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
Search Results for: bathroom/organic-personal-care-brands/burt-s-bees
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
Another Green Living Option: Hand Wash Your Clothes
… and easily trade cost and environmental impact, for time! “Do laundry”… what does that mean to most of us?ย It means carting a large pile of clothes in a bin or basket to one’s home washer and dryer, or if you’re one of the many unfortunate bunch like me, you cart it to a
How To Care For Easter Lilies
Walking into church Easter morning, the air is rich with the powerful scent of Easter lilies. But not just any lily, the prolific white lily, popularly known as the Easter lily. Its symbolic association with Christianity stems from Biblical references, but its association with Easter is evident in the shelves of blooming white lilies in
Hand Water Pumps: A Guide
“So let me get this straight. You want me to pull the electric pump out so you can put in a manual pump?” My husband and I nodded at the man who had come to remove our broken electric pump. He scratched the back of his head, a funny sort of half-smile creasing his cheeks. “You know,
Can I Compost Coffee Grounds?
Coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen, making them ideal for composting. Discover the best preparation methods, optimal composting conditions, and alternative uses for coffee grounds in your garden and home.
Can I Compost Citrus?
Composting citrus fruits presents some challenges, especially on your pile’s pH. Learn the correct preparation and best practices when processing your citrus scraps into nutrient-rich compost.
Can I Compost Paper Towels?
Discover the types of paper towels suitable for composting, how to prepare them, and the optimal composting conditions. Find alternative disposal options and understand what paper towels should not be composted.
Introduction To Permaculture
Interested in permaculture and not sure what to plant? This could be a great article to get ideas for unique and useful permaculture species! Before we begin, let’s talk about what permaculture is. What Is Permaculture? Permaculture is a land management or agricultural approach which aims at adopting itself to mimic natural ecosystems as closely
Answering Some Questions About Off-Grid Living
YouTube comment sections are not always the friendliest of stomping grounds. If you reveal that you live off-grid, or worse, you try to teach others how to get started living off-grid, the critics crawl out of the woodwork. Rather than seeing that weโre offering free information to help others along their way, endless debates about
Mycelium Guide
What Is Mycelium? Mycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus. It is a network of cells living within and throughout almost all landmasses on Earth. More than 8 miles of these cells can be found in a cubic inch of soil (Source: Mycelium Running). Here’s an awesome close-up photo of soil with mycelium growing
Koch Brothers’ Products
Koch Brothers Products and Pollution
Is Milk a Whole Food?
Is Milk a Whole Food?
What You Need To Know About The Health Benefits Of Pomegranate
Some pomegranate health claims are accurate. Here’s the skinny on what the real health benefits of pomegranate are vs. the ones marketers overstate.
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
Can I Compost Weeds?
Learn the best methods for composting both weeds, the optimal composting conditions, and alternative options if composting isn’t feasible.
Can I Compost Pine Needles?
Pine trees commonly produces heaps of pine needles, ready for compost use. However, you need to learn some precautionary measures and other useful tips to effectively transform them into beneficial compost.
Can I Compost Dryer Lint?
Composting dryer lint has its benefits and potential pitfalls, especially if you compost the wrong kind. We dig deep into this laundry waste and discuss how to prepare dryer lint for composting and alternative disposal methods.
Sand Magnified
Sand grains magnified 110-250 times reveal each grain is unique. The tip of a spiral shell has broken off and become a grain of sand. After being repeatedly tumbled by action of the surf this spiral sand grain has become opalescent in character. It is surrounded by bits of coral, a pink shell fragment, a
Books
Inspiration Green Book Recommendations. Selected green, eco, sustainable books to read. Plus- sources of digital books.
Cordwood Homes
Cordwood Homes and Barns
Masonry Heaters: Benefits, How They Work, And Photos
When you think of heating with fire, the first image that might leap to your mind is a crackling wood stove, the mainstay of cozy homesteading living rooms everywhere. But despite itโs current ubiquity in back-to-the-land imagery, the wood stove is a relatively recent invention, having been invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1742. If you
Tiny House, Big Living
One look at this tiny house and you feel as if you are about to enter a doll house! With bright pink walls, Villa Hermina clearly stands out from the rest of the cottages in the area. Situated outside the southern Czech town of ฤernรญn, it was created by HSH Architekti, which unfortunately is now defunct.
Shed of the Year
Shed of the Year Contest
World Water Week: 10 DIY Conservation Tips
Although Americans have access to some of the cleanest, most prolific water supplies, we waste more than anyone in the world. Let’s change that today!
Washing Your Hands – Just Do it, Already!
