2024 Holiday Gifts For Homesteaders & Hobby Farmers

Finding the perfect gifts for homesteaders & hobby farmers can be a challenge, but we’ve got you covered with over 30 practical and meaningful ideas.

It’s that time of year again for Rethink:Rural’s annual gift guide for homesteaders, hobby farmers and country life enthusiasts.

After publishing these gift guides for years, you’d think we’ve run out of ideas. However, quite the opposite is true!

This year’s guide focuses on over 30 new gift ideas that will delight the self-sufficient, the gardeners, the backyard chicken keepers, the from-scratch cooks, the driven homesteaders, the homeschoolers, the primitive crafters, the canners and food preservers, the practical preppers, the animal lovers, the foragers and everyone in between.

We’ll also include links to our previous gift guides for maximum gift-giving inspiration.

1. A Compost Tumbler

A compost tumbler makes a perfect gift for beginning homesteaders, backyard homesteaders or anyone who wants to reduce waste through home composting.

The main benefits of a tumbler versus a pile are they’re easy to turn, can accelerate the break-down of inputs and help keep critters out.

GettyImages-1355559503

Since the optimal ratio of green to brown material for healthy compost is approximately 8 to 9 brown to 1 to 2 green, you’ll want to go big, at least 37-55 gallons.

You can also buy dual-chamber tumblers that store compost at different levels of decomposition. These are often ideal for small hobby farmers who aren’t making one big batch at a time.

Brands such as the VIVOSUN Outdoor Tumbling Composter Dual Rotating Batch Compost Bin, 43 Gallon Orange Door and the Lifetime 60309 Double Bin Rotating Composter, 100 Gallon are top-rated and reasonably priced.

2. A Mason Jar Butter Churn

Homesteaders, hobby farmers, scratch-cooks, traditional foodies and homeschoolers all generally enjoy making homemade butter.

Mason jar butter churns are perfect for making small batches of fresh butter and can even be operated by a child.

This one from Vermont Country store is under $50.00 and makes a whole jar of fresh-churned butter in about 10 minutes.

3. Bulk Food Storage Jars

Bulk buying and producing food is part of the homesteading lifestyle.

Whereas a non-homesteader would likely buy a one-pound bag of rice, flour or lentils, a homesteader may buy 25 pounds (or more) at a time.

This makes bulk food storage jars in high demand.

Extra large wide-mouth mason jars (64-120 oz) work well for this, as do large antique jars, fermenting jars, flour containers, gallon butter churn jars or bulk storage glass food jars.

You can find these in container stores, restaurant supply stores, Lehman’s, consignment shops, large e-commerce sites or homesteading stores.

4. A Garden Planner

Winter is an ideal time to start planning next year’s crops, and a garden planner helps keep everything organized.

While numerous garden planning apps are available, those living a more old-fashioned lifestyle often prefer pen and paper.

This could be as simple as a blank journal to take notes and jot down garden plans, or a more sophisticated template-style garden planner such as The Garden Journal, Planner and Log Book.

5. Beeswax Pastilles

Beeswax is a staple for homemade natural skin care products and candle making.

Beeswax pastilles are tiny beads of white or yellow beeswax that can be melted down and used for these purposes.

You can also find beeswax sheets, which are wonderful for quick candle-making for the homestead or as a fun art project to do with kids.

These are available at various online apothecary, candle-making, homesteading, natural foods and e-commerce stores.

Homesteading gifting tip: If you can find organic, sustainably sourced or even local beeswax, all the better.

6. A Gift Certificate to Lehman's

Lehman’s is the ultimate homesteading hardware store with nearly everything a homesteader, gardener, cook, outdoor enthusiast, hobby farmer, simple living advocate, off-gridder, etc. could want or need.

From fermentation and canning kits to butter churns, cast iron cookware to oil lamps and wood stove accessories, this place is like a candy store for the self-sufficient and health-conscious consumer.

They have several locations throughout the United States and an extensive online store, so anyone can take advantage of their offerings.

Check them out at: lehmans.com

7. A Suspension Training System for Stretching and Strength Training

Suspension training systems, like the TRX, can be ideal for country folks who want to stay in shape but live far from the gym and/or don’t have a lot of room for a home gym.

