how to get started?

Hello Shawn and Beth,
I recently listen to the podcasts you were featured in on New Polity. You mentioned steps 0-10 on how to get started with farming or gardening. What are those steps? I currently rent a house in the city that has a small backyard. I plan on gardening this coming spring, but this will be my first time. I have started a compost with food scraps. Do you have fruits and vegetables that you suggest for first time gardeners?
Also, the thought of buying land in the future is overwhelming- even though it’s our desire. My husband and I are still paying off student loans. By the time we are blessed with children we would like for myself to stay home with the kids. It seems to me like it’d be very expensive to buy land and then infrastructure or animals (eventually) while living off one income. So my question is do you think this is a reasonable and attainable goal for the future? Do you have any advice or suggestions for people tighter on money? Do you need to look for land that has some type of water source (creek, pond, etc.)?
Thank you!

Hi, Alexandra, It’s good to hear from you.
You can certainly start your homesteading life while still in town; it sounds like you already have. Shawn and I have written a number of books on the topic of independent small farms; Chelsea Green Publishing carries our big book, and Lulu.com ebooks has most or all of our field guides. Much of our thought is to be found in these resources.
Land prices are certainly prohibitive, but that is nothing new. We have always recommended the benefits of renting (unimproved land not suitable for crops or hay rents very inexpensively), and our farming methods require very little infrastructure. What we are doing is attainable by many people, in many and varied situations; we believe it’s essential.
Water is always necessary for life.
Best, Beth