Like we mentioned at the end of 2020, we want to keep better records of what we grow, raise, and eat so that we can more accurately know what we need to get us through until the next harvest. We more or less accomplished month 1 of 12 of this new habit. Therefore, it’s time […]
January 2021 on the homestead: Saved us $86 Read More »
There are many ways to approach coffee brewing. Whether it is the efficiency of a drip coffee maker or the heartiness of a percolator. The depth of flavor from the french press or the smooth taste of a pour-over. Today, we will venture into how to make pour-over coffee that is delicious and will take
How to make pour-over coffee Read More »
Frost settles on the garden, the days are chilly, and the days are still short. Winter is here in its full glory. In the past I was not a huge fan of the cold weather months, and couldn’t wait for spring to bring warmer weather and longer days. But the Danish concept of hygge greatly
Homestead Hygge – 5 Simple Elements Read More »
Your seed packets have arrived in the mail, you’re skimming the growing instructions on the packets and you come across a note along these lines: “This seed needs to be cold stratified for 30 days before planting.” Strata-what? What’s this new step? If you’ve primarily been growing an annual summer vegetable garden you may not
Cold stratification for seeds in 4 easy steps Read More »
Clarified butter, sometimes called ghee, is simply butter that has been heated low and slow and then strained of the remaining milk solids (casein and whey) for a “purer” butter. I discovered this form of butter when I started my first Whole30 about 5 years ago. I knew I was going to miss milk for
How to make clarified butter – No special equipment Read More »
Seed catalog season is here! Time to dream about this year’s garden, begin planning layouts, and figure out how to fit everything you want to grow in the available garden space. If you’re anything like us, you’ve acquired quite the stash of seeds over the years to the point you don’t remember what you have…and
Take a seed inventory – Free printable worksheet Read More »
There is nothing quite like a fresh home-grown radish with that fresh crisp snap, spicy bite, or vibrant colors. Nor the pleasant welcome they bring to spring garden as one of the first vegetables ready to harvest. But sometimes, radishes can be finicky to grow in the garden. Farmer Nathan is here with some easy
Tips to grow great radishes Read More »
The new year is nearly upon us, so it’s time to make sweeping life changes and hope they become habits by February! Yeah, yeah, we all know that doesn’t work. New Year’s Resolutions tempt us all and even those of us who have chosen a homesteader life. As Paul Tripp annually reminds us, it’s the
Homesteading Resolutions – Better homestead one skill at a time Read More »
Last winter I became quite ill with a mysterious respiratory illness. Looking back, I wonder if I had COVID-19 or not, but no one was testing for it or even tracking that virus here back in January. Either way, I was feverish, short-of-breath, coughing for weeks, congested, and so very exhausted. Doctor’s determined it wasn’t
Homemade Elderberry Syrup – just $5 per bottle! Read More »
Winter is setting in and the frosts begin to descend upon the gardens, which brings unique challenges to the garden. The lettuce leaves turn their translucent shades of colors. The broccoli head looks like a glistening star. Collards offer a frosty accent to the landscape and some of the mustard greens look almost mushy in
Tips for harvesting around a frost Read More »