As we prepare to transition into our homesteading journey, we’ve been deep in the research and planning mode (which basically means watching waaay too many YouTube videos and making lists we’ll probably lose). While we dream big about all the things we’d love to have on our homestead, we also recognize that some items are absolute necessities while others are more of a “one of these days” wish list.
Today, we’re sharing our Homestead Must-Haves vs. Nice-to-Haves list, hoping it helps others who are planning their own self-sufficient lifestyle (or just like to daydream about escaping modern life)!
Must-Haves: The Essentials for Getting Started
1. Shelter: The Barndominium
A sturdy and comfortable home is at the top of our priority list. Our barndominium will serve as our living space and central hub for homestead activities. Having a well-built, energy-efficient home is crucial before anything else can fall into place—because let’s face it, roughing it sounds fun until you’re actually sleeping in a tent during a thunderstorm.
2. A Reliable Water Source
Water is life on a homestead! Whether it’s for drinking, gardening, or animals, a dependable well or rainwater collection system is a necessity. We plan to set up a system that ensures we always have access to clean water—because hauling buckets from a creek is only charming in old-timey movies.
While we do have access to city water, we still plan to have a well instead. We also plan to have rainwater collection in the garden area. As far as drinking water we’ll keep doing what we do now, filter it through a Berkey water filter.
3. Garden Space
Growing our own food is a big part of our homestead plan. That means having a designated garden area and ensuring proper fencing to keep out hungry critters (looking at you, deer, and overly ambitious raccoons). Starting with a manageable size and expanding over time is key—because we’re getting old and can only do so much.
We plan to build a fence large enough for future growth (no pun intended) but fill it a little at a time with raised beds.
4. Basic Livestock Setup
Chickens are at the top of our list for fresh eggs and natural pest control. That means building a secure coop and setting up proper feeding and watering systems before they arrive. Fortunately, we have some friends who are chicken experts we can learn from.
5. Essential Tools & Equipment
From a good chainsaw to basic hand tools, having the right equipment makes homesteading tasks easier (and reduces the chances of us ending up in a viral “homesteading fails” compilation). Hopefully, a sturdy shovel, a wheelbarrow, and a small tractor will be a huge help. Handheld garden tools will come in handy too. We plan to go looking at tractors soon. I’m thinking a small Kubota but we’ll see.
6. Food Storage & Preservation
Canning supplies, a deep freezer, and proper pantry organization are a must to store what we grow and ensure we have food year-round. Because when winter comes, we want to be cozy inside with homemade jam and sourdough bread, not battling the grocery store crowds over some packaged, man-made chemical excuse for food.
Nice-to-Haves: The Dream List
1. Greenhouse for Year-Round Growing
While not essential in the beginning, a greenhouse would extend our growing season and allow us to produce food even in the colder months. Plus, it would give us a place to hide when guests come over and we haven’t cleaned up the house.
2. Solar Power & Off-Grid Energy Solutions
We’d love to incorporate solar panels to reduce our reliance on the grid, but this is a future investment as we establish the homestead. Because nothing says “self-sufficient” like still having to call the power company when the lights go out (Although we DO have a solar generator).
3. Beekeeping for Honey & Pollination
Bees would be an amazing addition for honey and supporting our garden, but we want to focus on mastering gardening and chickens first before adding another responsibility. Also, we need to mentally prepare for the day we inevitably get stung while trying to “bond” with our bees.
4. Farm Stand or Small Market Setup
Eventually, we’d love to sell extra produce, eggs, or homemade goods like Missy’s sourdough bread creations, but this is a long-term goal once we have a steady production. That, and we need to make sure we, or rather me (Kyle), don’t eat all the goods ourselves first.
Final Thoughts
Starting a homestead is all about prioritizing what’s necessary and building from there. While we’d love to jump straight to the dream setup, we know that taking it step by step will lead to long-term success (and fewer “what were we thinking?” moments).
What are your must-haves vs. nice-to-haves for a homestead? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to follow along as we bring our homestead vision to life—one small project at a time!
Lord bless you.
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