Insteading is based here in Seattle, one of the earliest outbreak areas for COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and social distancing efforts. As the city has quickly retreated into our homes over the past few weeks, many local businesses have been hit hard, closing their doors temporarily or even permanently in some cases. These changes are happening across […]
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25 Effective Bedroom Storage Ideas To Make The Most Of Your Space
Your clothes are scattered in the corner. Clutter fills your nightstand because you’re not quite sure where to put your piles of books and knick-knacks. The top of your dresser is a mess of disorganized jewelry. And inside the drawers, it’s tough to locate anything in the mixed-up socks and accessories. Needless to say, you […]
Raising Rabbits: How To House, Feed, And Care For Rabbits
Rabbits are one of the cutest animals you can raise on the homestead. Their soft and fluffy bodies are irresistible. Rabbits are also diverse. You’ll find quite a difference in the colors, sizes, and hair textures; you can raise them as meat or pets. Rabbits are often overlooked in favor of larger livestock like cattle, goats, […]
Homestead Stories: The Mighty Oak Tree
The arborist was following me around the property. It had been a hard winter with several damaged trees and a lot of large limbs downed. Rather than use the chainsaw to clean up the mess, I preferred to bring in a professional. He knew the trees better than I did, and could tell me what […]
25 Easy And Clever Kitchen Pantry Ideas
Your kitchen is spotless. Your counters are shiny, and your fridge is immaculate. Take a peek in your pantry, though, and you may find a different situation. It can be tough to keep things neat and tidy, especially when they’re hidden behind closed doors. The kitchen pantry is an oft-accessed space where items are continually […]
13 Healthy Cake Recipes
Birthday cakes, wedding cakes, just-because-you’re-craving-it cakes. Who doesn’t love cake? In most households, cake is a food of celebration that brings family and friends together. But when one thinks of the foods featured in a healthy diet, cakes are seldom mentioned. Cakes are burdened with a bad reputation because they typically lack nutritional value and […]
Growing Swiss Chard
If a garden was a high school movie drama, tomatoes would be the prom queen cheerleader, corn would be the basketball star jock, fennel would be the weird kid who dislocates his fingers and thinks it’s entertaining, and Swiss chard would be the really nice, helpful girl who just isn’t popular. And I think that’s […]
10 Basic Cake Decorating Tips For The Perfect DIY Dessert
I come from a large family. Blessed with parents, siblings, children, and grandchildren, I have baked a lot of birthday cakes. Until I discovered the creative world of cake decorating, my attempts were limited to sprinkling a bit of coconut, writing Happy Birthday with purchased decorative icing tubes, and adding a few candles — but […]
Homestead Stories: How Does It Grow?
I use a lot of cinnamon when baking. I love the smell it leaves in my cupboard, the aroma that wafts through the house when I’m baking, and of course, the flavor. That said, cinnamon is expensive. I think my last jar cost close to 15.00 USD. I use so much that I always buy […]
10 Greenhouse Plants To Get A Jumpstart On The Gardening Season
When you started gardening, you probably had dreams about all the different plants you’d grow. You imagined heaping piles of tomatoes, cucumbers to make more pickles than you could eat in one winter, and a never-ending supply of bright red bell peppers. If you have a greenhouse, all those dreams can be possible, even if […]
From Hive To Table: How Honey Is Made
One of my favorite things to do in the summer is sit quietly by my zinnias, and watch the pollinators flit around the brightly colored flowers. I don’t spend much more time than I have to outdoors when the temperatures are scorching and sunburn is eminent, but if I’m gardening in the early morning, I […]
The Best Chicken Waterers For Your Flock
It’s early morning, and I’m out around the homestead, quietly doing my normal chores. If you listen closely through the birdsong, you’ll hear the sound of a metal bucket clunking against my boots, transporting something precious. I filled it slowly from the rain barrel, listening to my small flock of chickens clamoring in their coop. […]
10 Amazing School Bus Conversions
Converting a school bus into a permanent residence is a bit like a coming-of-age story. You take a school bus, probably one very similar to the one you rode in elementary school, gut it entirely, and build a tiny home out of it. To me, the whole school bus conversion process feels very charming, sustainable, […]
20 Delicious Green Tomato Recipes You Should Try
Do you know the two different types of green tomatoes? There are traditional green tomatoes (that are usually an heirloom plant) in addition to un-ripened, red tomatoes. Both are delicious and can be used to make dishes like the Southern cooking classic, fried green tomatoes. However, when it comes to traditional green tomato recipes, you […]
