Rank 5 of 5 · Indefinite
Homestead
Living off the land
Homestead is the top of the trail. Instead of storing months of supplies, you produce them: food from the garden and livestock, water from your own well or rain catchment, and power from the sun, backed by the skills to keep it running for years.
Who it's for
Trail Bosses ready to stop counting days: homesteaders and families building a place that produces what it needs.
Start with
A garden plan and a water source audit for your land (well or rainwater, checked against your state's rules).
Goals
- Grow a meaningful share of your food, and save seed season to season.
- Raise livestock suited to your land and climate.
- Preserve the harvest: canning, drying, and a root cellar.
- Run your own water from a well or rainwater system, within the law.
- Live on off-grid solar for the essentials, with a plan for maintenance.
Checklist
Skills and gear milestones
Work through these at your own pace. Print the page and tick them off as you go.
Food production
- A garden that produces through the growing season
- Open-pollinated seed saved and stored from your own crops
- Livestock (chickens, goats, or similar) with housing, feed, and a care plan
- Tools and fencing to keep it all protected
Preservation
- Pressure and water-bath canning with USDA-tested recipes
- A dehydrator or drying setup
- A root cellar or cool storage for roots, squash, and apples
Water, power, and land
- A well or rainwater system, permitted where required (Colorado limits rain barrels, so check state rules)
- Off-grid solar with battery storage for the essentials
- Firewood or another renewable heat source you can keep up with
- Soil, water rights, and land use understood for your property
Skills
- Build and repair: carpentry, plumbing, and small engines
- Plan a full year of planting, harvest, and storage
- Pass the skills down to family and neighbors
Recommended lists
The Homestead shelves
Coming soon: shelf being stocked
Garden and Seed-Saving List
Planning, seed stock, and tools for food production.
Coming soon: shelf being stocked
Preservation and Root Cellar List
Canning, drying, and cool storage for the harvest.
Coming soon: shelf being stocked
Off-Grid Water and Solar Checklist
Well, rainwater, and solar systems for the long haul.
Role add-ons: coming soon
Role gear sized for the Homestead rank (Ramrod (Leader), Sawbones (Medic), Cookie (Cook), Lookout (Comms), Scout (Navigation & Security), Fixer (Tools & Repair)) is in the works. No picks or prices yet.
Top of the trail
This is the last rank, but the work keeps going. Run your drills, rotate your stores, and bring the next Greenhorn along.
Help a Greenhorn get started