How to Create a Self-Sufficient Homestead

Homesteading offers a path to greater independence, a deeper connection to the land, and the joy of cultivating a lifestyle that aligns with nature and sustainability. But what does self-sufficiency really mean? How much land do you need to embark on this fulfilling journey, and where do you begin?

In this guide, we’ll explore the essentials of this rewarding lifestyle and share practical steps to help you create your own thriving homestead.

What is Self-Sufficiency?

Self-sufficiency can mean many things to many people. At its core, it refers to those who want to be more self-reliant. Having a self-sufficient homestead means you’re producing most of what you need to live day to day from the land you own. This could mean growing and raising your own food, generating your own power and water, and even building and mending your own outbuildings, tools, and clothing.

While most of us will continue to rely on hardware stores for building supplies, grocery stores for specialty items, and clothing manufacturers or thrifting for other goods, it’s still possible to slowly reduce your reliance on many modern consumer institutions.

How Much Land Do You Need to Be Self-Sufficient?

For many, owning a property is the first step on the road to self-sufficiency. An acre of land is generally considered the minimum for a productive homestead. That said, if you have a smaller patch of land, you can still get some satisfaction from raising small livestock like rabbits and chickens, and supplementing your monthly grocery bill with fresh fruits and vegetables from your garden. It’s all about understanding your future goals.

Don’t be afraid to start small. Often, what you learn tending smaller plots of land will be useful when you level up to a larger property.

How to Start Your Self-Sufficient Homestead

Are you planning to run your homestead like a hobby farm, or like a business? If you ultimately want your homestead to become your full-time pursuit, you will want to approach it like a business. This means setting expectations, planning ahead, and making strategic investments in the future of your homestead.

Set Realistic Expectations

Consider what “self-sufficiency” means to you. Does it mean growing and preserving 80% of your own food? Does it mean getting off the grid, building your own outbuildings, or plowing land under your own power?

Take a look at what you want your future to be, then create your plan. Remember that setting small, achievable goals each year is more likely to result in long-term success than trying to do everything at once.

Plan Ahead

Now that you have an idea of where you want to be, you can put a plan into place about how you will get there.

Reduce or eliminate debt. Self-sufficiency starts with being financially self-sufficient. If you owe money to numerous creditors or have significant debt, create a plan to pay this off as quickly as possible.
Learn the right skills. There are many skills to learn on your road to self-sufficiency. Most of us are no longer raised with these skills, which means you will need to be self-taught or seek out teachers. A solid understanding of these core skills will be helpful on your self-sufficiency journey:
- Gardening and harvesting common crops, including how to treat crops for common pests and diseases, and how to save seeds.
- How to raise poultry or other livestock, how to identify and treat common health issues, and how to properly process these animals for food.
- Basic woodworking, repair, and home maintenance skills.
- Cooking, mending, and sewing skills.
Choose the right land plot (or prepare your current one). If you plan to take your property off-grid, choose a plot with access to a water source (ensure that you have water rights to the property) and a sufficient place to install solar panels, if you’re going that route.
Evaluate income possibilities. While you may be employed at a full-time or part-time job to support your homestead, consider investing in ways to make an income from your property. This could include vegetable or livestock sales, renting out horses or stables/pastures, selling honey or other preserved/home processed goods, and much more. Look for creative ways to use your property that fill a niche in your area.
Create a network of like-minded homesteaders. The most successful homesteaders are those who can engage in barter and trade with those who have complimentary skills or homegrown products. Can you trade a neighbor two dozen eggs for a jar of honey? If you help a friend build a house, will they come help you clear a field?

Practical Tools to Get Started

Depending on the size of your property, there are a few tools you’ll want to invest in to kickstart your homesteading journey. This includes basic hand and power tools, protective gear (gloves, safety glasses, work boots), gardening tools (pitchfork, shovel, pruning shears, hoe, water carrying necessities), and kitchen equipment like a pressure canner, freezer, dutch oven, and dehydrator for preserving food.

While some of these investments can be made over time, or equipment shared with neighbors, friends, and family, ensure you can get a hold of these basics. Remember, you can level up your tools as you increase production on your land. For instance, you may not need canning and pressure cooking supplies now. However, depending on the size of property, a tractor for land management can be a good upfront investment to help you work more efficiently.

Self-Sufficient Food Production: What (and How Much) to Plant

How much food does it take to feed a person? Per-person calorie requirements vary, as do food preferences. However, a good rule of thumb is to focus on calorically dense foods, and/or those that can be easily stored or preserved overwinter. Track how much you or your family eats in a year at the same time you begin to test yields on your farm for common produce. Beans, tomatoes, corn, squash, and potatoes are great staples. Carrots, cabbage, beets, peppers, and fruits with high yields like raspberries are also good bets.

Be realistic about what types of food you will eat. While you may enjoy the idea of eating a wide variety of greens, if you only eat cabbage, there’s little reason to plant beds full of kale. Intercropping and companion planting can also help you make the most of space. The three sisters method for growing corn, beans, and squash provides good caloric density in a small amount of space. Bonus: all three are easy to keep overwinter.

Animals and Livestock for Self-Sufficiency

Chickens are by far the most popular livestock animals for small and mid-sized homesteads. They don’t require much space, can free range to supplement their feed, and provide both eggs and meat. Rabbits are another protein source which requires very little space. For those with a little more acreage, pigs are a good option. Other types of birds, like turkeys, geese, and ducks, are less adapted to a confined lifestyle, but can be rewarding.

Goats, dairy, and beef cattle all offer unique benefits as well. Goats tend to be preferred over dairy cattle by small homesteaders who want to produce their own milk and cheese. Those with a larger property, and the ability to invest in appropriate fencing, may work their way up to owning cattle. These larger animals are more time and labor intensive, and will require larger (or more laborious) processing costs.

Water and Power Off the Grid

One of the most significant milestones homesteaders make (after buying their property!) is moving their property off the grid. This means gathering water from sources on the property and generating power from a sustainable source, like solar panels or wind turbines. Eliminating or greatly reducing utility bills can give homesteaders a greater sense of confidence and increased sense of independence. Read our guide for how to take your property off-grid.

Prepare for the Unexpected

Finally, remember that life can be unpredictable, especially on a homestead. You will encounter natural challenges that should be anticipated and planned for. Just because you’ve had a tough year doesn’t mean that you have to give up or start over. Learning is part of the homesteading experience.

Don’t Forget to Enjoy the Journey

For many, the benefit of being self-reliant is having more time. More time to do the things you love. More time with your friends and family. More time to sit and enjoy the sunset over your own self-sufficient property. Don’t forget to enjoy and celebrate all you have achieved — and all you are working to accomplish. That’s what makes it all worth it.

Connect With Yanmar

At Yanmar, we understand that each of our customers have a unique journey. As you begin your own journey to self-sufficiency, check out our Landowner’s Planner. Our expert team is here to answer your questions and share helpful insights as you build your dream. No matter your need, we’ll go above and beyond to meet it. Please don’t hesitate to connect with us online or give us a call at 678-551-7369.

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