Homesteaders of AMERICA
FAQ
Welcome to the Homesteaders of America FAQ page! Hopefully, you’ll find the answer to your questions about the conference, membership, workshops, and more! Click on the topics below to jump to the relevant section.
HOA Conference Questions
Our ultimate goal is to be a place of total homestead education for homesteaders across the United States. We understand that people have different learning styles and desires, and therefore we offer classes and education in multiple different ways, both during the event, before the event, and online throughout the year.
LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW THE CONFERENCE WORKS HERE.
Absolutely! We’ve had attendees to the conference come from the other side of the world! We encourage you to come see what an amazing experience this conference is and then take that energy and education home and start building your own network and community where you live!
We can’t wait until the next conference! It will be bigger and BETTER than EVER! Save the date and make sure you can join us on October 10th & 11th, 2025! Tickets go on sale in January of the new year! Sign up for our newsletter so you don’t miss the announcement!
Once again, the conference will be held at the Warren County Fairgrounds in Front Royal, Virginia, right outside the beautiful Shenandoah National Park!
We look forward to the day when our conference grows to the point where we can host an event out west! But we want to grow organically and responsibly so, unfortunately, that’s not a possibility at this time. Don’t forget, Homesteaders of America is run by a group of homesteaders! It’s just as hard for us to leave our farms and families several times throughout the year, no matter how much we’d love to see events throughout the country happen.
All our events can be found under the “events” tab on our website. We also share non-affiliated, homestead-related events happening throughout the country with our newsletter subscribers so be sure to get signed up if you’re not already!
Tickets to the conference go on sale at the beginning of each year! Be sure to sign up for our email newsletter so you are one of the first to know when they’re live!
Get your 2025 conference tickets HERE
We understand! We’ve all been there before. Please consider becoming a volunteer at the conference! All volunteers receive free admission and when they’re not working their shifts will be able to mingle, visit vendors, and attend the lectures.
During the Virginia conference, we will not be selling tickets at the gate. Unless they sell out first, you will be able to still purchase tickets online on Friday & Saturday before heading to the gates unless tickets sell out prior.
Physical tickets, in the form of wristbands, will be delivered to your shipping address in late summer, prior to the conference. This change will prevent scammers from taking advantage of virtual ticket resales and will help the entrance lines to flow more smoothly.
To view your ticket order or change your shipping address:
- Log in to your Homesteaders of America account,
- On that page, there is a general link to view your tickets (Or you can go to the ticket sales page for the event you purchased tickets)
- Scroll down to the box where the tickets can be purchased,
- Above the box, it will state how many tickets you have purchased for the event with a link to “View Your Ticket”
- On that page, click PDF ticket for each ticket and print or save to your device.
If you still are having issues, email [email protected] to resend it to you.
Unfortunately, we absolutely do not offer any refunds on ticket sales.
Absolutely no exceptions. Please do not email us with a refund request unless there was an error on your order (such as a duplicate purchase or a coupon code that didn’t go through.)
Please do not purchase tickets unless you are certain you will be able to attend or you are comfortable with not getting a refund if something comes up and you cannot. Please understand that when we coordinate the conference we do so based on ticket sales. We try to keep the Homesteaders of America event as budget-friendly as possible and are fighting not to have to raise costs while our prices to host it are skyrocketing. This means we need the guaranteed pre-sales to ensure we can pay our bills and keep in good standing with the companies we work with to help make the event possible. These are not uncommon policies in comparable industries.
The short answer is, yes, you may resell or gift your tickets to someone else. Their possession of the ticket gains them admittance into the conference. You will need to ship the new ticket holder the wristband sent to your shipping address in late summer. The new ticket holder will not be admitted without the wristband.
We do not keep a waiting list of folks interested in purchasing tickets. And, in order to protect everyone from scammers, we will not be encouraging ticket sales in our Facebook community in 2025. Please do not purchase a ticket unless you are certain you can attend the conference.
The conference schedule will be made available online a few weeks prior to the event. Be sure to follow us on social media or sign up for our email newsletter so you get notified as soon as it’s available.
A print-quality digital version cannot be made available online due to resizing issues rendering the text too small to be legible after printing. A print copy is available in the program at the ticket booth when you check-in.
Thank you for your interest in sharing your wisdom with our community! Please visit this page to fill out the speaker application!
We would love to have you be a part of our team! Visit our Sponsor page to learn more then email our Sponsorship Coordinator, Katerina, at: [email protected] for more information.
While we would prefer you don’t bring pets, if you must they will need to remain on a leash at all times. You must clean up after your dog. And you are fully liable for anything that happens to your dog or damage pets may do to people or property.
We would love to be able to accommodate interpreters, but at this time are not able to do so. We are so sorry and hope to have something worked out in the future!
Gates open to ticket holders at 6 am | Event hours are 8 am to 4 pm
Can’t find an Answer?
