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Homesteading & Sustainability
“What is that?” I exclaimed, pointing at the black thing that sat atop a tall stem. "Black thing" was the best way I could describe it, though perhaps some avid gardeners would refer to it as deep …
Continue Reading about Homestead Stories: The Black Bat Flower →
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 …
Continue Reading about 5 Perennial Herbs For Fresh Garden Flavor All Year Long →
Unless you’re a roach-loving entomologist, chances are you can’t stand having little critters all over your kitchen. Not only are they unsightly, but they are also known to be allergy triggers, …
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 …
Continue Reading about Vegan Gift Guide: 25+ Items For Every Vegan On Your List →
Every time the holidays come around, do you find yourself wondering what in the heck you're going to get for all those special people on your list? Chances are you have at least one relative or friend …
Continue Reading about 10 Gifts To Give That Will Change The World →
Chia seeds are nutritional powerhouses and have a huge range of versatility in the kitchen. They are my very favorite seed to use in the kitchen. But what about chia plants? In this article, …
Continue Reading about Chia Plants: How To Grow and Harvest Chia Seeds →
Brussels sprouts are really delicious, tasting like a mild and firm cabbage—which is basically what they are! While Brussels sprouts are available year-round in our global food economy, they are …
When one thinks of trees, visions of vast swaths of forested mountains, steamy jungles, or frosty taigas may come to mind. But not every tree needs a scenic backdrop to flourish—some can be content to …
Continue Reading about 7 Indoor Trees To Add Some Greenery To Your Home →
Kale has become somewhat synonymous with the modern health movement, but this nutrient-packed green has been a bastion of good eating for centuries. In fact, there’s an old Scottish story that tells …
It always seems like you don't realize the lack of shade in your backyard until it's too late. You've already settled on a good book, put out the lawn chair, and made yourself a nice lunch when you …
Continue Reading about Fast Growing Shade Trees For Your Homestead →
“Oh my! That hosta is huge!” I was standing in my front drive, surveying what I called the circle garden. It was encased in a rock wall that outlined a circle around a gracious, old willow tree. And …
When you're working your own land, there's an inevitable moment when you find yourself butting heads with nature. You may discover a nasty poison ivy rash, a particularly troublesome patch of morning …
What if you could turn your yard into an edible landscape with fruits, vegetables, and herbs? Edible landscaping, also known as foodscaping, brings more homegrown foods into your life while …
Continue Reading about Edible Landscaping: The Basics And Plants To Get Started →
“What is that tall blue flower? I can see it from my kitchen window.” My neighbor was intrigued by the bursts of growth and color in my ever-expanding garden. “Delphinium,” I said. “It was here …
Continue Reading about Delphinium Flowers: Beautiful But Poisonous →
As impressive as ants are, what with being able to lift 50 times their body weight and building their fancy colonies, they can become a bit of a nuisance in our gardens and homes. It’s sometimes …
“It’s a balloon flower, Mom.” My youngest jumped up and down with glee. “A what?” I asked. I have to admit, I’ve heard some pretty strange names for flowers but balloon flower was a new one to …
Continue Reading about Homestead Stories: The Balloon Flower →
I have fond memories of the outhouse at the family cottage. Years ago. When I was a youngster. Dad had built it far enough from the cottage that it didn’t project its noxious odors into the place …
Continue Reading about Homestead Stories: The Outhouse Flower →
Apple trees truly are giving trees. In spring, their fragrant, pale blossoms dot the landscape with a welcome, hopeful change from the soggy grays and browns of late winter. In summer, their lush …
Aloe vera may bring to mind colorful bottles and memories of a bad sunburn, but the plant is relatively easy to grow at home and comes with a load of health benefits. If you’re looking for a …
You've seen them on Instagram, Etsy, and in the windows of boutique plant shops. A succulent terrarium can be as small as a necklace pendant or as large as an upcycled fish tank. Similar to putting …
It really began with the secret garden. No, I’m not referring to Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel by that name, though it is a favorite, and I’ve always wanted my own secret garden. Perhaps now I do. …
Continue Reading about Marking The Way Naturally – Rustic Garden Edging →
Moving to the country had its pros and cons. There were a lot of things to learn, especially in the garden. I tried to take my entire suburbia garden, one plant at a time, but some of my shrubs, …
Continue Reading about Weigela: A Flowering Shrub To Rival Your Rhododendrons →
Diatomaceous earth (DE), also known as diatomite, is a soft sedimentary rock made up of the fossils of algae-like organisms called diatoms. It’s 80-90% silica and usually comes in the form of a fine, …
Continue Reading about Diatomaceous Earth: 14 Surprising Everyday Uses →
It’s no secret that our environment has been suffering over the years. The state of the bee population is one of the issues that worries me the most. Honey bees, along with other bees, butterflies …
Continue Reading about Plants That Will Help Save The Bees →
“Mom,” my six-year-old called from the front walk where he had been riding his bike back and forth. He had paused in front of my display of red and purple, firework-like flowers and admired them. At …
