Looking for ways to get your homesteading community buzzing with activity? Community challenges are a proven way to spark friendly competition and inspire members to try new skills. With these ready-to-use templates, running your next challenge will be fun, easy, and rewarding for everyone.
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Community challenges tap into the natural desire for play, recognition, and shared achievement. By presenting fun, achievable tasks, you lower the barrier for participation and make it easy for both new and seasoned members to join in. These challenges encourage members to share their progress, celebrate wins, and learn from each other, deepening the sense of camaraderie.
For homesteading communities, challenges can motivate members to experiment with new skills or seasonal activities they may have been hesitant to try alone. The public nature of a challenge also fosters accountability and pride in accomplishment, while friendly competition and small rewards keep the excitement going. This structure is proven to increase engagement, knowledge sharing, and loyalty within the group.
Weekly garden harvest challenge - share a photo of what you picked this week.
💡 Example: "Here's my basket of tomatoes and basil from the backyard."
Try a new homestead recipe this week and post your results.
💡 Example: "I made homemade goat cheese for the first time today."
Composting challenge - start a compost bin and share your setup.
💡 Example: "Built a wooden compost bin using pallets from the farm."
Forage something wild and safe - what did you find?
💡 Example: "Found wild blackberries near the creek and made jam."
Animal care challenge - show how you keep your chickens happy this week.
💡 Example: "Hung a cabbage in the run for my hens to peck at."
What is your most creative upcycled homestead project? Share a photo.
💡 Example: "Turned old buckets into planters for my herbs."
Rainwater collection challenge - show your setup or plans.
💡 Example: "Installed a new barrel under my downspout."
Host a 7-day food waste audit and share one change you made.
💡 Example: "Started freezing veggie scraps for broth instead of tossing them."
Seed swap challenge - list seeds you have to trade this month.
💡 Example: "I have heirloom tomato and sunflower seeds to share."
Homestead hack of the week - what shortcut or tip did you try?
💡 Example: "Used eggshells as starter pots for my seedlings."
Preserving challenge - show us something you canned or dehydrated recently.
💡 Example: "Dehydrated apple slices for winter snacks."
Try making a homemade cleaning product and share your recipe.
💡 Example: "Made citrus vinegar spray for my counters."
Weekend fence fix challenge - show before and after photos.
💡 Example: "Repaired the old gate with new hinges and fresh paint."
Solar power project - share your setup or plans for using solar on your homestead.
💡 Example: "Added a solar panel for my chicken coop light."
Share your favorite way to repurpose kitchen scraps.
💡 Example: "I use carrot tops to make pesto."
Challenge - build a simple birdhouse and share your results.
💡 Example: "Built a birdhouse from scrap pine."
Rainy day activity - what indoor homestead project did you tackle?
💡 Example: "Organized my garden seeds for next season."
Try a new method for starting seeds and compare results.
💡 Example: "Tested soil blocks versus peat pots for tomatoes."
Share your funniest homesteading fail for a laugh.
💡 Example: "I planted carrots in clay and got tiny roots."
Livestock selfie challenge - post a photo with your favorite animal.
💡 Example: "Me and Daisy the goat enjoying the sunshine."
Try a homemade herbal remedy and share your experience.
💡 Example: "Made a lavender salve for dry hands."
Host a tool maintenance day - what tool did you clean or sharpen?
💡 Example: "Oiled and sharpened my pruning shears."
Upcycle something for your garden - show before and after.
💡 Example: "Turned a broken wheelbarrow into a flower bed."
Try growing a new crop this season and document your progress.
💡 Example: "Planted sweet potatoes for the first time this spring."
Challenge - make a batch of homemade soap and share your recipe.
💡 Example: "Made goat milk soap with lavender."
What is your go-to homestead morning routine? Share a photo or tip.
💡 Example: "Start my day with a garden walk and coffee."
Homestead repair challenge - fix something and share your story.
💡 Example: "Rewired the chicken coop light after it stopped working."
Try a zero-waste swap at home and tell us about it.
💡 Example: "Switched to cloth napkins instead of paper."
Flash challenge - identify and remove one invasive plant from your property.
💡 Example: "Pulled all the thistle from my garden beds."
Set a homestead goal for this month and share your plan.
💡 Example: "Plan to build a new compost bin by the end of the month."
Challenge - spend 10 minutes outside daily and share what you observed.
💡 Example: "Saw bluebirds building a nest near my barn."
Try a new skill this week - what did you learn?
💡 Example: "Learned to graft apple trees from online tutorials."
Show us your rain gauge after the next storm.
💡 Example: "We got two inches of rain last night."
Host a wildflower ID walk and post your favorite find.
💡 Example: "Saw a patch of native coneflowers in the pasture."
Challenge - make a DIY irrigation solution and share your process.
💡 Example: "Set up drip irrigation with a timer for my raised beds."
Have you bartered or traded with a neighbor lately? Share your story.
💡 Example: "Traded fresh eggs for a loaf of homemade bread."
Host a seedling swap - post what you have available.
💡 Example: "I have extra tomato and cucumber seedlings up for grabs."
Try a no-dig garden bed and share your results.
💡 Example: "My lettuce thrived in the new no-dig bed."
Sunrise or sunset on the homestead - share your best photo.
💡 Example: "Captured a pink sunrise over the barn."
Challenge - make a homemade bird feeder and post a picture.
💡 Example: "Made a feeder from an old teacup and saucer."
Choose a template that fits your group’s interests or current season. Announce the challenge with clear instructions and an inviting tone. Set a timeline, outline how to participate, and specify how members should share their progress. Encourage photo or story sharing, and offer small prizes or shout-outs for participation. Follow up regularly with reminders and celebrate challenge completions to keep momentum strong.
For all platforms, use clear visuals and pin your challenge post for easy access. Encourage sharing via comments, stories, or hashtags depending on platform features. Make sure instructions are concise and easy to follow. Celebrate wins both publicly and privately to build momentum.
Monthly or bi-weekly challenges work well, but adjust based on your community's interest and activity level.
Small prizes, digital badges, member spotlights, or sharing winners' stories are all effective and appreciated.
Keep challenges simple, offer lots of encouragement, and highlight first-time participants to make them feel welcome.
Absolutely. Feel free to tailor templates to fit your group's unique interests, projects, or seasonal activities.
Ask members to reply in comments, use a dedicated hashtag, or submit photos and stories that you can feature in recap posts.
Visuals like photos and videos boost engagement, but text updates work too. Use a mix to include everyone.
Rotate challenge themes, adjust for seasons, and invite members to suggest new challenge ideas.