Just two weeks ago, my family and I moved from the suburbs of Northeastern Ohio to a 12-acre property in the Ozarks. From even before we were married, my husband and I had dreamed of creating an off-grid, self-sustainable farm so that we could finally take responsibility for our own needs and teach others how […]
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How To Build A Headboard
Your bed is your second home—a place where you’ll spend one-third of your life dreaming up your next DIY project. The bed is your safety zone, a lovers’ sanctuary, a creative child’s train, boat, or horse-drawn chariot. Yet, a bed is also just a soft and characterless loaf in need of textiles and furnishings to […]
English Garden Inspiration For Your Yard
As homes become more condensed, an English garden may be the perfect solution to a homeowner’s planting needs. Twenty years ago, we moved into a small, two-story, three-bedroom house in the suburbs. The front yard consisted of a large driveway leading to the garage, a path to the front porch, and a small ground space […]
Easy Upcycling: Give New Life To Old Lampshades – With A Stencil!
Thinking about tossing those old off-white lampshades? Don’t! A little paint, and some cool stencils, can make them brand new again.
Raw Milk
There is nothing more bucolic and familiar in our imagination of a farm than the image of milking a cow by hand into a bucket, and then pouring a glowing glass of milk for two or three smiling children. How charming. How American. There is a serious disconnect between that image and the reality of […]
Companion Planting For Sweet Corn
Companion planting can help you grow delicious sweet corn. The gardening method combines good neighbor flowers, herbs and vegetables that support the growth of each other. Good neighbor plants can provide essential nutrients to the soil, attract pollinators to the garden, provide shade, shelter or support for other plants, control weeds, and deter and confusing predatory […]
Is Tesla’s Solar Tile Roof Right For You?
Tesla’s solar roofing tile is now available for pre-order. Should you go for it? Ultimately, Tesla’s goal is for you to use their products to power your home with 100% clean and renewable energy. Tesla’s solar tiles work in tandem with their Powerwall battery pack to power your home and save you money in the […]
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. […]
Growing Shiitake Mushrooms
We got involved with Shiitake Mushrooms through our Agricultural Cooperative Extension Agency. (This is a great resource for any farmer. Make it a point at least to visit your local office and see the different programs they have going on for the farmer.) Back in 2003, our local office started helping traditional tobacco farmers transition into […]
How To Make Succulent Planters From Vintage Books
It’s hard not to love succulents—so much that they deserve a beautiful planter. Succulents are low maintenance, hardy, and look gorgeous. But they are also an incredibly odd bunch, coming in more shapes, colors and sizes than the cars on our roads. It’s for this reason that they deserve a pot that matches our love for […]
Solar Stations
The solar energy conversation is buzzing with the introduction of Tesla’s solar roofing tiles. But you don’t need to buy a $50,000 solar roof to clean up your energy footprint. There are less expensive ways to dip your toes in the wellspring of solar energy. The answer is a solar station, which also opens the possibility of […]
How To Get Rid Of Mosquitoes (Without All Of The Chemicals)
Nothing ruins a lazy, summer afternoon with a book and a tall glass of iced tea like a swarm of hungry mosquitoes. They buzz, they fly, they pinch and bite. Not to mention they can carry dangerous diseases that they can pass on to you and your family this summer. Come June and July you’ll […]
Companion Planting For Melons
As any experienced gardener will tell you, it takes a whole lot more than sun and soil to successfully cultivate a homestead garden. Moisture, nutrition, as well as weed and pest control are required. While many gardeners treat their garden with commercial insecticides to prevent insect pests, these noxious chemicals have the adverse affect of […]
Companion Planting For Okra
Companion planting is an organic method of disease and pest control accomplished by planting two or more types of plants, which have advantageous symbiotic relationships, near each other within a designated or confined garden space to the benefit of one or more of the neighboring plants. Selecting the right “good neighbors” for okra reduces unwanted […]
How to Make Bone Broth
Bone broth has recently come into vogue, showing up in health food stores and gourmet restaurants—for a pretty penny. Making your own bone broth is a simple and rewarding practice for a fraction of the price you’ll find on the shelves. Bone Broth Basics For homesteaders or hunters, bone broth is a wonderful thing to […]
Growing Broccoli
Broccoli is an undervalued but delicious crop that is easy to grow in many climates and versatile in the kitchen. If you are new to broccoli, or just looking to improve your harvest, find some tips and tricks on growing this classic crop. Varieties of Broccoli There are more exciting types of broccoli than most […]
The 25 Most Gorgeous Garden Stools You Can Buy
You know how you sometimes have a dead space in a room, or on your deck or patio? You needs something that takes the place of furniture, but won’t eat up much space. Garden stools are the answer, and they’re having a moment right now. Their resurgence means we can solve the problem of dead […]
