A homesteader is someone who claims and settles on a piece of land that is new to them, usually with the goal of farming it and making it their permanent home. The word comes from American history, when the government offered land to certain people willing to move to territories that were new to European American settlers, build a home, and farm the land for at least five years. Under the Homestead Act of 1862, families could claim 160 acres if they proved they could make the land productive.

Homesteading required tremendous courage and hard work. Homesteaders often arrived at open prairie or wilderness with just a wagon of supplies. They had to build their own houses (sometimes from blocks of prairie sod since trees were scarce), dig wells, plow fields, plant crops, and survive harsh weather and isolation. Many homesteaders failed and gave up, but those who succeeded helped settle the American West and built farms that fed growing cities.

Today, people still use the word homesteader for anyone trying to live self-sufficiently on their own land, growing their own food, raising animals, and relying less on stores and outside resources. Modern homesteaders might keep chickens, grow vegetables, preserve food, and learn traditional skills, even if they live on just a few acres rather than 160.