Delicious, versatile, juicy, nothing says summer to me like fresh tomatoes still warm from the sun. As the song goes, “thereโs two things money canโt buy: thatโs true love and homegrown tomatoes.” One of the home gardenerโs favorite staples is the tomato, but it can be a finicky plant, especially in cooler climates. Iโve grown
Search Results for: bathroom/organic-personal-care-brands/burt-s-bees
Can I Compost Bones?
Leftover bones are uncommon composting ingredient. We explore the benefits and challenges of composting bones, best methods to do so, and other composting alternatives.
Stinging Nettle: A Medicinal Herb
Stinging nettle (many gardeners’ adversary) can be a powerful medicinal plant. Generally, when we hear a plant name that has the word “sting” in it, the associations aren’t good. May this article broaden our horizons! Stinging nettle has been a staple herb medicine since ancient times, dating all the way back to ancient Egyptians using
Can I Compost Watermelon Rinds?
Popular during summer days, watermelons have chunky rinds that can be used for composting. Learn how to maximize their nutrients for your compost, and avoid common composting issues.
Can I Compost Pasta?
Composting pasta has been linked to major composting issues, making it an unconventional organic material. However, with proper preparation and best pile management practices, you can convert leftover pasta into nutritious compost.
Can I Compost Cheese?
Traditionally excluded from piles, cheese can only be transformed into a healthy compost under proper methods. Explore the complex process of composting cheese, including potential issues and the optimal composting conditions needed for its safe transformation.
Writer’s Guidelines
About Our Audience: Insteading readers are active gardeners, beekeepers, chicken herders, permaculturalists, environmentalists, and many other things. Our readers range from newbies looking to plant their first raised bed, to advanced homesteaders who live in earthen homes powered by solar panels and produce most of what they eat. Our readers make sustainable and organic choices whenever
Rock Garden: How To Build Your Own
Does your homestead landscape have some empty space that could become a rock garden? Also known as a rockery, a rock garden adds dramatic year-round visual interest to any landscape while expanding the type of plants you can grow. Related Post: The Art Of The Dry Stack Stone Wall A rock garden, glowing with brightly
Tiny House Builders
With so many individuals and companies building tiny houses, how are you supposed to know who to choose? Some tiny house builders can build and ship homes nationwide or send their design plans across the world. Other, smaller builders, focus on their region and work primarily with locals. Choosing a Tiny House Builder The thing
Outdoor Beds
Outdoor beds are trending, but you may be wondering, โWhy an outdoor bed and not just a hammock, chair, or bench?โ Prepare to list your bench set for sale, dear reader. Aside from the most obvious use for outdoor beds (the ability to lay down outside on something other than grass, dirt, brick, concrete, or
Comfrey
Cultivated since at least 400 B.C., comfrey exhibits delicate blue, pink, purple, or white flowers that attract birds, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators and beneficial insects to the homestead landscape. An extremely cold-hardy, perennial plant with an expansive root system, comfrey, also known as houndโs tongue, presents large bold, green leaves and a sturdy, upright
Hoop Houses
The earth may be giving, but the winds and the snows often conspire to take away that which the earth gives. So, for thousands of years people have been trying to protect a patch of earth from the vagaries of the weather. Enclosing an area and letting light in as a solution first appeared in
The Future Of Work Will Not Happen Between 9 and 5
Things are happening in the corporate world. Things that scare people with titles like CEO and Human Resource Manager. Things that lead analysts and experts to say that the way people work is changing.
