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Homesteading – Page 30 – Homesteader Depot

Homesteader Depot

Category: Homesteading

  • Pros and Cons of Birds on a Homestead

    Pros and Cons of Birds on a Homestead

    Birds live everywhere, even in the middle of thickly populated urban areas birds build nests, hunt and scavenge for food, and raise their young.

    So of course, there’s plenty of avian wildlife on any homestead, but are they a blessing, or a curse? Well, there’s a little bit of both. Here are some of the pros and cons:

    Cons

    Birds can definitely have a lot of cons for the busy homesteaders. As you grow your food, they’re also going to be looking for it on every inch of your homestead, and odds are, they’ll have their eye on your food.

    Birds in the garden can be quite a pain, after all, scarecrows are more than just popular child’s book characters! Farmers have long tried to think up clever ways of keeping scavenging birds out of crops, and if you are gardening, you’re likely to be faced with the task of protecting veggies from hungry birds at some point.

    They can also pose a risk to free range chicks, especially large broods where two or three stragglers might get left behind if their mother moves on to the next patch. They might try to steal their food and peck them in the process.

    And all chickens, adults and babies alike, are at risk of getting swooped up by predatory birds, as can any other small animals like rabbits without enough protection in their enclosure.

    There is also the messy issue of droppings. With a large bird population on your homestead, you might find them congregating on your structures, fences, or equipment, and accumulating quite a bit of droppings, that can be a drag to clean regularly, and can stain and even cause paint to peel or metal to rust if not cleaned regularly.

    Pros

    Fortunately, despite the handful of downsides lots of birds can have on a homestead, there are just as many, if not more, benefits.

    Birds are an important part of the ecosystem over all, so even if there are issues they might cause for you, they’ll contribute to your homestead culture as well.

    Birds are actually very helpful in keeping some bugs out of your garden, and eating many other insects as well. They also contribute to pollination, and even eat the seeds of many common weeds.

    Watching their behavior, such as mating or migratory patterns can also tell you a lot about the natural seasonal changes and eco-system in your area, and it’s a great educational experience for kids as well to learn about the natural habitat of your homestead.

     

    Birds might be a pain sometimes, but they’re definitely your friends. There’s lots of options out there for ways to keep them out of your garden or off your things, and you can make them feel welcome in other areas by providing bird baths and bird feeders for them. Appreciate your avian friends, they’re certainly your ally on the homestead.

     

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  • 20 Ways to Control Your Pests Without Spraying Anything (Video)

    20 Ways to Control Your Pests Without Spraying Anything (Video)

    One of the principal reasons to go organic when it comes to your garden is to avoid toxic chemicals. However, there’s a reason cheap pesticides are appealing to so many farmers: pests are a real pain, and can destroy your whole crop, even your whole garden.

    So, you’ll need to find some natural alternatives to pesticides, and fortunately, there’s many very effective, 100% safe solutions for pest problems in the garden. This video, from an excellent organic gardening YouTube channel, has 20 suggestions for how to keep your garden pest-free.

    You don’t have to sacrifice pest control for the sake of being healthier, you can keep your garden safe from bugs and critters with any one of these 20 great ideas!

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  • How to Be Prepared for a Power Outage

    How to Be Prepared for a Power Outage

    What happens when you suffer a power outage? A couple of things could happen. You need to wait until the repairs are made and the electric company takes care of things to get the power restored, or you could get the generator going if you have one. Whether you are out in the middle of nowhere on your homestead and are dealing with generator issues, or you are homesteading in the suburbs, you should have some ideas of how to make the power outage as easy to handle as possible.

    A Light Source

    When the sun goes down, you need to have a way to see where you are going and what you are doing in the house, as well as outside. Just because the power is out does not mean you can neglect some of your nightly chores, such as checking on the animals outside, for example. While candles are a tried and true method for lighting the inside of the home, you might want to invest in some solar lanterns. These are a safe light source that can be taken indoors or outdoors.

    Learn to Cook on a Woodstove and an Open Fire

    If you have an electric stove, you are not going to be able to use it during a power outage. If you have gas, you should be okay. However, it is generally a good idea to learn how to cook on a woodstove, if you have one, as well as an open fire, just in case the need arises.

    Emergency Supplies

    Make sure you have a stockpile of emergency supplies, and know where they are and how to access them during a power outage. Always have more than you think you will need, just to be on the safe side, and be sure to replenish the items you use after the power returns.

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  • How to Catch and Use Rainwater

    How to Catch and Use Rainwater

    To make sure that you always have the water you need for your garden and for other uses around the home, you will want to learn how to capture and make use of rainwater. Fortunately, the process is very simple. If you want to catch rainwater, the easiest way to do this is to utilize rain barrels. You can find these barrels online, and most of the 50-gallon options are under $100. In a pinch, you could use just about any barrel or container, if you are sure it will not leak, for the collection of water.

