DIY liquid hand soap is not only super easy to make, it will save you a lot of money without subjecting your body to harsh and potentially dangerous chemicals found in most commercial liquid soaps. Learning how to inexpensively make your own DIY liquid hand soap, laundry soap, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash (all of … Read more
Rendering animal fat into lard will not only save you money, but provide you with a sustainable source of cooking and baking material from the hogs you raise yourself. This may be the easiest and cheapest self-reliance skill you will ever learn. Tallow and lard are high heat stable, and unlike polyunsaturated fats found in … Read more
As a homesteader, you need to understand what the world has to offer on its abundant plate. As ignorant tourists on the planet, it seems that we turn our noses up at the good free food the Earth has to provide; instead opting for sawdust-filled hamburgers and uranium-colored candy bars. As a seasoned forager, you … Read more
For years, grape jelly has always been my go-to jelly for peanut butter sandwiches and even meatballs! Yes, I have a recipe for slow cooker meatballs that require a jar of grape jelly to be pored over them and they are DELICIOUS. When my kids were little they always asked for grape jelly. If I … Read more
With the fall months quickly nipping at my heels, I am beyond ready to start canning up my favorite winter soups. A family favorite is homemade vegetables… My kids and husband love reaching for a jar off the pantry shelves during the blusteriest parts of winter. Nothing beats a hot bowl of homemade soup when … Read more
What should you include in your food stockpile, be it for survival or for the winter? A very good question. You want the food to be healthy and feed your family and you don’t know exactly what the emergency may be so you have to plan ahead. In a medium or long-term survival situation, you … Read more
Being frugal on the homestead is a way of life for most homesteaders. Learning vintage skills and frugal ways of doing things is often a way of survival. Many folks learn these skills from their grandparents, generations that were homesteaders from the start. There is a lot that grandparents can teach a new homesteader. Here … Read more
Ironweed is not the nuisance weed many rural folks think it is, not by a long shot. The beautiful purple weed that flourishes in horse pastures and fields offers a bounty of medicinal benefits. The wildflower possesses antiseptic properties, and has a somewhat bitter taste. For centuries, ironweed has been used to treat a plethora … Read more