The Truth About 9 Homesteading Misconceptions

Homesteading has become pretty trendy recently. It’s exciting. The dream of building a homestead is fun, challenging, and inspiring. However, there are also many homesteading misconceptions that often make potential or newbie homesteaders feel like they’ll never quite belong.

Other misconceptions lead new homesteaders to make huge decisions they’re not quite ready for.

So, if you’re trying to sort through all the information about homesteading to find out what’s real and what’s not really a necessity, read on. I’ll break down the misconceptions surrounding the movement and give you some support along the way.

Homestead, Noun

First, let’s define some terms. What is homesteading? What is a homestead?

The simple dictionary definition is “the home; the seat of a family, including the land, house, and outbuildings; especially a dwelling retained as a home by successive generations.” That opens it up quite a bit, doesn’t it?

Essentially, if you’re setting out roots on a plot of land (small or large) with the intention of being rooted there as a family, you’ve got a homestead.

But these days, the practice of homesteading calls for a little more as well. Specifically, a lifestyle of sustainability and simplicity. A lifestyle that works with the land and connects the family to the land.

Those are the most basic definitions that we’ll be working from here.

What About Urban Homesteading Misconceptions?

I am not trying to discount urban homesteaders here. The urban homestead movement, which doesn’t usually involve being rooted in a particular plot of land, is nevertheless a fantastic movement.

The impact of urban homesteading in cities is stunning, and the people who practice it are inspiring.

But urban homesteading is a lifestyle unto itself. Neither benefits if we lump it in with traditional homesteading. Urban homesteading deserves its own space within the simple living and sustainable lifestyle milieu.

In this article, I’ll address myths about homesteading, not urban homesteading.

Myth 1: You Need to Raise Animals

Animals are a part of most homesteads. Whether it’s just a few chickens or pigs, cows, goats, and ducks as well. Animals can be a benefit to your homestead, especially if you eat animal products.

They improve the soil, eat weeds or bugs or both, and provide food like meat, eggs, and dairy. But you don’t need animals to make your homestead thrive. Of all the common homesteading misconceptions, this is a big one.

In the 14 years I’ve been homesteading, we’ve had years without any animals and years with dozens of them. I’ve also met homesteaders who prioritize tree growth and simple gardens. They’ve never raised animals at all and have no interest in expanding.

Don’t get animals until you’re sure you actually want them. There is nothing worse than spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on livestock only to resent them for the rest of their lives.

Myth 2: You Have to Live Off-Grid

On social media, homesteading is often a competitive sport. Off-grid homesteaders are often the worst. When we first moved off-grid, the only other homesteaders we knew were also off-grid. They tended to look down on the homesteaders who had the luxury of running water, television, and refrigeration.

But now that homesteading is taking off more than ever, homesteaders of all grid types are finding more support. So don’t let the hard-core off-griders pressure you into cutting that power cord. Your best homestead is the one that brings you and your family joy.

Myth 3: Self-Sufficiency

Self-sufficiency is a myth. We’re human, social creatures by nature. No matter how home-based your economy is, there will be some inter-relational support with others. And that’s a good thing.

I knew some homesteaders who wrote a book on “self-sufficient homesteading,” but when they had a house fire, they weren’t interested in self-sufficiency; they were interested in community support.

Don’t get stuck chasing self-sufficiency. You’ll never catch it, and the closer you get, the more alone you’ll feel.

Instead, homesteading is about pursuing a simple, sustainable, and close-to-home economy. Healthy homesteaders support other homesteads and local businesses. It’s a lot more fun, and it doesn’t leave you desperate to be a “jack of all trades, master of none,” just to run your homestead.

Myth 4: It’s Always Beautiful

A friend once mentioned that she was obsessed with watching videos of homesteaders in some snowy, northern state. They had big white Pyrenees dogs, sleek goats, and stunning black ducks.

They were off-grid, with flickering candles and crackling fires. Their baby wore homespun woolen knits, and they were forever taking perfect cakes out of the oven and pouring tea from big blue and white teapots.

It’s lovely. Homesteading is lovely. But those videos, and most social media about homesteading, are edited to make them look better than they are. Don’t fall for these common homesteading misconceptions.

