7 Ways to Homestead When You Don’t Own Land

Homestead Living

Jun 26

You don’t need acreage or a barn to start homesteading. In fact, some of the most committed homesteaders I know live in apartments, condos, or suburban neighborhoods with little more than a porch or patio. I know, because that’s me right now—still making butter, fermenting milk, and growing herbs in pots while we wait for the right land. So if you’re feeling stuck, don’t. These urban homesteading tips will help you live the life now, right where you are.

1. Grow What You Can—Even in Pots

A few pots on a sunny windowsill or balcony can supply herbs, salad greens, or even cherry tomatoes. Container gardening makes it possible to grow food in the smallest spaces. I use a 4-foot square outdoor space with all my herbs in pots—and it’s more productive than you’d think. Companion planting and seasonal rotation go a long way.

2. Make Your Own Cleaners and Soaps

Homesteading is about independence, not just land. Learn to make your own general-purpose spray cleaners, laundry detergent, or simple bar soap. You’ll save money and reduce toxins in your home. We still make our peppermint-vinegar spray, and it even keeps the ants away!

3. Cook from Scratch (and From the Heart)

If you’ve ever baked bread, stirred a pot of broth, or simmered something from leftovers, you’ve practiced homesteading. Get into the habit of scratch cooking and meal prepping with what you have. You’re building skills for later—and enjoying better meals now.

4. Ferment Something Weekly

Kefir, kombucha, yogurt, sourdough—whatever fits your taste. Even with a tiny fridge and no cellar, fermentation can become a weekly rhythm. I ferment two jars of kefir every week from our milk share, and I promise, it’s easier than it sounds. (We even make butter and ghee from the cream.)

5. Sew, Mend, or Repurpose

You don’t need a full sewing room to start with needle and thread. Mend socks, make cloth napkins, or learn to hem your own pants. It’s all part of that self-reliant mindset—and you’ll be amazed how satisfying it is to fix or make something by hand.

6. Learn the Old Skills—Now

Read, listen to podcasts, take online classes, or start a project. From seed saving to pressure canning to herbal remedies, learning now gives you a head start. Your homestead starts in your head and heart long before it becomes a piece of land.

7. Live with Purpose and Less Waste

Use cloth instead of paper, compost your scraps, make broth from bones, and shop intentionally. Even in the city, you can embrace the old ways of living lightly and faithfully. Every small habit shapes the homestead you’ll one day build—or the one you already carry with you.

Why It Still Counts as Homesteading

You don’t need a farm sign or chicken coop to call yourself a homesteader. If you’re growing your own food, making things by hand, rethinking what you buy, and learning the skills of self-reliance—you’re already living it. Homesteading isn’t where you live. It’s how you live.

And the truth is, many of us are in a season of preparation. We’re in between the land we dream of and the life we’re trying to live. But that doesn’t mean we’re waiting. We’re planting anyway.

Final Thoughts: Start Where You Are

Whether you rent a studio apartment or live in a tiny condo like I do, you can start homesteading today. One pot of herbs, one jar of kefir, one handmade towel at a time. It’s not about scale—it’s about intention.

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