Living off the grid might seem like a dream come true for some of us. No longer tied to electricity or natural gas coming for a utility, we have greater choices for locations and saving money over the long-term. If you are someone who wants to set down roots away from the traffic and bustle […]
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Flame Retardants
Flame Retardants are everywhere
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 States– we would need FOUR […]
Bark Furniture And Accessories
Birch-Bark is waterproof and will not rot, its familiar surface is richly graphic. Birch-Bark has been used for millennia in the making of canoes, wigwams, scrolls, Buddhist manuscripts, maps (including the oldest maps of North America), art, torches, fans, musical instruments, shoes, clothing, as a substratum for sod, birch-bark roofs and more… Birch Armoire-style-Cabinet-Louis-XV-style by Marché Dauphine – 140, rue […]
Phyllis Galembo – Masquerade
Portraits of masqueraders – Galembo has spent the past twenty-five years photographing rituals and religious culture in Africa, Brazil, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti and Mexico. Akata Dance Masqueraders, Ogoja, Nigeria, 2004, Ilfochrome, printed 2011, edition 3/5, 30″ x 30″ www.stevenkasher.com. It is the ancestor’s responsibility to compel the living to uphold the ethical standards of past […]
6 Reasons To Raise Sheep
My parents raised sheep for several years when I was a kid. They were my favorite of the animals we experimented raising on our hobby farm. Watching the sheep give birth was absolutely amazing and the baby lambs made the most adorable pets! My siblings, friends, and I also got a lot of entertainment attempting
Online Homesteading Courses
Webinars and other online courses are great tools for homesteaders. Homesteaders who live in remote, rural areas will find online courses particularly useful. Online courses can fill community knowledge gaps that homesteaders might only have been able to fill through community college classes, conventions, or meetups. Dozens of courses in areas that will interest the
Transitioning From City Life To Country Life
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
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 won’t 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
Simple Ways To Save Money By Simplifying Your Life
Read on for simple ways you can help the environment, while saving a few bucks and reconnecting with your community in the process.
Mushroom Hunting: A Helpful Guide For Beginners
Hunting or foraging for wild mushrooms can be a very rewarding experience, but knowing which mushrooms are edible is a key skill to have before heading out into the woods. In this guide, we’ll share the best tips and tricks for edible mushroom hunting, discuss the best mushrooms available for foraging in different regions of
Foraging For Wild Berries
If you are looking to find berry variety beyond what your local grocery store or farmer’s market offers, you can look to berry foraging to seek and find a delicious array of berry options in your backyard or further afield. When foraging for wild berries, you’ll learn about your environment, connect with nature, and diversify
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. It’s 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
This Shed’s Sliding Walls Unveil A Beautiful Garden Studio
You want a place to kick back and relax in your backyard, your teenager wants a space to hang out with their friends, and your kids want a place to explore their imagination. What if all those things could be accomplished with just one structure in your backyard? When his mother requested a space she
Powdery Mildew: What It Is, How To Identify It, And Treatment Methods
You walk into the garden, wiping sweat from your forehead in the summer’s boggy heat. The peppers are dangling like hidden jewels beneath their glossy leaves. The okra is dazzling with its tropical, hollyhock-like blooms. And the tomatoes are looking fine — even though you flicked a hornworm to your chickens as a treat. But
9 Beneficial Uses For Grass Clippings
Many people around the world cut their grass, and either leave the clippings right where the lawnmower spits them out, or toss them into the yard waste bin. While those are perfectly fine ways to dispose of them, there are several beneficial uses for grass clippings around the homestead. Ever since I was a little
6 Reasons to Overcome Your Fear Of Spiders On The Homestead
I flipped open the new issue of my local conservation department’s magazine. Filled with gorgeous photography and information about nature in my state, I often learned things I had never known about the forests and fields around my homestead. But as I glanced at the letters to the editor, I put down my tea mug
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
In a Plastic World, Recycling Ain’t What It Used to Be
“They’re saying I haven’t delivered, but it’s not my fault!” I heard Recycling’s sobbing wail, and pulled out a porch chair to sit. “Sheesh, Recycling, what’s this all about?” Recycling sniffled loudly. “I’m not what they think I am. I can only do so much.” PVC pellets started to rain from Recycling’s triangular eyes, scattering
Foraging for Wild Strawberries
One of my earliest foraging memories is crouching in my childhood backyard. I nudged the leaves of a low-growing plant aside with a tiny, slightly grubby finger — and the white flowers that were there a week ago had changed into dimpled green spheres. I asked my mom, and she said they were strawberries. But
Foraging for Brambleberries
This is an open letter to the brambleberries of the world, particularly those blackberries growing along the edge of my ravine. Dearest Brambleberries: It is with great perplexity that I write to you. There is an understanding between berrykind and humankind that has endured for thousands of years. You produce delicious, sweet fruit. We eat
Preparing for Cold Weather Predators
Predators are just trying to live their best life. As the weather turns from summer to autumn, the temperatures begin to drop, and as winter creeps in, it becomes more difficult for predators to find food. We go to the markets to buy whatever it is we need to care for ourselves. Unfortunately, humans have
How To Integrate Goats Into The Homestead
A multipurpose, engaging, and entertaining animal with a great many uses ranging from companionship to commercial meat production, the domestic goat is an excellent addition to most any homestead. Novice homesteaders discover that raising goats for their milk, meat, and fiber can be a financially rewarding experience. However, caring for them can also be a
10 Off-Grid Projects You Can Finish This Weekend
Going off-grid is a huge endeavor and one that could take years to accomplish as you search for land, make the move, and set up your self-reliant system. If you’re just getting started, it can seem like an insurmountable task to think about all that needs to be done. And if you don’t have your
Alternative Libraries: Check Out Things, Not Books
I find it wonderful that libraries still exist in the modern age. Though the world sometimes seems unstable, angry, and poised to tear down whatever we currently don’t like, there still exists a public institution based entirely on free sharing and trust. Without spending a cent, you have access to hundreds of books, and what’s
What Is Hobby Farming?
