Homestead in suburbia?

I can't believe I published the last post without seeing that it was the 14th!!! Happy Three Month Anniversary honey!! It's weird to be counting our relationship by months again, after being together for over four years. It feels like the beginning all over again, except better.

So here are just some thoughts that have been sloshing through my mind lately....

What is homesteading? It’s the ability to live on your own, ultimately completely sustained. That was never my original intent. I just simply wanted to grow a garden that would cut down our bill, and provide fresh food that I could be proud of. What’s so hard about putting a seed in the ground and growing it?

You've seen our garden, but I haven’t really divulged my eventual dreams that involve homesteading. I don’t think I’m ready to try and keep cows, goats or pigs. I’m definitely not ready to slaughter them! I used to be vegetarian, before I found out I am allergic to soy and most tree nuts. Yep, definitely feeling like the pale nerdy kid with glasses. 

Based on what I've read, we have managed to start phase 1: grow your own food. It’s a small garden, and this year we grew tomatoes, mini tomatoes, okra, watermelon, cucumbers, onions, and strawberries. My dream is to grow: peaches, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, okra, watermelon, tomatoes, mini tomatoes, squash, zucchini, pumpkins, peas, beans, and lettuce. All the good stuff that we really enjoy eating! 

Last year:  Raised Garden Pt 1 Raised Garden Pt 2 Raised Garden
Two years ago: Apartment Jungle Update

On our current cute little less than ¼ acre, that just isn't going to happen, this isn't our dream home and I think the next home owner will appreciate that I'm not going to convert our backyard into one big garden.

Then I fell into the idea of homesteading while looking for a bread recipe. My mom used to make fresh baked bread in a bread maker when we were kids, and there is nothing on this earth better than fresh bread. Except maybe warm, fresh bread with fresh butter. Pure.heaven.

Finally! I can make my own bread! I have tried so many times, and each time it was very depressing. I have made focaccia before, but I’m debating taking the recipe down since I haven’t made it again since. I will share with you the recipe that I can make though, soon enough....once I try it one more time to make sure it wasn't a fluke. 

Now I think homesteading just makes sense. I don’t think the world will end tomorrow. I don’t think I need to get off my dependency from the government, mostly because I want my darn social security one day. (haha that isn't likely to happen.) I’m not sure what I’m aiming for here, just a way to make our lives simpler and easier on the earth. I’d like to give back more than we take, which isn't happening right now.

Ideas to take it further….

2. Rain barrels. It takes a lot to keep a garden green in the south, and it only makes sense. If the gutters are doing the work already…right? I lived in Australia for six months during college and collecting rain is a normal practice in Australia. For obvious reasons, but it seemed to follow the idea that its sort of wasteful to not collect the water.

3. Chickens! My Mountain Man (MM) says no, but I think it’ll be fun. At least Coco, our darling bird-dog of a lab, would enjoy it. I can see the fur and feathers flying furiously. Alliteration anyone?

4. Sustainability in basic needs.  This is a big one, and one that we wouldn't be able to tackle for a while, if ever. That includes well water, solar panels, septic tank, and maybe even hybrid cars. Minimal or no impact, and investments that end up costing nothing or even giving back a return.

Is this even realistic? Not really. But let’s think of what our needs are, and find a way to do them cheaper, easier, and just more thoughtfully. Water-get a well. Food-get a garden, plant some trees, and raise some animals. Energy-solar, wind, essentially use something other than coal.

Easier said than done. I’m on the hunt to find someone else who does this near us, so I can learn from them. You can’t believe everything on the internet, after all. This is a long journey, not a post with a simple conclusion, so if you've already done this or have a place for me to get more info, please please please share!!

my favorite garden blog: http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/

my favorite self-sufficiency blog (not updated much anymore): http://newlifeonahomestead.com/