self-sufficient homestead checklist
If you are a midlife woman wanting to start a homestead but you are unsure how much work is involved, this self-sufficient homestead checklist is exactly what you need.
Get easy homesteading tips that will help you to transform your way of life no matter what age you are.
The older I get the harder it is to do things both inside and outside of my home.
There’s this comical commercial where an older lady claims, “Yes, everything hurts”, and I must confess there are nights where I repeat that same line as I lie in bed trying to fall asleep.
And maybe that is why I am constantly looking for ways to adapt the things that I do so they are easier.
Easier on my time, my back, my knees, everything.
Over the years I have begun to adopt a self-sufficient approach to how I care for our home and homestead. Setups that allow things to coast longer, giving me more time to do chores and keep up with projects.
If any of this sounds like you, then you are going to love this article because I have taken some of my favorite tips and put them all into a list. One you can download and print out and begin to incorporate into your own midlife homestead.
Self-sufficient Homestead Checklist
Let’s look at a typical small-scale homestead that revolves around the outside of the home. The coop, barn, garden, and other areas. This size is perfect for those in midlife or older who want to be more self-reliant but need things to be easier.
In the Garden
The garden is one of the key parts of a homestead. It is where we grow as much fresh produce as we are able so we can enjoy it fresh as well as use it to fill our pantries and freezers. The goal of a homestead garden is to play the role of our own personal grocery store.
But having a garden to fill that important role can be a lot of work. These tips will help with some of the tasks that tend to eat up most of the day traditionally.
#1. Weed Control
Help control weeds by using mulch around the base of your plants. The benefits of mulching around your garden is that it will cut back on the frequency of your weeding and grow bigger healthier plants in the process.
Since mulch needs to be replenished to work throughout the growing season, try this tip. Each time you mow the lawn add the grass clippings around your plants. The grass will act as mulch keeping moisture in and weeds down and will compost naturally into the soil.
SLCG Pro Tip: Use only healthy materials such as mulch. If your grass is unhealthy or is full of weeds, you may want to use another material, such as straw.
#2. Easier Watering
Watering is one of those chores that needs to be done consistently and correctly, luckily there are a few things you can do to put this task on auto-pilot.
For a large garden
If you have a large garden, I recommend investing in drip irrigation. You can find a somewhat affordable option that allows you to set one up while staying within budget.
This full setup has sprinklers you can place throughout your garden, giving every plant the attention it needs.
For a smaller garden
An option for a smaller garden is a soaker hose. This is a hose that is porouse allowing water to seep through onto the ground at a slow rate. You can lie this around your plants ensuring they get the water they need.
Budget Friendly
If you are on a tight budget at the above options are more than you can spend, you can use a traditional sprinkler and invest in a water timer. This allows you to place the sprinkler where it will be beneficial to your plants and set the time to start and stop at a certain time each day.
The timer attaches to the faucet, and the hose connects to the timer.
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#3. Pest control
Where we live, bugs are a headache. If I do not want to be faced with a big chore or the possibility of losing my plants, then using tools to keep the bugs away early on is a big time saver.
Row Covers
Row covers are made of lightweight translucent fabric that comes in rolls. You can place them over your plants, and they will protect them from pests without harming the plants themselves.
SLCG Pro Tip: Be sure to remove any coverings during the day to give the bees a chance to pollinate any blooms that are out.
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Companion planting
Companion planting is another effective way to control pests in the garden. Growing certain plants together can naturally repel pests or attract beneficial insects that will keep harmful bugs away.
For example, marigolds are known to repel aphids while attracting ladybugs which feed on them. Planting them near your vegetable garden can help ward off potential pest infestations.
Companion planting works with vegetables, fruits, and herbs.
Our Charts on Companion Planting
In the Coop
Raising chickens is another common way to homestead and good news, there are a few things you can do with your coop and set up that will help you with the daily chores.
#1. Automatic Coop Door
Installing an automatic coop door gives the chickens access to the enclosed run daily without you having to let them out and lock them back in at night.
This type of door is an investment, but a good one if you ask me. You purchase a kit that includes a sliding door and timer. You can set a timer for the door to open and close at certain times or even use a light sensor so that it opens when the sun rises and closes when it sets.
If you do not have electricity in your coop, a battery can also be purchased, giving you solar power.
I purchased our first coop door a few years ago, and it was a game-changer for me. Now, I only need to go out daily to collect eggs, reducing my workload with the flock by two-thirds. A huge time saver!
#2. Continuous Feeder
Having a continuous feeder is a great investment and a good way to ensure your flock as food on demand.
Feeders come in different sizes and are filled at the top with feed. They are then hung from the ceiling to keep the food free of debris, and the chickens can eat whenever they are hungry.
How Many Feeders Do You Need in a Coop?
The number of feeders you need in your coop largely depends on the size of your flock and the space available. A good rule is to have one feeder for every 6 to 8 chickens. is recommended.
#3. Automatic Waterer
If you have a larger flock, an automatic waterer can also be installed to keep their water clean and full. If you have a smaller flock, you can DIY a 10-gallon bucket into a waterer, giving your chickens access to water for several days.
SLCG Pro Tip: If the weather is very hot or very cold, you will need to change out the water daily to ensure it is the right temperature for drinking. A healthy chicken is a hydrated chicken, and fresh water at the right temperature for the weather is a good way to ensure everyone drinks.
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On the Homestead
Here are a few tips that you can incorporate on your homestead to help keep the chore list more reasonable.
#1. Security
Security systems are not a chore but an important part of a safe and secure home. Today, they are much more affordable, allowing more people to invest in them.
For a Large Setup
You can invest in a camera system that covers different viewpoints of your home area, allowing you to monitor it all.
For a Small Setup
You can invest in one camera or motion-activated lights. The lights can help to ward off predators, keeping your animals and gardens safe from harm.
Livestock Gardien Dog
A livestock guardian dog (LGD) is a great addition to any homestead. These dogs are bred specifically to protect farm animals from predators. They also require minimal training as it’s instinctual for them to guard and protect their flock.
#2. Building wear and tear
Over the years I have found that the more proactive I am with the upkeep of our homestead, the easier the job is to get done. Use these tips to stay on top of projects so they do not get out of hand and wreak havoc on your budget and time.
Do Routine Walkthroughs
Every few weeks in the spring and summer, walk your property and inspect the different outbuildings, fencing, and property lines. Be sure you have your phone to take pictures and a notepad to make a list of things you see that need to be done.
Once back home, add these tasks to your to-do list to ensure you do not forget to do them.
Store Things Properly
If you live in a winter area, then you will need to take things down before the snow hits and store them away until spring. Be sure you have a routine for this fall job and you are storing things in a way that keeps any damage to a minimum.
#3. Have Meetings
If you have a family, be sure to do a family meeting each new season to discuss plants, updates, and projects that need to be done. This is not only a great way to keep your homestead in good shape, but it is also an excellent way to make plans to grow and expand it.
Just because you are older, busy with a job, or short on space does not mean a homestead is out of the question. You can grow your own food and raise a few chickens and other livestock by setting things up to be easier to care for.
Use these tips to make your own self-sufficient homestead checklist and put some of the upkeep and care on auto-pilot.
When living a lifestyle that has the reputation for being difficult don’t think it is out of the question because you are no longer young and spry. You can start and have a homestead on your own terms by setting up ways that make things easier to keep up with.
Keep this self-sufficient homestead checklist in your binder so you can add to it whenever you come up with a shortcut that works for you and your setup!
