Urban Homesteading: Is it really possible in the Great White North?

Last week, Matador Life featured a post about Urban Homesteading. The title of the post instantly piqued my curiosity as I read aloud two seemingly incongruent words. Urban. Homesteading. I’d never heard the words used together before, but backed up to each other they had a nice wholesome sound about them that left me wanting more.

As it turns out, urban homesteading is quite close to the lifestyle I aspire to. But having recently relocated to the great white north of Atlantic Canada, I’m struggling to make this a reality. Fantastically inspirational blogs and websites like Path to Freedom and Home Grown Evolution divulge the inner-secrets of this self-sufficient way of life, however many of these said families and individuals also happen to have settled in temperate climates and in progressive communities. But unfortunately for me, Charlottetown doesn’t happen to be either temperate or progressive, and I’m not exactly ready to call myself settled. So my question is…is urban homesteading really possible for everyone?

Climate

From November through April, many northern climates transform into frozen tundra, which means you’ll probably spend many cold days and nights dreaming of fresh greens. Over at Sustainable Urban Homestead they suggest a winter cold shed for growing greens, swiss chard, onions, and even carrots during the winters. Will this work in a place that averages below zero for months on end? I’m not sure. But regardless, summer harvests are absolutely essential for winter survival. Even the most seasoned urban homesteaders drop their reliance on homegrown food during the winter months by about half, so be prepared to get creative about your food sources. We don’t want you traipsing back to the big box store out of desperation!

Practical Tip:

• Northern climates have a short growing season, so be sure to plan your planting and harvesting cycles well so that you get the most out of your crops. Think seed parties in January!
• Host canning and drying parties in the throughout the summer and swap produce varieties to keep your variety up.
• Chop up freshly harvested carrots, summer squash, peas, cauliflower, etc. as they come in throughout the summer and freeze in an airtight container. Voila! You’ve just created your very own frozen vegetables!
• If space allows, investing in a small greenhouse will allow for more productive crops during the winters.
• As a general rule of thumb, you can expect to consume about 4 pounds of food daily. If during the winters, you let your homegrown food percentage drop to just 50% of your total consumption, you’ll need 360 pounds of produce to get you through 6 months of winter.

I’m a Renter

Depending on the agreeability of your landlord and your long term plans for staying put, owning a home isn’t an absolute essential to transforming your place into an urban homestead. That being said, the initial investments and ongoing work required to sustain an urban homestead are substantial, so unless you plan to stay in your rented place for at least a few years, it may be wise to consider some smaller lifestyle changes like supporting your local farmers market, implementing drive-free days, or switching to a vegetarian or locavore diet before shelling out time and hard earned cash on a place that’s temporary. And remember if you do decide to transform your rented space into an urban homestead, make sure to have a chat with your landlord about your plans before you start digging up the sod.

Practical Tip:

• If your landlord isn’t willing to sign on to the idea of making his property into a micro-farm, consider joining a community garden where you can not only grow your food, but swap tips and advice with other like-minded members.
• Municipal greenhouses are becoming more popular, and often times in exchange for a small fee, they’ll let you have access to your own little corner. Call town hall to inquire.
• If you have a basement, a spare room, or even just a corner of a room, you can set up grow lights to keep herbs and a few veggies going when the weather outside is less than balmy.

Community Support & Alternative Food Sources

The support of your community should not be underestimated. The winters are long, and storing enough of your homegrown food to sustain you can be extremely challenging. We’re a culture that has become accustomed to enjoying the diversity of strawberries year round and bananas flown in from thousands of miles away, but when growing your own, this same flurry of variety simply isn’t possible.  Epicurious is a great place to help you get creative when by March you’re in desperate need of a new way to prepare winter squash. Realistically, eating solely from food produced in your backyard is unlikely, but by taking the locavore pledge, you too can successfully get through the winter with a few modern conveniences while still being friendly to mother earth.

Practical Tip:

• Join a food share and participate in monthly potluck dinners with members. Homegrown food tastes even better with great company.
• Familiarize yourself with alternative food options in your area where local, organic, and free trade products are available, like food co-ops, year round farmer’s markets, and family farms.

So can anyone do it? Do I have what it takes to be an urban homesteader? Yes of course anyone can transform their life to take a stand against peak oil, our consumerist culture, and climate change. Anything is possible if you have the time, finances, and absolute will to dedicate your life to it. But lets be realistic here, for me I’ve still got just a bit too much wanderlust pulsing through me that the notion of settling down anywhere long enough to experience a full cycle of the seasons seems just a little claustrophobic. So for now, I’ll continue to buy local and start the 100 mile diet, add a few more herbs to my indoor garden, and get back into the habit of relying more on my feet than my car. But one day, I too will take the pledge to be an urban homesteader, regardless if I am living in the plains of the great white north or in the golden hills of California.