Plastic bag bans have gone from a relatively new phenomenon in the United States, to a hot button topic where sides appear to be quite divided in recent years. When looking at the short history of bag bans, we remember San Francisco becoming the first American city to approve a plastic bag ban in 2007. […]
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Homestead Stories: Weird Trees
โLook at this tree!โ I passed the image to my friend. It was a blustery, rainy day, and a good time to sit indoors and plan our next gardening adventure. I was looking for unusual trees to add to my ever-expanding forest, though I knew many of the “unusual” trees wouldnโt do well in my
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
Bottle Cap Art
Ideas are cheap, art materials are expensive. One artist didn’t get his start until he was able to find plastic bottle caps he could use for free. The Plastic Bottle Cap Art Of El Anatsui El Anatsui was born in Ghana before its independence in 1957, but since 1975 he has lived in Nsukka, Nigeria
How To Get Rid Of Pests In Your Vegetable Garden
Pests can harm your garden, but there are natural solutions available. A new piece of property, fertile soil, and lots of sun and water is all you should need for a successful vegetable garden. However, there are the invasions that you probably didnโt consider. For instance, you have the blue jays that peck mercilessly at
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
Why Are the Bees Dying?
About five years ago commercial beekeepers across the US began reporting bee losses in record numbers – about 30% each year. This level of loss is unsustainable and many beekeepers are going out of business. Aside from the economic issues, the record number of bees dying should be alarming everyone who eats. About one in
Rustic Dining Tables
Thereโs 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.
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
Geodesic Domes
Geodesic domes are enjoying a resurgence as more people seek out eco-friendly building options . Architect Buckminster Fuller invented the geodesic dome. The American Institute of Architects calls it โthe strongest, lightest and most efficient means of enclosing space known to man.โ No doubt youโve seen geodesic domes before. Some as public structures, some as
Using Straw Bale for Construction
Straw bale construction is a relative newcomer to the world of alternative building methods. It does not have the millennia-long history of cob or adobe, but it certainly has a viable place at the table of natural building methods. Indeed, it has seen a surge in popularity in recent decades, and many people the world
Dent Corn Puts a Dent in Our Health
Dent Corn and Sweet Corn
Plantain Weed
Learning about Mother Natureโs edible and healing plants is a critical component of living a sustainable, self-sufficient, and prepared lifestyle. Broadleaf Plantain, commonly pronounced plan-tin, is a โcommonโ weed that most folks recognize. You likely see it in your lawn, but chances are you donโt know its name. However, there is nothing common about Broadleaf
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!
Types of Garlic
Garlic gives a breath of fresh air to many cuisines around the world, making it a kitchen staple. Its punchy flavors can grow from your home garden, but to do so, discover different garlic varieties and their characteristics.
Mirrored Buildings
Mirrored Buildings
Garden Planners
A vegetable garden can give you organic, fresh produce year-round. But, as vegetables vary greatly in size, spacing, harvest time and growing conditions, planning tools are an essential part of any garden strategy. Jump to a section: Paper Garden Planners | Garden Planning Software | Garden Planning Mobile Apps | Regional Garden Planning Resources Paper
Recycled Glass Art
Repurposed glass dishes become an apple tree.By Alison Fox. alisonsstainedglass.com Repurposed glass. “A Sprite’s Garden” $595, 28 x 15″By Alison Fox. alisonsstainedglass.com ‘Downtown’ 27″ x 20″ repurposed glass.By Alison Fox.alisonsstainedglass.com Glass dishes and vase.By Alison: alisonsstainedglass.com A geode path with carnival glass, depression glass, a lamp base and a unique blue furniture coaster. 22″ x 19″ $595. alisonsstainedglass.com Vintage crystal window
Cork Art
Most cork on the market is the renewable outer bark tissue peeled off the Cork Oak tree (Quercus suber) which is native to SW Europe and NW Africa. Once the trees are about 25 years old, the cork tissue is debarked every nine years. The process does not injure the treeโcork oaks live for about
Can I Compost Glass?
