Homesteaders You Should Be Following on Instagram
Homesteading has its roots in the Homestead Act of 1862 when President Abraham Lincoln signed a law to encourage people to move out West in the United States. These homesteaders received acres of land with the promise of living there for a minimum of five years before gaining ownership. It was a good deal for people who wanted their own land but couldn't afford it; however, the land was untamed and natural. Homesteaders of the late 1800s had to learn how to survive in harsh conditions. Modern homesteaders embrace that same belief in self-sufficiency and living off the land, albeit with fewer trials and tribulations than what the early homesteaders may have experienced.
Courtesy of themoderndaysettler/ Instagram
If you want to learn more about modern homesteading, you don't need to look for untamed mountains and prairies. Modern homesteading means embracing the simple life, like growing a garden, canning your own vegetables to make your own jams and jellies, raising chickens for eggs, and giving back to the land as much as we take from it. It is a sustainability movement that reminds us of the Earth and its resources.
On Instagram, these resourceful men and women show the different ways that we can embrace modern homesteading, from small farms to backyard gardens.
Related: How to Start Your Own Farm
Shanna and Francois Tiayon
Shanna and Francois run Black Suburban Homestead in the greater D.C. Metropolitan area. This busy couple offers courses on eco-friendly living, such as gardening, and share even more tips on their Instagram account. If you've ever wanted to know about composting, growing and preserving your own food, and living an eco-friendly lifestyle in the suburbs, then check them out. Follow: @black_suburban_homestead
Kate St. Cyr
Kate St. Cyr lives on a 1700s New England homestead. Her blog, The Modern Day Settler, covers raising livestock, gardening, and preserving and preparing food. St. Cyr loves the old-fashioned ways of living and shares the tips and tricks for getting started. Get a taste for the homestead life on her account. Follow: @themoderndaysettler
Kimberly Butler
Kimberly Butler runs the The Black Homesteader Instagram account and blog, but she also owns Mood Light Candle. Butler shares vegan recipes as well as tips on running an urban homestead. Living in the city does not mean that you can't embrace the homestead lifestyle, and Butler offers tons of great content on getting started. Follow: @blackhomesteader
Jocelyn Durston
Jocelyn Durston shares life on the Seven Acres Farm on the FarmForLife account. Ecological farming ensures that biodiverse ecosystems are also protected. Durston grows vegetables and flowers. You can order seeds from her website, and find out where Durston will be selling vegetables and flowers around Nova Scotia, Canada. Follow: @farmforlife
Teri Page
Teri Page, her husband, and children built an off-the-grid homestead in Northeast Missouri. They lived without electricity and running water for a year before adding sustainable solar-powered methods to their home. Page's blog, Homestead Honey, provides resources and information on starting the homestead lifestyle. Follow: @homestead_honey
Mandi Chamberlain
Mandi Chamberlain, a registered veterinary nurse, raises a small herd of Nubian dairy goats on a first generation farm in Northern Missouri. She also has horses, Sebastopol geese, and three dogs. Her partner, Casey, a registered nurse, works with her on the farm. Together, they run the blog The Farmer Mandi, which provides great tips on running your own homestead. Follow: @wildoakfarms
Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen
You can even homestead in an urban environment, and Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen show you how on their Instagram and through their blog Root Simple. Get back to the basics with their tips on growing vegetables and herbs, raising animals, and living simply as much as possible. They're also the authors of The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City. Follow: @rootsimple.
