Make no mistake, a survival garden is not just any kind of beautiful backyard garden. A survival garden is one that is carefully designed to yield enough crops for you …

There are several different schools of thought when it comes to supporting tomato plants. Some gardeners are advocates of simply allowing tomato plants to sprawl where they will. But if …

It’s that time of year when backyard chickens everywhere awaken from their winter slumber and go into egg production overdrive.  If you’re anything like us, you’ve gone from getting no …

Ginger is a delicious ingredient that can be used in a wide range of recipes. It can have a range of other uses too. You may be surprised to learn …

Humanity’s quest for cleanliness is nothing new. The first evidence of soap making extends as far back as 2800 BC when ancient Babylonians boiled fats with wood ashes to create …

Making compost is one of the most crucial jobs in an organic garden. But which method you choose to use can be important. There are a range of different ways …

The knowledge and ability to harvest elderflowers and elderberries for both food and medicine, will take you far on your journey to a self-reliant life. Naturally, you may be able …

When the kids are home, you definitely don’t want them staying indoors all day. Getting them out into the garden can be a great way to make sure they get …

Tomato plants are pretty darn cool in that they can grow new roots anywhere along their stem. If you’ve ever seen the knobby little bumps growing towards the bottom of …

Lettuce grows easily almost anywhere, making it the perfect crop for cool weather. Its fresh and sometimes peppery notes to the palette also please at any meal. When you plant …

Gardeners – and gardens – come in all shapes and forms, with loads of experience, or none at all. Some of us are great at growing tomatoes, while others are …

When speaking to people who don’t already grow their own, one of the main factors that comes up is cost. People worry that it will be expensive to get started …

Ginger is something that I use almost daily in my kitchen. I don’t know what I go through more of – garlic or ginger. Whether it’s chopped up in my …

Cast-iron is kind of a big deal these days. It’s everywhere. And for a good reason, cast-iron offers a tough, non-stick surface without the pitfalls of synthetic coatings. And let’s …

Fava beans, also known as broad beans or faba beans, are an excellent choice for home cultivation. They are particularly beneficial in a cool temperate climate garden. But they can …

Creating compost is key to successful organic gardening. It is an important skill that all gardeners should learn. Compost can be used as a growing medium in pots and containers, …

As you dive headlong into spring, with the hopes and dreams of a bountiful garden harvest, your mind may begin to wander and wonder how on earth you could also …

Growing your own food is a rewarding experience. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as the flavor of a tomato plucked from one of your plants and eaten sliced, still warm …

On a homestead, there are always plenty of things to do. One of the great things about homesteading is that there are almost endless ways to improve your home, garden …

There are plenty of ways to increase yield from your edible garden. Often, the measures you can take are simple. They don’t need to cost the earth, either literally or …

Have you ever freshly planted a beautiful batch of strawberries in your strawberry pot, only to find that they’re practically impossible to water? Watering through the opening on the top …

Those of you with small gardens and a big love for squashes, beware! Squashes will sprawl and crawl, setting their tendrils to whatever they can latch onto first, whether it …

As the first signs of spring arrive, and winter fades into the rear view mirror, you will likely be busy planting many of the crops that will sustain you for …

My typical seed starting mix looks like this. 1/3 Compost (from my garden). 1/3 Topsoil and well-worked and fine soil. (Hint: soil from mole hills or the hills made by other …