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Homesteading Myths-Busted! (Video)

Homesteading is hard work and takes experience, know-how, and sensibility. Homesteading has gotten very romanticized as of late, and a lot of people are diving in head-first with a lot of preconceived notions and misconceptions about homesteading. This is a great little video busting some of the common homesteading myths and explaining the reality of homesteading from a seasoned expert. If you liked this, you might also enjoy… Natural Healing Secrets You Can Master… Great Skills for Homesteaders to Have…

Battery Reconditioning: Limitless Homestead Energy

One of the biggest concerns for long-term self-reliance as a homesteader is energy. Most energy sources that we rely on seem to be finite. Especially if you are focused on survival when the grid goes down or being completely off-grid. Gasoline, propane, coal, even wood, all will run out at some point and are difficult to regenerate. Batteries in particular run out quickly, and rechargeable batteries can be costly and unreliable. But what if you could have nearly unlimited battery power … Gasoline, propane, coal, even wood, all will run out at some point and are difficult to regenerate without […]

DIY Liquid Hand Soap

I am all about ways to make value-added products like liquid hand soap yourself to save money and reduce exposure to harmful perfumes and toxins. Liquid hand soap is a really great DIY because you can re-use old hand soap pumps, or if you put them in a pretty container they make great and meaningful holiday gifts. The ingredients are simple and easy to adjust for scents that you prefer. Using essential oils of choice, you can mimic your favorite soap scents or create ones! Let’s get started: Ingredients: Two 5oz bars of castile soap Essential oils of choice One gallon […]

Guppies for the Garden

When one thinks of raising animals that offer benefits for your garden, chickens are probably the first to come to mind. But not everyone has the ability or the desire to have animals that require as much care as chickens do, or make as much noise as chickens do. Luckily, there are animals that offer several benefits for the garden that require barely any attention and make absolutely no noise: guppies! Yes, the little fish. Guppies are freshwater fish that don’t require pumps of filters in their aquariums or ponds. Females can reproduce at 2 months Yes, the little fish. Guppies […]

Winterizing the Chicken Coop (Video)

We love our feathered friends, so it’s important that we make sure they have the best care through the winter! This clever Chicago couple kept getting questions as to how they cared for their backyard chickens through the notoriously brutal Chicago winters, so they made a video to show what they did. Their chicken coop looks nice and cozy! Check it out: If you liked this, you might also enjoy… Ancient Healing Secrets You Can Learn at Home… Yoga and Weight Loss: What You Need to Know… How to Become a Master Woodworker..

How to Clean Cast Iron

Cast iron cookware is fantastic. It is durable, lasts forever, can be used over an open flame and is often called “the original non-stick”. A cast-iron skillet is an essential to any homestead kitchen. However, they have to be cared for properly. There are differing opinions on how to properly clean cast iron, so this is just one way that I have found works best for me. Based on what kind of cleaning supplies and fat you regularly have available to season with, you might find a different method works for you. But I’ve been cleaning my cast iron skillets […]

How to Freeze Raw Potatoes

Keeping potatoes in a root cellar is a common way to store these essential root veggies through the winter, but plenty of people don’t have root cellars! Canning is another option, but that usually takes a pressure canner. If you find yourself with a lot of potatoes you’d like to store for a long time but don’t have a cellar or a pressure canner, freezing them is a great option-if you do it right. It can be kind of tricky, so here are some tips to ensure they remain fresh in the freezer. Use Fresh Potatoes Don’t use potatoes that have […]

Cultivate Your Own Wild Yeast Starter (Video)

As homesteaders, we’re used to growing our own food, raising animals, even fermenting and preserving. But something really cool you can cultivate is wild yeast! You are probably used to baking with active dry yeast that you buy in packets at the store, but did you know you can harvest the microorganisms that naturally occur in any environment to make your own active starter? It’s really cool! And if you don’t already homestead, it’s a very fun way to grow “food” right on your countertop, needing little more than flour, water, and time. Check it out! If you liked this, you […]

Drip System Installation (Video)

Recently I wrote about how to conserve water, time, and energy by watering wisely, but that is under the assumption that you, like myself, don’t have a drip system. If you have the money to invest in a drip system there is no better way to conserve water, time, and energy in watering your garden. With a timer added to your system you can pretty much forget about your garden and it will still grow. This video features a system that retails for about $30, in the video it irrigates a 8’x10’ bed with material to spare (the timer is […]

Growing Loofah Sponges

I always thought that loofah was the remains of some aquatic creature living on oceans reefs. But then when I was searching an online seed catalog I saw it listed. I had to click it to check it out, and then grow some for myself. It turns out that loofah is in the same family as cucumber, it’s a gourd, and it can be eaten or left to dry on the vine and used as the sponge you see in stores. Here’s how. They do not handle frost well, so don’t plant them too early if you live […]

