🐑 Want Farm Profits? Start With These Animals + Your Anti-Burnout Guide

NOTICE: Formerly known as The Steady Homestead, we’ve rebranded to The Homestead Movement! Same great content, just a fresh new name. 😊 

IN TODAY'S EDITION

1. Homestead Tip 🌱

2. Poll Results From Last Tuesday 📊

3. All Things Homestead: The Best Farm Animals for Profit (and Joy!) 🐓

4. Personal Development: Get Unstuck and Start Getting Things Done 💡

5. Today's Top Picks 🛍️

6. Let’s Keep It Reel 🤣

Tired of Paying Too Much for "Natural" Products That Aren't Even That Natural?

This May, Learn How to Make Your Own with Tallow and Beeswax!

When I first tried swapping store-bought lotions and candles for something better, I was overwhelmed. Endless labels. Hidden chemicals. Crazy prices.
I just wanted simple, safe, honest products… without spending a fortune.

That's when I found the power of tallow and beeswax! Pure, natural, and surprisingly easy to work with.

Inside the May Hands-On Homestead Challenge, you’ll learn how to:

• Create nourishing tallow balms for skin and healing

• Make safe, beautiful beeswax candles and wraps

• Feel confident working with traditional, time-tested ingredients

Imagine a shelf full of homemade goods you trust, and you made them.
No chemicals. No crazy costs. Just real self-sufficiency!

Plus, if you missed January to April’s challenges (Pantry Staples, Natural Skincare, Gardening Basics, and Spring Cleaning)?
They’re still waiting for you inside the Homestead Hub, ready whenever you are!

✅ Step-by-step tutorials
✅ Pre-recorded workshops
✅ Private community + lifetime access available

Let's get back to basics together. 💛

POLL RESULTS FROM LAST TUESDAY

Which farm animal's personality best matches yours?

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Goat – curious, mischievous, unstoppable

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Chicken – social, busy, surprisingly fierce

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Cow – calm, steady, loves routine

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ Duck – joyful, adaptable, chatterbox

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Pig – clever, resourceful, loves comfort

via @beehiiv polls

Feel free to participate in fun polls in our next newsletters! 😉

Also, follow us on our social media accounts for daily homesteading inspiration and updates.

ALL THINGS HOMESTEAD

The Best Farm Animals for Profit (and Joy!) 🐓

Raising animals isn’t just about cute baby goats or backyard hens clucking away in the morning. When money is tight and every project needs to serve a purpose, homesteaders need animals that work as hard as they do.

If you’ve ever poured feed into a trough and wondered, “Is this even worth it?” you’re not alone. Feed costs go up, time is limited, and it’s easy to get stuck with more expense than return. That’s why choosing profitable animals is so important for sustainable homesteading.

Here’s a breakdown of the best farm animals for profit.

1. Chickens

Chickens are the go-to starter animal for a reason.

• Egg sales are steady year-round. They require little space and offer daily returns in fresh eggs.

• Dual-purpose breeds like Buff Orpingtons or Rhode Island Reds give you meat and eggs.

• You can sell chicks or hatching eggs locally or online if you hatch your own.

Best for: Small spaces, beginners, consistent egg money.

2. Rabbits

Rabbits grow fast, breed easily, and require minimal space.

• Meat rabbits like New Zealands or Californians can be harvested in as little as 10-12 weeks.

• Manure from rabbits is garden gold—ready to use without composting.

• Breeding rabbits can bring in cash through kits or pet sales.

Best for: Families wanting quiet, low-cost animals with fast returns.

3. Goats

Goats provide milk, meat, and brush control.

• Dairy goats like Nubians or Alpines can produce up to a gallon of milk a day.

• You can sell raw milk (where legal), goat cheese, soap, or lotion.

• Meat goats like Boers fetch good prices, especially in certain markets.

Best for: Homesteads with pasture, creative product sales (like soap or cheese).

4. Pigs

Pigs aren’t for everyone, but they bring in solid profit.

• They grow quickly and produce a lot of meat. A full-grown pig can be butchered in 6 months.

• You can sell whole or half hogs to neighbors or through CSA shares.

• Pigs are excellent food scrap converters. They cut down on waste and feed costs.

Best for: Homesteads with space and freezer room; meat sales.

5. Sheep

Sheep give you three income sources: meat, milk, and wool.

• Hair sheep like Katahdins don’t need shearing and are great meat producers.

• Wool sheep can bring in money from handspinners or fiber artists.

• Some homesteaders also make yogurt, cheese, or soap from sheep’s milk.

Best for: Multipurpose returns; fiber lovers; cooler climates.

6. Bees

Bees don’t take up much room but provide valuable products.

• Raw honey is a premium product and sells well at markets or to local buyers.

• You can also sell beeswax, pollen, or propolis.

• They help pollinate your garden and orchard, boosting your yields.

Best for: Gardeners, urban or small homesteads, value-added product makers.

7. Ducks

Ducks are hardy and great egg layers.

• They lay consistently, even through winter months.

• Duck eggs are prized by bakers and foodies. They sell for more than chicken eggs.