Vendor Questions
Yes. You will need a temporary vendor permit from Warren County.
Yes. You will need to collect sales tax unless you are selling a tax-exempt product or food. Refer to the Virginia Sales and Use Tax office for tax rates and other questions.
SET UP – Thursday, Oct. 10th
All vendors must be set up by 6 a.m. on Friday, October 11.
Use the second gate on 26 Fairground Road. Pull all the way up until you see our check-in table.
You will receive vendor passes, a parking pass, conference program, and directions to your booth and vendor parking.
Unload your vehicle and move it to the vendor parking area immediately to keep traffic moving.
If you need to set up later than 5 p.m., please call Janet or Mary-Katherine. Otherwise, entry will be denied by overnight security until they get verification. Janet (410) 570-9854 or Mary-Katherine (540) 222-7639
Before leaving (and if possible), lower your tent in case of weather/wind. Use something heavy to secure brochures/materials that could blow away. To prevent loss, store extra materials/merchandise in plastic tote boxes.
We will have a dedicated team member on a golf cart for vendors needing to transport items during the event. Please let staff know if you need to utilize this service.
A printed parking pass must always be displayed in your front windshield when entering and occupying the property.
Possession of the parking pass does not guarantee availability in the vendor lot. Please respect the parking attendant’s decision.
Unload supplies beginning at 5am, if needed. Vehicles are allowed in the vendor fields until 5:30am.
All vehicles must be moved from the vendor fields by 5:30 a.m. Attendees begin showing up at 6:00 a.m. No vendor vehicles will be allowed in the vendor area during the event.
Gates will stay open after the last class and until the end of the revival. You’re welcome to keep your booth open until the revival begins at 7pm or close when classes end.
Before leaving (and if possible), lower your tent in case of weather/wind. Use something heavy to secure brochures/materials that could blow away. To prevent loss, store extra materials/merchandise in plastic tote boxes.
Unload supplies beginning at 5am, if needed. Vehicles are allowed in the vendor fields until 5:30am.
All vehicles must be moved from the vendor fields by 5:30 a.m. Attendees begin showing up at 6:00 a.m. No vendor vehicles will be allowed in the vendor area during the event.
Vendors can begin take-down of their booth at 4 p.m
Vehicles are not allowed in before 4:30 p.m.
Vendor spaces must be completely clean before 7 p.m. A cleanup fee of $100 will be charged for unclean spaces.
Visit this page to fill out the vendor application form.
Volunteer Questions
No, you won’t have to work all weekend. (Unless you want to!) Volunteers are given either an evening or a morning shift on one day of the conference AND are either placed on the set-up or tear-down crew.
When you’re not working your shift, you’re free to enjoy the conference! But you’ll also have an advantage over all the other attendees… Because when you go home you’ll get complimentary access to our VIP membership where you’ll be able to check out ALL of the speakers at your leisure once the videos are uploaded in early winter.
Visit this page to learn more and fill out the volunteer application.
Lodging Questions
We do have RV & tent camping sites available on a VERY limited basis. If you think this is for your please make your reservation as early as possible. If they have not sold out yet, we will close down registration for the sites a few weeks before the conference so last-minute reservations are not possible. We will contact you with the final details you need to know, including your site number, a couple of weeks before the conference.
Electric and water are available for RVs, but there are no facilities available for septic onsite.
There are no facilities available for tent sites. You can use the portable toilets on the campgrounds and there are hydrants in a few locations for water.
We do not have a set space size for the tent sites. The limited tent camping reservations are available on a per-tent basis and you will have plenty of room to set up your campsite.
Bummer! We’re so sorry you can’t make it! As long as you contact us for a refund 60+ days prior to the conference we can issue you a partial refund (less the cancellation fee).
Absolutely, no exceptions. Please do not make a reservation unless you are certain you will be able to attend or you are comfortable with not getting a refund if something comes up or fuel prices rise to make an RV cost-prohibitive compared to a hotel. Please understand that when we coordinate the conference we do so based on sales.
We try to keep the Homesteaders of America event as budget-friendly as possible and are fighting not to have to raise costs while our prices to host it are skyrocketing. This means we need the guaranteed pre-sales to ensure we can pay our bills and keep in good standing with the companies we work with to help make the event possible.
We do not keep a waiting list for the RV & campsites.
Check out our lodging recommendations HERE.
Check out our lodging recommendations HERE.
If you wish to start a fire, make sure you are doing so within an enclosed area, such as a rock circle or a purchased fire pit. We are not liable for any damage you cause to the property, and you will be charged accordingly should something go wrong or the property be damaged.
Workshop Questions
No, pre-conference workshops are an upgraded event. The fees for each workshop are set by and paid to the teacher.
No, physical tickets will not be sent to workshop attendees. Teachers are given a class list and will do a role call before beginning class.
No, you will not. Workshops are held on and off-site Thursday, before the beginning of the conference.
