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Growing Shiitake Mushrooms

Do you have a shady area in your yard that you wish you could grow some food in? Well, not every crop craves sun the way most due. Get yourself some hardwood logs and spore dowels and you could be growing delicious and valuable shiitake mushrooms for years to come. Here are some tips to get you started. First, you will need to get spore dowels or plugs. There are plenty of retailers online that carry them it shouldn’t be too difficult to find some with good reviews. You will also need to collect some fresh cut hardwood logs […]

Natural Tips for Aphid Control

Aphids are a nightmare for anybody who has a garden, and if you have a garden, there is a very good chance that you have or will have aphids at some point. What you need to do is learn how to get rid of them so they do not destroy your supply. Fortunately, there are some good ways that you can get rid of these nasty little pests. First, you might want to consider adding some plants to your garden that help to repel aphids. Fortunately, some of these plants are going to be very useful and will likely be […]

How to Make Elderberry Syrup

Elderberries are a favorite for natural health enthusiasts, for their healing and soothing properties for colds and flus. Elderberry syrup is a popular way to consume it, and is far healthier that over-the-counter cough syrup full of chemicals, sugar, and drugs. They contain a high amount of vitamins A, B and C, which support the immune system and help fight off sickness. If taken before getting sick, they can help prevent an infection from spreading throughout the body, and if taken after getting sick they can help prevent the infection from spreading into the respiratory tract, making the sickness much […]

DIY PVC Hoop House (Video Instructions)

It’s getting cold, and your crops are certainly feeling it when they are left exposed. A greenhouse is a great thing to have, but they are also expensive. A cheaper alternative is a hoop house. There are lots of videos that people have put online of their hoop houses and how they built them, but they all seem to still involve framing out the back and front with lumber and putting a swinging door on. These luxuries can double the cost and difficulty of constructing it for those that aren’t carpenters or don’t have the tools necessary. Here is […]

How to Keep Rabbits Away from the Garden

Sure, they might look cute, but wild rabbits can be a lot more trouble than they’re worth when it comes to the safety of your garden. If you and your family depend on the garden for your food, you can have rabbits coming in and devouring everything in sight. If you are proactive when you first see a rabbit in the garden, it could save your crops. Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to keep the rabbits away from your veggies. While some rabbits are overly picky, there are certain types of vegetables that they tend to […]

Winter Composting Tips

A compost pile that has done fine all year long can freeze solid on you in the winter. This could leave you having to buy soil or compost in the spring when you are planting again. To avoid this, keep these tips in mind this winter for your compost pile. Build it Big A large compost pile will remain hotter than a small pile. There will be more food in it for composting organisms and the outer portion will insulate the center. When temperatures drop, worms and other organisms will simply migrate to the center of the pile until […]

Fire Cider Recipe

Fire cider is a great recipe for health through the winter and warding off colds and flus. You can take regularly or whenever you are sick, as a remedy. It’s an old folk recipe that has many variations, this is just one of course. If you know anyone who makes it, ask them how they do it! It takes a month to properly ferment, but once it is complete you can take it by the spoonful as needed or add to juice or even as a flavoring to chicken or rice dishes. It lasts a long time so make a […]

3 Things You Should Stop Doing in Your Garden

There is no one right way to garden, everyone’s resources differ and everyone’s approach will also differ. That being said, there are some practices that will tend to yield better results, and there are some that should be avoided. This is a list 3 things that people commonly do in their garden that you should not be doing in yours, and why. Tilling Tilling hard, or weed-covered ground to get it ready for row planting is a common practice. But it can be counterproductive to the reasons why most people chose to do it. First, it can destroy soil […]

Making Non-Toxic Paint

Buckets of paint don’t come with severe warnings about the dangers of the near inevitable contact with skin or inhalation of the vapors coming off the paint for no reason. Many people think that there is just no alternative to using these toxic substances in their homes. But what did people use prior to toxic commercially produced modern paints? One old time paint recipe that some still use today, especially in baby rooms, is made from milk and a few other ingredients. So before you coat your baby’s crib or the walls of his room with carcinogenic substances consider this […]

Home Kombucha Brewing

Kombucha is basically a mushroom that grows in caffeinated tea. Its origin is unclear, but it has been consumed all over the world for hundreds of years at least. Kombucha has become folk medicine, with claims that it can treat anything from cancer to diabetes. While its specific benefits are largely unproven, it is known that fermented foods do offer a wide variety of health benefits especially for digestive issues. What is undisputed about kombucha is that buying it from Whole Foods is not healthy for your budget. The good news is that you only need to do it once […]

