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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.
Outdoor Coffee Tables
Not only are coffee tables one of the biggest focal points of any room, but they’re a highly functional piece of furniture that should be chosen wisely. They serve countless functions; holding books, magazines, cups, glasses, dinner, and let’s be honest, sometimes laundry. Related Post: Rustic Coffee Tables There is no reason why we shouldn’t
Concerns With Urban Animal Slaughter
Photo Credit by VeryGeeky. This article is a response to a Slate.com piece published by James McWilliams on June 6th, 2012. The article, titled “The Butcher Next Door: Why the rise of DIY urban animal slaughter is bad for people and animals,” tries to make the point that animal slaughter by untrained people in an
Getting Started With Off-Grid Water System For A More Self-Reliant Homestead
In my experience, it seems that discussions about off-grid water systems only take place in niche communities of homesteaders or preppers. If you were to bring it up in “normal” workplace conversation, I guarantee you’d get at least one set of raised “what a weirdo” eyebrows. But considering just how crucial water is to life
Insect Hotel
What Is An Insect Hotel? Insect hotels are winter lodgings for your backyard crawling and flying bugs. Usually made of found or upcycled materials around your yard, these hotels consist of different suites catered to each little bug’s preferred lodging taste. Most hotels are constructed with a strong protective frame of wood boards or pallets and
Raising Muscovy Ducks And Why You Probably Want Them
With their clawed feet, bizarre-looking caruncles, mohawk-like crest, and lack of quack, Muscovy ducks don’t quite fit the “bill” (if you pardon the pun) for what you might consider a “normal” duck. But on our homestead, these are the only ducks we want to keep because they have won our hearts with both their utility
Compost vs Landfill: Does it Really Make a Difference?
Editor’s note: Many thanks to Dr. John at Flopping Aces for bringing this 6-year-old-post back into our “Popular Right Now” column for a few minutes. I hope he’s given himself a good pat on the back for his snarky observation; I hope you’ll read just a bit more than he obviously did…. it’s a short post,
Hell Hath No Fury Like a Mom with a Blog
Eleven ways that moms are leveraging social media to pursue the mom agenda. It’s a self-evident truth that moms know best. Until recently, though, this knowledge was largely confined to the family unit. With the spread of social media such as blogs and social networks, the walls of motherly wisdom are coming down. Concurrently, the
The Watercone: A Simple, Effective Solar Still
In many parts of the world, lack of access to clean, potable water is a major issue. Water may be found nearby, but only in a brackish or polluted state. Areas close to the ocean may see miles of water, but not a drop to drink. UNICEF estimates that every day 5000 children die as
Organic Farming Would Be Better In Terms of Climate Change Impact. Right?
I’m probably going to irritate some people with this post. I apologize in advance because that is not at all my intention. For those readers that don’t think climate change is a real problem, I respect the fact that there is uncertainty in that science, but if the majority position of climate scientists is true, the stakes
Can I Compost Dog Poop?
Learn how to compost dog poop safely and efficiently with this comprehensive guide. While composting dog waste is possible, it is important to follow guidelines to avoid health risks.
13 DIY Christmas Gifts
Whether you’re trying to avoid holiday shopping crowds or you simply want to spend more time creating unique presents this season, DIY Christmas gifts are heartfelt, fun to make, and personal. When you make a gift for someone, you don’t just invest in materials — you invest time in the person. Check out the DIY
9 Flowering Trees To Consider
Flowering trees are available in a variety of sizes and shapes for almost any landscape application. Not only do deciduous flowering trees bring visual impact and beauty to your homestead, but they also provide habitat and food for birds and other wildlife. These types of trees also provide cooling shade for people, pets, and plants.
Introduction To Integrated Pest Management
There’s one major challenge that applies to all levels of agriculture, from starting a garden to running an orchard, and everything that falls between. It’s a shared challenge that growers face regardless of location, climate, or economic resources. It’s pests – whether it’s weeds, ants, beetles, caterpillars, goats, sheep, cats, or even other humans (the last
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
19 DIY Duck House Plans
Ducks differ in their needs from backyard chickens, and it can be straightforward to create a DIY duck house with some readily available, basic materials. When starting your flock, making your own duck house instead of purchasing an overpriced product from a retail store, can save you time and money. If you want to add
Can I Compost Meat?
Learn the best methods and safety precautions for composting meat with this comprehensive guide. Explore sustainable alternatives when composting at home is not readily available.
8 Ways to Practice Homesteading While Living in a City
The (most recent) Back-to-the-Land Movement may have peaked in the 60s and 70s, but that doesn’t mean people haven’t had the desire for a more land-based way of life every decade before and since. Many armchair homesteaders find themselves tirelessly reading through the Storey’s Guides to Livestock at their local library, browsing websites like Insteading
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.
5 Unusual Ways To Use Honey At Home
Learn why the unique way in which bees make honey gives it special healing and preserving qualities.
Can I Compost Garlic?
Inclusion of garlic in compost pile is a double-edged sword. Although it boosts the nourishment of your compost, large quantities of garlic scraps can significantly impact your pile, especially its microbial action.
Solar Power
The United States is a world leader in solar power generation. A Bell Labs scientist patented the first solar cell, and, for decades the U.S. was the solar installations leader. According to a report by the International Energy Agency, at the end of 2015 the U.S. had 11% of the world’s solar photovoltaic capacity. Only
7 Tips For Raising Animals In A Tiny House
As a tiny homeowner, caring for your pets shouldn’t be affected by the size of your home. Tiny living encourages you to embrace unique ways of doing things, and looking for creative storage and organization solutions is at the top of that list. This is particularly true when you consider the needs of your pets.
