So if you have found your way to this post then I can only assume you know a micro homesteader or are one yourself and looking for gift ideas! This is a curated list of things I have and love or am desperately hoping to find under the tree myself this year! So hopefully you will find this micro homesteader gift guide helpful in picking that perfect gift for the homesteader in your life or filling out your own wish list.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
So without any further ado, let’s jump into the gift giving ideas!
Personal Rise Garden
I just recently got my hands on a personal Rise Garden and I LOVE it. I have typically used my Aerogarden Farm Plus to grow hydroponically in the past but recently came across this new company. To say that these guys care about plants and growing hydroponically would be an understatement! Their app is incredible and all their Rise Gardens are just so damn pretty to look at. On top of that, they are hella functional! So while it is by far the most expensive thing on this list it doesn’t open the door to growing food year-round. Which is pretty amazing when you think about it!
Banneton bread proofing basket
Breadmaking is a key skill for any micro homesteader. Once you start making your own bread and start to realize that it lasts only a fraction of the time that grocery store bread does it just makes you want to keep making your own bread! So having a nice bread proofing bowl can be a great addition to a micro homesteader’s kitchen. The main purpose of a banneton is to help hold the shape of the dough as it proofs and rises. Click here to check out the banneton bread proofing basket.
Vertically stacked planter
I just recently found out about this marvel in vertical gardening and found myself wondering where it had been all my life! This is the ONE thing I am most hoping to find under the tree on Christmas morning. I even bought one for my mum as well. She loves to garden, but since moving to a condo she has limited space to work with. That said the woman still manages to grow potatoes, tomatoes, beans, basil and a few other things on her little balcony. Where there is a will there is a way! So if a vertically stacked planter is a must then click here.
Back to Roots aquaponic fish tank
Next on the list is the Back to Roots aquaponics fish tank, this little gem is great for any age. It would be perfect for any kid wanting a fish for Christmas and then BAM tack on a lesson about growing food. See that’s how we raise little micro homesteaders! I had one of these for years and then passed it on to a friend when I got my larger fish tank. But funny how things go full circle. Now I’m honestly annoyed with old Kiri that gave this gem away and it’s back on my own Christmas list for this year!
Bokashi Composting Starter Kit
No space? No problem! If you want to compost that is. The Bokashi composting system fits under your kitchen counter and can compost just about anything! Yes, even bones and dairy!!! Even with my current rotating outdoor composter and with my planned vermicomposting setup I still have a Bokashi under my counter. It is perfect. for apartment dwellers as it works acerbically so there is no smell. You fill it with all your scrapings and it will provide you with soil and compost tea.
Grow your own mushrooms kit
So this one made it onto my list thanks to a YouTube rabbit hole I fell down yesterday. Now I find myself on a quest to grow my own mushrooms as home. It’s a great way to add some diversity into what. you are growing on your micro homestead and a great addition to any diet. Plus, as with just about everything you grow yourself at home it’s going to be way more nutritious! So if you want to jump onto the mushroom growing train as well then click here.
Cookbooks
Ok so full disclosure I am a cookbook junkie and while I do get recipes online I still LOVE owning physical cookbooks. So given that I have so many and can’t pick just one, I will just list my 5 personal favourites that I own below.
- Thug Kitchen: Eat like you give a f*ck
- Preserving by the pint
- Half Baked Harvest Cookbook
- The Oh she glows cookbook
- Practical Paleo
Teaming with Microbes
There are so many awesome gardening books that just about any micro homesteader would be happy to have. I am calling out this one as it is the most recent one I have purchased myself and I love it. I am on a quest to build the best soil I can possibly have and to do that I need to work to build and sustain the microbes in my soil. So this book seemed like a great start. If you want to get your hands on this one click here. There are also two companion books (both are on my wish list) Teaming with fungi and Teaming with nutrients.
Cast iron pan
Every self-respecting micro homesteader should own a cast iron pan. They are an amazing kitchen tool and beat out those horrible Teflon pans any day. And while they do require a bit more care their versatility makes up for it. I personally have a lodge cast iron pan myself and I love it. The fact that it can go from the range to the oven is a huge benefit. A good cast iron pan lasts YEARS and can easily be passed down through generations. Which pretty much makes it an investment more than a gift!
Pickle pebble
A what? I know it sounds weird but if you know someone who likes to ferment veggies then this is the gift for them! I use mine to make sauerkraut and fermented dill pickles and it is amazing! Basically, it is a heavy glass puck that helps to keep all the goodies under the liquid so that they don’t get exposed to air and spoil. Get your hands on some wide-mouth mason jar pickle pebbles here or if you need regular mason jar ones click here.
Fermenting lids
Another awesome gift for a fermenting friend or family member is some fermenting lids. They help to allow the gases generated inside the jar during fermentation to safely escape without allowing any contamination of the jar contents. You can grab them a set of these silicone fermenting lids and make them a happy camper.
Hori hori blade
A hori hori garden blade? Yeah, I know it sounds intimidating but this tool is a chameleon in the garden. It has a serrated edge and a smooth (but sharp) edge that can tackle just about any stem. I just mine to hack down my giant Titan and Mammoth Grey sunflowers and their stalks were about 3 inches in diameter! It also has a depth measure on it and the blade is concave. I really love my hori hori garden blade.
Seeding square
If I had to pick just ONE thing on this list to recommend it would hands down be a seedling square. As a micro homesteader space is always hard to come by, so finding ways to make the most of every bit of arable land is key. This year I added 2 raised beds to my back yard and may seed square was able to SHINE! I have never had such an organized garden in the past!!! And while mistakes were still made and garden lessons learned I would not be without this amazing garden tool.
Dibber
I learned about using a garden dibber from the guru of no-dig gardening Charles Dowding. I mean not personally, that would be crazy, but from his YouTube videos. So gone is my shovel and hello dibber! They are a great way to have less impact on the soil structures and still get your plants into the ground. So if a garden dibber sounds about right you can click here.
So there you have my micro homesteader gift guide! Hopefully it helps you get some ideas for things to put under the tree. If you’re looking for some delicious cookies to bake then you can always checking out three of our family’s favourite cookie recipes:
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