    You can set up the barrel so that it catches the rain that comes from your gutters and downspouts. You can also use tarps and create a guide that will funnel the water into the barrel. Even though rainwater tends to be relatively clean, you will still need to filter the water and make it potable if you hope to drink it.

    You can store the water and then use it for the garden during those times when it does not rain as much. This way, you are not wasting water that you need elsewhere. In addition, you can drink the water if needed. You will want to make it safe to drink, though. One of the easiest ways to do this is to boil the water, as it can kill the germs and bacteria it might contain.

    Other ways that you can use the water you store include cleaning and washing, providing water for livestock, and more. Just make sure you do not leave standing water uncovered and accessible. It has the potential to become a breeding ground for mosquitos, which can carry disease.

    If you do not already have containers to catch water when it rains, get them now. Even if you are living in the suburbs, you will find that saving some water that you can use for your plants and garden will help to cut your water bills.

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  • How to Make Your Own Seed Tape

    How to Make Your Own Seed Tape

    Continuing in the theme of spring from our last few posts, let’s talk about seed tape today, and how easy it is to make your own!

    Seed tape is a great way to easily plant your first spring crops, because you can guarantee proper placement and spreading of the seeds, as well as greatly reduce your time spent planting.

    Not to mention, the tape itself helps germination, by keeping the seeds protected and moist.

    Here is a very simple tutorial for how to make your own seed tape, that will certainly save you time and money. It only takes a few basic supplies, that are usually easy to find at any grocery store. Let’s get started so you can get planting!

    What you need: 

    • White party streamers
    • Measuring tape
    • Thin-tipped marker
    • Seeds you plan on planting
    • 1 tbs cornstarch
    • 1 cup water
    • 1 small paintbrush

    Directions

    1. In a small saucepan, combine the cornstarch with one cup of water, and mix well.
    2. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it becomes thick and gel-like.
    3. Once it has a gel-like consistency, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
    4. As your cornstarch “glue” is cooling, cut your streamers into the length you’d like your rows to be.
    5. Using your marker and ruler, and referring to the seed packets, mark the points on the streamer you’d like to put your seeds. So, for example, if you are planting kale seeds that need to be 2″ apart from each other, make a hash mark on every 2″ on your streamer.
    6. One the glue is cooled, using your paintbrush, dab some on the streamer at each hashmark, and stick the seed to this, completing with another dab of glue if needed. Repeat until you’ve completed the whole length of the streamer.
    7. When you’re finished, paint a thin strip of glue along one side of the streamer, so you can roll it in on itself, making a long tube to plant.
    8. Once the glue has dried completely, it’s ready to be rolled up and stored or planted.

    That’s it! Happy planting 🙂

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  • The Good and Bad of Snakes on the Homestead

    The Good and Bad of Snakes on the Homestead

    How do you feel about snakes? Many people have a fear of snakes, and for some people, it goes beyond just a healthy respect for the creatures and turns into full-blown hysterical fear. So, what should you do if you happen to see snakes on the farm or around your homestead? Are they good or are they bad? As you will find with most things in life, there are good and bad elements to them, but in most cases, they tend to provide some benefits to the homesteader.

    The Pros and Cons

    If you see a nonvenomous snake on your property, it doesn’t mean you need to pick up and move! Many types of snakes tend to eat rodents, and some will also eat other snakes. Certain species may also eat birds and eggs, which means you will want to make sure your chickens are fully protected. Since most of the snakes have a diet of rodents, they can help to keep your stores and your crops safe from those pesky little critters.

    If you do not know much about snakes, it is a good idea to look up the species commonly found in your area, and learn to identify them. When you see a snake, and are not sure of the species, do not approach it. Take a picture and ask someone what type it is. You will find that the nonvenomous snakes tend to be more of a boon than a problem, and you might just want to let them be.

    Of course, if you have venomous snakes, such as water moccasins and rattlesnakes, that are on your property, you need to take steps to have them removed. You do not want them to injure or kill your livestock, or you! The other snakes though, the non-venomous variety, can be a bonus. So long as they aren’t inside your home, you should not have any problems. Give them their space, and they will give you yours. Always be careful.

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  • Composting Chicken House (Video)

    Composting Chicken House (Video)

    When it comes to homesteading, I think the more (proverbial) birds you can kill with one stone, the better. After all, that’s a huge part of what homesteading is all about: creating your own little self-sufficient system.

    This plan for a composting chicken house is awesome. It’s well-known that chickens can be easily put to work both by contributing to a compost pile or soil amendment with their nitrogen-rich droppings, or by being let loose on a compost pile to unwittingly turn it for you as they scrape and hunt all the delicious little bugs.

    But these folks in Guatemala have created a chicken coop that closes that system a bit, by putting the compost system right in the chicken coop. The idea is that the chicken coop is it’s own little ecosystem, which I love. Ignore the inexplicably goofy hairstyle of the narrator; he’s clearly so distracted by his passion for composting chickens he didn’t have time to look in the mirror before they recorded the video.

