How to build sub-urban self reliance

Can true self-reliance really start on a small apartment balcony—and why does the modern "all-or-nothing" homesteading myth leave so many people overwhelmed?

In this episode, Lindsey Chastain, founder and editor of Waddle & Cluck, reveals how ordinary households can build practical self-sufficiency without buying acres of land or sacrificing their sanity. From managing heavy corporate workloads to finding peace in backyard gardens, Lindsey shares the emotional grit, heartbreak, and daily systems that build genuine autonomy.

In this episode, you'll discover:

🌱🍄 The Acreage Myth: Why you don't need a farm to grow food and take control of your supply chain.

🌱🍄 The 1-Container Rule: How starting with a single patio plant creates a sustainable habit of self-reliance.

🌱🍄 Heartbreak & Resilience: What losing an entire flock taught Lindsey about nature, grounding, and slowing down.

🌱🍄 Aisle-Seven Wisdom: The surprising power of asking simple questions to build community support and learn useful skills.

 

You can learn more about Lindsey and her digital magazine Waddle & Cluck at https://waddleandcluck.com.

 

Watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/ZGIe4U-p0L8

 

Topics covered: Suburban homesteading tips, Practical self reliance, Balcony gardening beginner, Waddle and Cluck, Backyard chickens setup, Slow living mindset, Small space food preservation

 

📚 Recommended books 📚

I will forever be grateful for the skills learned when I read John Seymour's Complete book of self-sufficiency - here is the affiliate link. This is quite a deep book and takes you all the way to 5 acres, weaving, making butter and basketry!

https://amzn.to/3V69xel

Start simple with Back to basics: how to make it through hard times. Written by myself in the UK during the 2008 financial crisis to help my children in the future, it has stood the test of times! This is for you if you have literally NO CLUE about growing food, preserving, financial prudence etc.

It shows how easy it is to sprout seeds and grains and incorporate them into your daily diet, how to use a dehydrator to enrich your food storage, and even how to make your own toiletries at home, plus finance, budgeting and surviving the Christmas holiday madness. Maybe I should write an updated version but the principles have not changed.

https://amzn.to/4hrL0cp

 

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