homesteading Archives - Page 2 of 5 - Homesteader DepotHomesteader Depot

Don’t Make These Common EDC Mistakes

When putting together an EDC kit, it can sometimes be difficult to tell the difference between selecting an item because it could really be useful, and selecting an item because it’s really, really cool. To start, ask yourself some questions as you contemplate each possible item. Will this tool be helpful in the region I live in? Example, an ice pick is probably going to be of less use in a tropical or desert region. How many functions are included with this tool? Double check to see how many different uses you can get from a single item. […]

10 Loans and Grants to Help Your Homestead

Dreaming of a homestead but don’t have the cash? If money is the only thing stopping you, there are options that can get you the money you need to start or improve your homestead. These grants are low or no money down loans are specifically designated to rehab older farms or build new ones. From agricultural to livestock funding you can get the money you need to update or get started your homestead. 10 Grants and Zero or Low Money Down Loans Available for Homesteading Agricultural Reinvestment Fund Grants If you are an existing farmer in North Carolina, you […]

Building Your Very Own Smokehouse

There are a number of DIY smoker methods, ranging all sizes and prices. If you only need to smoke small items or one medium item at a time, like a Christmas turkey, all you need is a large terracotta pot or unused metal trash can. But, if you need a good-sized smokehouse to help you prepare for winter on a homestead or other rural area, this design based on pallet wood should provide what you need without breaking the bank. Its also designed so that you only need the most basic of woodworking skills to complete it. An important […]

4 Nifty Alternatives to the Standard Root Cellar

If you have your own garden and: You’ve used all your canning supplies Your freezer is full Your friends refuse to take any fresher produce off your hands Chances are you may need to consider an alternative method of storing your crops rather than just letting them all rot in their earthy homes. In cases like these, a good root cellar is an excellent alternative to mass vegetable homicide. However, unless you already have a handy hole dug in the ground complete with a door to keep out foraging animals. You may need a viable alternative. Fear not! Alternatives do […]

Benefits of Protein in Your Pantry

Protein powder is usually known as the substance that bodybuilders use to bulk up. It’s more than that, however! There are protein powders out there that go into shakes, can be mixed with water and drank on their own, and that serve as meal supplements. Having supplemental protein powder can prove very necessary for those bad years when livestock doesn’t produce or you’ve come up empty-handed while hunting. Your body needs a source of protein and when you can’t get it from meat, a supplemental powder is a great option. It’s definitely something to consider in your emergency pantry. […]

7 Interesting Ways to Use Excess Cucumbers

Congratulations on producing a successful homesteading garden this year! Now all you need to do is find ways to use your excess cucumbers. You’ve come to the right place. There is nothing as refreshing and crispy as a cucumber straight out of the garden. Even better are cucumbers in a salad or other yummy cold recipe made just for hot summer days and nights. We can suggest seven ways to use those lovely crunchy cucumbers. There are three recipes and four are for non-food uses that will surprise you. Food Uses 1. Cucumber Tomato Salad This salad could […]

Canned Corn: What’s the Trick?

A fond childhood memory is sitting on the back porch with my brother as we pulled husks off the bushels of corn on the cob. Somehow, we would always end up falling to the floor in a pile of husks with corn silk stuck in our hair laughing our heads off. You’d think our mom would have been upset, but all she could do is laugh with us. Since then I have assumed my mother’s role, canned many a cob of corn, and want to share with you how to process ‘doing it yourself’ canning corn. If you have never […]

Harvesting Your Own Maple in Just a Few Simple Steps

Tapping maple trees for sap may seem like a daunting task. However, it really is not hard to do. In fact, this outside activity can be fun as the days get warmer in anticipation of springtime. But what if you are not sure which trees are maple? Or which maple trees are the best to tap? Be assured that being self-sufficient doesn’t mean you need to be a pro at tapping. Why not start out with tapping just a few trees? You could join in with neighbors or homesteading friends to see if it is something you want to do […]

How to Make Delicious Homemade Butter

Imagine the smell of freshly made homemade bread. Now imagine spreading your own homemade butter on a slice of steaming hot bread. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine is! One of the things about my mom that I miss the most is her homestead cooking and one of my favorites was that creamy homemade butter that melted on my tongue. Butter Basics Homemade butter does not have an oily taste like margarine. The cream and butter that comes from grass-fed cows are high in vitamin E, beta-carotene, and it can lower cholesterol. Even though butter has saturated fat, it […]

Treating Your Homestead Wounds the EASY Way

As the name suggests, an open wound is an injury that has resulted in an opening in the skin. Minor versions are commonplace and can be treated at home with over the counter first aid products. Fundamental wound care is a useful skill to have in any situation. Keeping a First Aid Kit handy can go a long way to ensuring they don’t develop complications. In this post, we’re going to take a quick look at the different types of open wounds that can happen as well as basic instructions on how to care for them. TYPES There are four […]

