• May 11, 2014
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  • DIY
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Homestead Hacks

Alright, serious question here…Who doesn’t need a few extra hours in their day?

Right.

We’re all trying to do so much all the time! I know I feel super busy and pressed for time more often than not, so when I come across something that either saves me time or saves me from some stress, I’m all over it!

So, in thinking about a few of the tricks I’ve figured out over the years, I thought I’d ask few of my friends for their tips and tricks for getting things done faster / easier / cheaper and see what it all adds up to.

Oh man did they deliver!

So, without further ado, I give to you the best of the best Homestead Hacks!

Homestead Hacks - Work Smarter Not Harder

Chickens and ducks and geese, Oh my!

  • Bulk Chicken Feed
  • Homemade Chicken Feed Recipes: Soy-free, corn-free, fermented, sprouted
  • How a Simple $2 Latch Saved My Sanity

In the Garden and Around the Property

water collection

In the Kitchen

Around the House

  • How to Make Your Own Hot and Cold Packs
  • Mel at the Faulk Farmstead made this wonderfully simple (and super cute) Bottle Opener to allow for cracking open a cold one while juggling whatever else is in your hands.  Brilliant.

Faulk Farmstead Bottle Opener

We Speak from Experience!

  • Jennifer from Cluck n Hoe says, “I use my Bread Machine to mix, knead and do the first rise on my bread dough. Then, all I have to do is shape it, allow it’s second rise, bake & EAT!”
  • Rebecca from Letters from Sunnybrook reminds us that Laziness is the Daddy of Invention (especially when it comes to teenagers!)
  • Jo from Homestead Chronicles has a couple of tips for us: 1) Easiest way ever to melt crystallized honey … set the honey jar in a crock pot filled with hot water (no lid on jar or crock pot) and set it to high and walk away for an hour. When it is melted and looking like honey again, turn the crock pot off and walk away again to let it cool slowly. No double boiler, no stirring. 2) Never seem to have enough pots for all your plants and seedlings? Start saving coffee cans and drill holes in the bottom. Use the lids as trays to catch leakage after watering. You can also use coffee cans as mini-compost cans with lids to keep fruit flies out. When full, carry them out to the heap. Also, use more than one to help separate out eggshells and used coffee grounds that are going directly on the garden rather than in with the rest of the compost. Mark the lids with “compost, eggshells, and grounds” so you know which is which.
  • Tessa at Homestead Lady says, “Get yourself a nice set of glass bowls with lids for fermenting, soaking sprouting. Juuuuuuussst don’t put them in the oven.” Case in point: Melted Lid Flop
  • Chris at Joybilee Farm says, “To repel ticks from animals and people, Make a mixture of tsp. peppermint essential oil, 1 tsp. eucalyptus essential oil, and 1 tsp. tea tree essential oil. Put it in a 500 ml spray bottle and fill to the top with distilled water. Spray the topline and legs of llamas, alpacas, sheep, goats, and dogs. Omit the tea tree if using it on cats — tea tree is toxic to cats and rabbits. Works for humans, too, spray on shoes and pant legs. Tick season is bad this year and ticks can be deadly. Stop them from climbing up.
  • I love to freeze every liquid possible in ice cube trays for easier storage and use later. Leftover buttermilk? Freeze it! A plethora of herbs? Freeze them in oil! Red Chile? Lemon juice? Yep, freeze ’em all! Once frozen, just throw them into freezer bags and label! Not only does it take care of any potential waste up front, but a little bit of prep now will save you tons of work later!

Now it’s your turn! Please share any hacks you have in the comments below in the form of links or stories! If we all work together, we can make our lives a whole lot easier!

xoxo,
M

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Written by Melissa @ Ever Growing Farm

20 Comments

  1. Anna

    Just amazing! I am bookmarking your page & looking forward to more updates. I can’t wait to make more progress in becoming self-sufficient. Thank you…..

  2. Anna

    Great supportive post! The idea about storing liquid by freezing for later usage works best for me. Thank you..!!!

  3. Lisa Bedford

    Great post! Many of us spend a lot of each day in front of a computer. Homesteading hooks us into the natural world and the passing of the seasons, and reminds us of our place within the greater cycle of life.

  4. Pingback: If we were having coffee... - Ever Growing Farm | Ever Growing Farm

  6. Cheryl

    Just an FYI, some of the links no longer work (blueyurt). Might want to update.

    1. Melissa @ Ever Growing Farm

      Thank you! It always makes me sad when good bloggers fall away entirely.

  7. Julie

    Homemade bread without preservatives can mold or get stale fast. I make mine into crackers. Use day old or older homemade bread. Slice thin, paint with olive oil, sprinkle on salt pepper and garlic… Oregano and Parmesan and toast low and slow in the oven. 250-300 degrees. Once crunchy throughout its shelf stable and you can crumble it for croutons or eat in place of store bought crackers. Immediately after it is cool seal it in a freezer bag or a tightly lidded jar.

    1. Melissa @ Ever Growing Farm

      Fantastic idea, Julie! Thank you so much for sharing your method! I’ve never made crackers before but it’s in my list! I’ll have to try this!

  8. Julie

    I dice extra or leftover bell pepper, jalapeños and onions and keep in ziplock bags in the freezer. I always have some ready to add to recipes (meatloaf, omelettes, etc) reducing prep time.

    1. Melissa @ Ever Growing Farm

      Brilliant! Thank you for sharing that tip, Julie! A little bit of prep can go a long way, can’t it?

  9. Pingback: Homestead Hacks To Work Smarter, Not Harder | Homestead & Survival

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  13. Maximus

    I love the tick repellent idea, and we freeze basil in oil all the time! It works great! One plant quickly makes more than our small family uses. Great tips!

  14. Tiffany

    These are great! Thanks for sharing!!! 🙂

    1. Bee Girl

      Of course! Thank you so much for submitting! It was so fun to pull together, I hope everyone loves it 🙂

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