September 14, 2008
Issue #004, September 14, 2008. In This Issue...
Does Homesteading Sound Too Extreme For You?
Homesteading From The Past, Homesteading Today
Now Open...The Homesteading Shopper!
Natural Cures For Frugal, Healthy Living and Successful Homesteading.
Homeopathy - How It Works and Why You Should Be Using It
Aromatherapy - Using Essential Oils For Self Reliant Healing
Home Remedies - Eight Common Items With Amazing Healing Properties
Your Garden Location - Eight Tips On Picking The Best Spot
Just like always, there's tons of great information. Read on for more ways to pursue the self reliant life!
Does Homesteading Sound Too Extreme For You?
Talk about homesteading, and someone is likely to imagine a scene from that old show Green Acres. They half expect you to jump from your desk in Manhattan shouting, “Farm livin’ is the life for me!” while you grab loved ones and drag them to Hicksville where farmers talk to their pigs and the pigs talk back, and you live in a shack made of wood that won’t hold paint and is about to fall apart at any moment.But is that really what we’re talking about? Does it have to be all or nothing? And if it did, how many of us could truly walk away from a lifestyle we may not like much – i.e. the traditional city life – but are comfortable with, for a world that may be completely out of our league?
That desk job may be boring. The stress of it may even be killing us, but that type of life is all we know, and the known always feels safer than the unknown.
So how do you break free?
You need to realize that homesteading is more a frame of mind than it is a location. And most people don’t go cold turkey. Instead, it is something you pursue step by step. Nobody can get there overnight. I certainly couldn’t and neither will you.
No way am I going to live in a house made of wood that gasps for breath when I try to paint it. I don’t want to live in a run-down shack at all, but I could choose to live in a double wide on my own acreage so that I can be debt free.
Or what if you can’t afford to give up your day job, and working at that job means you have to live in the city? You might not be able to live on five or ten acres, but you could downsize and live in a house with a few less square feet and a smaller mortgage.
You don’t have to go completely off the grid tomorrow, but you could experiment with using a solar oven. For that matter, you probably won’t be able to raise all of your own food. Most people can’t. But you could put in a garden and grow some of your own fresh, organic vegetables.
Take it one step at a time. Work on your garden this year. Next year, if your city ordinance allows it, get a few chickens. Start buying in bulk to save money. Cut out the fast food and cook at home more often. Build a budget, get on it and stay on it. Make a list of your goals and pursue them, one dream at a time.
Then, when that opportunity to move to that farm you’ve always wanted, you’ll be ready.
Only stay away from talking pigs and houses with gasping boards.
Homesteading From The Past, Homesteading Today
The American pioneers were hardy folk. They left everything they knew and loved and traveled hundreds, even thousands of miles for freedom and their own land. When they finally got that dreamed-for land, they planted crops and waited for rain. And if those crops failed they…Well, okay. Actually, they starved.
What they didn’t have, and you and I have been blessed with is the internet. Don’t you love it? You can find anything with the click of the mouse. It’s so easy to find exactly what you want without having to drive all over town. Even better, the internet is a great source of income. Those early pioneers didn’t have satellite access, but you and I can live on that homestead and make a living without having to rely solely on farming.
Are you an artist? Do you make soap? Hand-crafted pillows? There are people willing to buy what you make. That’s the good news. The bad news is, just setting up an online store and hoping people will find you won’t work.
Instead, you must create a website with quality content that draws in traffic. Once you have that traffic, then you have a warm audience who share your passion and are willing to buy what you have to sell. That’s the beauty of Site Builders International. For a small fee, they provide you with everything you need to bring in the traffic, sell what you make and earn a great living.
I can't say enough about this great company, but don't just take my word for it. To hear what others have been able to do thanks to SBI, click here.
So What's New?
Stop By The Homesteading Shopper!The Homesteading Shopper is open for business! The Homesteading Shopper is where you can buy t-shirts, sweatshirts and kids' clothing for the homesteader in your life. Come shop with us and have fun!
New At Organic Gardening and Homesteading: Natural Healing
Lately, we've been focusing on natural healing at Organic Gardening and Homesteading. While we can't - and shouldn't - give up going to the doctor, we who are self reliant do believe in taking responsibility for our own health and well being. Here are the topics:
Natural Cures For Frugal, Healthy Living and Successful Homesteading.
These natural cures are self reliance at its finest. Here are six ways to avoid the doctor's office.
Homeopathy - How It Works and Why You Should Be Using It.
Homeopathy is a safe, natural, powerful and often overlooked form of medicine that really works. Learn why you should be using this great, natural cure.
Aromatherapy - Using Essential Oils For Self Reliant Healing.
Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils for healing both your body and your emotions. Learn how this self reliant healing can help you.
Home Remedies - Eight Common Items With Amazing Healing Properties
Home remedies are the homesteader's best arsenal against cuts, rashes and headaches. The next time you have a minor ailment, look no further than your pantry.
And finally, for the aspiring gardener:
Your Garden Location - Eight Tips On Picking The Best Spot
Your garden location is one of the most important factors when planning your organic garden. Start off strong by following these eight tips for picking the perfect spot for a bountiful harvest.
And until next time, happy homesteading!
Like this issue of Successful Homesteading? Please forward it to a friend! And if a friend did forward this to you and you like what you read, please subscribe here.
Comments? Ideas? Feedback? I'd love to hear from you. Just reply to this zine and tell me what you think! And thanks!