I love reading about homesteading back in the late 1800s thru the 1940s. I also like to study photos from earlier times, especially kitchens to see what they used. Back then there was no microwave, Kitchenaids or food processors. What you had was what you had and it better be durable as there was no Walmart around the corner to replace what you just broke. Most household kitchen countertops today are cluttered with all kinds of machines designed to make our lives easier. Today’s homesteader can spend a lot of money on “essential” tools only to sell them off for pennies at the next yard sale. Having been a homesteader for over 15 years, I will go over some of tools, appliances, and gear that have worked well for us.
Let me state right at the beginning here that I have not received any money or anything of value from the companies or products that I will be speaking about. My evaluations and opinions are based on my personal experience. Your mileage may vary! My goal is just to help out others. If I can save you time and money all the better. There are a lot of gadgets out there designed to save us time and money but some do not live up to their expectations and can be quite costly. Please learn from my mistakes!
IN THE KITCHEN
Let’s face it, this is where all the action happens. This is where everyone gathers around the table and visits. It’s the heart of the home and homestead. There are many gadgets out there that are designed to “help” us out and shortcut time and effort. Some of these gadgets require more time assembling, disassembling and cleaning that it would take for me to take a knife and cutting board and just get the job done. Good cutlery is absolutely necessary in our home. Years ago when mom asked what I wanted for Christmas, my reply was a set of Henckels knives. Mom did some research and got us the Henckels set with the 2 -Man logo on it. The two man logo represented the Zwilling line of knives. Zwilling is made by Henckels and is the higher end of their products. I was impressed by mom’s research as I was not even aware of this. I gave one of the knives a “test run” on a turnip. I have had turnips I could have used a chainsaw on they were so hard. The Henckel knife cut through that turnip like it was butter. I stopped, counted my fingers, no blood (a good sign) and was stunned at the difference a good quality knife versus a Walmart special can do! A good fillet knife is also essential in our kitchen. Rich saw a YouTube video about building a rotary sharpener from an old grinder motor. Our knives are surgically sharp now.
Good manual can openers are a must. You can get one for a few dollars but generally you get what you pay for. I have no specific recommendations here. The same goes for vegetable peelers. My husband sharpens our peelers and that improves their performance. I do have the Kitchenaid mixer which I purchased at a ridiculously low price at a pre-Thanksgiving sale some big box store was having several years ago. Free shipping was included so I decided to get myself a Christmas present. I always wanted a Kitchenaid mixer but the price was too steep. I have never regretted this purchase. It saves wear and tear on my hands and arms and the bread hook is awesome. This is a good investment for a busy kitchen.
I find that a good food processor is necessary to save time and for uniformity in product size in recipes. I currently have a Hamilton Beach processor which replaced the old one which caught on fire…no, I am not exaggerating here, there were actual flames coming out of it. I do not remember the brand of that particular food processor but it did last many years. When I first started canning, I wanted to do everything the old-fashioned way. No food processors for me! I was making cranberry apple relish and grabbed that food processor off the shelf after 5 minutes of intense frustration. Cutting cranberries is like trying to cut round, rolling rocks. I could see a trip to the emergency room in my future if I kept trying to manually cut those cranberries. As long as there is electricity, I am no longer too proud to take advantage of it.
Cast iron pans, some very old stainless steel Revere ware pots and fry pan, and even older granite ware dutch ovens are also used for cooking. I have Lodge cast iron and some knockoffs and both perform well. The key is seasoning the cast iron and cleaning it properly. It does need re-seasoning periodically. Coat a clean pan with oil (we use lard), wipe off excess and place face down in over at 400 degrees. Place a piece of aluminum foil underneath to catch for drips. Bake for one hour and let cool. Cast iron will cheerfully keep on chugging even after many seasons.
Last year for Christmas mu Mom gave us some LockNLock food storage containers. These containers are great and very hardy. They don’t warp and change shape when microwaved like the cheap ones do. A note of caution is never to lock down the lid while heating in a microwave. My husband managed to destroy one of our containers doing this as we could not get the lid off.
I have a Weston Roma food mill which works very well. It takes a few minutes putting it together but well worth the time it will save you. I store all the parts in a plastic storage box, labeled and ready to go when needed. My pressure canner is a Presto brand. I have had it for 17 years now. I keep extra gaskets on hand and change the pressure gauge every few years. Folks have strong opinions on knockoff canning jars. I have used many knockoff brands, as well as Ball brand canning jars and have not noticed any significant differences. My only preference is wide-mouth jars. I find them easier to fill and seem to hold a bit more than the regular jars.
Canning lids, however, are another story. I have had limited success with some knockoff lids. I ordered several sleeves of generic lids from Amazon and they were okay. If I dropped one on the floor, it dented much more easily than Ball brand. That said, I have boxes of Ball lids from years ago and compared to today’s Ball lids, the newer ones are much thinner. I have also used the reusable plastic canning lids with limited success. I try to stick with metal lids as long as they are available and will save the reusable plastic lids as a last resort if I ever run out of metal ones. I know a lot of people will reuse the metal lids. I have tried it this year but only if the lid was used for jelly or jam. I would never reuse a lid that was previously sealing a meat product or something like pickles, which tend to stain the metal. The pickle smell is also next to impossible to get out of the lids.
CLEANING SUPPLIES
Most of our cleaning supplies are made with vinegar, borax, baking soda and some other secret ingredients my husband combines. Rich cannot tolerate fragrances and he was forced to learn to make very effective cleaners. It costs next to nothing to make the cleaning solutions and we know what is in them. Nothing cleans windows better than newpapers. Pick up one of those free papers that are always at the exits of grocery stores. Borax has many uses. We premix it in a clean soda bottle and add it to the laundry. It is also a great insect repellent but can be toxic to pets and kids so some degree of caution is needed here. Use common sense with all chemicals, including “safe” chemicals.