    Check it out!

     

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  • 6 Crops You Can Plant Outside in Early Spring

    6 Crops You Can Plant Outside in Early Spring

    I keep saying “spring is right around the corner” so forgive me, I’m just excited to get gardening again! As I prepare my own spring garden by starting seeds indoors, I have also been planning to start a few crops outdoors.

    I really prefer direct sowing for many reasons, while starting seeds indoors will give you that leg up to start your spring garden, and is great in many ways, direct sowing is easier, of course, and a lot of plants prefer not to be transplanted. I think it’s a really good idea to try both this year, especially if you’re a relatively new gardener, to get a feel for what’s easiest for you and which plants tolerate transplanting in your climate, and which do not.

    If you’d like to try some direct sowing this year and are eager to get started, as I certainly am, here are some crops you can start indoors while it’s still cold out.

    Radishes

    Radishes are a great crop to grow for so many reasons, and among those reasons is that you can start them early in the spring! They are cold tolerant and grow quickly, so you’ll be harvesting fresh, delicious radishes before you know it.

    You can direct sow radishes according to the seed packet instructions between 4 and 6 weeks before the last frost in your region. Make sure to choose an area with full sun, and to thin them a week or so after they’ve sprouted.

    You can also sow continuously, meaning, two weeks after your first planting, you can direct sow more seeds  in your radish patch, and every two weeks for the next six weeks, to have a longer, continuous harvest.

    Lettuce 

    Lettuce is another cold tolerant plant that you’ll probably be happy to harvest as soon as you can. What better reason to garden then to have fresh salads throughout the spring and summer, right?

    Since the delicate leaves of lettuce are still vulnerable to frost, you will probably want to plant these under cold frames if you anticipate more frost or snow in your area. If temperatures in your cold frame are between 45 and 65 degrees, you can direct sow lettuce in well-tilled soil.

    If temperatures in your cold frame are between 45 and 65 degrees, you can direct sow lettuce in well-tilled soil (this is important). Plant either rows or broadcast your seeds in a patch, cover lightly with a very thin layer of soil, and then thin out according to the seed packet once the seedlings are over 3″ tall.

     

    You can sow lettuce continuously as well, if you’d like a steady harvest through the spring and summer.

    Carrots

    Carrots are not ideal for transplanting, so you’ll definitely want to direct sow them. Fortunately, they can tolerate some cold, so they’re a great choice for an early spring garden.

    Like lettuce, these also need very well-tilled soil, as the roots will need plenty of room to expand for nice, big carrots. Make sure to remove any rocks, too.

    Direct sow according to the packet instruction, leaving the recommended space around them (again, carrots need plenty of room!) around 4 weeks before the last frost in your region.

    Thin your carrot seedlings back when they’re about 1″ tall, and fertilize with well-composted compost about 5 weeks after they sprout.

     

    Beets 

    I don’t know about you but I’m starting to get hungry thinking about all these delicious vegetables (did I mention I’m eager to start my garden?). Beets are both delicious and can be planted early in the year.

    While beets need a soil temperature of at least 50 degrees to germinate, in a cold frame, they can surive both frost and temps as low as 32 degrees, so they’re ideal to put in that cold frame along with your lettuce if you have thawed-out soil.

    Plant them according to the packet instructions, and thin when they’re at least 4″ tall. However, when you thin back, just clip off the tops of the seedlings you’d like to remove, otherwise, you risk disturbing those you plan to let grow.

    Make sure they get plenty of water as they’re growing, beets are very thirsty plants. Keep them mulched as well; this will not only retain moisture, it will keep the soil warm in the cold months.

    You can continiously plant your beets as well, every two weeks until temperatures regularly exceed 70 degrees.

    Cabbage

    Cabbage is not only cold tolerant, it actually prefers it! This is an excellent option for an early garden, because not only will it grow, but you might miss your chance to grow cabbage if you wait too long!

    You can plant cabbage as soon as the soil is warm enough to use, or 4 weeks before the last frost.

    Kale

    Kale is another plant that, like cabbage, actually prefers the cold. It is commonly said that kale actually tastes better if it’s been through a frost! I’m not sure why this is, but many gardeners agree.

    Plant kale according to the packet instructions as soon as your soil is warm enough, and mist regularly. These take a bit longer to germinate, so just make sure to keep your soil consistently moist in this time. Once the seedlings are about 4″ tall, thin back using trimmers.

    One great thing about kale is that if you start harvesting the outer leaves, the plant will keep growing, and actually be far less bitter. It’s amazing how long a well-tended kale plant will last, so this is yet another reason why kale is an excellent option for an early spring garden.

     

    Well, I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to get out there and get my hands dirty. Plant some of these crops today and you’ll be enjoying a bounty in a few months! Happy gardening.

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