Homesteading

We’ve talked a lot about the deep litter method with fellow backyard flock owners, but so many are confused about the process and concerned about the well-being of their flock.  …

Long before peaches are in season, long before we’re enjoying baskets of plump blueberries, and yes, even before we can pick glossy red strawberries, one ‘fruit’ makes its appearance before …

Are you planning to can this summer for the first time, or are you an experienced canner in need of inspiration to find modern ways of doing old-fashioned things? Either …

A visit to any trendy food vendor will yield some interesting ingredients on the menu. For example, my daughter recently tried squid ink ice cream at one of our favorite …

Crunchy, tangy capers are a staple in Mediterranean dishes. These tiny buds pack a flavorful punch and go great in everything from seafood to the classic chicken piccata. Normally, there’s …

Every winter, there comes a point where you bundle up tightly, head outdoors, and it hits you, right in the face – that little whiff of spring. Instead of bitter …

Getting baby chicks is so much fun. Those fuzzy balls of fluff have a way of melting even the chilliest of hearts, and before you know it, you’re completely attached …

It is officially spring when little yellow flowers begin to pop up in the thousands, turning every lawn into a star-studded carpet worthy of applause. Not everyone thinks the same …

If you have a backyard flock, two words can make your heart skip a beat – avian influenza. HPAI has been splashed all over the news for quite some time, …

As a new poultry owner, there’s nothing quite as exciting as looking into the nest box and seeing your first egg. Here we go, the reason we decided to get …

The period between 1929 and 1939 was one of widespread human suffering. At no other time in modern history had there been such a drastic drop in standards of living …

I am incredibly selective about kitchen appliances and doodads. If it’s going to take up space in my kitchen, it better work hard. And there’s one appliance that outworks all …

Growing pumpkins in your garden can be incredibly rewarding, especially if you enjoy the taste of homemade puree for pies, soups and even pasta sauce. But if you get a …

If cheese is an essential food in your life, listen up, for there is more than one brilliant way to store cheese, so it lasts longer. There may even be …

Bone broth is the new chicken soup. It restores and nourishes your entire body, helps you fight colds and the flu, it even gifts you with incredible long-lasting energy throughout …

The kitchen is a great place to start if you’re looking for ways to cut the amount of waste your household produces. You already know what to do with all …

Halloween has come and gone. All the ‘good’ candy is gone; it’s nothing but pink pieces of cement (also known as Hubba Bubba) and those weird peanut butter taffy things …

Lately, it feels as though the entire country has been swept up in an Us vs. Them mentality. It seems as though we’ve been polarized, almost compelled, to take sides. …

Because chickens have a narrow intestinal tract, they like to eat often but in small portions. This means that chickens are almost always hungry and food obsessed. Keep them well-fed …

Greetings, Witches and Vampires! Welcome, Werewolves and Zombies! The glow of ghostly grins on the front porch means Halloween is nearly upon us. Carving Jack-o-lanterns is a time-honored tradition that …

When you join the backyard chicken movement, you find yourself doing things you never thought you would be doing. Things like massaging a hen’s breast that has an impacted crop, …

Move over charcuterie; there’s a new bougie board in town – the butter board. This beautiful and easy appetizer is taking over dinner parties and elbowing out the heavy, and …

Blink, and you’ll miss it. The asparagus season, that is. For gardeners, fresh asparagus and rhubarb are the first two plants to harvest each spring, but only if you’ve taken …

At first glance, plants might appear totally helpless against insects, herbivores, and other leaf-gobbling predators. Like sitting ducks, plants are rooted in one spot so they can’t do the whole …