3 Things to Consider When Felling a Tree
Cutting a tree down can be dangerous, even deadly. But it is something that, if you are homesteading, you will probably be faced with sooner or later, if not regularly. Felling a tree is not something that should be rushed into or taken lightly, especially if the tree is particularly large, or close to a …. Read More
Developing Skills Prior to Homesteading
Given the drastic lifestyle changes inherent in making the transition from typical modern life to homesteading, preparation is a must. Along with gathering tools and resources, one should not overlook practicing the skills that are soon to be a regular part of your life, but which are typically unfamiliar to those living in suburban or …. Read More
Going From Urban to Country Homesteading: What You Need to Consider
If you are one of the many people these days considering a transition from urban or suburban life to country homesteading, then you are in for a massive lifestyle change. This will involve things you may have never considered since they might not have had a large impact on you in your current way …. Read More
Homestead (and Life) Lessons From the Great Depression
The Great Depression was one of the most harrowing periods of history in our country, and there are many lessons we can take from it. It dramatically changed our economy, our government, our agriculture and our people. We made it through the recent Great Recession with far less damage than the Great Depression, but the …. Read More
Benefits of Bees for Homesteads
Bees can be greatly beneficial to the homestead. Becoming a beekeeper requires some knowledge, but it is still relatively simple to get into the field. Once you start to look at beekeeping, you will see that bees can provide a number of wonderful benefits. If you have a large garden that is meant to feed …. Read More
Best Perennial Vegetables to Grow
If you are a new homesteader, one of the first things you want to think about when creating your plan is what vegetables you will be growing. You want to be as self-sufficient as possible, and that means growing and raising as much of your own food as possible. Of course, those who are new …. Read More
How to Make Your Own Butter
You don’t have to have your own cow to make butter at home, although of course it helps. There’s nothing like fresh, homemade butter from your own dairy cow to make you feel like the ultimate self-reliant homesteader. But even urban homesteaders can easily whip (literally) up their own batch of delicious homemade butter with …. Read More
Surviving Life Unplugged
Living off-grid can be a hard transition, and it may include life without internet or cell service, at least for a time. If you are considering at least a temporary transition to unplugged life, here are some tips to stay connected when you’re not…connected. Keep Your Smartphone If you don’t have internet access and/or cell service …. Read More
Tips for Keeping Chickens Warm This Winter
We recently covered how to care for chickens in hot weather, but as fall seems to be whizzing around the corner, we thought it would be a good idea to cover how to care for them in cold weather, because it’s important to plan ahead. It’s simpler than you think really-chickens can, with the right …. Read More
How (and Why) to Render Tallow
Tallow used to be commonplace a few hundred years ago, before it was replaced with mass-produced cooking oils like canola, corn and soy. What it is is rendered animal fat, (it’s normally called tallow for beef fat and lard for pig fat, but the same principles apply for each) and it can be used in …. Read More