It sounds like the title of a Hulu-only horror movie but it’s a fact: Picked apples are alive! “Fruit does not die when harvested,” cautions agricultural experts at Iowa State University. “It remains a living organism that continues to take in oxygen and give off carbon dioxide.” After an apple is picked, it eats itself
20 Pumpkins You Should Have Planted This Year
In September you’ll start to see bins full of orange pumpkins at the grocery store. Why settle such a monochrome display? More than 30 different varieties of squash are grown in the U.S. These specialty pumpkins are for decorating, soup, even cutting slices off at eating raw. Find one to grow next year. Black Futsu
The Best Amazon Prime Day Deals For Homesteaders
Amazon’s massive Prime Day promotion started Monday, July 15th at 12 am PT. They’ll be announcing deals throughout the day. This year’s Prime Day will last for 48 hours. Each deal will be one of four types: Prime Day Deals: Deep discounts on top products that last until Amazon runs out of stock (in some cases,
7 Ways To Get Rid Of Weeds Without Roundup Or Herbicides
Even the most dedicated permaculturalist has probably had moments of weakness. Sure, you know that pulling weeds by hand is the most sustainable method for your soil and plants, but you’ve probably seen a neighbor or relative spraying Roundup and walking away, knowing that they don’t have to do any more work. Of course, there’s
Lighthouses For Sale
Buying a lighthouse is more than a real estate transaction. It’s a lifestyle change that links you to a proud American tradition. The best way to find lighthouses for sale is via a U.S. Government lighthouse “property disposal”. These happen sporadically. When one is going on, the General Services Administration lists available lighthouses on this
Polycarbonate Greenhouses
“Plastic” and “durability” aren’t usually words that should go together, but in the case of greenhouses they can. Long-lasting polycarbonate is worth considering as the covering material for your greenhouse, especially when compared to the traditional use of glass. In the case of modern tempered glass, rocks and hail shatter the panes with little effort.
Farm Sinks
It’s with good reason that homeowners are installing the farmhouse sink once again. Not only are they an aesthetically pleasing design element, they’re highly functional. The farmhouse sink has no extra counter space to reach or lean over, making it more comfortable to stand at, which is especially important for people spending hours in their
Salvage Inspiration From Ballard Reuse
One of the most unique show gardens at the 2017 Northwest Flower & Garden Show was the display set up by Ballard Reuse. The entire area was decorated with salvaged items, used very creatively. This table was made out of bleachers salvaged from a school gym. The patio bricks are salvaged as well. The placesettings
Bald Eagle Attacks Chicken
Reddit user mvar posted this near death experience for one of his chickens. The lesson, as always, is to have surveillance video covering your entire homestead so you don’t miss amazing stuff like this. Our chicken expert says that visiting pet dogs are one the biggest dangers to her flock, but in this case it
The History Of World Naked Gardening Day
Wikipedia would like you to believe that World Naked Gardening Day started in 2005. But our photographic evidence proves a much earlier origin for this holiday, on the first Saturday in May, when “people are encouraged to tend their portion of the world’s garden unclothed as nature intended.” Some people need no such encouragement—including some
Make/100 Upcycled Wood Toys
Two sisters from Buenos Aires who grew up among woodworkers at their grandfather’s shipyard have created these awesome wood-block toys, now for sale on Kickstarter. The wood comes from a eco-friendly (and cheap) source—the scrap pile of renowned furniture designer Alejandro Sticotti. Pieces of sustainably-grown pine, lapcaho, petiribí wood that weren’t lucky enough to become
How To Win The Organic Farm Essay Contest
Our monthly Insteading contest is, we think, pretty darn good. But we can’t compete with this. Via the UK Daily Mail: Architect-turned farmer Norma Burns has owned Bluebird Hill Farm in Bennett, North Carolina, for 18 years, but says she is ready to return to Raleigh for a more urban life. Before she does so,
Cast Iron Dutch Ovens: The Ultimate Guide
My enameled Dutch oven is my favorite cooking tool. But only since I graduated from my 20s. The impatient, impulsive, careless me and the Dutch oven were not compatible. I had a date to meet, a show to see, a new bar to check out…and you, Dutch oven, wanted me to stay home all night
Where Do Chickens Come From?
