrot tops. So pretty much any g ..read more

For 42 years, I’ve actively managed and worked in the woods. The forest has been a source of firewood, income, recreation and exercise. Johanna and I cannot imagine living anywhere else other than surrounded by forest. I cannot look at a forest without thinking that tree here needs to go, that’s too thick in there, I need to salvage that leaning tree etc. This is a post about woodlot thinning. Woodlot Thinning When we lived in Maine, we were part of the State/National Tree Farm program and we won a couple of County Outstanding Tree Farm awards for our forest stewardship. We own a large woodl ..read more

Given a wood cookstove is the only appliance we’ve ever had in our off-grid kitchen for the last 42 years, we’ve learned lots of tips and tricks that a novice may find useful beginning with the selection of a stove, installing the stove and finally using it. Let’s talk wood cookstoves – tips and tricks. Antique Woodstove in Maine Stove Selection Old wood cookstoves are still kicking around as these things were built to last for generations unlike the modern appliances of today. The cookstove at our Maine homestead was an antique Ron found at a second hand store and rescued from oblivion. I h ..read more

Homesteading Track and Field? Is there even such a thing?? By the time you get to the end of my article, you will have a definitive answer to that age old question. Homesteading Track and Field. Indeed! US Master’s National Championships Bronze M65 200M 28.01 Competitive track and self-reliance? Off grid homesteading and competitive track?? A bit odd that I included sports and competitive athletics with homesteading and self-reliance don’t you think? But bear with me. Give this a read and let me know what you think. I’m growing older and much closer to the end than the beginning with an un ..read more