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A Mid-July Evening in the Garden (with Video Walkthrough)
It has been incredibly rainy on the homestead this summer. So much so, that while the weeds are doing great, the garden is drowning. You can see here what was, at the beginning of June, a flourishing patch of spinach. Now it’s just a puddle of water even though it hasn’t rained in more than a few days. This week it finally warmed up enough that some of the water is starting to evaporate and more things than weeds and grass are starting to flourish. Though the weeds and grass are still doing great. This fence is four feet high, but the grass is taller! You can also see how…
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12 Easy Ways to Survive the Heat Without Air Conditioning
Summer is in full force here at 7300 feet. And that means it’s hot. Almost 90°F in the shade hot. Now I realize, that if you live in a place where it regularly gets to 100°F or more that 90° is nothing. You’re probably asking, “So what? Just stay inside with the AC.” However, when you live at 7300 feet, especially in an older house, you don’t have AC. It used to be that we didn’t really need or want it except for a week or two in August each year. However, summers have been getting hotter, and we are seeing more and more days above 85° where we live.…
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Carrot Seed Starting and Growing with Little Work
I love homegrown carrots. Store-bought just can’t compare. (Even organic.) A homegrown carrot is so….carroty. They are crunchy, sweet, and have such a strong carrot flavor you’ll realize store-bought carrots are tasteless. However, I HATE growing carrots. They have to be babied. They have to be planted just deep enough. The seeds have to be watered. Regularly. Multiple times a day. For what feels like weeks on end. Just to get them to sprout. If they dry out, they’re goners. Many gardeners get around this by covering their carrot seeds with wood or burlap. However, if you forget to take the wood off soon enough, they’ll die. If you forget…
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Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Chili
Despite what all the big box and department stores might have you thinking, it’s not Christmas yet! What better way to hang on to that fall feeling a little longer than by making a pot of pumpkin and butternut squash chili? You might be wondering, “butternut squash? That doesn’t say autumn like pumpkin does!” And you’d be right. Stick with me though, and I promise this recipe won’t let you down. If you’ve ever cooked with a real pumpkin, you know they can be somewhat stringy. They also can be a pain to clean out. (I’m looking at you every pumpkin I ever carved as a child.) Butternut squash is…
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Simple DIY Fire Starters You Can Make in Minutes
Depending on where you live, winter is coming. While it’s been much warmer here than last year, we’ve had to start a fire a few nights already. We are in love with our wood stove. Starting a fire in it, however, it not always a simple matter. Right now, we’ve had no snow so our woodpile is still relatively dry. It’s not hard to get a good fire going with only some paper, kindling, and a match. Once the winter weather sets in, it’s a different story. That’s where a good homemade fire starter comes in. These fire starters will save you time and frustration. They are also created entirely…
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Cheap and Easy DIY Deodorant
Deodorant is surprisingly expensive! Especially if you buy an all “natural” deodorant. Additionally, most store bought deodorants come packaged tons of plastic. The solution? Make your own! Homemade deodorant is cheap, effective, and made with ingredients you most likely already have on hand. I have been making our deodorant for years and I have to say, I think it works better than anything I could buy. My husband agrees. You only need three basic ingredients to make this recipe. If you want to take it to the next level, you can also add tea tree oil for some extra antibacterial properties. I always add some and we’ve never had an…
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Planting a Year’s Worth of Garlic
Garlic is one of the easiest garden plants you can grow. If you’re only going to grow a small assortment of produce, I highly recommend growing at least a few heads. In fact, I’ve grown a year’s worth in a 4ft x 6ft garden bed back when we had a tiny lot in town! If you haven’t planted your garlic yet don’t worry! Just the other day I planted our 2022 crop. As long as you get it in before the ground freezes you’ll be good. (Though one year I didn’t and was out there for hours with a screwdriver chiseling away at the ground to plant. We still got…
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5 Easy Ways to Care for Your Backyard Flock This Winter
When it comes to winter, and cold weather, your barnyard birds are much more hardy than you may realize. While our chickens prefer to stay in the coop on snowy days, the ducks and geese can usually be found running around or laying in the snow. They’ll only spend the day in the coop if I force them to, or if it’s too windy. When it comes to caring for your birds during winter, if you make sure to take care of a few things, you’ll find it isn’t any more work than during warmer months. (None of the links in this post are sponsored. The Product linked in this…
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DIY Eco-Friendly Cleaner to Remove Stubborn Grease and Grime
Most of the western part of the states are currently experiencing an intense heat wave. Most days this past week it’s been above 90°F by noon. Aside from necessary homestead chores, we have not been getting outside before dusk. Time to whip up some DIY cleaner and get to work deep cleaning the house! Now that it’s summer, and I’m home all day, there’s really no more excuses for not doing some of the lengthier cleaning jobs. The laundry room has been reclaimed, the microwave is no longer covered in grease, the hardwood floors have been mopped, and the tub is shiny again. I will never be one of those…
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Managing the Homestead While Working a Full Time Job
Running a homestead is hard work. There’s early mornings, long hours, and at times, back breaking labor. It’s a full time job. No one ever said this is an easy lifestyle, but it is a life full of beauty, wonder, and most of the time, peace. However, running a homestead doesn’t exactly pay the bills. Sure, many homesteaders out there (many on YouTube or in the blogosphere) are making a full time income on their homestead. I envy them. However, they will be the first to tell you making an income from this life take a lot of hard work. Someday I hope our homestead will be able to pay…