20 Soothing DIY Wind Chimes
Wind chimes: They’re soothing, relaxing, and add a beautiful, decorative addition to your garden or backyard. Wind chimes come in basically any color, material, size, and price tag, and nowadays, you can find some pretty artistic options on Etsy and at other retailers. But if you’re the do-it-yourself type that wants the ultimate satisfaction of
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
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
Best Canning Recipes
Canning is a fun project that gets your hands dirty, keeps your food fresh, and gives you a last-minute gift option when the holidays roll around. The key to successful canning is starting with a recipe you can trust. We pulled these gems from our favorite homesteading and farming blogs. We also recommended the best
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
17 Awesome DIY Platform Bed Plans
Bed frames are expensive. It’s one of the unavoidable truths of becoming an adult and moving into your own home. But what if we told you there’s a way to circumnavigate costly bed frames by taking the DIY approach to building your own platform bed? While bed frames come with high price tags, there’s nothing
Can I Compost Rhubarb Leaves?
Rhubarb leaves are not only useful for cooking, but also for composting. Although tricky to process, rhubarb leaves provide nitrogen essential for producing the best compost quality.
18 Creative DIY Beehive Plans for Your Own Beekeeping
Here’s something to buzz about: Beekeeping! Not only do these pollinators bring more flowers, fruits, and vegetables to gardens, they also give us honey that can be added to everything from hot tea to homemade beauty products. Bees are important to the environment, and their numbers are threatened. For this reason, outdoor lovers, gardeners, and
25 Delicious Sourdough Recipes For Your Home Starter
Sourdough starters used for baking have been around since the cultivation of edible grasses began thousands of years ago. People have been creating healthful and delicious breads of an astounding variety for millennia. It was only after the advent of large-scale industrial baking that instant yeasts (with their quickness and ease of use) asserted themselves as
Recycled Materials
Types of Spinach
From the popular Bloomsdale variety to lesser known cultivars, get to know the spinach plant before planting them in your garden. These leafy greens are packed with nutrition and boasts versatile culinary uses.
Can I Compost Peanut Shells?
Learn how to optimally prepare peanut shells for composting, and explore the benefits they bring to a compost system. Find out the necessary details on how to process them, and the conditions needed to prevent potential composting issues.
7 DIY Bath Bombs For a Soothing, Relaxing Soak
Fizz away fatigue with all-natural, DIY bath bombs that transform bathwater into a fragrant, skin nurturing, stress-melting oasis. A quick search of the internet yields as many different recipes for DIY bath bombs as for chocolate chip cookies. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you can make a basic bath bomb with a few drops of water
Can I Compost Cardboard?
Instead of sending away your cardboard scraps to landfills, consider turning them into nutrient-rich compost. Learn the advantages and disadvantages of cardboard in compost and explore other sustainable alternatives if a home compost isn’t possible.
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
Homestead Stories: The Holly And The Ivy
“The holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown. Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown.” I hummed the tune happily as I dialed my parents’ number. I would be going home in a few days to spend Christmas with the family. I was excited and
Garden Fencing
Garden fencing serves all sorts of purposes. Those needs might be practical, or you might just want a nice accent to mark the edge of your yard. This guide will help you choose the right material and recommend a few vendors. Why Does Your Garden Need A Fence? Every land owner’s needs are different, but
13 DIY Deck Railing Plans
Whether you’re concerned about safety, trying to get a little privacy from the neighbors, or just interested in a fun and creative way to make your porch look prettier, a nice deck railing is a great addition to any house. While you could hire a contractor to have one built for you, many homeowners and
Grinding Your Own Flour
One of my favorite college coffeehouses was across the street from a milling company. I spent many hours sketching and sipping their various brews, the mood-lit ambiance of the cafe constantly underscored by the low hum of unseen machines turning grain into flour. Anyone who parked more than an hour on the that street would
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
Steam Bent Shingles
Steam Bent Shingles
Renzo Piano Builds a Haute Shiver Shack For Off-the-Grid Singles
Italian architect Renzo Piano has come up with a small, simple-living home design that could is less of a shiver shack and more of a one-person, off the grid castle – and, if you’re in the market for a “tiny house” and you have an eye for going off grid, you’ll want to pay attention, because it doesn’t get much better than this …
23 DIY Chandelier Projects To Illuminate Your Space
Lighting is one of the best ways to create ambiance or set the mood in any room. It’s also one of the ways that homeowners can showcase their own style. When you go to add new lighting to the rooms of your home, however, it’s easy to get sticker shock when shopping retail to find
Can I Compost Flour?
You can efficiently process flour into nutrient-rich compost, but doing so presents some composting challenges. Learn more about the best practices, potential issues, and alternative disposal options of flour waste.
How to Make Olive Oil
Olive oil has been an important food source, lamp fuel, religious material, cosmetic, and medicine for thousands of years. More than just a salad topping, olives join wheat and grapes as the core foods of the Mediterranean. In the modern age, it has enjoyed waves of popularity as a health food and DIY ingredient. This
Can I Compost Egg Cartons?
We discuss how to compost egg cartons, the optimal conditions, and other composting alternatives to sustainably handle egg carton wastes. If you’ve been wondering whether you can compost your egg cartons, this richly detailed guide provides the answers.