35 Essential Skills for the Modern Homesteader

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I was not raised on a homestead and neither was my husband. We both grew up in very normal families in northern California. Both of our families enjoyed camping, fishing, and other outdoor activities. Maybe that is why we are so interested in homesteading. As adults we have learned a great many skills from our off-grid years in the jungle of Indonesia, from books we have read, from watching modern homestead YouTubers, and lots and lots of research.

In just a few months we are preparing to go off-grid on our 7-acre land in Northern Idaho. Yikes! Are we ready? We realize there are many skills that we still want to learn and fine tune in order to be successful as modern homesteaders.

This list of 35 essential skills for the modern homesteader is not meant to be comprehensive, but to share with you some skills we feel will prepare you for confident living on your homestead.

Let’s begin with…

1. Planting Basics

We don’t know instinctively what seeds to plant and at what time of the year. Or how deep the seeds should be planted and how far they should be spaced. Do you know how much water and sun each plant needs? These are some of the planting basics we need to know. Growing our own food is one of the most important skills for a modern homesteader. Some people are said to have a “green thumb”. This means they are better at handling plants than others are. But there is hope for the rest of us “non-green-thumbers”. Gardening skills can be learned and with patience and education we can have beautiful gardens year after year with a bountiful harvest.

2. Troubleshooting – problems in your garden

After you have learned how to plant your seeds, how much water and sun they need, etc., now what? Can’t I just sit back and watch them grow? Well, not exactly. From time to time our plants get into trouble and require our immediate attention if they are going to survive and bear fruit. For example, what are we going to do if their leaves start to wilt? Is the problem too much water or not enough water? Maybe they are not getting enough nutrients from the soil? How are you going to get rid of sap-sucking aphids? All of these questions and more need to be answered in order for our gardens to grow successfully.

3. Saving Seeds

Have you heard of people saving seeds from their gardens? A lot of people do this if they have a plant that grows and produces really well. Other people save seeds so that they are not dependent on stores to sell them seeds year after year. Another reason people choose to save seeds is because their seeds are tried and tested to produce well in their specific climate. All of these are great reasons to save seeds from your garden, but do you know how to do it? The times to collect seeds varies from plant to plant. Some, like tomatoes, should be collected when the fruit is ripe. Others, like corn, should be left to dry on the stalk.

4. Harvesting

Harvesting sounds like it should be easy, but each plant will come to maturity at different times. Some plants continue to produce all season long, while others produce just one time. Zucchini is a plant that keeps on giving. The more you pick it, the more zucchini you will reap. Typically large heads of lettuce will produce just once, but loose leaf lettuce will continue to grow if you harvest often.

5. Fruit and nut trees

I can’t think of anything more wonderful to have on our homestead than fruit and nut trees. Ok, that might be an exaggeration, but I am really looking forward to planting some on our property. Apple trees, cherry trees, plums! Yum! Make sure that you select trees that are compatible with your climate. I wrote this article that talks about how to select appropriate trees for your area. I am also looking forward to planting berry bushes. Especially thornless ones that we can enjoy year after year and share with our family and friends.

6. Pests in your garden

Having critter visitors to your garden is going to be more common if you live in a rural area. Can you blame them? You just planted a beautiful buffet for them and placed it right in front of their noses. One option is to share your garden with them, but some critters like to take one bite from everything and leave you with a bunch of chewed up leftovers. You might need to invest in fencing or use other methods to make your garden less appealing. If you know what critter it is you can try to repel him with predator urine. You can also try to scare him away with noise makers or motion activated water sprayers.

7. Composting

Compost is decayed organic material such as leaves, egg shells, and last years garden leftovers. Gardeners love to use it and call it “black gold”. Compost is supposed to help your garden be very fertile and healthy. Some things we need to know are how to start a compost pile and keep it going? How long does it take before compost is ready to be used in your garden? If we start a compost pile what can go in it and what can’t? We need to learn all of the answers to these questions in order to have a healthy garden and save money by not buying compost at the store.

Gardening Resources:

8. Canning – water bath canning and pressure canning

Preserving our food is a skill that we have gradually gotten away from. We don’t really need to because we can go to the grocery store and get whatever we want pretty much at any time of the year. But, water bath canning and pressure canning are skills I really want to get good at. I want to be able to store food that we have grown and eat it year round. Which foods need to be prepared using the water bath canning method or pressure canning method? I am looking forward to exploring this more in the near future.

