How to Make Delicious Bark Bread

bark bread

Let’s face it – nothing beats a delicious loaf of bread. And wheat is a staple crop throughout much of the world. However, famine and other crises happen, and in a pinch, you need emergency food that will last a long time – and can be produced even when grain production has come to a … Read more

12 Easy DIY Liquid Hand Soap Recipes

DIY liquid hand soap

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

How to Make Lard Step by Step

rendering lard in a cast iron

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

Top 20 Ironweed Uses You Should Know

ironweed flowers

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

Herb Roasted Whole Chicken Recipe

medicinal herb roasted chicken logo

This whole roasted chicken is absolutely delicious! Although I typically roast the whole chicken in the oven, I also make in either our charcoal grill or wood smoker. Yes, as with pretty much everything, this recipe will taste even more delicious coming straight from the grill or smoker. Whole chicken made using this recipe literally … Read more

How To Shoe Horses and Medium Livestock

man shoeing a horse

Do you know how to shoe a horse or trim the hooves of livestock? No farm would (or should) be complete without horses. During a long-term disaster- and beyond, horses will almost assuredly once again become the most advanced and readily accessible mode of transportation. Learning how to be your own farrier will help protect … Read more

How To Make Deer Jerky With a Jerky Gun

Deer jerky is both delicious and incredibly simple to make. Yes, that’s right, I said simple. Far too many folks think that making beef, deer or any other type of wild game jerky is a complicated and time-consuming process. Nothing could be further from the truth. I actually think it takes me longer to pick … Read more

Homestead Money-Making: Grapevine

grape vine

Chances are if you live on a rural homestead in most regions of the country, there is a good amount of grapevine growing in the woods. Those thick and winding vines can be worth their weight in gold. For many years artisans have harvested grapevine to make decorative trees they adorn with lights, wreaths, and … Read more

How To Bale and Store Hay

baled hay inside barn

Hay baling is hard work, but engaging in traditional farm chores will vastly cut down on animal feed costs while ensuring meat, milk, and recreational livestock. Typically, a hay field can be cut twice each year – but depending upon the weather and location of the agricultural land, it could be cut three times per … Read more

The Most Deadly Predators On The Homestead

homestead predators logo

Keeping the livestock safe on the homestead, no matter how large or small the land, can seem like an insurmountable chore. Barnyard and even backyard livestock live under constant threat of attack. Before you can adequately protect your animals, you must discover what predators are lurking about and likely to attack..and then what you can … Read more

How to Build A Massive Wood Playhouse For Less Than $350

DIY playhouse partially done

If you possess at least moderate construction skills and have some “junk” lying around you homestead, you too can build an enormous wood playhouse really cheaply. I could no longer stand all of the grandkiddos’ toys and ride-on vehicles cluttering around the shelter house. The cost of cheaply-made plastic playhouses that barely leave children room … Read more

How to Get Rid of Japanese Beetles Naturally

Japanese beetles on a leaf

Japanese beetles can destroy the bulk of your garden crop in just days. They not only have a devastating impact on growing plants, but are extremely difficult to get rid of. Short of standing in your garden around the clock plucking the Japanese beetles off the plants and squishing them beneath your feet, there is … Read more

How To Make A Boys Dollhouse

Yard sale season is finally upon us, fellow homesteaders. Now is a perfect time to stock up on homemade toys and gift making supplies for Christmas and all of the birthdays that are coming up this year. The annual countrywide yard sale took place over the weekend and I scored some superb – and super … Read more