Learn why glass is not suitable for composting and how it can negatively impact the composting process. Explore alternative methods such as recycling and upcycling to safely and sustainably dispose of glass waste.
8 Vegan Restaurants: Eating vegan Gets Easier Every Day
It used to be tricky to find vegan restaurants, but thanks to vegan chains like these, finding vegan food is getting easier and easier.
Acronyms
Green Acronyms & Abbreviations A A Ampere AAAS American Association for the Advancement of Science AABW Antarctic Bottom Water AAC Antarctic Convergence AAIW Antarctic Intermediate Water A AMS Arctic Air Mass AAMW Australasian Mediterranean Water ABL Atmospheric Boundary Layer ABW Arctic Bottom Water or Antarctic Bottom Water AC Alternating Current ACC Antarctic Circumpolar Current ACIA
Nikon Small World Competition 2011
Nature abstracted. The 37th annual Nikon Small World competition’s theme was โRecognizing Excellence in Photography through the Microscope.โ Some of the outstanding entries: Mosquito Larvae in a drop of waterDr. John H. BrackenburyUniversity of CambridgeCambridge, UKLaser-triggered high-speed macrophotography Fish Louse (Argulus) (60x)Wim van EgmondMicropolitan MuseumRotterdam, NetherlandsDarkfield Giant Water Flea Eye (Leptodora kindtii)Wim van EgmondMicropolitan MuseumRotterdam, Netherlands Differential Interference Contrast Stamen –
Thrive Market Review
Editor’s Note: We’ve been hearing awesome things about Thrive Market, but before we plunked down the $59.95 membership fee, we needed to know: Is it better than other online and local organic food options? We decided on a two-part strategy: Our writer road-tested the service, which she wanted to try anyway. Meanwhile, we compared the
How To Get Rid Of Squirrels: Natural and Effective Options
Most people love squirrels, delighting in their antics as they scamper through the trees and across the landscape. However, many folks quickly change their view when an infestation of squirrels exceeds their level of tolerance. One moment we want squirrels, and the next we want to know how to get rid of squirrels. Our patience
Texas Solar
Going solar? Good call. Itโs the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Texas used solar power, it would take 517 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 all of the
Edible Mushrooms
No doubt, white mushrooms (also known as button mushrooms) are yummy. Those little white fungi that you can find at nearly every grocery store are adorable, affordable, and super versatile for cooking. You can turn them into veggie tacos, stroganoff, scrambles, veggie burgers, and they are the perfect shape and size for stuffing.ย Button mushrooms have
Homestead Stories: Kalanchoe, The Eye-Catching Geometric Succulent
โIs that a real flower?โ I asked, studying the display of succulents in my friendโs garden window. โOf course,โ she replied (sounding a little miffed). โYou know I donโt go in for fake flowers. Or fake anything, for that matter.โ โBut itโs almost too pretty to be real,โ I insisted. โWhat is it?โ The geometric
Community Supported Agriculture
The Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, movement is an important step in locally sourcing your food. With more and more food recalls being issued by the government and food producers on non-meat items and food prices rising along with oil prices, having locally sourced food can be a key component of a family’s budget and
Beekeeping as a business
Beekeeping is a hobby that you can easily turn into a side-business no matter where you live. Keeping bees requires a relatively small monetary investment to get started and can turn a profit within a few short years. There are many non-monetary benefits to keeping bees like better garden yields, fresh honey, and a feeling
About Us
Insteading helps people on their journey to live a more positive lifeโpositive for themselves, for their neighbors, and for the world around them. As the world awakens to the need to transition away from fossil fuels, people are making alternative choices with the clothes they wear, the products they buy, and the transportation choices they
81 Awesome Documentaries for Homesteaders
From honey bees to tiny houses to TEDTalks on Capitalism and Humanity’s Future, we’ve assembled a complete list of documentaries and shows on Netflix & Hulu that would interest our fellow homesteaders. Leave a comment below and let us know which ones are your favorite, and which programs we missed! Topics Food & Agriculture Documentaries
