As an urban homesteading enthusiast, I definitely have the DIY bug. Gardening, landscaping, and chickens are all great for outdoor ideas, but in rainy Seattle itโs nice to find an indoor project too. I love all of the crazy scents available at our local farmers market (thai basil & lemongrass?!), that I chose this as
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Companion Plants for Lavender
Lavender can help protect your garden as a companion plant. The biggest reason is that deer, rabbits and other wildlife nibblers tend to ignore lavender due to its strong odor. Lavender is easy to cultivate in most U.S. Plant Hardiness Zones. The aromatic, herbaceous perennial adds a delightful scent to the air. The popular, colorful
17 Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipes To Save You Money
It wasnโt until I began my journey toward a more eco-friendly lifestyle, that I found out there are many things you can make yourself. Many common household items that you can make, will save you money and are good for the planet. If you take a look at the ingredients in major brands of laundry
Making Homemade Soap
I started making my own soap out of necessity, but eventually it became one of our farm products. Around 2000, I started having severe rashes. I had combination allergies, which made me allergic to soaps, shampoos, laundry detergent and even toothpaste! I started out making my soaps with melt-and-pour glycerin, but that proved to be
Why Bar Soap Is Better For The Environment Than Liquid Soap
If you care about the environment, buy bar soap. The force behind this directive comes from Zurich’s Institute of Environmental Engineering. Scientists there assessed three categories of cleaners: laundry detergent, body soap, and surface cleaners. The goal was a first-ever life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) of these types of products. An LCIA takes into account
13 Effective Homemade Face Wash Recipes
Take a look at the label on your face wash. Does it have a long list of ingredients that you can barely pronounce (let alone identify what they are)? Does it include things like parabens, phthalates, and formaldehyde? Nowadays, youโll find these ingredients in all sorts of skin and hair care products because theyโre a
Thrive Market Review
Editor’s Note: We’ve been hearing awesome things about Thrive Market, but before we plunked down the $59.95 membership fee, we needed to know: Is it better than other online and local organic food options? We decided on a two-part strategy: Our writer road-tested the service, which she wanted to try anyway. Meanwhile, we compared the
Another Green Living Option: Hand Wash Your Clothes
… and easily trade cost and environmental impact, for time! “Do laundry”… what does that mean to most of us?ย It means carting a large pile of clothes in a bin or basket to one’s home washer and dryer, or if you’re one of the many unfortunate bunch like me, you cart it to a
20 Homemade Floor Cleaners For A Sparkly Clean House
Mopping is one of my least favorite chores. At least, it was until I stopped using store-bought cleaners and transitioned to homemade solutions. The store-bought stuff never seemed to clean my floors (they’re mainly wood, laminate, and tiles) and left them feeling tacky to the touch. I also hated the odor of anything store-bought. Everything
Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
Too many cleaning products contain chemicals that are extremely harmful to the environment and its inhabitants, including humans. Eco-friendly cleaning products are an easy alternative and solution! The ozone, water, air, land, and the entire ecosystem are all affected by the choices we make as humans, including what products we use. Today I am going
6 Deer Repellents You Need To Try
Just. One. Deer. Thatโs all it takes to undo hours and hours of painstaking yard work. Just one deer can wreak havoc on a beautiful garden. Those vegetables? Flowers? Uprooted. Well-raked planters? Trampled. Fortunately, there are several low-impact ways to deter and repel deer. You donโt have to resort to poison or nasty chemical solutions
7 Effective Mosquito Repelling Plants
Looking for a mosquito-free garden? We know that plant extracts and oils are effective as mosquito repellents, but there’s a variety of mosquito repelling plants also help keep pesky insects away. “Mosquito repelling plants tend to be highly aromatic,” says Amy Lawhorne, Vice President of Mosquito Squad, a national tick and mosquito control company. “Some have
5 Perennial Herbs For Fresh Garden Flavor All Year Long
Those of us with green thumbs may feel a bit of the winter blues once the first hard frost hits. Though the tender sprigs of our favorite basil and dill may look beautiful as the dawn strikes their fatally crystallized leaves, we know that soon those formerly verdant garden beds will be shriveled into a
25+ Sustainable Stocking Stuffers To Give This Holiday Season
It’s not always possible to buy that new greenhouse or build a rain garden as a holiday gift. At Insteading, we understand that garden gifts can easily run on the large and expensive side. We wouldn’t want to substitute our love of natural and sustainable products for a plastic and battery-operated gadget, though, so we’ve
17 Effective DIY Dishwasher Detergent Recipes
Iโm probably one of the few people in this world who loves doing dishes — I love to load up the dishwasher and forget them, that is! Washing dishes by hand is an annoying and time-consuming task. And did you know it often uses more water than dishwashers? Handwashing dishes can use up to 27
Vegan Gift Guide: 25+ Items For Every Vegan On Your List
More and more people are turning to veganism as a compassionate and health-conscious lifestyle, so that means you probably have at least a few veg-heads in your life. And at some point, you’re going to have an occasion to give a gift to those vegan friends, family, or office mates. And to remove any anxiety
The Many Varieties Of Mint
The little, red squirrel was determined, Iโll say that much. He, I assume it was a he because he couldnโt take a hint and go away, kept jumping on the patio door window and trying to climb inside. He wanted to join me while I watched the evening news. I donโt know why; there was
Organic Shampoo
In the spirit of real talk, I will admit that I had never been an organic shampoo user until I tested products and conducted research for this article. In hindsight, I feel ashamed of myself for the years I spent buying into experiential โoh-oh-ohhhhโ shampoo marketing tactics the big brands use to lure us in.