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 […]
How To Cook Chicken Gizzards
The gizzard is an extremely strong and tough muscle with grit inside it, which doesn’t sound appetizing, but it is actually my favorite chicken organ. It’s the part of the chicken’s digestive tract that holds small stones and grit which helps them grind their food. It is shaped like a small fist, with a cavity […]
Root Cellars: The Original Refrigerator
Root cellars are the original refrigerator. Back in the days before refrigerators were invented, homesteaders stored their produce, among other things, in the root cellar. They have been around for a very long time. Many homesteaders still prefer letting the Earth’s natural coolness keep our vegetables fresh, rather than refrigerating. Root Cellars: The Basics Root cellars […]
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 […]
How To Humanely Kill A Chicken
People learn to kill chickens for many reasons. As interest in local and ethical food increases, many meat-eaters have challenged themselves to raise and slaughter their own meat. People who keep backyard chickens for eggs often kill older chickens when they have passed their prime laying age. Even people who keep chickens as pets may […]
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 […]
Growing Herbs Indoors
The long, cold, winter months or even the fate of living in a small apartment are not enough to stifle the need for fresh herbs. The smell of basil, the sight of green cilantro, is something that we should be able to enjoy all year round, no matter where we live. If it’s the weather, […]
12 Delicious Vegan Pasta Sauces without Tomatoes
Whether you’re allergic to tomatoes, don’t like them, or want to reduce your intake of nightshades, these vegan pasta sauces without tomatoes are for you!
Outdoor Chandeliers
An outdoor chandelier can create the perfect, mood-setting lighting to make your spring and summer nights last even longer. I love those afternoons with friends that move into dinner in the backyard with a great bottle of wine, which turns into another great bottle after the sun is already setting. Have you ever noticed that […]
How To Sharpen Garden Tools
Ever tried to slice a tomato with a dull knife? In a pinch, I’ve tried. The jagged pink slabs I made might as well have been cut with a hammer and chisel. Broadly speaking, the same logic applies to garden tools, especially those designed to cut, slice, chop, or dig. The reason to keep a […]
How Long Do Chickens Live?
When you pick up half a dozen fluffy, charming little chicks from the feed store and bring them home, it can be hard to remember—or to explain to your kids—that backyard chickens, like all creatures, eventually age and die. But how long do chickens live anyway, and why do they die? Here are some basics […]
How To Rent Out Your Goats
Thinking about renting out your goats? You should understand both the good and the baaaahd of this possible revenue source. My husband and I ran a goat rental business from our farm, The Mushroom Hut @ Fox Farms. Our goat herd was the only part of the farm that wasn’t in the black. Our goat herd was […]
5 Blue Painter’s Tape Construction Tips
Painting isn’t blue tape’s only use. Blue tape comes in handy during finish work, furniture, and cabinetry carpentry, and even when cutting certain materials. Blue tape loves you and it needs to produce clean lines. Blue tape is on your side and will act as a buffer in case you make a mistake. Blue tape wants you […]
Outdoor Planters
Choosing the right planters will infuse your personality and taste into your outdoor living space. Just treat it like you would the rest of your home! Choose outdoor furniture and accessories with the same care you’d take for indoor spaces. Select pillows and colors and lighting that you love and that reflect your personality. Look for […]
Growing Basil
Nothing adds that je ne sais quoi to a dish like basil. Whether you use it as a garnish, a dried seasoning, or in pesto, basil is delicious. And lucky for us, it’s not hard to grow! Here are some tips and tricks for growing basil. There are dozens of types of basil, from culinary […]
Kitchen Stools
To have a nice island or snack bar, you’ll need different seating than traditional dining areas, namely, kitchen stools. The stools you’ll want depends on your style, the size of the space, and the functionality required. Happily, you can now pick from an amazing array of stools. Let’s take a look at a few. Our […]
How To Build An Earthbag House For $6,164
In this post, guest author Jay Eisenberg details how he and his wife built their earthbag house for $6,164, completed on Oahu recently in 2017. For years I had dreamed of building my own home and not being enslaved with a mortgage. While living in New Zealand I was connected with Shaye Boddington of DIY […]
Growing Onions
Onions are easy to grow, and they’re the first ingredient in my culinary toolbox. Almost every dish I make starts with caramelized onions, so my garden is never complete until I have grown my season’s worth of onions. Since organic onions are so cheap, it can be easy to put off growing onions in favor of other, […]
How To Make Maple Syrup
It’s February in Minnesota, and we’ve already tapped our maple trees! We typically do this in March, when the temperatures are above freezing during the day and below freezing at night—this is when maple trees typically begin to fill with sap. This year we’ve gotten a taste of spring quite early! Hopefully, this will mean […]
Lambing: Shed or Pasture—Which Is Best?
