Homesteading with pigs offers a plethora of delicious and money-saving possibilities. With proper shelter and sturdy fencing, pigs don’t require much space and can be raised even on small homesteads, and not merely on large rural farmland where I am blessed to live. Pigs (or hogs as we call them in my part of Appalachia) … Read more
Gourds are one of the first plants ever cultivated. They were grown not only as a food source, but perhaps primarily to make eating utensils and make portable storage containers for a multitude of items – water in particular. There are multiple different varieties of gourds. Some boast edible young fruit and seeds, others are … Read more
Passing down family traditions while teaching skills in the kitchen is all part of the homesteading lifestyle for American families. Children can and should be an integral part of this process. The key to kids in the kitchen success requires parents take into account both the age and the maturity level of the children before … Read more
Most homesteaders choose to keep chickens as part of an effort to put quality, humanely raised, and incredibly inexpensive food on the table. Whether you are raising chickens (and other poultry birds) for their meat and eggs or solely for the eggs, doing so as cheaply as possible helps the birds pay for themselves over … Read more
Adding to your poultry bird flock during the twice-annual chick days event – or any time, is always an exciting event. So exciting in fact, some folks enter “chicken addiction” mode, and forget to carefully look over each baby bird before agreeing to purchase. Even those rare folks who can resist the urge to box … Read more
Pygora goats are a relatively new addition to the fiber goat industry. They were developed in the United States during the 1980s – and became hugely popular with keepers both large and small. These miniature goats are one of the smallest of all 300 or so goat breeds on the planet and are the smallest … Read more
DIY foaming hand soap is simple and cheap to make – and your kids might just even wash their hands more diligently because they enjoy all of the little bubbles so much. To reduce your family’s exposure to plastic, and to the harsh chemicals it contains, you can buy nominally priced glass foaming soap dispensers … Read more
I dedicate this column to my homesteading friend and fellow New Life On A Homestead writer, Sarah Rodriguez. I once received a text from her as she traveled back from a doctor’s appointment – passing Rural King on the way. The text read, “I tried to call you. I was just as Rural King and … Read more
Exactly why do we have kids do things on the homestead? Free labor – sure. Big farm families were once commonplace for just that reason in America. But then as it is now, there is a lot more behind assigning kids copious amounts of chores on a homestead or farm than just a need to … Read more
Cleaning the shower is about as much fun as cleaning the oven. That is probably why we all put it off until it is absolutely necessary. Successfully completing this tedious chore does not mean you have to resort to the use of potentially toxic chemicals in your bathroom. On average, household cleaners like the shower … Read more
Keeping your flock both happy and healthy begins and ends with coop setup and maintenance. Even if you free-range your poultry birds daily like I do, the attributes of the coop still play a significant role in the overall demeanor and wellness. You will need to provide not just the basics (food, water, and bedding), … Read more
Have you ever heard of Kinder goats? Most folks have not, and that is a true shame. This small dual purpose goat breed has a lot to offer self-reliant families on homesteads both large and small. Kinder goats are a miniature to small size type of goat that not only makes an excellent “farm pet” … Read more
Making your own toys is not only a great cost saver, but such a fulfilling project. As homesteaders already know, there is just nothing like giving or receiving a handmade gift that was diligently worked on for hours by someone you love. Homemade toys beat the heck out of plastic junk made in China any … Read more
Building a bathroom vanity out of barnwood and making a sink from a galvanized tub yourself can turn out just like the ones showcased on Pinterest. The only cost we had in our new bathroom vanity stemmed from a few pieces of pipe and the nozzles to make the faucet. We even used barnwood to … Read more
Pygmy goats are a miniature breed that is closely related to the Nigerian Dwarf goat. In fact, when this small stature meat goat arrived in the United States, it took quite a while for zookeepers to realize they actually possessed a herd comprised of two distinct breeds instead of just one. This miniature goat breed … Read more
DIY natural makeup recipes abound on the internet. Some most definitely work better than others. When I first began researching homemade natural cosmetics I quickly noticed many of them had ingredients that were either really expensive or hard to find if you lived in a rural area. My natural cosmetics recipes for liquid foundation will … Read more