Category: Homesteading

When the winter comes, it can start to feel lonely and overwhelming on the homestead. You have plenty of extra things to think about, worry about, and do to keep the house running properly and to make sure that you and the family stay warm, healthy, and happy through those long winter months. Whether this is your first winter in the home or you have been doing this for years, it can feel oppressive at times, especially when things seem to go wrong. You are a homesteader though, and you can handle anything. Let’s look at some tips that can make winter easier to handle.

What if you have a lock that froze? This is a common problem, and people have tried to figure out ways to deal with the issue for a long time. Some have resorted to plugging in a hair dryer with an extension cord and trying to warm up the lock that way. Fortunately, there is an easier and faster way. You can use a lighter to heat the key and then insert the key into the lock. This will melt the ice. It might take some time, but it will work.

You do not want to get your vehicle snowed in and unable to move. You can keep some sand or kitty litter handy to sprinkle under the tires to help provide some additional traction. Another good option is to have some extra car mats. You can place these under the tires to get that extra tractions, too.

The winter feels a lot nicer when you are able to keep warm. Wear warm clothing. Put some plastic sandwich bags over your socks before putting them into boots. This will help to waterproof them. Also, have plenty of hot chocolate on hand for those days when it just feels too cold out to do much of anything. You can get through the winter no matter how cold it gets.

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If you’re not yet homesteading and would like to be more prepared for survival situations, you naturally want to have a bug out location ready just in case something happens. However, not just any spot will do. If the world starts to go south, you need to have a good and secure location that you can retreat to and where you will be able to survive for as long as needed.

You have to put in some thought when it comes to choosing the location. You have to think about the security of that location for starters. How easy is it for other people – people you would not want to be at the spot – to get there and find the location? How easily defendable is the location?

In addition, you have to think about the survivability aspect of that location. Even though you might have a lot of food and water stored right now, if you have to survive for a long time, the supplies will dwindle. Is it an area where you will be able to hunt and fish? Will you be able to start and maintain a garden? What is the weather like? You need to consider all of these different things when it comes to your bug out location.

Look at the pros and the cons of the different areas you are considering. When you do this, you also have to think about the distance from your current location to the bug out location. Will you need to drive there? Will you be able to walk and hike there? You need to know how long it will take both ways. Even if you think you will be driving, you have to prepare for the worst and that means hiking into the location. Understand how long it is going to take and whether it is feasible.

Do not make a rush judgment when it comes to choosing your spot. Take the time to find the best place for you and your loved ones so you can remain safe.

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When you are a homesteader, you likely have livestock. One of the most common types of livestock to keep is chickens. You can use them for their eggs, as well as their meat, if needed. Building or buying a chicken coop and raising chickens is relatively easy if you put in some time and effort to learn more about what you are doing. One of the most important aspects of keeping your chickens nice and healthy though is to keep the chicken coop clean. A dirty coop will lead to disease and other problems with your chickens.

Fortunately, keeping your coop clean is easy. Just make sure you clean out the coop regularly. Of course, if you notice that the coop is dirty before you are scheduled to clean it, make the cleaning a priority.

Steps to Keeping the Coop Clean

When your chickens are out in the yard, head into the coop with a shovel and scrape the floor to remove the manure, shavings, dirt, feathers and anything else that might have accumulated in the coop. This can take some hard work and elbow grease if you haven’t been diligent about keeping the coop clean at least once a week.

Once you have cleaned out the main part of the mess and disposed of it, you will then wash it. Using a hose is easiest. Spray down the walls, roosts, and the floor to remove any manure that might still be on the floor. This will also help the dust to settle in the coop. Then, you will want to take a shovel and scrape the coop again, just to make sure you have everything removed.

Next, mix water and vinegar in a bucket (in equal parts). You can pour some of the mixture onto the floor and then us a push broom to scrub the coop clean. Once you have finished, you will want to rinse it again with water and then allow it to dry thoroughly. Open up the door and any windows you might have in the coop. Ventilation is always important, as it can help the coop to have a fresher feeling, which is beneficial for the chickens.

Once everything is perfectly dry, you can then add some new bedding for the chickens. When you are adding the bedding, consider adding some herbs to provide a better, fresher scent in the bedding. Mint can work well, and it does a good job of keeping away pests. The scents from the herbs will make the coop smell better, too. You can also add rose petals for much the same effect. The chickens will also be happy to eat these, as well as the herbs.

Check the bedding at least once a week. If it appears damp or soiled, make sure you change it. Then, maybe two times per month, you can give it a full cleaning. Again, how often you need to clean it fully will depend on the condition of the coop. Keep these tips in mind, and your chickens will remain happy and healthy.

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This video demonstrates and explains how you can make a powerful winch from only a rope and two strong cuts of wood.  This can be used to remove a stump as the video shows, free a stuck vehicle, or assist in safely felling a tree in a direction you choose.  The technique is easiest with two people, so that someone is holding each piece of wood at all times for safety, but you can also use two stakes if you are by yourself.  The stakes should be placed in-line, perpendicular to the object being moved, and on the side of the anchor object, this will prevent the wooden levers from moving as the tension grows.

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