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7 More High Tech Tools and Tricks for Modern Homesteading

Modern homesteaders can take advantage of a number of different high tech tricks and tools in order to make their lives easier. Technology has changed quite a bit since the original homesteaders claimed parcels of land back in the 1800s. Just because you’re trying to recreate that lifestyle, doesn’t mean that you need to utilize their old technology, like pot-bellied coal stoves and outdoor bathrooms. Instead, use these seven tools in order to make your modern homestead run much more smoothly. You’ll be glad that you did! 1) 3D Printers When something breaks, it can be hard to run out […]

6 Natural Ways to Rid Bugs from Your Kitchen

BUGS…No matter how hard you try, you’ll probably find a few of them in your kitchen. They sneak in through tiny cracks in your walls, foundation, and may even hitch a ride in on someone’s shoes. Thankfully, once they’re in, you have several methods of getting rid of them that don’t require the use of pesticides. After all, you don’t want those harmful chemicals in your kitchen. 1) Put a Basil Plant on Your Kitchen Counter Basil smells great. Many people find that its aroma adds a little something to air quality in their homes. It’s also a great additive […]

Urban Homesteading Alternatives

You don’t need to live on a farm or even in the country in order to be a homesteader. In fact, even people who reside in the suburbs or even the city can homestead in their own ways. Homesteading generally means using the land to provide for yourself and your family in one way or another. You can get a little creative with this and find ways to make it work no matter where you live, even if all that you have is a small apartment. Here are some great suggestions that you can utilize. Build off of them and […]

7 High Tech Tools and Tricks for Modern Homesteading

Homesteading is the basic art of living off of the land. Homesteaders get their inspiration from the settlers who moved out west during the 1800s. They had to do things themselves because there were no cities, town, or even villages yet. Everything had to be transported out there by the homesteaders, from the livestock that they raised to the plant seeds that they used to grow food. Thankfully, some things have changed over the centuries, and modern homesteaders are no longer limited by the constraints of the past. There are plenty of high tech tools that they can take advantage […]

7 Viable Solutions for off Grid Water Systems

Off-grid water systems tend to come with a few headaches. Yes, you have the option of not needing to pay for (or pay as much for, depending on your location) for city water. You also have more control over what the water contains. This last point is important to people who are concerned about added chemicals in their water. However, in order for your off-grid system to be successful, you need to find a few solutions. Seven good ones are listed here. 1) Reclaim Your Rain Rain barrels are a very popular option. You just need the barrels, a good […]

Why Do You Need a Greenhouse and Things to Look for

Many avid gardeners have considered putting a greenhouse in their yards. There’s just something about having the ability to grow tropical and warm-weather loving plants year-round that really appeals to them. If you’re one of these people, then you need to read this primer about greenhouses. It contains just about everything that you need to know about them. What Is A Greenhouse? Let’s start by defining exactly what a greenhouse is. These are structures of various sizes that have clear walls and roofs. Some of the fancier greenhouses have glass walls, although you can use clear, plastic polycarbonate sheeting as […]

Protecting Your Plants from Frost and Freeze

Cold temperatures are not good for the plants in your garden. Many of them need air temperatures that are above 32 degrees Fahrenheit in order to survive unprotected. While others, such as pine trees and evergreen bushes, might be fine, you’ll have to take some steps to ensure that everything else in your garden (except for your annuals, of course) will survive the winter. Types of Plants The first step involves determining which types of plants that you have. This way, you’ll know whether you need to protect them or just let them go. For example, if you have annuals, […]

Do Houseplants Need Different Care in the Winter?

Many people believe that their houseplants need the same type of care year-round. After all, they’re in an identical environment – the interior of your house – no matter what season it is. However, the opposite is true. These plants are also affected by the seasons, even though they’re not outdoors, so you need to change how you care for them. Watch Out for Low Humidity It’s perfectly normal for the air inside your house to become drier in the winter. Your furnace is to blame for this. You probably notice some signs of this, such as waking up to […]

7 Clever Uses for Cheesecloth

How much do you know about cheesecloth? This porous cloth was initially designed to help cheesemakers squeeze the liquid out of cheese curds, hence its name. However, it has a number of other uses as well – many of which you probably never considered. Here are seven of these incredibly clever uses for cheesecloth. You’ll want to keep some in your home after reading them. 1) Polishing Your Silver All that you need in order to make your silver shine is a little silver polish, some water, and a piece of cheesecloth. The steps are very easy. Start by […]

5 Simple (Yet Crucial) Guidelines of Winter Survival

Spending some time in the woods in the wintertime, either voluntarily or because you wound up getting stuck out there, is no joke. You need to be able to take care of yourself, which means meeting all of your basic needs, lest you end up starving or freezing to death. Before the cold weather sets in for good, take the time to review these five guidelines of winter survival. Are you prepared? 1) Stay in One Place If you’re waiting for a rescue after being stranded out in the cold for days, then you need to stay in one place. […]

Mold is Growing in Your Home RIGHT NOW…But Where?

