About HomesteadCalcs

Who runs this site

HomesteadCalcs is run by Chris Jensen, an independent individual based in Florida. It is not a company. I started it because information people were looking for was missing or hard to find, and I wanted the numbers homesteaders need in simple tools that show their method. Where the site says “we”, that is me. You can reach me at rusticreckoner@gmail.com or through the contact page.

Why this site exists

Homesteading runs on small calculations that are easy to get wrong: how much feed a flock needs, how long to process a jar of tomatoes at your altitude, how big a well pump should be, how many acres a pair of goats can graze. The answers are usually in extension bulletins, university publications and manufacturer data, but they are written for professionals, scattered across many documents, and often assume you can do the arithmetic yourself. HomesteadCalcs turns those published rules into tools you can use in a minute, and shows the method so you can check the work.

What you will find here

The site has calculators for animal care, gardening and food preservation, off-grid and rural infrastructure and traditional crafts, plus converters for product and unit questions, finders that help you choose a breed, species or animal, and in-depth guides that tie the tools together. Every tool is free and runs in your browser.

How pages are researched

Each calculator starts from a published source: a state extension service, a university publication, a government agency or a manufacturer's data. The page names the kind of source behind its numbers and explains the formula in plain words under "How this calculator works". Where the underlying guidance is a range or an average, the page says so instead of presenting a single number as exact. Our how we calculate page describes the standards we apply in more detail.

What this site does not do

• It does not give veterinary, medical, legal, structural or electrical advice. Estimates are for planning, and decisions about animal health, food safety, wells, septic systems and wiring belong with qualified professionals and local authorities. See the disclaimer.
• It does not recommend products because they pay us. Product examples are there to explain a calculation, not to sell something.
• It does not claim to replace tested recipes, product labels or local codes.

Part of the Calcs family

HomesteadCalcs is one of a group of free calculator sites that share the same standards for layout, sourcing and honesty about limits. You can see the others on the Meet the Calcs Family page.

Corrections and suggestions

Mistakes happen, and a reader who knows their field often spots them first. If a number looks wrong, use the Report an Issue form and tell us which page and what you expected. If you need a tool that is not here, suggest a calculator. For anything else, see the contact page.