Vegetable Gardens

• One way to get back to basics is to grow your own vegetable garden. Now back in vogue, vegetable gardens are the mainstay of any homestead, as they provide much-needed food and help families to save money. Planting and harvesting staple vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots and turnips, can help you get through the winter. Vegetables such as beans and peas can be easily frozen and used months later. If you experience a particularly bountiful harvest, sell your excess produce at farmers' markets or set up a roadside vegetable stand.
  
  

Expanding the Pantry

• Stock up on dried and canned food items or preserve or freeze vegetables produced by your garden. Stocking your pantry by buying in bulk can save you time and money, as well as prepare your family for possible food shortages or emergency situations. Before heading to the store, take an inventory of what you need and what you will use. Store dried items in sealed glass jars to extend shelf life. Use a dedicated space in your home, such as a pantry or cold storage, for food storage. Conduct a regular inventory of your food-storage area, to ensure that you are maintaining supply levels.
  
  

Inspect Fences

• Good fences do make for good neighbors. If you have decided to move to the country or a remote rural area to pursue your homesteading dreams, ensure that the fences and gates surrounding your property are in good shape, especially if you are raising livestock such as cattle. Cattle can break down aging or deteriorating fences and escape into neighboring properties. Roaming cattle can cause damage and are difficult to round up and return to their pasture. To maintain friendly neighbor relations, inspect your fences on a regular basis and make any necessary repairs.
  
  

Urban Homesteading

• Homesteading is not relegated to people living in rural areas. If you live an urban or suburban community, you can pursue aspects of homesteading by planting vegetable plants in planters, rooftop gardens or community gardens. If your town's or city's bylaws allow it, raise chickens in your own backyard. The idea of raising urban chickens is gaining momentum as people become concerned about the food supply. If raising chickens is not an option, you can pursue aspects of the homesteading lifestyle by making your own household cleansers with simple ingredients, such as vinegar and baking soda, or hanging clothes on a clothesline.