Urban Homesteading

When most people think about homesteading they think of selling all their things, buying an old pickup truck and moving to the country to raise their own food, build their own house and live off the land in those wide open spaces where your nearest neighbor is miles away. The truth is homesteading does not have to be an isolated venture nor do you even have to live in the country, you can instead live in the city, enjoy all it has to offer and still begin a life of urban homesteading.

What Exactly is Urban Homesteading

Urban homesteading is a way of combining the best of both worlds: the convenience of living in the city where your job is and becoming more self sufficient and less dependent on others to provide all of your needs. While it is true most cities are not going to allow you to take up major farming, complete with cows and pigs in your backyard, you can still begin applying some of those skills and practices that homesteaders every where use and enjoy. Things like growing some of your own food and canning it. Making your own clothes and other items and yes even raising some of your own meat if that is your desire.

Growing Your Own Food

How much of your own food you can grow will of course depend on where exactly you live. Even someone living in the smallest of apartments can grow some of their own herbs to flavor their foods, while those apartment dwellers who have a balcony can grow at least some of their own vegetables as well. As for those people who actually have a front and back yard there are many gardening options available to you from growing food in large planters to actually planting a vegetable garden. How much and what you grow will only be limited by space and the amount of knowledge you acquire.

After growing your own plants you can or dry them and enjoy them all year round. You don’t have to have a big country kitchen to can goods you simply have to have the determination and willingness to do so.

Raising Your Own Meat

While most cities do have some laws on farm animals being raised within city limits many cities allow the keeping of rabbits. Rabbits can provide a good source of meat for those city dwellers who want to try their hand at raising at least some of their own meat.

Other Urban Homesteading Skills

If you are urban homesteading you may not be able to grow your own wheat, but you can learn how to make your own bread. You can also learn to make your own yogurt, jams, jellies and other food items. Even if you can’t grow these products yourself, you can visit a local farm, get healthier ingredients and prepare you own food.

Urban homesteading isn’t just about farming practices it about becoming more self sufficient and making wiser choices for yourself and the environment. It is about relearning new skills of our ancestors and choosing to live a simpler life in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the city we love.