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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 […]

Common Canning Mistakes to Avoid

Home canning is one of the best ways to preserve food, and every homesteader should try their hand at it! You’ll love being able to make huge batches of all kinds of canned food, and save for gifts or for food through the winter. However, since it is food preservation, it is very important that you do it properly. These canning mistakes have the potential to actually make your canned food highly dangerous, so make sure you are following canning safety protocol before you dive in and start experimenting. Here are some of the worst canning mistakes you can make, […]

Decoding Diets: Which Lifestyle is Right for You? (Infographic)

My last post regarded healthy fats, and a few months ago, I posted an extensive list of some of the major health diets and the differences and similarities between each. I found this infographic recently and I thought it was a cool visual representation of common health diets and what they suggest emphasizing and avoiding. It also has handy macro references for how much protein, carbohydrates, and fat are normally consumed by the adherents of each diet. If you ever feel overwhelmed and confused by different diets out there, this might help you visualize what each one offers. Remember, while […]

What’s The Deal With Healthy Fats?

You’ve probably heard a lot of buzz over the last few years concerning “healthy fats”. However, mainstream diet wisdom has for years been that reducing fat intake is the best way to lose weight and stay healthy. So what is it, is fat good or not? I think part of the confusion comes from a misunderstanding and misuse of the word “fat”. Fat simply sounds like it will make you fat, so many people assume that “low-fat” would, naturally, make you less fat. The problem isn’t in the macronutrient fat, the problem is in the type of fat, the recommendations for how […]

Top 7 Mistakes to Avoid When Harvesting Rainwater (Video)

Harvesting rainwater is one of the best things you can do on your homestead, particularly if you are trying to be prepared for emergencies or establish self-reliance. Not to mention, it’s simply a very convenient way to water your garden and animals without impacting your water bill! However, as many people who have set up their own water harvesting systems will tell you, there’s a lot that can go wrong. Rain is unpredictable and water is heavy, and if you don’t have a secure, reliable set-up, there are many ways your system can fail. Fortunately, you can learn from those brave […]

The Reality of Homesteading: What No One Tells You

Homesteading is a noble pursuit, and we obviously strongly encourage everyone to try their hand at it! Growing your own food, raising livestock, and living off-grid are a wonderful way to enrich your life, get healthier, and truly embrace self-reliant living. But it’s not all puppies and sunshine! There are some harsh realities of homesteading that a lot of people won’t tell you. Here’s what you need to know if you want to face the music. You Will Make a Lot of Mistakes Homesteading is all about trial and error, and it is through these errors that you learn. It is just […]

Top Chicken Breed Comparison (Infographic)

When it comes to choosing breeds to begin a flock of chickens, you have probably found it is quite overwhelming choosing the right one for your needs. Every breed has it’s pros and cons. Those that are popular are popular for good reason, but, like heirloom vegetables, lesser-known chicken breeds have their perks and benefits. Chicken breeds are much more varied than you might think, and this great infographic from ManateeChickens.com breaks down several popular breeds and various factors that might influence your decision of which ones to raise. Factors like egg production, size, weather tolerance, ability to forage, and […]

How They Feed a Family of 9 for $250 a Month (Video)

I’ve heard of low grocery bills, but this one takes the cake! One of my favorite homestead YouTubers, Big Family Homestead, share how they feed their family of 9 for a mere $250 a month. What I love about this is that so much of their diet is supplemented by their chickens. They don’t live somewhere that they can raise dairy or meat cows or pigs, but they’re able to eat lots of free chicken and eggs and it clearly has a great impact on their grocery bill! Also, they are smart with their meal planning. They plan out a […]

13 Useful Ways to Reuse Eggshells

If you raise chickens or simply eat a lot of eggs, you probably produce a lot of egg shells! And simply throwing them in the trash is a huge waste. Egg shells are loaded with beneficial nutrients and properties, and there are lots of ways to reuse them and make the most out of your chickens or grocery budget! First off, you need to make sure you store them properly. You might be able to get away with tossing them all in a 5-gallon bucket on your back porch, or, if that attracts pests or mold, you might want to […]

6 Tips for Successful Deck Gardening

Not everyone owns a sprawling homestead or has a large yard in which to garden, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of options for you to grow your own! Deck gardening is a great option for folks with limited gardening space, and you’d be surprised just how much you can grow on a deck. However, since a deck garden is first and foremost a container garden, there are some important tips to keep in mind to make your garden a success. Container gardening is a great option for anyone who can’t plant in the ground, for whatever reason, and […]

Keeping Your Harvest Year-Round (Infographic)

Whether you’re gardening or carefully shopping local and in season, the healthiest way to consume what you reap is to preserve it well so you can make the most of it! Produce turns quickly, but you can prolong the benefits of a fresh harvest with some smart planning and thinking ahead. There are so many great ways to preserve food, and this amazing infographic from Fix.com shows you how. We write a lot about food preservation here on Homestead Depot, but this infographic is a great guide to the overall concept of food preservation, and it gave me some great ideas! […]

