National Preparedness Month: Vermont leads the nation for Homesteading
Vermont Tops Per-Capita Homesteading Index, Ahead of Iowa and Nebraska
Vermont ranked first among U.S. states for homesteading activity in a new per-capita index that weighs access to local food and interest in traditional self-sufficiency skills.
The index, produced by Grandpa Goody Getter, gave Vermont a score of 10 out of 10, followed by Iowa at 9.3 and Nebraska at 8.58. The analysis combined the number of farmers’ markets, small farms and community-supported agriculture programs with online search interest in canning and foraging.
Vermont’s position was driven in part by its concentration of local-food infrastructure relative to its population. The report said the state has nearly nine farmers’ markets and more than 1,000 small farms for every 100,000 residents.
Maine ranked fourth with a score of 7.51, followed by South Dakota, North Dakota, Oregon, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Oklahoma.
The findings come as interest in producing food at home has grown alongside higher grocery prices. Grandpa Goody Getter said nearly 90% of Americans report that recent food costs have affected their interest in growing or producing food themselves, though the source did not provide details on the survey’s methodology.
The report also characterized homesteading as attracting younger consumers, citing the use of social media and artificial-intelligence tools to learn gardening, food preservation and foraging skills.