15 Natural DIY Perfume Ideas
Did you know there are over 4,000 chemicals that are used to create fragrances in skincare and beauty products? And since these fragrance blends are considered trade secrets, companies aren’t required to disclose the specific ingredients on their labels. I don’t know about you, but for me, that is reason enough to consider more natural […]
10 Types Of Moss For Your Garden
There’s something mysterious and intriguing about moss. Maybe it’s because of the way it drapes over trees and rocks in places like the Hoh Rain Forest of Washington state. It looks like a land outside time. Or maybe it’s a bit of residual childlike wonder from the days we were small enough to crouch on […]
Raising Tennessee Fainting Goats
My first interaction with fainting goats was unintentional. I was jogging along a park trail, watching the trees go by while enjoying the quiet rhythm of my pounding feet. That reverie was jostled into confusion, however, by the sound of something screaming. It wasn’t human, and as I looked for the source, a goat blundered […]
30 Easy Road Trip Foods
While road trips are great fun, they can also be stressful journeys if you fail to plan in advance. Aside from making sure you have everything you need once you reach your destination, you should also think about how you’ll fuel up along the way. The chance to stop by a rest area may not […]
Raising Boer Goats
My husband and I like to look through our local farm listings to find tools or animals for the homestead. It gives us the chance to make friends, learn information about our area, and acquire stock that is more acclimated to our Ozark home. The last time we were scrolling through the pages of tractors, […]
How To Hatch Eggs With Your Hens (Without An Incubator Or Brooder)
So you have started down the wonderful path of chicken ownership. You raised a few hens and are ready to increase your flock. You can raise chicks from your own flock and have your hen do all the work. There is no need to invest in an incubator or brooder box. And there is nothing more […]
17 Treats For Chickens
There is nothing quite as satisfying as a happy flock of chickens. I’ve developed a good relationship with my chickens through care, gentle handling, and the occasional treat or two. I love to watch them run toward me when I come outside. When they see me, they’re usually hoping for attention and a snack. Over the […]
Powdery Mildew: What It Is, How To Identify It, And Treatment Methods
You walk into the garden, wiping sweat from your forehead in the summer’s boggy heat. The peppers are dangling like hidden jewels beneath their glossy leaves. The okra is dazzling with its tropical, hollyhock-like blooms. And the tomatoes are looking fine — even though you flicked a hornworm to your chickens as a treat. But […]
How To Make Yogurt (And Why You Should)
Yogurt is an ancient food that in recent years, has seemed to become an entity unto itself. Walking down the yogurt aisle at any grocery store (yes, it has its own aisle) is an adventure in persuasive marketing. Every plastic tub begs for your attention because it is more protein-rich, probiotic, or healthier than the […]
Homestead Stories: The Poison Garden
There are a lot of beautiful plants in the world. Some have medicinal purposes, others are edible, and there are those that are purely decorative. There are also many plants that are dangerously poisonous, “look, don’t touch” garden beauties. So what about planting a poison garden dedicated solely to them? While doing some recent research […]
15 Canned Chicken Recipes
Affordable, delicious, convenient, and easy to stack and store, canned chicken is a staple in my pantry. As a high protein, gluten-free, low-calorie snack, canned chicken is a guilt-free meat treat. Low in fat, a 2-ounce serving of canned chicken provides 15 grams of protein and 100 calories. And when it comes to nutrition, canned […]
30 Meal Prep Dinner Ideas
Although it’s a big responsibility, I absolutely love meal planning. I have a meal planning notebook that helps me outline meals for the week and a spreadsheet where I keep a running list of favorite recipes. Every entry is numbered, so when I’m feeling uninspired, I use a random number generator to make the decision […]
How To Make Mesquite Bean Coffee
I live in Texas and there are mesquite trees everywhere. In fact, they’re not actually a tree (more like a bush) and technically, they’re part of the legume family. Mesquite trees are called trash trees by locals. When their bean pods drop every summer, the pods are everywhere. Many don’t find mesquite attractive, either. Landowners […]
Marek’s Disease: What It Is & How To Prevent It
If you are new to keeping chickens, you will eventually have to do some reading on the diseases that can befall your flock. In the lists of common ailments, you’ll encounter plenty of problems to keep in the back of your mind as you observe your birds. Some are serious but easily understood. Problems like […]
Homestead Stories: What Color Is Your Bleeding Heart Flower?
