Winter is the precious time when we have reaped the rewards of the previous season and are getting ready for a new one. But it isn’t the time to just sit back and relax! Whatever the size of your homestead, there are plenty of things that need doing to prepare for winter. I expect you … Read more
It’s been snowing for three days straight, and it is impossible to keep my solar panels clear. Without my solar panels, I have no electricity. As you might expect, that’s a huge problem! For those living in houses connected to the grid, power is rarely an issue. However, there are countless people living off-grid and, … Read more
Hot peppers are literally the spice of life. Left with the decision of leaving my mother-in-law or my hot peppers behind at the end of the world…. Well, I’d at least ask her to carry a case of peppers on her lap. I love fresh hot peppers, but what is the best way to enjoy … Read more
When I was a kid, we used to go to this place in Johannesburg called Zoo Lake. It was a tea garden with a park playground, and a popular picnic spot. The highlight of these trips was always the lake itself, and the ducks and geese that called it home. We used to take bread, … Read more
Solar panels are an almost free way to generate electricity, but in some cases, you don’t want to keep your panels outdoors. This could obviously lead to efficiency issues, which is what I want to investigate and test out in what follows. The question I’m trying to find and answer to today is: Do solar … Read more
The other day, I was looking at some old pictures of my grandfather. He was one of the early pioneers who started a homestead on the Canadian prairies. Wow, it was a hard life for those early pioneers! Things were certainly different in those days. It is difficult to see how they managed to survive. … Read more
Quiet books, whether it is the no sew version or a sewn/embroidered book are educational and interactive toys that are geared to 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 … Read more
Are you thinking about moving to a homestead or off-grid lifestyle? If so, you might want to consider keeping rabbits – a popular choice for homesteaders because they are quiet and don’t need a lot of space. When you’re homesteading, you probably have a few primary goals in mind. You need to be able to … Read more
Cedarwood essential oil has long been appreciated for its aromatic, woodsy smell, but what you may not know is that it has antiseptic and preservative properties. If you’re a homesteader, or are just looking for a great, easy to find oil to help you address multiple challenges in and around your home, this is a … Read more
Farm fresh duck eggs are creamy, 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 … Read more
Looking for profitable animals you can raise? You’ve stumbled upon the perfect resource. Mention raising animals for profit to anyone, and I’m sure that the first animal that they suggest will be chickens. This is because chickens are perhaps the easiest animal to care for and make money from – and with so many people … Read more
Is it legal to live off-grid in the United States? In most cases, yes – but this isn’t a dream that will work for everyone. It’s a dream that many people have, though. In fact, if you mention to anyone that you live off-grid, most people will gasp and tell you how lucky you are. … 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
Whether you’re a novice or expert forager, chances are you have access to sassafras nearby; it may even be growing on your property. However, despite how common sassafras is, it is often overlooked as a target for foraging; after all, most people forage plants, not trees! However, this easily identifiable trees is a really useful … Read more
Usually when we think of milk, we think of supermarkets, plastic bottles, or cardboard cartons. We also typically think of pasteurized milk not the raw, unpasteurized milk that comes straight from the cow. This begs the question: is it good for you? No, raw milk is probably NOT good for you. There’s a lot of … Read more
Native Americans’ lives back in the day were hard, as they focused much off their energy to find and preserve food. They grew various crops, were able to forage for natural growing plants that were good to eat. They were also prolific hunters. Despite their ability to supply food, it was hard to have enough … Read more