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How to Make a Silkworm Habitat (Video)

One of the more obscure “animals” you can raise on your homestead, especially if you’d like to think about making a profit in the long-term, is silkworms. These little critters are where pure silk comes from, and, like bees, it’s common for them to be raised in indoor or artificial habitats so that their silk can be harvested. Silkworms love mulberry trees, and this video shows you how to make an artificial mulberry habitat to raise silkworms in. It was actually made by a 2nd grade teacher, so she could show her students how silkworms lived in their “natural” habitat, but I […]

Pros and Cons of Birds on a Homestead

Birds live everywhere, even in the middle of thickly populated urban areas birds build nests, hunt and scavenge for food, and raise their young. So of course, there’s plenty of avian wildlife on any homestead, but are they a blessing, or a curse? Well, there’s a little bit of both. Here are some of the pros and cons: Cons Birds can definitely have a lot of cons for the busy homesteaders. As you grow your food, they’re also going to be looking for it on every inch of your homestead, and odds are, they’ll have their eye on your food. Birds in the […]

Indoor Pets for Your Outdoor Garden

Unfortunately, some people just can’t see the benefit of backyard chickens, and they can’t let others be. You may live in an area that doesn’t allow for livestock such as chickens and have neighbors that have a lack of appreciation for self-reliance and fresh food. But does that mean that you have to buy manure? Or that you can’t raise animals for meat? Not necessarily. You could raise animals indoors or in discreet cages, animals such as guinea pigs or rabbits. If you are wanting meat, rabbits are the obvious choice because of their superior ability to […]

All About Alpacas

Finances can be a determining factor in the success or failure of your homestead. Finding a way to make a living on your homestead, or better yet, through your homestead, can have you go from scraping by to rolling in money. That may sound like an exaggeration, but it’s been done before. One way is to raise alpacas. What is an Alpaca? Alpacas are basically a half size llama. But unlike llamas alpacas are not bred to be pack animals, they are bred for their fiber (it is similar to sheep’s wool but softer and contains no lanolin), or […]

3 Dog Breeds to Consider for Homesteading

Dogs have the reputation of being man’s best friend for good reason. The possible benefits of having a dog on your homestead, whether it be urban or country, are virtually endless. But domestication of dogs has led to a wide array of physical and behavioral traits. Over breeding for desired traits has also led to genetic issues, for this reason a “mutt” is always preferable since it will have less health issues. For this reason, when selecting a dog that is right for you, you should consider what breed you are looking for, and search for a mutt that has […]

The Cost-Effectiveness of Homestead Pigs

A lot of people don’t like pigs because they’re stinky, dirty and loud. But most people won’t object to bacon, ribs or pork chops. And this is a pretty good reason to have pigs, and why most people raise them! Not only are pigs delicious, however, they are also very cost-effective sources of meat, especially if you are looking to be more or totally self-sufficient. Larger meat animals like cows need a lot of space, and smaller meat animals don’t yield anywhere near as much meat. But pigs are just perfect! Here are some reasons why they are economical choices […]