Do you crave walking out of the city and into the woods to find a better life? Do you like to hunt, fish, or garden? Do your friends consider you outdoorsy?
If this sounds like you, then you may be wondering how to live off the land in our modern-day world.
Why Would Anyone Want to Live off the Land?
Living off the land, or homesteading is about getting back to a less complicated way of life. Many individuals and families are drawn to homesteading because of an urge to become more independent from modern-day amenities. Being able to live off the land and provide for oneself and one’s family is incredibly empowering. It enables you to become the captain of your life.
And homesteaders are not just individuals who grew up on farms; they come from all walks of life and are bound by a want to take more responsibility for how they live their life. There are plenty of corporate ladder climbers who gave it all up to milk cows, grow okra and seed fields.
Living off the land doesn’t have to mean hiking into the forest, clearing purchased acreage, and cutting oneself off from society altogether. It can also be simply be employing solar-powered panels on your roof, having a flourishing garden, and keeping goats.
The beautiful part of homesteading is that you get to decide exactly what you want out of it. You can create a modern oasis in a remote part of the country if you choose – in fact, many homesteaders still plug into the local power grid and internet company, and their children go to the local school.
What Are the Benefits of Living off the Land?
Whatever way you decide to live off the land, there are so many benefits, ranging from health to lifestyle to carbon footprint. Living off the land provides a closer connection to nature which can help to lower stress, decrease your active and resting heart rate, and provide for better mental health.
Less stress leads to better rest. The time in nature can help reset your biological clock, so it’s more in tune with nature’s cycles. Those who live off the land and spend their time outside, and less time in artificial light get a better quality of sleep than those who work in an office 8-10 hours a day.
Additionally, more time outside, removed from the pollution of big cities and some small towns, allows homesteaders to experience better air quality. According to the National Weather Service, “poor air quality is responsible for an estimated 60,000 premature deaths” each year in the United States alone. This pollution can lead to everything from asthma to decreased lung function and heart attacks. Homesteaders can get a break from such pollutants when living off the grid, significantly reducing their risks for such fatal ailments.
How to Live Off the Land in 3 Steps
- Find food
- Find water
- Find shelter
It sounds easy, but each of these steps packs their own unique complexities, and you will need to dawn your problem-solving hat to battle each. Remember, a good deal of planning and ingenuity go a long way.
How to Grow Your Own Food
Before you can live off the land, you need to understand how to not only grow your food, but how to prepare it, preserve it, and store it. Learning these essential skills before making the move to homesteading will save you time and frustration in the future.
Building Good Soil
To have food on the table, a homesteader may opt to grow their food themselves. To do this, they will need to have good soil to plant in. There are many ways to create good planting soil, and much of it will depend on where you are planning to live.
A good rule of thumb is to choose a piece of land that gets full sun exposure, as most garden vegetables grow very well under such conditions (this excludes leafy vegetables which prefer some shade during the day). Alternatively, if you plan on living off the land anywhere in the Southwest of the United States, opting for an area with less sun exposure is ideal.
Bedding Choices
After you consider where on your property you will grow your garden, you will have to determine what style of beds you will use. Garden beds are essential because they allow the plant’s roots to find air, and the organization of the bedding will enable you to plant more plants in less space, saving you time and money.
Raised beds are easy to construct and allow the plants’ routes to stay segregated. Additionally, they are an excellent choice for less mobile homesteaders as they are easier to access. Wicking beds help limit water usage – which is great if you are going to choose to be responsible for your homesteads water collection and distribution.
Or you may opt for lasagna beds, which is a layering method that takes place on top of the earth you already have. One homesteader used soaked cardboard, then ginger leaves as her first and second layer, then layered those with mulch, and finally compost.