Animals die. Sometimes they die in ugly, bloody ways. Sometimes they die choking on bright orange baling twine. Dogs vomit on the floor, eat it, and vomit again. Candles drip wax on your pretty tablecloth, and stoves smoke up the house. Big dogs or eager children bump into pretty teapots, and they smash all over that ugly dog vomit.

Nothing is always beautiful.

Sometimes things are hard, and they don’t even look pretty in the process. If you’re homesteading, my advice is to stay off social media. Actually, if you’re anyone at all, just stay off social media. Embrace the imperfection and dump all those expectations that you know are false but still kind of want to believe anyway.

Myth 5: You Need to Be Rich

Homesteaders never talk about money. We act as though gorgeous flocks of Icelandic sheep and acres of fencing just sort of fell into our lives. The truth is homesteading can be cheap or it can be expensive.

A flock of Icelandic sheep is expensive. Three starter Icelandics to build your own flock over the next five-10 years are less expensive. Four grade quality ewes and an Icelandic ram are much less expensive.

But homesteading misconceptions would whisper in your ear that you must have the best and the thing you see on social media.

It depends a lot on what you want and what you can afford. I have an off-grid homestead because I didn’t want to pay for electricity, not because I cared much about the off-grid lifestyle.

That changed over the years, and I wouldn’t go back. I live in a yurt because, at the time, yurts were cheaper than lumber. When I bought sheep, I chose to get a Finn-cross yearling, an Icelandic-cross yearling, and a purebred Icelandic ram, because the ram is the one who will really “make” the flock.

If you go slow, and proritize land (the only real unchangeable), you can homestead inexpensively. If you have the money to spend, spend it on what matters to you.

Myth 6: You’re a Prepper

I know a few homesteaders who are prepping for the next big disaster, but most of us aren’t really that interested. Homesteading misconceptions often include lore about people heading off-grid because they’re preparing for the STHTF.

Sometimes, you’re homesteading because you just like seeing pine trees and not much else when you step out your door. Other times, it’s because you like gathering a basket of eggs each morning or because it’s a great way for your kids to grow up.

Sure, there’s the occasional homesteader who thinks with delight about the impending Apocalypse, but it’s a small percentage, I promise!

Myth 7: You’re a Hippie, a Christian, a Conservative, a Liberal…

Depending on who you talk to, homesteading misconceptions like this can take a variety of stripes. I know a lot of Christian homesteaders, a few aging hippies, some radical leftists, a few Catholic priests, an order of nuns, a Buddhist monk, a single mother, a few conservatives, etc.

Homesteaders come from all political types, races, religions, and worldviews. Despite our varying views on life, our shared love of simply living with nature is a great unifier.

If you’re worried that you’ll be the only liberal, conservative, etc., in the homesteading world, don’t be! I am almost certain you’re not. And I’m almost certain you’ll manage to find support among the homesteaders near you – even if you disagree on everything but dandelions and spinach.

Myth 8: Homesteaders Never Work Away From the Homestead

You can earn a living completely from a thriving homestead. Most of us don’t. Most of us earn a part of our yearly income from the land in some way: eggs, milk, vegetables, a small CSA, firewood, etc.

But for most homesteaders, one of the family works away from home—at least part-time. My husband is a builder and an artist. I know homesteaders who are waitresses, tattoo artists, doctors, professors, nurses, and even truck drivers.

It’s usually important to have at least one adult member of the family home most of the time. But some homesteaders make a dual income work – especially those embracing a multi-generational homestead.

Your homestead is where your roots are planted, but your branches can stretch as far as they need to – that’s one of the benefits of having deep roots.

So when you’re considering homesteading misconceptions, feel free to toss this one out.

Myth 9: You’ll Always Be Tired

Homesteading is a lot of work. But like any other lifestyle, the work comes in waves. Some days, you’ll spend most of the day indoors, drinking tea, reading, or just playing games with the family

Other days, you’ll get sunburned working in the goat pen for most of the afternoon.

Any lifestyle can be “all work and no play,” and any lifestyle can be full of rest and fun. It all depends on you. You can build a homestead that brings you joy and refreshment if that’s what you value.

Don’t let homesteading misconceptions hold you back from living your dream.