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Homestead Stories: Swaddled Babies Or Baby In The Cradle?
โI have a swaddled baby to show you,โ a friend said over the phone. โLike a baby in the cradle. Want to come over and see?โ The words caught my curiosity. My friend was too old to have a baby in her arms — at least, not one of her own. And since she never
Biodynamic Farming: What It Is and Why Do It
I once had the pleasure of working with biodynamic agriculturalists. Being new to biodynamic farming (and agriculture at large), I asked โSo, whatโs the difference between biodynamics and regular agriculture anyway?โ — a fair question to which I received an equally fair response. โBiodynamic agriculture aims to improve the earth we farm to a condition
18 Beautiful Gazebo Plans for Your Backyard
Almost any backyard can benefit from a gazebo. Itโs the ultimate, shady chill place for you to have a glass of lemonade and read a book during the warmer months. Regardless of the size of your yard, there is a gazebo that suits it perfectly.ย However, going over to a store like Home Depot or
How to Amend Arid & Nutrient-Depleted Soil
Do you have dry, depleted soil on your homestead or farm? Does your soil not provide your plants with the appropriate nutrients to help them grow, and do you struggle to establish plants because of the soil conditions in your area? Is your soil very dry or xeric? Or do you work in areas with
Foraging for Chaga
If you live within the circumboreal region of the Northern Hemisphere, and especially if you live near birch forests, this article could be pertinent to you. We will be talking about Chaga: What it is, associated health benefits, and how to forage for it. What Is Chaga? Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) is a parasitic fungus that
Caring for the Off-Season Woodstove
During the summer months, it probably seems strange to be discussing something as out of season as woodstoves. The days of freezing, blizzard-whipped nights and bone-shakingly cold mornings seem a lifetime ago when you’re sweating over your tomato beds. This time of year, however, is an absolutely perfect time to clean and care for your
Can I Compost Newspaper?
Compost newspapers effectively with the best preparation techniques, optimal composting conditions, and methods. Avoid common pitfalls, explore alternatives, and repurpose newspapers creatively for a sustainable approach to waste management.
Hunting for Wild Chicken of the Woods Mushrooms
Chicken of the Woods is another great wild mushroom species for beginning foragers. It’s relatively easy to identify, and has only a few look-alikes.
How To Grow Bamboo
Bamboo is an amazing plant! It has so many benefits to offer on so many levels. Not only does bamboo produce oxygen, which helps to clean the area where you grow your plants, but many varieties are edible! And above all, gardening is just great for your health in general. Unfortunately, growing bamboo is often
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,
The Story Of Our Waste
Each day we create an excess of waste that builds up in landfills, in our oceans, and in our bodies. Here is the story of our waste. We create a ton of waste everyday, there is no denying that fact. This is especially true if you live in the United Statesโ we would need FOUR
Celebrity Endorsements Sling Unhealthy Food to Consumers
Should celebrities be more careful about their endorsements? A new study found that celebrity endorsements of food products encourage less healthy food choices.
Preparing Your Homestead For Winter
Freezing rain, sleet, high winds, heavy snow, ice, and extreme cold can present serious hazards, so it’s imperative that your homestead is ready. Whether or not you think it’s too early, it’s always a good idea to begin prepping your homestead for the winter. Preparation For Power Outages Cold temperatures and winter storms can be
Household Mold Removal
Gross, slimy, smelly, and dangerous to people and pets, mold is the last thing you want to see growing in your home. Mold wonโt necessarily destroy your homestead, but it can make family members and pets sick while it makes your home, barns, outbuildings, chicken coop, root cellar, livestock pens, and pump house look awful
21 Facts About Bottled Water, The Environment, & Human Health
The plastic water bottle market in the United States is worth billions of dollars annually. Plastic water bottles can be purchased just about everywhere and they are quite convenient, but there are many problems associated with them. In fact, when you become aware of the problems and how many there are, you may never buy
Electric Fireplaces
Thereโs no denying that the ambiance of a fireplace has almost no equal. Thereโs something special about sitting in front of a fireplace that invites us to linger a little longer. However, having the maintenance of a real fireplace, along with it not being terribly environmentally friendly, makes some people reconsider having one at all.
