This article was originally published in the Food print issue, in stands February 2025. It has not been updated and some information may be out of date.
Homesteading is receiving a much-needed revival. The metamorphosis of the settler’s way into a modern lifestyle is as accessible as ever. The catalyst is an increasing distrust in the United States food system.
Most Americans are entirely removed from where their food comes from. This lack of connection with agricultural sustainability in our country has left many craving food simplicity.
Introduction to Homesteading
Homesteading is not exclusive to those with acres of property. You should seek this lifestyle regardless of where you live. Do not feel limited by your home. There are many avenues to engage in this lifestyle that do not require access to much land.
Modern homesteading is a self-sustaining lifestyle emphasizing simple food production. This includes raising, growing and hunting your resources. There are many degrees of this, from complete autonomy over your food intake to starting with a herb garden on your window sill. There are no limits to your participation. Any involvement is helping your body and the environment.
Government Influences
Despite fueling the country, the United States food system has not been a big ticket item for any recent political party. Nonetheless, it has been examined by many within the environmental science field and onlookers concerned for their health and the planet. Substantial research shows the connection between processed foods and negative health impacts, such as hormonal imbalances and changes in cortisol levels. Many of these foods are ones that you are likely grabbing off the shelves at the grocery store weekly.
We cannot trust the U.S. government to prioritize health over profit, making homesteading essential. Many foods sold in U.S. grocery stores are banned elsewhere. These foods have been eradicated for reported health complications. The American food system sets us up to fall ill and does not disclose this to consumers. This leads many to take matters into their own hands within their yards and patios.
Start Where You Are
Start small on your homestead. Whether this means making more foods from scratch with purchased ingredients or investing in a backyard garden and livestock, you just have to try. Start-from-scratch recipes such as butter, bread, whipped cream and mayonnaise are beginner-friendly and empowering places to start. The above recipes only require simple ingredients such as flour, heavy whipping cream, water, salt, sugar and eggs. These are things you might even have in your kitchen right now.
Follow your interests and eating habits. Challenge yourself to make your most frequent meals at home from scratch. It is likely more straightforward than you think. Homesteading is being resourceful, so do not feel the need to purchase any fancy tools or excessive equipment on Amazon. In other words, you do not need that bread maker, just use a pan in your oven. Make do with what you have; it is rewarding and cost-effective when done simply.
Engaging in modern homesteading is excellent for grounding yourself in this fast-paced world. With most trying to re-invent agriculture with machinist and unnatural-driven strategies, participating in de-inventing is simple. There is so much reward in living off of the land and adhering to more traditional ways of sourcing food, even if you live on the fifth floor of your apartment complex downtown. Spending time raising plants reduces stress and creates an outlet to appreciate the simple mechanisms of life. Slowing down to enjoy the most minor parts of your meals reveals the connection between your body, its fuel and the planet. Otherwise, it may forever go unnoticed without homesteading.
Positive Environmental Impacts
Transitioning into homesteading will lower your carbon footprint. Growing your own food and making start-from-scratch recipes reduces food miles. Agriculture is one of the five largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, especially from the meat industry. You are often increasing your footprint from your meaty dinner choice more than if you had taken a short commute in your vehicle. Therefore, the best place to start saving the planet is actually within your kitchen.
There is so much to learn when creating recipes from scratch. It is fulfilling and beneficial to learn new things that you can use again and again in your kitchen. You will get your hands dirty during this process and engage with the ingredients entering your recipes. It is even more exciting if some of these ingredients come from your garden. A bit of cilantro from your patio sprinkled into your lunch is better than grabbing it off the grocery store shelf. Learning to work with simple ingredients is challenging, but it will teach lessons and grit in the kitchen. Regardless of where you start, find where you fit into homesteading. It is necessary for the planet’s future and your health.
