If you’ve never had the experience of growing leeks, you donโt know what youโre missing! This straight-laced member of the allium family has a milder flavor than onions, and itโs extremely cold hardy, making it a great choice for Northern gardeners looking for fresh vegetables in the dead of winter. To reap the fancier flavor
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Companion Planting For Strawberries
The sweetest, juiciest strawberries youโll ever enjoy will come from a home garden. By growing strawberries at home, you’ll enjoy fully ripened, chemical-free berries. Like other homegrown produce, the strawberries you grow at home will be more flavorful than whatever you could buy at a supermarket. One of the ways you can grow the best strawberries
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.
Growing Asparagus
If you had told my 10-year-old self that I would one day be deeply emotionally invested in growing asparagus, I would have said โGross!โ Love it, or hate it, this early spring crop has a unique place in both the kitchen and the garden. But even after I developed a taste for asparagus, I hesitated
Raw Milk
There is nothing more bucolic and familiar in our imagination of a farm than the image of milking a cow by hand into a bucket, and then pouring a glowing glass of milk for two or three smiling children. How charming. How American. There is a serious disconnect between that image and the reality of
๐ Chicken Breeds Guide
If you want just a few birds, call up your local farm and garden store, and find out if they bring in live chicks in the spring. Otherwise, you can get on craigslist and see if someone is selling. Check out our article on buying chicks. Browse By Chicken Breed: Which Chicken Breed Is Right
Cochin
Characteristics In terms of gentle dispositions, you could hardly ask for a quieter, friendlier, or more docile chicken than the Cochin. These fluffy, feathery birds may be among the largest of the chicken breeds, but temperament-wise, they are ideal for a pet chicken or backyard bird. And with so many color choices to choose from,
Growing Saffron Crocus Bulbs
Known around the globe as a spice worth more than its weight in gold, saffron is expensive, but the intense color and incredible flavor it brings to food is priceless. A single grain of pure saffron will add distinctive bright yellow color to 10 gallons of water, or embellish the flavor of 10 pounds of
Lessons From Facing Death On The Homestead
As a small girl in my suburban neighborhood, dealing with death was something unusual. So when my pet fish died, tears were shed and a solemn, toilet-side funeral was held, complete with speeches! Any time I found a dead baby bird in the spring, my long-suffering father would kindly wrap it in tissues and bury
What Is a Time Bank?
It all begins with a simple premise: an hour is an hour. No matter who you are, what you do, or where you are, your time is valuable – just as valuable as everyone else’s. Time banks are being created all over the world to facilite the equal trade of goods and services among community
You Need Chickens: Backyard Chickens and Why They’re Great
Fluffball and Arrow, our two urban chickens, are pretty much the greatest pets ever.
DIY Hand Sanitizer That’s as Good as Store-bought
This article will show you how to make a DIY hand sanitizer that’s as effective as anything you’ll find in a store.
Cornish Cross
Characteristics With bright white feathers and a single red comb, the Cornish Cross will certainly stand out from other, more colorful birds. Everything about it is wide–from its broadly muscled body, huge breast, and yellow legs set far apart. These are all clues to the influence of the Asil breed that contributed to its development.
5 Easy Egg Substitutes For When The Chickens Have Stopped Laying
As happens on many homesteads, our chickens have stopped laying with the shorter winter days. We decided to let them follow their natural rhythms with the seasons and haven’t put a light in their coop to keep the eggs coming. We figure, if they naturally take a break for the season, we’ll let them follow
Vegan Athletics: The PCRM VegRun Program
The folks at Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) launched a plant-based running program, and they offered me a free account to try it out. I jumped at the change to prove that vegan athletics are totally possible!
The World’s Best Juice Bars
London, Paris, Melbourne, Boise. Wherever you live — or travel to — there’s bound to be a top notch juice bar near you.
