If you’ve ever dreamed of living off the land but don’t quite have the acres (or the patience for a full-sized cow), welcome to the wonderful world of backyard homesteading! It’s where chickens rule the roost, tomatoes grow in places you didn’t plant them, and the line between farm and zoo gets a little blurry.
Whether you’re working with a quarter-acre, a suburban backyard, or just a few raised beds and a chicken coop, you can turn your space into a productive little homestead. It might not always be Instagram-perfect (especially when the goats get loose), but it’s rewarding, fun, and often downright hilarious.
Step One: Accept That You’ll Never “Just Run to the Store” Again
Before homesteading, a trip to the store was simple. Need eggs? Grab a carton. Out of bread? Pick up a loaf.
Once you start raising chickens, growing a garden, and baking your own bread, things change. You’ll find yourself saying things like:
- “We can’t buy eggs; the hens will feel betrayed.”
- “Let me just grind some wheat first.”
- “Do we really need toilet paper? Maybe we should make our own…”
Okay, maybe not that last one (hopefully), but you get the idea.
Step Two: The Garden Will Take Over Your Life (And You’ll Love It)
You start with a small garden, thinking, I just want a few fresh veggies. Next thing you know, you’re building raised beds, ordering heirloom seeds from obscure seed companies, and debating whether you should grow just one more type of tomato.
By midsummer, your kitchen counters will be buried under mountains of zucchini, and you’ll be that neighbor leaving bags of extra produce on doorsteps like some kind of vegetable Santa.
But nothing beats the joy of stepping outside and picking dinner straight from your yard. It’s a little miracle every time.
Step Three: Chickens Are Cute, But Also Kinda Jerks
Backyard chickens are like tiny, feathery toddlers with attitude problems. They’ll follow you around like best friends one minute and give you the stink-eye the next.
Some important things to know:
🐓 They will escape. No matter how secure your coop is, chickens possess a near-magical ability to find freedom. It’s like a poultry version of Prison Break.
🥚 Egg production is on their terms. Expect them to lay eggs in odd places: under bushes, in flower pots, or (if they’re really dedicated) on top of your car.
🍉 They will steal your snacks. Ever tried eating a watermelon outside near chickens? You won’t get a single bite.
Despite their antics, they’re endlessly entertaining, and nothing beats fresh eggs from your own backyard. Just don’t expect gratitude.
Step Four: Bees, Goats, and Other “It Seemed Like a Good Idea” Additions
Once you get comfortable with a garden and some chickens, you might think, What else can I add? This is where things get interesting.
🐝 Bees: “Let’s save the bees!” you think, picturing golden honey and cute little pollinators buzzing around your garden. Fast forward to you running across the yard in a beekeeping suit, wondering where it all went wrong.
🐐 Goats: Tiny lawnmowers with personalities. If you think chickens escape easily, wait until you own a goat. They’ll eat your roses, climb on your car, and somehow end up inside your house (probably on the couch).
🐇 Rabbits: Cute, fluffy, and excellent for producing manure for the garden. But be warned: rabbits multiply exactly like you’d expect.
Step Five: Celebrate the Chaos
Backyard homesteading isn’t always neat and tidy. Some days, your garden will thrive, your hens will lay beautifully, and everything will feel perfect. Other days, the goats will escape, the dog will roll in compost, and a rooster will chase the mailman (again).
But that’s the beauty of it. Every morning, you step outside to a little piece of land that feeds you, challenges you, and keeps you laughing.
So whether you’re just starting out or fully committed to the backyard farm life, enjoy the journey. Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about food—it’s about the joy of creating something real, meaningful, and a little bit wild.
~~Larkz
Larkz Homestead 