Koch Brothers’ Products
Koch Brothers Products and Pollution
Floating Homes
AMPHIBIOUS ARCHITECTURE, Floating Homes
Rocket Mass Heaters: What Are they, How They Work, And Photos
Rocket Mass
Perfluorinated Compounds
Perfluorinated Compounds
Legbar
Characteristics Thereโs a lot to like about the loveable Legbar. Of the three varieties–silver, gold, and cream–the most popular seems to be the Cream Legbar. A chicken aficionado may be able to detect the influence of Araucana in their ancestry–like the mixed-breed Easter Egger and Ameraucana, the cream variety of these birds are able to
Naked Neck
Characteristics Rising up from its seemingly normal body is the signature, red-skinned neck, totally devoid of feathers. Their disproportionately large-seeming head is topped with a large single comb and a comically small toupee of feathers. When the Naked Neck turns around, one might notice that itโs a little drafty around the vent as well! But
Rosecomb
Characteristics These little chickens have enjoyed popularity ever since Richard the III took a fancy to them in the 15th century. Rosecombs are true bantamsโthey have no larger counterpartโand are small, fabulous, and fully aware of it! The ideal Rosecomb appears to be a portrait of balanced proportions: a tight little body with a not-too-big
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 itโs the weather,
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, Teslaโs goal is for you to use their products to power your home with 100% clean and renewable energy. Teslaโs solar tiles work in tandem with their Powerwall battery pack to power your home and save you money in the
Cultivating And Harvesting Wild Rice
Wild rice (Zizania palustris) is known as the โcaviar of grains.โ Contrary to its name, wild rice is actually the seeds of wetland grass. Other common names include water oats, Canadian rice, marsh oats, and blackbird oats. A native, aquatic, ancient cereal grain that grows in isolated riverbeds, marshes, and shallow lakes across North America, wild
Sustainability 101: How To Build A Solar Oven
You know those hot summer days when you can see heat waves rising from the sidewalk, and people say things like “that sun’s hot enough to fry an egg”? Well, there’s more wisdom to that statement than you might think.
Why World Food Prices May Keep Climbing
In February, world food prices reached the highest level on record. Soaring food prices are already a source of spreading hunger and political unrest, and it appears likely that they will climb further in the months ahead. As a result of an extraordinarily tight grain situation, this yearโs harvest will be one of the most
The Greenpeace Australia GMO Wheat Action: A Sad Day For Bread. A Sad Day For Science
On July, 14, three Greenpeace activists dressed in hazmat suits scaled a fence, and used weed whips to destroy a GMO wheat experiment in Canberra, Australia. The experiment was being conducted by CSIRO (the USDA equivalent for Australia). The activists posted video of the attack on You Tube. They also posted “explanations” by activists who could
Amaranth: Weed Or Superfood?
If youโve been in a health food store or a gluten-free bakery recently, chances are you have heard of amaranth. If youโre a gardener, youโre probably familiar with amaranth as a common weed. What is this plant anyway? The history and production of amaranth are full of contradictions. Amaranth is the genus name for a
Mullein: An Herbal Remedy, Not A Weed
โIsnโt that a weed?โ I asked my friend. I pointed to the pale green, hairy stem rising from the flannel-textured center rosette. โIt grows tall, you know. I pulled one last week that was taller than me — at least 7 feet!โ “No, itโs called mullein,” my friend replied. Itโs actually a heritage plant, brought
How To Capture And Use Wild Yeast
I have a secret weapon in my kitchen. It makes my daily bread taste amazing (and far more digestible than anything store-bought). As long as I take care of the starter, this weapon is an endless material. And the best part of all? Itโs free for the taking. Iโm talking about wild yeast — a
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 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