Homesteading On The Go

When we hear the term *Homesteading*, many people picture a cute little farm in the middle of nowhere on huge acreage.  This does not have to be the case.  Yes we all dream of a perfect farm house, white picket fence, big red barn, rolling pastures and a garden without a single weed.  But we have to work within our means and that often does not include any of the things we dream of.  The great thing about homesteading is that you can have aspects of it in any location.

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 Being a Military spouse often means you don’t get to stay in one place long enough to realy settle down.  This does not mean that you can’t have a little bit of the homesteading lifestyle.  Many posts allow you to plant a small garden in your back yard or offer a community garden plot.  I urge you to speak to the housing office befor planting tho, just in case.  But even if your post doesn't allow for planting a full garden, you can still get those home grown veggies.  Enter the container garden!  Container gardening is easy, space saving, and moves right along with you as you  travel around the country.  One of the easiest aspects of a container garden is that you can use almost anything as a planter.  I am a huge fan of Behrens steel products.  The *31 Gallon Trash Can* is perfect for potatoes and the *16 Gallon Oval Tub* can fit multiple plants for a mini portable garden.  Bonus points, most of Behrens products are made in the USA!  If you are anything like me you have an abundance of wooden boxes, plastic bins, and various planters around the house.   These can all be used for container gardening, or you can purchase various usable containers at garage sales and flea markets.  *This Book* offers a variety of DIY projects to help you get started including some container gardening and a Strawberry Barrel.

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Living off post brings with it many more options for a portable homestead.  You are still able to plant a container garden but may also have the option of digging out a plot in the yard.  If your house allows pets, you may have the option of keeping chickens.  Now y’all think I have gone crazy.  How can we keep chickens if we move every three years or more.  Chickens are surprisingly portable.  Moving a large coop or chicken tractor may be difficult and expensive but there are other options.  Nesting boxes can be 1footX1foot and can be made to stack inside each other or used for packing while you move.  Chicken coops can be made out of many materials and don’t need to be any larger than a dog crate.  One of the easy parts of chicken keeping is that they don’t need a lavish or even large home.  They are happy to be out of the elements and tucked into any warm, draft free corner. 

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There are a few other great things you can do to help get you a little closer to that homesteading lifestyle while on the go.  Preserving your own food is on the top of that list.  Buying a small dehydrator like *This One* is a great investment, or you can build the one mentioned in the book above.  Home canning is something that has been around for generations and it is making a huge comeback.  A few *Ball Canning Jars* and a *Water BathCanner* are all you need to get started.  Purchasing a good recipe book is never a bad idea either.  I personally love the *Better Homes and Gardens* beginner canning books. 

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I realize that now is not the greatest time to start homesteading with winter coming on and all.  But it is the perfect time to start composting with a *CompostTumbler*.  And with this off season right around the corner, you can get started planning what you want to plant in the Spring and where.  So, while you are on the move with the military, bring a little bit of homesteading along with you and enjoy your fresh veggies wherever and whenever you are!  

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