Owning chickens is a simple pleasure in life. Living in an urban setting with chickens just seems normal for this farmer’s-daughter-turned-urbanite. For all practical matters, the chickens don’t mind where they live, just as long as they have food, water, predator-proof shelter, and an area to take dust baths. What? You haven’t heard of dust […]
6 Reasons to Grow Daylilies
I love this time of year. All of the vegetables have been planted, herbs are being harvested, and we are in the midst of berry picking. Even though we focus on edibles: fruits, vegetables, herbs, fresh eggs, and honey, we enjoy a bit of deliberate beauty by planting some perennials around our homestead. Right now, […]
Summer Fresh Basil Pesto Base
To me, July means fresh herbs, whether it is from the farmer’s market, a friend’s garden or my own back yard. Each morning in anticipation, I walk through the garden beds with a basket and pruners in hand. And while I pick thyme, oregano, sage, chives, my favorite greets me with it’s large, bright green […]
Squirrel-Proofing your Strawberry Bed
We live in an urban setting. It’s an older neighborhood with tree lined streets and mature landscaping. If you walk in the backyard, you would swear that you are in the country instead of a city of 140,000. We are surrounded by large, old trees and thick hedges. With all of the vegetation, our […]
Great Garden Garlic
I can’t imagine cooking without it. Its aroma is intoxicating and lingering. Plates of pasta, Asian stir-frys, hearty sauces, and crunchy dill pickles; all of these foods would not be the same without it. Folks, I am talking about garlic and for those of you who haven’t grown it, now is the time to try. […]
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 […]