Self-sufficiency is a must if you're planning on homesteading. Becoming a full-fledged homesteader is a learning process. You must learn new skills and hone those you already have. Just like other major life decisions, the decision to homestead might be a shock to new preppers in the beginning. But using the wisdom and knowledge of others who have done it can help immensely.
Self Sufficiency Skills Every Prepper Should Learn
Keep in mind that learning these skills will take time, patience and perseverance, and not all of these skills are applicable to certain situations. Hopefully, though, you'll be able to pick up some great ideas that will inspire you and get you started!
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Click HERE for our Homesteading Quick Start Guide For Beginners
30 Homesteading Skills:
1. Canning all your garden produce.
Preserve fruits and vegetables from your homestead naturally so you can eat holistically all year long.
2. How to compost.
Don't throw out all your recyclable odds and ends. Put them in a compost and make your garden thrive with compost tea.
3. How to bake bread.
Never rely again on grocery store bread with bleached flours or expensive healthy loaves. Bake your own at home!
4. Make homemade remedies for naturally treating ailments.
Take the time to heal yourself naturally with these home remedies!
5. Make homemade laundry detergent.
Make your own chemical-free detergent in either liquid or powder form.
6. How to make playdough.
The kiddos will love it. And if they eat it, it's made from organic ingredients so it's not a risk to their health.
7. How to make cheese from scratch.
Use your milk product to make your choice of fresh, delicious cheese.
8. Know how to make a compost bin.
Correctly storing your compost will save your backyard from smelling like a dumpster.
9. Grow plants in your climate.
Every climate has a different time period for planting various seeds. Find the best one for your homestead.
10. Know how to save seeds for future harvests.
Create a never-ending supply of seeds for your garden by learning how to correctly save and store seeds.
11. Know first aid and CPR.
Just in case there is an accident on the homestead, you should always be prepared (especially if you live out in the boonies like I do).
12. Learn how to drive a tractor and a dirt bike.
This can greatly decrease the amount of time you spend walking back and forth from various chores on the homestead and is a great help when you need to carry heavy loads of supplies from one place to another.
13. Know how to ride a horse.
An alternative to the tractor and dirt bike (and much less of a gas hog) is the horse. Be sure you are conscious of weight limits for your breed if you are planning on using your horse to help carry supplies.
Click here to learn English Riding
Click here to learn Western Riding
14. Train animals (like dogs and horses).
Believe me when I say this will save you loads of time in the future. If you have to stop gardening to discipline a dog that's using his digging skills in your garden and then replant the dissembled plants, you will waste more time than it takes to properly train him.
15. Learn how to tie various knots.
If you have a very stubborn dog or horse that you have to keep tied up to stay out of trouble or if you just want to hang a line for your laundry you will need to know a variety of knots.
16. Make simple booby traps.
Keep those pesky squirrels out of your cow's feed or simply trap them for a little extra protein.
17. Change a tire and change oil.
Life on the homestead means no guarantees that someone is nearby at any given time. Learn this self-reliant skill so you don't lose a whole day of work due to a busted tire.
18. Learn how to forage for wild herbal plants that can be used as medicine.
Preparation for emergencies is key, but in the event of injury in a natural disaster, you may have to forage for plants with healing properties. Be very cautious when using herbs you did not plant yourself and do not use them unless you're 100% sure that you have the correct plant.
19. Make your own fire starter.
Many people in Ireland still make their own natural fire starters today. This saves time when needing instant warmth on those blistering cold winter days.
20. Know how to start a fire without a match.
No one should ever rely completely on one method or another. Learn how to start a fire in a variety of ways in case you are ever without matches.
21. Know how to properly handle, shoot, and clean a gun.
Predators and threats on the homestead are inevitable. Don't let lack of gun knowledge be the reason that your family doesn't get the protection they need.
22. Store a gun safely and properly.
Part of knowing how to use a gun is learning to store it safely away from children and possible attackers. You'll sleep more soundly at night knowing it's in a safe place.
23. Know basic mechanic skills so you can fix your tractors and other vehicles.
Again, you wouldn't want to lose an entire day of work just because a switch needed to be flipped or a bolt needed tightening.
24. Know how to hunt wild game.
Make sure you have the proper licenses to hunt game and provide more protein for your family and keep your livestock's predators at bay.
25. Know the relevant legislation and regulations regarding hunting wild game in your area.
It is only legal to hunt certain animals during specific seasons and the consequences for hunting game outside of its respective season can end in costly fines or the restriction/loss of your hunting license.
26. Make your own meat smokehouse.
Whether you butcher your own livestock or hunt wild game you will need a way to preserve the meat properly.
27. Use a smokehouse to smoke and cure meat.
Learn which techniques work best for different types of meat.
28. Know how to milk a cow and goat.
You may think that one is exactly like the other, but I assure you it is not. Learn the basics of milking your livestock. Every cow and goat is different and so you will have to learn to adjust your techniques accordingly, but the basics remain the same.
29. Learn how to fish.
Fish is packed full of rich vitamins our bodies love. Hopefully, your nearest waterbed is also packed full of fish. Make sure you check any rules or legislation regarding catching different breeds of fish as they can be seasonal as well.
30. Know how to clean and cook fish.
It can be tricky to clean a fish because of all the tiny bones. Learn the proper way to clean and cook fish so that you can avoid any sharp bones while eating your catch.
It is the independence from the supposed “conveniences” that makes homesteaders the ultimate preppers and survivalists. In any given SHTF scenario, they will be the ones who will have better chances of survival because they have been self-reliant all along.
Check out other self-sufficiency articles from our site:
Homesteading and Sustainability – How To Become Self Reliant
15 Canning Tips for Preppers | Self-sufficiency
Fortify Your Homestead with A Living Fence
from SurvivalLife https://survivallife.com/self-sufficiency-skills-2/
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