New Years Resolutions for Your Homestead
We have all heard that a new year brings about a new you. The same can be said for those living on a homestead. However, these New Year’s resolutions may look slightly different from everyone else’s.
When homesteaders make New Year’s resolutions, they often focus on the homestead. They include things like completing more DIY projects, getting up with the chickens, being more self-sufficient, investing in alternative energy, and growing their own food.
We will look at the different types of New Year’s resolutions that can be made for the homestead. Read on for all the ideas you need to ring in the new year with changes to improve your way of life.
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What Are 5 New Year’s Resolutions?
If you live on a homestead, your New Year’s resolutions could look slightly different from everyone else’s. These are some ideas for ringing in the new year with some changes:
Cut back on energy use
Use more sustainable materials around the homestead
Save money
Complete more DIY projects
Rise when the rooster calls
For more ideas about New Year’s resolutions around the homestead, you can watch this video:
14 New Year’s Resolutions for Your Homestead
Many different New Year’s resolutions come to mind when one thinks about the homestead. They can range from saving money to becoming more sustainable. These are some ideas you can consider for your resolution this year.
Save More Money
Saving money can have several great benefits. The first of which is to be prepared in the event of an emergency, such as critical machinery around the homestead breaking down.
While you can prepare for something significant like a storm, you cannot always be prepared for its aftermath. Saving money now will ensure there is money in case something catastrophic happens and you need emergency repairs.
These repairs will cost money even if you are completing them yourself, as you will need parts for the job.
In the long term, you can make a New Year’s resolution to begin saving money for your children’s education. College is a serious investment to make, and it is never too early to start planning for it.
Invest in Alternative Energy
Emergencies require backup plans, including alternative forms of energy. One of the primary forms of energy many invest in is a generator. While you can do this, there are several downfalls to using this energy method.
First, it is noisy and can be a problem for you and your family. Second, it can attract the wrong sort of people in a crisis situation where you have resources and others do not. Third, you must worry about maintaining enough fuel reserves to keep it running.
An alternative but pricey option is solar panels. The energy that comes from these is quiet and does not require fuel to keep going. Eventually, they will pay for themselves with the energy they provide your homestead.
Grow Your Own Food
If you have not started this already, making a resolution to grow your own food as much as possible is an excellent way to ensure your family gets high-quality products and will help save money in the long run.
When you grow your own food, you will frequently have what you need on hand, eliminating the need to run to the store for a “quick trip” for something you do not have. With the rising food prices, growing your own can save you money.
When you source your own food, you know how it was grown and what went into it. This way, you can guarantee your family is getting healthy, safe-to-eat foods.
For the winter, consider building a greenhouse. This will allow you to grow all your favorite vegetables throughout the coldest months of the year with minimal problems. You can even create it as a DIY project.
Cook From Scratch
Resolving to cook from scratch, whether you know how or are about to learn, will help provide excellent meals for your family. You will be removing the processing from their diet and using only wholesome foods that you carefully select.
This is also an essential talent for using all the produce you will be growing on your homestead.
Complete More DIY Projects
Part of being a homesteader is the ability to make things. Being self-sufficient and cost-effective means you are able to rely on yourself for the things you need most. Instead of having to buy everything from the store, resolve to create more of the things you need.
Whether it is clothing or items for around the house, use your creative flair and whip something up that keeps your money in your pocket and out of the hands of retail establishments.
Get Up When the Chickens Do
There is a lot to be done around a homestead every day. Some days, it may feel like there just is not enough time to do everything. Making your New Year’s resolution to get up with the chickens can help.
They rise before the sun to get an early start on their day. If you do the same, you will get much more accomplished.
Plus, if you are the only one getting up, it can be your free time to yourself each morning before the rest of the family gets up. This morning peace can be just what you need to center yourself for the day’s work.
Get More Organized
Let’s face it, we could all stand to be a bit more organized. Making your resolution to do just that could benefit you and the entire homestead.
Keeping the pantry organized will help manage the dates of food. You will not have to worry about food expiring before you eat it because you have kept it all in great order, always following the first in, first out rule.
Making a schedule of chores for everyone in the house can help organize day-to-day activities. Each family member will know exactly what they are responsible for that day, and things will likely run much more smoothly.
