A couple of weeks after the discussions of whether or not I would be transporting goats in our Outback, I picked up

  
this copy of Mother Earth News.  Joel asked what I was reading and when I showed him he said,”Oooh good grief”.

Anyway, while perusing it’s pages, I came across this sentence, “Planting multiple food gardens and hauling sheep in your car may mean you’re a homesteader”.  I assume that includes goats…and if it does…I just may be a homesteader.  But, more than likely, it would probably just classify me as a redneck.

According to my current understanding, a homesteader is someone who is self sufficient…and you can take that as far as you like.

Somewhere I read that there are four levels of homesteading.

• Level 1 – you have a year round garden.
• Level 2 – you have a year round garden plus hens for eggs.
• Level 3 – you have a year round garden, hens for eggs and livestock for meat.
• Level 4 – you have all of the above plus a couple of goats or a cow for dairy.

Kinda like working your way up through the marshal arts.

I do have a few herbs and winter vegetables

   

scattered throughout my flower beds.

  
And, I have hens for eggs, not to mention those that I butchered this summer.

So I guess that means that with a little more work, I could be a third degree homesteader.

I will admit I have allowed the homesteading idea to roll around in my head for some time now.  And…it’s mostly been a romantic idea. But if it would keep me from having to go to the grocery store…becoming a fourth degree homesteader…just might be worth my while.