Do you know where your chickens come from? Not the store, or the farm, or even the breeder, but where the species first arose? Until fairly recently, neither did scientists. The chicken, so ubiquitous in our diets and increasingly in our backyards, have largely been ignored by scholars of domesticated animals. Cows, goats, even sheep
Michelle Obama’s White House Vegetable Garden Will Likely Be Permanent
Turning a home over to new owners is never easy. All the renovations and decor you fretted over—the new owners may hate it and tear it out. All that work, dumped in the trash. Michelle Obama did not want the vegetable garden she installed on the White House’s South Lawn to suffer that fate. During
Dirty Dozen Produce (And 2 To Really Avoid)
Using data from tests conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Working Group has picked their “Dirty Dozen” produce for 2016. These 12 foods contain the most dangerous pesticides out of the 48 that EWG analyzed. To the list: 1) Strawberries More than 98% of strawberries tested positive for at least one pesticide
The Solar Roof That Will Cost The Same As Shingle Roofs
The way Elon Musk tells it, today’s solar panels have the same problem electric cars once did—they look funny and don’t work that well. He doesn’t think solar-paneled roofs will truly take off until they’re as attractive and as inexpensive as other kinds of roofs. He made his point—with lifesize visual aids—in October 2016 on
The Brave Chickens Who Protect Us From Viral Epidemics
A slightly battered chicken coop underneath a shade tree a few miles south of the Columbia River is a barracks for soldiers in the war against communicable disease. The coop houses the Western Umatilla Mosquito Control District’s sentinel chickens, the area’s first line of defense against West Nile Virus, St. Louis Encephalitis, and Western Equine
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
Best Canning Recipes
Canning is a fun project that gets your hands dirty, keeps your food fresh, and gives you a last-minute gift option when the holidays roll around. The key to successful canning is starting with a recipe you can trust. We pulled these gems from our favorite homesteading and farming blogs. We also recommended the best
Why Bill Gates Would Raise Chickens
What’s the best way to get a poor family in the developing world on the road to self-sufficiency? Cash? Education? Internet access? Tech industry pioneer Bill Gates has a decidedly low-tech suggestion. In a short and sweet post on his personal blog in June 2016, Bill Gates gave four main reasons why chickens are the
QUIZ: Match The Food With Its Scientific Name
Your favorite foods also go by Latin names. Can you figure out what they are? No botany degree required! The hints are all in the names. Give it a shot.
10 Awesome New Inventions For Homesteaders
Handy Camel Bag Clip The problem: Most bag clips are cheaply-made and used for light stuff like bags of chips. The solution: A hardy clip that seals bags without puncturing them, since the plastic “teeth” aren’t sharp. The tech: A handle on the clip lets you carry the bags around by the clip rather than
How Sunflowers Follow The Sun
Plants exist in a permanent spot on the Earth, while animals travel around it. That doesn’t mean plants don’t move—many orient themselves toward the sun as the day goes on. I’ve definitely had Sundays when my plants moved more than I have. What’s interesting is that the same mechanisms that govern how we move through
Outdoor Wall Sconces
An outdoor wall sconce can be: A functional item. Just there to make sure you don’t trip over the patio stairs. A contributing design element. Follows the theme or style you’ve chosen for your outdoor decor. A focal point. If you don’t have incredible landscaping, or stunning furniture, sconces are an inexpensive backyard conversation piece.
Solar Drinking Water
You can use solar power to pump water, you can use solar power to heat water, and you can use use solar power to purify water, but what if you could use solar power to make water. A few dreamers are working toward this reality. In June 2016, Artist Ap Verheggen unveiled WaterCube. Watch the
Chuño
Dehydrated potato sounds pretty boring, but it’s the food that made the Incan empire possible. Tragically for Incan society, this nutritious, stable food also allowed Spanish conquistadors to wage war across South America. Incas called it—and their descendants still do—chuño. How The Incas Made Chuño The process for making chuño is an amazing technological breakthrough that
Sustainable Musical Instruments
Will acoustic guitar solos sound as sweet a century from now? No chance—not if we destroy the tonewoods that the best guitars are made from. Deforestation and climate change put the future of many tree species in doubt. The World Resources Institute, a non-profit study group supported by private and government donations, created a guide to
How Much Does It Cost To Customize A Tiny House?
