Like any term out there that has a sizable group of people interested in it, there is much disagreement about what, exactly, homesteading means. People feel there are certain tools, skills, and parameters that have to happen in order to call an activity “homesteading”. There’s a lot of gatekeeping going on here. No surprise, really. […]
homesteading
Using 5 Gallon Buckets as Nest Boxes
Five gallon plastic buckets. So ubiquitous, so useful. And only recently did I realize people were (are) using these as chicken nesting boxes. With a little modification a typical 5 gallon bucket, laying on its side, can serve as an excellent chicken nest. Some have their sides partially cut off, some have the lid left […]
24 Things NOT to do on Your Homestead
It’s frustrating. I get it. You finally have your piece of land – a place you’ve wanted for a big garden and to raise animals for as long as you could remember. You want to jump in with both feet to get your dream homestead rolling along. WAIT! Just breathe. Rushing in to plant a […]
Preserving Fruits into Jams & Jellies
Unlike jelly, which is made from fruit juice, other sugar-preserved foods contain parts of the whole fruit. Fruit butter is mashed pulp simmered with sugar until the pulp is thick; in the other fruit products pieces of fruit float in a light gel. Jam consists of gelled, mashed pulp; preserves are made of fruit pieces […]
Farm Market Ideas
So you have some land. Maybe a large backyard. And think “I could grow things and sell them at farmers’ markets!” Making a bit of cash on the side. If you’re a well-seasoned visitor to farmers’ markets you’ll know that the booths you see there aren’t strictly vegetables. And there’s good reason for that: profit. […]