Learn why the unique way in which bees make honey gives it special healing and preserving qualities.
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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 shouldnโt 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 […]
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 […]
Living Off The Grid
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 […]
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
Hereโs 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.
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 […]
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
โThe holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown. Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown.โ 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 ownerโs needs are different, but […]
13 DIY Deck Railing Plans
Whether youโre 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 […]
Why Are the Bees Dying?
About five years ago commercial beekeepers across the US began reporting bee losses in record numbers – about 30% each year. This level of loss is unsustainable and many beekeepers are going out of business. Aside from the economic issues, the record number of bees dying should be alarming everyone who eats. About one in […]
Soil Testing
The gardenerโs 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 […]
The Benefits of Raising Geese
When I was about 5 years old, my mom and us kids lived in a massive farmhouse with my aunt, uncle, and cousins. I loved being around all the farm animals but was always a bit skeptical of the loud, boisterous geese. One morning, while we were doing the morning chores, I had a nasty […]
The Surprising Benefits of Rabbit Manure
I love raising rabbits for many reasons, one being the many benefits of their manure. Rabbit manure is an incredible resource for organic gardens. It increases soil quality by improving both the soil structure and the life cycle of beneficial microorganisms living in the soil. Rabbits are an excellent source of poop, and it doesnโt […]
Write For Us
We’re looking for passionate writers to contribute to Insteading. We’re currently looking for: How-to & instructional posts Guides & โIntroduction to [topic]โ posts Curated posts or resource pages Other formats as approved If you’re interested, please read the contributor guidelines below, take a look at our writer’s guidelines, and then fill out the Writer Application […]
Can I Compost Rice?
Discover the correct preparation and optimal composting conditions for both cooked and uncooked rice, as well as the benefits and challenges associated with composting rice. Find the best approach for rice using this comprehensive method.
Biodynamic Farming: What It Is and Why Do It
I once had the pleasure of working with biodynamic agriculturalists. Being new to biodynamic farming (and agriculture at large), I asked โSo, whatโs the difference between biodynamics and regular agriculture anyway?โ — a fair question to which I received an equally fair response. โBiodynamic agriculture aims to improve the earth we farm to a condition […]
Organic Choices
Inspiration Green Organic Choices, See which foods have the least and most pesticide residues. USDA data.
How To Make Soy Milk
Back when I lived in the city, well before there were dairy goats in my barn, I had an automatic soy milk maker. I lived in an area where raw milk was (frustratingly) illegal, organic milk was really expensive, and store-bought soy milk had too many additives, so the machine gave me some sense of […]
Best Heat Gun
Heat guns are handy for paint chip removal, pipe bending and shrinking, fusing plastics, and removing adhesive tile, to name a few. Theyโre also useful for drying construction products. Whether itโs on a job site or in your home, there are many kinds of caulking, insulation and sealant projects that take an excessive amount of […]
The Basics Of Straw Bale Gardening
An ancient gardening technique dating back to the Romans, straw bale gardening is a simple concept. As a straw bale starts to decompose or break down, it turns into a raised, compostable, 40-gallon planter that’s ideal for growing vegetables. Straw bale gardens are inexpensive, easy to set up, easy to maintain, and biodegradable. Straw bale […]
10 Ground Cover Plants to Replace Your Grass Lawn
Though it’s outside, there’s really nothing all that natural about the picture-perfect lawn. Artificially grown, watered, fertilized, and maintained, it’s a strange picture of modernity. We’ve made our case against the “normal” patch of featureless fescue, and if you agree with us, perhaps you’re ready to change up the backyard for something new and less […]
Unique Shoes Made From Upcycled Material
Reuse Shoes, recycled shoes, upcycled shoes…
How to Start a Compost Business (and Why)
Since 2015, I have owned and operated a fully-permitted Tier 2 composting facility in Johnson City, Tennessee. We have grown every year and our future looks bright. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and want to build a greener America, I encourage you to consider starting your own compost business. This article will give you […]
Cattle Breeds: The Best for Milk and Meat
Raising cattle might be worth trying as a way to expand your homesteading horizons. Raising cattle can supply you and your family with homegrown meat and dairy products while teaching your kids valuable life lessons. Owning cows can also provide a second income if you’re interested in selling meat and dairy products at the market. […]
Ten Ways to Change the World Through Social Media
Editor’s note: We’re pleased to welcome Max Gladwell, of MaxGladwell.com, as a regular guest writer on sustainablog. Max Gladwell covers the nexus of social media and green living. We feel that these two trends and technological developments hold tremendous promise for improving the quality of life for everyone on the planet. If you’re reading this […]
The Basics of No-Dig Gardening
Wouldnโt gardening be far easier and infinitely more enjoyable if you didnโt have to turn the soil and break your back every spring? Each of us has been there and done that! After all, that ritual is what conventional gardeners have taught and passed down from generation to generation. In the search for a better […]
Agroecological Farming vs. Organic Farming: What’s the difference?
One of Becky’s recent posts raised the question of what separates agroecological farming from organic farming. Although agroecological farming shares some of the same principals as organic farming, agroecology is not associated with a particular type of agriculture. Conventional and organic farms alike can take an agroecological approach to managing farmland. What Is Agroecology? Agroecology […]
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 […]
Lard: What It Is And How To Use It
Lard is a type of animal fat specifically derived from a pig. Itโs available both rendered and as unrendered fat. When fatty cuts of pork are cooked, lard is the liquid left behind. Its primary use is culinary, and itโs often used as a replacement for other types of fat in a variety of cuisines. […]
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 […]
Companion Planting For Broccoli
Experienced organic gardeners bring diversity and balance to the garden with the age-old wisdom of companion planting, a time-tested method of close planting specific species based on their propensity to enhance each otherโs growth and quality. Companion planting can help you grow a thriving crop of delicious, healthy broccoli. Companion plants offer shade or shelter, […]
tentree – 10 Trees Planted For Every Item Sold
Here at Insteading, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. Sustainability is the reason why we skip pesticides, collect rainwater, compost, choose solar and wind energy, and strive to live more self-sufficiently. Of course, weโre always on the search for brands that use sustainable materials and business practices. As for a company that […]
Best Padlock
It’s a sad but true factโwhether you live in the city, suburbs, or country, thieves will come looking for your garden and power tools. A solid storage unit with a strong padlock is usually all you need to deter them. Letโs go through our top picks, followed by some basic criteria to look at when […]
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 […]
Growing Blackberries
Blackberries are easy to grow. A diverse array of blackberry varieties are native to almost all of North America. They are especially abundant in areas with warm summer days, cool nights, and plenty of moisture. An aggregate fruit composed of many tiny fruits known as drupes, blackberries are similar in taste and growth habit to […]
18 Beautiful Gazebo Plans for Your Backyard
Almost any backyard can benefit from a gazebo. Itโs the ultimate, shady chill place for you to have a glass of lemonade and read a book during the warmer months. Regardless of the size of your yard, there is a gazebo that suits it perfectly.ย However, going over to a store like Home Depot or […]
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 […]
Canning Peaches
After spending many memorable summers in the south, I am addicted to the smell and taste of peaches. Aunt Mildred and Uncle Elmer nurtured several different varieties in the peach orchard of their rural Georgia homestead. I loved joining Auntie Millie and the cousins, picking, peeling, preserving, and putting up peaches. Although most of the […]