Summer squash is a mild-tasting, prolific type of squash that will inundate you with its impressive bounty all summer long. Most summer squashes are classified as cucurbito pepo, although not every cucurbito pepo is a real summer squash. Summer squash is best eaten while it is young and the skin is still tender, however, summer… [read more]
Top 10 Egg Laying Chickens
Do you want to know the secret to getting the most eggs from your chickens? Maybe you are considering adding chickens to your homestead for egg production for your family. Maybe you just want a few chickens to grace your backyard and eat ticks and other pests but wouldn’t mind eating some fresh eggs every… [read more]
How to Plant, Grow and Harvest Pumpkins
Nothing says fall like pumpkin! We love our pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pies, and of course, our jack o’lanterns. If you love pumpkins, and you enjoy gardening, it might be time to plant, grow, and harvest pumpkins for yourself. Just imagine having your homegrown pumpkins grace the table at your Thanksgiving dinner. Or perhaps you… [read more]
How To Hatch Quail Eggs
Quail are a terrific alternative or addition to your homestead. They are small, relatively quiet, prolific egg producers, and require little feed or space. This makes them a great source of eggs if your location does not permit chickens or ducks. There are generally few laws and regulations regarding keeping quail for personal consumption, and… [read more]
How to Plant Grow and Harvest Lettuce
A feeling of dread came over me as I reached into the bag of lettuce to grab a handful of fresh, nutritious greens for my salad. Just imagine my surprise when overnight, my store-bought bag of tasty fresh salad greens had turned to mush even in the coolness of my refrigerator. Instead of crunchy delicious… [read more]
How to Plant, Grow, and Harvest Spinach
The health benefits of spinach were caricatured by the super strength of Popeye the Sailor Man cartoons in the early 1930s. A can of spinach provided the hero with a burst of super strength to defeat the villain and save the love of his life, Olive Oil. Obviously, in real life, we will not be… [read more]
The Do’s and Don’ts of Winterizing Chickens
Winter can be a particularly hard time to keep chickens. During the cold months, I used this time to purchase the chickens that people−the folks I referred to as Towneyz −didn’t want anymore. I did understand them not wanting to keep their chickens during winter. They are more work, and it is cold out. There… [read more]
18 Benefits and Uses of Bentonite Clay
Bentonite clay is a type of absorbent clay that is made up of volcanic ash. This clay is also known as Montmorillonite clay. One of the largest sources of bentonite clay is Fort Benton, Wyoming, which gives the clay its name. It is also found in the Montmorillon area of France as well as Italy,… [read more]
How and Why to Grow Mint
Mint plants are a popular addition to any household vegetable or herb garden. The mint family, otherwise known as the mentha family, has a myriad of health, culinary, and household benefits. There are at least fifteen to twenty different species of mint and they are all are easy to grow and enjoy. Mint Characteristics All… [read more]
20 Simple Ways to Save Money on Chicken Feed
If you are raising chickens for meat or eggs, you might wonder if it is really worth it. The cost of buying quality, commercial feed from a chain store or feed store is certainly higher than the cost of a few dozen eggs from your grocery store. It can be expensive to feed your flock… [read more]