Homesteading

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 …

If you’ve ever tried to hard cook then peel farm fresh eggs, you know how difficult and frustrating it can be. The egg white sticks stubbornly to the shell and …