Melting Ice Could Lead to Massive Waves of Climate Refugees
As the earth warms, the melting of the earthโs two massive ice sheetsโAntarctica and Greenlandโcould raise sea level enormously. If the Greenland ice sheet were to melt, it would raise sea level 7 meters (23 feet). Melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet would raise sea level 5 meters (16 feet). But even just partial melting of these ice sheets will have a dramatic effect on sea level rise.
11 Steps to Minimize Indoor Pollutants and Live Greener
The Environmental Protection Agency states that, “The average adult breathes 13,000 liters of air per day; children breathe 50 percent more air per pound of body weight than adults.” And, because childrenโs respiratory systems are still developing, they are much more vulnerable to the health dangers of airborne and other pollutants or allergic particles in
The DIY Aquaponics System: 6 Plans for Bringing Fish and Plants Together to Grow Food
Putting fish and plants together in a closed loop (that’s organic by necessity) strikes me as a brilliant use of biomimicry… or, at least the notion that “waste equals food” in the natural world. But can a backyard tinkerer put together an aquaponics system on the cheap?
Getting Started With Off-Grid Water System For A More Self-Reliant Homestead
In my experience, it seems that discussions about off-grid water systems only take place in niche communities of homesteaders or preppers. If you were to bring it up in โnormalโ workplace conversation, I guarantee youโd get at least one set of raised โwhat a weirdoโ eyebrows. But considering just how crucial water is to life
Bamboo Buildings
Bamboo Buildings
6 DIY Rocket Stove Plans
The clean burning, super-efficient rocket stove is also pretty easy to build. Here are six plans showing you how to do so.
Emergency Kits for Families
The recent tragedy in Japan and the vast number of weather-related power outages across the US this winter have many people concerned about what to do in case something like this happens to them. If you and yours were caught in a disaster and had to shelter inside your home for three or more days,
Wood Stove Decathlon
Wood Stove Decathalon
Books
Inspiration Green Book Recommendations. Selected green, eco, sustainable books to read. Plus- sources of digital books.
Miswak Stick Tootbrush
Toothpaste and Toothbrush in One; miswak toothbrushes
Paper Matters
Paper appears to be high on the agenda of a number of organizations this week. Itโs necessary. Paper is so ubiquitous โ from tissues to toilet paper to memo pads to catalogs to the mess on your desk – that it is easy to forget, or perhaps more convenient to ignore, that paper manufacturing has
Organic Mattress Guide
Many mattresses contain harsh fire-retardant chemicals and inexpensive synthetic fabrics. Are these mattresses safe for you to lie on for 8 hours every night? Only a few mattress companies sell 100% organic mattresses. Most mattress companies use a mix of natural and synthetic materials. An organic mattress doesn’t contain harsh chemicalsโit meets fire safety standards
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 arenโt 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
Tiny House Kitchens
The design of a tiny house kitchen is a personal matter. Your final design will depend on your own individual needs and the needs of those whoโll live with you. If you want to build or buy a tiny house but donโt know a lot about design, there are some things you should look out
Alaska Solar
Going solar? Good call. Itโs the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Alaska used solar power, it would take 8 billion pounds of carbon out of the atmosphere every yearโaccording to the EPAโs greenhouse gas calculator, thatโs the equivalent of planting a forest that would cover 2.8 million acres
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
How To Cook Leeks
Leeks are a must-grow star of the winter garden. Leeks are milder in flavor and have a longer growing season than onions, another member of the allium family. Because the edible bulb of a leek grows underground, it can withstand far colder temperatures than onions. Depending on where you live, you can keepย leeks in the
Growing Onions
Onions are easy to grow,ย and they’reย 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 seasonโs worth of onions. Since organic onions are so cheap, it can be easy to put off growing onions in favor of other,
Best Electric Kettle
