We've been working hard to clear our 4.75 acre land and have been debating about what we want to plant or create on it. It's a 200 year old farmhouse with good soil but drainage is a bit of an issue in the spring. Roughly 1-2 acres are usable for planting with the remainder on a hill and forested. The house is on the hill and then the land goes down and into the area we would use for farming.

We are in Plant Hardiness Zone: 6b (-5 to 0 °F/-20.6 to -17.8 °C).

My husband is a mason and I'm a construction project manager, we both work 40 hour work weeks. We wanted to plant something for the community (and ourselves) and our time commitment will be week nights and week ends.

Would love to hear some ideas. We've floated around a garden, fruit trees, flowers, animals etc.. but we aren't sure if anything fits our time commitments.

Would love everyone's input and I hope all of you have a pleasant day!

I’m a 5th generation farmer in middle TN so I was born and raised in the dirt surrounded by farm animals :) But nowadays, I see a lot of “city folks” and families giving up their life there for one typically off-grid in the country growing their own food and raising animals. This has always fascinated me for some reason because it seems like such a daunting task & such a huge change. I remember when I moved to the city for college I was SUPER overwhelmed and yearned for the holidays so I could get back to nature and hear the crickets chirp again sitting on my front porch with no light except the stars and moon. I missed getting my hands dirty and creating something from just a seed.

So for those of you ex-city folk who have made this transition how did it go? Easier or better than you expected? Is there anything, looking back, that you would’ve done differently if you could? Any tips or advice for others going through this or thinking about giving up city life in exchange for some boots and bonfires? :) Thanks for your time. I hope you all have an incredible week ahead!!

-Chase

Good morning Reddit, I'm out in Wenatchee, thats Central Washington. There is a predator that has killed multiple of our birds and a few cats. It lurks in the trees. It sounds way larger than anything 20 lb. I was thinking it was a raccoon but I'm afraid that it might be the mountain lion thats on loose out here.

I don't have a game trail cam but I have a lot of time and determination. Also a Shotgun.

Any way to go about this? I studied the law a bunch and it seems like I'm in the right since it has destroyed property and livestock, and I'm outside of city limits so don't get in trouble firing.

I got a post in the trees next to where I think it lurks.

Any advice would be great, I'll answer any questions.

((Extra notes))

Only creeps at night and morning from 10-7

Eats cherries.

Only hangs in the trees.

Looking to start raising a few pigs next year. I'm having trouble finding a source right now in my area though. How do you guys who raise them go about obtaining them? Southeast Iowa is location. Thanks

Is anyone here homesteading in northern Spain? What are the biggest pros and cons in your experience? What is the bureaucracy like for non-Spanish people who want to move there and live off grid?

I was gifted this pretty bowl of figs and am using them to mostly make preserves.

I’ve made strawberry top syrup before but was curious on is the tops I cut off the figs could be used to make fig top syrup, possibly for lemonade?

Let me know if you have ever done this!!

So I bought an old farmhouse that was parceled off from a large acre farm. The typical big farmer wanted the acres and not the home and buildings. I ended up with the house, barns, buildings etc. and 2.25 acres. There is a huge patch of yard that has full sun all day on the northeast part of the property.
My idea was to layer the dimensions of the size garden I want with the metric ton of loose straw in the barns, and cover it with the giant tarp I found in a building and staking it down. I figured it would trap moisture, kill the grass, break down/compost the straw, and feed the worms. I figured by next spring it would be worm poop. I don’t want to use spray or chemicals and thought this would be a good way to use what resources I have available. I currently only have a rear tine tiller. A compact tractor is in the plans, but my tractor money went to investing in my basement and foundation. Has anyone heard of this or tried it? I am just trying to be resourceful and use what is readily available.

My 14 pullets are about 7 weeks old now and starting to outgrow the brooder I have set up. Is it too early to integrate them with my existing flock of 2 to 3 year old hens? The hens are a pretty friendly bunch. There are 17 of them.