• Ducks can also help control garden pests like slugs.

Best for: Wet areas, small spaces, off-season egg income.

8. Cows

Cows require more space, but bring in large returns.

• Dairy cows like Jerseys produce cream-rich milk you can use or sell.

• Beef cattle like Angus or Hereford provide a bulk meat option with strong market demand.

• Grass-fed beef has a loyal customer base.

Best for: Large homesteads with pasture and infrastructure.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

• Know your local laws. Some states have strict rules around selling raw milk, meat, or eggs.

• Build relationships. Local customers come back when they trust you.

• Start small. Don’t overwhelm yourself by bringing home too many animals at once.

• Track feed costs and sales. Know which animals are actually paying their way.

Quick Decision-Making Checklist

Here’s a handy list to help guide your next animal purchase:

☐ Can this animal produce more than one product (meat, milk, fiber)?

☐ Do I have the space and fencing it needs?

☐ Can I afford the feed and vet care long-term?

☐ Is there a market nearby for what it produces?

☐ Does it fit the goals of my homestead?

If you can say “yes” to most of those, you’re on the right path.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Get Unstuck and Start Getting Things Done 💡

You wake up ready to take on the day. But then… life happens. The goats get out, the laundry piles up, a kid needs your help with schoolwork, and that “big thing” on your to-do list? It just keeps getting pushed.

Sound familiar?

You’re not lazy. You’re just stuck. Let’s talk about how to stop spinning your wheels and actually get things done… even when homesteading (or homemaking) leaves little room to breathe.

Step One: Call It What It Is

Procrastination isn’t about laziness, it’s a way to avoid discomfort. Maybe you fear doing it wrong, or maybe it feels too overwhelming to even begin.

Once you recognize that pattern, you can work with it instead of against it. Pay attention to what triggers the stall. Is it fear of failure? Is it not knowing where to start?

Action Tip: Write down what you’re avoiding. Then write down why. That little moment of awareness? That’s power.

Step Two: Create Space for Focus

Phones, noisy kitchens, toddlers underfoot, it’s a lot. Distractions sneak in and steal your attention.

If it matters, it deserves a quiet pocket of your day. Don’t wait for the perfect time. Create it.

Action Tip: Mute your phone. Clear the table. Let your family know this next 20 minutes is for one thing only.

Step Three: Ask Yourself Better Questions

Our brains like patterns. If you always put off canning or deep cleaning, ask why. Not to shame yourself, but to solve the actual problem.

Step Four: Learn Before You Leap

Sometimes you’re not avoiding the taskm you just don’t understand it. That lack of clarity? It’s a progress killer.

Action Tip: Pick one small part of the task to learn today. Don’t try to master the whole thing at once.

Step Five: Break It All Down

Big goals sound great, but they’re useless without action steps. “Start a garden” isn’t a to-do. “Buy seeds on Friday” is.

Action Tip: Break your big goal into three tiny steps. Then start with just one today.

Step Six: Plan It or Forget It

Our minds are like overstuffed barns, if it’s not labeled and visible, it gets lost. Planning is how you build structure into your day.

Action Tip: Write it down on a calendar. Not just the task, but the time you’ll do it.

Step Seven: Fail Fast, Learn Faster

Trying something new always includes mistakes. Expect them. Plan for them. Learn from them.

Step Eight: Use the Pomodoro Trick

This one’s gold. Work for 25 minutes. Break for five. Repeat. The short burst creates urgency without overwhelm.

Start with your hardest task, like the one you’ve been avoiding. You’ll feel unstoppable once it’s done.

Step Nine: Measure What Matters

Don’t judge your day by hours worked. Judge it by results. One focused hour clearing out the pantry beats three hours half-scrolling, half-sorting.

Action Tip: At the end of the day, ask: “What did I actually get done?” Not “How busy did I feel?”

Step Ten: Just Take a Step

You don’t need a perfect plan to begin. You just need motion. One 10-minute effort toward your goal is better than no effort at all.

Action Tip: Pick the smallest possible step and do it today.

Step Eleven: Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

Real progress never feels cozy at first. It stretches you. But that stretch? It’s where growth happens.

Stepping out of your comfort zone is the difference between dreaming and doing.

THE STEADY HOME’S GIGGLE CHAMBER

Why was the seedling excited in May?

Because it knew it was finally time to rise and vine!

TODAY'S TOP PICKS

LET’S KEEP IT REEL!

I've put together some fantastic farm videos that are sure to make you laugh. Take a look and enjoy the fun!

1. I feel this video on a spiritual level 😂 Except in my case, it’s my chickens that see me like this every morning!

@huntsinthecountry

They see the swamp monster and they do not judge. 😂😂😂 #funnyvideos #relatable #goodmorning #coffeetime #backyardgarden #gardenseason #spri... See more

2. Washing dishes feels easy and fun... until you hit the greasy pots and it's a whole different battle. 😂🍽️

@josse_ruizz

#fypシ #viral #funny #cleaning #jokes #dishes

ENGAGE WITH US

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