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“I Could Never Do That!” [Part 1]

On May 25, 2022 by

A response my husband and I often get from people when we share our homesteading journey with them is an immediate, “I could never do that!”

People are interested in what we’re doing, and many even wish they could try it themselves. But instead of pursuing it, they automatically focus on all the reasons why it wouldn’t work for them.

“That’s not how I grew up… I could never butcher an animal I raised… My yard is too small… I’ve killed every plant I’ve ever tried to grow.”

While these are all valid concerns, they’re certainly not reasons to give up on the idea of homesteading entirely! If it interests you, I promise there are ways to work through these hang-ups and give it a try.

In this post, I’d like to focus on the issue of homesteading on a small, or less than ideal, piece of property.

What Is Homesteading, Anyway?

First, let’s start at square one. What does “homesteading” mean?

A straightforward definition of modern day homesteading is simply becoming self-sufficient in as many ways as possible. It’s producing for yourself and your family those items that usually come from the store, or show up in a box on your front porch. This self-sufficiency can look different depending on your situation, but typically it consists of planting a garden, preserving food, making home-cooked meals, or raising animals for eggs, milk, meat, and other products. It could also include simple things like baking bread, growing your own herbs, or drying your laundry on a clothesline.

Anything that somehow removes yourself from the system can be a part of a homesteading lifestyle.

So while a big farmhouse on several acres in the country may seem like an exemplary setting for doing all of those things, it’s far from being the only option. Here are some ideas to get you started, no matter where you may live.

If You Have No Yard At All

Maybe you live in the city, in an apartment, or your mom’s basement. Consider yourself an “indoorsy” homesteader. You might not be able to keep chickens, raise pigs, or have a garden, but you can still adopt a homesteading mindset in your day to day life! You could:

  • Grow some herbs on your counter or windowsill.
  • Work on your cooking and baking skills. You don’t need a fancy kitchen to make delicious food at home.
  • Focus on things you can do inside. (Canning, dehydrating and freeze drying are a few methods of preserving food that you could undertake.)
  • Buy your produce, eggs, and/or meat from a local source. You may not be able to produce your own, but you can support someone in your area who does. Supporting local businesses and farmers is a huge part of the homesteading spirit!

If You Have a Small Yard

There are tons of possibilities, even with a very small yard! I have seen numerous homesteaders sharing their setups online who only have half an acre or less. The most important thing is good planning, to really maximize your space. You can:

  • Check out square foot gardening, raised beds, or vertical gardening methods to grow an amazing amount of food in a compact area.
  • Grow plants in containers- tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, herbs, and more will thrive in a pot!
  • Put up a clothesline.
  • Make a small compost area, or use a composting container, for your kitchen scraps.
  • Build a small chicken coop. Chickens don’t require a ton of space.
  • Raise rabbits for meat, or to sell the babies. There are lots of resources out there on how much space is needed per rabbit.
  • Set up a rain collection system.
  • Find a local homesteader and see if you can work with/for them in exchange for produce, milk, meat, etc.

If You’re Not In Your Forever Home

Starting a homesteading journey when you have plans to move in the next few years is a tough decision. Do you wait? Do you go all out anyway?

My advice would be to at least start something small. Maybe building a barn, purchasing larger animals and planting an extravagant garden should wait. But there’s no reason you can’t start somewhere in the meantime. Focus either on things you can take with you when you move, or that you wouldn’t mind leaving behind.

Some very dear friends recently did just that. They transformed their small, suburban back yard into an oasis of garden beds and trellises, complete with a compost area and water collection- all at a house they never planned on staying in forever. But I’m sure they would agree that the experience and benefit they’ve gotten out of it in the meantime has been better than waiting around for their forever home.

Other Issues You Might Be Facing

Maybe you have plenty of space, but don’t know how to make it work for homesteading purposes.

  • If the terrain is too hilly or rocky for a garden, look into raised beds or container gardening instead.
  • Do some research on amending soil if your dirt is poor quality/nutrient deficient.
  • If you’re just unsure how to lay things out (where to put a garden, barn, chicken coop, etc.), look up ideas online and in books. Your property doesn’t need to look picturesque to be functional!

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way

So if there’s even a tiny part of you that loves the idea of homesteading, and wants to try it: ignore the voice in your head that says, “I could never do that.” If it’s something you really want, you can find a way to make it happen.

Hopefully you’ve gotten some ideas on how to not let a small, or less than ideal, piece of property, stand in your way.

If you live a homesteading lifestyle on a small or unique property, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below, or send me a message via the Contact Me page.

Good luck!

If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to the Iveyshire email list at the bottom of the blog’s home page! You can also follow our journey on Instagram, where I share lots of pictures and videos about our day-to-day adventures.

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