We’ve been talking a lot about urban homesteading here lately, and when you’re talking about gardening in an urban or suburban environment, space is always going to be an issue. A lot of urban gardeners are turning to vertical gardening, which is an excellent way to maximize space and production when growing area is limited. This is
Lard is something many of us have considered unhealthy for years, but it’s making a comeback as nutritionists reveal the healthy, complex fats in lard are actually pretty good for you! It’s way better for you than vegetable or seed oils, and definitely better than margarine or imitation butter. If you fry bacon at all,
Dehydrating is a great option for preserving food for the long term, especially for gardeners or homesteaders. But even if you’re just an urban homesteader, it might be an excellent way to get started with food preservation. If you like to shop sales, frequent farmer’s markets, or grow veggies or herbs in your own little
We’re all looking forward to the return of summer’s warm weather, but nobody’s excited about flea and tick season! Whether your pet is your hiking trail buddy or the king of your homestead’s acreage, it’s unavoidable he’ll be exposed to fleas and ticks. Even dogs who spend most of their time indoors can become unwitting
Building a pond is immensely useful and beneficial for the homestead or garden. While there are a few points to consider, such as cost and labor, there is so much that a healthy pond brings to the table. A Habitat for Wildlife Providing your local pond-dwelling creatures with clean water for a home
Kefir is a cultured dairy product made from milk which turns out similar in flavor to yogurt but with a thinner, drinkable consistency. Because of the culturing process, kefir is packed with beneficial bacteria and yeasts. To make kefir, you will need the starter culture (called “grains), which can be purchased online. Directions: Add
We posted recently about foraging for wild mushrooms and how to identify them. One great reason to forage for wild mushrooms is to stock up on them and keep them around for cooking or even as part of your survival food cache. But how do you store them? Dehydrating is the best method for mushrooms,
Homesteaders tend to like to save money, and they are always on the lookout for new and easy ways to keep a few extra dollars in their pocket. It isn’t because they are cheap; they are smart. They know that in many cases, they are throwing away good money on things that they could instead
When I lived completely off-grid, with no running water or electricity, one of the biggest challenges was a hot shower. Paloma hot water heaters were coveted in the community I lived in, but most off-grid tent-dwelling hippies like myself couldn’t afford them. We tried everything. Sun showers, leaving long black hoses out in the sun,
Last week, we shared a video from YouTubers Deep South Homestead of their “Back to Nature” gardening method that they improvised themselves. They got this idea after they tried the Back to Eden gardening method with poor results. This method of gardening may have failed in their area for any number of reasons and their improvisation was
You might be wondering about the title. How is it possible to start becoming a homesteader before you have land and an actual homestead? It is easier than you might think and it is actually a good idea to do this before you buy a large plot of land. This simply means that you are
Composting is awesome. You can create your own amazing humus right in your backyard, and there’s just nothing quite as nutritious for your soil as well-composed, beautiful homemade compost. Once you start composting, you might find you view your kitchen and home as a veritable goldmine! You might not be familiar with how many everyday
Most people think of rabbits as being adorable, quiet pets, but they’re actually great to raise for meat as well. They don’t require a lot of space, aren’t too expensive to feed, and well, breed like bunnies. If you’re interested in raising rabbits for meat, here are a few considerations: Laws First of all, check
A cold glass of fresh milk is a delicious, wholesome treat. If it’s non-homogenized, the higher-fat cream will naturally separate from the milk to be skimmed for butter, whipped cream, or to splash into a hot cup of coffee. The traditional skimming process, however, is a tedious repetition of scooping out the cream ladle after
One of the biggest draws towards homesteading is trying to achieve energy independence. It sure is rough out there today. Electricity costs are soaring and you probably know the feeling of dread that comes over you each time you open up an energy bill. Well, it actually is possible to be completely energy-independent, and never