Getting Rid of Mice

Some people are horrified of mice. Some people think they are cute. When you are a homesteader, they are a problem that you need to solve quickly. If you are unable to get rid of the mice, they can destroy or contaminate your food supply faster than you might think. They breed quickly, and when you see just one or two of these rodents, you can be sure the problem runs a lot deeper. First, you will want to determine just how you want to get rid of the mice – humanely or with lethal traps. It depends on how […]

Cheap Homesteading Supplies You Need

As a homesteader, you want to reduce your expenditures and become more self-sufficient. You want to grow your own food, and perhaps even mend and make your own clothing. However, as independent as you might be, or want to be, you still need to have the right tools and supplies. You can get many of the supplies you need without going over your budget thanks to buying in bulk and buying from places such as dollar stores. The following are some of the supplies you can find in these stores. Needles are usually available at these budget stores, and you […]

Growing An Edible Garden Landscape

Gardening is a hobby that can be enjoyed by everyone. With the numerous types of accessible gardening methods available, physical limitations or mobility concerns should not prohibit you from growing a garden. An online search of photos of accessible gardens that creative individuals have designed will give you some ideas as to how you might want to design your garden. Keep in mind that accessible gardening is just like traditional gardening in that the design you choose and the plants you include can be tailored to your individual preference. Raised beds are a popular form of accessible garden. When you […]

Sewing, Knitting, and Crocheting – Three Skills You Need

As a homesteader, you are a collector of skills. With every skill that you acquire, it leads you one step closer to true self-sufficiency. The following are three related skills that you will certainly want to add to your repertoire – sewing, knitting, and crocheting. Let’s learn how these skills can benefit you. Sewing If you can sew, and if you practice your techniques, you can mend your clothing and tailor it as needed. This means your clothes can last for far longer than they would have. Not only that, but you may even get to the point where you […]

Watering Wisely to Conserve Water, Time, and Energy

Whether you get the water for your garden from rain collection or from the tap, you are going to want to conserve this precious resource as much as possible. You don’t want to run out, and you don’t want to add unnecessary cost to your garden. You also don’t want to have to take the time and energy to water your garden inefficiently since you have enough to do already. Here are a few tips on how to get the most of your water by watering wisely. Check First Check the soil to see if watering is necessary before […]

Mistakes to Avoid When Planning Your Garden

To assure that the plants in your garden thrive, there are several mistakes you should avoid when setting up your garden. Getting things right from the start can save you time and money and eliminate a lot of stress and frustration. Determine the size Ambition is a wonderful thing, but being overly ambitious and planting a garden that is too large for you to manage is a mistake you want to avoid. Deciding how much time and energy you have to devote to maintaining a garden should be the basis for determining its size. Choosing a location Most vegetables require […]

Honey-Infused Garlic

There are so many great natural cold and flu remedies we’ve covered lately, but this is another great one that is very simple to make, and includes only two ingredients that you probably already have on hand: garlic and raw honey. And maybe I’m weird, but I think this combination is totally delicious! Both garlic and honey boast incredible health and immune-boosting benefits, and taken individually are great to add to your healthcare regimen. Garlic, especially when consumed raw, can help maintain healthy blood pressure and circulation, heart health, and kill fungus and bacteria. Raw honey is honey that has […]

Vertical Gardening

You don’t need a lot of space to grow an abundant variety of vegetables, herbs and flowers. Vertical gardens have become a popular patio, deck or small lawn project for everyone wanting to enjoy the benefits of having fresh vegetables right outside their door. Vertical gardens can be a family project or a solitary hobby that functions as a form of stress relief while supplying you with delicious food for your table. There are numerous benefits to growing a vertical garden. One of the main benefits is the small amount of space that it requires. Another benefit is that vertical […]

Horizontal Pumpkin Trellis

Pumpkins are not the first crop most people think of when they think of trellising, and horizontal is not the orientation most think of when they think of trellising. But having a successful garden on the cheap requires thinking outside the box. Using a trellis to grow crops like pumpkins that would sprawl and crawl all over if left to themselves will save tons of space. Likewise, orientating your trellis horizontally can also save space. That might seem counterintuitive, but if your trellis is vertical it will shade out the area behind it. Depending on your space and garden design […]

A 1870s Root Cellar (Video)

I absolutely love seeing how people back in the day lived, before modern conveniences and when people still worked with their hands, tended their animals, and used traditional technology to produce and preserve food. You know, like homesteading! I got such a kick out of this video. The channel, Appalachia’s Homestead, is great, and I highly recommend following YouTube channels like theirs if you’d like to get an inside peek into how established homesteads function on a day-to-day basis. It was really clever of them to share a video of their root cellar, which they estimate to have been built in […]