Homesteading Archives - Page 24 of 36 - Homesteader DepotHomesteader Depot

Tapping a Maple Tree

Maple Syrup is a classic staple of the American breakfast menu. But, like so many food items, I just love seeing how it’s sourced. This video shows a Yukon man tapping a maple tree for sap, and it looks pretty simple and rewarding. If you’ve got maple trees on your property or nearby you, why not give it a try this summer? There’s a separate process for boiling the sap to make the syrup, so I’ll have to find a video on that later this month perhaps. In the meantime, enjoy! Alaskans are some of the most hard-core homesteaders there […]

Simple Steps to Getting Your Homestead Off-Grid

Living on an off-grid homestead is no small matter. It might take years of planning, research and hard work. Hopefully if you do own property you’ve already considered how possible it might be to live off-grid, or if you are shopping around, this is what you’re thinking about long term. “Off-grid” is a catch-all term that largely refers to being off the municipal and/or county energy grids. Having water on your property, either from catchment, a well, or purchased and transported to your property from another private citizen, generating your own electricity, and relying on energy sources such as gas […]

Homesteading on a Budget

Everyone who wants to homestead wants to do so on a budget. In fact, the entire idea of homesteading is about reducing the money you are wasting and reducing your reliance on the modern material world. It doesn’t mean that you are going to live entirely for free and off the grid – although that might be possible for some. It does mean that you can do some things to get started in homesteading without breaking the bank. Here are some tips for you to get started. Sustainability is the key to working with a budget. You want to learn […]

3 Amazing Benefits to Growing Fruit Trees in Containers

I’m normally not a fan of growing food in containers, other than wooden raised beds which I guess are a form of containers. But fruit trees are an exception and one that most people don’t ever consider, probably because they don’t think it’s possible. But it is possible; lemons, oranges, and avocados are three examples of commonly purchased fruit that you can grow at home, and in containers. Here are a few reasons why you might want to consider containers a strategy for growing fruit. Space Space is a factor for a lot of gardeners. And trees are not […]

Farm Chores for Children By Age

It’s so wonderful for children to grow up on a homestead. Fresh air, animals, learning about nature and plants, and also, work ethic! Children are never too young to participate in homestead duties. Here’s a list of ideas for children, by age group, to get involved in farm chores. Hey, they’re another mouth to feed, why not put them to work? Toddlers Toddlers will most likely need to be closely supervised, but they’re often eager to help out and get involved. Some tasks they can do and be involved in are filling up feed buckets or water troughs, throwing scratch […]

Act Now to Garden in the Spring

If you don’t already have a garden, then waiting until the spring isn’t going to help you at all. Even if you pour your time and resources into gardening starting in the spring you won’t be seeing the result until summer, and then it will still be limited. But, if you act now and prepare, you can hit the ground running as spring comes around. Here are some steps that you can take now to get starting growing food next year. Building Beds Especially for those of us that aren’t carpenters and use salvaged material, getting your raised beds […]

How to Make a Horseshoe (Video)

Horseshoes have been around for centuries, and play an integral role in man’s relationship with horses. We still use horses for transportation, herding cattle and other livestock, farm labor, and even companionship, and our relationship with these incredible creatures has played a huge role in modern civilization. Blacksmithing is the ancient technology that has also played a huge role in civilization, and I think it’s very cool that a lot of horseshoes are still made using the very basic, age-old method. Here’s a very cool video of a blacksmith making a horseshoe which gives you an appreciation for the level […]

Building a Natural First Aid Kit

On the homestead, one is subject to bumps, bruises, rashes, and other maladies and injuries. It’s very important to have a well-stocked first aid kit. But what about the homesteader who wants more natural, holistic options for home remedies, rather than simply OTC medicine that might be expensive and hard to stock up on for people who live in the country? Here is a simple list on how to get started restocking your first aid kit. There are so many wonderful DIY natural remedies available these days (thank you, Pinterest!) it can be almost overwhelming to know which natural remedies […]

Harvesting Sugar Cane (Video)

Sugar is a huge part of the American diet, and yet a lot of people don’t even think about how it grows or how it’s harvested. Entire nations and states have had their entire economies centered around sugar, a very valuable commodity that is pretty labor-intensive. These days, big agro sugar cane fields have plenty of industrial equipment to make this labor-intensive crop easier to plant, tend and harvest. I thought this video of harvesting sugar cane on a homestead was pretty cool. I love seeing how things are/were done without big industrial equipment, especially by small homesteaders. Check it […]

Best Animals to Raise for a Homesteader

You want to become truly self-sufficient. Even though you might have a beautiful garden with all the vegetables you need, if you are still buying meat and dairy from the grocery store, you aren’t very self-sufficient at all. In this post, we’ll be looking at some of the best animals for a small homesteader to raise that can do more than just provide meat. Goats Having goats on the property is always a good idea, as even just a single goat can provide you with between two and four quarts of milk each day. The milk can be used to […]