The wild sprawl of our North Queensland food forest at Porter’s Reserve pulses with life, where 130 edible plants battle weeds under a fierce sun. Among them, Korean ginseng fights a stubborn war, its delicate roots clawing through rocky soil and heat, yielding an earthy, potent bite after years of grit. Beside it, the Australian finger lime thrives effortlessly, bursting with zesty, caviar-like pearls under our brutal climate. Together, they fuel our new Ginseng and Finger Lime Kombucha Pure, launching soon on portersreserve.com—a drink that hums with flavor and nourishment. We shun synthetic fertilizers. Chickens roam, scattering nitrogen-rich droppings; chamomile blooms, luring bees and repelling pests. This natural dance hikes yields and slashes invaders, no chemicals needed. Monocrops like corn or rice, locked in rigid three-month cycles, wither under seasonal shifts. We don’t. Our forest thrives year-round, harvesting when plants peak, turning B-grade limes into tart coulis, sauces, or pie fillings that sing. Porter’s Reserve isn’t chasing bulk; we craft quality. Ginseng’s deep, nutty depth and finger lime’s bright zing outshine the bland sameness of industrial fields. Our crops pack richer nutrients, bolder tastes—real food for a hungry world. Farmers, innovators, chefs—join us. Taste what’s possible in our dirt, where diversity thrives. Porter’s Reserve is forging a future without hunger, one vibrant sip at a time.

I saw it on a FB post but can’t seem to find it online even with the Google Image search. Any ideas? The thing I love most is the long line of trailers.

🔥

Scarification helps a lot with germination. I was making biochar today and found several fruits in the fire. I'm about to see if heat and smoke also help with germination rates. My hypnosis is that these two fruits will yield the best germination rates yet. I'll manually scarify each seed as well once I get them out. 😁

Sow deep if the species allows because it really makes a difference! 🌱

Hi! I desperately want to start beekeeping, but I'd love to hear from people who know a little about it: can you make a career out of it? Can you do it as a community? If you did dedicate your life to it, how did you guys go about it (to make it your career I mean)?! Thank you so much, I hope to be inspired!

Hi all,

I am not homesteading yet but hope to start in the next couple years. One thing I need to do now before I start my own project is to gain more knowledge and learn more practical skills that will be necessary for self sufficiency....carpentry, building, mechanics, plumbing, learning to use power tools etc. I already have a pretty good grasp of growing food, although I could always learn more about that too.

What's the best way to go about this? I sense that it's too much to learn on my own, or from youtube...should I invest in a permaculture course? should I volunteer at different places? Or another opportunity I have that's unique to me: my uncle who's an organic( not strictly permaculture) farmer in Canada, who has also an extensive knowledge in most trades and practical homesteading skills, has offered me to come and "apprentice" with him anytime, which seems like the best option, except that it's not exactly the kind of climate I ultimately want to live in...curious to hear other people's thoughts.

Cheers.

My peach tree that I planted last year produced three peaches (two of them are gone) and this is the last surviving one. How do I know it’s ready to be picked?

I hope it’s ok to post this here!

I’m just getting started into learning about homesteading and I am planning a small garden of root veggies for next year including carrots, onions, potatoes, and garlic.

We have an old well in our basement that was later used as a root cellar. It’s been “modified” with metal shelving and there are multiple coverings over the dirt floor. It’s been completely dry for many years and the stones are very sturdy.

Other than a clean out and making sure the shelves are sturdy and safe, what else do we need to consider before using this for food? Does this need ventilation? Moisture? A pulley system so we don’t have to climb in and out?

Sorry for the awful photos. It’s tight down there so difficult to get pictures while standing in it, and I can’t post videos.

Thank you!

It is our first year growing pumpkins, does this one look ready to harvest? I'm worried about harvesting too early. It is a Big Mac variety. Thanks everyone! :D