Winter is the time of year, when a person’s mind begins to wander. Sure, there are the usual distractions: chocolate, seed catalogs, French press coffee, gardening tools, and the newest mold-ripened cheese at the local deli. But for some people, their minds can only find rest once they place their chick order. Whether you are […]
Homemade English Muffins: Easier than you Think
Let’s face it. We have all had mornings where getting out of the door on time can be a challenge. On those sorts of mornings, a homemade breakfast seems out of the question. Instead, we settle on something from the freezer or perhaps the drive-through. Sure… that stuff may be served hot, but how good […]
Grow Your Blog 2014
This post is for the Grow Your Blog 2014. It is an international event! This post is to welcome new visitors and share a little about me and our urban homestead. Please check out our archives and if you like what you see, please sign up to follow the blog. You can also follow us […]
The Anatomy of a Langstroth Hive
During the cold months of winter, I look forward to catalogs. Oh sure, there are the collection of seed magazines. Big, bold, color pictures with luscious descriptions tempting enough to cause me to get out my credit card. Daydreams of making more room for yet another variety of tomato or perhaps an heirloom bush bean. […]
Dogs: An Urban Threat to your Backyard Chickens
Backyard chickens are one of the simple pleasures of urban homestead living. We check local city ordinance so we comply with code. We take the time to select which breed(s) to keep. We select how many to raise. We give them names. And lastly, we provide a secure coop. We got it covered, right? Chicken […]
Fireplace Ash: A Great Glass Cleaner
We have a wood burning fireplace. Now while that isn’t news, we do use it to help heat our house. And if you have any experience with wood fires, having one means that cleaning it is part of your regular house maintenance. Besides providing warmth, wood fires generate ash. A lot of ash. Our fireplace […]