Goats vs. Cows: The Ultimate Comparison
When we first moved to the country, I didn’t give much thought to goat vs cow. I thought we needed a goat to make “goat cheese” and a cow for all of our other dairy products, such as milk, cream, … Read More
homesteading
The Evolving Homestead
When we started our homestead in 2002, we had three children, ages 9, 12, and 14. They’ve grown up, gone to college, and started their own lives now. A lot of people have asked me if I’m disappointed that they … Read More
Growing an Agrihood
Have you heard about agrihoods? I’ve seen this term popping up more and more recently. Short for “agriculture neighborhood,” essentially, an agrihood is an urban or suburban neighborhood built around farms. Here’s a video about one of the largest agrihoods … Read More
How many acres does a homesteader need — or not?
“I’d love to do what you do, except I live in town.” “I wish we could grow our own food, but we only have half an acre.” These are a couple of comments that I hear frequently. But they are … Read More
When Children Leave the Homestead
When The Great American Farm Tour stopped by our farm a couple of months ago, I mentioned in the video how we are forming partnerships with other individuals now that our children have grown up and left the homestead. … Read More
Collecting Rainwater on the Homestead
Although I didn’t grow up on a farm, I remember visiting my grandparent’s farm and my uncle’s ranch as a child. I only have a few memories of what I saw there, but one regarded water. They had downspouts that … Read More
Homesteading Lessons Learned
Much of what I share on this blog is about what I’ve learned homesteading. But I know that many of you have also learned a lot. So, a couple of weeks ago, I asked the Facebook fans of Thrifty Homesteader about … Read More
8 Reasons to Grow Your Own Food
Although most people seem excited to learn about our self-reliant lifestyle, every now and then, someone doesn’t get it. Or they may think that we do this simply to save money. But the reality is that there are a lot … Read More
6 Questions You Must Ask Yourself Before Buying Livestock
You’ve decided you want your own fresh eggs or goat cheese, so you find a few chickens or goats, bring ’em home and start enjoying the bounty, right? Wrong! Buying livestock is a big responsibility, and it’s different from having … Read More
4 Questions You Must Ask Yourself Before Homesteading
We’ve met so many people through the years who’ve told us that we’re living their dream. We totally understand. We dreamed about homesteading for about a decade before we dove in and did it. But we’ve learned a lot in … Read More
