On today’s podcast episode, I have a conversation with Steve Dinicol, a homesteader on 133 acres in British Columbia Canada. Steve and his wife work full-time jobs and still manage to operate and expand their homestead, although they’ve expanded too quickly at times, as Steve will confess.
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The Joys and Challenges of Modern Homesteading
Homesteading is a rewarding yet demanding lifestyle that allows people to live more self-sufficiently. It offers the chance to grow your own food, raise animals, and reconnect with nature. However, balancing homesteading with full-time jobs and other commitments can be tricky.
Let’s dive into the everyday realities, joys, and learning curves of modern homesteading, based on a recent podcast conversation with experienced homesteader Steve Dinicol.
Enjoying the Fall Season
As fall arrives, the busy harvesting season starts winding down. This time of year is a favorite for many homesteaders, including Steve, as the cooler weather offers a chance to enjoy the beauty of nature. After months of intense gardening, fall brings the opportunity to visit apple orchards, explore state parks, and take in the colorful autumn foliage.
Homesteading isn’t just about work—it’s about enjoying nature and the changing seasons. Fall is also a time to start preparing for winter, preserving what’s left of the garden, and making sure the homestead is ready for the cold months ahead.
Learning From Mistakes
Even experienced homesteaders like Steve face challenges. For example, Steve recently attempted to make apple cider jelly but ended up with a strange separation in the jelly.
Despite reading that natural pectin in apples should help the jelly set, something went wrong. It’s a reminder that mistakes are part of the journey, even for those with years of experience.
What’s important is to learn from failures and not be discouraged. Steve’s advice is to figure out what went wrong, try again, and keep learning along the way.
Managing a Busy Homestead
Steve and his wife manage their 133-acre homestead in British Columbia, Canada, while also working full-time jobs. They raise a variety of animals, including cattle, sheep, and chickens. Surprisingly, they started their homesteading journey gradually—first with chickens and then expanding into gardening and livestock.
One unique part of their homestead is their hay production. By partnering with a neighbor, they’ve been able to get hay harvested without doing all the work themselves, keeping half for their animals and selling the rest. This type of collaboration can be a great way to lighten the workload on a homestead.
Raising Livestock
Raising livestock is a central part of many homesteads, and for Steve, it all started with chickens. Chickens are a great first step for beginners because they provide eggs, meat, and even some income if sold to neighbors.
Steve’s flock of chickens not only gives them eggs but also hatches new chicks regularly, adding to their numbers and providing a fun, colorful variety of birds.
In addition to chickens, Steve and his wife raise cattle and sheep. They’ve even gotten into cattle by accident—one of their neighbors paid them with a steer when they couldn’t afford to pay rent for pasturing horses.
Raising livestock can be rewarding but also has its tough moments. One of their lambs died from bloat, a common problem when bottle-fed lambs switch from milk to hay. It’s moments like these that make homesteading both challenging and educational.
Gardening on a Homestead
Gardening is another vital part of Steve’s homestead. This year, their potatoes and zucchinis grew out of control, while tomatoes didn’t fully ripen due to their short growing season. They are already planning to double the size of their garden next year to produce enough vegetables to last through winter.
Because they live in a zone with a short growing season, Steve is considering building a greenhouse to extend their growing time for crops like tomatoes.
For those with similar short seasons, investing in season extenders like hoop houses or greenhouses can make a big difference in garden production.
The Importance of Learning and Community
One of Steve’s biggest takeaways from his homesteading experience is the importance of learning from others. He learned about mushroom foraging from a mentor and has since expanded his knowledge of different edible mushrooms.
Foraging is a great way to connect with nature and provide free, fresh food. However, it’s important to be sure you know what you’re picking, as some mushrooms can be toxic.
Homesteading is often a community effort. Whether it’s learning how to fix a fence, process livestock, or grow a better garden, a homesteading community is a valuable resource for beginners and seasoned homesteaders alike.
Advice for New Homesteaders
Steve’s advice for new homesteaders is to take it slow. It’s easy to get excited and want to do everything at once—raise animals, plant a huge garden, and more. But taking on too much too soon can lead to burnout. Start small, get good at one thing before moving on to the next, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
Homesteading is a long-term lifestyle, and it’s better to grow slowly and sustainably than to get overwhelmed.
Conclusion
Modern homesteading is a balance of hard work, learning, and enjoying nature. While it comes with challenges—especially when working full-time jobs—it’s a rewarding lifestyle that brings people closer to their food and to the land. By starting small, learning from mistakes, and relying on community, anyone can embark on their own homesteading journey.
Resources and Links from today’s episode:
- Anyone Can Build a Tub-Style Mechanical Chicken Plucker – Paperback by Herrick Kimball
