Tara Dodrill Silver Appleyard ducks are sometimes a little difficult to find, but are an eagerly embraced meat and egg breed by both amateur homesteaders and commercial keepers. Members of this breed are classified as a dual-purpose or multi-purpose type of duck. Silver Appleyard ducks are also categorized as both Large Appleyards and Miniature Appleyards, basesd upon … Read more
Mason bees are extremely potent little pollinators. It takes only two or three female mason bees to successfully pollinate a mature fruit tree. Yet, even with all of this pollinating ability, few people keep mason bees. Some folks mistake these beneficial bees for destructive carpenter or masonry boring bees, and run them out of the … Read more
Activated charcoal and tea tree oil soap might not have the loveliest scent or the prettiest color, but still should be one of the “go to” recipes for natural home soapmakers. These two ingredients can offer great value for the skin – and the facial complexions of users of any age. I first made activated … Read more
Homeschooling using stampers perfectly blends art-based fun with preschool and early elementary level skill building. We use stamper days in our homeschool twice a week, and the children always look forward to it. Stamper homeschooling activities are perfect for use with multi-age children. Everyone from toddler through age 10 can be actively engaged in similar … Read more
There are copious amounts of ways you can design a bar of soap, but only four ways to make it. Some folks shy away from soapmaking because they either are terrified or working with lye – or think doing so is absolutely required to make soap … and it is not. There are really only … Read more
Homeschooling is one of the most rewarding experiences parents can have with their children. It is not an exact science, there is no one size fits all cloak that every homeschooling can slip on and do everything perfectly right from the start. No matter how well you have prepared to homeschool your child, placing too … Read more
Bees offer the best optional for pollination on the planet. Without bees, roughly 70 percent of the crops grown around the world would not flourish. But, there are both good and bad bees when it comes to cohabitating with them and depending upon them for pollinating. In fact, there are even some bee varieties that … Read more
Magpie ducks are among the most beautiful and docile of all domesticated breeds. Even though Magpies are not as highly kept as some other well-known breeds, the keepers who breed them and collect their eggs are highly devoted to preserving these enigmatic poultry birds. Ducks of this breed are multi-purpose birds. They are equally good … Read more
Damping off is a plant disease that develops from fungi or bacteria in the soil. Also commonly referred to as “dampening off” this crop disease almost exclusively afflicts only seeds and the newly sprouting plants they yield. Damping off disease typically targets vegetable plants and flowers, not fruit crop seeds. Damping off disease causes the … Read more
Homeschooling can be one of the most rewarding and memory making experiences you will ever share with your children. But, the pressure of being the sole person in charge of the education of your little ones can cause anxiety for homeschooling moms. Exactly what provokes the feelings of anxiety in homeschooling moms varies by individual. … Read more
Beekeeping is a lot of work with wonderful rewards for your labor. There are two types of people who purchase bees: beekeepers and bee “havers.” If you do not care for the honey bees and beehive properly, you will be a haver that actually won’t have bees for very long. This begs the question: how … Read more
Spinning wool or mohair does not require a huge investment of money. Spinning wheels are beautiful – but very pricey. A handheld drop spindle typically costs less than $25, and can spin beautiful wool or mohair that you have raised on your homestead into a skein just as well as a large spinning wheel that … Read more
Homeschooling without a set schedule is bliss … pure bliss. Setting a rigid schedule when educating your children at home will turn what should be an exciting journey of discovery and learning into an exercise in absolute drudgery that too closely mirrors the public school experience. When I first started helping my daughter homeschool her … Read more
Cayuga ducks are a beautiful and wonderfully docile breed. They were once the most popular meat duck in both the United States and England. Sadly, these docile and lovely poultry birds were classified as “threatened”, but have improved their population numbers to the point where they now have just a “watch” designation. Finding Cayuga ducks … Read more
Ducks need water – ducks love water … it is just that simple. Whether or not they need a pond is the one question most asked by potential newbie duck keepers. These cute egg birds are a great addition to virtually any homestead. This begs the question: do ducks really need a pond? Well, they … Read more
Buff Orpington ducks have an extensive history of being both high quality meat, and egg birds. These hardy beauties cannot fly away and can thrive both on large homesteads and in small town backyards. Ducks of this breed are affable, docile, and bond well with their keepers. In addition to being used just for their … Read more