Two sisters from Buenos Aires who grew up among woodworkers at their grandfather’s shipyard have created these awesome wood-block toys, now for sale on Kickstarter. The wood comes from a eco-friendly (and cheap) source—the scrap pile of renowned furniture designer Alejandro Sticotti. Pieces of sustainably-grown pine, lapcaho, petiribí wood that weren’t lucky enough to become […]
Search Results for: bathroom/towels/hand-towels
Different Ways to Cook Wild Greens
One of the delights of foraging is realizing just how much food is –quite literally –beneath your feet. It can be exhilarating to go out into the field or forest with a basket in hand, and return with free berries, nuts, and more greens than you can shake a stick at. Watch The Video But
10 Answers to Your Beginner Goat Questions
It’s 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 today’s series: Goats! It seems you all have tons of questions about these capricious caprines, and rightly so — they’re interesting, useful, and personable members of any
Controlled Burns: Everything You Should Know
Fire has always been a part of our environment just like water, earth, and air. Believe it or not, fire is one of the most essential natural agents of change because it plays a vital role in maintaining certain ecosystems. Native Americans have understood this and used fire to maintain prairies, keep the ecosystem healthy,
How to Incorporate a Wildlife Habitat on Your Homestead
Many homesteaders are lovers of the beautiful, nonhuman, natural world and want to see this world thrive on their land. They put bird and squirrel feeders, birdbaths, and perhaps, salt licks on their property to encourage birds, squirrels, and deer (among others) to feel welcome. These are great ways to attract wildlife to your homestead.
15 Trellis Plants For Your Wall, Pergola, And Arbor
Pergolas, arbors, and trellises look mighty boring without a plant wrapped around their nooks and crannies. But why should you bother finding trellis plants to cover your garden structure? It might be to provide privacy, add a decorative element, or save space in a small area. And if you’ve run out of room on the
Raising Rabbits: How To House, Feed, And Care For Rabbits
Rabbits are one of the cutest animals you can raise on the homestead. Their soft and fluffy bodies are irresistible. Rabbits are also diverse. You’ll find quite a difference in the colors, sizes, and hair textures; you can raise them as meat or pets. Rabbits are often overlooked in favor of larger livestock like cattle, goats,
Storage Sheds
Whether it’s time for some spring cleaning or winter decluttering, chances are the biggest project on your to-do list is organizing the garage and backyard. You’ve got your kids’ bikes in one corner, garden tools strewn about in another, and let’s not even get started with the holiday decorations that are shoved in that less-than-weatherproof
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? It’s free for the taking. I’m talking about wild yeast — a
Best Garden Hoe
The garden hoe is one of the most classic and essential gardening tools. No tool has surpassed—let alone matched—this ancient tool in the critical gardening tasks of tilling, planting, and uprooting. A gardener of any skill level will use their hoe on most days that they’re in the yard. A tool this essential should be
17 Effective DIY Dishwasher Detergent Recipes
I’m probably one of the few people in this world who loves doing dishes — I love to load up the dishwasher and forget them, that is! Washing dishes by hand is an annoying and time-consuming task. And did you know it often uses more water than dishwashers? Handwashing dishes can use up to 27
Growing Squash
Take a glance at anyone’s backyard garden. No matter where you go, you’ll likely find a squash plant growing. There’s something about these easy-to-grow and generous plants that demand a place in your garden bed — wherever you can manage to fit it in. So whether you grow succulent zucchinis and crookneck varieties for summer
Installing An Interior Barn Door
There’s something mesmerizing about a heavy door gliding silently on a steel track, especially when it’s indoors. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Flooring Xtra (@flooringxtra) Recently, the Seattle based building outfit, Yellow Moon Construction, built an interior barn door using reclaimed materials found on the job site. Related Post: Recycling Old
Dowsing For Water
Witching for water, or water dowsing, is an old practice to find an object using forked sticks, pendulums, or rods. Water dowser claim that they can find things ranging from fresh water to unmarked graves and ghosts. Brief History Of Dowsing One of the first written records concerning witching for water is the De Re Metallica by Georgii
Best Machete
As many sportsmen and wilderness trekkers already know, a machete can be an extremely handy tool. In dense brush, it can be used as a slashing tool. If necessary, wood can even be chopped by striking the spine with a heavy object to force a chopping action by the blade. It can also be used
Off-Grid Living
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
Why You Should Keep Your Dandelions
