- In Aotearoa, homesteading is becoming more and more popular as individuals embrace independent living.
- People also feel more confident knowing that during calamities, they will have adequate resources to feed their families
- While living off the grid is a component of homesteading, having a huge plot of land is not necessary.
In Aotearoa, New Zealand, homesteading is becoming more and more popular as individuals embrace independent and self-sufficient living. This way of living entails producing energy on-site or in communities, growing and storing food, and not depending on big-box stores or energy providers.
Following COVID-19, there has been an increase in interest in homesteading, and the phrase has steadily spread and become more prevalent.
Homesteading
People who homestead now find that raising their food is more comforting since they have enough food in their larders or pantries to get through hard times. People also feel more confident knowing that during calamities like COVID-19 or the Hawke’s Bay/Napier floods, they will have adequate resources to feed their families and share with their community.
Encouragement of sustainable behaviors, a decrease in food waste, and the education of youngsters on the importance of food production are some of the advantages of homesteading.
By comprehending the food production process, food waste and the notion that food can be taken for granted can be reduced, so addressing New Zealand’s food crisis and food waste issue.
Ralph Barsodi pioneered homesteading in the United States in the 1960s, exploring self-sufficient lifestyles following the Great Depression. In the 1990s and 2000s, interest in urban homemaking and agricultural methods once again gained traction. While living off the grid is a component of homesteading, having a huge plot of land is not necessary.
While many New Zealanders live in cities, many are skilled homesteaders who have vast supplies of food that they have grown themselves, as well as preserves. Although it takes time and dedication, homesteading is a lovely way of life that offers the benefits of saving money and having access to one’s food for a large portion of the year.
