Urban homesteading is easier than you think

Urban homesteading is easier than you think

Reduce your grocery bill and teach valuable life skills

By Britanie LeFait

With the cost of living rising, many families are getting creative with how they make ends meet. I recently embraced the concept of urban homesteading. Before researching the term, when I thought of a “homestead,” I envisioned an 1800s farmhouse, a barn filled with animals and acres of crops. (It’s a dream of mine to live on such a property!)

My family moved into our first home in 2020, and the world proceeded to shut down just two months later due to COVID-19. We suddenly had a lot of time on our hands. We watched several YouTube videos on homesteading families, with the children taking a huge roll in their successes. We came across channels showcasing families turning their urban and suburban properties into their own homesteads. I discovered that homesteading is really a state of mind. We had nowhere to go and unlimited time, so we started making changes.

Homesteading in the city

Grow your own

The first thing many families start with is growing food. Even a tiny apartment balcony can produce food. In our backyard, we have a 10-by-16-foot in-ground garden, plus raised beds and containers. Each spring, my children decide what they want to grow in their sections of growing space. My son always picks interesting things like melons, rainbow carrots and pole beans. My daughter loves growing flowers, which helps attract beneficial pollinators. Growing vertically on a trellis is a great way to maximize a small space to produce more.

Save it for later

Preserving food goes hand in hand with growing it. We travel to the Annapolis Valley every June to pick strawberries. Kids love making jam. Washing, cutting, mashing and stirring keeps them engaged from start to bottling. This tradition provides us with enough homemade jam to last the whole year and pride in producing it ourselves.

Buying vegetables from a farmer in bulk and pickling or freezing them can also cut the amount you are spend through the year with just a little bit of time.

Livestock in the city?

Having backyard chickens has always been a way for families to acquire fresh eggs. It recently becoming legal in all parts of HRM to own up to 10 laying hens and urban hen keeping is growing in popularity. My son dreams of his own chicken coop, which is now possible.

Take it from grandma

In a society that embraces convenience, skills such as breadmaking and cooking from scratch are uncommon. But after comparing a loaf of homemade bread at approximately $1.50 to the store-bought loaf at $3.50 (or more), you can clearly see the benefit of learning. Plus, following a recipe provides excellent learning opportunities.

If it ain’t broke …

Above all else, the homesteader uses what they have or fixes it. If you can replace your own button, it will extend the life of your shirt. If you are handy, you can take the vacuum apart and find the problem and then put it back together. (My seven-year-old did this for me and saved us a ton of money!). Shopping your house before shopping the stores and getting creative with what you have can save time and money.

In our own way, we can all be homesteaders, from the full-scale farmers right down to the one-tomato-plant gardeners. It’s all about mindset and self-sustainability.

Find more eco-mom tips from Britanie LeFait on her Instagram raisinglittlesparks.