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Purslane. I guarantee you’ve seen it, and if, like me, you grew up below the Mason-Dixon, you may even have heard of it by the slightly unappetizing moniker: Hogweed. Found growing wild across most of the United States, purslane is most definitely a weed, but the question is, is it a useful one? As you’ve...
Read More →In the world of homesteading, foraging and herbal remedies turn backyard weeds into powerful healers. Learn safe identification, top plants like dandelion and yarrow, and easy DIY recipes for self-sufficient wellness.
Top Homesteading Trends in 2026: What’s Buzzing in the Community Hey there, homesteaders and curious folks! If you’re wondering what’s got the homesteading community all fired up in 2026, you’re in the right place. Homesteading is more than just a lifestyle—it’s a movement toward sustainable living, self-reliance, and a deeper connection with the land…
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service has published a report that provides a snapshot of current U.S. forest and rangeland conditions and projects conditions 50 years into the future. The Resources Planning Act Assessment report uses a mixture of scientific, climate and economic projections to identify drivers of change, resources and trends across all land ownerships,…
Purslane. I guarantee you’ve seen it, and if, like me, you grew up below the Mason-Dixon, you may even have heard of it by the slightly unappetizing moniker: Hogweed. Found growing wild across most of the United States, purslane is most definitely a weed, but the question is, is it a useful one? As you’ve…
Have you heard of Chicken of the Woods? No, it’s not a dove, or even a turkey—it’s yet another vibrant, easily identifiable mushroom that will make a delicious addition to your table. Read on for how to identify this mushroom, as well as some great ways to prepare it. This large polypore is easy to…
Love tropical fruits, but live pretty far outside the tropical zone? Keep an eye out for the good old “Appalachian Banana.” Indigenous to the temperate regions of North America, the pawpaw gained a quite foothold thanks to colonial fans of the fruits. Two such men were George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who cultivated pawpaws throughout…
If your homestead is located anywhere near water, particularly the flowing variety, chances are you’ve wet a line or two, and made yourself better acquainted with several varieties of aquatic wildlife. In doing so, you may have stumbled across some strange critters lurking along the bottom, particularly under rocks–critters that look a heckuva lot like…
Foraging for mushrooms is an art shrouded in mystery. Doubtless, you’ve heard the stories of first-time foragers taking an accidental trip, or even experienced hands dropping dead from a misidentified specimen. To be quite honest, there’s truth in a lot of those stories (okay, probably not that first one. Psilocybes don’t exactly grow on trees),…