Here are some planners and charts that can help you if your goal is to get more organized in the new year:
Take the Time To Rest
Another great resolution to make for yourself is remembering to take that needed time for a rest. You cannot work all day and all night without some time to yourself. Doing this will cause a serious case of burnout.
So, when you can, stop and appreciate everything that is around you. You have worked hard for what you have, and if you cannot stop to take it all in every now and then, it can start to lose its meaning.
Be sure to take a break and enjoy the flowers or something else that is beautiful and gives you peace.
Learn a New Skill
You can never have too many skills living on a homestead, so for your New Year’s resolution, you can choose to learn a new one. It can be anything you want.
Maybe you grow your own crops, but you do not know how to can. Sewing clothes is another great choice if you have not yet learned that skill.
The options are endless and truly up to you. The skill you choose does not have to be just about work. You can also learn a new hobby. Maybe you even learn a skill that will help you take care of your farm better, like trimming hooves or vaccinating your animals yourself.
Remember, taking breaks, as we just mentioned, is important. Having a new hobby to work on can help relax you after a long, stressful day. It can also keep you busy on days when the weather is not cooperating, and you have to stay inside.
Focus on Your Health
While you want to put your focus on your homestead, your family, and your self-sufficiency, you cannot neglect yourself. It is critical that you take care of your own health. Making this your New Year’s resolution is a step in the right direction.
You’ve already moved toward a healthier lifestyle by growing your own food and raising livestock for milk and eggs. However, if you do not prepare it the right way, it will not matter. Turn your focus toward cooking healthier meals that will benefit everyone.
Take the time to get in a workout. While homestead work can be physically straining, it is not the same as getting in your cardio session for the day.
Take this time to can your bad habits. You can limit your drinking and if you smoke, cut it out altogether. Make this new year one of great health.
Plant Herbs for Their Medicinal Purposes
Not everything you plant has to be for food. Some herbs and plants have medicinal purposes that can be very beneficial to have around on the homestead.
This year, why not resolve to learn more about planting, growing, and using these plants and herbs? You never know when you might need them.
Collect Rainwater
It can cost a lot of money and take a good bit of water to keep your crops growing. The more water you use, the higher your bill will be. Worse, if dry weather comes, you may find yourself under water use restrictions.
One way around this is to have alternative means of watering. Use your New Year’s resolution to choose to collect rainwater. This way, you will have fresh water available for your crops that does not cost you anything to use.
Stop Procrastinating
There is a lot of planning and work that goes into living on a homestead. One major focus you could have for the coming year is ending any procrastination issues you have. You simply do not have time for it.
Everything has a schedule, from planting crops to feeding the chickens. Procrastinating can leave you in a bind and make things very stressful at the last minute as you scramble to get everything done on time.
When you know a task is coming up, it is best to get a head start on it so that you do not have to rush around and be stressed out trying to accomplish a miracle because you waited too long to start.
Get Livestock
If you do not already have livestock, you should consider learning how to raise them in the coming year. You do not have to use animals for meat but can still get many great benefits from them.
Chickens will provide you with a steady supply of eggs, provided you care for them the correct way. Once you get used to farm fresh eggs, you will never go back to the store-bought kind again.
Raising goats can be a lot more problematic than a few hens, but it is a great way to get access to fresh milk. You will have to go through the learning process to understand how to contain them, as they are quite tricky and love to escape.
Another benefit of having goats is that you will not have to weed as much. They will eat all your unwanted weeds and then provide you with milk that you can turn into delectable treats. It is the best of both worlds.
You can also choose to raise these and other animals for meat.
Final Thoughts
New Year’s resolutions are often made for things like dieting or quitting a bad habit; however, when you live on a homestead, they can be made to improve your overall way of life. From saving money to being more creative, the options are endless.
You can focus on changing your daily practices to encompass those that will make you more self-sufficient and live a more cost-effective lifestyle. By doing more DIY, you can fulfill both of these traits and meet your family’s needs for several necessities.
Growing your own food and raising livestock is an excellent resolution to put in place to help keep high-quality food on the table. When you source your own food, you know what went into it and that it is good and wholesome for your family.
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