How to Ferment Vegetables

Fermenting vegetables grown in your garden accomplishes two things at once. First, it enhances the nutritional value of the vegetables by preserving them at their peak. Second, it preserves the vegetables, so you can enjoy them all winter long. The process used for fermenting vegetables is simple. You need the right equipment and the right ingredients – and before you know it, you’ll have a pantry full of delicious, fermented vegetables for your family to eat. Fermentation Equipment The equipment you need to ferment vegetables is minimal and inexpensive. Here are the basic things you’ll need to have on hand: […]

5 Gardening Budget Hacks

For people who are homesteading, managing expenses is a challenge. You want to be self-sufficient and yet some of the things that you need to do don’t happen overnight. They require an investment of both time and money. These things are true of gardening. It’s natural to want your garden to yield enough food for you and your family. However, you must strike a balance between pushing toward self-reliance and not blowing through your gardening budget. That’s why we’ve put together this list of 5 cheap gardening tricks to help you achieve self-reliance. #1: Pre-sprout Your Seeds This first trick […]

The Best States for Homesteading

If you’re interested in homesteading – and we assume you are or you wouldn’t be here – you might be wondering where to start your homestead. It’s a good question. After all, some states are better suited to homesteading than others. You might already live in a state with a lot of homesteaders – or perhaps you live in a city and you want some advice about where to shop for a homesteading property. We’re here to help. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but we’ll run down our top picks and explain why we like them. Oregon Our first pick is […]

Do-It-Yourself Worm Casting Methods for Compost

If you’re a homesteader, you probably know all about composting. Composting kitchen scraps are one of the best ways to fertilize your garden without chemicals and pesticides. Some of the most effective composters use worms to break down food. If you have a worm composter, then you might not know that worm castings – the black waste that worms produce – is arguably the single best fertilizer known to man. The challenge is finding a way to harvest the worm castings – also known as black gold – without disturbing or harming your worms. You also want to make sure […]

5 Ways Pigs Are Valuable Beyond Just Meat

When you are living off the land, owning animals that can provide you with food can be extremely beneficial. You may grow plenty of crops and fill your pantry with canned vegetables, but if you aren’t getting enough protein, you won’t have the energy to tend to your farm and home. While there are some homesteaders who don’t want to commit to raising a large farm or a herd of cattle, there are plenty of other animals such as chickens or turkeys that can ensure you have meat and eggs throughout the year. They are also low-maintenance so that […]

3 Effective Sheep Shearing Techniques

Despite some claims from animal rights groups, shearing is necessary to maintain the health and comfort of your sheep. There are 2 main reasons you need to have your sheep sheared once a year. If the sheep’s thick wooly coats are not removed before the summer months, they can become very uncomfortable. Additionally, the amount of dirt that can amass and become matted to their bodies could develop into a health risk. The wool from certain breeds is a valuable commodity and a good source of annual income. When raised correctly with a proper diet, a single sheep can grow […]

Can Rabbits Contribute to a Homestead?

Not just for pets, including rabbits on a homestead can be a great way to contribute to your food supplies, both as a food source and a natural fertilizer for your garden. If you’re into fiber arts or want some extra money, angora rabbits give an additional benefit just by growing their fur. Rabbits for Manure A single rabbit can produce approximately a pound of dry manure each week. That’s roughly 50 pounds a year. This high-quality soil conditioner is usually low in weed seeds thanks to the prepared foods typically used to feed them. It also contains an excellent […]

7 Steps for Easy Canning

If you decide to get into the wonderful world of canning, be prepared to experience some of the more flavorful food you’ve ever experienced at a fraction of the cost. Canning allows you to pick or buy produce when it’s at its peak maturity and preserve that flavor year-round. The simplest canning process is Water Bath Canning. To get started you’ll need a few inexpensive basics, many of which you may already have, or be able to find at your local thrift store or flea market. The absolute essential musts are: A pot that holds enough water to cover any […]

Cooking Skills Every Homesteader Should Cultivate

One of the primary reasons many people homestead is to have a closer relationship with the source of their food. You yearn to grow your own vegetables, raise your own meat and dairy, forage, and hunt; essentially, to be independent of the increasingly complicated globalized food system. These are certainly noble aspirations, and we share them here. Going back to a simpler time, to our roots, is something many of us are striving for in this modern world. Only a few generations ago, many people lived much more self-reliant and independent lives, and with the precarious situation our whole planet seems […]

Off-Grid Outdoor Kitchen Tour (Video)

If you’re an aspiring homesteader, this will be better than anything on HGTV to you. This amazing outdoor kitchen is any homesteader’s dream summer kitchen and I was super excited to see this video appear on one of my favorite homesteading YouTube channels. Summer kitchens are so essential to the homestead. Cooking can get incredibly hot as the weather gets warm, and having the option to cook outside can greatly reduce the temperature of your home, helping to keep it as a cool haven from the oppressive summer heat. Also, as you begin to harvest both from your garden and […]