You are a garden warrior. You have taken the ground allotted to you in your acreage, however big or small, and have tilled the rough sod into soft, pillowy submission. Your compost has been aged to …
Continue Reading about Shade Plants: 15 Garden Greats To Grow In Full Or Partial Shade →
Fruits are nature's candy and offer an array of flavors, colors, and textures for us to enjoy. But these sweet treats are so appealing because of their high sugar content, and if you're on a low-sugar …
Continue Reading about 8 Low Sugar Fruits: A Safer Way To Snack →
Though you can buy traditional pergolas in cedar, metal, and aluminum options, they all have the same general shape. Mediterranean-inspired with criss-cross beams and an earth-tone canopy is what …
Continue Reading about Modern Pergola Inspiration For Your Backyard Oasis →
I wish I knew decades ago what I know now about the medicinal and nutritional benefits of dandelions: I remember my dad spending hours trying to get these sunny little "weeds" out of our suburban …
“The holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown. Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown.” I hummed the tune happily as I dialed my parents' number. I would be going …
Continue Reading about Homestead Stories: The Holly And The Ivy →
No, you won't be building an Olympic-sized swimming pool back there, but your small backyard can still be an oasis for your plants, your friends, and your mind. We’re going to take a look at several …
Continue Reading about 15 Small Backyard Ideas To Make Your Space Feel Larger →
There’s nothing like planting a beautiful garden, only to have burrowing animals eating your carrots and making tunnels through your lettuce patch. Despite being cute and fluffy, gophers are a farm …
In our modern day, with cable TV shows banking off of the "weirdness" of living off the grid, the very phrase "Off-Grid" images of end-of-the-world preppers stocking up MREs and ammo, wild-haired …
Continue Reading about Living Off-Grid: What It’s Actually Like →
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 …
Continue Reading about 7 Effective Mosquito Repelling Plants →
Whether you're wanting to illuminate a pathway or add a bit of ambiance to your backyard or garden, solar lights offer a lighting source that won't add any extra expense to your electricity bill. A …
Continue Reading about 34 Unique Solar Lights For Paths, Gardens, And Backyards →
Potatoes have a place in our kitchen and our culture that is unlike any other crop. They are cheap to buy and easy to grow. They are filling and delicious. From the Irish potato famine to the American …
Growing up in the 1960s, just about everyone in my class at school went to church, and most churches were similar in layout, including, at the front by the choir, a pulpit. So, when the lessons turned …
Continue Reading about Jack-In-The-Pulpit: A Beautiful Flower With A Weird Name →
“False Solomon's seal? What’s that? And why is it false? What’s the real thing?” Questions. Always lots of questions. Each new discovery on my country property opened up a new page of learning, …
Continue Reading about Homestead Stories: What’s False About False Solomon’s Seal? →
A small greenhouse allows just the right amount of sun and moisture to come in while keeping insects and bad weather out. And the easy access panels or sliding doors make tending to your tomatoes or …
Continue Reading about 25 Small Greenhouses (For Nearly Any Space—2×2 And Up) →
Stevia is a very cool plant: It's a little perennial herb that is beautiful to look at, easy to grow, and is a deliciously sweet herb to use in your teas and cooking. Stevia (official name Stevia …
Full disclosure: I may have more than a mild obsession with ginger. These days I’m finding myself craving it regularly. I love it added to my favorite Asian or Indian-inspired dishes, drinking it in …
Continue Reading about Growing Ginger (With Helpful Tips For Indoor And Outdoor Growing) →
If you’ve been in a health food store or a gluten-free bakery recently, chances are you have heard of amaranth. If you’re a gardener, you’re probably familiar with amaranth as a common weed. What is …
Nothing says summer quite like the refreshing crunch and snap of a green bean on a hot day. These legumes—also known as string beans—are classics in all kinds of recipes from the infamous green bean …
Potting benches are functional pieces of outdoor garden furniture that not only allow you to pot your plants with ease, but offer all sorts of storage for your gardening tools. Cabinets, drawers, and …
Among the wild food just waiting to be plucked from open fields, deep forests, lush riverbanks and country roadsides, wild grapes have got to be a favorite. If you’re a fan of the delicious fruit, …
“What is that yellow fluff covering the bush in the corner?” I asked. It was my first spring living in the country, and I still had a lot to learn. I had been watching the snowdrops and the crocuses …
Continue Reading about Homestead Stories: Growing Pussy Willows →
I didn't know about Japanese beetles until I moved to the Southeast. As it turns out, the early summer heat makes Tennessee a literal hotspot for these pests. To my dismay and endless frustration, …
A staple of backyards and gardens for decades, trellises can serve as functional garden bed additions and decorative works of art. By supporting climbing plants, vines, and flowers, empty trellises …
When I first moved to the country, I was amazed at the bounty of both wildlife and wildflowers. I had a big job ahead of me—tidying the forested part of our property. I wanted to clear out the …
Continue Reading about Homestead Stories: How I Accidentally Grew Trout Lilies →
Using natural materials in hardscaping is among one of most the popular trends in patios right now. Among these natural options, pea gravel is one of the best. Pea gravel is visually appealing as the …
