The Reluctant Gardener’s Guide to the Homesteader Mindset

What does homesteading look like when you live in suburban Los Angeles? Elizabeth Bruckner never imagined she’d become a passionate advocate for self-sufficient living – especially after years of killing every houseplant that crossed her threshold. However, a long-term chronic illness that left her bedridden forced her to reimagine her relationship with food and healing.

Desperate to regain her health, she abandoned processed foods and gradually shifted from her 27-year vegetarian diet to incorporate nutrient-dense, ethically sourced animal products. The improvements were dramatic, but it was the COVID pandemic that truly catalyzed her homesteading journey when even basic ingredients like garlic became temporarily unavailable.

“I didn’t even know what broccoli looked like coming out of the ground – that’s how divorced I was from my food,” Elizabeth confesses. Today, she champions an accessible vision of homesteading that breaks free from the stereotypical image of rural living with livestock and acres of land. Instead, she focuses on finding joy in whatever aspects of self-sufficiency speak to you – whether that’s fermenting foods, growing herbs as a “gateway drug” to gardening, or making cleaning products from fruit scraps.

Elizabeth’s book, “The Homesteader Mindset,” offers practical guidance for building sustainable habits without the overwhelm. Her approach acknowledges our modern lives while reclaiming traditional wisdom – proving that even “lazy gardeners” can create abundant food spaces through permaculture techniques that mimic nature’s systems.

Ready to explore your homesteading potential? Visit Elizabeth’s website for a free Homesteader Habit Tracker and discover how small daily practices can transform your relationship with food, health, and self-sufficiency – no matter where you live.

Links Talked About on the Podcast

Fruit Scrap Vinegar Recipe

We talked about this recipe that Elizabeth created to make environmentally friendly cleaning products.

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 gallon water

fruit scraps (bananas, apples, oranges, etc)

Directions

In a glass container mix together the sugar, water, and enough fruit scraps to submerge in the water. Cover loosely. Remove the lid daily to stir it and to be sure the fruit scraps are under the liquid. Continue for 30 days.

Use the pH test strips to make sure the liquid has the correct pH for vinegar. (It should be between 2 and 3). When it is ready, strain the liquid through cheesecloth and discard the fruit scraps.

Use 1:1 liquid to water in a spray bottle and add a few drops of your favorite essential oils. Use on countertops and other areas to clean.