Homesteading

314 articles
Seed Starting Pods

Seed Starting Pods

With seeds starting season at its very beginning, I have realized that I don't have enough pods to get me through!  I debated about just buying a few more flats, but decided instead to buy a bag of organic seed starting mix and try to make my own pods out of recycled newspaper.I found this great tutorial on Little House in…
March 4, 2012
Brooders – Versions 1 & 2

Brooders – Versions 1 & 2

When we got our first batch of chickens 2 years ago, we really had no clue what we were doing.  We got 5 Ameracaunas thinking that we'd wind up with 3 (after looking at statistics we found online we thought that maybe 1 would be a rooster and maybe 1 would die). We kept the chicks in a big cardboard…
February 29, 2012

How to Pressure Can Your Own Pinto Beans

Growing up, I never even thought about canning my own pinto beans.  Every bean I ate, unless I was at a restaurant or a friends house, came from a can. They were good and they were fast and easy.  Open a can, add some salt, pepper and garlic powder and you're set! All you had to do was open a…
February 22, 2012
Chick Roosting

Chick Roosting

Why do chickens roost?  To stay safe from predators at night, of course :-)  Apparently the Little Ones like to roost even though they're safe (er...trapped) in their nice, warm brooder!I have found, at different times, both the Ameraucanas and the Astralorps on their mini, impromptu roosting bar.  I have not, however, found the Buff Orpingtons on said bar.  Interesting.…
February 21, 2012
Independence Days

Independence Days

Happy Independence Days everyone!With the weather still acting...well...not very winter-like, I spent a little time last weekend watering our fruit trees.  The terrifying thing is that they're already trying to bud out. Why is this terrifying?  Well, because we still have a good three months of freezing and possible frosts to look forward to.  Anyhow...In preparation for the warmer months,…
February 17, 2012

Buy It Cheap, Put It Up

What do you do when you find some yummy veggies and beans on sale?  That's right, you buy them, bring them home and can them.  All in one day.  Yeah...sometimes we're a little crazy... On Sunday Tool Lady found some great deals while doing our bi-weekly grocery shopping so we wound up canning: 7 pints of asparagus 8 pints of…
February 15, 2012