When you live on a homestead, gifts can differ a bit from the city. For us, gifts tend to be fun, yet have a bit of practicality. Things that make life a little easier on the homestead. Here’s some ideas that have been great around here for our homestead . . .
Quick Look
For Your Woman
–Greenhouse
–Gardening Kit
–Outdoor Wicker Furniture
–Bird Bath
–Smart Bird Feeder
–Propane Fire Table
–Seasonal Wall Art
–Urban Shawl
–Soap Making Kit
–Cheese Making Kit
–Herb Growing Kit
–Candle Making Kit
For Your Man
–Stainless Steel Insulated Coffee Mug
–Custom Knife
–Carhartt Bib Pants
–Dutch Oven
–Man Box
–Memory Foam Roll Up Mattress
–Throwing Axe/Knives
–Compound Bow
–Iron Clad Work Gloves
–Foxelli Head Lamp
For Your Kids
–Little Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course
–Workshop Playhouse
–Outdoor Explorer Kit
–Wreck This Journal
–Archery Set
–Fairy Garden Kit
–John Deere Tractor
–Utility Wagon
–Incubator
–Kids Rechargeable Lantern
–Kids Camera
For Your Woman
Greenhouse – If you live in a cooler climate and your wife loves to garden, an affordable greenhouse is perfect. I LOVE mine! Living in Colorado gardening is a real challenge. I felt like a real gardener when we finally got a greenhouse. My plants double or tripled in size and were protected from the summer hailstorms we get. Polyethylene greenhouses can get a bad rap when it comes to nasty weather. But for the price, I’ve been impressed with mine. It’s withstood some pretty good windstorms, marble sized hail, and 2-3 inches of snow. Time will tell how many seasons I can get out of it. But so far, it still looks great after one season.
Gardening Kit – Generally on a homestead I tend to use bigger tools for preparing the garden beds. But kits have also been useful and great for when it comes to planting the seedlings and starters.
5 Piece Wicker Furniture – It can get really busy on a homestead. But sometimes you just need to kick back and enjoy what you’ve worked so hard on. Outdoor wicker furniture is incredibly comfy and a must have. Once I sit down, I don’t want to get back up. Just pop open a book with a warm cup of coffee or tea and your all set!
Bird Bath – It’s nice to enjoy the little things in life as well as make life more enjoyable for our little feathered friends. If you’re in an especially dry area, the local birds will love a source of water to bathe in and drink. Just place the bird bath near where you can hang out and let their enjoyment become yours too.
Smart Bird Feeder – Wish you could view the wild birds more closely. Here is yet another way to enjoy your feathered pals. A smart feeder allows you to view the birds up close on your phone. Some wild birds are easily spooked, this allows you to see them up close and personal without making them nervous. For us, we have Stellar Jay’s. Beautiful blue and black jays that are incredibly shy and cautious around people. This feeder is a great way to view them without scaring them away.
Propane Fire Table – Not every gift has to be all country. A more modern propane fire table is a convenient way to enjoy a fire without the hassle of starting a traditional fire that’s needs to be fed wood regularly and later the ashes removed. Just have your fire, and easily turn it off when you’re done. No need to worry about hot coals getting loose and starting a wild fire either. Up here we’ve been in a drought, and fires are a major concern each year. Not so much of a concern with a properly placed and cared for propane fire.
Seasonal Canvas Wall Art – Every home needs some comforting wall art. Bring the outdoors in with some canvas wall art. This can be either landscapes, local wildlife, or even rustic abstract farm art. Whatever your tastes are. It’s nice to change pictures out seasonally for something fresh and new to look at. Something that welcomes in the next upcoming season.
Urban Shawl – Clothing can be tricky with women depending on their style and preferences. But with an urban shawl, theirs a bit more forgiveness. It’s a tasteful accessory to anything your lady wears and is comfy for those brisk mornings or chilly sunsets. It’s like a blanket that you wear.
Soap Making Kit – This is an especially great if you have goats and can make goats milk soap. If your girl really gets into it, then it can become a good little side income. If not, soaps still make great gifts for family and friends. There are a couple different types of soap making from cold process to hot process to melt and pour. Melt and pour is easiest for beginners.
Cheese Making Kit – Another great gift if you own dairy goats or cows. If you’re getting more than enough milk, making cheese is a great way to preserve and use that milk. It takes practice and skill, but if you get good at it you can even invest in your own cheese cave to preserve longer aged cheeses. After making cheese you’re left with “whey”. Whey no longer has dairy in it and is great for either recipes or to serve to your other animals like chickens and pigs for a healthy protein boost.
Herb Growing Kit – A cute idea for growing plants indoors and adding a little color to the kitchen. Eventually herbs can be planted in the garden to reach their fullest potential and you can replant and start the process over again!
Candle Making Kit – Another fun little hobby. If you have bees, you could even try for beeswax candles, or buy beeswax beads commercially. They are another gift that keeps on giving and can make great gifts for friends and family. Or they are just fun to burn at home. Many commercial candles have harmful chemicals when you burn them. And the safer candles cost a lot more. Making your own candles is fun, you know what’s in them, and it’s cheaper than buying from somebody else.
For Your Man
Stainless Steel Insulated Coffee Mug – Occasionally it’s time for a new coffee mug. Whether the current one is getting old, or in this case, if you need coffee on the go. Stainless steel makes for a very durable coffee mug and doesn’t leech and harmful chemicals. If your husband is a total coffee nut like mine, he likes to brew a whole pot of coffee to enjoy throughout the day. After he brews it, he pours it into a thermos to keep it hot for hours.
