Also known as Ochsenschwanzsuppe in Germany, this decadent soup features a variety of vegetables – as well as bacon! What’s not to love? Rebekah WhiteRebekah is a part-time homesteader. On her 22 acres, she raises chickens and bees, not to mention she grows a wide variety of veggies.

Thyme – this cool season herb is the one every backyard gardener or homesteader should have in his or her herb garden. You can grow thyme along the edge of a walkway, bordering a short garden wall, or even in a container inside your home. It even makes a gorgeous groundcover for an area you… [read more]

As a person who lives off-grid I, like many others in my situation, understand just how important water is. In America there is a wide diversity of environments, consequently this valuable resource that is abundant in some areas is limited in others. I am fortunate, in that I have a spring, a bore hole, and… [read more]

Numerous people in America today aspire to be able to live the dream of living off-grid. For some, the idea of living off the grid is the thought of ditching their electricity supplier to use solar power, whilst others want to embrace an overall simpler self-sufficient life or homestead as many of our ancestors did.… [read more]

You can dehydrate just about any type of food, whether it be a fruit, vegetable, herb, or spice in a food dehydrator! Eggplant is no exception. Some people are turned away from the idea of eggplant in a food dehydrator, finding the lack of color in the dried eggplant unappealing. However, dried eggplant is a… [read more]

Growing up, my grandparents always used to have tons of dilly beans on hand. As a kid, I used to turn my nose up at the pale green concoctions, swimming in their brine of what, as a child, I deemed as “icky” spices and pungent vinegar. Want to learn how to make your own dilly… [read more]

Do you raise honey bees? If so, you should know that their usefulness extends well beyond the production of honey. In addition to pollinating your plants and ensuring a healthy ecosystem, bees also produce honeycomb. While it may not sound fancy, honeycomb produces many pounds of beeswax which can then be used around the home.… [read more]

Besides the cute factor, these gentle animals have lots of benefits when introduced to your homestead. These include compostable manure, a fleece sheared annually which is worth quite a lot, the chance to hire out your alpacas for photo shoots – it’s amazing how many couples want to pose with an alpaca on their wedding… [read 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]

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]