Unlock the secrets to a self-sufficient lifestyle with "Homesteading in Illinois"—your ultimate guide to transforming your dream of sustainable living into reality. Dive into the rich history and culture of homesteading in the Prairie State and discover why Illinois is uniquely suited for this rewarding way of life. Whether you're a newcomer to the concept or looking to take your homesteading skills to the next level, this comprehensive eBook offers everything you need. Start with creating your sustainable garden learn to choose the right location, prepare the soil, and select the most resilient crops. Discover the benefits of permaculture and agroforestry, and transform your garden into a self-sustaining ecosystem. Conserve water through innovative techniques like rainwater harvesting and gray water recycling, and ensure your homestead remains vibrant and lush. Raise livestock ethically and sustainably; from setting up shelters to choosing the best breeds for Illinois’ unique climate. Intrigued by beekeeping? Get started with simple steps to maintain hives and produce honey—right in your backyard. Energy independence is within reach with renewable energy solutions including solar panels, wind turbines, and biomass energy. Embrace the age-old techniques of preserving your harvest through canning, drying, and root cellaring, ensuring you enjoy homegrown produce year-round. Dive into homemade dairy and fermented products with simple recipes for cheese, yogurt, and other treats. Health and well-being are also covered, from growing medicinal herbs to managing stress and maintaining physical fitness. Engage with your local community, build networks, and explore legal aspects to ensure your homestead thrives within regulatory frameworks. "Homesteading in Illinois" is more than just a how-to guide—it's an invitation to a lifestyle that promises fulfillment, self-reliance, and a deeper connection with nature. Make the most of Illinois' bounty and start your homesteading journey today!

"Homesteading the Plains offers a bold new look at the history of homesteading, overturning what for decades has been the orthodox scholarly view. The authors begin by noting the striking disparity between the public's perception of homesteading as a cherished part of our national narrative and most scholars' harshly negative and dismissive treatment. Homesteading the Plains reexamines old data and draws from newly available digitized records to reassess the current interpretation's four principal tenets: homesteading was a minor factor in farm formation, with most Western farmers purchasing their land; most homesteaders failed to prove up their claims; the homesteading process was rife with corruption and fraud; and homesteading caused Indian land dispossession. Using data instead of anecdotes and focusing mainly on the nineteenth century, Homesteading the Plainsdemonstrates that the first three tenets are wrong and the fourth only partially true. In short, the public's perception of homesteading is perhaps more accurate than the one scholars have constructed. Homesteading the Plainsprovides the basis for an understanding of homesteading that is startlingly different from current scholarly orthodoxy. "--

Once upon a time, people had a real connection with the land. Instead of being mere consumers, they were producers and makers. Traditional skills were learned to eliminate a reliance on others, enabling the self-sufficiency that's at the heart of the Do-It-Yourself movement. And this artisanal wisdom was passed on to family and friends.

”You’re either buried with your crystals or your shotgun.” That laconic comment captures the hippies-versus-hicks conflict that divides, and in some ways defines, modern-day homesteaders. It also reveals that back to-the-landers, though they may seek lives off the grid, remain connected to the most pressing questions confronting the United States today. Jason Strange shows where homesteaders fit, and don't fit, within contemporary America. Blending history with personal stories, Strange visits pig roasts and bohemian work parties to find people engaged in a lifestyle that offers challenge and fulfillment for those in search of virtues like self-employment, frugality, contact with nature, and escape from the mainstream. He also lays bare the vast differences in education and opportunity that leave some homesteaders dispossessed while charting the tensions that arise when people seek refuge from the ills of modern society—only to find themselves indelibly marked by the system they dreamed of escaping.

2018 Nebraska Book Award 2018 Outstanding Academic Title, selected by Choice Homesteading the Plains offers a bold new look at the history of homesteading, overturning what for decades has been the orthodox scholarly view. The authors begin by noting the striking disparity between the public’s perception of homesteading as a cherished part of our national narrative and most scholars’ harshly negative and dismissive treatment. Homesteading the Plains reexamines old data and draws from newly available digitized records to reassess the current interpretation’s four principal tenets: homesteading was a minor factor in farm formation, with most Western farmers purchasing their land; most homesteaders failed to prove up their claims; the homesteading process was rife with corruption and fraud; and homesteading caused Indian land dispossession. Using data instead of anecdotes and focusing mainly on the nineteenth century, Homesteading the Plains demonstrates that the first three tenets are wrong and the fourth only partially true. In short, the public’s perception of homesteading is perhaps more accurate than the one scholars have constructed. Homesteading the Plains provides the basis for an understanding of homesteading that is startlingly different from current scholarly orthodoxy.