When it comes to livestock, goats have a lot going for them for homesteaders. Smaller, cheaper, and easier to handle compared to cows, and not quite as nasty or destructive as pigs, goats occupy a neat middle ground and can still furnish you with plenty of meat and milk for your own family or as … Read more
Ducks are once again becoming popular as livestock, especially on the small scale for homesteaders, but we’re also starting to see a lot of interest in them as pets. It might seem strange, but they have a lot to offer: ducks are intelligent, friendly, playful, and tend to be quite healthy. You’ll see plenty of … Read more
One of the most rewarding, and also most challenging, endeavors you can engage in as a homesteader is raising beef cattle. Cows need a lot of everything: a lot of food, a lot of room, and most importantly a lot of care. There are tons to do and lots to know, and choosing the right … Read more
Domestic rabbits have something of a reputation as being standoffish and aloof. Compared to dogs and even cats, both of which tend to wear their hearts on their sleeve by comparison, most folks find rabbits inscrutable. Nonetheless, many owners report that they share a close bond with their furry, long-eared companions and that they show … Read more
If you’ve been gardening for any length of time, I’m going to go on and assume that you use compost on the regular. And if you don’t, you should! Compost is one of the very best ways to help any plant grow and thrive. Best of all, it’s darn near free to make and requires … Read more
Gardeners know that their plants need lots of sunlight, water, nutrition, and love if they are going to grow and thrive. But plants also need protection from insect pests! From persistent public enemies like aphids and various kinds of insect larvae to more species-specific critters like mites, Japanese beetles, and more, you can do everything … Read more
When it comes to livestock, cows can be some of the most intimidating animals around for homesteaders. It’s easy to see why: they are huge, expensive, need tons of room and lots of food. Plus, they can be genuinely dangerous and hard to handle. And at the end of the day, if you aren’t keeping … Read more
Squash bugs are notable garden pests. They are large, their penetrating mouthparts do considerable damage to all parts of vulnerable plants, and worst of all, they reproduce pretty quickly – and can be difficult to get rid of without a specially tailored approach. I know more than a few gardeners who have wound up at … Read more
I love just about every kind of jam and preserves there are. On toast, on English muffins, stirred into oatmeal, or even topping a tasty pork chop, it’s just one of life’s simple but great pleasures. But you know what kind of jam I hadn’t tried until recently? Pine cone jam! I know it might … Read more
Hyssop is a perennial herb that has been beloved around the globe since antiquity. Versatile, used in many recipes, as an aromatic, in religious ceremonies and also in folk remedies, the fresh fragrance of hyssop is unmistakable… It’s also a remarkably adaptable plant, easy to grow with just a little bit of care up front. … Read more
Have you ever wanted to grow pumpkins yourself? It’s lots of fun, and whether you want to make pumpkin pies or other desserts, grow them for feeding your animals, or sell them in the fall, you should give it a go. But pumpkins are somewhat notorious among gardeners: they are surprisingly fickle and vulnerable, and … Read more
Gardening, no matter how you tackle it, is always hard work. But every seasoned gardener knows that it can get a lot harder when you’ve got to combat the seemingly countless pests and diseases that want to rob you of your harvest. Slugs, bugs, bacteria, viruses, fungi, nematodes, mammals, and more: all are waiting to … Read more
Starting seeds indoors is always a good way to get a jump on the growing season and ensure that your plants will be healthy, hardy, and vigorous. How you start your seeds is a matter of preference, but lots of gardeners recommend using egg cartons for the purpose. Just as many warn against it! So … Read more
Is there anything better than a fresh-picked, perfectly ripe strawberry from your own garden? I say no, except for one thing: a whole lot more of them! And that’s the tricky part sometimes: as popular as they are, I hear lots of gardeners, including my own friends and family, complain that they have trouble getting … Read more
Do you like berries? Do you especially love raspberries? If you do, and you’ve only had those lifeless ones in the clear plastic clam shells from the grocery stores, I’m here to tell you you’ve never truly tasted them before! I know it sounds clichéd, but there’s nothing that compares to a perfectly ripe and … Read more
There are so many ways to preserve eggs I’ve lost count, but there are only a few ways to preserve whole eggs, and even fewer that keep them super tasty and ready to eat. Among these few ways, the very best is pickling. Pickled eggs are scrumptious, whether they are eaten as a snack, added … Read more