Snakes get a bad reputation, and that’s unfortunate. Too often, people kill them as soon as they see them. Many types of snakes are entirely harmless to humans, but they can be very good for your garden. In fact, garter snakes, rat snakes, and a number of species can be very beneficial. Let’s look at … Read more
Vanilla and mint extracts are great to have on hand for baking and cooking, especially with the holidays coming up. And what might be especially good news to gardeners with lots of mint to spare, you can actually make your own extracts very easily at home! For mint extract, either peppermint or spearmint, all it … Read more
Adding vertical support to your garden can be a great way to maximize space and allow crawling and vining plants to do what they do best. This handy infographic breaks down the types of vertical support and which plants they are best suited for. It was originally published on FamilyFoodGarden.com, along with some gorgeous photographs … Read more
Simple, homemade herb-infused oils are a very easy, affordable and healthy way to use herbs in your garden for topical use or to add flavor to your cooking. Whether you simply want a fragrant, herbal oil to use as a moisturizer, or you’d like to harness the healing power of your medicinal herbs, it’s a … Read more
You don’t have to have your own cow to make butter at home, although of course it helps. There’s nothing like fresh, homemade butter from your own dairy cow to make you feel like the ultimate self-reliant homesteader. But even urban homesteaders can easily whip (literally) up their own batch of delicious homemade butter with … Read more
Quail have been growing in popularity in recent years, but they’ve been favorites of north American farmers and hunters alike for centuries. Theses small birds offer delicious meat, but it’s their incredibly nutritious eggs that most people are after. Despite being smaller than chicken eggs, quail eggs have three to five times the amount of … Read more
Everyone goes nuts this time of year for Starbucks’ famous pumpkin spice lattes, and pumpkin spice products in general are very popular. If you’re a homesteader, however, you’re probably more preoccupied with what to do with all your pumpkin! Pumpkin vines can be very productive and you end up with more pumpkin than you know … Read more
Country dogs are by far the happiest dogs. Dogs take pride in protecting your other animals and maybe even helping to herd them. They will take their status as guard and protector seriously, and if you’ve got small animals that wild prey would very much like to eat, like rabbits or chickens, dogs will surely … Read more