How to Get Started Homesteading: A 12 month plan to Build your Homestead

Getting started building your homestead can often feel overwhelming. We’ve put together a ‘year in homesteading plan’ to help you get started homesteading. You will find general information about homestead planning and then a 12 month plan to build your homestead. This plan is best a applied with a little land, but can also be adapted if you have a small space or have been homesteading and just need a restart.

This guide is designed for someone who is homesteading in the mid to northern climates. You can adjust the timing depending on your last frost date.

Looking for more about starting your homestead, check out:

• How to Start Backyard Farming
• Achieve Your Homesteading Dreams
• Free Planning Resources: Planning a Homestead
• How to Homestead on 5 Acres
• Develop New Homesteading Skills

What is Homesteading?

Modern homesteading is a revival of traditional skills aimed at fostering self-sufficiency and sustainability. It encompasses activities like gardening, raising animals, preserving food, and creating systems to minimize waste. Unlike traditional homesteading, which often required large tracts of land for formal farming, modern homesteading focuses on adopting these practices as part of an intentional, self-reliant lifestyle. It’s less about achieving a specific end result and more about embracing a mindset and way of living that prioritizes resourcefulness and sustainability.

General Tips for Homesteading

It’s pretty hard to give you specific tips for homesteading since there are some many details based on your specific situation, but here are a few things I’ve learned over the years:

• Start small but dream big: this is hard advice to follow. When I first started homesteading I jumped in with both feet. I had been waiting to have a property with some space for a few years. This means I made some early mistakes and got overwhelmed. If you can resist the temptation, starting small will save you time, effort and money.
• Just Start: unlike my first bit of advice another common problem is the fear of failure that leads to not actually getting started at all.
• Don’t forget your systems: I am a big fan of systems – this is really anything that makes homesteading easier and maximizes your effort. You can read more about how we use systems.
• Build your skills: Homesteading is part tangible (your garden, your chickens, your sourdough starter) and part skill. Investing in yourself, especially the first year will make a big difference down the road.

Get Started Homesteading: A 12 month plan to Build your Homestead

January

• Create a homestead Plan: January sets the foundation for your year. Use this month to create a detailed homesteading plan. You can see our Free Planning Resources: Planning a Homestead. I recommend you spend time thinking about a long term plan as well as a first year plan. Draw out your overall homestead plan on paper as well as a garden plan.
• If journaling works for you, I suggest getting a good journal and starting to make notes. This is a good month to research, find a few good books, websites or community groups you can use as support and resources.

See our list of top Homesteading Books.

February

• February is time to start putting your ideas into action. Use this time to order seeds and supplies. I’ve written a bit about where to buy seeds.
• You can also use this time to start building your homesteading skills. This may mean signing up for a homesteading course, reading books, and practicing what you learn.
• There are plenty of things you can do to homestead during the winter like making your own yogurt, starting your sourdough, and embracing from scratch cooking.

March

• As soon as you can start working in the garden, it’s time to start building healthy soil.
• You may need to bring in compost the first year to amend your soil. This is an investment in the future of your homestead. If you want to dig deeper into soil health, make sure to check out: Mini-Course and Ebook: Building Healthy Soil.
• March is often the time to plant your fruit trees and/or bushes. These go into the ground when everything is dormant.
• If it’s warm enough, you can start any building projects like raised beds, chicken coops, etc.

April

April is a month of action as you begin to plant the seeds for your homestead’s future.

• Start Seeds: This is the perfect time to begin sowing your seeds indoors or in a controlled environment to get a jump start on your garden.
• Build Garden Beds: Begin constructing raised beds or preparing garden plots for planting. Consider using materials that will last for years and improve soil quality.
• Get Chicks: If you plan to have chickens, April is a great time to add chicks to your homestead. You can raise them indoors until they’re ready for the coop. Learn more about raising chicks.
• Start Planting: Depending on your climate zone, you can begin to plant cold-hardy crops directly in the garden. Vegetables like peas, spinach, and lettuce thrive in cooler temperatures.
• Other Options: If you’re feeling ambitious, April may also be a great time to consider starting a beekeeping project. You can buy a hive or bees to help pollinate your crops and produce honey.

May

May is an exciting month as the growing season picks up.

• Keep Planting: Continue to plant your garden. Add warm-weather crops like tomatoes, peppers, and beans to the ground once the risk of frost has passed.
• Build Structures: Focus on adding permanent structures such as trellises for climbing plants, garden fencing to keep out pests, or raised beds for efficient planting.
• Plant Herb Garden: If you haven’t already, start planting herbs. They’re easy to grow and useful for cooking, medicinal purposes, and even attracting beneficial insects.

June

In June, it’s time to nurture what you’ve already planted and start thinking about systems.

• Tend Your Garden: Continue to care for your crops by watering, weeding, and mulching to help maintain soil moisture and prevent weeds.
• Move Chickens to Coop: If your chicks have grown enough, it’s time to move them into their permanent chicken coop. Be sure to provide them with enough space, food, and water.
• Create Watering Systems: Invest in efficient watering systems such as drip irrigation or soaker hoses to help maintain your garden during hot weather.

July

By mid-summer, your homestead should be buzzing with activity.

• Weed: Stay on top of weed control by regularly weeding your garden beds. This will reduce competition for nutrients and water. Learn more about controlling weeds.
• Build Composting System: Now is the perfect time to build a composting system to help manage garden waste and create nutrient-rich compost for your soil. Consider a bin or pile system for easy composting.

August

August is a busy and rewarding time.

• Harvest: As crops start to ripen, begin harvesting your vegetables. Enjoy the fruits of your labor and consider how to preserve the harvest for the coming months.
• Canning: If you’ve grown more than you can eat fresh, start canning fruits and vegetables to extend the shelf life of your harvest.
• Succession Planting: To make the most of your growing season, use succession planting to replace harvested crops with new ones, keeping your garden productive.

September

As summer winds down, September is the time to prepare for the cooler months ahead.

• Build New Garden Beds: If you’ve got the space, expand your garden by adding new beds for fall crops.
• Plant Fall Crops: Plant cool-weather crops like kale, carrots, and radishes that will thrive in the fall months. You can also start preparing for next spring by planting cover crops.

October

October is a time of cleanup and preparation.

• Top Dress Gardens: Add organic matter like compost or mulch to your garden beds to help improve soil health over the winter and prepare for spring planting.
• Final Harvests: Finish up your garden harvests before frost hits. Harvest any remaining root vegetables and store them properly for winter use.

November

November is a quieter month on the homestead, perfect for completing tasks and preparing for winter.

• Finish Any Building Tasks: Use this time to complete any unfinished construction projects such as chicken coops, fences, or garden structures.
• Choose Skills to Learn Over the Winter: Consider using the winter months to learn new homesteading skills like preserving food, canning, or woodworking. There are plenty of online courses, books, and tutorials available to keep you learning.

December

As the year comes to a close, December is the perfect time to assess your progress and plan for the future.

• Assess Your Success: Take some time to reflect on what worked well and what challenges you faced throughout the year. This will help you fine-tune your approach for the future.
• Order Seeds and Trees: Begin ordering seeds for the upcoming year, and if you’re thinking of planting fruit trees or shrubs, now is the time to order them.
• Begin Setting Goals: Start setting goals for next year. What do you want to accomplish in year two of homesteading? Plan out projects, expansion ideas, and learning goals for the upcoming year.