Learn how to homestead in the city! From growing food on a windowsill to raising chickens or composting kitchen scraps, discover simple ways to live sustainably and self-sufficiently—no backyard required.
Your advice for gardening in confined spaces is commendable. It is paradoxical perhaps that most suburban properties invest time, effort and pride in creating and maintaining spacious monoculture lawns around their homes. Here in Australia, especially during the 1960-90s, newly arrived immigrants from Europe would tear up urban front garden lawns and flower beds and plant vegetables and fruit trees. Unfortunately urban councils would quickly serve notices of "obstruction hazards" if tree branches overhang pavements. Some gardeners would plant vegetable rows along the kerb side verge. Again some councils served notices of "traffic hazard"! I know of one family that encouraged free harvesting of seasonal herbs and vegetables from their front gardens They encouraged a free barter system of "take some, leave some". These were and still are happy neighbourhoods.
Meat rabbits are amazing. Just 3 girls and a boy give as much meat as a COW in 1 year, over the course of each month so it stays fresh and is a renuable resource. And they need waaaay less space than you think and they don't need pellets, you can feed them for free! We feed ours kitchen scraps and yard trimmings.
I've been telling people that for years who think they need to move and buy land. If you want to be off-grid, turn off the breaker. I do it in the middle of Boise, Idaho.
You are assuming that after working 40+ hrs a week, we have the time to attend to these projects? Growing fruit and veg takes know how, many people try and fail as they can't balance the ecosystem and end up with all their time, money and effort literally on the compost heap. How much food are you able to grow on a windowsill? Enough for the two hens you should only be keeping with that set up.
No one is going to be raising hens for laying in a small coop or city garden. Free range hens means just that, range being the operable word.
No, it's not possible. You'd have to be stupid to even consider it.
Self sufficiency is only possible on at least a few acres.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts—I completely get where you’re coming from. I want to clarify that this article isn’t suggesting anyone can become fully self-sufficient in a city overnight. Urban homesteading isn’t about replacing a farm or producing all your own food immediately; it’s about showing that there is a way to take small steps toward independence and freedom in your own life.
My goal is to give people a sense of what real freedom looks like—what it means to take control of your life rather than being entirely dependent on big corporations or systems that don’t have your best interests at heart. You don’t have to start raising hens or growing a full garden from day one. Even simple actions like growing a few herbs, composting scraps, or experimenting with small-scale projects are ways to regain control, learn skills, and make your life a little more self-reliant.
It’s not about perfection or going fully off-grid. It’s about realizing that you can take steps, however small, to move from dependency to autonomy. Urban homesteading is one of many ways to start reclaiming your life and your resources, and that’s the value I want to share with people.
I hope you understand my perspective, and I truly appreciate your feedback.
Most peoples lives are a far more complicated picture than the one you present.
I actually do own a few acres of land, it is worthless to me, it is leased to a local farmer for nothing much really.
How am I going to pay my bills which are on demand monthly? I only work full time to pay to live; And I have no tv subs, only my house, phone and car. I don't eat out, I don't spend frivolously.
How am I going to pay for feed, vet bills, land maintenance, someone to slaughter and process said livestock? 🤔
I already know how to sew and mend many things myself; Self sufficiency is a pipe dream for me who has land. Not a hope have most people of fulfilling this 'fantasy lifestyle' and a few herbs in a pot are not worth talking about.
The people who are promoting this lifestyle on SM are already loaded and being promoted to advocate for it.
I hear you, and I respect your perspective. You’re right—life is complicated, and not everyone can live fully self-sufficient, even with land. But my point isn’t that people should replace their income or bills with homesteading. It’s about small steps that give back some control—growing a few things, composting, learning skills—so we’re not completely dependent on corporations and systems.
It’s less about chasing a “fantasy lifestyle” and more about mindset: taking back what we can, even if it’s small. That’s the real value I want to share. I hope you understand my intent, with respect.
