If you want a supremely nutritious addition to your home garden, look no further! Broccoli is an outstanding cool season crop with both heirloom and hybrid varieties.
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Types of Turnips
Growing your own turnips at home allows you to access varieties of different colors. From yellow to purple turnips, these gorgeous varieties can provide a pop of color to your garden and meals.
Stevia: A Sweet Perennial Herb
Stevia is a very cool plant: It’s a little perennial herb that is beautiful to look at, easy to grow, and is a deliciously sweet herb to use in your teas and cooking. Stevia (official name Stevia rebaudiana; in the family Asteraceae, along with sunflowers and daisies) is of South American origin and has been used […]
Flooring Ideas: 18 Eco-Friendly Options For Your Next Home Renovation
If you’re doing a home renovation or are in the market for some new flooring, you’re in luck. Right now, it appears that just about every type of flooring company has some exciting option you’re bound to love. Before choosing your flooring there are a few things to keep in mind. First, be sure that […]
All About the Acianthera Nikoleae
Featured image is the Dresslerella caesariata, not the Acianthera Nikoleae. Since this is a newly discovered species, not that many images are available. Take a look at the Internet Orchid Species Encyclopedia and OrchidRoots.com to see photos. “Are those warts on the leaves?” I asked my friend, admiring her latest orchid. “That can’t be good.” […]
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 […]
Homestead Stories: The Kudzu Monster Plant and Other Invasive Species
“What are those creepy figures?” my youngest asked. We were driving the back roads to Florida for a family vacation. “I believe that’s what they call kudzu,” I explained. “They look like monsters.” “Yes, they do.” I had read about kudzu years ago but had never seen the plant this close. It was downright eerie. […]
30 Lovely Garden Trellises
A staple of backyards and gardens for decades, trellises can serve as functional garden bed additions and decorative works of art. By supporting climbing plants, vines, and flowers, empty trellises can transform into beautiful, natural garden features—with a bit of time and patience. Larger trellises can serve as a privacy screen, while smaller, more narrow […]
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 […]
Savin Couelle
Savin Couëlle
Biodiversity Organizations
Biodiversity Organizations, Conservation Organizations, Ecology Organizations.
🐌 Pest & Weed Management
Let’s face it – I can’t blame some of these bugs and plants for showing up in my garden. My broccoli is amazing – why wouldn’t those caterpillars want to eat it? My soil is has more nutrients than a bag of compost – why wouldn’t that Himalayan blackberry want to set its roots down? […]
Homestead Stories: Skeleton Flowers
“Oh my! Those petals are translucent — why is that?” It was eerie. Once again, I was visiting my friend and enjoying the array of plants in her garden. She had something new to show me, something uncommon. “Diphylleia grayi.” I could always count on her to be technical in answers, especially when it came […]
How To Get Rid Of Gophers
There’s nothing like planting a beautiful garden, only to have burrowing animals eating your carrots and making tunnels through your lettuce patch. Despite being cute and fluffy, gophers are a farm and garden pest. Along with rabbits and field mice, gophers are some of the most common mammals that disrupt growing crops. There are plenty […]
How To Get Rid Of Mosquitoes (Without All Of The Chemicals)
Nothing ruins a lazy, summer afternoon with a book and a tall glass of iced tea like a swarm of hungry mosquitoes. They buzz, they fly, they pinch and bite. Not to mention they can carry dangerous diseases that they can pass on to you and your family this summer. Come June and July you’ll […]
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 […]
25 Gorgeous Tree Stump Tables
Simply put, tree stump tables are easily the most gorgeous addition you can add to a room. Not only are the majority of them constructed from reclaimed or sustainable wood, but they are eye-catching and sure to start a conversation. While some of the options on this list are more functional than others, they all […]
20 Fire Pit Ideas To Make The Summer Last All Year Long
No matter what time of year it is, an outdoor fire always gets people excited. There’s something magical about gathering around with friends and family, making s’mores, or toasting with your favorite cocktails. When it comes to deciding which kind of fire pit makes sense for your own yard, there’s such a wide array of […]
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 […]
Adirondack Chairs
Almost no vacation would be complete without the addition of an Adirondack chair somewhere on the property. Whether you’re lounging beside the sea, or circled around a campfire with friends, an Adirondack chair is practically essential. These comfortable, spacious chairs have become staples on beaches and shorefront cottages, and we’ve started to incorporate them into […]
Pollinators
This spring, my partner and I planted a small orchard on our new property. We ran into some confusion when deciding how far apart to plant our chestnut trees. Turns out there isn’t a simple answer, because of pollination! What Is Pollination And Why Is It Important? Briefly, pollination is how plants sexually reproduce, how […]
25 Effortless Room Divider Ideas To Make Use Of Your Small Space
Whether you’re dealing with a huge open space or a make-shift living room in a tiny home, room dividers help to divvy up your home’s space. The easiest, cheapest way to divide your living area is to use a temporary fixture of some sort, but there are also lots of permanent ideas for those looking […]
Green Products
Why Manure Is The Unsung Hero of the Homestead
When I lived in the city, I had the luxury of ignoring poop. If a neighbor’s dog left it on my tiny lawn, it was a rude, unusual inconvenience. Aside from what I delicately flushed into oblivion with the touch of a lever, my experiences with poop were largely nonexistent. My suburban upbringing trained me […]
30 Gifts For Bakers
Baking helps make your house into a home and is a lovely way to show the people in your life that you care for them. And there is no better time than the holidays to start (or begin again) with baking traditions. But if your baking supplies could use a bit of an upgrade – […]
Feel-Better Remedies and Recipes for Sick Days
You first feel it with that tickle in the back of your throat. Maybe you ignore it. Maybe you pretend to ignore it because you have things to do — then by evening, the tickle feels like someone took sandpaper to your trachea. Your head is pounding, and you feel chilled. It’s obvious you’re coming […]
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. […]
40 Large Planters For Trees And Flowers
When you’re planning your garden for the upcoming spring, you may find yourself quickly running out of space in your yard, garden beds, and hanging planters, but who says you have to pick and choose what plants you want just because your yard is full? The deck, patio, and front porch are all free for […]
10 Amazing School Bus Conversions
Converting a school bus into a permanent residence is a bit like a coming-of-age story. You take a school bus, probably one very similar to the one you rode in elementary school, gut it entirely, and build a tiny home out of it. To me, the whole school bus conversion process feels very charming, sustainable, […]
28 Stunning Outdoor Rugs: In Every Shape, Size, and Style
Today’s trends are offering up so many cozy, comfy and beautiful options to bring the indoors out. From throw pillows to furniture, we’re seeing our patios and decks become “rooms” of their own. Accessorizing our homes is one of the best ways we can show off our own signature style. It’s especially nice to find […]
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 […]
10 Beneficial Ways To Use Epsom Salt For Plants
Epsom salt is an all-natural, time-tested mineral compound composed of magnesium, sulfate, and oxygen. Not only does it make bathwater soft and silky, but a long, relaxing soak in a hot bath full of Epsom salt brings soothing relief from the aches and pains of a long day digging in the dirt. But Epsom salt […]
Are Slugs and Snails Harmful?
