Life on the Homestead

Yes You Can! Make Soap at Home

As a self-proclaimed do-it-yourselfer, I look for the next item to make rather than buy. My goal of self sufficiency is mostly driving this desire, but also knowing what is in health and beauty products is another reason. And given that our skin is our largest organ, protecting the rest of our body, it deserves […]

Flooding! Protect your Animals

Walk outside today and listen to the sounds of your homestead/hobby farm/ranch/backyard. Besides the wind rustling through the trees or rumbling of motorized equipment, what else to you hear? Clucking? Bleating? Mooing? Now imagine your slice of heaven without those warm-blooded souls. Does it feel less substantial? Less satisfying? Eerily quiet? Unfortunately, that quiet can […]

Backyard Homesteading

While the Homestead Act of 1862 granted land to applicants after five years of living on the land and demonstrating improvements, modern homesteading has no such requirements. Believe it or not, it is taking place right now in backyards across America. Friends and neighbors in urban areas are returning to a lifestyle of self-sufficiency lived […]

I’m Connie. Growing up on a farm in rural Iowa taught me me many lessons: raising chickens, growing produce, enjoying raw milk, how to cook from scratch using whole foods, canning, mending clothes, and the importance of being someone who gives back to the community.

Now, living in an urban setting, I brought my country ways with me. Join us as Mr. Overalls and I share our adventures, recipes, and how-to in our daily lives on our 1/3 acre slice of heaven near the center of town.