Washing Your Hands – Just Do it, Already!
Why will you not wash your hands? Seriously, it’s not that hard. It doesn’t take that long. And everyone else in the bathroom is going to give you the side-eye if you don’t do it. Also, you need to use soap. That “running your hands under the water and then drying them” thing doesn’t actually
8 Toxic Chemicals in Conventional Dish Soap
Choosing organic produce is important, but so is making sure that the dishes you use to cook and eat aren’t washed in toxic chemicals. Here are some common bad guys to avoid and why you should give them the boot from your kitchen.
All About Organic Skincare
Organic and natural products are coming out of the shadow of mainstream beauty preparations, demonstrating likely and proven restorative results. Both women and men are more frequently choosing not to apply products with chemicals and possible noxious toxins that may irritate or damage delicate skin. Instead, they are opting to only use pure organic/natural preparations.
Natural Anti-Fungal
A few weeks ago we noticed a rash on my little nephewโs foot. One look at his foot and I knew it was ringworm. Ringworm can be recognized by the round, worm-shaped rash. The area is usually red and the worm-like fungi are somewhat raised and bumpy. Sometimes it can be dry and scaly. I
Types of Kale
Knowing the different types of kale will guide you in choosing the appropriate variety for cooking or growing. Here’s everything you should know about this leafy vegetable, including it’s rare varieties!
How To Make Carrot Wine
As a young man, my father was a homesteader who raised root vegetables to sell at the town fresh market. Even when the harvest was plentiful, there were always misshapen carrots, not attractive enough to appeal to what he called โpicky city folk.โ Dad stashed most of the rejects in the root cellar, to make
23 Genius Epsom Salt Uses For Your Home, Garden, And Wellness
Epsom salt established its name 1600 years ago from the location where it was first discovered in Epsom Common, Surrey, England. It is most commonly marketed as bath products: powder, granules, crystal, flakes, and bath bombs. Although similar to common table salt in color and texture, Epsom salt and table salt are distinctly different. Epsom
81 Awesome Documentaries for Homesteaders
From honey bees to tiny houses to TEDTalks on Capitalism and Humanity’s Future, we’ve assembled a complete list of documentaries and shows on Netflix & Hulu that would interest our fellow homesteaders. Leave a comment below and let us know which ones are your favorite, and which programs we missed! Topics Food & Agriculture Documentaries
13 Beneficial Chicken-Friendly Plants To Grow Next To Coops
If you’ve had chickens for long, you probably have noticed that they eat all day long. They peck and scratch at the soil and eat every last bit of our kitchen scraps and leftovers. Letting your chickens free-range, or giving them access to plenty of natural vegetation and/or rotating their grazing parameters, is the key
17 Natural Mosquito Repellent Options For The Home And Garden
I detest mosquitoes. I hate that itchy sensation they leave and the fact that they can carry Zika or the West Nile Virus. I also prefer not to use toxic chemical repellents like DEET. Especially when a plant-based, natural mosquito repellent gets the job done. The good news is, planning and planting a natural mosquito
How To Make Essential Oils
Over the last few years, essential oils have become incredibly popular. Some people use them for aromatherapy while others swear by their health benefits and healing properties. Regardless of how you use your essential oils, you’ve probably spent a pretty penny purchasing them, so why not consider making them at home? While the initial investment
How To Capture And Use Wild Yeast
I have a secret weapon in my kitchen. It makes my daily bread taste amazing (and far more digestible than anything store-bought). As long as I take care of the starter, this weapon is an endless material. And the best part of all? Itโs free for the taking. Iโm talking about wild yeast — a
13 DIY Christmas Gifts
Whether youโre trying to avoid holiday shopping crowds or you simply want to spend more time creating unique presents this season, DIY Christmas gifts are heartfelt, fun to make, and personal. When you make a gift for someone, you donโt just invest in materials โ you invest time in the person. Check out the DIY
Natural Insect Repellent
If backyard barbecues, camping trips, yard work, or sporting adventures have you reaching for cans and bottles of commercial bug spray to ward off irritating insects, pause and think twice before you douse your children and yourself with noxious chemicals concoctions that often contain poisonous ingredients such as DEET. Consider safe, chemical-free alternatives that do
13 DIY Flavored Water Drinks to Stay Hydrated and Healthy
Stop already, you say. You’ve heard it all before: Drink plenty of water, stay hydrated, and stay healthy. You may think it’s boring. It’s old advice. But even though this is sage advice, few people pay conscious attention to the amount of water they drink in a day. How much do you drink daily on
30 Gifts For Bakers
Baking helps make your house into a home and is a lovely way to show the people in your life that you care for them. And there is no better time than the holidays to start (or begin again) with baking traditions. But if your baking supplies could use a bit of an upgrade โ