Many gardeners and homesteaders can testify to taking a stroll through their garden and finding slimy little guys slithering on their flowers and vegetables. A common thought that arises would be “Are these snails good for my plants?” or “Should I get rid of them?” Look no further for the answers. This article will cover […]
Eco-Friendly Homemade Ice Melt Solutions
If you reside in a region where the temperature drops below freezing, you know firsthand the dangers of ice accumulation. When the winter winds blow, temperatures drop, and the rain turns to sleet or snow; driveways, sidewalks, and steps become hazardous. Homemade ice melt solutions and anti-icing products help prevent snow and ice from bonding […]
Tiny Houses For Sale
Ready to live in a tiny house as soon as possible? You can buy a tiny home the same way you would buy any other home, already built and ready to move into. Many mobile tiny houses even qualify for RV financing if you don’t want to pay for it all at once. Tumbleweed RV […]
Top 10 Reasons to Live in an Electricity-Free Home (PPB #27)
When I designed my cob house here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage two years ago, I decided that I was going to live without electricity. I had no plans to buy a solar power system or a wind turbine. I was going to make the leap to live electricity-free in my home, in order to live […]
Masonry Cook Stoves: How They Work And Photos
When most Americans think of a stove, they think of a collection of heating elements that sits atop an oven. In modern times, this stove and oven combination is usually a box made out of thin sheet metal and is powered by either electrical energy or gas (natural gas or propane). However, this is not […]
Shipping Container Homes
Shipping container homes seem like a no-brainer. Approximately 30 million steel shipping containers are in existence, filled and floating, or standing empty in a port. 8 feet wide by 8.5 feet high, and either 20 or 40 feet long, the steel shipping container has been the globally standardized transportation module since 1956. Sending empty containers […]
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 […]
6 Ways to Fight Anxiety with Diet
We all feel stressed sometimes, but if you suffer from anxiety it can make everything appear stressful. Learn some ways to fight anxiety with diet.
Best Wood Arbors
You’ve finally put the finishing touches on your backyard oasis and want to add an entry that will make a statement. Or, maybe your daughter is getting married in your garden this summer, and you want an altar that’s both easy to put together and beautiful. No matter what your needs may be for a […]
Introduction to Agroforestry: What It Is and How to Successfully Implement It on Your Homestead
As a recently graduated wildlife major, I was a little out of my general comfort and knowledge range when I was accepted into the Peace Corps as an agroforestry volunteer. It was a challenging situation, and a serious one. It would soon become my job to teach locals about agroforestry farms and share different practices […]
To Catch A Honeybee Swarm
What is swarming? It’s when one colony of bees breaks off and forms a new colony. If the colony stored enough over the winter and early spring, a new brood will hatch, and the old hive becomes too small for all the bees. When the bees are calmost ready to leave the old hive, they […]
🏡 Homestead Living
Homesteading is the foundation on which Insteading was built. The core values of homesteading are ones that we at Insteading like to promote to our readers and ones that we like to establish in our own lives Self-sufficiency, living off the land, and choosing eco-friendly alternatives are all things we encourage. Our Homestead Living content […]
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 […]
How To Grow Bamboo
Bamboo is an amazing plant! It has so many benefits to offer on so many levels. Not only does bamboo produce oxygen, which helps to clean the area where you grow your plants, but many varieties are edible! And above all, gardening is just great for your health in general. Unfortunately, growing bamboo is often […]
Live Edge Slab Furniture
Although it may seem like the modernized live edge wood slab furniture is a relatively new trend, it began and was popularized back in the 1940’s by furniture designer George Nakashima. The widespread appeal is easy to understand. Each piece is unique, telling its own story, and standing out as the focal point of the […]
Cork Chair Inspiration
Cork Chairs
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 […]
Introduction to Worm Farming
If you’re interested in cultivating dynamic, healthy, nutrient-rich soil, and are keen to incorporate nature’s natural composters, worm farming may be a perfect option for you. While rather less common than most soil invigorators, worm farming may be the most beneficial option (and in the long run, the least amount of work). Interested? Read on […]