Whether you’re on a hobby farm or in a small urban apartment, our practical guides and tutorials will help you embrace the homesteading basics.
This section is also a place to celebrate the joys and challenges of homesteading. We share stories from our own experiences, including the successes and the lessons learned. We believe that homesteading is a journey of continuous learning and growth, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Simmer pots, also known as stovetop potpourri, are an easy and affordable way to fill your space with delightful scents using simple everyday items from your kitchen, garden, or woods. There’s something magical about walking into a home filled with the warm, inviting aroma of a simmering pot of natural ingredients. From the sweet tang […]
How to Make Homemade Simmer Pots (Stovetop Potpourri) Read Post »
Today we are sharing with you all our tips on how to grow lavender. A few years ago, my daughter and I visited a lavender festival at a charming farm just a few miles away. It was our first experience with lavender fields, and we were completely captivated. The endless rows of lavender plants, their
How to Grow Lavender 101 Made Easy for Beginners Read Post »
Here are our top tips to plan a butterfly garden. There’s something magical about watching butterflies dance from flower to flower in your backyard. With the right plants and a little planning, you can create a thriving space that attracts a variety of butterflies and makes your garden feel alive. Adding a butterfly garden to
Plan a Butterfly Garden: Tips and Top Plant Picks Read Post »
Let’s explore 7 compelling reasons to plant a butterfly garden today and how you can create a productive butterfly garden full of butterfly-friendly plants. Imagine your garden teeming with vibrant blooms and alive with the fluttering wings of countless butterflies. A well-planned butterfly garden isn’t just a treat for the eyes. It’s a lifeline for
7 Compelling Reasons to Plant a Butterfly Garden Today Read Post »
Let’s learn about How to Stratify Seeds at Home. If you’ve ever struggled with getting certain seeds to sprout, seed stratification might be the answer. Some types of seeds require a period of cold or warm treatment to break their dormancy and start growing into beautiful plants. This natural process mimics the environmental conditions seeds
A Beginner’s Guide How to Stratify Seeds at Home Read Post »
Let’s explore the top pollinator plants for a thriving vegetable garden. Creating a flourishing vegetable garden requires more than just good soil, sunshine, and water. To truly thrive, your garden needs the help of pollinators—nature’s hardworking allies. Pollinator-friendly plants play a crucial role in supporting important pollinators like honeybees, bumble bees, and solitary bees. These
Top Pollinator Plants for a Thriving Vegetable Garden Read Post »
Let’s talk about how to Treat and Prevent Thrush in Equines. Dealing with thrush in our miniature donkey and miniature horse has been a learning experience for us as equine owners. We first noticed the telltale signs. A foul odor and black discharge around their hooves. We quickly realized we needed to act before the
Effective Ways to Treat and Prevent Thrush in Equines Read Post »
Essential DIY Homesteading Skills for Every Family: a phrase that evokes the timeless art of self-reliance and the joy of creating a sustainable way of life. Whether you’re nurturing a vegetable garden in your backyard, baking your own bread in the kitchen, or learning how to sew with a sewing machine. It’s a lifestyle that
Essential DIY Homesteading Skills for Every Family Read Post »
Store fresh eggs safely and maintain their quality and flavor. Knowing the best practices for fresh egg storage can help extend their shelf life and ensure you’re getting the most out of every single one. Whether you have your own backyard chickens, shop at the local farmers market, or buy eggs from the grocery store,
How to Store Fresh Eggs: Keep Them Safe and Fresh Read Post »
How to get rid of fruit flies when you can’t figure out why they showed up in the first place? These little pests seem to quickly show up at the first signs of something rotting. What are they? Fruit flies, or Drosophila melanogaster, are tiny pests that seem to multiply overnight, especially around food sources
How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies: Tested Methods that Work Read Post »
Learn how to clean a front load washing machine yourself rather than calling in an expert. Maintaining fresh, clean clothes and prolonging the life of your washer. In this guide, I’ll walk you through each step using my own front loader as an example. From tackling soap scum and detergent residue to eliminating any mildew
How to Clean a Front Load Washing Machine Read Post »
Making your own homemade cottage cheese is incredibly satisfying to create from scratch. It’s a great way to enjoy fresh, creamy cheese. This recipe is perfect for anyone looking to use simple ingredients and avoid store-bought options. Or you are a dairy farmer on a small scale or even a larger scale. When I was
Homemade Cottage Cheese: Simple and Delicious DIY Recipe Read Post »
Render pure lard from pork fat and create a liquid gold. It’s a rewarding process that connects homesteaders to traditional cooking practices. When I was first married years ago, my mother-in-law taught me how to render lard. She just used a roasting pan to melt the fat at a very low temperature. On the farm,
Simple Steps to Render Pure Lard for Cooking and Baking Read Post »
Homemade body wash. All natural and leaves my skin soft and smooth. Has also massively helped me acne prone skin. When it comes to personal care, I’ve found that making my own body wash is not only a cost-effective alternative but also a luxurious experience that’s perfect for my sensitive skin. With this DIY body
Natural Homemade Body Wash with Simple Ingredients Read Post »
We spend so much time and effort in our gardens, storing squash for the winter is just as important to us. We had to do some research to find the best methods. Don’t worry, we are sharing with you so you can be successful in preserving your harvest too. As the growing season winds down
The Homesteader’s Guide to Storing Squash for Winter Read Post »
If you’re looking for an eco-friendly way to make use of your fresh grass clippings and yard waste, turning them into mini hay bales is a fantastic idea. Not only is it a great way to recycle lawn clippings for fall decorations, but it’s also a good hay source for small animals like miniature horses,
How to Make Mini Hay Bales from Lawn Grass Clippings Read Post »
Quick-Harvest Vegetables to Try for Fall in the Midwest to get a bountiful Autumn harvest. As summer’s heat fades, the fall months bring cooler temperatures, making it a great time to plan your fall vegetable garden in Wisconsin and neighboring areas like northern Illinois. The crisp cool weather is perfect for growing cool-season crops that
Quick-Harvest Vegetables to Try for Fall in the Midwest Read Post »
Extending the Garden Season into Winter: 11 Easy Ways. As the crisp days of fall set in, many gardeners think the harvest season is over. But with a little planning and the right tools, you can extend your gardening season into winter, even in cold climates like Wisconsin. We try and extend our vegetable garden
Extending the Garden Season into Winter: 11 Easy Ways Read Post »
Making French butter at home is one of those satisfying skills that brings you closer to the roots of traditional homesteading. In a time when convenience often trumps quality, taking a step back and crafting your own butter from fresh cream gives you control over your ingredients and connects you to an age-old process. The
How to Make French Butter at Home Read Post »
Learn how easy it is to make your own butter. Making butter at home is not only a rewarding experience but also a simple way to connect with traditional homesteading practices. If you’ve ever wanted to savor fresh, creamy butter made from scratch, you’re in for a treat. With just a few basic ingredients and
How to Make Your Own Butter: A Simple Homestead Recipe Read Post »