The Magic that Makes Plants Flourish
Depending on where you live, there are different methods for fertilizing your garden. The most popular is composting. Composting requires you to have three things: green bits, brown bits, and water. Fruit and vegetable scraps make up the green bits, the brown made from dead leaves (or other dead plant bits), and the water helps break it all down. The benefits of composting include reducing plant diseases, suppressing the need for chemicals, and producing humus (a plant nutrient created by beneficial bacteria and fungi).
The easiest way to collect your compost is to get a compost tumbler. You place your green and brown bits inside and turn the wheel a few times every few days. After about two weeks, the compost can be distributed in the beds of your garden.
Another popular method of natural fertilization for your homestead garden is adding worms to the compost bin. This will help break down the compost even faster, eliminate its traditional smell, and the microbes on the worms’ exterior helps the plants access the minerals in the soil surrounding them much quicker.
Some homesteaders might choose to use mulch as their preferred fertilization method. Here, the addition of grass clippings, leaves, and straw can help prevent the moisture in the soil from escaping. As the mulch breaks down, it adds nutrients to the original soil below. Others may opt for livestock manure, which makes an excellent, nutrient-dense addition to your soil, but it must break down first or you risk burning your plants.
Picking the Right Crops
It’s essential to pick the crops you will want or need, ahead of time. Depending on the size of your family or how far you want the crops to extend (i.e., will there be enough for winter months?), you’ll need to sit down and figure out how many edible plants you will average from each crop, which will give you an idea of how many seeds you will want to plant.
Make sure to plant an abundant variety, keeping in mind the expected caloric content of each. If you are growing all of your food, you will want to make sure you are planting enough high-calorie vegetables and fruits. No one can live off of kale alone. Also, consider which plants grow well in the region where you reside.
Another thing to consider is whether you will grow from seeds or seedlings. Starting from seeds is cost-effective, gives you more options, and allows for an earlier start time. But, if you choose to go from seedlings (you can buy these from a nursery, or decide to grow them yourself), you may see that the plant makes the produce quicker and that they have fewer pests.
Make a Plan for Bugs, Critters, Diseases, and Animals
There are several methods for dealing with pests, but most of them come from adding some sort of poisonous chemical to your garden. If you’ve decided to live off the land, more than likely, it’s because you want to control what goes into your food, and that probably doesn’t include poisonous chemicals. A way to organically deal with bugs and critters attacking your plants is to sprinkle them with diatomaceous earth – which cuts and dehydrates them.
Animals too will invade and destroy your garden unless you’re careful. To keep deer, rabbits, or other animals out, place fencing around the perimeter.
How to Choose Which Livestock You Should Keep
There are many benefits to having livestock on your land. But it’s up to you to decide whether or not having livestock is for you.
One of the benefits of having sheep, goats, cows, or pigs is that they can perform different tasks on the farm that will help you in the long run. Goats and sheep, for instance, are known for their lawn mowing abilities. Let them clear a field for you, and as the day goes on, they’ll excrete on the field, providing it with excellent nourishment. Pigs can even be used to help take care of the garbage the homestead creates.
The obvious benefits of having these animals around include providing food to you and your family. Dairy cows, goats, and sheep can produce natural, raw milk products that are easier on the stomach than most store-bought brands. Additionally, when the time comes, they can be used for their meat, and depending on the size of the animal, this meat can take you well through the winter months.
Having Livestock Requires 3 Things
If you’ve decided to keep livestock, then you’ll need to provide them with proper feed, shelter, and clean water. Animal feed requires the right amount of minerals, vitamins, and protein, and may need to be increased in the winter months to keep the animals’ body temperature up. Water is another basic requirement of keeping livestock that may need to increase or decrease, depending on the weather. If it’s warm out, the animals’ water requirements will go up to keep its body temperature down. Water also helps to keep them full, which will, in turn, keep your feed bill down.
Milk producing livestock are more vulnerable at night, especially if it’s cold, and the more vulnerable they are, the less likely they are to produce milk at a constant rate. When creating a shelter for any of your animals, you’ll want to ensure that it can stay dry, is cleaned regularly, and has proper ventilation and bedding, which also needs to be cleaned at regular intervals to reduce illness.
