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Comparing Urban, Suburban, and Rural Homesteading

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Jonathon Engels, a long-time vegetarian turned vegan, is currently on a trip from Guatemala to... Read More

As the eco-conscious populous moves nearer and nearer to some semblance of a sustainable lifestyle, homesteading becomes more of a realization. In short, if we want a world with chemical-free local food and fewer “food miles”, we are likely going to have to participate beyond the consumer end of things.

This effort can manifest in many ways—energy, waste, time, etc.—and it can manifest in many places: urban, suburban, and rural. Having a homestead no longer necessarily denotes living in the countryside on a few acres. With edible landscaping and rain catchment barrels, homesteads are popping up in suburban neighborhoods. With rooftop gardens and productive patios, city folk are giving it a go, too.

The trick for aspiring homesteaders is understanding which type of homestead best suits them. Each of these environments has its pros and cons, and each person has his or her or their needs to consider. So, it helps to hash some of this out before diving in headfirst.

Space

Space is a major difference between these different types of homesteads.

On rural homesteads, an acre or two is plenty of space for a bigtime garden, full orchard, and a pond. Taking care of this much is like a proper part-time job.
Suburban plots can often be enough for a vegetable garden that’ll cover most produce needs year-round, not to mention a significant orchard of small fruit trees and berry hedges. This kind of gardening is a pretty serious hobby with pretty serious results.
Urban homesteads will be angling for space. However, they can be very productive. Food can be grown on balconies, patios, rooftops, abandoned lots, and allotments. While this homestead won’t feed a family, it can play a worthwhile role in it.

Goals

The amount of space a homestead has to work with dictates some of the goals.

Once the orchard is established and gardens fully developed, rural homesteads can realistically aim to provide 75-90% of their food, leaving some space for things like rice and flour.
Suburban homesteads can easily provide all vegetable needs in season and produce a surplus of canned and frozen vegetables in the winter. A goal of about 50% might be something to shoot for.
Urban homesteads just don’t have the space to meet a vegan’s demand for vegetables. However, daily salads and a fresh basket of veggies each week from the garden are something to aim for.

Conveniences

Convenience (fast food, imports, entertainment, etc.) is part of the modern life.

Urban homesteads are surrounded by conveniences. That can be great for those who like being in the mix, but it can also result in neglecting the homestead. Jobs might be a walk to the office or a trip on the subway.
Suburban homesteads have all the conveniences a short drive away. Commuting will likely feature in all aspects of life, but getting immediate gratification is often too easy and quick to resist.
Rural homesteads are often out in the sticks. It can be a 30-minute drive to a supermarket or restaurant or anything. It can be a life of careful planning and a willingness to go without until next week’s trip to town.

Costs

Simply put, a small piece of urban land (or an apartment) is going to be far more expensive the suburban or rural areas. Rural spaces are going to have higher gasoline bills for those going back and forth into a city or town every day.

The Grid

Many homesteaders want to get off the grid or, at the very least, produce renewable energy.

Urban homesteaders generally can’t do this personally. It requires space that isn’t afforded them. However, some cities are doing it via policy.
In suburbia, solar panels—assuming there are no HOA objections—are about the only option, and these will be grid-tied systems.
Rural homesteads have more options for living off-the-grid, as well as producing electricity. Wind energy, solar energy, and even micro-hydro become things to investigate. That said, unless some serious cutbacks on appliances are acceptable, most systems will require being connected to the grid.

Neighbors

Neighbors and coworkers, aka friends, are also part of the homesteading considerations.

Rural homesteads can mean neighbors are further away. However, they are oddly more connected in helping one another. The countryside tends to lean towards conservative mindsets, not to say there aren’t liberals in the mix, too.
Urban areas tend to have more progressive viewpoints, and people are plentiful. However, it can have an isolating effect as the easy-breezy approach to time and conversation of rural America disappears in the city.
Suburbia has a good mix. Neighbors are nearby with enough to choose from. People talk to one another and are generally eager to interact.

Waste

How we deal with and utilize waste is huge in homesteading.

Homesteads in the city can have some waste management, such as vermiculture compost and recycling. By and large, waste is going to the landfill.
Suburban areas have the potential for compost bins to handle most of the organic material a home produces: food scraps, cardboard, grass clippings, leaves, and so on.
Rural homesteads have lots of space and time for things to sit until needed, so they can be fantastic places for handling waste. Everything from composting toilets to collecting leaves and wood chips from municipalities can feature. Organic waste can be brought onsite and utilized.

Of course, there is plenty more to think about, but these are huge factors for how a person might approach the idea of becoming a homesteader. One of the best avenues to a successful homestead is to choose the version that best fits. Ultimately, a homestead has to be something we enjoy. It’s nearly impossible to do it any other way.

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