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Ethan Archer – Page 15 – Homesteader Depot

Homesteader Depot

Author: Ethan Archer

  • Why Start Seeds Indoors?

    Why Start Seeds Indoors?

    We’ve posted a bit about tips for starting seeds indoors as spring has been approaching, but I wanted to talk a bit today about why to start seeds indoors. 

    You want to have a beautiful garden, and you want it to provide you and your family with plenty of food when it comes time to harvest. This means you need to start the seeds at the right time. You want to make sure they are strong enough to survive and thrive in the garden, and one of the best things you can do is start your seeds indoors, getting ready to plant after the last freeze of the season. There are some great benefits to starting your own seeds and doing this indoors.

    Save Money

    When you start your own seeds, you do not have to buy plants that are already started, which naturally cost more. Buying seeds when you are starting, and then saving and processing seeds from the food that you grow is a fantastic way to save some money. In addition, you do not have to worry about starting seeds outdoors only to find that they die before they can grow. When you start them indoors, you have much more control.

    Control the Pesticides

    You do not want your family to be subjected to pesticides, but much of the food bought through the grocery stores is laced with this stuff. When you start your seedlings right, and in a safe environment where they can thrive, you will not need to use chemical pesticides. You can also find organic options that will help to keep your plants safe from pests, as well as safe for you.

    More Self-Sufficiency

    By learning to start your seeds indoors, you are learning more about the homesteading life and you are learning to become more self-sufficient. It is a fantastic skill to have, and one that will serve you well for the rest of your life. Start your seeds in the garage or basement now to get ready for the planting season.

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  • Opening Day-Georgia Spring Turkey Hunting (Video)

    Opening Day-Georgia Spring Turkey Hunting (Video)

    Think all the good hunting is in the fall and winter? No way! Spring is prime turkey season, and they’re a great animal to go for. Big and juicy, as well as fun to hunt, you’re sure to get hooked in no time.

    In this video, YouTube “Turkeyologists” walk you through their opening day of turkey season in Georgia, with some excellent, high-def footage of the hunt. I thoroughly enjoyed this video and can’t wait to give turkey hunting a try this season. Enjoy!

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  • Dandelion Pesto Recipe

    Dandelion Pesto Recipe

    Dandelion is a wonderful plant, that the majority of Americans just think of as a weed. If you’re not already foraging your yard’s dandelion for natural remedies or food, you definitely should be.

    Dandelion grows virtually everywhere, and I can almost guarantee it’s growing somewhere near you, either in your backyard, local park, or any field or meadow nearby. It was a staple of Depression-era cooking, and it’s tasty, nutritious leaves can be prepared in a number of ways.

    You can easily eat them raw, but if you’d like to enjoy them in a very delicious way, try this amazing and tasty dandelion pesto. You can make a fancy, gourmet pasta dish out of foraged leaves, how cool is that?

    To harvest dandelion leaves, be sure to use a knife. The tough, stubborn roots can make it hard to harvest the whole plant, so you’ll want to dig in with a paring knife to uproot it properly.

    After harvesting, make sure to wash extremely thoroughly. Dandelion can retain a lot of dirt, so you’ll want to rinse it all under cold water, then soak it all in water with a dash of vinegar.

    After about 20 minutes of soaking, vigorously shake the dandelion leaves all around the water, then pour out the water, rinse, and fill your bowl with water again, shake the leaves out one more time, and rinse again. This should do it, but inspect the leaves as you prepare your pesto, just to be safe.

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 pine nuts
    • 3 garlic cloves
    • 2 bunches freshly harvested dandelion leaves.
    • 1 Tbs lemon juice
    • 1/2 cup olive oil
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper
    • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
    • salt to taste

    Instructions

    1. Roughly chop your freshly washed dandelion leaves, so that they equal a loosely packed 2 cups.
    2. Roughly chop your garlic.
    3. Place the garlic, dandelion leaves, pine nuts, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor.
    4. Blend or pulse until smooth. You might need to stop and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula a few times.
    5. Stir in the parmesan cheese until evenly incorporated.
    6. Serve fresh or refrigerate and eat within 3 days.

    Bon appetit!

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  • Entertaining Yourself on the Homestead

    Entertaining Yourself on the Homestead

    When you have a homestead, you and the family tend to spend quite a bit of time there. That’s not to say you don’t get out and have fun off the property, but there will certainly be quite a bit of time on the property. Naturally, you want to have some things available that can keep you happy and entertained, especially on those rainy days or when the snow comes and you can’t spend as much time outdoors.

    First, get some board games, as well as a deck of cards. Make sure that you get different types of board games, so that you will have choices that will appeal to different members of the family. You should also get some books to have on hand to read from your favorite authors or about subjects that interest you.

    Consider learning some musical instruments, as well. Some of the good options that you might want to consider include the acoustic guitar, harmonica, and ukulele. Whether you are brand new to music or you have played for ages, it is always nice to have instruments on hand. It’s great indoors, and to take with you while you are out by the fire pit or even when you are camping.

    You can also start to look for some new hobbies that might interest you. For example, perhaps you have always wanted to learn photography that goes beyond just taking pictures of your cats or your food. You will find plenty of interesting subjects on the homestead. Learning photography techniques is fun and enjoyable. Just think about the type of hobbies that you’ve always wanted to learn, and then pursue those. Learn to tie flies, learn to reload ammo, learn to paint… the possibilities are endless.

    The homestead never has to be a boring place, so make sure it is plenty of fun!

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  • The Benefits of Homemade Soap

    The Benefits of Homemade Soap

    When was the last time you looked at the ingredient list on the soap that you buy at the grocery store? Most people never stop to take the time to look at this list, just getting what they’ve always bought or whatever marketing plan and commercials have told them a good soap should be. When you start to look at the ingredient list though, chances are good that you will find quite a few things that you can’t pronounce, including chemicals that may not be as good for your skin as you believe. It makes far more sense to go natural with your soap, as it can have some benefits.