No, you can not. One workshop class is available per person. The workshops begin at 9 AM and run simultaneously all day long.
These individual classes are simply facilitated by Homesteaders of America for the benefit of the teachers and their prospective students. Your workshop pass entitles you to access the class you purchased and you may not wander between classes throughout the day.
This varies from class to class. It depends on the class, material, and student participation (classes with lots of questions & student interaction may last longer). Typically they will run until mid-to-late afternoon, ending no later than 4 PM.
There will be a lunch break at noon, however, while there are no food trucks onsite Thursday, the Ruritan booth may be offering meals. Please pack a lunch or be prepared to leave to get a meal if necessary.
After we close registration for the workshops, your instructor will contact you with essential details regarding your workshop. This will be about 1-2 weeks prior to the conference.
Membership Questions
Well for starters you get to be part of an awesome and rapidly growing community of homesteaders all across our great nation! But more than that, you will get a TON of freebies including, educational videos, full conference lectures, eBooks, printable worksheets, discount codes from sponsors and vendors, and more! Check out our different levels of membership HERE and sign up today!
No need to wait until the new year! Memberships begin the day you sign up and you will have access to the materials for the next 365 days.
Memberships are per household and your family is more than welcome to watch videos and take full advantage of the membership benefits with you.
We’re sorry to hear that! Sometimes the automated Welcome Email gets stuck in spam filters or simply doesn’t go through. If that’s the case for you, email our Membership Coordinator, Marcia, at [email protected], and we can resend it manually.
You can log in to your HOA member dashboard HERE.
We work hard to get the conference videos out to you as soon as possible after the conference! We estimate they will be available by Thanksgiving. Sign up to get our email newsletters so you will know when they’re live!
Yes! You will not have to pay twice if you decide to upgrade!
Log into your membership dashboard here to view your current subscription and click “View”. Under Subscription totals, click “Upgrade” from there you can select your new membership tier. From there, you will see your prorated total in your cart.
Yes when you sign up for a Homesteaders of America membership you agree to auto-renewal. All members will be auto renewed unless you go into your membership dashboard and cancel your membership prior to your renewal date.
New member refund – If you are not satisfied with your membership for whatever reason, contact the Membership Coordinator within 30 days for a refund. If the member’s bi-annual magazine has been shipped prior to canceling a $35 fee for the magazine will be withheld.
Member renewal refund – Memberships are AUTO-RENEWED. If your membership has been renewed, you can cancel your membership inside your member dashboard. Click “My Membership”, select cancel. By doing so your membership will not automatically renew on your renewal date. Refunds aren’t given for membership renewal.
Memberships will AUTO-RENEW after one year. If you only cancel it through the HOA website, you may lose access to the remainder of your membership cycle, and the cancellation isn’t always communicated back to the payment processor.
If you have to cancel your membership and do not want to be billed for next year you will have to cancel it through the payment gateway, such as PayPal. Log in to your PayPal account and find the receipt for your membership. At the bottom of the receipt is a link for managing recurring payments. You can cancel the recurring transaction there. You can also read this article to help you find your subscription payments to cancel your HoA subscription.
In order for us to send you emails a newsletter subscription is required. If you choose to opt out of one email, you are automatically unsubscribed from all email communications, which includes the auto-renewal notice.
Magazine Questions
Renewal refund – Magazine subscriptions are AUTO-RENEWED. If your subscription has been renewed, you can cancel it inside your dashboard. Click “My Subscription” and select cancel. By doing so, your subscription will not automatically renew on your next renewal date. Refunds aren’t given for renewal.
Subscriptions will AUTO-RENEW after one year. If you only cancel it through the HOA website, you may lose access to the remainder of your subscription cycle, and the cancellation isn’t always communicated back to the payment processor.
If you have to cancel your magazine subscription and do not want to be billed for next year you will have to cancel it through the payment gateway, such as PayPal. Log in to your PayPal account and find the receipt for your subscription. At the bottom of the receipt is a link for managing recurring payments. You can cancel the recurring transaction there. You can also read this article to help you find your subscription payments to cancel your HoA subscription.
In order for us to send you emails a newsletter subscription is required. If you choose to opt out of one email, you are automatically unsubscribed from all email communications, which includes the auto-renewal notice.
Affiliate Questions
Thank you for your interest in sharing our membership with your tribe! We appreciate you so much and are excited to offer you the opportunity to generate income for your efforts. Register to become an HOA membership affiliate HERE.
Please note, our affiliate program is ONLY for membership sales and does not include merchandise, digital products, ticket sales, etc.
Merchandise Questions
The Homestead Journal Planner is ready for order! Get your copy HERE.
Community Questions
One of our chief goals at Homesteaders of America is to facilitate a supportive community! Join our Homesteaders of American Community Facebook group and connect with like-minded homesteaders online!
If you still haven’t resolved your issue email Customer Service at [email protected]and we’ll try to help out!