Homesteading

Have you ever just wanted to leave the modern day world behind and just say to heck with you I can make it on my own! I've always had the romantic idea of living off of the land, working hard and reaping in the harvest. My attempts have not been that great, my gardening skills are seriously lacking. I can grow spinach and peas very well, but all other things need much more practice. From the post below you would know that we certainly aren't in the position to buy a prime piece of land and grow all manner of fruits, vegetables, and stock on it. We currently reside on a "large" quarter acre plot in the heart of Brigham City. Lucky for me this plot has things going for it, when we first moved in I called it my little dessert, you see we get plenty of sun in the backyard and nobody had watered the dead weeds in quite sometime. We do have 5 pine trees in our backyard (I think they are all different species to boot) that dot the perimeter, they don't offer much shade but that's okay. We left a home with 3 mature wonderful pear trees and you would think with the "fruit highway"so close by we would of found a home offering a fruit tree in Brigham, but ours was probably the only yard without a fruit tree in the whole of the city. Fruit trees to me means easy reliable food for the most part, so I planted 4 beautiful fruit trees when the weather stopped being so hot. I've got a Cameo apple, Breaburn apple, White Princess peach, and a Montmorency cherry tree. So you can see I'm well on my way to being self reliant right? I have some pretty big plans and dreams for my yard and I love seeing information on what someone would have to do to grow all of the produce necessary to feed a small family.
 This spring I'll be getting some chickens for free from my moms neighbor, he doesn't have the time or interest in them anymore, and I wont have the accommodations for them until spring. My husband who has been absolutely against the idea of chickens our whole married life has finally agreed that we could get some and so I am quiet pleased that it is all working out so smoothly.
My aunt received some grape cuttings that she propagated and gave me about 40 (I'm serious, 40) and I planted lots of them this fall. From what I read grapes usually don't start providing fruit until their 3rd year or so, and that is if they end up being strong enough to stand a Utah winter. It will be a couple years I think until I see much of any fruit come from this property but you gotta start somewhere.
We have water shares here that water our backyard two times a week. I'd like to put a garden in next to the corner of our yard where a pipe brings in a fair amount of water that doesn't make too much of a current. The neighbors said that at one point in time someone who lived here had an awesome garden in that very spot, he was Hispanic and really knew how to garden. I'm hoping I can figure it out too. I just seems smart to provide what you can for yourself and your family, then share with extended family and neighbors when you get the hang of it.
This next month I'll be starting some seeds indoors, especially since I have a kitchen with a big window that faces south and will provide the much needed light for seed starting. Tomatoes are definitely on my list for indoor starting and I may try a couple of seeds that I have left from past years indoors if they transfer well. What have you successfully started indoors? Could you make it on your own with your backyard?