Homesteading Archives - Page 10 of 36 - Homesteader DepotHomesteader Depot

Dandelion Smoothie (Video)

I’ve raved quite about about the health benefits of dandelion on this site in the past, and well, I’m certainly not alone! YouTubers Appalachia’s Homestead share their experimental healthy dandelion smoothie in this video. Adding some dandelion greens to other healthy and fresh ingredients in their Vitamix, they blend up a very tasty looking dandelion green smoothie. I think this is a great way to easily and quickly consume dandelion greens, not to mention add some free greens to your health smoothie! Check it out: If you enjoyed this, you might also like…. Long-Term Survival for Homesteaders… Natural Healing Secrets […]

5 Steps to Growing Watermelon (Video)

I know it’s only April, but I’m already thinking about summer! And what better way than to prep for summer now than to plant some watermelon? It’s finally getting warm enough to plant these heat-loving, delicious melons, and this great, five step video will help you figure out if you can manage it in your garden. Enjoy, and happy gardening! If you enjoyed this, you might also like…. Long-Term Survival for Homesteaders… Natural Healing Secrets You Need to Know… Effective Primal Diet Hacks…

Skills Every Homesteader Should Master

Homesteading is more than just what you do with your land or in your home, it’s a way of life. And with that culture comes a certain set of skills that every homesteader should learn to master. Modern humans have forgotten so many of the specialized skills our ancestors relied upon for daily life. But the entire spirit of homesteading is to regain this knowledge, this autonomy, by doing it ourselves. Here are some of the most important homesteading skills that everyone should master, whether you’re living on a 10-acre farm or a studio apartment-turned-urban homestead. Gardening/Regional Gardening Growing your […]

7 Simple Ways to Keep Your Homestead Safe

You love living on your homestead, and you cannot imagine living in anywhere but a rural area. One of the elements of having a homestead that deserves plenty of attention is keeping it safe. Whether it is wild animals that decide to get a little too close for comfort or people who are looking to steal from you or do you and your family harm, you need to have a method of keeping things secure. Since you might be far from local law enforcement and help, it is up to you to take measures to secure your property. You do […]

Simple, Effective, and Affordable Insect Trap

One of the most important elements of living as a homesteader is learning to live a simpler life. For many, the thought of “living simply” is very alluring, but making the leap to homesteading, and being successful and happy with the lifestyle, is not as easy as many wish it would be. They do not have any idea of just how they can capture the simple life that they crave. Here are some simple tips to help you with homesteading, and to help you live better. Plan Your Meals Do you tend to wait until the last minute to decide […]

Where and How to Find Wild Asparagus (Video)

Wild asparagus is one of the great finds of the foraging world, and it’s season is just beginning in North America! This Michigan man shares this video from his favorite spots, and has some very valuable tips for how and where to find the wild delicacy. There is nothing more rewarding than foraging for, cooking and eating, such a nutritious and tasty veggie. If it grows in your region, I highly recommend following these tips and seeing what you can find! Enjoy: If you enjoyed this, you might also like…. Long-Term Survival for Homesteaders… Natural Healing Secrets You Need to […]

Why You Should Keep a Homesteading Journal

As you embark on your homesteading journey, whether that is buying several acres of land and starting a full-fledged farm, or simply growing herbs on your windowsill and trying a few simple home ferments, it is incredibly beneficial to keep a journal. Heres a few tips on why and how to journal. Why? Journals are, literally, records of events. So as you begin gardening, raising animals, trying home cultures, and generally doing more things simpler, greener, and for yourself, you’ll want to keep track of your efforts, method, and progress. First of all, it’s fun! You can look back in […]

Companion Planting Visual Guide (Infographic)

Companion planting is a gardening practice that involves strategically planting certain vegetables next to one another for their mutual benefit. It can lend itself to great success in the garden, but it can be a bit confusing and overwhelming to plan out. This infographic from MomWithAPrep.com is a fantastic cheat sheet for figuring out the best “companions” for each garden vegetable. It also includes potentially bad companions, so you can rule those out too. Why not give companion planting a try this spring? Grab this infographic and refer to it as you plan out your garden this year. Enjoy! […]

Can Your Livestock Make Money for You?

What type of livestock do you have on your homestead? You probably have some great animals that are working to provide well for you and your family. However, have you ever stopped to think that you might be able to get even more out of the animals? In some cases, your livestock will can make money, providing you with some extra income. Let’s check out a few of the ways that your animals could make money for you. Selling Excess Eggs If you have some chickens, they are going to keep laying eggs each day in most cases. This means […]

How to Set Up A Rain Barrel (Infographic)

Take the adage “April showers bring May flowers” to a whole new level this year! You can harvest your April (and every other month) rain and use it to water your garden. Even if you just have a small rain barrel, it can provide a very helpful amount of water to offset your municipal water. It’s one of the simplest forms of renewable energy, and this set-up is a breeze to construct. This infographic covers ever detail of one of the most classic styles of rainwater harvesting. This would make a great spring project for any homestead! Enjoy. If you […]