If you’ve researched buying a tiny house you know prices are usually listed as a “starting price,” just like new cars are. Why? Because a tiny house is too personal for a one-size-fits-all option to work. So builders offer options to match a customer’s budget or lifestyle. Someone doing a lot of outdoor work might
Sweden Has The World’s First Electric Road
The inevitable stop at the grimy just-off-the-exit gas station will eventually be a nostalgic memory. Tomorrow’s roads will fuel our electric cars as we drive over them. A new electric road in Sweden—the world’s first—employs the magic of inductive or wireless charging. An induction coil embedded in the road sends out electromagnetic energy. A vehicle
Minnesota Homesteader Grows Beans From 1,500-Year-Old Seed
Homesteading expert Jackie Clay achieved a minor miracle in her garden this summer—growing pole beans from a 1,500-year-old seed. Obviously your local garden store doesn’t stock such a thing. Jackie says she got her hands on it when she was living in New Mexico. She emailed me with the full story: When we lived in
Eco-Friendly Kitchen Sinks
Seekers of eco-friendly sinks, I have some bad news and some good news. The bad news first: Affordable, new kitchen sinks aren’t 100% eco-friendly. When choosing a sink you’ll be balancing different aspects of sustainability. We’ve tried to give you a starting point for all the buying choices you’ll have to make. Kitchen Sink Materials/Colors
Earth Overshoot Day
Like a child devouring a batch of cookies, we humans are using Mother Earth’s resources faster than she can replenish them. But just how fast? The Global Footprint Network created Earth Overshoot Day to help us understand. Ideally, humans would finish December 31 having used no more resources than the Earth’s oceans and forests can
The Best Photos From the 2016 Tiny House Jamboree
The Tiny House Jamboree, held August 5-7 2016 at the campus of the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, featured 24 speakers, 34 tiny house building companies, and even a wedding (“no tangible gifts,” of course). I couldn’t make it, but thanks to the magic of social media, can share in a little bit of
Gorgeous Recycled Glass Surface For Tiny House Bathrooms
What’s more natural? A surface with texture, or one that’s flat and plastic? Even better is a textured surface made from recycled glass. One of the most compelling things about building a tiny house is that you can consider materials that would be prohibitively expensive in a “normal” home. Salvaged tin ceilings, vintage hardwood floors, solid
Too Many Apples Broke This Apple Tree
My Dad’s running a gardening experiment in his backyard. What happens if you let an apple tree fully fruit, instead of thinning the smaller fruits in the spring? This is what happens: Yes, the apple crop broke Dad’s tree. He didn’t launch this investigation on purpose—he’s had some health problems lately. I’m sure, if he’d
Meet Farallon And Roanoke, Tumbleweed Tiny House Company’s Newest Models
You now have two more dream tiny home possibilities, as Tumbleweed Tiny House Company just announced two new designs. Both designs answer a common request from Tumbleweed customers: Give us a house with a downstairs sleeping area! The designs incorporate a downstairs flex room. The room can be used as a second bedroom for kids/guests
NatureZap: Weed With Light, Not Chemicals Or Fire
Small weeds lodged in cracks are unsightly and aggravating. The traditional options for dealing with them are: Spray them with noxious chemicals. Get on your hands and knees and attack them with a special paving weeder. Incinerate them with a propane weed torch. The first is bad for Mother Earth, the second painful and sporadically
QUIZ: Which State Does Your Food Come From?
All the information for this quiz came from the 2016 USDA Vegetables Annual Summary. For just about every other vegetable or fruit they track, California grows the most, by far.
Best Dehydrator Recipes
If you’re lucky enough to have an overabundance of fruit, veggies, or meat, you also have a problem. How to preserve this bounty? Refrigeration may only keep the stuff fresh for a few days. Freezing? Maybe a few months—less if your power happens to go out. Dehydration is the best way to store food for
Phyllis Galembo – Masquerade
Portraits of masqueraders – Galembo has spent the past twenty-five years photographing rituals and religious culture in Africa, Brazil, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti and Mexico. Akata Dance Masqueraders, Ogoja, Nigeria, 2004, Ilfochrome, printed 2011, edition 3/5, 30″ x 30″ www.stevenkasher.com. It is the ancestor’s responsibility to compel the living to uphold the ethical standards of past
