# Self Sustenance: Homesteading and Off-Grid Living - webcentive

Source: https://www.webcentive.com/selfsustenance/  
Format: Markdown version of the HTML page (same content, lookups and page chrome left out).

Self-reliance for homesteads, small farms and off-grid homes: emergency preparedness, growing and preserving food, water, power, small livestock and building skills. Start with a Ready.gov plan and kit (at least a gallon of water per person per day for several days) and your state's Cooperative Extension office. Can food only with tested recipes from the National Center for Home Food Preservation or the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning; low-acid foods like vegetables, meats and beans must be pressure-canned to prevent botulism. Test private well water at least once a year, and check your state and local rules before collecting rainwater. Get off-grid solar and battery systems designed and installed by a licensed electrician or NABCEP-certified pro, and be wary of door-to-door solar offers. Backyard poultry can carry Salmonella, so wash your hands after handling birds.  

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Links last checked Oct 18, 2026.  

- **Prepare first: emergency plans and kits (start here)**
- [fema.gov](https://www.fema.gov/) - FEMA: disaster help and flood maps | [X: @fema](https://x.com/fema)
- [ready.gov](https://www.ready.gov/) - Ready.gov: make an emergency plan | [X: @Readygov](https://x.com/Readygov)
- [ready.gov (kit)](https://www.ready.gov/kit) - Ready.gov: build a supply kit | [X: @Readygov](https://x.com/Readygov)
- [ready.gov (power outages)](https://www.ready.gov/power-outages) - Ready.gov: power outages and generator safety | [X: @Readygov](https://x.com/Readygov)
- [ready.gov (water)](https://www.ready.gov/water) - Ready.gov: store and treat emergency water | [X: @Readygov](https://x.com/Readygov)
- [redcross.org](https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies.html) - American Red Cross: how to prepare for emergencies | [X: @RedCross](https://x.com/RedCross)
- **Grow your own food: USDA and extension**
- [attra.ncat.org](https://attra.ncat.org/) - ATTRA (NCAT): free sustainable agriculture guides | X: none found
- [extension.org](https://extension.org/find-cooperative-extension-in-your-state/) - Find Cooperative Extension in your state: free local gardening, livestock and food-safety help | [X: @ExtFoundation](https://x.com/ExtFoundation)
- [growveg.com](https://www.growveg.com/) - GrowVeg: vegetable garden planner (on the old page) | X: none found
- [nifa.usda.gov](https://www.nifa.usda.gov/land-grant-colleges-and-universities-partner-website-directory) - USDA NIFA: land-grant university (extension) directory | X: none found
- [nrcs.usda.gov](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/eqip-high-tunnel-initiative) - USDA NRCS High Tunnel Initiative: cost-share for season-extending hoop houses | X: none found
- [planthardiness.ars.usda.gov](https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/) - USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map | [X: @USDA_ARS](https://x.com/USDA_ARS)
- [sare.org](https://www.sare.org/) - SARE: Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education | X: none found
- [usda.gov](https://www.usda.gov/) - U.S. Department of Agriculture | [X: @USDA](https://x.com/USDA)
- **Canning and food storage safety**
- [amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=canning+supplies&tag=webcentive0d-20) - Amazon: canning supplies | [X: @amazon](https://x.com/amazon)
- [ballmasonjars.com](https://www.ballmasonjars.com/) - Ball: canning jars and recipes | X: none found
- [cdc.gov](https://www.cdc.gov/botulism/prevention/home-canned-foods.html) - CDC: home-canned foods and botulism | X: none found
- [dehydrate2store.com](https://dehydrate2store.com/) - Dehydrate2Store: food dehydrating (on the old page) | X: none found
- [nchfp.uga.edu](https://nchfp.uga.edu/) - National Center for Home Food Preservation: tested canning, freezing and drying recipes | X: none found
- [nchfp.uga.edu (USDA guide)](https://nchfp.uga.edu/resources/category/usda-guide) - USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning | X: none found
- **Water: wells, rainwater and conservation**
- [arcsa.org](https://www.arcsa.org/) - ARCSA: American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association | X: none found
- [cdc.gov (well testing)](https://www.cdc.gov/drinking-water/safety/guidelines-for-testing-well-water.html) - CDC: guidelines for testing well water | X: none found
- [epa.gov](https://www.epa.gov/privatewells) - EPA: private drinking water wells | [X: @EPA](https://x.com/EPA)
- [epa.gov (rain barrels)](https://www.epa.gov/soakuptherain/soak-rain-rain-barrels) - EPA Soak Up the Rain: rain barrels | [X: @EPA](https://x.com/EPA)