6 Creative Ways to Use Bone Broth

You’ve probably heard of the growing popularity of bone broth lately, and if you haven’t, you should definitely know about it. It’s not really anything new, but recent trendy diets have emphasized the regular consumption of hearty, super-nutritious bone broth as a way to get essential vitamins, minerals, and, most importantly, gelatin. Gelatin is a wonderful addition to any healthy diet, but particularly beneficial for anyone concerned about bone or joint health. The great thing is it’s very cheap and easy to make, unfortunately, it’s not always so easy to find creative ways to consume it! Especially this time of year, […]

Raising Rabbits for Meat: Overview (Video)

Rabbits are a highly efficient animal to raise for food. While these days, most of us think of rabbits as pets, they’ve actually been hunted and raised for slaughter for most of human history. For what it takes to feed rabbits vs. how much meat you get out of them, they’re a great option for a small-scale animal husbandry operation on your homestead. Seasoned homesteaders and YouTubers Big Family Homestead share their set-up for raising rabbits and the creative ways they drastically reduce the cost of housing and feeding the critters. Enjoy! If you enjoyed this, you might also like…. How […]

Why Chickens Are Your Best Friend on the Homestead

If you are homesteading, one of the best animals you can have on your property is the mighty chicken. It is highly beneficial for you and your family, as well as your garden, as you will see. Eggs and Meat Naturally, this is what most people consider when they are thinking about the benefits that chickens can provide. If you have chickens, you could have fresh eggs all the time, which is a great way to add to the amount of protein your homestead can produce. Most homesteaders utilize their chickens for eggs, but it is certainly possible to use […]

How to Make Kombucha Tea (Video)

We’ve covered a lot about culturing in the past, and kombucha tea absolutely needs to be mentioned. It is one of the easiest home cultures to make and a great place to start if you’d like to get started with culturing. Kombucha is created using a fermentation process, it contains a large number of healthy bacteria known as probiotics. These bacteria strengthen your digestive tract and support your immune system, as they absorb nutrients, fight infection, and illness. Your digestive system is the second largest part of your neurological system and with 80 percent of your immune system located in your gut, it’s no surprise […]

How to Use Up Extra Tomatoes

Too many tomatoes is a great problem to have! Whether you’ve found a killer deal at the grocery store or farmer’s market, or your garden is overflowing with juicy, ripe, tomatoes just begging to be used up, having too many tomatoes on your hand is awesome, but also poses a big challenge. How on earth can you use up all those delicious tomatoes? Well, we’ve got you covered. All it takes is a little creativity! Here are some great suggestions for how to make the most of a big bounty of tomatoes. Canning This is the classic way to preserve […]

Tips for Successfully Transplanting Seedlings

We’ve posted a few helpful articles this spring on how to start your seeds indoors. But what happens after that? Here is a simple guide for how to successfully transplant seedlings in the garden. Think Ahead First of all, you’ll want to make sure before you even start your seeds that what you are planting is transplant-friendly. Not everything does well when transplanted, so direct seed sow whenever recommended. Also, for the seedlings you do plan on transplanting, designate room in the garden for them beforehand, taking into account the expected size of both the seedling and the adult plant. […]

Urban Chickens (Infographic)

More and more, urban dwellers are looking into what it takes to raise chickens in their own backyard. Chickens are a great way to homestead wherever you are; they’re small, don’t require a whole lot of space, are cheap to feed, and the best part: you get lots and lots of eggs! If you’re considering starting chickens in your own backyard this year, check out this infographic from Homesteading.com to see what it takes. Enjoy! If you enjoyed this, you might also like…. Long-Term Survival for Homesteaders… Natural Healing Secrets You Need to Know… Effective Primal Diet Hacks…

Making An Income From a 1-Acre Farm (Video)

Urban homesteading is growing in popularity recently, and it’s always really inspiring to see what people manage to cultivate and raise in an urban setting. Even better is when people are actually able to earn an income from an urban homestead, as in the case of YouTubers and urban homesteaders Weed ‘Em and Reap. They share how they moved from a tiny suburban house to a 1-acre farm and began growing their own food, raising animals, and living much healthier and happier. Not to mention–earning an income and getting out of debt! Enjoy! If you enjoyed this, you might also […]

5 Warnings for the New Homesteader

It might seem contradictory, but starting on the path to a “simpler” life can actually come with a lot of complications. In pursuit of all our hopes and visions for our homestead, we can become overwhelmed pretty quickly, or simply fail to anticipate common problems. Let me share with you a few key lessons I’ve learned over the years that will help to take the growing pains out of your homesteading journey! Realize that this lifestyle is “simple”, but it’s not easy. The best things in life come about as a result of plenty of hard work. If you’ve been […]

How to Get Your Kids Outside With a Natural, DIY Playhouse

When I was a kid, to play out in nature for hours on end wasn’t just a privilege–it was my natural inclination! Over just a few short decades, we’ve domesticated our kids and planted them firmly in front of glowing screens and in school desks, and we wonder why so many problems crop up. For the cooped-up kid, a day outside is the best medicine. Here’s a great little project to turn a small patch of land into a seasonal, living, and edible playhouse, and it’s even easy enough for your children to help you build it! The Runner […]