9. Dehydrating Food

Another interesting method to preserve food is by dehydrating it. You can use electric dehydrators, your oven, solar dehydrators, or even leave your food out in the sun in order to dehydrate them. This is a great skill to learn because dehydrated foods have a storage life of five to ten years depending on the food. Dehydrated fruit makes an excellent snack too! Learning how to prepare the food for dehydrating, packaging it for storing, and cooking with dehydrated foods are all skills we want to learn and become proficient at.

10. Smoking Meat

Smoke houses used to be really popular the olden days. Most people nowadays don’t have one. But, smoking meat is another great way to preserve your red meat and fish. There are two methods – cold and hot – smoking methods. Cold smoking dries the meat at a low temperature and is good for preserving meat long term. Hot smoking cooks the meat and produces a very flavorful meat. There are DIY smokers and also some really expensive ones. Knowing what wood to use, what temperature to smoke the meat at, and how long, are just some of the many questions related to this skill.

11. Fermenting Food

Fermented foods such as Kimchi, yogurt and sauerkraut are supposed to be very good for our health. They introduce good bacteria to our bodies and boost our immune systems. People used to ferment foods a lot more than we do now in order to provide vitamins to their diets in the winter when fresh vegetables were not as plentiful. A lot of fermented foods start with a salty brine unlike pickling that start with a vinegar brine. There is lots to learn about technique and storage when it comes to fermenting food.

Food Preservation Resources:

  • If you’re looking to build your own smokehouse, then this book comes highly recommended: Meat Smoking And Smokehouse Design. It includes designs to different types of smokehouses plus lots of information on the why’s and how-to’s to smoking meat.

12. How to butcher animals

You may not be interested in butchering large animals, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense to pay to have one of your own chickens butchered when you can easily do it yourself. Unless of course you have an aversion to it. Learning how pluck a chicken and cut it into recognizable pieces is a skill most homesteaders desire to learn. I saw some crazy chopped-up chickens while living in Indonesia. The ladies at the market would take a butcher knife and just start hacking! Also making delicious and healthy bone broth for your family is another added benefit to butchering your own animals.

13. How to clean and cook fish, etc.

I don’t particularly love to eat fish, but it is a healthy food and fishing is an enjoyable activity to do as a family. I grew up fishing in northern California. My dad had a rule that when we got old enough we had to clean whatever fish we caught. Some people don’t like to eat fish because they can’t get past the “fishy” smell. There are many ways to cook fish to make it enjoyable. Fishing licenses are not very expensive and if you catch your limit you can provide meat for your family for many days.

14. Using a wood stove to cook on

If you already have a wood stove that you heat your home with, why not learn how to cook on it too! Many wood stoves have an oven built in them. There is a learning curve when cooking on a wood stove. They don’t heat up and maintain heat like your traditional cook stove will. Be prepared for some burnt meals until you get the hang of it. I wrote a buying guide to help you select what type of wood burning stove is best for you and your needs. Some of the best pots and pans to use on a wood stove are cast iron. They keep heat and if maintained properly will last you a lifetime.

15. Using a Dutch Oven

A lot of people think Dutch Ovens are just a piece of your camping equipment, but they are a great everyday item for your kitchen as well. You can bake with them in your oven, cook on your wood stove with them, or your regular stove top. They are very versatile in that you can roast meat in them, cook stew and soups, bake bread, make casseroles, cobblers, and much more. Nowadays they come in beautiful colors and are a very durable kitchen tool. Learning to use a Dutch Oven will be a skill greatly appreciated by your family.

Cooking Resource:

16. Treating wounds

Taking care of a homestead requires a lot of manual labor and it’s inevitable that accidents are going to happen. Some serious injuries can occur using tools such as a chain saw or a tractor. For some homesteaders who live very far from town and a doctor, knowing how to treat wounds and respond in cases of emergencies could save a life of their loved one. This might mean treating the wound so that the person can be transported safely to a doctor. Other injuries might not be as life threatening, but still need to be treated to avoid infections. Knowing how to treat wounds will save you a lot of time and money that you would otherwise have to spend on a visit to the doctor.

