Quiet books, whether the no-sew versions or sewn/embroidered books, are educational and interactive toys that are geared toward toddlers through kindergarten-age children. They first popped up in the hands of young children sitting in church pews. Homemade quiet books kept the children engaged and quiet when required to sit still for long periods of time … Read more
Farm-fresh duck eggs are creamy, and delicious, and are typically more durable than the thinner eggs laid by chicken hens. Raising ducks for eggs is not any more time-consuming or difficult than raising chickens for the same purpose. In fact, I truly believe it is actually easier to raise ducks for eggs – or even … Read more
Keeping a caught swarm of honeybees from leaving can seem like a daunting endeavor, but following a few simple steps you should have the wild bees making honey and wax for you in short order. Spring is the typical time that you can most easily spot a swarm of honeybees, although it is possible to … Read more
Pekin ducks are one of the most popular breeds kept in the United States both in backyards and on homesteads across the country. Pekin is a multi-purpose breed, meaning it has traditionally been raised both for egg and meat production. The fuzzy and completely adorable little yellow ducklings you see during “Chick Days” events at … Read more
Searching for the queen inside of a hive is often a daunting challenge – even for seasoned beekeepers. The bulky and shiny nature of a queen bee’s physique makes her discovery an easy one – but only if you get really lucky. Most of the time, the queen is fairly naturally camouflaged amongst her subjects. … Read more
Making jewelweed and plantain salve in the crockpot (or slow cooker) not only vastly speeds up the process of making an all natural homemade salve, but simplifies it, as well. By making jewelweed and broad leaf plantain salve using this low and slow heat method, you will no longer have to stand next to a … Read more
Welsh Harlequin ducks are a relatively new breed when compared with those top meat and egg duck varieties that have been around for centuries. Their newness to the marketplace, and somewhat difficult to find nature has not hampered the ability of Welsh Harlequins to become an incredibly popular breed. Members of this duck breed are … Read more
Incubating and hatching duck eggs is vitally important if you want to keep your flock growing should the breed you are keeping be excellent layers, but lousy sitters. Some duck breeds both lay and sit their eggs well, but that’s definitely not always the case… In such circumstances, investing in a quality incubator and learning … Read more
Indian Runner ducks are perhaps the easiest of all breeds to identify due to their unusual body style. Watching these attractive poultry birds run about while free ranging can be quite entertaining. They look like colorful penguins rushing around the barnyard. In fact, when members of this duck breed were first imported to America they … Read more
Discovering that you have a queenless hive is quite an upsetting set of circumstances. Not only has all of the money you spend on honeybees just gone down the drain, your fruit grove, or garden just lost its pollinators. While you might think a queenless hive would be both quickly and easily to spot, that … Read more
How much water does the average duck drink every day? It can vary depending on the breed and age of your ducks (as well as the time of year), but on average, each mature duck in your flock will consume roughly 0.25 gallons (1 liter) of water each day. Water isn’t only necessary for hydration, … Read more
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, based upon … Read more
Mason bees are 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 garden … 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 toddlers through age 10 can be actively engaged in similar learning … 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