There’s nothing that quite says fall like fresh apple cider. Every fall we gather together and pick apples on our homestead. We drag the old cider press out of the barn, brush the cobwebs off and clean it up so that we can make our very own apple cider. Everyone gets involved from the oldest … Read more
Nigerian dwarf goats are an ideal livestock to keep on homesteads both large and small. A small stature or “mini goat” of this type can even be kept on a suburban homestead, using a dog box as a shelter and the fenced-in backyard as its home. Simply because Nigerian dwarf goats are easy keepers on … Read more
Paper clips are an ideal object to have on hand. Part of homesteading is learning to make do with what you have and not running out and buying something every time that you need something. Homesteaders are a unique breed of people that may often be considered eccentric or odd however, more often than not, … Read more
Making your own learning games and resources does not need to be a parent only activity. Infusing the children into the process will not only teach the reward of hard work and the sense of pride that comes with completing a job well done, but can double as an academic and vocational exercise, as well. … Read more
My grandmother was always quoting this quote: “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”. While I’m not really sure of the exact origin of that quote, I’ve heard it many times, especially from my family and homesteading friends. I’ve found the saying to be very true. If I don’t use … Read more
Sweet potatoes are a popular vegetable, especially at holidays. They suggest images of crisp fall days, family meals, and special occasions. Sweet potatoes are an easy vegetable to grow, but they have different needs than many garden vegetables. They are also one of the best yielding vegetables, producing forty to fifty pounds of tubers from … Read more
Just because the days are shorter and the temps are colder doesn’t mean there isn’t work that still needs to be done! There’s always something to do on a homestead.
As long as I can remember, I’ve been a homesteader at heart. As a child, I was always the one that made sure we had a thriving garden full of fresh vegetables. I longed for the farm life and I focused on how I could achieve that as I grew up. I worked in an … Read more
Sanitizing your kitchen cutting board is a must to prevent bacteria from forming, and making your family ill. Using chemical laden commercially manufactured cutting board sanitizers could defeat your family’s health goals, and cost a lot more money than making an all-natural disinfectant in mere minutes. The kitchen cutting board gets as much traffic as … Read more
If you’re considering getting your very own flock of chickens, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans keep chickens these days; you can find them on homesteads as well as in the backyards of suburban America as well. One of the best reasons to keep chickens is for the fresh eggs that they produce. There is … Read more
If you’re a homesteader, preserving food is an absolutely essential skill. If you want to live a sustainable, low-cost lifestyle, you need to be able to optimize the foods you grow, harvest, hunt, forage or buy, so you have a healthy, low-cost supply on hand during cold weather, or during tough times when food is … Read more
Cream of tartar is just something you put on fish, right? Oh, heck no. There are a plethora of uses for the little white powder both around the house, and as part of natural home remedies. Not only can cream of tartar be highly beneficial when baking, it is also an active base ingredient in … Read more
This DIY kitchen cleaner uses Borax, and it can be used as a deep cleaning agent for scouring away not only germs, but grease residue. If any residue remains after scrubbing, use a cloth lightly dampened with only distilled white vinegar to remove any unwanted streaking. Why Borax? Well, because it offers more thorough scrubbing … Read more
I have tried to start different types of fruit trees without much success. I mean, I was really getting angry at my inability to do so as I generally have a green thumb. After several failed attempts and then one accidental that worked, I decided I should do some research. The answer is stratifying your … Read more
Flannel boards (or felt boards, if you prefer) are low tech learning aids that are rarely used in school classrooms anymore, but they used to be a staple in elementary schools and Sunday school classrooms. About a year ago, I got online to buy a flannel board to use with the learning sets I was … Read more