Air fresheners are a frequent addition to our monthly groceries and, while they aren’t horribly expensive, the purchases do add up significantly. Additionally, the scents are often overdone and they never last more than a minute or so. It doesn’t help that there are apparently chemicals in these commonly bought items which affect reproductive development. … Read more
Dry oven canning involves placing dry foods like beans, nuts, and grains into canning jars and sealing them. The sealed jars are then placed in an oven which is heated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93 Celsius). This is supposed to preserve and extend the shelf life of whatever’s in the jar by removing all the … Read more
Acorns…when I think of these, I always tend to think of a particularly unlucky squirrel… Of course, acorns are a natural food source that has been around for years wherever there are oak trees. Acorns are highly nutritious, calorie-rich, and were part of the diet in Greece, Spain, North Africa, Asia, and other places. Now, … Read more
Ah, soapmaking is a hobby that can make a great side income if you do it right. With that said, definitely a process that requires the use of lye–sodium hydroxide. Sodium hydroxide is a highly caustic substance that can do some serious damage to your skin. It can cause chemical burns, blindness, and other serious … Read more
Whether you’re a curious homesteader or a survivalist living off the grid, it’s important to know what plants are in your environment. After all, when you’re living off the grid you are your own first responder; you often have to rely on yourself to survive. There are many edible plants in the wild, but there … Read more
The average person produces over 4 pounds of trash each day and around 1.5 tons of waste each year. According to an estimate by the EPA, 75% of that waste is recyclable but we only recycle about 30% of it. That’s just sad and scary, to think that we’ve got all this waste that can … Read more
Making soap is a fun and rewarding way to create your own natural, personalized soap at home. Homemade soap recipes are often more cost-effective than store-bought options, and they also allow you to control the ingredients and customize the scent and texture to your liking. So, how do you avoid running out of soap? Well, … Read more
Sheep are common farm animals; their wool and meat make them valuable commodities on your homestead. It doesn’t hurt that they’re just so dang cute – especially as babies – when they get excited. Sheep have a very specific set of dietary needs which makes giving treats a bit…tricky. If they eat the wrong thing … Read more
Bugs can be a major source of irritation, and we typically squish or spray every bug that we can get. Unfortunately, that includes the ones that help our gardens. This leads to further issues, and possibly adds more damage to your yard. Letting nature run its course is often the best course of action, despite … Read more
“Jelly and custard again, nana?” Jello is a staple dessert of the Seebregts family, to the point that it’s become a running joke. Of course, that doesn’t stop us from chowing down; why should it? This is especially true with fruity-flavored jello. Well, haven’t you ever wondered if you could dehydrate jello? Yes, you can … Read more
Sheep have very particular dietary requirements, which means that while we love being able to give them treats, we have to be super-duper careful about how we do it. Even a tiny amount of the wrong thing can lead to serious health problems. Fruit is a common treat for sheep, and the softer the fruit … Read more
I think we’ve all heard the words: “Eh, what’s up doc?” a few times growing up. I know I did because Bugs Bunny was one of my favorite characters in the Merrie Melodies cast. Of course, Bugs is a rabbit so munching on a carrot makes sense but what about sheep? Can sheep eat carrots? … Read more
Ah, chocolate! The comfort food for everything from bad workdays to bad breakups, this dairy treat has been around for years and is going nowhere fast. Of course, when it comes to comfort, we like to share it – most of the time – with friends and family. The only members of the family who … Read more
You won’t believe how many edible flowers can be made into a delicious flower jelly. You just might have some of these growing in your yard right now!
I’m going to let you in on a little secret, I’ve got a serious phobia of sorts revolving around birds. I can handle little ones – parrots, for example – but larger birds make me nervous. This makes emus a bit of a weird wild card. Yes, their sheer size makes me nervous, but the … Read more
Somebody. Anybody! Please tell me what in the world you put in beans to make them taste good??? There must be something I’m missing.