Electric kettles are a modern and more efficient version of the traditional tea kettle. For tea and coffee lovers alike, an electric kettle is a kitchen necessity. While most electric kettles range between 1-2 liters in size and generally have most of the same basic features, there are some things to keep in mind that
How to Fix Absolutely Anything: The Instructables Guide to Home Repair
You don’t want to have to buy a new keyboard just because of one wonky key. You don’t want to have to buy a new pair of jeans just because of one hole (although if you do, give the old ones to me!). You don’t want to have to buy a new chair just because
Garden Fencing
Garden fencing serves all sorts of purposes. Those needs might be practical, or you might just want a nice accent to mark the edge of your yard. This guide will help you choose the right material and recommend a few vendors. Why Does Your Garden Need A Fence? Every land ownerโs needs are different, but
How To Make Queso Fresco
There are so many reasons to skip the supermarket and stick to your kitchen these days. If you want to avoid the crazy crowds, save money, and make healthier choices, then youโll love this easy recipe for homemade queso fresco! Any chance we get to make homemade, wholesome recipes, feels like a win in our
Stevia: A Sweet Perennial Herb
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 rebaudiana; in the family Asteraceae, along with sunflowers and daisies) is of South American origin and has been used
11 Healthy Grains You Should Add To Your Diet
As a chef and educator, I get asked all the time about healthy grains. Some of the healthiest grains are amaranth, barley, buckwheat, corn, kaniwa, millet, oats, quinoa, rice, teff, and wheat. Speaking very generally, there are two schools of thoughts about grains: one believes that grains can be a healthy part of a plant-based
Getting Started With Self-Sufficient Living (And Why It IS Possible)
Self-sufficiency. What other term in the homesteading sphere carries such a weight of history, responsibility, and hope? Watch The Video Visions of lush, productive gardens, cozy wood stoves crackling with hand-split hardwood, provisions lining the pantry shelves, and healthy animals moving through the fields; all dance in our heads backed by the resounding questions: Is
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
10 Ground Cover Plants to Replace Your Grass Lawn
Though it’s outside, there’s really nothing all that natural about the picture-perfect lawn. Artificially grown, watered, fertilized, and maintained, it’s a strange picture of modernity. We’ve made our case against the “normal” patch of featureless fescue, and if you agree with us, perhaps you’re ready to change up the backyard for something new and less
25 Delicious Sourdough Recipes For Your Home Starter
Sourdough starters used for baking have been around since the cultivation of edible grasses began thousands of years ago. People have been creating healthful and delicious breads of an astounding variety for millennia. It was only after the advent of large-scale industrial baking that instant yeasts (with their quickness and ease of use) asserted themselves as
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
10 Types Of Moss For Your Garden
Thereโs something mysterious and intriguing about moss. Maybe itโs 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 itโs a bit of residual childlike wonder from the days we were small enough to crouch on
Raising Angora Goats for Soft and Sustainable Mohair Fiber
When we decided to leave the city behind and start homesteading, one of the first animals I wanted was goats. But the breed of goat became a big question. Fainting, Nigerian dwarf, Pygmy –? And then I learned about Angora goats, and I knew they would become our choice. By this point, we already had
How to Make Olive Oil
Olive oil has been an important food source, lamp fuel, religious material, cosmetic, and medicine for thousands of years. More than just a salad topping, olives join wheat and grapes as the core foods of the Mediterranean. In the modern age, it has enjoyed waves of popularity as a health food and DIY ingredient. This
6 Different Ways To Use Thinnings and Scraps
When you start gardening, you start the process of raising your own food from the soil and cooking meals you grew with your own hands. Itโs an amazing feeling, but as you begin to read gardening manuals and cookbooks to expand your skill set, youโll come across phrases that make the hairs on the back