The Amount of Land Determines The Quantity of Livestock
Chickens require the least amount of space; in fact, up to twelve can live in a relatively small coop together. Sheep and goats require about a half an acre per animal; horses, dairy and beef cows require one to two acres per animal; and you can have up to 14 sows (female adult pigs) per acre. So, if you have five acres, you could have a single dairy cow, two goats, 14 sows, and however many chickens you can fit.
Keep in mind that the more animals you have, the higher your monthly costs will be. In addition to feed costs, you must also remember the cost of vaccinations, the cost to upkeep their area (fencing, stabling), and how much the animal will cost when you purchase it.
To truly determine whether or not you should keep livestock, you need to figure out what the end goal for the animal is (i.e., are you keeping them for their dairy or eggs, slaughtering them for meat, or selling them to make a profit).
Farming is Not Gardening
If you’re growing food for your own personal use, you probably aren’t going to be growing large amounts of food. Having a larger than average garden will suffice. If you are growing certain vegetables, fruits, or grains for sale, you will need even more acreage, money, and more know-how. BeginningFarmers.org has a great quiz to see if farming is for you, and tons of resources for how to begin.
Preserving and Storing Food
Canning, pickling, dehydrating, and freezing are some of the ways homesteaders choose to preserve their fruits and vegetables. Canning, pickling, and freezing are the least expensive options and provide for tasty ways to preserve the plants’ nutrients and fiber. Dehydrating requires more machinery and may be less cost-effective, but if you purchase a dehydration machine, it can also work to create jerky out of your meat.
Storing Fruits and Vegetables
When it comes to living off the land, figuring out how to properly store your hard-earned produce is paramount. This is especially true if you plan to make it through the winter, where, in most states, year-round farming isn’t a viable option.
Many homesteaders dig root cellars in their basements or beside their homes. A root cellar naturally cools, insulates, and humidifies the produce, helping it last longer than it would above ground. A perfect root cellar stays between 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit and keeps a humidity level of 85-95%. You can even store your canned produce there as well.
If you choose to use your basement, insulate the northeast corner to keep out the heat and ensure it is well ventilated. Proper ventilation is vital for inhibiting mold and mildew growth.
Alternatively, if you choose to dig a storage space into the ground beside your home, or into a hillside horizontally, make sure to dig deep enough to protect the produce from below-freezing temperatures in the winter. You might also consider lining the hole with a metal garbage can to keep water out. Cover the ground cellar with a thick lid, and then soil to properly insulate the crop.
Once your root or ground cellar is finished, and you are placing your crops inside, you’ll want to remember to space the produce apart to prevent heat from growing between them. It may also be beneficial to wrap certain fruits in paper to prevent them from releasing gas that could spoil other produce. If you notice one of your crops is rotting, make sure to remove it quickly, so it does not spread to the others.
Storing Meat and Milk Products
It can seem archaic, but if your homestead does not have electricity, you will still be able to store your food. There are several ways to preserve meat, including curing, smoking, and pressure canning. Each method is different from the next, but all allow you to keep the nutrients and calories in the food that you will need to survive living off the land.
Another method, which is admittedly less reliable, is natural refrigeration or freezing. This option requires colder climates and for you to store the meat in watertight or airtight jars and place them in a water well, or dig a hole in the ground and bury them. Of course, if the temperatures rise, you’ll want to retrieve and use the meat before it spoils.
As most homesteads have electricity, whether solar-powered, or from plugging into the local power grid, using a fridge or a freezer is still the best storage option for storing meats, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables that you will eat presently. A large freezer chest works best to preserve meat and frozen vegetables through the winter.
Water
The second step to living off the land is procuring water. There are different ways to collect and store water, and it is a good idea to employ a few to ensure you don’t encounter a situation where water is scarce.