If you’re sitting in your house sneezing, coughing, and dealing with skin, eye, and throat irritations, there is most likely mold present somewhere. People that are suffering from asthma or allergies know precisely how damaging mold can be to their health. Those with a healthy system aren’t going to notice mold growing somewhere quite as quickly. While you can’t control the mold you come in contact with outside of your home, it is possible to contain and eliminate it from your house. Start by checking some of the most common places where it gets found. What is Mold and Why […]

15 Things That Will Help Conserve Your Home Energy

In America, each person produces around 40,000 pounds of C02 emission each year. Those emissions are what contribute to the Earth’s global warming issue. Those pollutants can be decreased easily with a plethora of simple energy saving switches you can make in your life. Along with reducing the amount of oil, natural gas, and fossil fuels you are using, you also have the potential to save some real money. Altering your methods for energy use doesn’t mean that you’ll be going without the existing conveniences you have either. It just says that you’re doing so with a little bit more […]

How to Check for Bed Bugs

It seems as though bed bugs are everywhere anymore. Thanks to the media and the internet, people are more capable of sharing their experiences in hotels, cruise ships, trains, and planes when it comes to the little critters showing up. Just one pregnant bed bug coming home with you can lead to a complete infestation in your home in a few days or weeks. The first thing you should do when returning from a vacation or after bringing a piece of furniture into your home is looking for bed bugs. You have to know where and what to watch for […]

10 Substitutes for Baking Powder

Baking powder is a widely used ingredient that makes your baked goods lighter and fluffier. The problem is, you might not always have it available to you. Instead of skipping the recipe altogether, discover some great substitutes that can be used in its place. Baking Powder Defined The composition of baking powder is sodium bicarbonate. It is known in the world of chemistry as a base that gets paired with an acid like cream of tartar or filler such as cornstarch. The leavening agent is used commonly in a variety of baking recipes. When the baking soda is mixed with […]

8 Powerful Uses for Limestone

As one of the most versatile materials on the Earth, there are a plethora of uses and benefits of limestone. It can be utilized for a vast number of activities from fertilizing lawns to whitening teeth. Discover more on how limestone works to benefit your livelihood. Gardening and Farming Limestone has the capability of adjusting the acid levels in the soil to produce conditions that are ideal for growing crops on both the larger agricultural scale and in smaller home gardens. Plants, vegetables, and other crops are protected from nutrients in the ground that could potentially become toxic from nutrients […]

3 Tips to Outsmart Backyard Critters

No matter where you live, you’re probably familiar with backyard critters. These squirrels, skunks, raccoons, and more tend to invade yards in both the city and the country. There’s nothing worse than having to defend your yard from these invasive pests, especially when you catch them trying to eat the crops growing in your garden. Thankfully, there are a few different ways to outsmart them! Stop Attracting Them Outdoor critters want three things: shelter, food, and water. If you have even one of these three things in your yard, you’ll attract some unwanted pests. The shelter could be anything from […]

7 Great Fence Alternatives for Your Yard

Improved landscaping, privacy, and security are common reasons why people install fencing in their yards. You don’t have to necessarily use a traditional fence to produce the same effect with the many different alternatives out there. There are several that are environmentally friendly that also look beautiful. Check out seven different options that you have to choose from when it comes to creating a perimeter around your yard. 1. Brushwood Brushwood is a natural material that you can make yourself or buy from your local lumberyard. When you’re looking to make a barrier, but you want it to look natural, […]

11 Little-Known Green Alternatives to Concrete

What have you found out there for a building material that is more solid and long-lasting than concrete? It’s what holds together and constructs pretty much everything around you. Sidewalks, apartment buildings, bridges, roads, viaducts, and all other modern urban life necessities are built with the man-made compound. The problem is, there are vast amounts of C02 emissions that are sent into the air every year during the production of the commercial concrete that contributes to the climate change issues that we’re dealing with. Thankfully, there have been other building materials discovered that have less of an impact on the […]

9 Useful Items You Can Find at a Dollar Store

The dollar store is more than a place filled with cheap trinkets and toys. It also has plenty of useful items that many homesteaders will find handy. On top of that, everything at the dollar store is affordable. Depending on which one you go to, you might find that everything is a dollar – or at the most, a few dollars. Whether you’re on a budget or just want to save money, these stores are the best places to go for some basic items. Cheesecloth Cheesecloth is useful in the kitchen, as it helps you strain things like cheese. If […]

Simple Pig Weighing Hack

Did you know that it’s entirely possible to figure out how much your pig weighs without putting it on a scale? Instead, you can use a number of things that you probably have lying around your house to figure out your pigs weight. A few quick measurements and calculations are all that it takes. This is much easier than trying to hoist your pig onto a scale. We’ll cover this useful pig weighing hack and some additional information here. Why Do You Need To Know How Much Your Pig Weighs? If you’ve been trying to determine when your pig is […]