lystn

Sure, it’s never going to be the "old days" again, but we can use some of great-grandma's timeless advice to help out with our modern day homesteading adventures. Here are 5 ways I think we can still homestead like great-grandma once did. (Don't want to read all the words? This blog post is also a podcast—just press the triangle play button on the little black bar at the top of this post!) 1. Use what you have. Great-grandma was a master at making things last and getting the most out of what she had. She knew how to use leftovers. And talk about creative? She tweaked many things to work for different purposes. Nowadays we have fancy words for that like repurpose and upcycle and DIY. But to great-grandma, it was just the way they did things. Great-grandma was a builder. A creator. A dreamer. A how can I make this work betterer. A do-it-yourselfer. Let's face it—if the internet would have existed when great-grandma was homesteading, she would have owned the niche with her blog. Great-grandma didn’t care much about fads or the newfangled contraptions. She would have lovingly told you that you do not need a brand new heated roosting pole. You do not need a pre-built nesting box. And you sure do not need to buy Mason jars to drink out of—because those should be filled with stuff you’re canning! So whether you need to learn how to build a round pen from materials you have on hand or what to substitute in a recipe so you don’t have to make the trek to the grocery store, you can homestead like great-grandma by remembering a piece of advice she loved to give: use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without. 2. Want to homestead like great-grandma? Do what works for you. The great thing about the internet is it can provide you with a plethora of information—which is great, because unlike great-grandma, many of us didn't learn about homesteading from our relatives. Thank God for the interwebs! You can learn about practically anything by searching for a blog post, video, or images. I mean, I'll be completely honest with you. The only reason I learned to can spaghetti sauce way back in the day is because I sort of knew how to navigate my way around YouTube. The bad thing about the internet is that it shows you everything that everyone is doing—which can sometimes makes us feel like those are all things we should be doing, too. Pinterest can be a gold mine of ideas or a breeding ground for feelings of inadequacy. There are many different ways to homestead; your way will be determined by where you live and what resources you have available to you. You may be an urban homesteader, a small scale farmer, a big time homesteader, or just simply call yourself "farmish". I personally like the definition of a homesteader as explained by Harold Thornbro of Small Town Homestead. Regardless of what you call yourself, you can homestead like great-grandma by remembering to homestead in the way that works for you. And maybe great-grandma was lucky she didn't have to see what homesteaders were doing halfway across the world, complete with instant updates and Instagram filters. But, lucky or not, the truth is Great-grandma wasn't caught up in this, and she would have told you not to waste your time with it either. 3. Provide for yourself first. The terms self-sufficiency and self-reliance have something in common: self. And I know that focusing on self seems, well...selfish, but hear me out. We've all seen the inspirational memes about not being able to fill up someone else's cup if your own is empty. And we know that airlines tell you that in an emergency, you should put on your own oxygen mask before you try to help those around you. Great-grandma knew these things were true. She took care of herself and her family so they could all take care of others. Great-grandma had a heart of gold. She’d give the shirt off her back to anyone who needed it. But she also knew that in order for her family to help clothe ...