Homemade Non-Toxic Daily Shower Spray

When it comes to the products you clean your shower with, it’s just as important to consider possible environmental toxins. While you might only think of dish soap or laundry detergent as coming into direct contact with your skin, hot showers can expose you to plenty of toxins if you’re cleaning with conventional products. Your epidermis, or skin, is the largest organ in your body, and in hot showers, your pores open up. If you’ve been cleaning with harsh toxins, they could be dissipating through the air and being absorbed directly into your skin. And you thought you were getting […]

How to Make Sour Cream (Video)

Like so many food products we take for granted, sour cream can be naturally fermented at home! Most of us think of sour cream as a slightly decadent topping for baked potatoes or beef stroganoff, but it doesn’t have to come in a plastic tub from the supermarket. With some good quality cream, some time, and an adventurous spirit, you too can make delicious, homemade, naturally fermented sour cream right at home! Culturing experts Cultures for Health share in this short and easy-to-follow video how: If you enjoyed this, you might also like…. Long-Term Survival for Homesteaders… Natural Healing Secrets You […]

Gardening Tips From Seasoned Gardeners

When you just get started with gardening, it can be easy to feel very overwhelmed! As a beginner, there’s so much to learn, and so many ways things can go wrong. But never fear–you can learn from those who have gone before you. We’ve got some great tips for beginner gardeners to help you beat the stress and have a flourishing, healthy garden in no time. Let’s begin! Ask for help Don’t be shy! Usually, seasoned gardeners love to talk gardening, so reach out and ask for help! People at your local nursery, in local gardening FB groups, or even community […]

Natural Remedies for Ear Infection (Infographic)

When springtime comes it brings many wonderful benefits, but one of the downsides of this season is it’s cold and flu season. And with colds and flus can unfortunately also come the dreaded ear infection. Small children are particularly vulnerable to ear infections, and most doctors will opt immediately for antibiotics. In many cases, this is definitely the best option, but it’s always worth it to try some natural remedies first. Antibiotics can wreak havoc on small children’s digestive system and immune system, so while they can be life-saving in many cases, it’s best to use them as a last […]

How to Make Compost the Easy Way (Video)

Everyone should be composting, especially if you’re gardening! It is so beneficial for your soil, environmentally responsible, and also an efficient way to cut down on waste in your home and garden. However, if you’ve tried and failed to build your own compost bins or piles, you might need a few shortcuts. John from GrowYourGreens.com and Learn Organic Gardening on YouTube was in that boat, and shares how he ended up settling on the easier way to compost. Check it out! If you enjoyed this, you might also like…. Long-Term Survival for Homesteaders… Natural Healing Secrets You Need to Know… […]

What Is Two Story Farming?

Originally hailing from the Mediterranean, two story farming is a sustainable and efficient way to multitask on your farm or homestead. It is essentially what it sounds, farming on two “stories”. Only this isn’t in a structure, like the visions of modern urban farms of the future. Two story farming combines agriculture with raising livestock, in a very cool way. Traditionally, farmers use trees as the “upper story” of the two story concept. Carob, olive oil, or some other tree, is grown above an area in which pigs, cattle, or goats roam, allowed to nourish themselves on whatever is cast […]

How to Buy a Rabbit Starter Stock

Rabbits are a great animal to raise on a homestead. They don’t take up much space, they breed very efficiently, are affordable to feed, and their meat is delicious. Since one of the biggest appeals of raising rabbits is how quickly and easily they reproduce, you will need to get yourself set up with what’s called a starter stock. These will be the first rabbits you buy, that will go on to reproduce and build your herd. Rabbit Breeders To find your first rabbits, you’ll have to find someone who’s already selling them. A great place to look at first is a state […]

How to Get Free Blueberry Plants (Video)

It’s just the right time to plant blueberries, but what if you don’t want to spring for some starts? Or perhaps you’ve left a box of blueberries in your fridge for too long and are wondering if you can find some way to use them? You’re in luck. This video walks us through a very useful and easy technique to harvest the seeds from leftover blueberry plants so you can grow some yourself this year! Check it out: If you enjoyed this, you might also like…. Long-Term Survival for Homesteaders… Natural Healing Secrets You Need to Know… Effective Primal Diet Hacks…

What Is The Roadkill List?

Have you ever thought about eating roadkill? Now, before you start to think the idea is crazy, we aren’t talking about stalking the roadways and searching for animals that have been hit. Instead, you can get on a road kill list. This type of list is often available through park departments and highway departments, and it works very simply. Animals in rural areas, along the highways, and even in the suburbs tend to cross roads during their travels. This applies to all animals, but the ones that can be most problematic tend to be deer, and in some areas in […]