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
Vegan Cheese
Vegan cheese has come a long way in the two decades since I started eating it, and there are more options than ever for those of us that don’t (or can’t) eat dairy. Below I’ve detailed the most common brands of vegan cheeses, what the best uses are for each cheese, what I (and other
11 Steps to Minimize Indoor Pollutants and Live Greener
The Environmental Protection Agency states that, “The average adult breathes 13,000 liters of air per day; children breathe 50 percent more air per pound of body weight than adults.” And, because childrenโs respiratory systems are still developing, they are much more vulnerable to the health dangers of airborne and other pollutants or allergic particles in
How to Grow an Avocado Plant
Avocados have long been considered a perfect food. If the avocado were newly discovered today, it would be marketed as a miracle food. Irresistibly flavorful with a smooth, creamy texture, avocados should be part of everyoneโs daily diet. Indigenous to Mexico and Central America, avocado trees thrive in sub-tropical and tropical climates around the world.
How To Tell If A Watermelon Is Ripe
To say my daughter is a melon fan is a gross understatement. This child could live on melon alone, and left to her own devices, she probably would. Her favorite melon being the watermelon, we made it our joint mission years ago to learn how to choose the best one. Even at 8 years old,
How To Keep Chipmunks Out Of Your Garden Naturally
Theyโre cute. They chirp and flirt around, scurrying from one food source to another. But donโt deceive yourself. If you love your garden, you donโt want to be overrun by chipmunks. One chipmunk means many chipmunks. Theyโre rodents, and like mice and rats, they multiply quickly and they love to dig. They dig holes in
Growing Lettuce
There is nothing more foundational to eating fresh vegetables than lettuce. It comes in many varieties and in many dishes on your table. Though usually not spectacular to eat on its own, it is a cornerstone of many beloved salads and a topping for an infinite variety of wraps, sandwiches, tacos, and so on. It’s
Environment
The Hosta Plant
โOh my! That hosta is huge!โ I was standing in my front drive, surveying what I called the circle garden. It was encased in a rock wall that outlined a circle around a gracious, old willow tree. And the hosta was huge. Not just the expanse of the plant itself, but the leaves rivaled those
How To Store Potatoes Properly For Year-Round Use
Potatoes have been a staple food for centuries all over the globe. They seem to be extremely versatile and a survivor of ages. When you think of potatoes, I bet there are several different ways to cook them that come to mind. Boiled, broiled, baked, roasted, fried, or mashed โ and thatโs just the different ways
How To Store Onions For Fresh Garden Flavor All Year Long
Onions are an essential ingredient in a great many main dishes, appetizers, salads, slaws, soups, stews, and sauces. In fact, onions are the third most consumed vegetable worldwide. And you can enjoy them long after their harvest when you learn how to store onions properly. With proper handling and storage, it’s easy to store onions
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
Canning Green Beans
To reduce our reliance on commercially grown produce, we grow as much of our own food as possible and preserve it for the offseason. Preserving fruits and vegetables is a centuries-old homesteading tradition. Growing up on my grandparents’ farm, I have fond memories of rows of pantry shelves packed full of colorful jars of syrup,
Homestead Stories: I Love My Birds, But…
Several years ago, my daughter informed me (with great excitement) there was a mourning dove nesting in my hanging fuchsia on the front balcony. โNo way,โ I declared. โCome see,โ she insisted. Sure enough, in the center of my prized fuchsia was a mourning dove, packing things down to make a nest. I wasnโt too
8 Winter Vegetables You Should Plant In Your Garden
August rolls around, and lots of us start looking at the garden with a sad sigh. The cucumbers are petering out. The tomatoes are still going strong, but the first frost (is it really looming already?) will wipe them (and the okra) from the plot until next year. The summer squash is gangly and tired, and
19 Eye-Catching Terrarium Plants For Your Miniature Garden
A terrarium garden is much like an aquarium, but a habitat for plants rather than aquatic life. A terrarium can be constructed in a diverse array of glass containers. When planted, it should look like a miniature forest or fairy garden; its own unique little world. Terrariums are fun to craft for home decor or
How To Grow, Harvest, And Use The Humble Fennel Plant
We didnโt go to farmers’ markets often when I was a kid. When we did, my dad always purchased a fennel bulb with the huge spray of feathery leaves that make it so attractive. I think he liked how it looked sticking out of the bag he carried. He would rip off a few leaves,
12 Best Plants For Straw Bale Gardening
