One of the most important things about making the jump into homesteading, is learning to look at the world through a different lens. You see, when you’re trying to live fully self-sufficient, there’s much less room for waste, and the multiple uses of things become more readily apparent. Likewise, things you once may have considered fully useless, or even actively tried to rid … [Read more...] about Making Dandelion Wine
Get Your Goats: Part 2
Happy Friday folks! Last week, we left off our goat series with an overview of these hard-headed critters. Far from a unified species, goats range from shaggy mountain breeds to short-haired plains dwellers, each with their own varying characteristics and temperaments. Read on for five popular dairy variants, and some key traits associated with each. 1. Alpine Chances … [Read more...] about Get Your Goats: Part 2
Opossum Primer
Opossums. Some folks love them and some hate them, but should you really allow them to hang around your homestead? As it turns out, these oft-derided marsupials have some great benefits, alongside a few drawbacks. Read on for some facts about the common North American opossum, otherwise known as the Virginia opossum. Natural Scavengers and Stealthy Hunters Opossums are … [Read more...] about Opossum Primer
Chevre 101
As I write this, it’s just around mealtime, which may have slightly influenced my choice of topic. If you’ve come here from Part One of our goat series, chances are you already know what you’re in for, but if not, welcome to basic cheese-making 101! Today we’ll be tackling the simplest cheese I’m aware of, which as it happens, can be made from the milk of your very own goats. … [Read more...] about Chevre 101
Get Your Goats: Part 1
As we kick off what I can only imagine will be a fairly long-running series on the rearing of our cantankerous caprine friends, as well as their broader usages, I feel compelled to present a disclaimer--I am far from impartial. I grew up caring for a small flock of goats, and they are far and away my favorite four-legged companions, tied even with the loyal canine. As such, if … [Read more...] about Get Your Goats: Part 1
