Making floral soap with a melt and pour glycerin soap base is both fun and easy. The process is so simple and safe, that children can also help with the project – or do it themselves under adult supervision. Suspending flowers inside of a clear soap base with dried flowers allows you to harness both … Read more
The word permaculture, derived from permanent agriculture by Bill Mollison, has not yet seemed to have found its way into the halls of local, regional or federal governments. Currently, the term used for any type of green urban renewal is referred to as agricultural regeneration, or urban agriculture. The terms are similar in the fact, … Read more
There are pros and cons with raising any animal, ducks included. But, from my many years of personal experience, the pros far outweigh the cons when it comes to duck keeping. Ducks, like chickens, can be kept not only on spacious rural homesteads, but in suburban or urban areas as well. A small flock of … Read more
How many hours you homeschool a week must take into consideration a myriad of factors. The age of the children, how many children you are teaching, the homeschool method or curriculum you are using, and last but not least – the rules of your state. Homeschooling attendance is almost exclusively determined by hours and not … Read more
I’d never really considered dehydrating honey on the homestead, however, the other day I was gifted a lot of honey and I really wanted to use the five-gallon buckets that it came in for another project on the homestead. So I did some research and came up with some ways to store the honey that … Read more
Homeschooling should be a fun and exciting journey of discovery. I keep that crucial fact in mind when homeschooling my three grandchildren. All learning should be approached in this way, but such a concept is rarely ever found in public schools these days. Homeschooling is not merely schooling at home. Nope, not at all. You … Read more
Preventing soil erosion in your yard, garden, or pasture is essential if you have a farm or homestead. Not only does limiting erosion improve and increase the amount of workable land that you have, it makes your property look a lot nicer, too. When we first purchased our property, we had a huge problem with … Read more
Lady’s Thumb (Persicaria maculosa, Polygonum persicaria) is viewed by uninformed folks as merely an invasive weed that needs whacked and disposed of quickly. But, to homesteaders and fans of wild edibles in general, discovering this plant on your land can provide a natural bounty of home remedy ingredients. This annual wild plant is a part … Read more
Buying ducks can be an exciting, rewarding, and fun experience. But, keeping ducks might just not be for everyone. While duck keeping may involve a bit more space than keeping chickens, these egg and poultry birds can be kept not just on large rural homesteads but in small town backyard, suburbia, and sometimes even by … Read more
Whether you practice permaculture, agriculture or traditional gardening, you will come across the words nitrogen fixing more than once. The practical application of using nitrogen fixers is universal. Whether you are a small traditional gardener or a sustainable permaculture operation, the same rules apply. A healthy garden or food forest is all about the levels, … Read more
Rosemary and lemon soap is not only good for your skin, but will help eliminate odors from your skin after working in the kitchen with onions, garlic, fish, and other odoronous foods. Lathering up with a natural homemade soap with these two sweet smelling ingredients can also help repel pesky insects. Making your own soap … Read more
Every now and then, there are things that happen with my chickens that just make me shake my head in disbelief. From hens that suddenly start crowing to chickens that all of a sudden start laying their eggs in strange places, these fun backyard companions can sometimes be a bit of a mystery. One such … Read more
Cleaning your kitchen is a chore that should help keep your family safe and healthy. Why expose your loved ones to toxic chemicals or volatile organic compounds when you have a choice? DIY natural all-purpose kitchen cleaners can remove germs from the busiest rooms in the house without posing potential health risks. Simply buying an … Read more
Growing red winter wheat does not require a large homestead with double digit acres of fields. Nope, you can grow this shelf-stable food in small patches or even in 5-gallon gardening containers. By cultivating your own wheat your are not only saving money by growing your own groceries, you also know exactly what is going … Read more
My garden is my pride and joy. I love looking out at it while sipping a cup of coffee on the back deck, admiring all the hard work I’ve put into it and the bounty that it continues to produce. However, there is nothing more frustrating than watching invaders like birds pecking and digging up … Read more
Now we know how to save money if we have some dispensable income to dedicate to our garden, but what if you don’t. Let’s see how we can create a permaculture project completely free. The difference from having the financial resources, and doing it for free is really only about time. A great benefit of … Read more