Homesteads vs Farms

 Hey Friends! 

Today on the blog, I'm chatting about the difference between Homesteading vs Farming. Understanding the difference is essential for anyone interested in rural living, agriculture or self-sufficiency. Though both involve cultivating the land, they each have different purposes, scales and operational focuses.

When we first started in 2017, we were Breaux Homestead. In a past post, I had explained how we started our journey based on living a self-sustaining life, learning to grow a garden, prep our pantry and preserve food for our own family before ever turning it into a business. Now, we are Breaux Farms with the skill sets to sustain at home and are able to share with the community, while still very much maintaining a homesteading lifestyle.

Let's chat about the differences!

Farming

Purpose & Philosophy 

The primary purpose of having a Farm is to produce food, fiber, or other agricultural products for sale and profit. Farms are typically commercial enterprises that operate on different level scales. Farming focuses on productivity, efficiency, consistency and involves monoculture.

Homesteading

Purpose & Philosophy

Homesteading is centered around self-sufficient living. The goal is to provide needs for the family rather than focusing on commercial gain. Homesteading also emphasizes diverse, small-scale production and often incorporates sustainable practices. 

Farming 

Scale and Size

Farms can range from small family operations to large industrial enterprises. Larger infrastructure investments, such as gardens, are common due to the scaling goals of the farm.

Homesteading

Scale and Size

Homesteads are smaller in size, focusing on managing a limited area of land efficiency. The size is often dictated by the needs of the household.

Farming

Operations and Activities

A farmer's operations include tilling, planting, harvesting, and raising livestock for market.

Homesteading

Operations and Activities

Homesteaders have a variety of activities including gardening, animal husbandry, food preservation, and sometimes crafting. Operations are usually diverse and include a well-rounded diet and lifestyle of self-sustainability.

Farming

Economic Aspects

Farms are economically driven, with income derived from selling goods, produce and livestock. Farms often rely on market trends and business strategies to stay viable.

Homesteading

Economic Aspects

Homesteads are less economically driven and focuses more on reducing living costs and reliance on external resources. If you've missed my post on how I keep our grocery cost down, you're in for a good read.

Additionally, any extra products may be traded or sold locally, but this is not the primary aim for homesteaders.

So, as you can see, Farms and Homesteads differ significantly in purpose, scale, operations and economic motivations. Understanding these differences can help anyone trying to decide which path aligns best with their values and goals.

While you're here, make sure you check out all of my other great, informational posts.