by Jenny Barnett

You don’t have to live in the woods to live like a pioneer.

Truth is, the modern frontier isn’t just a place, it’s a mindset. It’s about being ready, resourceful, and rooted in something deeper than convenience. And while gadgets come and go, a true pioneer builds their life around a toolkit that lasts generations.

1. Cast Iron Cookware

Every homestead kitchen, modern or old, needs a good skillet with a little history in it. Cast iron teaches you patience. It rewards consistency. And if you treat it right, it’ll outlive you.

Start with a 10” skillet. Add a Dutch oven if you’re feeding a crew. Then season, cook, scrub with salt, and repeat.

2. A Trustworthy Axe

Whether you’re splitting firewood, clearing brush, or just making kindling for a cookstove, a sharp axe is more than a tool, it’s a rite of passage.

Look for one with a hickory handle and a head that’s forged, not stamped. You’ll feel the difference in your hands.

3. Forged Hardware That Holds

A home built with intention should be held together by hardware that respects the weight of real work.

That’s where Old West Iron comes in. Their hand-forged bolts, brackets, hinges, and clavos aren’t just decorative, they’re built for the job, whether you’re hanging a barn door or framing in a timbered ceiling.

You don’t need a pile of tools to build a life but you do need the right ones.

4. Topographic Maps

Topo maps aren’t just wall art (though they sure look good above the hearth). They’re a record of the land’s memory — of how it rises, falls, and carries us.

Keep printed maps of your region. Learn to read them like old letters. They’ll teach you more than GPS ever could.

5. Heirloom Hand Tools

Hand planes. Drawknives. Old screwdrivers that still fit like a handshake. These tools remind us that not everything needs a cord or a charger.

Buy vintage when you can. I’ve had good luck with vintage shops on Etsy. Keep them sharp. And pass them on when the time comes.

Honorable Mentions

• A good pair of leather gloves (broken in, not bought that way)
• Mason jars in every size
• A cast iron hook by every door
• Whetstones (because dull blades are dangerous)
• Wrought iron wall pegs for tools, lanterns, or your Sunday hat

The real tools of the trade shape and represent the kind of person you become while using them.
And that’s the mark of good gear: it asks something of you. Strength. Skill. Stewardship.

— Jenny