Traditional Lawns: Their Environmental Harm & Practical Replacements
Lawns, as we know them, have held their landscaping tyranny over our yards for far too long. Backed by out-of-touch homeowners associations (HOAs), zoning requirements, cultural expectations, and longstanding history of conformity, lawns have kept too many of us out spraying, mowing, reseeding, and weeding for no good reason. Itโs time for a change. Watch
10 Answers to Your Beginner Goat Questions
Itโs time for another installment in our series of articles where you ask us questions and we do our best to give you good answers. The theme of todayโs series: Goats! It seems you all have tons of questions about these capricious caprines, and rightly so — theyโre interesting, useful, and personable members of any
Chicken Diseases
When you are raising animals, it is always stressful and frightening when they get sick. Here are some common ailments that can strike backyard chickens, and tips for prevention and care. Not all chicken deaths are caused by disease. Check out our article on chicken lifespans to find out more about how long a chicken
Helpful Tips For Planting And Growing Tea In Your Own Backyard
A cup of tea is like a warm hug. I prefer strong coffee to jumpstart my day, but tea is my hot beverage of choice when itโs time to unwind in the late afternoon or evening. Thereโs something soothing about the earthy flavor of tea. Most tea comes from a single species of plant called
All About the Acianthera Nikoleae
Featured image is the Dresslerella caesariata, not the Acianthera Nikoleae. Since this is a newly discovered species, not that many images are available. Take a look at the Internet Orchid Species Encyclopedia and OrchidRoots.com to see photos. โAre those warts on the leaves?โ I asked my friend, admiring her latest orchid. โThat canโt be good.โ
An Introduction to Kunekune Pigs
Pigs are eccentric animals to have as pets, and theyโre interesting animals to have on a farm. Considering their size, one might think itโs crazy to have a pig for a pet. However, you can find smaller breeds with incredible attitudes and huge personalities — if you have suitable accommodations for them. The kunekune pig
The Beginner’s Guide to Raising Chickens
Taught by our writer, Wren Everett, The Beginner’s Guide to Raising Chickens will cover everything you need to know to start your first chicken flock or simply brush up on your current skills. What’s in the course? ~3 hours of engaging instructional & visual content over the course of 22 videos Helpful chicken terminology &
Raising Nigerian Dwarf Goats
Before I really knew the term โhomesteading,โ and before I knew that Iโd be working on 12 beautiful acres in the Ozarks, I knew one thing: I wanted goats. And when I finally did move to those Ozark hills, it wasnโt long before two beautiful little Nigerian Dwarf goats were housed in our barn. Deciding
Succulent Art
Just a spritz of water here and there and succulents take care of themselves. These artistic sculptures utilize wireframes and other methods to keep succulents in place. Succulent Topiary, created by Pat Hammer, Director of Operations of the San Diego Botanical Garden. Image ยฉInspiration Green. “Succulent People” with clay faces and a bit of metal
How To Mulch For A Beautiful, Weed-Free Garden
I donโt like to describe anything as a miracle when it comes to gardening, but honestly, mulch comes close. Before I learned how to mulch, my garden was plagued with problems. While my square-foot garden did a good job of choking out weeds on its own (due to close spacing), my garden soil still seemed
Sustainability 101: Go Pesticide-Free With Organic Controls
While keeping your backyard free from pests might make your lawn appear more healthy, it can cause the body to become very sick. So what’s the alternative?
Can I Compost Paper Plates?
Learn which paper plate types and sources are compostable. Correct preparation, and optimal composting conditions are crucial factors to produce the best compost quality from compostable paper plates!
Organic Codling Moth Control
In Western Washington, our apple trees have two major enemies: codling moths and apple maggots. While codling moths can be a nuisance (they donโt ruin the apple), apple maggots can leave the entire fruit bitter and unusable, even for cider. Yet some of the easy solutions for apple maggots don’t protect from codling moth. The
How To Smoke Meat
Nothing quite complements the savory flavor of meat as well as the tang of smoke. Smoking meat is a low and slow cooking method that gives delicious flavor to any type of meat or other foods like cheese. With the right equipment and a little basic knowledge, it’s very easy to get started smoking meat.
“Grass-Fed” On The Label: What It Does (And Doesn’t) Tell You
What does the “grass-fed” label really mean? The USDA’s grass-fed labeling standard tells you a lot, but what it doesn’t tell you is just as important.
๐ Tiny Houses
The more you find out about the tiny house lifestyle, the more questions you have. What you need is one reliable place to get basic answers. Then, if you need more info, links to sources you can trust. Our Tiny House Guide has both. We had a blast researching everything about tiny housesโfrom why people choose the
Tiny House Plans
When looking for blueprints and designs for building your tiny house, the search can be arduous and overwhelming. With all the options on the internet and in books it can be hard to know which ones are worth using. Look for tiny house plans that come with detailed instructions explaining how to construct the house,
Lessons In Self-Sufficiency Learned From Hurricane Irene
Insteading’s Michele Decouteau shares lessons her family learned from riding out Hurricane Irene on their New England homestead.
Whole Tree Architecture
Whole Tree Architecture
Cob House Interiors
Earthy and warm, the inside of cob homes exude an incomparable charm.
