Preparing for the Next Great Recession with Homesteading
Everyone knows about the Great Depression when living was tough, unemployment was high, and food was scarce. The GDP declined 26.7%, setting off the great depression. While the truth is that many people lost paper money and stocks became worthless, homesteaders were the only ones that survived because they adapted.
A recession is when a negative GDP growth lasts for six months, while depression lasts longer than a year. Currently, the GDP is at a 2.5% decline in the USA. Therefore, it’s only a matter of time before, not if, but when another recession or depression hits the masses.
How To Prepare for the Next Great Depression With Homesteading?
Homesteading during a recession is not only about farming and raising livestock but also about being productive and preserving. Even if an economic meltdown takes hold in the future, we can develop habits to protect ourselves ahead of bad times.
Homesteading also means we won’t have to rely on large-scale farm equipment that may not be available in the future to repair.
How Can Farming and Subsistence Living Help During a Recession?
Change Eating Habits
There were times during the Great Depression when people went hungry but no one starved due to insufficient food. Perhaps the reason why many people went hungry was that they were not creative about their food choices.
We can be frugal with our food choices, like eating more home-cooked meals and stockpiling protein-rich foods, cereals, oats, oil, and flour. Also, meals such as soups, stews, and casseroles can extend our budget.
Grow Food On Land
During the Great Depression, homesteaders remained affected as people got by growing food on their lands.
Today, we can also grow our own wheat, rice, and staples if we have a few acres of land in a city or a small farm. Whether the economy collapses or not in the future, we can preserve the food during winters so nothing goes to waste.
Raise Animals
People of the Great Depression had a backyard with chickens and also relied on rabbits' meat. A few of them had pigeon nests built in over the front porch. Their meat and eggs were used as food supplements, while their droppings were used as fertilizers for growing vegetables.
If we have space in our backyard, we can raise cows and goats for their milk as they don’t require much space to keep. Quails, ducks, rabbits, and chickens can be kept for their eggs and meat. Furthermore, beekeeping will require more responsibility, but we’ll get fresh organic honey to replace sugar.
Hunt for Free Food
During the Great Depression, other than raising animals, hunting was another way to put meat on the table. To prepare ourselves for a future recession, we must learn about hunting, fishing, and mushroom harvesting.
Make Personal Care Products
Making sustainable personal care products out of shea butter and bee balm is much cheaper. These products are also healthier for skin and hair and last longer. We can also make apple vinegar at home to use as a facial toner, bathroom cleaner, or to get rid of bad breath.
Backyard Gardening
Backyard gardening can be of great use during a recession. We can grow herbs, edible flowers, berries, and salad greens for our own use or to sell them at the farmer’s market.
Use Multi-Purpose Products
Cornstarch was a popular product during the Great Depression. Not only used to thicken sauces and pie fillings, but people also used it to stiffen clothing, absorb odor, and soothe rashes.
Other than cornstarch, we can use many multipurpose products, such as toothpaste, to polish chrome and remove scuffs from leather shoes. Moreover, we can use beer as a foot-soaking bath and clean jewelry. Also, beer as fertilizer can stimulate plant growth because it contains sugar, and its acids can kill harmful bacteria.
How Can Planting Small Cash Crops Help Your income?
Homesteading can not only provide food for the home but can also be a profitable business selling organic produce. We can plant small cash crops on our farm or indoor garden and sell them directly to consumers or companies.
Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes are small and provide a steady cash crop yield throughout the season. We can easily grow them in our backyard or a small garden.
Goji Berries
Classified as a superfood and used in organic juices and smoothies, goji berries are quite a popular cash crop. They can thrive in a dry environment and offer plenty of vitamins and antioxidants.
Basil
Basil is a famous herb used in various dishes. It is also easy to grow indoors or in a container garden. Outdoors basil thrives well in a warm and humid environment. We can sell it to grocery stores and food producers.
Wheat
Surprisingly, wheat is another popular cash crop that grows in ample space and can also be grown in a backyard or small row garden. It can survive in a harsh environment. There are wide varieties of wheat that yield high grains.
Ginseng
Ginseng is famous worldwide because of its use in medicines and the health and wellness industry. It’s also used in a variety of supplements and teas. However, it takes time for ginseng to yield, and once it does, expect huge profits.
Shiitake Mushrooms
Used in various dishes, Shiitake Mushrooms are a very trendy cash crop at specialty restaurants and food stores. They require less care and can grow faster.
Gourmet Garlic
Regular garlic is used in almost every dish and doesn’t command a higher price. But some rare species of garlic called gourmet garlic require a bit of investment but can yield higher profit in the long run.
Ready For Homesteading?
Before the next Great Depression hits us, we must be creative, adaptive, and flexible to survive. Homesteading during a recession will help us lead a frugal life and build our resilience against more challenging times.
Prepare for a recession by starting your small farm or homestead journey with agmanuals.com. We are for farmers who own small farms or homesteads We also cater to people who restore older tractors and farm equipment.