Do you know someone who is living a back to the basics life like myself? Have you been struggling with what to get them this year for Christmas? Well, I have a treat for you as I go over 19 of the topmost useful and durable gifts for the homestead love of your life. Keep in mind these are items I use regularly so I have a little side review of each item as well as tricks. There are affiliate links in this blog, which means I may receive a small commission if you use the link and later purchase an item. Look at you! Supporting small business in the simplest of ways, you could be restocking paper towels in your kitchen and by clicking my link you helped put food on my plate or one of my animals’. Thank you! And Merry Christmas! (click the photos to view the direct links)

Gerber Ax
This little beauty is great for splintering some of your already chopped logs for kindling. It comes with a plastic safety key so the blade can be tucked away without accidents. The long handle gives leverage and the weight of it is great for medium logs.

Clothes Drying Rack:
I use them rack year round for drying my clothes. In the winter I simply prop it up beside the wood stove and my clothes and linens dry remarkably fast! And in the summer I put it outside on the porch to catch a breeze and sunshine. The nice thing about it is that it also folds up and tucks away in a closet or beside your washing machine.

Bog Muck Boots
This company offers a life time satisfaction guarantee. Do you know what that means? It means if you message the company they will send you a replacement pair if you are not happy with your boots or you can take them back to the retailer and exchange them. I had a pair for the last couple of years with holes on the top of them and when the snow would get to deep I was getting wet socks. I took them with the receipt back to the retailer and they let me exchange them for a brand new pair. I could not be happier with Bogs and I can say from now on they will be my go to boot brand!

Sturdy Buckets
There is something to be said about a good strong bucket. For me I haul all of my rabbit waters in to warm by the fire when they freeze and then haul them out to the rabbits once they are warmed back up. Without them I would have to make multiple trips back and forth and chores would be 12x longer than they are with a few good buckets.

Bernzomatic Propane torch
Starting a fire shouldn’t be difficult but if you are trying to light a fire out in the cold or don’t have small enough kindling it can be practically impossible. This torch has saved me a number of times when I have been unable to track down waste oil or kindling to start an outdoor fire as well as indoor. I have purchased several over the years and find them handy to have around the homestead.

Cover Alls
I am a believer in wearing cover alls. The reason being is they are easy to put on and then put your boots over and rush out the door in an emergency situation as well as being easy to strip off after chores to keep the mud room a little more tidy. They also keep me warm enough with out having to layer a million things. And most cover all brands will last many years and pay for themselves in no time. I can not tell you how many shirts, pants and other items I have ruined while wearing them during my chores. Yuck!

Indoor and Outdoor thermostat
This battery operated thermostat has three outdoor sensors and one indoor digital display that lights up. I am able to keep track of the temperatures near the chicken coop, rabbit hutches and goat shed as well as the internal temp. of the house and humidity in all the locations as well. I would say this gift is not necessary to homestead living but it is certainly helpful!

Race Gas Jugs
I have two of these jugs which make it easier for me to haul gas onto the homestead for various tools and machines. The nozzle pours much easier than your typical gas can which leads to less waste and spills. I also like the upright design so they can easily be strapped to the back of a flat bed or propped up on the floor in the back of my car.

Reo Link Home Security system
The world we live in can be dangerous, from thieves to coyotes and cougars. I found this camera rather affordable, easy to install and works great if you have internet access or not. You can install a memory card if you do not have wifi like I do and check it occasionally for intruders or animals. I love that I can check my app while I am at work and view my livestock and check on the weather conditions on the mountain.

Head Lamps
These are a must in the winter time. This brand actually comes with rechargeable batteries which is nice for when you don’t always have a spare battery on you but you have a car charger. I have one in each vehicle as well as one hanging somewhere in almost every room in the house. You never know when you will be caught in the dark even living on grid! This would make a nice stuffing item, especially for someone who travels long distances frequently. Makes putting chains on over the passes a little less gruesome.

Ceramic Eggs
This one I know is a little weird but for anyone who has chickens you will know that they do not typically lay in the winter. If you can give them a supplemental light source (ie. solar lights)and a ceramic egg or two in their nest box they will start back to laying for you in no time! Its an affordable option to get your own egg supply back and a nice little item to place in stockings.

Jolly Ball
This item is more for your furry kids but I find it brings me tons of joy, especially on slightly over cast days. I have one of these in a large and both my small and large dog absolutely love it when we go out and play fetch. It is easy to see, throw and for any size dog to bring back by dragging it by the ropes. Your dogs will love to unwrap this one with you on Christmas morning.

Flir Thermal Camera
This one is actually one of the gifts I got Luke this year. Winter is always a sad time of year because we can not play with the bees! So to remedy this I invested in the FLIR. Now we can do a weekly check to see how large the hive is and where they are in the hive boxes. If we notice a hive is in the feeder section for a long period of time we will know to also restock their sugar stores. This is also fun to take out on walks to find birds in the trees or to watch your own back in the evening for things like cougars.

Ear Warmers
I am a huge fan of head bands but Luke not so much. So this is a great little accessory for your loved one to be out and about in comfort. They fold up and fit easily in most pockets and even have a space for head phones.

Wall hanging oil lamp
I use oil lamps on the regular and the one thing I wish I had was wall hanging mounts for each of them! As long as they are not mounted in a high traffic area with the potential to be knocked into they are safe. One tip for those who have not used oil lamps is to light them and immediately place the glass hood back on them otherwise once the flame is to hot you will burst the hood from the heat. I watched Luke break two before I realized why they were breaking on him. HA!

Yaktrax
I prefer this style to the cheaper version with a small metal coil on the bottom. These will give you the traction you need when walking out on the snow and ice. They are moderately adjustable and last for many seasons! I have a pair that are larger for my bogs as well as a small pair to fit over any of my other shoes.

Tubbs Wilderness Snow Shoes
These are great for flat terrain as well as mountain climbing because they have the heel brace that can be propped up or down. Luke and I went searching through several local sporting stores and found these were the best build. I also like that you can set the heel strap and only have to adjust the toes when clipping the shoes on and off. I can even use my bogs in them! I went with a longer snow shoe to account for extra weight if I have to pack in and out of the homestead. After being snowed in one winter I hope to not have that happen again but it will be nice to prepared if it does happen.

Trekking Poles
If out and about snow shoeing you will also want to have a set of poles with baskets to navigate the terrain. These adjustable poles are great for coming up or down the mountain and help you safely reach your destination by assisting you with your balance. The nice thing about this set is you can use it through multiple seasons as the ends can be exchanged depending on where you are trekking.

Cast Iron
This durable cook ware is a must! I love cooking on the wood stove and there is something to be said about the added flavor cooking in cast iron brings. This is also versatile for camping and cooking on an open fire. There are a variety of sizes, prices and styles to choose from to fit any to any gift givers budget. Better yet, find an old piece at a yard sale and refurbish it like I have with a few!

Well that’s my top 19 favorite gifts! I hope you find this list helpful in your gift giving searches. Merry Christmas and let me know if you end up using any of my ideas.