Yellow, yellow everywhere. Interspersed with the yellow, were just as plentiful white puffballs of fluff. Hardly any green. It was a dandelion haven. As a child, I recall picking dandelions as a flower bouquet for Mom or Gran. They loved them, or so they claimed, and made a big deal of placing them in water
Growing Kale
Kale has become somewhat synonymous with the modern health movement, but this nutrient-packed green has been a bastion of good eating for centuries. In fact, there’s an old Scottish story that tells of a young doctor, traveling in search of a town to start his practice. He was advised, “If you see kale growing in
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
25 Free Bird House Plans to Welcome Feathered Friends to Your Garden
Ornithologists know something that many people don’t: Birdwatching can be a peaceful and restorative experience. Encouraging birds to visit your home or yard can be challenging, however. Especially if you don’t have any houses for those feathery friends. A well-made bird house could be the ideal place for a coupling pair to build their nest
20 Interesting Uses for Coffee Grounds
If you drink coffee every morning or even just enjoy the occasional pot, the number of grounds left behind can really add up. Tossing those grounds into the trash may feel wasteful, but the good news is there are plenty of clever uses for coffee grounds. Not only is this helpful for your wallet, but
Gardening Resources For Kids
One of the best parts about gardening is building community. There’s something special about sharing the experience of planting and nurturing seeds, and watching them grow — especially when it’s with kids. Their innate curiosity and ability to see things with a set of fresh eyes makes gardening a wonderful physical, mental, and educational activity.
38 Eye-Catching Moon Gate Designs For Your Garden
A moon gate rises out of the earth, like the moon rises in the sky; both spheres celebrate the continuous cycle of birth and death…rising and falling… A circular passageway designed to welcome visitors to backyards, botanical gardens, and important events like weddings, moon gates are quite stunning in their gravity-bending construction. Traditionally constructed out
String Art
Artists who’ve done incredible portraits and abstract work using everyday string or thread. String Art By Casey Zavaglia ‘Darbi’ – cotton, silk and wool thread on linen by Cayce Zavaglia. Sanded acrylic paint on the background only. 6.5 x 7.5″. Cayce lives and works in St Louis, Missouri. www.caycezavaglia.com ‘Dad’ by Cayce Zavaglia. “The direction in which the threads are sewn
Types of Green Beans
Not all green beans are created equal. With unique traits on flavor, growth, and texture, get to know the different types of green beans you can grow at home.
Can I Compost Pistachio Shells?
Unearth the benefits of composting pistachio shells in our comprehensive guide, and discover how they can serve as a nutrient-rich soil amendment for your garden. Explore the intricacies of composting, from preparation, methods to potential issues, and other beneficial uses for these shells beyond composting.
Gun Art
In Arizona the governor signed into law an order banning confiscated or surrendered guns from being destroyed. One solution: turn them into art. ‘Gun Sculpture’ by Canadian artists Sandra Bromley and Wallis Kendal makes the secret life of weapons visible. Standing at 8′ x 12′ x 8′, and weighing 5 tons, the rectangular structure is a monstrous
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 tree—cork oaks live for about
20 Festive Holiday Dessert Recipes
If you’re in search of some holiday dessert recipes for the festive and chilly season, you’ve come to the right place. From traditional classics, classics with a twist, and maybe some things you’ve not thought of, we’ve put together a list of recipes that are sure to be family favorites in no time. Old-Fashioned Gingerbread
15 Of The Healthiest Meats You Should Add To Your Diet
The American Heart Association recommends limiting the intake of red meat and opting for poultry and fish. Red meat is higher in saturated fat, and a higher consumption may lead to high cholesterol and heart disease. White meats (fish, poultry), on the other hand, contain omega-3 fatty acids which have been shown to reduce heart
Nick Cave Sound Suits
Upcycled suits…or as Nick Cave calls them – Sound Suits Twigs, one of Nick Cave’s first Sound Suits, he says they’re “full body suits constructed of materials that rattle with movement, like a coat of armor, (they) embellish the body while protecting the wearer from outside culture.” Cave constructed his first suit after watching the
Firewood Storage – 30 Sheds, Racks, And Shelves
A firewood shed will keep your logs dry and well-organized. Whether you need a small log rack to store your firewood indoors or a large shed to stock up for the winter, we’ve found both rustic and modern firewood storage options for indoor and outdoor use. Cord Woodshed Prepare your homestead for the winter with
Soil Testing
The gardener’s greatest asset is healthy soil. No matter where you are or what you are trying to grow, taking care of your soil will help your crops. Learning soil science can be overwhelming. It involves lots of chemistry, and you can easily get lost in technical details. We are here to help, with this
