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The Health Benefits of Himalayan Salt Lamps

Himalayan salt lamps have been increasing in popularity lately, and for good reason. The pretty pink chucks of salt fitted with lamps on the inside make lovely additions to any decor, but they also provide amazing health benefits. They are called the “vitamins of the air”. The way they work is by emitting negative ions, which cancel out harmful positive ions. Positive ions are created by electronic devices and radiation from electronic fields such as WiFi or cellphone networks. Positive ions can exacerbate issues such as allergies, insomnia and stress. Himalayan sea salt is the purest sea salt on earth. […]

Homemade Dog Food

Our dogs are our best friends, and they deserve homemade meals too! Unfortunately, a lot of store-bought dog foods have a lot of preservatives and additives that you might not be so thrilled for your canine companion to be consuming. And high-dollar dog food, with real food ingredients, can be really pricey. So a great alternative is to just make your own at home! First, you’ll want to determine what the best nutrition is for your dog. Not every dog is going to have the same nutritional needs, but in general, dogs need protein, like from meat, fish, dairy and […]

3 Tips for Growing Potatoes

Potatoes are one of the best staple foods for almost any diet. They’re full of fiber, complex carbohydrates, and nutrients that can enhance anyone’s health. Better yet, potatoes are actually pretty easy to grow in your garden, making them even more attractive to homesteaders everywhere. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you grow better potatoes in your garden. Pick a Sunny Spot No matter what kind of potatoes you’re growing, always pick a spot that gets full sun. You should also ensure that the soil is light, loose, and slightly acidic (ideally with a PH of 5.0-7.0), […]

The Ultimate Guide to Chicken Coops (Infograph)

Raising chickens is awesome, but you definitely need to have everything they will need to thrive. In most cases, this will include a properly constructed and well-equipped chicken coop. Even free-range chickens will need somewhere to roost at night. There are many options out there for homemade chicken coops, and this will probably be the best option for most people as you can customize it to your flock size, climate, and budget needs. There are a few crucial components to a chicken coop, which this great infograph from Gardenaholic.com put together. They also have a great article on how to […]

3 Tips for Prepping When You’re Broke

Whether you’re prepping in case of a disaster, you’re preparing to be an off-grid homesteader, or anything in between, you know that prepping and learning survival skills can take up a lot of time and money. That really doesn’t have to be the case, though. In fact, there are a number of ways that you can be prepared, even when you can barely pay your bills. Focus on Learning New Survival Skills First of all, being prepared isn’t just about buying cool equipment that will help you put up a tent anywhere or stay warm outside on the harshest winter […]

Tips for Saving Seeds

Seed storage seems like it should be simple, but it’s actually more involved than you might think. After all, you don’t want your seeds to germinate while they’re in storage. With proper storage, though, a good collection of heirloom seeds could help you grow a full garden, complete with all of the fruits and vegetables for your cooking needs. Put Them in the Fridge and Leave Them There First of all, seeds do best when they’re stored in cooler temperatures. 40 degrees – the temperature of most refrigerators – is perfect for keeping seeds fresh and avoiding early germination, mold, […]

Top 3 Reasons You Should Be Growing Your Own Food

Whether or not you’re a homesteader, there’s no arguing that vegetables fresh from the garden just taste better than the ones you buy at the store. Even organic store-bought veggies just don’t have that same delicious taste that you get from vegetables that you grew yourself. If that isn’t enough to convince you to grow your own food, let’s take a look at just a few of the top reasons you might want to start a garden today: No Fear of Food Recalls Every year, we hear about different food recalls in different areas. People get sick from eating tomatoes, […]

How to Make a DIY Gnat Trap

Gnats and fruit flies can be a real pain, especially when you keep fresh fruits and vegetables from your garden around the house. If you have a gnat infestation, and you’re looking for a way to get rid of them but you don’t want to spray chemicals everywhere, try one of these DIY gnat traps. The Vinegar Trap To make your trap, you’ll just need a few household items, including: A mason jar A lid Apple cider vinegar First, take your lid and poke several holes in it. You may want to use a punch or a sharp knife. Whatever […]

Caring for Your Chickens in Hot Weather

Did you know that chickens have a higher body temperature than humans? As a result, they will almost always feel increases in heat faster than we do, which means that they can really suffer on hot summer days. So how can you ensure that your chickens stay healthy and cool all summer long? Follow a few simple tips. Provide Cool Water and Shade Chickens will naturally gravitate toward shady areas to stay cool on hot days. Provide yours with plenty of shade, and put their water in the shade, as well. Basically, if the water is out in the sun […]

5 Natural Home Remedies for Treating a Toothache

Those that have been fortunate enough to never need braces or dental work can hardly understand the intensity of oral pain. The rest of us know all too well how debilitating the pain can be, and despite political promises, how expensive it can be to take care of. While of course, you should always go to the dentist when you have serious toothache pain because it could be a sign of a potentially life-threatening infection, or could lead to one, the cost of dental work might have you postponing the trip until your budget can cover it a little better. […]

