The Homestead Mindset Anywhere: by Donna Miller : suburubs

I took the road less traveled by....

Millers Grain House — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:01:00 GMT

"I took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." Robert Frost (The Road Not Taken 1915) This poem always made me reflect on life. Am I a follower or a leader? Do I know when to be one or the other? " The road less...(read more)

Homesteading on a porch

Millers Grain House — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:18:00 GMT

I always love to hear the trials and triumps of others who have that same pioneering spirit of a homesteader. Many people are overcoming the limits in which they live (financial, spacial, educational,etc) to find ways to improve their lives on a deeper...(read more)

Really, this mindset can be anywhere...

Millers Grain House — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:22:00 GMT

It's kind of funny, but we have been living a 'homestead' style life for years. We even lived somewhat like that in FL and CA suburbs.

Now, granted, while in CA, hubby was making more money than, well, sadly more than we knew what to do with, but I still washed ziplock baggies and aluminum foil to re-use. I recycled things into other things and preferred trying to grow my own foods (not easy when you can mow your lawn with a plug in mower - talk about tiny space!)

The reality is that this bug bit me way 'back in the day'. To be creatively frugal and have to 'make it on my own' was kind of a dream of mine. I can remember being young and going to the beach with my family and pretending that I was alone on a deserted island trying to live like Robinson Crusoe. I thought it would be AWESOME to make spears and build fire without matches (think Castaway!) and eat those little periwinkles things to survive (which I did, yes, my mom let me cook them and make a clam chowder) .

There really is a mindset to this lifestyle. I do like to call it a homesteading mindset because it simply sings of the pioneer homesteading days, but it isn't limited to country living. I know, because I reused many a jelly jar while living in Southern California!

EnJOY the journey!

Best Blessings!

Donna

http://www.millersgrainhouse.com/store

Preparing the 6-8 month pantry.

Millers Grain House — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:13:00 GMT

My last post was hoping to see how very far I could stretch my $115 in groceries for our family of five (all adult eaters). This fun frugal challenge, however, came to an abrupt end when my husband took us on a switch in direction. We are now re-stocking our 6-8 month pantry. Why? and How? You may ask. Well, here are the reasons:

1. All but ONE of the gas stations within 45 minutes drive of our home are out of gas. So trips to the store will likely be limited soon.

2. Stocking up NOW while prices are lower (yeah, don't laugh - they will be higher as gas shortages affect shipping) is a wiser move than waiting.

3. A 6-8 month pantry is a safety blanket. We lived in suburbia through three hurricanes which knocked out power and cut shipping supplies. I've seem the National Guard have to pull guns on people for fights over ice and bread...don't like the thought of that if food supply gets more expensive or shipping gets cut off due to shortages.

4. Bulk is often much cheaper and sales hit 'whenever' so stocking up makes sense.

Those are the 'why' - on to the 'how':

1. Take stock of what your family WILL eat and multiply by the # of people, times the # of times a week it's worth eating it and then by 4. You then have a month's worth of some dry pantry good. If you want 6 months worth, multiply THAT number by six and start stocking up!

2. Although we are not Morman - this site is helpful if you wonder how much of what to stock up: http://lds.about.com/library/bl/faq/blcalculator.htm There are some basic ideas that may spark some ideas of your own.

3. Start looking for ways to have long term storage. Freezers need electricity so they are great if you have no power outages or plan to cook a LOT if there were an outage. Also pails such as this one:

http://millersgrainhouse.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=38&products_id=119

They stack high and are air-tight.

4. Dehydrated foods store well for things you might usually keep fresh such as fruits.

I'm no 'gloom and doomer' - I promise - this is actually a fun thought for me to be prepared to care for my family with a 6-8 month pantry!

Best Blessings!

Donna

For starters...what is the 'Homestead Mindset' ?

Millers Grain House — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:41:00 GMT

Since this is the initial post for the blog, it seemed suitable to set the pace with at least an attempt to define the title of the blog and what a 'Homestead Mindset' is by definition. Since this blog is about developing that mindset anywhere and not just on a massive 100 acre farm, it seems likely that some readers may think there's no way they can do that, because they live in the suburbs or the city. Hopefully this blog will help dispel that belief and enlighten others to develop the 'homestead mindset' - no matter where you may call home.

Historically a homesteader was a person who was a pioneer; one who set out to 'do it themselves' and forge new territory; to make an untamed place a home. Much of that mindset and thought process has been elevated in our society with the convenience of so much of our daily lives. The pioneer spirit seems left to only a celebrity status, but it need not be so. The homestead mindset is best suited to the small tasks that add up to great results.

Some character traits that are common to a homesteading family would be (but are not limited to or all required):

· Using, re-using, recycling into new uses what one already owns. Known to some as 'making-do.'
· Careful thought before purchasing any item(s), not just large ticket ones.
· Making from scratch any number of items: food, clothing, etc.
· Somewhat of a minimalist lifestyle.
· Gardening, preserving and stretching food dollars.
· Free from 'keeping-up-with-the-Jones' disease.
· Joy in creative depravity (more on that later).

To try to define the mindset of a homesteader may be too large a task to try to fit into one post. The above list could go on and on and on with examples. To develop that mindset is a journey. With the economic times that many of us are facing right now, it would behoove us to do a little rearranging and changing of our minds to make it though, get out of debt and be freer for our future.

We have lived in the suburbs, lived in the city and lived on a homestead. So I know that its how you think that helps you cope and create, stretch and save, enjoy and endure, not a geographical location that gives you the homestead mindset. Hopefully you’ll join me on this journey of creating the homestead mindset anywhere.

Best Blessings ~ enJOY your life!

Donna

Donna Miller is a work-at-home wife and mother. She delighted to share her trials and triumphs of learning homestead anywhere. The Millers own and operate Millers Grain House which offers Organic and Chemical-free Whole Grains, Bosch Mixers, the NutriMill, instructional tutorials, recipes and more.