- [epa.gov (WaterSense)](https://www.epa.gov/watersense) - EPA WaterSense: save water at home | [X: @EPA](https://x.com/EPA)
- [rainwaterharvesting.tamu.edu](https://rainwaterharvesting.tamu.edu/) - Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: rainwater harvesting | X: none found
- **Off-grid and solar power**
- [dsireusa.org](https://dsireusa.org/) - DSIRE: state solar and efficiency incentives | [X: @DSIREUSA](https://x.com/DSIREUSA)
- [energy.gov](https://www.energy.gov/cmei/systems/windexchange/small-wind-guidebook) - U.S. Department of Energy Small Wind Guidebook: stand-alone and hybrid wind-solar off-grid systems, batteries and inverters | [X: @ENERGY](https://x.com/ENERGY)
- [energy.gov (consumer guide)](https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2022-08/ES-ConsumerGuide-Residential-Renewable-Energy.pdf) - DOE Energy Saver: consumer guide to residential renewable energy (PDF) | [X: @ENERGY](https://x.com/ENERGY)
- [energy.gov (solar)](https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/homeowners-guide-going-solar) - DOE: Homeowner's Guide to Going Solar | [X: @ENERGY](https://x.com/ENERGY)
- [homepower.com](https://www.homepower.com/) - Home Power magazine: downloadable off-grid archive (on the old page) | X: none found
- [nabcep.org](https://www.nabcep.org/) - NABCEP: find a certified solar installer | [X: @NABCEP](https://x.com/NABCEP)
- **Chickens and small livestock**
- [7springsfarm.com](https://www.7springsfarm.com/) - Seven Springs Farm Supply: organic farm and garden supplies (on the old page) | X: none found
- [backyardchickens.com](https://www.backyardchickens.com/) - BackYard Chickens: forums and coop guides (on the old page) | X: none found
- [cdc.gov (backyard poultry)](https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-pets/about/backyard-poultry.html) - CDC: backyard poultry and Salmonella safety | X: none found
- [strombergschickens.com](https://www.strombergschickens.com/) - Stromberg's: chicks and poultry supplies (on the old page) | X: none found
- **Homesteading know-how, skills and community (commercial and blogs)**
- [akzeigers.com](https://www.akzeigers.com/) - The Zeiger Family Homestead (Alaska) (on the old page) | X: none found
- [homesteading.com](https://homesteading.com/) - Homesteading.com: off-grid living guides | X: none found
- [ilsr.org](https://ilsr.org/) - Institute for Local Self-Reliance (on the old page) | [X: @ilsr](https://x.com/ilsr)
- [journeytoforever.org](https://www.journeytoforever.org/) - Journey to Forever: small farms, biofuels and self-reliance (on the old page) | X: none found
- [makezine.com](https://makezine.com/) - Make: DIY projects (on the old page) | [X: @make](https://x.com/make)
- [motherearthnews.com](https://www.motherearthnews.com/) - Mother Earth News: homesteading since 1970 (on the old page) | [X: @MotherEarthNews](https://x.com/MotherEarthNews)
- [onagocag.com](https://www.onagocag.com/) - Onagocag: primitive technology books and tools (on the old page) | X: none found
- [permies.com](https://permies.com/) - Permies: permaculture and homesteading forums | X: none found
- [pigeonmountaintrading.com](https://pigeonmountaintrading.com/) - Pigeon Mountain Trading: primitive skills supplies (on the old page) | X: none found
- [primitiveways.com](https://www.primitiveways.com/) - Primitive Ways: traditional skills (on the old page) | X: none found
- [self-sufficient-life.com](https://www.self-sufficient-life.com/) - Self Sufficient Life (on the old page) | X: none found
- [sufficientself.com](https://www.sufficientself.com/) - SufficientSelf: sustainable lifestyle (on the old page) | X: none found
- [thesurvivalpodcast.com](https://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/) - The Survival Podcast: modern homesteading (on the old page) | X: none found
- [thingiverse.com](https://www.thingiverse.com/) - Thingiverse: free 3D-printable parts and tools (on the old page) | [X: @thingiverse](https://x.com/thingiverse)
- [treehugger.com](https://www.treehugger.com/) - Treehugger: sustainability (on the old page) | X: none found
- [underthechokotree.com](https://www.underthechokotree.com/) - Under the Choko Tree: living sustainably in the suburbs (on the old page) | X: none found
- [wildwoodsurvival.com](https://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/) - Wildwood Survival: wilderness skills (on the old page) | X: none found
- **Self-reliant building**
- [earthshelteredtechnology.com](https://earthshelteredtechnology.com/) - Earth Sheltered Technology: earth-sheltered homes (earthshelteredtech.com on the old page) | X: none found
- [newenglandbarn.com](https://www.newenglandbarn.com/) - The New England Barn Company: timber frame barns (on the old page) | X: none found

Number of links: 56  
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