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 dealt with. But wait! Don’t throw out those fall leaves, there are some great uses for them on your homestead that will help your garden and livestock through the long winter. Fall leaves are a great asset to your homestead, they can add rich nutrients to the garden and be a major source of entertainment as … [Read more...] about 5 Uses for Fall Leaves on the Homestead
Aloe Vera Gel: How To Harvest It and 20 Ways To Use It
Aloe is one of those plants just about everyone has around the house. And if you don’t have a few, you should. And if you have just one but would like some more, then learn how to grow brand new aloe plants from "pups". Take a closer look at the humble aloe vera plant. Aloe vera is one of the easiest succulents to grow. They are like the introverts of the succulent world, best left to their own devices and checked on once in a while to see if they need anything. I’m sure we’ve … [Read more...] about Aloe Vera Gel: How To Harvest It and 20 Ways To Use It
How To Make Hand-Dipped Beeswax Candles
To sit by the flickering light of a beeswax candle is to drift back in time and dream of quieter, calmer days. The dark room, the single flame, the comfort of a sweet smelling warm light. Forgotten memories of yesteryear. Technology has replaced our need to light up a room at night, but it can never take away the desire for an open flame. Now, with the push of a button we can illuminate an entire space, although the dangers of the blue screen light are quite well known - the benefits … [Read more...] about How To Make Hand-Dipped Beeswax Candles
How To Make Leaf Mold: Turn Fallen Leaves Into Gardener’s Gold
As fall proceeds and leaves begin to flurry down, you may be wondering what to do with all the wind blown foliage. Many gardeners seem to view fallen leaves as a problem – something to be tidied up. But successful organic gardeners soon begin to see these dead leaves as a boon rather than as a bane to their existence. On our property, we try to make the most of this abundant natural resource. In this article, we will discuss how to make leaf mold. This is one great way to make the … [Read more...] about How To Make Leaf Mold: Turn Fallen Leaves Into Gardener’s Gold
How To Save Cucumber Seeds (With Photos!)
When you happen upon a cucumber, yellowing and past its prime, take it as a learning opportunity. There are seeds inside, ready to be saved. If you only knew how! It would be nice if it was as simple as scooping them out, washing and drying them off. Turns out, it is a bit more complicated than that, luckily not by much. Reasons to save your own seeds Every gardener and homesteader knows, or will quickly find out, that cost tops the list of reasons to save their own garden … [Read more...] about How To Save Cucumber Seeds (With Photos!)
Harvesting Walnuts – Collecting, Drying and Storing
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 to the ground with the help of strong mid-autumn winds. If you have a mature walnut growing in your backyard, consider yourself lucky. And if a neighbor is offering to let you pick theirs, go for it and harvest as much as you can fit in your baskets and buckets. The time to collect them is now - just remember to … [Read more...] about Harvesting Walnuts – Collecting, Drying and Storing