Months of work goes into the planning of the arrival of lambs. You must be as prepared as possible to ensure success. I have been raising lambs for over 20 years. I have shed-lambed in January and February in South Dakota and Indiana and also pasture-lambed in Indiana in April. Profit margins are slim in […]
How To Breed Berkshire Pigs
Berkshire pigs are a heritage breed valued for the flavor of their meat. We raise Berkies to sell as breeding pigs. We had thrown the idea around for years of raising pigs. We first talked about raising them for meat production but didn’t know if we would be able to complete the process start to finish. […]
How To Start Transplants
Winter’s almost over. Have you started your plants yet? This gardener can proudly say yes! In the late winter months, serious gardeners begin asking one another this question. As the daughter of a serious gardener, I learned at a young age that if you want to grow your own peppers and tomatoes here in Minnesota, […]
How To Make A DIY Rain Water Barrel
Water is life. The more water that we can store around the homestead, the better. Once you build an outdoor collection system, it will store water without you having to think about it. Plus, the water is stored outside in the rain collection barrel, so it’s not taking up precious space inside your home. Rain […]
Companion Planting For Strawberries
The sweetest, juiciest strawberries you’ll ever enjoy will come from a home garden. By growing strawberries at home, you’ll enjoy fully ripened, chemical-free berries. Like other homegrown produce, the strawberries you grow at home will be more flavorful than whatever you could buy at a supermarket. One of the ways you can grow the best strawberries […]
My Goat Is Pregnant, Now What?
I was so excited. It was a complete surprise. That little goat wasn’t supposed to be pregnant. The fat round goat over there was supposed to be. Not this tiny girl! (The round goat turned out not to be pregnant.) This was my first goat pregnancy and can I just say I was all grins. […]
How To Build A Barn Wood Frame
It is hard not to admire old barns that are resting, quietly in old, abandoned farm fields. I often wonder what stories they could tell. This insight would provide a pivotal history to its former owner and the landscape the barns guard with a watchful eye. A few months ago, a friend of mine was […]
How To Remove A Wall
Like all things there’s a messy way and a clean way to go about demolishing a wall. In the lively and magical world of demolition construction nearly every challenge can generally be solved with a sledgehammer and an oversized lunch pail. However, the end result is usually a catastrophic mess and a heavy film of […]
Rustic Dining Tables
There’s something about a dining room table that suggests so much more than a practical piece of furniture. If you look carefully, you can almost see the story being told. The faded spot where the stain has worn off at the head of the table where Dad always sits with his coffee and his newspaper. […]
Soil Testing
The gardener’s greatest asset is healthy soil. No matter where you are or what you are trying to grow, taking care of your soil will help your crops. Learning soil science can be overwhelming. It involves lots of chemistry, and you can easily get lost in technical details. We are here to help, with this […]
Charred Wood
In the carpentry and remodel biz it’s not often one gets to burn something in order to make it more durable and fire resistant, but the centuries-old Japanese wood preserving practice known as Shou Sugi Ban does just that. If you’re looking for an immediate weathered look, or a dark natural finish to your cedar […]
Growing Fodder
Most people feed their animals commercial feed. But I’m not like most people. I know that our diets play a huge role in determining our health and wellness. The same is true for animals. So instead of commercial feed, my livestock eats fodder. In farming, grains that are allowed to sprout are called fodder. Fodder is similar […]
Garden Shed Kits
I vividly remember parasailing across a South Dakota home improvement store parking lot. Not on purpose. I’d picked up a vinyl shed panel in the wind. It was 6:15 am and I’d just been sent to clean up after a recent blizzard. Sleeting snow and wind stung my face as I skated across the slush-filled […]