Sources of Water
The easiest way to collect water is from rainfall. The rain falls onto your home and barn roofs, a gutter collects the water and funnels it into a holding tank or other container. The amount and frequency of the water you collect will depend on where you reside. For instance, in Washington state, it will be much easier to collect consistent rainfall than it would be in Arizona or New Mexico, which are inherently dryer areas. Make sure you know the past years’ and expected rainfall for the area you will be building your homestead.
Another source of water is well-groundwater. A well pump will deliver the water through pipes to your home, and these pumps can be electric, hand-worked, windmill generated, or solar-powered.
Electric pumps are the most common, but if you don’t have electricity on your homestead, a hand pump works great. Windmills would work the best with very little maintenance, but they are incredibly expensive. And solar-powered pumps, while they save electricity, may require more maintenance and repairs, making them less cost-effective.
If you own a few acres, with access to a stream or pond, you may even consider using surface water, at least for emergencies. Keep in mind that some local governments put a limit on the amount of surface water you can draw. Also, some homesteaders create their own surface water by digging medium-sized stock ponds into their land.
How Much Water Will You Need?
Learning how to live off the land requires understanding how much water your homestead will require daily. The average homestead uses about 500 gallons a day to provide for their livestock, large garden, household needs, and drinking water.
This amount may go up considerably in the summer months, depending on where you live. Knowing how much water you will use daily will help you ensure you are collecting and storing enough from enough sources to avoid scarcity.
Collecting and Storing Water
For rainwater, homesteaders can choose to employ large tanks on the sides of their homes or barns, so that as it rains, the water collects there. Other sources of water can be obtained and kept in water hauling tanks or cisterns. Either way, water should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place to inhibit bacterial growth.
Purifying Water
Boiling, filtering, and using chemicals are all ways to purify water. Well water, especially deep well water, needs less purification, if any, than surface water or stock ponds. Make sure to get your well water tested to determine its purity. Surface water can be used for irrigation, but shouldn’t, unless necessary, be used for drinking or cooking unless thoroughly purified.
Filtration systems are the best way to ensure your water is pure enough for human and animal consumption. There are multiple filtration systems on the market that are easily installed and can last for tens of thousands of gallons.
Water can also be purified using chemicals such as bleach or iodine. The bleach, to be effective and not harmful to your health, must not have any additives, and must include between 5.2% and 6% liquid chlorine. Alternatively, the iodine is excellent for killing contaminants but doesn’t work well to kill pesticides or pollution.
Shelter
The third thing to consider when deciding to live off the land, but probably the most important, is shelter. How will you procure one? Do you fancy purchasing acres of land and chopping down trees to build a cabin yourself? Do you want to buy a home outside of town with land to farm and areas for livestock to graze? Neither option is wrong. In fact, according to many homesteading articles, most “off-the-gridders” choose to purchase homes on their ideal piece of land and go about turning it into a homestead.
Learning to live off the land is not about leaving modern necessities – like access to medical care, quality educational institutions, and even grocery stores – behind. Instead, it’s about learning self-reliance and taking ownership of every part of your life.
If you decide to build your home, review local ordinances on clearing property before purchasing the acreage. And research which wood is naturally insulating and how to procure it, or what other resources will create a safe shelter for your family and farm animals.
When determining what your home will look like always take into account the surrounding areas – how much land do you need, are there free-standing water sources, is it insulated well, how close to town are you, what are the local laws, and how well kept up is the home? Becoming a homesteader should be exciting, and part of that excitement is choosing where you will live and how your home will look. Take the time to figure this out before looking at possible places so that when you do find “the one,” you know.
Learning how to live off the land requires you to be prepared for any issue that might occur. Taking into account what type of food you wish to grow, what animals you want to raise, and for what reasons, and how to preserve and store your food to make it through the winter is just as crucial as choosing, or building, the perfect home.