Your advice for gardening in confined spaces is commendable. It is paradoxical perhaps that most suburban properties invest time, effort and pride in creating and maintaining spacious monoculture lawns around their homes. Here in Australia, especially during the 1960-90s, newly arrived immigrants from Europe would tear up urban front garden lawns and flower beds and plant vegetables and fruit trees. Unfortunately urban councils would quickly serve notices of "obstruction hazards" if tree branches overhang pavements. Some gardeners would plant vegetable rows along the kerb side verge. Again some councils served notices of "traffic hazard"! I know of one family that encouraged free harvesting of seasonal herbs and vegetables from their front gardens They encouraged a free barter system of "take some, leave some". These were and still are happy neighbourhoods.
Amazing messaging. Thank you for posting. I hope people take the bait 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
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Meat rabbits are amazing. Just 3 girls and a boy give as much meat as a COW in 1 year, over the course of each month so it stays fresh and is a renuable resource. And they need waaaay less space than you think and they don't need pellets, you can feed them for free! We feed ours kitchen scraps and yard trimmings.
This is just inspiring as we live in a small space. Thank you.
I've been telling people that for years who think they need to move and buy land. If you want to be off-grid, turn off the breaker. I do it in the middle of Boise, Idaho.
I have to respectfully call this unachievable.
You are assuming that after working 40+ hrs a week, we have the time to attend to these projects? Growing fruit and veg takes know how, many people try and fail as they can't balance the ecosystem and end up with all their time, money and effort literally on the compost heap. How much food are you able to grow on a windowsill? Enough for the two hens you should only be keeping with that set up.
No one is going to be raising hens for laying in a small coop or city garden. Free range hens means just that, range being the operable word.
No, it's not possible. You'd have to be stupid to even consider it.
Self sufficiency is only possible on at least a few acres.
RevealedEye, I'm surprised at this post.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts—I completely get where you’re coming from. I want to clarify that this article isn’t suggesting anyone can become fully self-sufficient in a city overnight. Urban homesteading isn’t about replacing a farm or producing all your own food immediately; it’s about showing that there is a way to take small steps toward independence and freedom in your own life.
My goal is to give people a sense of what real freedom looks like—what it means to take control of your life rather than being entirely dependent on big corporations or systems that don’t have your best interests at heart. You don’t have to start raising hens or growing a full garden from day one. Even simple actions like growing a few herbs, composting scraps, or experimenting with small-scale projects are ways to regain control, learn skills, and make your life a little more self-reliant.
It’s not about perfection or going fully off-grid. It’s about realizing that you can take steps, however small, to move from dependency to autonomy. Urban homesteading is one of many ways to start reclaiming your life and your resources, and that’s the value I want to share with people.
I hope you understand my perspective, and I truly appreciate your feedback.
Again, with respect.
Most peoples lives are a far more complicated picture than the one you present.
I actually do own a few acres of land, it is worthless to me, it is leased to a local farmer for nothing much really.
How am I going to pay my bills which are on demand monthly? I only work full time to pay to live; And I have no tv subs, only my house, phone and car. I don't eat out, I don't spend frivolously.
How am I going to pay for feed, vet bills, land maintenance, someone to slaughter and process said livestock? 🤔
I already know how to sew and mend many things myself; Self sufficiency is a pipe dream for me who has land. Not a hope have most people of fulfilling this 'fantasy lifestyle' and a few herbs in a pot are not worth talking about.
The people who are promoting this lifestyle on SM are already loaded and being promoted to advocate for it.
I hear you, and I respect your perspective. You’re right—life is complicated, and not everyone can live fully self-sufficient, even with land. But my point isn’t that people should replace their income or bills with homesteading. It’s about small steps that give back some control—growing a few things, composting, learning skills—so we’re not completely dependent on corporations and systems.
It’s less about chasing a “fantasy lifestyle” and more about mindset: taking back what we can, even if it’s small. That’s the real value I want to share. I hope you understand my intent, with respect.