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Written by Nicolina Foti, Agriculture Educator, COrnell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County

Part of the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County Homesteading Series

Being a homesteader has a beautiful and humbling appearance to it. Providing for yourself and possibly others is a very grounding effort, but it is also a very overwhelming idea. Therefore, for this issue, I would like you to hold up a mirror because we are going to talk about how YOU can become a homesteader. As Desmond Tutu said: "There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.” 

Start with what you like or enjoy and start small. Do what is necessary, then do what is possible. The whole idea of homesteading is to be sustainable, so build your homestead sustainably. This means growing slowly and in a capacity that you can handle. You will have a hard time if you start with a 2-acre garden, but if you start with a small raised bed garden or some planters, it will be easy to grow from there (no pun intended). It is easy to add and grow what you are developing rather than trying to keep your head above water because you started too big. Starting small is also a great way to avoid burnout. When you take the time to grow 50 tomato plants and more than half of them die due to blight, disease, or just not realizing what you were doing can be very discouraging. Start with four tomato plants, possibly try different varieties, and see what you like or, what I look for is, what I don’t like. Remember, give yourself credit; having a few planters with vegetables, having a dozen chickens for eggs, and canning five jars of tomato sauce is all still homesteading, and it’s a great start.      

Most importantly, you don’t have to do it alone. A great resource and help can be your local Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) office. Whether or not they have an established homesteader program, they will have experts on all the aspects of homesteading. If you want to learn how to garden successfully, you can take our Master Gardner program. If you have questions on the best varieties of vegetables to grow for numerous reasons, contact your CCE office. Have issues with your plants, contact your CCE office. Do you want to learn how to preserve all those fruits, vegetables, and even meats you grew yourself; take the Master Food Preserver course through CCE, or just take a single canning class to sharpen your skills. If you want to raise some livestock for meat, milk, or fiber, contact the CCE office. Whether you are looking for a formal workshop to learn and network with others, or you have some specific questions and are seeking one-on-one guidance, the experts at Cornell Cooperative Extension can provide help and information! Explore all the resources at www.ccesaratoga.org.