4 Delicious Ideas for Using Blueberries

We’re in the thick of blueberry season here in North America, and there’s so many things you can do with these delicious little berries. Blueberries are considered one of the most nutritious foods on earth; a bonafide superfood. They are high in antioxidants-higher than any other fruit or vegetable, in fact. Some studies have shown they actually improve memory, and its theorized they can actually slow down the decline of other cognitive functions. They also have a low glycemic index, which makes them a great choice for naturally sweetening smoothies (see below) or making for a healthy sweet tooth fix […]

Soap Making Basics

Making soap is a wonderful skill to gain, and given the amount of harsh toxins and chemicals in commercially-available soap, it’s also a great way to guarantee you’re getting wholesome, natural ingredients. Speaking of chemicals, one reason a lot of people are intimidated by soap-making is the use of the ingredient lye (remember that scene in Fight Club, right?). It can be very dangerous when not handled properly, and burn the skin. However, you simply can’t make soap without it. All soap contains it, the thing is, once the reaction that creates the soap has taken place, the lye has changed forms and […]

The Best Homesteader Blogs and YouTubers to Follow

We might be your favorite homesteading site (right?) but we’re certainly not the only one! Check out this list of amazing homesteading blogs and YouTube channels to follow other inspiring homesteading sites. YouTube: Markerbuoy This guy is amazing. He’s been living off-grid for 20 years, and seems to have been building everything he needed the whole time. He works with glass, wood, metal, builds engines, you name it. Becky’s Homestead This lady is bound to be your new hero-she lives on an awesome homestead with a bunch of livestock, a food garden and in a cabin she built herself. Her […]

The Health Benefits of Raw Milk

Raw milk is simply amazing. Most milk you will find in grocery stores, however, has been pasteurized, losing many of the benefits raw milk has. Raw milk has been under attack in recent decades, highly regulated and even illegal to sell in some states. But if you’re lucky enough to live in one of the many states that still allow the sale of raw milk for human consumption, you can reap its health benefits. Here are just a few reasons to find a local farmer to buy some from today. It’s only milk Milk in stores often contains additives, preservatives, […]

Five Ways to Preserve Herbs

As summer winds down, you may have a garden brimming with herbs just dying to be harvested. One of the biggest downsides of herb gardens is how much work it can be to process all the herbs! A pretty good problem to have, if you ask me. Here are five great ways to make the most of a bulk herb harvest and keep your herbs through the winter, for many months of delicious cooking. Freezing This is quite possible the easiest and quickest method of preserving herbs. Simply toss your herbs in a Ziploc bag, squeeze the air out, and stick […]

Monsanto or Organics: Who Should You Trust? (Infographic)

The notorious ago-giant Monsanto has been genetically modifying foods, dominating the agricultural industry and putting small farmers out of business with ridiculous lawsuits over their crops being cross-pollinated with Monsanto GM seeds for decades. But they have a a frighteningly massive influence over the media and government (the USDA is a revolving door of Monsanto employees going in and out, but that’s another post), so if you are someone you know is a skeptic, here is a very informative infographic on who we should trust with our food source, originally published on Care2.com. *Superfund is a United States federal government program […]

Crock Pot Sourdough Recipe

Sourdough bread is delicious, and nutritious! When made with a real sourdough culture, it breaks down the anti-nutrients in the wheat that are commonly attributed to gluten intolerance and allergy. There’s also no better-tasting sourdough than when it is made fresh at home. A very easy way to make sourdough is right in your crock pot! If you don’t have a bread maker or don’t want to heat up your kitchen in the hot summer months, crock pot sourdough is a wonderful option. It also makes for a very easy way to rise the sourdough. First, you’ll need your culture. […]

Preparing the Homestead for Winter

I know, I know, it’s not even labor day yet, but it’s never too early to think about preparing the homestead for winter. The key to a safe winter is planning, preparation and foresight. If you’d like to homestead one day or get more off-grid eventually, here are a few basic tips for winter prep you can start considering now, for this year or the next. Even if you’re not a homesteader at all, these are useful tips for disaster preparedness through the winter. Collecting Firewood This is probably what comes to mind first when you think of preparing for winter, […]

Easiest Herbs to Grow for Tea

Herbal tea can be very calming, invigorating and of course, healing. These days, however, a lot of major herbal tea brands that have become staples in homes and health food stores unfortunately have added ingredients like natural flavors and soy lecithin. The good news is, there’s several easy and delicious options for homemade herbal tea! Mint Mint is the most obvious and a lovely option for tea. Tea made with mint leaves can help with upset stomachs and other digestive issues, and it is also very calming and refreshing. It grows best in well-drained soil and shade, and it crawls […]

How to Propagate and Use Comfrey

Free medicine doesn’t just come from the government (kidding!). The wonder plant comfrey is one of the easiest herbs to grow and among other amazing benefits it has been known to speed healing in bruises and broken bones. One hardly needs a green thumb to take advantage of this plant’s healing properties. Comfrey is most commonly grown from root divisions. These can be purchased online from your favorite gardening website, or even on Amazon. But even easier, they can easily be taken out of ground from any mature comfrey plant that you have access to without doing the slightest damage to the existing parent plant. If making your own […]