Preventing soil erosion in your yard, garden, or pasture is essential if you have a farm or homestead. Not only does limiting erosion improve and increase the amount of workable land that you have, it makes your property look a lot nicer, too. When we first purchased our property, we had a huge problem with … Read more
Lady’s Thumb (Persicaria maculosa, Polygonum persicaria) is viewed by uninformed folks as merely an invasive weed that needs whacked and disposed of quickly. But, to homesteaders and fans of wild edibles in general, discovering this plant on your land can provide a natural bounty of home remedy ingredients. This annual wild plant is a part … Read more
Buying ducks can be an exciting, rewarding, and fun experience. But, keeping ducks might just not be for everyone. While duck keeping may involve a bit more space than keeping chickens, these egg and poultry birds can be kept not just on large rural homesteads but in small town backyard, suburbia, and sometimes even by … Read more
Whether you practice permaculture, agriculture or traditional gardening, you will come across the words nitrogen fixing more than once. The practical application of using nitrogen fixers is universal. Whether you are a small traditional gardener or a sustainable permaculture operation, the same rules apply. A healthy garden or food forest is all about the levels, … Read more
Rosemary and lemon soap is not only good for your skin, but will help eliminate odors from your skin after working in the kitchen with onions, garlic, fish, and other odoronous foods. Lathering up with a natural homemade soap with these two sweet smelling ingredients can also help repel pesky insects. Making your own soap … Read more
Every now and then, there are things that happen with my chickens that just make me shake my head in disbelief. From hens that suddenly start crowing to chickens that all of a sudden start laying their eggs in strange places, these fun backyard companions can sometimes be a bit of a mystery. One such … Read more
Cleaning your kitchen is a chore that should help keep your family safe and healthy. Why expose your loved ones to toxic chemicals or volatile organic compounds when you have a choice? DIY natural all-purpose kitchen cleaners can remove germs from the busiest rooms in the house without posing potential health risks. Simply buying an … Read more
Growing red winter wheat does not require a large homestead with double digit acres of fields. Nope, you can grow this shelf-stable food in small patches or even in 5-gallon gardening containers. By cultivating your own wheat your are not only saving money by growing your own groceries, you also know exactly what is going … Read more
My garden is my pride and joy. I love looking out at it while sipping a cup of coffee on the back deck, admiring all the hard work I’ve put into it and the bounty that it continues to produce. However, there is nothing more frustrating than watching invaders like birds pecking and digging up … Read more
Now we know how to save money if we have some dispensable income to dedicate to our garden, but what if you don’t. Let’s see how we can create a permaculture project completely free. The difference from having the financial resources, and doing it for free is really only about time. A great benefit of … Read more
I commented to my husband the other day that it seemed like we had an awful lot of birds hanging round the farm this year. From cardinals to starlings, mourning doves to crows, we’ve had no shortage of feathered friends flitting about the place! The bluebirds, though, are some of the most remarkable to behold. … Read more
Ducks must have access to water at all times, both for drinking purposes and to swim in. The members of your duck flock will need access to swimming water even in the chilly weeks of January and February. Keeping the water from freezing when the temperature dips below 32 degrees F (0 C) is far … Read more
This year marked our very first garlic harvest! We were excited to try our hand at growing garlic for the first time, and we were pleased to be able to harvest several dozen cloves. Even more exciting was the prospect of bringing it into the kitchen, and using it in our cooking. What wasn’t so … Read more
Whether or not to feed honeybees is almost always a hotly debated topic among keepers. Some beekeepers opt to feed their colonies year round, others are staunchly against such a practice and only feed as necessary during cold weather months. Regardless of what breed of honeybees you choose to keep, it is really the climate … Read more
If you’ve decided to start a permaculture garden, maybe even figured out all the plants you want to grow, the next thing to worry about is the soil. Some don’t realize but the soil is actually the first thing they should look at. This is because without nutrient-rich soil, your plants will have a hard … Read more
So, you want delicious, naturally raised, farm fresh eggs on your homestead but cannot decide which is better to raise – ducks or chickens. That question is becoming pondered more and more, as duck keeping (for eggs and not just as cute farm pets), is becoming more popular. If you live in a rural area, … Read more