GettyImages-511623691

This simple system, developed by a Navy Seal, is made from adjustable nylon straps and handles that can be placed on a tree, playset, barn beams or in a door frame.

Once it’s set up (which takes only a couple of minutes) it’s ready for the user to practice dozens of strength training exercises using their own body weight.

It’s also wonderful for stretching and recovery-style exercises after a long day of farm work and can be stored in a small bag.

Various suspension trainers are available on large e-commerce sites or direct from the companies.

8. A Water Storage Barrel

Self-sufficient enthusiasts and preppers are serious about water storage, which is why they’ll always appreciate extra water storage containers.

Water storage barrels make excellent gifts because they store between 15-55 gallons of water for emergency use and can also be used as rain barrels.

If you’d like, you can also throw in a pump and a wrench to ensure easy access.

These also make good gifts for anyone living in hurricane-prone areas.

9. Fishing Supplies

Anglers always welcome fishing supplies such as lures, fishing line, bobbers, flies or gift cards to a fishing supply store.

If you don't know where to start shopping for your favorite angler, we have a blog for that!

Check out: Best Gifts For Anglers by our very own fishing expert and humor writer, Jim Mize.

10. Fermentation Lids

Ferments, such as sauerkraut, dilly pickles, yogurt and kefir are wonderful ways to preserve surplus home-grown foods without the hassles of canning.

Fermentation lids are wonderful for those making smaller batch ferments in mason jars (versus large crocks) and make “burping” ferments (releasing gas) much easier.

You can find these almost anywhere online these days for affordable prices.

Homesteading gifters tip: Look for BPA-free top-rated lids with a silicone seal.

11. A Gift Certificate to Tractor Supply or Local Hardware Store

Rural folks, including homesteaders and hobby farmers are always working on new building projects.

A gift card to their local Tractor Supply or hardware store will help ensure they get the building supplies they need and take some pressure off their DIY budget.

12. Heavy Duty Gardeners Hand Balm

Physical work, such as gardening, farming and cooking, is hard on the hands. Add in the effects of the dry winter wind and hard-working hands can get dry, chapped and calloused pretty quick.

GettyImages-1067795298

Heavy duty gardeners hand balms made with natural ingredients, like shea butter, coconut oil, olive oil and beeswax will provide intense moisturizing and repair.

Some favorite brands include:

If you like to make homemade gifts, this recipe for Homemade Hand Cream from The Prairie Homestead is specifically formulated for hard-working hands.

13. Soil Blockers or Reusable Seed Starting Trays

Most homesteaders, growers, hobby farmers and gardeners are becoming more conscious about reducing single-use plastics.

Unfortunately, gardening is one of those areas that can be plastic-heavy (think bags of soil amendments, high tunnel poly plastic, tarps and single-use seed trays).

One of the best ways to reduce this is by utilizing waste-free soil blocks or reusable seed starting trays.

Soil blocks are made by pressing forms into a damp soil mix to create soil blocks or cells that hold their shape for seed starting.

You can find soil block forms at Johnny’s Seeds or on Amazon. A hand-held 20 mini-blocker and the hand-held 4 soil-blocker (2” cubes) are best for the home gardener. You’ll want to scale up for those growing professionally.

Reusable seed trays are available in most places where gardening supplies are sold, take less effort than soil blocks and can be reused for years when properly cared for.

14. A Clothes Wringer

A clothes wringer may be a welcomed gift for friends living off-grid, preppers or those who like to de-mechanize chores as much as possible.

This handy device wrings water out of clothing, making it easier to dry on a clothesline or without electricity.

You can find full-size versions or travel versions at Lehman’s, Amazon or other e-commerce sites.

15. A Manual Coffee Mill

This is another great gift for off-gridders, preppers, outdoor enthusiasts or the minimalist coffee lovers in your life.

A manual coffee mill works a lot like a manual pepper grinder to grind up beans without electricity.

GettyImages-1371049310

This is also excellent for homeschoolers with young children (you’ll often find them in Montessori or Waldorf Schools) as it helps develop hand-eye coordination, hand strength and gives them a purposeful chore.