Bark Walls
Bark walls
Upcycled Maps
Tear em, decoupage them, fold them, paint on them. Many Rivers, 2009 Inlaid maps, acrylic, on panel, 48 x 78 inches. By Matthew Cusick, mattcusick.com Bonnie, 2004. Maps on wood panel. By Matthew Cusick, www.mattcusick.com Matthew Cusick Rachael’s Wave, 2011. Inlaid maps on wood panel. www.mattcusick.com Geronimo, 2007 Inlaid maps on panel, 30 x 24
Meet Farallon And Roanoke, Tumbleweed Tiny House Company’s Newest Models
You now have two more dream tiny home possibilities, as Tumbleweed Tiny House Company just announced two new designs. Both designs answer a common request from Tumbleweed customers: Give us a house with a downstairs sleeping area! The designs incorporate a downstairs flex room. The room can be used as a second bedroom for kids/guests
Sweden Has The World’s First Electric Road
The inevitable stop at the grimy just-off-the-exit gas station will eventually be a nostalgic memory. Tomorrow’s roads will fuel our electric cars as we drive over them. A new electric road in Swedenโthe world’s firstโemploys the magic of inductive or wireless charging. An induction coil embedded in the road sends out electromagnetic energy. A vehicle
Why Bar Soap Is Better For The Environment Than Liquid Soap
If you care about the environment, buy bar soap. The force behind this directive comes from Zurich’s Institute of Environmental Engineering. Scientists there assessed three categories of cleaners: laundry detergent, body soap, and surface cleaners. The goal was a first-ever life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) of these types of products. An LCIA takes into account
Best Water Purifier
Not all public water supplies are thoroughly purified before getting to you, the customer. When you really want to be sure that your family is not ingesting harmful contaminants, invest in one of these water purifiers. A good water purifier will also filter out unwelcome odors that some public water has. Before we go over
Floating Shelves
Shelving is a staple household decor item that can be functional, decorative, and necessary all at the same time. Whether your style is traditional, rustic, shabby chic, or modern, shelving units come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes to suit any need. Floating shelves are no different. Their simplicity and functionality have made
Forest Therapy
Shinrin-yoku. Forest bathing. Forest Therapy. No matter what you call the practice, the goal is the same: for humans to use the forest as medicine. History of Forest Bathing Shinrin-yoku is a term that means โtaking in the forest atmosphereโ or, more simply, forest bathing. The practice was developed in Japan in the early 1990s
Living in a Dumpster, For a Full Year – Meet the New 1%
Environmental science professor Jeff Wilson believes that American homes have gotten too big. To prove it, he’ll be living in a dumpster. For a year.
35 Awesome Pallet Projects
Whether it’s because they’re an affordable option or they provide a rustic feel, pallets have become increasingly popular as a source of material for DIY projects. They can be adapted in the most simple or complicated ways, making them a great option for DIY newbies and veterans alike. With pallet chairs to pallet wall art
5 Unusual Benefits of Going Vegan (Warning: Poop Talk)
There are two types of vegans in this world: the ones who do it for the animals and the ones who do it for their own health (this one also includes doing it for the environment, which impacts our health).
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
Flooring Ideas: 18 Eco-Friendly Options For Your Next Home Renovation
If youโre doing a home renovation or are in the market for some new flooring, youโre in luck. Right now, it appears that just about every type of flooring company has some exciting option youโre bound to love. Before choosing your flooring there are a few things to keep in mind. First, be sure that
Eco-Friendly DIY Drain Cleaners
Why is it a slow or clogged drain always seems to occur at the worst possible moment? You’re busy preparing a dinner party, company is soon to arrive, and now you find the water in the guest bathroom sink doesnโt want to drain. What to do? You want something that will clear your plumbing problems
5 Tips For Raising A Baby In A Tiny House
Raising a baby in a tiny house has both challenges and benefits. When we moved to our tiny house, I was seven months pregnant and incredibly nervous about how we would fit into the space! The Stuff Our first challenge was fitting all of our new baby items into our home. When you add a
20 Types Of Succulents For Your Desktop Or Rock Garden
Generally, a succulent refers to a plant with chubby, fleshy greenery. The word on its own evokes a particular image, so if you think itโs a succulent, it probably is. The thick leaves are often plump because theyโre designed to retain moisture for these drought-tolerant plants. Most succulents are fairly low maintenance and produce flowers
How To Grow And Forage For Lady Fern
I am in love with lady ferns and tuck every variety into shaded crevices, niches, nooks, and crannies in my homestead rockery. Apple-green in the spring and a glorious golden-yellow in autumn, lady fern is one of the easiest plants to grow in moist, shaded locations. With hundreds of species of lady fern and dozens