Getting Off The Grid - Defining The Homestead This Summer

What does it mean to get off the grid and have a homestead?  I am sure many will say " to live free!" And that would be the ideal situation, however, we cannot live for free.

Why not? 

Here is a small list of why not`s :

1 - Someone has to pay property taxes, there is no way around this, unless you are over 65 years old, then you get an exemption card to mail in. Most of the people I know that are off grid or on the way like me are far from being retirement age, we have to have some type of income.

2 - Food and Preserving. While we can grow and kill our own food we still will need some type of foods that are store bought. We will need jars, seals,  salt and sugar. I know as time goes by we learn to adjust down the amount of salt and sugar we eat but, yes there is that but, if we make jelly we can make money also by selling it.

3 - Clothing is something we all have to have, so there has to be an income, even if you make your own, you will need fabric and thread.

Those three are the main reasons I did not just do it! 

What does off grid on a homestead mean to me?

No more rushing! I will be out of the rat race, the daily grind of work that pays the power company, the water company, the middle man for food (aka grocery store) and in some cases the doctor.

How Has The Homestead Evolved? 

While this year I didn`t have a vegetable garden to eat fresh foods I still had all the home canned foods in the pantry from last year and the year before, some 3-4 years old, because like the good old tin cans the jars keep foods for 4-5 years.

With the time I would have used to gardening it was not wasted by any means. I have been home canning what the woods has gifted me with and collecting plants for medication as well as items I can sell to make money. 

Learning how to use many of the plants for medication, making medication from those plants as well and using it, especially for my skin, seems everything causes an allergic reaction and these new products do work, all natural and free.

When I look at the homestead now, I don`t see how I am to work the land to get the best benefits, instead I see how can this land work for me and use what it has to offer already. Even what people look at as "the trash of the woods" I now see what it has to offer me.

What Is New?

Most know I named my homestead,  Sunshine`s Homestead,  with the online store, and soon to be physical store, Sunshine`s Homestead Creations. I have one more thing up my sleeve but I won`t reveal till its happened.

Anyways....

As I mentioned above I have made some forms of medication, for my skin. I get ant bites, I get poison ivy rash, even grass breaks me out after mowing so I made a wonderful line of salves. The most organic ever is the plantain, and in my opinion the best to stop an itch and heal a rash within days. 

I do have a link for anyone interested.

September I added a new line of salves. Click for  Sunshine`s Homestead Creations online store. Now what new products can I get ready for October? 

Remember I do have lotions, body washes and even deodorants, with scent and without added scents, never any dyes! And none to very little preservatives. 

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry and pixabay