Why will you not wash your hands? Seriously, it’s not that hard. It doesn’t take that long. And everyone else in the bathroom is going to give you the side-eye if you don’t do it. Also, you need to use soap. That “running your hands under the water and then drying them” thing doesn’t actually
Pendant Lighting: 30 Rustic, Modern, And Farmhouse Options
We’ve all been there. You move into a new house or apartment, and everything seems perfect until you realize just how dark certain parts of your home are. Or, you find your dream home, but the 90s light fixtures are begging for an update. When you’re lighting your home, your options include recessed lighting, chandeliers,
20 DIY Countertops For Your Kitchen Remodel
When you first bought your house, the kitchen might have been the selling point. You loved the open layout, the large island for entertaining guests, the wood floors, and the sleek countertops. Then 10 years later, you find yourself wondering what happened to that gorgeous kitchen you fell in love with. Though there might be
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
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
15 DIY Cabin Plans
It’s fun to purchase a relaxing cabin or cottage by the lake, but not everyone has the money to do so. Fortunately, there are alternatives, and if you are good with your hands, you can build a DIY cabin. It will save you a lot of money in the long run. Important Details to Consider
Diatomaceous Earth: 14 Surprising Everyday Uses
Diatomaceous earth (DE), also known as diatomite, is a soft sedimentary rock made up of the fossils of algae-like organisms called diatoms. Itโs 80-90% silica and usually comes in the form of a fine, white powder, commonly used in things like water filtering, food manufacturing, skin products, and farming practices. You can buy two kinds
How To Buy Meat Direct From A Farm
So you eat meat, and you want to get it from a farm you know and trust. Donโt we all! If you are considering buying meat direct from a local farmer for the first time, you may have some questions and uncertainties. When I was growing up, my parents bought meat from Safeway and other
Miniature Farm Animals for Smaller Homesteads
Miniature or diminutive breeds of farm animals have been around for ages. However, it hasnโt been until the last decade or so thereโs been a new-found popularity, with more people interested in small-scale or hobby farming. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ๐๏ธ ๐๏ธ ๐บ๏ธ โ๏ธ ๐ท ๐ โ๏ธ (@r.a.d.k.o._) Sometimes big
Why Pesticides Are Actually Important for Agricultural Sustainability
I know that some readers will find my title surprising or offensive, but I hope you will read on. I’m writing this because I’m involved in a “broad stakeholder process” that is trying to define “scientifically sound metrics” to measure the sustainability of specialty agriculture (fruit and vegetable crops…). Its a very ambitious effort and
Can I Compost Parchment Paper?
Find out how to compost parchment paper with this comprehensive guide. Discover which types of parchment paper are compostable and which should be avoided due to their chemical coatings. Follow proper preparation and optimal composting techniques to ensure a healthy and efficient composting process.
Sharing Economy 101: Four Degrees of Sharing
Janelle Orsi shares four ways people are taking sharing to new levels, ranging from relatively simple applications of sharing to community-wide sharing initiatives โ and beyond.
Types of Watermelon
Watermelon is a refreshing summer treat you can grow at home! From red to yellow watermelons, there’s a variety fir to your garden needs.
Living Off-Grid: What Itโs Actually Like
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 hermits digging in the dirt for acorns and mushrooms, or maybe criminals attempting to elude capture. But if you visited our off-grid homestead,
How To Care For Orchids
โYou should be advised, sir,โ the clerk advised my husband, โthat when the blossoms die, it doesnโt mean the plant is dead. It does go through a dormant stage. And donโt over-water.โ My husband smiled as he paid for the purchase and accepted the carefully wrapped plant to bring home. โNot to worry. My wife
8 Mistakes to Avoid as a New Homesteader
If youโre a new homesteader on new land, youโre in an interesting place. Youโve probably just left everything in the city, your job, your friends, your family, your inherited way of life, to start over in the country. And, like earlier generations of back-to-the-landers, you may not really know what you are doing, have had
Can I Compost Wine Corks?
Some types of wine corks are fine to compost, but other types should never go to your compost. Aside from a nutrient-rich compost, wine enthusiasts can transform natural corks into beautiful art or useful garden mulch.
Can I Compost Seeds?
Whether seeds are suitable for composting is a hot debate! Learn the advantages and disadvantages of including them to your pile, and other useful tricks to prevent unintentional seedling growth and spread.
Can I Compost Potatoes?
Discover how to compost potatoes correctly and the benefits they can bring to your compost pile in this comprehensive guide. Learn how to prepare potatoes for composting, how they affect the compost process, and how to tackle potential issues such as regrowth and blight spread.
Can I Compost Corn?
Maximize benefits from your corn scraps, benefitting for your soil and plants. Learn how corn effectively improves compost quality, the best methods for composting corn, addressing potential issues like attracting pests and odors, and much more.
Can I Compost Hair?
Hair have slow decomposition rate, gradually releasing nitrogen into compost. Small amounts of hair will benefit the overall composting process, but an excess of it has its caveats.
Urban Chicken Laws in Washington
Here are the chicken laws for cities throughout Washington state. This list is mostly compiled via submissions from our readers. Do you know city or county rules that aren’t completed here? Leave a comment on this page and help out your fellow homesteaders! By City: Aberdeen – No information yet – please let us know if you
Portable Solar Power Systems
Did you know that the amount of energy produced by all of the world’s nations is still less than the amount of energy provided to Earth by the sun in a single hour? The sun is, without a doubt, the biggest power plant on the planet, and for that reason, everyone who leads a self-sufficient
Glass Bottle Walls
glass bottle buildings, glass bottle building inspiration
Can I Compost Rice?
Discover the correct preparation and optimal composting conditions for both cooked and uncooked rice, as well as the benefits and challenges associated with composting rice. Find the best approach for rice using this comprehensive method.