    Cold process soap, the type that uses lye, is the best type of homemade soap. You do not have to worry about the caustic qualities of lye, as the saponification process takes care of this. It is relatively easy to make, and it works well to break down dirt, which can provide you with a clean feeling on your skin without any “residue” that you might feel from chemical-laden store bought soap. Essential oils can be added to the soap, which provides a nice scent, along with better moisturizing capabilities, making it great for the skin. Since it is natural, it also happens to be good for the environment.

    When it comes to getting these quality cold process soaps, you have a couple of options. You can find sellers online who are making these soaps, for starters. This might be a good solution when you want to test out just what a difference the natural soaps can make. You could also find people in your area who make soap and buy or barter with them. Of course, as a homesteader, it is also a good idea to take some time and learn how to make this soap on your own. This is a fantastic skill to have.

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  • Why Should Homesteaders Hunt?

    Why Should Homesteaders Hunt?

    If you love the idea of homesteading, and you want to do the same types of things that your forefathers and foremothers did, you will want to add hunting to your list of activities for the homestead. Of course, it is about far more than tradition. You will find many benefits for the homesteader who hunts.

    When Times Are Lean

    One of the biggest benefits to those who hunt is that they have the capacity to put extra meat on the table. Even if you raise chickens and other livestock to use as meat, having extra in the freezer is always a good feeling. If you have a garden that is not performing as well as you had hoped, you will appreciate the extra food. Your bank account will appreciate it, as well. Consider just how much money you are spending on meat each year. Wouldn’t it be nice to cut down on those expenses?

    Game Management Is Essential

    Another one of the reasons that homesteaders should hunt is that it is good for the animal population in the area. While this might seem contrary to some, it makes sense. With the expansion of the human population and the encroachment on animal territory, it means their food supply is not what it used to be. By having controlled and legal hunts, it helps to reduce the population, which reduces the instances of starvation and disease among those animals that remain.

    Good Exercise

    If you have always wanted to get more exercise, few things are better than hunting. You will be out traipsing through the woods for much of the day, and that is going to burn off quite a few calories. Hunting, if you do not spend your entire day up in a tree stand, is a nice form of exercise that gets you out into the wild breathing fresh air. You will love the way you feel even if you do not bag a deer. Of course, it is even better when you do make a kill.

    You Can Pass the Skill on to Your Children

    Learning to track and follow animal signs helps people to get closer with nature. Teaching your children to hunt provides them with a skill, and lessons, that will last them a lifetime. They will learn where their food comes from and what it takes to get it, and that will make them more appreciative. In addition, it is good for kids to get outside and away from all those electronic screens for a while. In addition to hunting, you should also teach them to fish. Make sure they are not only a part of the process of hunting and fishing, but also teach them how to clean and prepare the animals and fish for cooking.

    Hunting is one of the skills every homesteader should have. It is not only necessary to make sure you have a full freezer of meat, but it can also be an enjoyable experience out in nature. If you don’t already hunt, make sure you consider these benefits.

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  • The Amazing Moringa Plant

    The Amazing Moringa Plant

    The moringa plant is an amazing superfood, often called “the miracle tree”. It is insanely nutritious, and contains a high amount of calcium, which can be otherwise hard to grow, but is an essential nutrient. Alone, the leaves of the moringa tree are like an all-purpose multivitamin, making it a great choice for survival-minded homesteaders or anyone wanting to get more vitamins in their diet naturally.

    The moringa has been used for centuries as an all-purpose source of food and medicine. Its small leaves are both edible and highly nutritious, and it’s seed pods are edible as well. It is most commonly consumed these days in powder form, but if you grow your own, you can eat the leaves straight and enjoy a more concentrated, more fresh source of these valuable nutrients.

    Here are some quick facts about the nutrient content of moringa, compared to other foods. It has:

    •Twice the protein of yogurt
    •7 times the vitamin C of oranges
    •3 times the potassium of bananas
    •4 times the vitamin A of carrots
    •4 times the calcium of milk

    Moringa also contains:

    • Vitamins B1, B2, and B3
    • Chromium
    • Copper
    • Fiber
    • Iron
    • Manganese
    • Magnesium
    • Phosphorous
    • Zinc

    It’s medicinal uses include:

    • antibiotic properties
    • digestive aid
    • combats colds and flus
    • eases inflammation
    • fights free radicals
    • can reduce symptoms of diabetes
    • increases brain function
    • supports liver health

    Moringa is not native to the US, and is typically grown in warm, tropical climes like the Phillippines and Hawaii. However, if you live somewhere that gets a hard winter, you can take your tree indoors during the colder months and it will survive just fine.

    It can be grown in pots, and you can order saplings online to plant in your backyard. Right now, spring, would be an ideal time to start one and let it thrive over the warmer, sunnier months before bringing indoors. Or, if you live somewhere like Florida or Hawaii, you can plant them right in your backyard!

    This amazing superfood is a great choice for any natural health focused homesteader, you will definitely want to consider growing it on your homestead today!

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  • Raising Quail (Video)

    Raising Quail (Video)

    I think one of the greatest things about the internet is that we can get an inside look into what other homesteaders are doing and how they set up their gardens and animal raising operations.

    This is a very informative look at Big Bear Homestead’s quail raising set up, with a detailed tour of the coop. I have always been very interested in raising quail, particularly because their eggs are supposed to be highly nutritious, and they’re just as productive as chickens.

    This video really motivated me to explore the idea of raising quail more, so if you’ve been wondering about it, you’ll appreciate this inside look into a successful quail coop.

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