Approximately 85 participants from 13 counties in north Alabama gathered at the No Fences Cowboy Church in Falkville to learn about homesteading. The Homesteading on a Half-Acre workshop was a collaborative effort among the Morgan, Madison, and Limestone County Extension offices and Alabama Extension educators from both Alabama A&M University and Auburn University. This all-day event provided participants with valuable insights into growing food crops and raising meat animals, as well as essential information on food safety and preservation.

Workshop Tracks

Extension Agent Christy Mendoza making herb butter.

The workshop offered three different tracks for attendees to choose from.

The horticulture track was particularly popular, covering topics such as creating edible landscapes, growing cut flowers, saving seeds, foraging for wild plants, and using high tunnels to extend the growing season. Extension Agents Allyson Shabel, Lilly Oaks, Marcus Garner, Travis Kress, and Holt Akers-Campbell led various sessions throughout the day. Attendees enjoyed hands-on activities, including seed harvesting techniques and a foraging walk on campus.

Extension Agents Susan Hill and Christy Mendoza and Extension Specialist Terence Martin led the food safety and preservation track. In this session, attendees learned safe methods for poultry processing, along with how to dehydrate and use dried fruits and vegetables, make herb butters, and create homemade fruit leather using fresh fruit. The session on common kitchen gadgets, such as food processors, blenders, and dehydrators, allowed participants to try many of the food items prepared during the event.

A series of animal science classes took place outdoors. County Extension Director Brett Crow discussed forage management, 4R Farms Sheep Breeder Colt Robinson talked about sheep production, and AFC Feed Livestock Production Specialist John Sims covered backyard rabbits and chickens. The animal science track concluded with a presentation on beekeeping, which included a peek into an observation hive. Representatives from local Master Gardener organizations attended the event and volunteered throughout the day. Lunch was generously provided by the Alabama Mountains Rivers and Valleys RC&D Council.

Event Results

Notably, over 40 percent of the attendees were new to Extension programs. Some were also new to homesteading, while others are veterans of homesteading practices. Everyone, however, was eager to learn more about becoming self-sufficient by growing and preserving their own food.

According to post-event surveys, 96 percent of attendees learned something new and planned to apply what they learned at home. Additionally, 85 percent believed the information they gained would help them save money.

The 2025 Homesteading on a Half-Acre Workshop marked the third such event hosted by Alabama Extension in north Alabama since 2023. The next workshop is scheduled for October 3 in Madison County. Visit Alabama Extension’s website at www.aces.edu to learn more about food preservation and safety.