Hobby farms are small-scale farms with the focus on following that farming passion to produce several benefits. This type of farming is not mainly about making money, but there is a potential for financial side hustles. Before we jump into the exciting world of hobby farming, let’s start off by differentiating between some commonly confused
Policies
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How To Make Your Own Fruit Jam In 30 Minutes Or Less
This past weekend, I tried my hand at making freezer jam, the lazy-cook’s alternative to canning. It was awesome! Here’s how to do it.
Non-Toxic Beauty: Do You Know What’s In Your Lipstick?
Don’t sacrifice your health just to look pretty for a few hours! Here are tips for avoiding toxins in your cosmetic routine.
All the Different Sugars
List of all the Different Sugars
Safe Cosmetics
Safe Cosmetics
10 Creative Upcycling Ideas Anyone – Even the Non-Crafty – Can Do
Not everyone is that crafty, and you might feel that you don’t have what it takes to upcycle anything worth keeping. But never fear – there are plenty of interesting and easy-to-make items that make upcycling a breeze.
DIY Soap Recipes
As an urban homesteading enthusiast, I definitely have the DIY bug. Gardening, landscaping, and chickens are all great for outdoor ideas, but in rainy Seattle it’s nice to find an indoor project too. I love all of the crazy scents available at our local farmers market (thai basil & lemongrass?!), that I chose this as
Cast Iron Dutch Ovens: The Ultimate Guide
My enameled Dutch oven is my favorite cooking tool. But only since I graduated from my 20s. The impatient, impulsive, careless me and the Dutch oven were not compatible. I had a date to meet, a show to see, a new bar to check out…and you, Dutch oven, wanted me to stay home all night
Electric Outdoor Grill Reviews
If you decide to live more sustainably by picking urban condo living over suburban home living, you’ll give up traffic hassles, massive utility bills, and the time-cost of home maintenance. You don’t have to give up grilling. Major grill manufacturers—and some specialty companies—have seen the trend toward urban living coming, and they’ve got the technology
Growing Tomatoes
Delicious, versatile, juicy, nothing says summer to me like fresh tomatoes still warm from the sun. As the song goes, “there’s two things money can’t buy: that’s true love and homegrown tomatoes.” One of the home gardener’s favorite staples is the tomato, but it can be a finicky plant, especially in cooler climates. I’ve grown
Engineer Turns Trailer Into Luxurious, DIY Camper
Bill Southworth took a 16′ trailer and turned it into the DIY camper of his dreams, complete w/ solar panels, extra large water storage, and satellite TV.
Is Coca-Cola Vegan? Yes and No.
The Coca-Cola Company claims that the “vast majority” of their drinks are vegan. Is it true? Is Coca-Cola Vegan?
How to Ferment Safely: Sanitize Those Jars!
Well-sanitized jars are so important for safe fermentation. Here’s how to ferment safely with properly sanitized jars.
10 Steps To Attract Birds In The Winter
Do you want to attract birds in the winter to your homestead landscape? Do you enjoy their sweet sounds and would like to have more feathered friends come to visit? Birds make the garden magically come alive with beauty, color, music, and motion. Read on to learn more about foods that will attract specific birds
Food Industry
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
How To Make Soothing Cherry Honey Cough Drops
It’s cold and flu season and that means one of two things. It’s either time to stock up on cough drops OR it’s time to make your own at home! It seems like I never have cough drops on hand when I need them, so when a cold hit our family this winter, I decided
How To Make Essential Oils
Over the last few years, essential oils have become incredibly popular. Some people use them for aromatherapy while others swear by their health benefits and healing properties. Regardless of how you use your essential oils, you’ve probably spent a pretty penny purchasing them, so why not consider making them at home? While the initial investment
🥗 Food
21 Essential Off-Grid Tools We Love
We recently asked our Insteading Community and YouTube viewers if they had any questions about homesteading that we might answer. You all replied with some great questions, and gave us a lot of ideas on material we can pull together to help you! Watch The Video So for our first installment in what we hope
12 Garden Tools to Start Spring Right
Can you feel it? That shift in the wind? The faint whiff of waking soil resounding with the chorus of sprightly spring peepers in the forest? Winter’s losing its grip, and for those of us with gardens and itchy green thumbs, the final thaw can’t come soon enough. It’s time to bust out the tools
5 Answers To Your Beginner Chicken Questions
It’s time for the next entry in our series of Homesteading Questions and Answers. As we get questions from you, we try to formulate the best possible answer to help you on your adventure. This month is all about raising chickens. There are few other animals so symbolic of the homesteading spirit as the humble
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.
Living Willow Hedges
You can call them willow hedges but maybe a more accurate term? “Fedges” = fence + hedge. Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix (Latin for willow), a grouping of 400-ish species of deciduous trees and shrubs. Willow are native to moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Almost all