“And what do we have here?” I shook my head as I worked around some sprouts that had poked through the ground. It was early spring and the garden was coming back to life. I wasn’t talking to anyone in particular — just myself. I do that a lot when I’m gardening. I hadn’t planted […]
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 Get Rid Of Mildew Smell To Freshen Your Space
Mildew is a type of fungus that produces a distinct, foul odor. The growth is often confused with mold which has a different texture and is usually darker. Mildew has been linked to health issues like respiratory problems, skin irritation, and chronic fatigue. Often, the terms mold and mildew are used interchangeably. Mildew growth occurs […]
How To Press Flowers For All Your DIY Needs
Who doesn’t love to admire a gorgeous bunch of flowers in bloom? I’m lucky enough to have a patch of zinnias still going strong in my garden — despite the chilly weather of late. If I could enjoy those flowers all year round, I would jump at the opportunity. Unfortunately, a freeze will soon kill […]
27 Cheap Lunch Ideas
Whether you have a 9 to 5 job in an office or you’re someone who works from home, your stomach will inevitably start to grumble around midday. As a freelancer, I usually start to get hungry around noon, but I don’t always have a prepared lunch on hand. The best days are those when I […]
Grinding Your Own Flour
One of my favorite college coffeehouses was across the street from a milling company. I spent many hours sketching and sipping their various brews, the mood-lit ambiance of the cafe constantly underscored by the low hum of unseen machines turning grain into flour. Anyone who parked more than an hour on the that street would […]
Homestead Stories: Forget-Me-Not Flowers
I have a special affection for the tiny blue wildflower that appears every spring. Forget-me-not flowers, the state flower of Alaska, is known to have special meaning and reflect compassionate sentiments. For me, it is a symbol of connectedness with my husband of 38 years. As a recognized symbol of true and undying love, it […]
15 Things You Shouldn’t Feed Your Chickens
One of the best parts about raising backyard chickens is the fact you can feed them almost anything — and they’ll eat it! I love being able to give table scraps to chickens that even my dogs won’t eat. Throwing away food is wasteful, so it’s nice to know chickens will take care of some scraps […]
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 […]
Chicken Molting: What It Is And What To Expect
It’s a beautiful day with the first fall feelings. Maybe the asters and goldenrod have begun to bloom, and you noticed monarch butterflies headed south. There’s a good, crisp smell to the air — but as you near the chicken coop, your heart drops! There are feathers everywhere. A panicked headcount soon reveals that all […]
17 Great Depression Era Recipes
Nowadays, with the never-ending supply of cookbooks online and in bookstores, and the family recipes your parents passed down, there’s an exhaustive supply of meal ideas. And with modern technology and agriculture, we can basically get any ingredient we need with a quick and affordable trip to the grocery store. But back in the 1930s, […]
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 […]
Canning Peaches
After spending many memorable summers in the south, I am addicted to the smell and taste of peaches. Aunt Mildred and Uncle Elmer nurtured several different varieties in the peach orchard of their rural Georgia homestead. I loved joining Auntie Millie and the cousins, picking, peeling, preserving, and putting up peaches. Although most of the […]
16 Cheap Fence Ideas For The Suburbs And The Country
When buying a new property — whether in the city, suburbs, or country — you may also inherit broken-down, ugly, or absent fences. With a small patch of land, this may lead to privacy concerns. On a larger acreage homestead, bad or nonexistent fencing can lead to problems like your sheep escaping and eating the neighbor’s […]
Canning Peppers
Whether you overplanted peppers in your garden this year — or stockpiled a bunch that were on sale at the store — don’t let them go to waste! After you’ve made your red pepper soup and spicy jalapeno salsa, consider canning the rest of those peppers to store through the fall and winter. If you […]
10 Delectable Duck Egg Recipes
Duck eggs, a favored delicacy in China, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines are quickly gaining popularity in the United States. If you’ve never tried them, duck eggs are richer, contain larger yolks, and (due to their thicker shell) stay fresh longer than chicken eggs. Not only are duck eggs considerably larger than chicken eggs, but […]
40 Smart Uses For Dryer Sheets In Your Home And Garden
When you put laundry in a dryer, static builds up on the clothes, sheets, and towels that bounce and tumble in the heat. Throwing in a dryer sheet can reduce static cling and leave your clothes smelling fresh. That said, dryer sheets have gained a bad reputation because they contain quaternary ammonium compounds that can […]
12 Best Plants For Straw Bale Gardening
Straw bale gardening is an ideal way to overcome nutrient-limited soil. Like other forms of raised-bed gardening, straw bale gardening lets you control the nutrients in your soil. Straw bale gardening utilizes straw bales in place of other types of containers and is a low-maintenance, eco-friendly way to grow plants. Straw bale gardens consist of […]
Are Underwater Herb Gardens The Future? [Video]
If sea levels keep rising, where will we grow our food? Researchers in Italy are exploring one option: Underwater gardens. Nemo’s Garden in Noli, Italy is an agricultural project that’s attempting to grow herbs and other lettuce greens in a place where no one thought you could: underwater, in the middle of the ocean. They […]
How To Clean A Showerhead: 5 Natural Options That Actually Work
A showerhead is one of many often-neglected home fixtures. When was the last time you gave your showerhead a proper scrubbing — or even thought about it? You might not think much about washing this fixture during regular bathroom cleanings. And why bother? Water spurts out the holes and knocks away any nasty grime anyway, […]
Homestead Stories: The Monkey Orchid
If my Insteading readers have been following the orchid stories, you’ll know how much I love this charming plant. There’s my general, informative article on orchids, the unusually-shaped bat flower, and the swaddled babies. I keep finding more orchid varieties as I browse the local nurseries or share my discoveries with friends. I want to […]
20 DIY Wall Art Ideas To Give Your Home Some Personality
Wall art provides the finishing touch to a room and can pull an entire space together. The addition of wall art creates a focal point, adds texture, offers a splash of color, and shows the unique personality that makes your space feel like home. Here are 20 amazing DIY wall art projects to spruce up […]
