No matter where you are on your path to self-sufficiency, there are plenty of reasons to want to keep animals. Deciding what animal to raise is another matter. For many …

Cooking is one of the most important survival skills you can learn in this lifetime. That and foraging. Combine the two together and you can cook up fantastic and memorable …

Basil is sometimes referred to as “the king of herbs”. And no wonder. Basil is easy to care for and will quickly grow into big, bushy plants that abound in …

Foraging can be a great way to supplement a homegrown diet. When foraging, you may be surprised by some of the great wild edibles you can find. For example, did …

When it comes to growing food, there is one plant that seems to baffle gardeners more than any other – tomatoes. I have no idea what it is about these …

The aroma of thyme is pleasant and complex – peppery and a little sweet with woody, earthy, minty and flowery notes. Flavor-wise, it lands somewhere between lavender and rosemary. For …

These days it seems like everyone has a sourdough starter. And everyone is making bread. But once you jump on the sourdough bandwagon, you quickly learn there’s more feeding and …

Carrots are tricky little roots to grow. Often they come out of the ground as cute, characteristic, knobbly bite-sized chunks of carroty goodness. For many of us gardeners, somehow our …

Plastic grocery bags. We’ve all got them hiding in our home somewhere, stashed somewhere out of sight where they multiply in the dark like rabbits. Perhaps you have one of …

Towards the end of the growing season, as the bounty starts to pile up, I reach for one recipe time and time again. When my kitchen counter is no longer …

With so many delectable ways to make chutney, it is extremely hard to pick just one! What’s more, with this zesty orange and fennel apple chutney recipe, there is plenty …

The end of the gardening season comes as a relief to most of us. After months of managing massive daily harvests of zucchini and tomatoes, cooler weather and slower growing …

Nasturtiums are most famous for their rich vibrant colors that add a dash of summer to any landscape. Most gardeners grow them for their beauty, reaping the handful of benefits …

Here’s a little gardening scenario for you: it’s nearing the end of tomato growing season and the first frost date is rapidly approaching. If you are still in good time, …

There is something inherently fun about seeing everyday objects in miniature. Whether it’s a model railroad with impressive detail or a tea set made smaller for a child, these items …

If you’ve been following the avocado’s steady rise to internet fame, I’m sure you’ve seen the viral trend of growing your own avocado tree from the seed or pit of the …

Whether you heat entirely with wood or just enjoy the occasional fall evening around the backyard firepit, wood can be an expensive fuel source. Luckily, it’s readily available and easy …

The snake plant is one of the most popular houseplants because it is easy to care for and how dramatic and showy it is. Dracaena trifasciata is most commonly known …

Citrus trees – whether it be lemon, lime, mandarin, grapefruit or any of the other fantastic citrus varieties – are wonderful additions to gardens and homes alike. Their delicious-smelling flowers …

It’s mid-September; prepare for the invasion of the eight-legged freaks! Does anybody get that reference? No? Lucky you. I had the supreme misfortune of seeing that movie in the theater, …

Recently, I found myself in a plant nursery looking over their selection of tropical houseplants. A sales associate approached and asked if she could help me. I told her I …

Celery, carrots and onions. Also known as mirepoix. These three humble vegetables are often the beginnings of some pretty incredible dishes – soups, stews, Bolognese, and stir-fries, to name a …

Onions are a pantry staple. There are two things we’re not allowed to run out of in this house, and that’s toilet paper and onions. Hmm, come to think of …

Considering the houseplant craze that’s continued over the past few years, it’s not hard to think most people now have at least one plant in their home. When it comes …