Wildfires, floods, egg shortages and other supply chain disruptions – there’s a lot going on in the world, today and always. One of the greatest benefits of homesteading is that you can provide for yourself and your community and take satisfaction in building a well-stocked pantry and getting ready to weather the storm, no matter what comes your way. But the idea of becoming more self-reliant and prepared can feel overwhelming – it’s hard to know where to start. Here’s a list of 10 projects you can start tackling right now.
1. Stock the pantry. As food prices rise and fall, having a buffer is a good feeling. Think about what you and your family eat: grains, such as oats and rice; dry beans; canned meats, such as tuna and chicken; dried fruits; salt; and more. It’s also good to have a few shelf-stable complete meals on hand, such as beef stew. Think through a few meals you could still eat if the power goes out and keep those on hand. Date and label your stock, and make sure you use it up before it expires and then replace it. Stocking up can be expensive if you do it all at once, but do what you can. Maybe it’s an extra $10 or one item each time you go to the store. It’ll add up.
Consider other essential supplies, such as water. If you lose power or are in a storm, the last thing you’ll want to do is drive into town to purchase water.>
2. Grow some of your own food. Set a goal to grow at least five things that have a high return on your investment in time, space, and labor, plus store well into winter. Some good crops to consider include dry beans (that can also be eaten fresh), winter squash and pumpkins, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, tomatoes, and flour corn. Take it a step further and start saving some of these seeds year to year. Beans and squash are easy seeds to save. Microgreens sound fancy, but they’re practical too, as one of quickest and cheapest ways to provide some year-round nutrition. Enjoy them on soups, pasta, salads, and more. A pot of herbs in a sunny window, such as mint for tea or seasoning, is another great start.
3. Learn one new method of food preservation. Check thrift stores and local online marketplaces to save on equipment. Food dehydrating, water bath and pressure canning, smoking, curing, and freeze-drying are good skills to consider. Remember the wealth of information offered by local extension offices – there may be a perfect class for you to sign up for. In an afternoon, you’ll gain skills that can change your diet and life.
4. Budget. Budgeting is an important part of homesteading – whether you’re budgeting time, effort, or money. Know your limits and be honest with yourself. Track how much money you’re bringing in and spending; how much time it takes to clean animal stalls; and whether you truly have the physical ability to go out and weed a huge garden bed. Allocating the proper resources to any project will allow you to spend only the time, effort, and money you want. Don’t forget to leave time to do the things you love with those you love.
5. Forage. There’s a tremendously abundant grocery store outdoors, free for the taking. Choose invasive and abundant plants, and you’ll even help the local ecosystem by harvesting them. Make sure you forage safely in areas free from animal waste and heavy metal and pesticide contamination.
Some of our favorites, because they’re easy to identify and are widely distributed, include dandelion greens, watercress, garlic mustard, nettles, chickweed, and lambsquarters. Grab a fishing license, smoke the trout, add your wild greens in, and you’ll have the start of an amazing quiche for dinner.
Do you ever look at a banana and wonder, “Hmm …is this a banana or might it be something else?” We don’t, either, and this is one of the best foraging rules we’ve been taught: Be 100% certain. Which brings us to No. 6 …
6. Build community. How are you going to learn how to identify those edible plants? By joining someone in the woods who’s safely foraged and consumed the plants for years. They’ll teach you key identification factors, plus how to use all of your senses. Your community is your asset: You can learn any number of skills from speaking to the people who already know. Your community can most likely teach you how to butcher, shear a sheep, knit or crochet, perform basic mechanical repairs, and more. The bartering economy is underrated but is a wonderful thing. Get together with people to swap canned goods, seeds, plant starts, workdays, chores, and more.
7. Invest in your health, today. Schedule that appointment to fill a cavity, get a mammogram, or have someone look at the mole you’ve been worried about. You’ll gain peace of mind by checking it off your list, and taking care of your health is one of the best ways to be prepared.
8. Prepare and make a bug-out bag. It used to be easy to think, “Surely, I don’t need one of those,” but wildfires, storms, and floods this year alone have emphasized that it’s a good idea, no matter where you live. Aside from the standard basics, such as a first-aid kit and food and water, include: medications; a copy of your prescriptions and other necessary paperwork, including insurance documents; and key phone numbers in case you no longer have access to your phone.
Talk through an evacuation plan with your family and what you’ll do if you’re unable to send a quick text to connect like usual. Identify a meeting place as well as a secondary meeting place in case the first one can’t be accessed.
9. Commit to learning how to cook three foods from scratch. Maybe it’s roasting a whole chicken and making broth with the bones, or using abundant springtime eggs to make homemade pasta, or making your own mustard or mayonnaise or homemade bread – choose something your family consumes a lot of and make it several times over the course of a couple of weeks. The repetition will make you an old pro in no time.
10. Grow and raise your own protein. There are so many good options. Beans and peas can be grown most anywhere, including in raised beds and pots on a deck. Consider quail for meat and eggs; they’re easy to care for and don’t require much space. Meat rabbits also offer a quick turnaround and a lower cost of needed infrastructure. Get a few laying hens. Build up to a small batch of meat birds or a couple of feeder pigs. No matter what you choose, make sure you’re set up with all equipment and feed before the animals arrive. If you’re butchering, learn the proper way to butcher your meat and plan a date to do it yourself and hold to it, or make sure you can reserve an appointment at a local butcher shop first. These can book out months in advance.
Choose a couple of these skills to get started, and chip away at them. One step at a time, you’ll work your way toward self-reliance and practical preparedness, no matter what comes your way.
Ana Skemp and Karmin Garrison farm and homestead in Wisconsin and Texas, respectively. Both are editors for Grit.
Originally published in the May/June 2025 issue of Grit magazine and regularly vetted for accuracy.
