If you have the space, then vegetable gardening is a wonderful pastime and it can provide some absolutely delicious food for your table. If you've never had garden vegetables, then you'll be shocked how much better they taste than the stuff you get from the store, and if you grow them yourself then you have 100% control on what pesticides (if any) they are exposed to. But, if you're just starting out gardening, it can be a little intimidating to figure out where to start. So, for all you ... [ Read More ]
How to Read a Seed Packet
If you are starting up a garden, one of the cheapest ways to get things up and running is to buy seed packets. Although it might take a little longer, it's worth it in the long run. The nice thing about getting seed packets from your local store is that they come with all the information you could possibly need about your new plant on that scrap of paper. But there's a downside. It's a LOT of information to process and if you're new to gardening it can be incredibly intimidating. But don't ... [ Read More ]
10 Most Common Questions about Chickens
Raising chickens can be a fantastic option for your homestead. They are easy to care for, don't require a lot of space, and can act as a great introduction to livestock. However, unlike dogs, cats, or even cows, chickens are not something that most people really know anything about. And, if you're new to raising chickens, it can be hard to find places to find information on where to begin. So, today I'm going to go over 10 of the questions that I get asked the most about chickens below. If ... [ Read More ]
How to Check Your Seeds Before Planting Them
One of the most frustrating parts of gardening can be seeds that never sprout! Any kind of bad germination rate could make you feel like you are doing something wrong, but there's at least a chance that it isn't your fault! ;) If you happen to have seeds that might be a little older, or you perhaps didn't store them as carefully as you should have, or even if its a batch of seeds you've had horrible luck with in the past, you can actually test them before you try to add them to your ... [ Read More ]
Seedlings to Start in January by Zone
Well, the new year has come and gone which means that here in the Midwest the winter has finally set in. As I write this, the roads still have a tiny bit of ice on them from the last snow, and I'm wearing a sweatshirt to stay warm at the computer. However, while there are still a few weeks to a month of cold on the horizon, that doesn't mean that there aren't a things you can do in January to jump start your garden! Depending on where you live, you may be able to either start seeds indoors ... [ Read More ]
How To Set Attainable Goals for Your Homestead
Since 2017 is newly upon us, I'm sure a lot of us are trying to refocus on our goals and potentially set some resolutions. I have said before that I don't necessarily believe in new years resolutions, but if you don't explicitly set a goal you're a lot less likely to attain it. As its often said, a goal without a plan is just a wish. Even then, only about 8% of people who do set resolutions for the year actually follow through. 25% give up in the first week. In the past, I've been super ... [ Read More ]
How to Fix a Broody Hen
I'm sure that everyone has heard of the stereotype that, at a certain age, a woman will start to want children. While I can't say that it's necessarily true that all humans will eventually go through a phase where they just desperately want children, it's actually very common in some breeds of chicken. It's called brooding and if your goal is to get eggs out of your girls, then it can be quite a big problem. Brooding is when a hen will decide, for whatever reason, that they really want to ... [ Read More ]
10 Reasons You Should Keep Backyard Chickens
Chickens are a fantastic addition to the homestead. It's completely bewildering to me why more people don't have these quirky little birds hopping around their yards. Whether you're more interested in eggs or keeping chickens for meat purposes or for laying, there are plenty of benefits to having chickens clucking around your yard. Here are ten reasons why you need chickens: 1. You'll always have fresh eggs Eggs are delicious and nutritious, and there's nothing better than a fresh egg that ... [ Read More ]
13 Foods That You Can Grow From Scraps
Growing your own food is one of the best ways to ensure that you are feeding your family the best quality foods possible. While most of us probably don't mind the time it takes to start and keep a garden going, it can be incredibly expensive to buy all the seeds to get started. Luckily, there are a handful of vegetables that you can actually sprout from existing produce. As a note, there are many plants, including pumpkins, apples, and tomatoes, which can be grown from seeds of the plant that ... [ Read More ]
52 Weeks to an Organized Home
By now you guys know that I am a bit of a clean freak. But, its often overlooked that having a clean home and having an organized home are two very different things. While I am pretty good about making sure my ceiling fans don't have dust on them, and making sure my kitchen cabinets are free of any food or grime, the organization in my house is seriously lacking. The biggest excuses I make for myself are that I am too busy to worry about organizing EVERYTHING, and that my house is too small ... [ Read More ]