How To Make Soothing Cherry Honey Cough Drops
It’s cold and flu season and that means one of two things. It’s either time to stock up on cough drops OR it’s time to make your own at home! It seems like I never have cough drops on hand when I need them, so when a cold hit our family this winter, I decided
7 DIY Bath Bombs For a Soothing, Relaxing Soak
Fizz away fatigue with all-natural, DIY bath bombs that transform bathwater into a fragrant, skin nurturing, stress-melting oasis. A quick search of the internet yields as many different recipes for DIY bath bombs as for chocolate chip cookies. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you can make a basic bath bomb with a few drops of water
13 Everyday Uses For Whey
Whey is the liquidy by-product of cheese and yogurt making. Instead of throwing away the by-product and wasting it, you can use this incredibly nutritious and complete protein. Whey contains all nine amino acids! In addition, it contains a lot less lactose compared to other milk products. Because of its high protein content and nutritional
Eco-Friendly Homemade Ice Melt Solutions
If you reside in a region where the temperature drops below freezing, you know firsthand the dangers of ice accumulation. When the winter winds blow, temperatures drop, and the rain turns to sleet or snow; driveways, sidewalks, and steps become hazardous. Homemade ice melt solutions and anti-icing products help prevent snow and ice from bonding
Organic Choices
Inspiration Green Organic Choices, See which foods have the least and most pesticide residues. USDA data.
7 Ways To Mouse-Proof Your Homestead
For homesteaders, the common house mouse is one of the most troublesome of pests. A small brown or gray rodent with little beady eyes, large ears, and a skinny three to four-inch long tail, house mice flourish under a diverse array of conditions in and around homes, sheds, barns, and outbuildings. The unwelcome intruders consume
Make Your Own Homemade Tea Blends With These 8 Recipes
Homemade tea blends can be very simple or more complicated, and you can customize your recipes to suit your own tastes. These are some of our favorite hand-crafted tea ideas to stock your pantry or for your gift list!
13 DIY Candle Ideas
Candles bring warmth to any space. DIY candles are a fantastic way to customize ambient sight and scent and save money while doing it. They are a fantastic gift and there are a lot of options when it comes to the materials and style of candle you make. We are going to go over the
How To Get Rid Of Flies: Natural And Effective Options
Flies are everywhere. In fact, entomologists have named over 100,000 species of flies on earth. Not only are flies annoying, but they also carry germs and diseases. Though flies are a tasty treat for frogs, they are not good for us. The following article will provide you with a variety of tips to repel and
Herb Gardening 101
Planning and planting an organic herb garden is a traditional part of the homestead lifestyle goal of self-sufficiency. Growing rare and beautiful culinary and medicinal herbs is a glorious gardening experience. Herbs offer brilliant flowers, delightful fragrance, eye-catching foliage, and they are one of the easiest types of plants to grow. Think of the herbs
Insteading Giveaway – December 2019
Regardless of whether you had a large harvest of food from the garden this year, or simply found a lot of cucumbers on sale at the grocery store, preserving food is an excellent way to provide yourself with a little more self-sufficiency in the winter months. While canning and dehydrating are common methods of food
Beets: From Growing And Preparing To Canning and Cooking
When I was very young, my mom taught me how to can and pickle beets, and I have continued to do so since my husband loves pickled beets. I have always wanted to eat beets, but Iโve never been a fan of the earthy flavor. Beets are such a healthy vegetable supplying large amounts of
Homemade Fly Traps
So you have a fly problem. That is truly annoyingโweโve all lost sleep as a black fly buzzes around the bedroom. If itโs in the kitchen, itโs probably grossing you out. Youโve made dozens of swatting attempts, with no success. Your arm is tired and youโre frustrated. What to do? Here are three options, with
Eco-Friendly DIY Drain Cleaners
Why is it a slow or clogged drain always seems to occur at the worst possible moment? You’re busy preparing a dinner party, company is soon to arrive, and now you find the water in the guest bathroom sink doesnโt want to drain. What to do? You want something that will clear your plumbing problems
20 Interesting Uses for Coffee Grounds
If you drink coffee every morning or even just enjoy the occasional pot, the number of grounds left behind can really add up. Tossing those grounds into the trash may feel wasteful, but the good news is there are plenty of clever uses for coffee grounds. Not only is this helpful for your wallet, but
How To Make Compost Tea
Compost tea is enjoying a huge surge of popularity in the gardening world. Sometimes called the “liquid gold” of gardening, this nutrient-rich, microbe-rich liquid is hailed as a disease preventative for your garden and a super-boost of nutrition for your soil. But what is this “tea” in the first place, and why is it such