Straw bale gardening is an ideal way to overcome nutrient-limited soil. Like other forms of raised-bed gardening, straw bale gardening lets you control the nutrients in your soil. Straw bale gardening utilizes straw bales in place of other types of containers and is a low-maintenance, eco-friendly way to grow plants. Straw bale gardens consist of
Soil Temperature: What It Is And Why It Matters
On any given day, normal people are concerned with the temperature of the air. If you have to walk a few blocks to the subway, or you want to plan a barbecue, the ambient air temperature can affect whether you go out in a t-shirt or hunker down inside. But us gardening folk are a
Chicken Molting: What It Is And What To Expect
Itโs a beautiful day with the first fall feelings. Maybe the asters and goldenrod have begun to bloom, and you noticed monarch butterflies headed south. Thereโs a good, crisp smell to the air — but as you near the chicken coop, your heart drops! There are feathers everywhere. A panicked headcount soon reveals that all
15 Delicious Sous Vide Recipes
Translating to “under vacuum” in French, sous vide is a process where food is vacuum-sealed in a bag and cooked at a precise temperature in a water bath. There are a few different reasons people chose this method or style of preparing food. Consistency Taste Flexibility Waste Reduction There are two main types of sous
From Hive To Table: How Honey Is Made
One of my favorite things to do in the summer is sit quietly by my zinnias, and watch the pollinators flit around the brightly colored flowers. I donโt spend much more time than I have to outdoors when the temperatures are scorching and sunburn is eminent, but if Iโm gardening in the early morning, I
23 Genius Epsom Salt Uses For Your Home, Garden, And Wellness
Epsom salt established its name 1600 years ago from the location where it was first discovered in Epsom Common, Surrey, England. It is most commonly marketed as bath products: powder, granules, crystal, flakes, and bath bombs. Although similar to common table salt in color and texture, Epsom salt and table salt are distinctly different. Epsom
13 Inventive & Simple Eggshell Uses For Your Home And Garden
Maybe it’s because I’m frugal, but I hate to throw away anything that can be reused or recycled — and that includes eggshells. No matter if you are raising chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, or turkeys, rather than simply tossing your eggs into the compost or trash, save them. You’ll be surprised to learn just how
Farmhouse Bedroom Inspiration For Your Rustic Home
If youโre thinking of redecorating your bedroom, consider a farmhouse-inspired look for an ultra-cozy feel. Revamp your boring sleeping nook into something rustic and romantic. If youโre not ready for a complete remodel, pick and choose a few of these decor items to try out this interior design trend. What are the main components of
How To Catch A Chicken: 6 Simple Methods That Actually Work
An escaped chicken can give you a run for your money if they arenโt ready to be caught. Naturally, chickens are faster than humans and their small bodies allow them to slip under objects and get a head start on us. Thankfully, there are a few tricks that make learning how to catch a chicken easier. Prevent
๐ธ Ornamentals
20+ Delectable Pioneer Woman Recipes
Whether you’re new to cooking or consider yourself to be an advanced at-home chef, we can all benefit from a new recipe or two. Even if you have tried and true recipes you always turn to, one of the most enjoyable experiences in the kitchen is cooking up something completely new. If you’re searching for
Homestead Stories: Creeping Avens
โA rose?โ I glanced at my friend. Was she pulling my leg? I knew she loved roses, but to claim this bloom as a rose? โNo way! Too poofy. It looks more like cotton candy.โ โCotton candy?” She smiled. “Hardly. Itโs called creeping avens (Geum reptans) and it’s definitely part of the rose family.โ โNo
Harvesting Lettuce: How to Harvest and Store Lettuce For Fresh & Delicious Garden Salads
Go to any cheap restaurant, and youโll see a sorry showing of lettuce. It usually is represented in two forms: either a single leaf of romaine, apologetically separating your burger from the bun, or the translucent, colorless chunks of a sodden iceberg that makes up the bulk of the salad you regretfully got instead of
Tropical Homesteading: Growing Bananas
Bananas are a fruit instantly recognizable to just about anyone, anywhere in the world. Yet they grow only in tropical and subtropical areas. So how is it that grocery stores in temperate zones the world over manage to offer piles and piles of them year-round for 10 cents or less per fruit? Though part of
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
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 &
Growing Shallots
I love growing shallots. Shallots don’t take up much space in the garden, are a flavorful addition to salads, salsa, soups, sauces, and stews, are easy to grow, and can be enjoyed both raw and cooked. Native to the Mediterranean, shallots are often thought to be a variety of onion, but they are a separate