Jazz Up Your Flock With Chickens That Lay Blue Eggs
Before I got into caring for my own flock as a homesteader, my understanding of chicken eggs was pretty much unchanged from childhood. There were the white ones that I could buy in a Styrofoam package at the Mega-Mart, and the brown ones that my dad sometimes brought home from his friend “in the country.” Now
Bread Proofing
When you’re in the process of baking bread, proofing refers to the final rise after you shape your dough into loaves. It’s an important rest period before baking, also known as fermentation. Fermentation is when the yeast is allowed to leaven the dough, and at times the words proof and fermentation and used interchangeably. Proofing
25 Easy And Clever Kitchen Pantry Ideas
Your kitchen is spotless. Your counters are shiny, and your fridge is immaculate. Take a peek in your pantry, though, and you may find a different situation. It can be tough to keep things neat and tidy, especially when they’re hidden behind closed doors. The kitchen pantry is an oft-accessed space where items are continually
15 Tropical Fruits You Should Know About
Ever been to an international grocery market and didn’t recognize half of the fruits that were stocked? Or how about a tropical vacation where you had the opportunity to feast on new and exotic fruits? Wanna widen your knowledge of fruits? Tired of the common grocery store fare (e.g., apples, oranges, bananas, and grapes)? This
Creeping Thyme: A Beautiful Groundcover To Replace Your Lawn
“Is it edible?” I asked. I had to know. “Some say it is,” my friend replied. I bent down and ran a hand across the soft carpet of pink. A waft of something sweet filtered up to my nostrils. “It smells wonderful!” I exclaimed and stood up to further admire the display. “And oh, so
Dwarf Fruit Trees
When landscape professionals talk about dwarf trees, they refer to trees both deciduous and evergreen that are explicitly cultivated to remain small and manageable. If space is limited, dwarf fruit trees are the ideal solution for both visual impact and fruit production in small gardens. Dwarf fruit trees are generally short trees with broad canopies
Tree Cookies
It may be difficult to find something to do with debris from a storm, but this simple project for creating art out of pine branches can help. Recently, a wet and blustery storm swept across the landscape near my home. The result of all this commotion led to a wet dog, several branches laden on the
Caffeine-Free Coffee Substitutes That You Can Forage In The Backyard
Coffee is something I really used to enjoy. In my memories, that roasted, dark liquid is synonymous with warm cafes, good conversation, and air perfumed with delicious aromas. But now that I’m more than a decade past college, I’m finding that my appreciation for the flavor of this ubiquitous American beverage is quickly being eclipsed
3 Mental Self-Sufficiency Skills to Practice
Homesteaders have a lot to consider and accomplish when physical and mental self-sufficiency is the goal. We store up pantries full of homegrown food and rest in homes heated by wood we split ourselves. We spend a lot of time researching natural remedies for chicken diseases or drought-tolerant varieties of squash. We talk endlessly of
Best Tool Box
So you need a toolbox. Every home needs the essentials: hammer, screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, nails, tape, and the like. You might have started with a drawer where you could fit the rusty, loose hammer that your ‘rents gave you when you started out on your own, but after a while you will need more. Drawers
How to Buy an Eco-Friendly Dishwasher (In 2014)
While an eco-friendly dishwasher is already a bit of a redundancy, the model you choose & the way you run it can save even more energy & water.
33 Recycling Games For Teaching Your Kids (And Yourself) About Responsible Waste Disposal
Kids learn best through play, so these recycling games – online, mobile, and “live action” – teach them the ins and outs of responsible waste disposal.
Understanding GMO Foods
The first time I heard the phrase “GMO” was at a rally, and I had to ask my 9th-grade science teacher what it meant. That was before ballot initiatives demanding GMO labelling and before Non-GMO Project logos became familiar on food labels. Since then, awareness about GMOs has increased dramatically. It is an issue that
Welcome to Insteading.
Welcome to Insteading. Every day, we help thousands of gardeners and homesteaders grow their garden and their skills. We have over 1,500 free articles and resources, written by folks out in their yards and fields who have been doing this for years. Truly, it’s over 1.5 million words of content – about 30 books worth!
Best Cordless Drill Combo Set
When there’s a need for a cordless drill, close by is the need for an impact driver. The two tools are the proverbial salt and pepper shakers on the carpenter’s table. The drill and impact driver are quintessential tools to fasten materials and drill holes. Without them, you’ll be stuck spending extra time and energy
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