I lived in a small townhouse with a tiny backyard. I squeezed in a garden, but what I really wanted was a few chickens for eggs, manure, and fun. My next-door neighbors promised they didn’t mind, but the township I lived in had different ideas about what I could do with my own backyard. The… [read more]
20 Unbreakable Rules for Safe Home Canning
When you are first learning how to can, it can seem like a daunting task. You need to coordinate the cooking, the filling, and the processing without burning yourself or making a mistake that might cause your family to get sick. While there are risks to canning, there are also benefits. Following canning safety rules… [read more]
35 Easy Ways to Lower your Grocery Bill by 50% or More
We all want to save money on our grocery bills. Food is expensive! According to the USDA, the average family of four (2 adults and 2 children that aren’t teenagers) spends somewhere between $200 and $246 per week on groceries. That’s nearly $1000 per month just for food, and that doesn’t include eating out. If… [read more]
How to Plant, Grow, Harvest, and Use St. John’s Wort
St. John’s wort is both a mysterious and debated member of the herb family. You’ve heard of it, but what is it really? Is it a noxious weed or a miraculous medicinal plant? Poisonous to your livestock or not? A vitamin supplement or a disaster for your homestead or ranch? In this article, we’ll talk… [read more]
The Homesteader’s Guide to Prepping for Blackouts
Are you prepared for a power outage? A power outage could happen at any time due to weather, accidents, terrorism, or any other innumerable possibilities. Outages can last from a few minutes to a few days and even weeks. It is hard to imagine what life would be like should the power go out for… [read more]
How to Plant, Grow, and Harvest Peas
Peas are a delicious and easy to grow food suitable for almost any garden or homestead. There are many types and varieties of peas that may fit in well with your garden plans. You can choose from dwarf or vining varieties, snow, sweet, or snap peas, edible or inedible pods, quick harvesting or longer, sweeter… [read more]
13 Uses for Eggshells in the Garden
If you’ve got chickens, you’ve got egg shells. And if you’re anything like me, you eat a lot of eggs, so you end up with lots of egg shells. We eat a lot of fresh eggs for their excellent nutrition and protein. And after awhile, the egg shells can start to pile up. But don’t… [read more]
How to Plant, Grow, and Harvest Summer Squash
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]