You can find various types of manual coffee grinders at outdoor supply stores, homesteading stores or large e-commerce shops.

Looking for a budget-friendly option? Lehman’s has a mason jar coffee grinder for under $20.00.

16. A BioLite Campstove (no propane or gas needed) or Rocket Stove

BioLite camp stoves are Rocket Stoves powered by kindling, wood, charcoal or wood pellets and require no propane, gas or electricity.

But the really cool thing about their campstove is they’re backpackable, smokeless and generate enough heat for cooking and boiling water fast (the Campstove Complete Cook Kit comes with a grill and large kettle). Plus, the heat generated produces enough power to charge your cell phone or laptop battery!

This makes BioLite camp stoves a unique and functional gift for outdoor enthusiasts, homesteaders, preppers or anyone who appreciates a backup cooking and battery-charging station.

On a personal note: My family was affected by Hurricane Helene and we leaned heavily on our BioLite camp stove to help conserve propane and gas needed for generators and cooking, and to charge up our devices.

They also offer RocketStoves powered by wood or charcoal, minus the battery-charging function.

Learn more here.

17. A Chicken First-Aid Kit

Free-range chickens tend to get into a lot of mischief often resulting in injuries.

While you’d think you could just take the bird to the vet, not every vet will treat chickens, leaving the chicken keepers to assume the role of poultry EMTs and amateur veterinarians.

In How To Build Your Chicken First Aid Kit, The Chicken Chick, Kathy Shea Mormino shares The essentials chicken keepers need in their first aid kits, including:

Vetericyn Plus Poultry Care Spray ― for cleaning and treating wounds
Non-stick gauze ― for bandaging and stopping bleeding
Vetrap ― self-adhesive bandaging for dressing wounds
Vitamins and electrolytes ― to prevent dehydration and shock
Disposable gloves
Scissors
Tweezers
Super glue ― for mending uncomplicated cracks in a beak
A flashlight
Dog nail clippers or a Dremel ― for trimming nails and beaks
Epsom salts ― for soaking before treating skin conditions like bumblefoot
A baby bird formula ― for birds that are not eating independently
Prozyme ― a digestive enzyme to help birds absorb nutrients from feed when not eating normally

You could buy all of these and package them up in a nice waterproof bin, or select a few as stocking stuffers.

Either way, your chicken-loving enthusiasts will appreciate the supplies.

18. A Wood Stove Fan

Wood stove fans help circulate warm air, increasing wood stove efficiency and warmth.

Note, these are appropriate for free-standing wood stoves, but not inserts or fireplaces.

These are available in hardware stores, specialty homesteading stores such as Lehman's or even discount stores like Wayfair.

19. Stainless Steel, Glass, Stoneware or Cast Iron Bakeware

Health-conscious back-to-the-landers and health foodies are big on avoiding toxins in bakeware and cookware, such as PFAS, plastics and more.

In most cases, this means upgrading from non-stick bakeware to stainless steel, glass, stoneware or cast iron.

GettyImages-863114884

Here are some bakeware upgrade gifts to consider:

Stainless steel cookie sheets, pizza pans and hotel pans
Cast iron waffle iron
Stainless steel muffin tins (throw in some unbleached muffin papers)
Stoneware pizza pans, casserole dishes and more
Cast iron cornbread tins
Stainless steel or cast iron popover pans
Cast iron or enameled cast iron dutch oven for breads, stews, soups and more
Cast iron, glass or stoneware bread pans

Lodge has a wide variety of cast iron cookware and bakeware and can be found almost anywhere. High-quality stoneware and stainless steel cookware can be found at Lehman’s, Williams Sonoma, Le Creuset (check local outlets for deals) and other online kitchen retailers.

20. Harvest Buckets

Most avid gardeners, hobby farmers and growers will tell you they can never have enough harvest buckets.

These simple buckets are flexible and easy to carry, come in various sizes and colors and stack well for easy storage.

21. A Cast Iron Tea Kettle or Lattice Steamer for Wood Stoves

Wood stoves are a top choice for heating without electricity or reducing dependency on electricity, gas or propane.

