Homesteader Depot

Blog

Should You Be a Beekeeper? 3 Questions to Ask First

All over the world, people are worried about honeybee populations. Declining bee populations mean a decline in pollination, as well as a decrease in food supplies for birds. Basically, if bees disappear, we’ll be in a lot more environmental trouble than you might think. As a result, homesteaders everywhere are helping their local bee populations out by becoming beekeepers, but should you do the same? There are a few questions you should ask before you commit to home beekeeping.

Is One of Your Family Members Allergic to Bees?

First, if anyone in your family is allergic to bees, then the risk of keeping bees is probably too high. Unless you have a never-ending supply of epinephrine injections, then you might want to leave beekeeping to other homesteaders. After all, you can still trade vegetables, herbs, crafts, and other items for honey if someone nearby has a bee colony.

Do You Have a Reliable Water Source?

Bees drink a surprising amount of water while they go about their work making honey and building their hives – up to a liter a day! If you have a natural source of water that they can use, you’ll be in good shape to start a colony. If water is tight, you might want to reconsider.

Are There Nearby Nectar Sources?

You might think, “Well, I have an entire garden right here!” Believe it or not, your garden probably won’t provide enough nectar for your bees. Fortunately, if you live in a wooded area with a lot of wild flora within about three to five miles of your home, you’ll have plenty of nectar sources around, including your garden.

These are the most important questions to ask yourself before starting a bee colony. Finding out the answers could help you determine whether or not you’re a good candidate to be your area’s local beekeeper.

If you liked that, you might also like:

Learn How To SUPERCHARGE your garden or farm…

Click Here To Get The Best Survival Medical Course…

Check Out These Mind Blowing Survival Skills…

August 6, 2016
4 Healthy DIY Alternatives to Soda
Soda is delicious, refreshing and, unfortunately, really, really bad for you. A single can of soda contains roughly ten tablespoons of sugar, not to mention extra high fructose corn syrup, or, if you’re opting for diet soda, harmful aspartame, which has been linked to cancer in rats and is even commonly recommended that pregnant women avoid for its increased risk of birth defects or miscarriage. Soda also contains phosphoric acid, sodium, and is normally made with the lowest-quality tap water available. All these nasty ingredients greatly increase your risk of diabetes, cancer, chronic dehydration and high blood pressure, as well as tooth decay, osteoporosis and bone softening.

Unfortunately, soda, especially diet soda, can be terribly addictive. The good news is that there’s a few great alternatives to help you kick the habit-all with wonderful health benefits, that are affordable and easy to make at home! Here they are:
1. Ice tea: probably the simplest on this list, ice tea is a breeze to make at home and can satisfy your desire for a cool, refreshing and tasty beverage. All you need to do is brew your tea of choice like you would normally, but with about 1/3 the hot water you would normally use. If you want to make a pitcher, throw three or four tea bags in there and brew. Then fill with cold water and ice and you’re done! Choosing a simple green or herbal tea, without added ingredients like soy lecithin or natural flavor, is the best option for a delicious and healthy alternative to soda
2. Infused water: it’s very simple to make delicious and super healthy infused water at home. You can buy a special bottle or pitcher just for infusing, but you don’t have to. Infused water is essentially soaking fruits or herbs in water for a boosted nutritional content and delicious flavor. Popular options are lemon, lime, cucumber, mint, and berries. Even just a few slices of lemon in a pitcher of cold water is guaranteed to have you forgetting about soda in no time.
3. Sparkling water: sparkling water, which is very popular in Europe and Latin America, is a great alternative to soda and, if it’s the carbonation you really like, will satisfy the craving very well. Just make sure to opt for brands that don’t have added artificial flavors or sweeteners-a great option is to buy plane sparking water and infuse as mentioned above
4. Kombucha and water kefir: these require a bit more to get started than the other options on this list, but they’re by far the most nutritious. Naturally fermented probiotics, you can brew kombucha or water kefir right on your counter top by purchasing either a kombucha “scoby” or water kefir “grains”, which you feed a diet of black tea and/or sugar. In the cases of both these beverages, as they are brewed the kombucha or kefir organisms consume the caffeine and sugar and convert them to a healthy, fizzy, delicious probiotic drink. This is also a great option if you’d like to scale back on beer or wine as well, as they have a similar strong flavor as beer and wine but without the high alcohol content.
If you liked that, you might also like:

Learn How To SUPER-CHARGE your garden or farm…

Click Here To Get The Best Survival Medical Course…

Check Out These Mind Blowing Survival Skills…
August 6, 2016
Skills to Build While You Wish You Could Homestead
Whether you’re stuck in a cramped apartment in the city or living in a suburban starter home while you save up to buy land, there’s no reason you can’t start building your homesteader skills now, as you dream of more self-reliant times ahead. You can check out our guide to how to homestead in a city if you can’t wait to free yourself from the grid, and also start developing the following skills to be ready when the time comes to fully escape the plugged in life:
1. Bake your own bread: We tend to take our packaged, fluffy white supermarket loaves for granted, but there is nothing as delicious or satisfying as freshly baked homemade bread. It’s not too difficult to master, and doesn’t require anything more than what you can buy from said supermarket. And in addition to delicious bread, it will provide you with more of a sense of control over what goes into your food and a whole lot of respect for homesteaders of yore-who grew, milled and baked to get their daily bread.
1. Pickling and Canning: There’s no reason you need to be growing your own crops to start preserving food. It’s always good to have a nice supply of foods that don’t need to be refrigerated, and really rewarding to make them yourself. Pickling is great because pickled and fermented foods are actually an amazing source of probiotics, and canning your own food is a great way to take advantage of marked-down produce at the supermarket as well as a healthy alternative to most GMO, BPA, toxin-ridden store-bought canned products.
  Check out: 7 Steps for Easy Canning
1. Render tallow and lard: Mostly a forgotten homesteading art, rendering tallow and lard can be both greatly rewarding and cost-effective. Using often-times free scraps from butcher shops, or, if you’re lucky enough to know a hunter or farmer, the remains of a deer or cow after butchering, tallow and lard can be used in place of conventional oil or store-bought butter and tend to be far more delicious and nutritious.
1. Make your own soap: The cost-effectiveness of making one’s own soap is probably the best reason to try it-but, like making your own bread or canned products, also gives you a sense of control over what is going in your soap and knowing it’s safe. If you can get over the fear of working with lye, soap-making can be a blast, and odds are you won’t go back after you’ve tried it. Just make sure to follow basic safety precautions and you’ll be making all your family members homemade vanilla-lavender-coconut suds in no time!
  Check out: 5 Step DIY Soap
1. Butcher a chicken: OK, so odds are, if you live in the city or suburbs, you probably don’t have access to a live chicken, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start practicing butchering now. Most supermarkets and butchers sell whole chicken, and they’re always much cheaper than chicken cuts. It’s a great way to whet your pallet for butchering, and you can use the giblets for gravy and bones for tallow-learning how to use the whole animal will give you a great taste for proper homesteading!
If you liked that, you might also like:

Advanced Gardening Course To Accelerate Your Food Production…

Survival Medicine & Wilderness Survival…

Survival Techniques From Long Ago, Re-purposed For The Modern Era…
August 5, 2016
5 Easy Plants for Kids to Grow

Teaching children to garden is one of the best lessons they could possibly learn. And the younger, the better! There are so many benefits to getting them out in the garden with you: sunshine, fresh air, exercise, bonding time away from distracting devices and the basic essential skill of growing one’s own food.

To guarantee a young child’s interest in gardening, it’s good to plan on some crops that will be sure to grow and be productive. Below is a list of some of the easiest and best plants for kids to grow to initiate them into the wide and wonderful world of gardening:

Sunflowers: Most kids love sunflowers, with their bright bold bloom and the way they track the sun throughout the day. These very visually-striking and low-maintenance flowers are an excellent option for kids, with the added bonus of seeds to harvest once they’re dry.

Peas: Peas tend to be a staple of most small children’s diets so it’s a delight for them to watch them grow in the garden, and shelling peas is a classic homestead chore for younger children. Peas also tend to be quick and easy to grow, so they’re a very fun addition to the garden for little ones.

Strawberries: Who doesn’t love strawberries? Most kids certainly can’t get enough, and they’re a really fun and easy option for both gardens and pots. Strawberries make a good choice for the young urban gardener, as they can be grown in a pot on a porch or in a small yard, and they’re extra fun to hunt for on the vine.

Radishes: Another easy plant to grow that young children will greatly enjoy, radishes are cute and colorful and another quick crop. Nothing is quite as exciting as digging into the soil to check the size of a radish and pulling them out of the ground, which is bound to keep children engaged and excited to see when their radishes will be ready.

Carrots: Carrots, like peas, are often very familiar to even the youngest of children, and due to their sweetness often one of the few vegetables you can convince a picky eater to entertain on their dinner plate. Like radishes they are easy and relatively quick, and also super fun to pull out of the ground. A classic staple of any edible garden, carrots are an excellent choice for little gardeners.

If you liked that, you might also like:

Learn How To SUPERCHARGE your garden or farm…

Click Here To Get The Best Survival Medical Course…

Check Out These Mind Blowing Survival Skills…

August 5, 2016
DIY Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is one of the most popular and useful natural health food items you can find. It’s incredibly versatile, and can be used internally for a plethora of maladies, as a cosmetic and topical remedy and also to preserve food and sanitize the home.

But did you know you can make your own right on your countertop? Homemade apple cider vinegar is not only incredibly economical, it is delicious and requires nothing special to make. Odds are if you’re already an experienced homesteader or canner, you have what you need to make delicious apple cider vinegar right at home. A great staple for any homestead.

Needed Items and Ingredients:
- 1 sterilized large-mouth quart jar
- Cheesecloth or paper towel to cover
- Rubber band
- 2-3 medium apples, peeled, chopped and cored
- 3 tbs raw sugar
- Filtered water
Instructions:
1. Take the apples and stuff them into the sterilized jar.
2. Mix the sugar with about 1 cup filtered water, then pour the mixture over the apples
3. Pour more water into the jar until the apples are completely covered. You might need a sterile rock or fermenting weight to keep the apples submerged in the liquid
4. Cover the top of the jar with the cheesecloth, paper towel, or other breathable fabric, and secure tightly with the rubber band
5. Let sit in a warm, dark place for 2-3 weeks. Often a cupboard or top shelf of a pantry will do just fine
6. After 2-3 weeks, strain out the apple pieces and return the liquid to the jar. Secure with fresh cheesecloth and a rubber band and return to your dark place
7. Let sit for another 3-4 weeks, stirring every few days
8. Once the apple cider vinegar reaches the acidity you like, it’s ready to use! Simply cover with the jar’s original lid or transfer to any container you can seal and enjoy!
[Free Recipe Book] You don’t have to choke down your amazing homemade Apple Cider Vinegar…Try these delicious recipes HERE>>>
August 4, 2016
How to Homestead in a City

Many of us would like to be able to afford a plot of land in the middle of nowhere and set up an amazing homestead, but that’s not always an option for everyone. One of the big appeals of homesteading is becoming self-reliant. So while you may be tethered to an urban lifestyle for now, there’s plenty you can do to become more self-reliant and homestead right where you are.

Grow Your Food:

This one is definitely obvious, but many people aren’t aware of how much they can really do in a small space. Tower gardens, box gardens, window gardens and even simple sprout gardens on your counter all provide great alternative to traditional garden beds, and are very space-efficient.

Get Chickens:

You’d have to check your local zoning regulations, but many urban neighborhoods these days allow chickens. Even a few hens can provide you with a nice supply off eggs for part of the year, and they’re really fun for kids to feed and get to watch grow. Like gardening, there are a lot of options for coops and outdoor space for hens, and also small varieties that make great options for aspiring urban chicken farmers.

Hang your laundry:

Also sometimes subject to neighborhood ordinances, if you live somewhere having a clothesline is allowed this is a great option to save on energy bills and feel like a proper homesteader right in your backyard. With the added benefit of the sun’s antibacterial rays and the amazingly fresh smell of air-dried laundry, what seems like an extra chore will most likely become quite a pleasure in no time.

Forage:

Even if you live in the middle of a city, there’s often a lot of options for food foraging in city parks or wilderness areas outside the city. Look up a local foraging group or buy a guide and you’re sure to be on your way to seeking out uncommon mushrooms and wild greens in no time!

Hunt and Fish:

While you’d most likely have to travel outside an urban area to hunt or fish, this is a great option for obtaining more self-reliance while living in a city or suburb. There is nothing quite as rewarding as catching your own food, and with the right skills, processing equipment and food storage, you can easily stock up on meat and save yourself hundreds of dollars.

If you liked that, you might also like:

Advanced Gardening Course To Accelerate Your Food Production…

Survival Medicine & Wilderness Survival…

Survival Techniques From Long Ago, Re-purposed For The Modern Era…

August 3, 2016
Highly Effective Natural Bug Repellents

A lot of people think that living the homesteader lifestyle means giving up on modern amenities, like mosquito repellent. While you might not be buying chemical-heavy sprays like others, though, you don’t actually have to just sit back and let mosquitoes and other bugs take over your life. In fact, there are a lot of highly effective natural ways to keep those bugs away from you, your home, and your garden.

Make Your Own Bug Spray

Grab a spray bottle and fill it halfway with distilled water. Fill it the rest of the way with witch hazel, and then add about 50-60 drops of rosemary, eucalyptus, or clove oil. Shake it up, and spray it on your skin. It’ll leave you feeling refreshed, and it’ll keep insects away, as well.

Plant Rosemary in Your Yard

Almost all insects are repelled by rosemary, making it a great herb to plant in your yard. You can plant it around your garden to keep pests out, and you can plant it around your patio or your fire pit to create a bug-free zone in the yard. Other good plants for this purpose include catnip, mint, citronella, and wormwood.

Learn How To SUPER-CHARGE your garden or farm…

Put Your Eggshells to Work

If you’re trying to keep pests out of the garden, including insects, slugs, and snails, crush up eggshells and spread them around the bases of your plants. This makes it difficult for the pests to traverse the ground to get to the plants, and they’ll soon go looking elsewhere for food.

Spread Mulch Around the House

Finally, if bugs keep getting in your home, try spreading cedar mulch around the outside of the house. Much like rosemary, this deters pests and will make them want to go somewhere else.

Try out one or all of these tips to enjoy a bug-free living and gardening space in and around your home.

August 3, 2016
5 Survival Foods That Virtually Last Forever

When stocking up a survival stash, it’s important to maximize your space with items that will last the longest. Below is a list of items that will virtually last forever…

1.Dried Beans

Dried beans are probably one of the most common items to stock up on and for good reason. When kept away from moisture and light, they can last for decades. Vacuum sealing is a great option for storing beans, as they keep best in an absence of oxygen.

2. Vinegar

Due to its high acidity, vinegar will last essentially forever. Vinegar is a great item to stock up on for any long-term survival situation because it can be used as a disinfectant and all-purpose food preservative for other food items that might not last so long on their own.

Learn How To SUPERCHARGE your garden or farm…

3. Salt

Like vinegar, salt is also a food preservative with many practical applications that will keep indefinitely. Not to mention, it’s always going to be your first choice for making bland survival food tastier. All you need is to protect it from moisture, of course (because we all know plenty of salt doesn’t pour when it rains!)

Related Article: 9 Practical Emergency Foods and How to Store Them

4. Honey

Honey lasts so long, it has been found in ancient Egyptian tombs. Unless it gets exposed to moisture, it will pretty much last forever. Just keep it stored in an airtight container. And amazingly, while it may crystallize or change color, it will remain edible for possibly hundreds of years.

5. Rice

Rice is quite possibly the ultimate survival food. Like honey, rice has also been found in Egyptian tombs. Most varieties (other than brown rice, which is more perishable due to its high-fat content) will last indefinitely, especially when stored in a cool, dry place.

If you liked that, you might also like:

Click Here To Get The Best Survival Medical Course…

Check Out These Mind Blowing Survival Skills…

August 3, 2016