Homesteading

Watching and tending to an abundance of peppers in the garden is a very rewarding experience indeed. But how many hot peppers can you realistically eat at once? Half of …

Fall is finally here with it’s cool, crisp weather and pumpkin spice everything. The changing fall foliage is beautiful too, until it starts coating your lawn and needs to be …

Autumn is spectacular season, full of pumpkin pies, apple fritters and quince cheese. It also happens to be full of nuts. At this very moment, walnuts upon walnuts are falling …

No homestead feels complete without a flock of chickens. Whether you live out in the country or own a quarter-acre lot in the city, there’s a good chance you’ve considered …

No matter how successfully you make tomatoes ripen more quickly in your garden, chances are you will still be left with a number of green tomatoes to use up at …

Whether you are a seasoned homesteader or a yearning-to-be homesteader, this list of self-reliant skills will give you so much to learn (plus resources to get started), that you’ll never …

It’s that time of year when chickens suddenly go from producing an egg every day to one or two a week, or if you’re really unlucky, no eggs at all.  …

Autumn is right on our doorstep, just as it will be coming to yours in due time. We can see it in the yellow leaves falling gracefully from the trees …

There’s no better feeling than bringing in a bumper harvest from the garden, but when you find yourself with an overabundance, it can be hard to know how to deal …

It’s that time of year where summer gardens are producing hot peppers in enormous quantities! The thing about hot peppers though, is you can only eat so many before they …

The hardest work of the gardening season is over, and you’re bringing in your potato harvest. Or maybe you’ve visited your local farmers’ market and got a little carried away …

You’re probably asking yourself, “What in the world is switchel anyway?” It’s only the best drink option to beat the crazy summer heat!  If you’ve ever read the Little House …

Backyard chicken keeping is all the rage these days. If you’re thinking about raising a flock of chickens, you’ll need all the facts, and there are plenty of things no …

Every summer zucchinis take control of the garden, some growing large enough to give more then 15 cups of grated green pulp per fruit! Even though zucchini is commonly treated …

Around your apple trees, you will find a range of apples that fall onto the ground. But even when they have fallen from the tree, there are still a number …

Making natural pectin from unripe windfall apples is a great way to avoid waste. Have you ever thought it a shame that all those unripe apples fall from your trees …

The thyme is taking over the herb garden. There comes the point in every summer where my thyme plants reach critical mass. They become a conquering force encroaching on bordering …

A nutritious and healthy source of fat is vital food and energy for everyone. And it is extremely important for all self-reliant homesteaders who raise and butcher animals to acquire …

For many of us, the first time we heard of a shrub outside of the garden center was on a cocktail menu. For me specifically, it was a drink at …

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. When tomatoes are ripe and in season – make salsa! You already know that tomatoes are good for you – they are one …

A 5 gallon bucket is an incredibly useful thing to have around your garden, home or homestead. There are hundreds of different ways to make use of one. So, whether …

Chickens are simple creatures, but they still have basic needs, and a dust bath is one of them!  Why do chickens need a dust bath? All chickens get clean by …

I don’t know about you, but I love the crispy snap of a good pickle. Be it cucumber, green bean, or carrot, you just can’t beat that satisfying vinegary crunch. …

Drying fresh herbs at home has many benefits, and it’s so easy there’s really no reason not to! Drying your own herbs is certainly more cost effective than buying them …