Bar Keepers Friend powder is a great product also. On my copper bottom Revere ware, it removes the tarnish and they look brand new. It does a better job than other name brands of scouring powder but without bleach or a without a weird smell claiming to be a fresh mountain scent. Trust me, I live in the mountains and real mountain air smells nothing like what is claimed to be fresh mountain scent produced in laboratories. Besides, who wants to eat off dishes that have a strange chemically-made floral smell that competes with the taste and smell of food?
I favor 7th Generation Free and Clear Fragrance Free laundry detergent for our clothes. This detergent is plant based and we used the laundry waste water on plants as a grey water system we had set up some time ago. The plants thrived and the water was recycled and was huge help during a very dry summer. 7th Generation also makes a great Fragrance Free dish detergent.
CLOTHING
Please keep in mind we live in Maine so my clothing recommendations tend to be for much colder climates. Anything made from wool is great at keeping you warm, even when wet. I personally find wool to be extremely itchy so I cannot let it touch my skin. One hundred percent ragg wool socks are the best but after 5 minutes on my feet, they feel like bees stinging me! I can resolve this with a pair of thin polypropylene socks underneath the wool ones and enjoy warm, dry feet. Winter boots are very expensive, so choose wisely. There is nothing worse than shelling out a small fortune on boots only to be disappointed. By the time you find out the boots are junk, it’s too late to return them. I find Muck Boots to be okay but they will only last one to two years. Keep in mind I spend a lot of time working and walking outdoors and that probably shortens the life expectancy of these boots. A good non-snow boot I like is Nevados brand. They are comfortable and reasonably priced.
Gloves do not keep my hands warm no matter what make or material but mittens work wonderfully. Fox River double ragg wool mittens rock! They are merino wool with a soft lining. I go thru a pair a year as I wear them out shoveling, raking the roof, cleaning out the chicken house, etc. WearGuard winter parkas are unbelievable for warmth and durability. They are a basic parka, not stylish or colorful but will keep you warm and dry which is the goal. Duluth Trading Company fire hose pants are basically indestructable. I have walked thru blackberry briars and put up fencing without my legs being shredded. I also have a Duluth Trading fire hose jacket which is well worth the money. My Duluth jacket has outperformed my Carhartt jacket in durability and warmth.
OUTDOORS WORK
Our snowblower is a Husqvarna brand machine and it’s about 18 years old. It still works like a champ. At the end of the season hubby winterizes and parks it for next winter. We purchased a log splitter used from a home that I always admired because the yard looked perfect and clean, as were their cars. We were going to purchase the log splitter brand new as I don’t need anyone else’s problems but these folks took care and maintained everything they own. It’s a Troy Built log splitter with a Honda engine. Works beautifully every time. Our chainsaw is a Husqvarna also. It’s about 14 years old and is still going but we lent it to a supposed friend who beat the crap out of it and knocked off a few years of it’s life. The lesson learned there was not to lend out your tools unless you really, really trust that person to be respectful of your belongings.
Garden tools and snow shovels are up to the individual as to your specific requirements. These tools come in all shapes and materials. For anything with a wood handle, I wrap the handle where my hands go with duck tape. I tend to forget to put on work gloves and the tape prevents splinters. I prefer a heavy aluminum shovel for the chicken coop but for snow removal, the lighter material (plastic) is always best for me. I would like to purchase a broad fork for breaking up soil but the price has always put me off. I get by with the pitchfork which has been with us longer than I can remember. There are many shovels, cultivators, and weeders to pick from. You generally get what you pay for with these tools. I have had cheap shovels that bent in half after first use.
Fiskars brand has some decent hand tools and I love their clippers. My husband is great at sharpening knives, tools, etc. For safety, it’s important to have a good cutting edge on tools. You are actually less likely to cut yourself on a good sharp edge because the tool is working properly and you are using less force to make up for a dull blade. Dull blades tend to slip and then bloodshed occurs. If you ever meet me in person, ask me the story about my husband slaughtering ducks and a trip to the local emergency room! I won’t bore you with the details but that accident was avoidable. Work smart and safely. Rushing causes carelessness and carelessness leads to accidents and expensive medical bills!
For our critters I find the best feeders and waterers are metal. Plastic is real nice and lightweight to handle in warm weather but shatters and cracks easily in cold temps. We have metal base heater for the galvanized metal chicken waterer. It only heats up when the temperature drops below a certain degree and doesn’t draw a lot of electricity.
MY MUST-HAVE TOP FIVE BOOKS
I am a self-admitted book addict. No Kindle in our house. I love holding books, the feel, the smell of the paper! I have a huge library of homesteading books so I limited it to the top five I consider my go to books.
1. The Bible – read it. It is not meant to sit on the shelf to impress people. Blow the dust off of it and the most important information of your life is within these pages. Share what you have read!
2. The Ball Blue Book of Canning – if you are getting a new copy, get the most recent edition. There are recipes and advice from beginners to veteran canners.
3. Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits and Vegetables by Mike and Nancy Bubel. This book has all sorts of ideas for food storage.
4. The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery. This book contains info on everything you need to know for country/rural life.
5. The Vegetable Bible by Edward C. Smith The best gardening book around. When purchasing a garden book make sure it’s compatible with your growing zone.
Conclusion
I hope some of these recommendations help you. Due to the outrageous price of everything now, do your research on products before you make any purchases. If you see someone while you are out using a particular piece of equipment you have thought about purchasing, stop and introduce yourself and ask the person their opinion. You may end up making a friend in the process, an added bonus! Get out there and enjoy the nice weather and get to work!