17. Identifying and using plants with medicinal properties

Some people are really good at knowing what leaves, roots, bark, fruits, and flowers can be used to treat common illnesses. I think this information is invaluable, especially for people wanting to become more self sufficient. This could mean planting a garden full of medicinal herbs or identifying what resources grow right around you that you can forage for. Learning how to prepare these alternative medicines can be so much fun and beneficial to your family.

18. Diagnosing common illnesses

In most situations the illnesses that come up are not going to be life threatening. It could be that someone gets into some poison oak and has a bad rash, is down with the flu, or just feels yucky because of something he ate. Being able to diagnose and solve the problem at home will save you a lot of unnecessary energy and money running to a doctor. I’m not saying that you should never see a doctor. Doctors have studied long and hard and have a lot more knowledge about the human body than most of us do. What I am saying is that some times we can handle small problems if we just take the time to diagnose them properly.

First Aid Resources:

  • It’s helpful to have a First Aid Kit in your home. This one includes bandages, gauzes, instruction guide, scissors, and more.
  • The Essential Guide to Home Herbal Remedies is a highly recommended book using medicinal herbs. It includes easy recipes using Medicinal Herbs to treat more than 125 conditions from sunburns to sore throats.

19. Cleaning supplies and soap making

If you are already burning firewood to heat your home, you’ve got to do something with all those ashes produced. Why not learn how to make lye? The process of making lye and then creating your own homemade soap could be a lot of fun for your whole family. Playing with molds, oils and other additives sounds like a really fun project. I can’t wait to research more about soap making and how to test the pH balance of lye. If you get really ambition you could turn this in to income for your homestead.

20. Sewing Basics

I’m not advocating every homesteader needs to be a genius with a sewing machine or be proficient at crocheting and knitting. Most importantly you should be able to do some basic mending, patching and sewing on of buttons. It makes no sense to throw away clothes just because they are missing a button. Especially if those clothes are work clothes. Get yourself a small sewing kit that includes black, white and brown thread, a few needles, some spare buttons, and you’re all set!

Homemaking Resources:

  • Here’s a basic sewing kit that is great to keep on hand. It includes lots of thread colors, scissors, and a tape measure. I like that it’s in a zipper case.

21. Basic tool knowledge

Knowing the names of tools and how to use them are invaluable skills to have on a homestead. If you’re anything like me, there is lots of room for improvement in this area. Using the correct tool for its intended purpose can make a job so much easier. For example, why try to cut through a thick tree trunk with an axe when if you knew how to run a chain saw would do a much better job. We can do ourselves a favor by paying attention and looking for opportunities to expand our knowledge in this area.

22. Maintenance of tools

A tool that is not properly maintained won’t function efficiently for you when you need it. This goes for everything on your homestead. If you have a generator, make sure you’re doing the required maintenance on the air filters, oil changes, and so on. How often do you sharpen your chainsaw chain? Or clean the air filter? You will waste a lot of time and energy using a dull chain. Jobs on your homestead will be much easier if you learn how to properly maintain your tools. Also, put them back after you’re done with them. Nothing is more aggravating than having to search for a tool you are wanting to use!

23. Handyman skills

We can’t say we are self-reliant if we are constantly calling a handyman to come to fix simple problems like a leaky roof or a broken water pipe on our homestead. Our independence and skills will grow as we continue to use the tools we have. Don’t be afraid to make some mistakes. We all are going to make some blunders. Be willing to ask advice of friends and research how to fix whatever it is that needs fixing.

Home Repairs Resource:

24. Raising chickens for meat and eggs

Not all of us have the acreage necessary to raise large farm animals like cows, but for most of us raising chickens is a very attainable goal. Eggs are great way to get protein into your diet and collecting their eggs is very rewarding. Chickens don’t require a whole lot of care and are one of the easiest farm animals to have on your homestead. Instead of buying chicken from the grocery store why not learn how to butcher your own chickens? You will know exactly how they were raised and processed if you do it yourself.

25. Hunting large and small game

State rules and regulations are different so make sure you stay within your local law when hunting. Get the appropriate permits before heading out. Some states have a lottery drawing for controlled hunts. This limits the amount of tags distributed for that season. Imagine how much meat you can get from bringing in a deer or elk. Smaller game such as geese, ducks, and rabbits are a great option for your family as well.

