Find out why so many are choosing to embrace the homesteading lifestyle, and why it might be the best choice for you, too!
After 2020, it’s perhaps no surprise that 8% of Americans now plan to move from their city or county in search of a better quality of life. It was certainly a year that prompted a lot of people to reassess their living arrangements, with the shift to remote working in many industries, the desire for outside space, and the most basic need to feel safe and comfortable at home.
It was also a year which demonstrated the beauty and value of self-sufficiency, which enables you to be a little more free and protected from outside factors. Whether you’re considering a homestead retirement, you’re young and single, or you’ve got a family, if you’re one of that 8% and are giving some serious thought to a homesteading lifestyle, here’s why you should make the leap and choose to homestead.
Creating your safe space
Part of the joy of the homesteading lifestyle is the space a homestead offers, perfect for children to enjoy their childhoods (research has shown time and again the importance of letting children play outside) but also for adults to escape the rat race and embrace a more natural way of life.
Investing in a homestead means you’re free to use you own space to create the home you’ve always wanted, build the treehouse your 8 year old self dreamed of, care for animals or grow crops like the characters in your favorite books.
Ever wished you could run your own business? Now you can, selling free range eggs from happy chickens, or jams and pickles you’ve learned to make.
Soul food
There is surely no greater feeling of satisfaction and empowerment than using your homesteading lifestyle skills to feed yourself and your family. A study last year found that nearly 70% of the fresh produce sold in stores contains traces of pesticides. Wouldn’t it be great to know exactly where your food has come from and what has been used to grow it?
Homesteading enables you to plan as a family what you would like to grow and eat, and by sharing or trading with others locally, you can build up a mutually beneficial network.
Caring for the earth
Another huge benefit of homesteading is the number of ways in which it benefits the planet. The latest available data shows that the US generates around 292.4 million tons of waste per year.
By homesteading and finding ways to reduce, reuse and recycle, your personal contribution to that huge amount heading to landfill can be greatly reduced. Making choices to embrace organic farming and greener forms of energy can also make a huge difference.
Getting started on your homesteading lifestyle
If you’re ready to take the leap, now is a good time to start preparing for a simpler way of life.
Declutter – both your possessions and your schedule – and start to think in a more holistic way about the things you consume.
It would be wise to learn how to grow food, to break out the sewing kit so you can make a few running repairs if needs be, and to stock your pantry, so you’re ready for a rainy day.
Perhaps most importantly, talk to other homesteaders: by becoming part of a little community, you can share equipment, starter seeds and ideas, as well as find moral support for the inevitable days when things feel a little difficult.
There are so many joys to be found in homesteading, from the satisfaction and peace of mind of growing your own food, to knowing that you are playing a key role in protecting and preserving our planet. Take the leap, and enjoy the fulfilling home life that’s waiting for you.
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