How to Grow Blueberries

Blueberries are a delicious “superfood”. They are full in antioxidants like anthocyanin and offer numerous health benefits. They can get quite costly at the store, especially when they are out of season. But since blueberries are a perennial shrub, there is no reason for you to be spending money over and over again at the store one these “super” fruits. Here’s how to get started. Since blueberries have specific growing requirements, and people often have trouble getting conditions just right for them, they are one of the few crops that I would suggest growing them in containers. They will […]

DIY Starter Containers

Whether or not you grow in containers, it’s nice to start some crops on tables, or even indoors. But for every plant that you end up transplanting into the ground, you could have started 10 or more that never made the cut. That means that if you are going to start crops in containers, you are going to need a lot of starter pots, and can add up quickly. Here are some ways that you can make starter pots from material that you already have and might even be throwing away. Egg Cartons An egg carton can provide a […]

Don’t Be Without These Homemade Cough Drops

I never tire of homemade cold remedies. I got a pretty bad cold this week and really wished I had made some of these delicious homemade cough drops. A nasty cold is particularly awful to have during cold winter months. I will definitely be making more of these to have on hand the next time a cold hits. It’s simple, easy, and way better than your average chemical-filled cough drops. Regular store-bought cough drops often have artificial colorings and flavorings in them. They might be able to soothe your cough but they sure won’t help prevent cancer! Try this simple […]

Growing Vegetables and Herbs Indoors

When the weather gets too cold for you to grow vegetables outdoors, you might want to be adventurous and try growing a few select vegetables and herbs indoors. If you live in an apartment, condominium or townhome without any outdoor space to grow a garden, you can grow some vegetables, herbs and even tropical fruit indoors if you create the proper growing environment. Sufficient light, either natural light from a door or windows or a grow light, is essential for an indoor vegetable garden to thrive naturally. There are some LED grow lights available on amazon.com that also make for […]

Getting the Kids Involved with Homesteading

If you have kids in the modern world, you probably know how quickly and easily they can become attached to electronic devices and the “easy” way of doing things. Of course, you can relate, as you are reading this on the Internet. However, you know how important it is for the kids to strike that balance. They can enjoy modern life, but they also need to learn some important skills that will last them a lifetime. The key to getting them interested with homesteading is to make it interesting for them. You can do this in many ways. Make the […]

Demonstration of Proper Tomato Pruning

Pruning is a great way to control the growth of your plants. It can help you increase yield and reduce disease by focusing your plant’s growth. One crop that pruning is a must for, but often gets neglected is tomatoes. Tomatoes can be difficult to prune because it is not always visually obvious which portions should be targeted for pruning and which should be left alone. This video does a great job of show, and explaining just what to remove and why, complete with close ups. If you liked this, you might also enjoy… Natural Healing Techniques Doctors Don’t […]

Easy Pickled Garlic

Pickling garlic is a great way to preserve it for the winter, or if you don’t grow garlic, to ensure that you always have it on hand. You may have seen minced garlic or even whole garlic cloves in the store, but those typically have lots of preservatives in them or take on the flavor of whatever they’re preserved in. This recipe isn’t like them. This method will keep your garlic tasting fresh, and just like garlic. Since it is preserved in vinegar, when you’re ready to use it, you can simply rinse off the vinegar and use as you […]

Wood Ash for the Garden

Any way that costs can be cut while increasing productivity and health in the garden is a good thing. One way to do just that is to use wood ash in your garden as a fertilizer. Not only does wood ash contain calcium and potassium, along with other nutrients, but an easy-to-obtain byproduct of heating your home with a fireplace, wood stove, or a bonfire to get rid of dead branches and yard waste. All that being said, don’t run out and smother your garden in a layer of ashes, it won’t have the desired result. Here are a […]

How to Make Moonshine (Humorous Infographic)

I saw this infographic on Pinterest recently and couldn’t resist sharing here! Moonshine is such a humorous cultural icon of the South and of “country living”. I wouldn’t actually recommend making moonshine, and you’ll see the infographic has a warning, since it’s most likely illegal to do so where you live and can be quite dangerous. *But purely for entertainment purposes*, as a DIY, fermenting, make-everything-at-home enthusiast, I still think it’s super cool and fascinating to see a breakdown of how moonshine is made. I feel like it’s a big part of our cultural history as a nation in a way. […]

No-Poo for Pets

No-poo for pets might not be what you are thinking it is. It won’t keep you from cleaning out a litter box or picking up after your dog in the yard. But it can help reduce the cost of keeping your pet healthy and reduce toxins in your environment. No-poo (short for “no shampoo”) is basically a way of cleaning off your pets without using shampoo, and in some cases without using water. Here are the supplies you will need and how to get started. Ingredients Baking soda Diatomaceous earth Neem oil Witch Hazel Water Directions The amount you […]