26. Fishing

Fishing licenses don’t cost a lot of money and fishing can be a very enjoyable and productive skill to learn. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on fancy equipment, unless you choose to. Most places you can fish right from the bank, which means you don’t need to spend a lot of money on a boat or raft. Learn what lures and bait to use for the type of water you are in and what fish are there. In some states young kids fish for free as long as they are with a licensed adult. Involve the whole family in fishing and make a fun day of it.

27. Animal breeding

There is a lot to learn when it comes to animal breeding. For instance, what is the gestation length of a cow? How heavy should a pig be before it’s ready to be slaughtered? If you are breeding dogs to sell, what vaccinations are required before selling the puppies and how old do they need to be before leaving their mother? All of the skills you need to learn will depend on what type of animal you intend to breed. You will also need to learn how to treat them when they are sick or get injured.

Farm Animal Resource:

28. How to start a beehive

Raising honey bees can be so much fun and productive, but how do you start a beehive? Some people buy bees and have them sent to them while others catch a swarm of local bees themselves. You will need to have all the equipment such as brood boxes, frames, food and water sources for them. If you are going to handle your bees make sure you have proper protective clothing such as a veil and gloves. You may even want to purchase a full body suit for added protection. This is especially helpful for a beginner. Ideally you want to set your hive set up in dry level location away from your yard or your neighbors yard.

29. How to grow a beehive

Most people want to grow their beehives in order to produce more and more honey. To do this you have to skillfully watch your bees and know how and when to add your queen excluder over your brood chambers and add your honey supers. The queen bee is much larger than the worker bees, so she can’t fit through the frame but the worker bees can. This will keep her laying eggs in the brood boxes and not in the honey supers.

30. How to troubleshoot

Inevitably your going to have some problems creep up that require your attention. For example, if you live in an area with bears, how are you going to keep them away from your honey? It’s a good idea to set up electric fencing before bears get a whiff of your honey. If you wait till after they have tasted it once, they are likely to break through any barrier you set up in the future. What about skunks? Build a stand at least 18-inches high for your hive to sit on to keep skunks out. What if mice are a problem? Using a small entrance reducer will keep them out. What to do if mites appear? You might encounter problems like these and others when you are raising bees.

31. How to harvest honey

You’ve waited 6-12 months to establish your colony and fill your brood boxes to 85%. Then you’ve added the queen excluder and one or two supers then waited for them to fill up. Now you’re ready to harvest the honey! That’s great, but what tools do you need and how do you go about it? Or did you choose to use a Flow Hive, which doesn’t require near as much work to harvest but costs a lot more upfront? Getting the honey is part of the fun so let’s learn the best ways to extract it.

32. Honey Products

Honey is delicious and nutritious but did you know you can also make things with it too? Candles, lip balm, creams and candies to name a few. These honey products are great for you and your family, but your friends will love them as well. If you are interested in turning your honey into a business, you can sell your items as well. People love honey products and are willing to pay for a good quality product.

Bee Keeping Resources:

33. How to milk your dairy animals

Typically people in the USA choose to milk a dairy cow, but sometimes goats and sheep are used. Around the world you will even find people milking Yaks, Reindeer, Horses, and Camels. Whichever animal you choose, you will need to learn the skills that go along with it. You need to learn how many times that animal needs milking a day and if you need to do anything to the udder and teats prior to milking like washing with soap and water or iodine. If you’re planning on milking manually, I’ve been told it’s not as easy as it looks. I’m sure there’s plenty of skill and trial that goes into learning to milk a dairy animal.

34. How to pasteurize milk

Milk needs to be pasteurized in order to kill any harmful bacterial. There is skill involved in doing this but most people say the process is simple to do at home on your stove top. You need to raise the temperature of the milk and keep it steady without scalding it. Then store your milk in a refrigerator. If you have more milk than your family can drink before it spoils, you can freeze your pasteurized milk and save it for when you’re ready for it.

35. Dairy products: butter, cheese, lotions, soaps, yogurt

Just like with honey, there are tons of products you can create with milk. Some dairy products like cheese, lotions and soaps are going to require time and skill in order to produce a product you will enjoy. Other products like yogurt, ice cream and butter will be much simpler to make and require much less skill. You can turn most of these products into a business if you’re interested in adding income to your homestead.

Dairy Resource:

I hope you have enjoyed reading about these 35 skills for the modern homesteader. These are some of the skills we are excited to become proficient at in the days and years to come. What other skills do you think are essential on the homestead? Please tell me in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you! Keepsm:)ing! 

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