Unique Custom Knife – My husband always has a knife or two he’s carrying around. On occasion they also get lost so a new knife is always a great gift idea. A custom knife makes it that much more personable and meaningful with their name or a loving saying engraved on the handle.
Carhartt Bib Overalls – My husband all but lives in these pants. They both keep him warm and protect him when he’s doing things on the homestead.
Dutch Oven – You can’t go wrong with the classic black cast iron Dutch oven. It’s great for cooking outdoors with charcoal briquettes or a small fire. But if you’re man is more of an indoor cook, there are also more modern Dutch ovens made with glass enamel that have similar functionality. What’s the difference? Cast iron Dutch oven are better for grills and open flames, but also must be properly seasoned and cared for to prevent rusting. Enamel Dutch ovens are not recommended for grills or open flame but require less care and are easier to clean with simple soap and water. Just be careful not to chip the enamel coating.
Man Box – Don’t know what do get your man? A man box kit offers a fun variety. Chances are their will be something there that catches his eye that he will like.
Memory Foam Roll Up Sleeping Mat – Forget about dealing with blow up mattress that ultimately pops and is worthless. Roll up mattresses are comfy and great for camping. I’ll admit, my husband gifted this to me as I hate camping on the hard ground. But truth be told, he’s used it more than me and for more than just camping. There’s been rough nights with a crying baby, and he’s gone off to sleep elsewhere . . . with this very mattress. It’s also great for visitors and providing them something decent to sleep on.
Throwing Axes/Knives – Guys need fun hobbies too. There should be plenty of room on a homestead to throw sharp things around. Practice, make it fun, create competitions. When the kids are gone it can be great for an adult gathering.
Compound Bow – If throwing knives isn’t your guy’s thing. It’s hard to say no to bows. If you’ve ever gone out for an archery outing with friends, it’s additive. Make your own set up at home for a family game night.
Iron Clad Work Gloves – This seems like more of a daily item that your husband would already have. But if your husband is like mine, he’s always going to work gloves. It’s a gift that will get used sooner or later. My husband was surprisingly pleased to have durable gloves as a gift.
Foxelli Head Lamp – An absolute must have whether you have a homestead or not. My husband and I both use head lamps every day. Especially in the dark days of winter. We use them for early mornings or evening dog walks, closing up the coop, checking out night disturbances. We’ve gone through several kinds of head lamps before settling on our favorite which has both red night vision lights and white lights. The best feature is being able to re-charge it via USB.
For Your Kids
Little Ninja Warrior Obstacle Coarse – An obstacle course is a fun way to engage your kids into physical and mental activity. Create different mini games and challenges to make for a fun family day. You can even supplement it with DIY obstacles from logs and such around the homestead.
Workshop Playhouse – Playhouses spark creativity in kids. My daughter loves her little playhouse. Especially when we come down with her to join in on the fun. She’ll bring her stuffed animals and play pretend with them. She’s even brought our chickens down to play too. It’s pleasing to the eye and matches the homestead vibe.
Outdoor Explorer Kit – Homestead kids are typically outdoors. And if they’re not, they should be. My 4 year olds favorite thing is to go out and look for bugs to catch. A full kit makes the experience even more fun for your little ones.
Wreck This Journal – A great gift that the whole family can enjoy that gets you out and about. This has been a family favorite that requires a little imagination and fun. Each page contains different instructions on how to destroy the book. We’ve taken this book with us on trips and have even gotten creative on the homestead with how to complete its pages. If you have a fun bone in your body, you won’t regret this pick.
Archery Set – It’s not just for adults. The kids can join in on the fun too with their own set of archery equipment. But with suction cups vs sharp arrow heads you can add to the fun by hunting each other (with adult supervision of course).
Fairy Garden Kit – I’m always after projects that have more than one form of entertainment to offer. Terrariums are great way to provide this. Kids get to paint the figures and set up a terrarium scene, watch their seeds grow, and enjoy pleasant lights. It’s both artistic and requires a form of responsibility to water and keep the plants growing.
John Deere Tractor – My daughter loves her tractor whether it’s cruising around the property or riding it while we’re on a walk. It’s per pride and joy and she loves showing it off to everybody. Add a little tread to the tires for traction and that thing is unstoppable. She’s taken it through snow, puddles, mud, etc.
Utility Wagon – Best toy ever when I was a kid growing up with my brothers and sisters. One or two of us would ride and steer inside the wagon, while another person would push from behind as the motor. A utility wagon can provide hours of fun, is durable, and will come in handy on the homestead for the day to day tasks.
Incubator – If you’re on a homestead, you likely have chickens. Hatching chicks can be a fun educational project for your kids. If you don’t have a rooster with hens to make your own hatching eggs, there is likely someone who lives locally who will sell you some. It can become an annual thing every spring. You can try different breeds or even different types of fowl like guineas, quail, ducks, turkeys . . . (note that chickens are the easiest to hatch. Some eggs can be more challenging to get to full term).
Kids Rechargeable Lantern – Kids love to play around in the dark. So having their own lamp makes it even easier to go on night excursions. When buying any electronics these days, we make sure it’s rechargeable. Nothing is more annoying than having to replace batteries.
Kids Camera – One of the best toys I’ve ever gotten my daughter is her own kids camera. It takes pictures and videos. She’ll get into taking pics, forget about the camera for a while, and then comes back to it and likes to see the footage she taken, as well as get new footage. No, the quality of the pics/video isn’t the greatest, but hey, it’s a beginner camera and kids tend to be rougher on their stuff.