However, like all other forms of heating, they can dry out indoor air quickly.

This is where a cast iron tea kettle or lattice steamer—a big pot with a lattice top—comes in handy for gently dispersing natural steam throughout the day. Plus, they look great!

Plow and Hearth has a great selection in various colors and creative designs.

22. A Bucket of Raw Honey

Unless your homesteading friends are also beekeepers and/or devout vegans, they will love a big bucket of high-quality raw honey for the holidays.

On a homestead, this will be used to sweeten just about everything, from teas and coffee to homemade granola and desserts.

Ask around to local beekeepers about buying in bulk, or check out sites like glorybee.com or gorawhoney.com for bulk quantities.

23. Azure Standard Gift Cards

Azure Standard is a national co-op that specializes in selling bulk organic and health foods, farm and garden supplies, supplements, homesteading supplies, kitchen equipment, canning supplies and more to the public.

Homesteaders love Azure Standard and will drive quite a distance to reach a pick-up location for their monthly, quarterly or bi-annual “Azure Haul”.

Before purchasing a gift card, either check with your giftee to see if they already use Azure Standard (anyone can order once they’ve selected a local co-op/drop-off location near them, there is no fee or contract to join) or make sure there is a drop location close to them using this map.

Azure Standard Gift cards are available up to $500.00 and can be mailed to you or directly to the recipient.

24. Price Club Gift Cards

Rural folks typically rely on price clubs to stock up on bulk buys such as paper products, grains, beans, frozen produce, dried fruit, baking supplies, butter and other packaged goods a few times a year.

You can buy Price Club gift cards online to places like Costco, Sam’s Club or BJs without being a member and have them delivered via email or hard copy.

If you know your giftee does not have a price club membership, you can also gift them one via gift card.

25. A Good Pair of Insulated Work Gloves

Warm gloves are essential for doing farm chores in the winter. They can also get wrecked pretty quickly, which makes having multiple pairs a Godsend.

GettyImages-1754396650

Brands like Carhartt, Vermont Glove and Geier Glove Co. make excellent, long-lasting gloves for men and women that will keep their fingers toasty warm and last more than one season.

Check out this list of The 8 Best Work Gloves for Cold Winter Months from Popular Mechanics for more recommendations.

26. Therapeutic Bath Salts

Farming, chopping wood, wrestling animals, walking through pastures, cooking from scratch, riding horses and an active rural lifestyle can all lead to sore muscles, especially in winter.

Therapeutic bath salts made from Dead Sea salts, Epsom salts, herbs and essential oils help relieve soreness and stiffness while promoting relaxation.

You can make your own as a cute stocking stuffer, buy a big bag of Epsom salts to put under the tree or purchase spa-style salts with herbs, flowers and essential oils from various retailers.

27. An Apple Peeler and Corer

These old-fashioned apple peelers are a big hit among homesteading families, apple lovers, gourmet cooks and homeschoolers.

They work with a crank to remove the apple skin in one long strip while simultaneously coring the apple. Kids love operating them, and it’s a much safer way to peel and prepare apples for homemade applesauce, pies, crisps, drying, canning, homemade cider or apple cider vinegar.

Look for stainless steel varieties with wooden handles for that old-fashioned look and functionality.

Apple peelers and corers can be found anywhere high-quality kitchen supplies are sold.

28. Silicone Bags

Homesteaders, hobby farmers, gardeners and the self-sufficient are usually eco-conscious folks who are careful about plastic.

Silicone bags are a perfect alternative to single-use plastic interlocking bags and can be used until they wear out.

When looking for silicone bags, be sure to read reviews as some clearly outperform others in durability and ease of use.

This article from Consumer Reports has all the info you need to choose a good brand.

29. Products from other Homesteaders and Small American Farms

Homesteaders love to support other homesteaders, either locally or nationally.

You can find teas, herbal supplements, online courses, grass-fed organic meats and dairy, gardening products, mushroom logs, cookbooks, farm products, personal care products, yarn and wool and more from various homesteading influencers.

Some examples featured here on Rethink:Rural and elsewhere include: