Homesteading is an adventure. It can provide a sense of fulfillment and be a source of pride. On a homestead you may find the following: animals (for food), vegetable gardens, fruit trees and/or shrubs, compost system, assorted outbuildings to contain/protect tools/equipment, as well as someone who has some skills that are often associated with days […]
Life on the Homestead
Cautionary Tale: Sort Through Dried Beans!
Fall and winter usher in the season of warm, hearty bean dishes (and I am not talking about fresh green beans). Sure, while you can purchase cans of beans from a grocery store, homemade cooked beans (starting from dried) offers a flavor profile that just can’t be beat. A pot of beans simmering on the […]
25 Homestead Resolutions for the New Year
After the beginning of the year, resolutions abound. Lose weight. Exercise daily. Eat vegetables. Carpool daily. Try harder. Be better. Move faster. It is exhausting, right? And for the record, just how long do those newly minted resolutions last? Do they live to see the Ides of March? Perhaps they get the chance to revel […]
Frugal Firestarter
Frugal is part of our daily living. Around our homestead, we are always looking for ways to recycle, repair, and repurpose items. But one thing that we had been tossing out (or on some occasions balling up and tucking into perennials for birds to find and use in their nests) is dryer lint. Surely there […]
7 Reasons Why Christmas Tree Cutting Can Benefit a Forest
Each year the debate is renewed. Both sides tout their superiority. Some favor tradition. Some favor convenience. Yet both make claims why they are the green option. Real vs. artificial trees. But before you put up a Christmas tree, do you know the benefits to a forest when you cut down a tree in the […]
Methods of Melting Beeswax
Beeswax is a popular product. It is used in balms, lotions, soaps, as well as candles. Even if you are not a beekeeper, it is easy to come by. Major craft store chains carry it year-round as well as it being readily available online from suppliers. But once you get a block of beeswax, do […]