How to Reduce Electricity Use

Are you using too much energy in your house? The answer for most people is going to be yes. Often, people are wasting energy without even realizing it. If you are a homesteader, and you have electricity through the grid – or through solar power for that matter – you have to take steps to reduce the amount of electricity you use to make your home more efficient. It will also help to reduce the cost. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to save on your electricity and these simple tips will help you get started. One of the first […]

Benefits of Aloe Vera

The benefits of any plant should always be weighed against the difficulty of cultivating it. In the case of aloe vera, there are no difficulties to weigh against the long list of benefits. The list of both proven and supposed benefits is too long to include here, but these are a few of the known benefits of this wonder plant. Easy to Grow You don’t need a green thumb, or even garden space to grow aloe vera. Aloe vera can be grown in a container, tolerates anything from partial shade to full sun, is perennial, propagates on its own, […]

5 Space Saving Tips for Your Garden

For most of us, space is an issue in the garden. Whether your yard is small or you just haven’t converted as much lawn into growing space as you want to so far, space can be the number one determining factor for productivity in your garden. Here is a list of 5 ways that you can help make the most of the space you do have to grow more food. Raised Beds Growing in raised beds instead of rows helps make the most of space you have. With tightly defined borders you can plant right up to edge of […]

Chickens Do More than Just Produce Eggs

If you are new to homesteading, you will find that many who practice this way of living will tell you that you should get some chickens. What is it about chickens that make them so great? Well, in addition to producing eggs, not to mention meat, they have some other benefits as well, and they could be just what your homestead needs. Chicken waste is full of nitrogen, which is very good for the soil. In fact, chickens can help to produce some of the best manure you can find for your garden. All you need to do is keep […]

DIY Vapor Rub Recipe

Cold and flu season are no fun, especially if you are experiencing bad congestion that makes it difficult to sleep, breathe and go about your daily business. Vick’s is the classic remedy for terrible congestion, but it’s actually petrolium-based, which is pretty much as bad as it sounds. Who wants to add carcongens to an over-the-counter cold remedy? This natrual and homemade alternative is not only much safer and healtier, it also smells even better and is more effecive. Also, if you make the initial purchase of these basic ingredients, the essential oils will probably last for years of many […]

How to Make a Double-Sided Draft Stop

As winter rolls in and temperatures drop, you don’t need to freeze in your own home to keep your heating bill from climbing. Drafts can be a major source of heat loss, even inside your home from unheated portions that are not in use. Here is a great instructional video with simple to follow instructions on how to make a double-sided draft stop for doors. This is only a basic demonstration, you can substitute materials to fit what you have available, like using dried pop-corn instead of the pool noodle, or an old pair of jeans instead of new fabric. […]

Benefits to Cooking with Cast Iron

Cast Iron pans may seem like a relic of the past, but they are still in use today in modern kitchens across the world because these pans have stood the test of time. So with more options than ever, why should you choose cast iron over alternatives like aluminum, stainless steel, or non-stick cookware? Here are just a few of the benefits to be had from cooking on cast iron. Avoid The “Teflon Flu” Non-stick cookware is coated with a synthetic polymer called polytetrafluorethylene, or PTFE. This coating can degrade in high temperatures (something kinda common in cooking) and […]

All About Lemon Balm

Lemon balm is a perennial herb in the mint family. It gets its name from the strong “lemony” smell of the leaves, which also have a tangy taste to them. If you aren’t currently growing some, here are a few reasons why you should start. Ease: Lemon balm is easy to start from seed and once established it needs little care. It can be grown in full sun in areas with mild weather, or in partial shade in hotter climates. Anti-viral: Lemon balm can help fight off viral infections. Sleep aid: Lemon balm has shown in tests to provide […]

Tips to Keep Rodents OUT This Winter

As the temperature drops and food sources diminish, rodents are likely to want to relocate, and your home is going to be high on their list. They might start out in your garage, attic, or crawl space, but with the reproductive rate of rodents, they will soon be spreading out from there. Allowing these furry freeloaders to share your space isn’t only likely to lead to property damage, but it will also put you and your family in proximity to diseases like the hantavirus and the bubonic plague. Here are a few steps you can take to keep rodents where […]

Homemade Root Cellar

Freezing your food is a great way to preserve it. But if your freezer breaks, there’s no reason to take it to the dump. You can still use it to preserve your food by converting it to a mini-root-cellar. You will be able to store potatoes, carrots, onions, and other crops through winter and into spring without the need for electricity. Here’s how… The first step is to remove the mechanical components. This could include Freon, which involves using more care and disposing of it properly so you don’t contaminate your area. After you have stripped the freezer you are […]