Personal stories and reflections from my home and heart.
Getting firewood is a vital part of homesteading if you heat with wood. If you are heating with a wood burner or fireplace then you will need to cut your wood up smaller than if you were heating with an outdoor wood burner. Either way it goes, you will need to obtain your wood by … Read more
If you’ve been lurking around the web for homesteading advice, I’m willing to bet you’ve heard about The Prairie Homestead. The blog is run by Jill Winger, who was kind enough to answer my interview questions. 🙂 1. What got you into homesteading, and how long have you been doing it? We started this … Read more
Hey everyone, Today I’m excited to give you another interview, this one is with Amy Stross from TenthAcreFarm.com. She’s an expert permaculturist, gardener and homesteader. As always, thes interviews are packed with real-life knowledge, so let’s not wast anymore time and start with the questions! 1) What got you into homesteading, and how long have you … Read more
Hey everyone, Today it is my pleasure to interview Teri Page from homestead-honey.com. Hopefully her answers to my questions will offer a new perspective, and will get you to rethink your homesteading plans. What got you into homesteading, and how long have you been doing it? I started homesteading in 1999, after spending several months … Read more
Being frugal on the homestead is a way of life for most homesteaders. Learning vintage skills and frugal ways of doing things is often a way of survival. Many folks learn these skills from their grandparents, generations that were homesteaders from the start. There is a lot that grandparents can teach a new homesteader. Here … Read more
When it comes to gardening on your homestead there are many great and fun ways to save space. You don’t have to spend a fortune and you can mix and match these ideas to work for your gardens in and around your homestead. On our homestead, we use a combination of these ideas in and … Read more
Do high tech and homesteading go hand in hand? Absolutely! When people think of homesteaders, they often envision people eschewing all modern conveniences, and living like they’re in the 19th Century. But, while simplifying your life is a key component of homesteading, that doesn’t mean you have to turn your back on technology. There’s no … Read more
So, you’re tired of the hustle and bustle and high prices of city living, and considering a move to the country. Maybe you plan on planting a large garden, buying some livestock, and raising your own food. And those Mother Earth News articles about off-the-grid living have piqued your interest, too. Good for you! Moving … Read more
If you are middle-aged and find everything in your life intolerable – your job, your home, your social life – you are not alone. A recent study indicated that people aged 40-59 years old are the least happy and most anxious of any age group. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. If modern … Read more
Your work is never done when it comes to the homestead. Spring is no exception. Organization is the most important aspect of being a successful homesteader, so make sure you have a running tally of everything that needs to be completed so you aren’t caught unprepared come May. These are a list of chores that you … Read more
People build ponds for many reasons. Some build them to store water while others to keep fish. For many, they are built simply for the beauty that they can add to a homestead. Whatever your motivation is, building a pond on your homestead can be challenging, and will cost you some money. Yet it’s a … Read more
Emergency water is important but before treatment we need to ensure that it is properly stored. There are as many storage containers as there are treatment methods, and knowing which one to use will help improve the quality of your water both for daily use and emergencies. The lack of preparation in most homes in … Read more
As we prepare for the third spring on our humble New England homestead, a mighty February rainstorm is turning our yard into a muddy mess. Maple sap is boiling on the wood stove; it will be syrup we can preserve in a few more hours. Our cupboards are starting to look a little bare (although … Read more
If your homestead is like most , you have a few boxes of baking soda laying around. You likely keep one in the refrigerator, one in the cupboard, and maybe one in the pantry. Did you know that there are well over 100 uses for baking soda in and around your homestead? Baking soda is … Read more
No matter how large or small a space I live in, it is always overflowing with books! Whether you need reference resources or something to spark your imagination, I hope you find something here that enriches your life. I tried to emphasize a mix of foundational resources with newer works that offer truly novel additions. … Read more
