Gardening and raising poultry are not a trend but a way of survival. For families that own the surrounding land that their home sits on, it’s common to see a farm and a barn that houses animals. If the ground is smaller, it’ll be called a homestead where there’s enough land for a garden and a do-it-yourself animal settlement such as a chicken coop. These are just ways that a household can be self-sufficient, especially if they live off the grid. The following are more ideas on how you can embrace the lifestyle:
DIY Chicken Coop
Families likely turn to raising chickens as these are easier to take care of than other farm animals. Some will lay eggs, while others will be harvested for their meat. Chickens need their shelter. If you haven’t built a chicken coop before, there isn’t a cause for worry because if you or someone you know can use tools, chicken coops are easy to assemble. There are plenty of free plans available online, and they’re not complicated to follow at all.
Be Frugal
The idea of being self-sufficient is saving up money and relying partially on manual labor to live. You’re doing it because your income is tight, and you’re adapting means to avoid asking other people for money and accumulating debt. But, never mistake frugality for being cheap. There are also many ways to be frugal. You can start by living within your means and limiting your expenses to necessities such as food, medicine, and other immediate needs.
Start A Vegetable Garden
A vegetable garden is not hard to maintain. There are many instructions online that you can follow to grow veggies that you and your family can enjoy. No more going to the supermarket every time you need greens. You just need to plan properly so that you have enough to harvest all throughout the year.
There are things to consider before starting a vegetable garden. You need enough garden space, to know what kind of vegetables you can plant depending on which season, and to learn how you can maintain it. Food gardeners should also not harvest everything simultaneously and learn how to properly store veggies.
Cook Meals From Scratch
Some city folks would call in delivery to order some food. But, if you’re trying to be frugal, you must learn to prepare and cook for yourself and your family instead. Knowing how to do so has many benefits.
First of all, you know what you’re eating. You have fresh ingredients at hand grown by yourself. You can enjoy delicious spring salad recipes anytime – with ingredients directly picked from your garden! Cooking your own food is better for your health, and that’s important because you get to avoid what you need to. Cooking your meal is also more affordable because you’re not paying for extra service.
Learn To Can Food
Canning food is a method of preserving your cooked produce or meat. With this procedure, you’re using sealable jars and not actual cans. Canning is like having your food storage system that helps sustain your needs on a rainy day and save money at the same time. It also ensures your surplus produce don’t go to waste.
With canning, you only need a few items and to dedicate a day to can the produce you picked. You can pick up canning supplies online and follow simple instructions.
Canning your food is also aesthetically pleasing, especially when different colored vegetables combine in one jar and are all lined up on your shelves.
Utilize Solar Power
If you’re living a sustainable lifestyle, your home is surely self-sufficient as well. In most residences, people use electricity to power their appliances. Frequent usage can rack up the electricity bill. That’s a problem that solar energy has been able to alleviate. If your home is running on solar panels, it can cut your electricity bill immensely. It’s another effective way of saving money because you don’t need to use electricity at all. If you’re at a location where it’s sunny most of the time, you can utilize solar power for most of the year instead. It’s also beneficial if you’re living off the grid.
In Conclusion
Self-sufficiency is a lifestyle that anyone can adopt. It can give a sense of fulfillment because you’re able to live in sustainable ways that are good for your health and the environment. More than anything, the most important thing is that you’re happy and content with your choice.
