Food Preservation | Fruit | Gardening | Herbs | Home | Skills | Vegetables
Thriving in the Chill: A Guide to Winter Gardening
Did you know you can make your own versions of the most popular boxed foods?
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Small-Batch Rhubarb-Ginger Freezer Jam: Capturing Spring in 35 Minutes
A small-batch rhubarb-ginger freezer jam that captures the bright spring flavor water-bath canning cooks away. 35 minutes active, yields 4 half-pints, keeps 12 month...
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Fruit on the homestead. Berries, melons, rhubarb and orchard crops, from planting and winter protection through to jam, freezing and the rest of the harvest.
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Green with Envy – Un-be-leaf-able Benefits of Using Greenhouses
In today’s world of gardening and agriculture, greenhouses have become a staple for both professionals and hobbyists alike. But what exactly is a greenhouse, and why do you need one? Let’s dive into the world of controlled environments and explore the benefits of having your own greenhouse. What is a Greenhouse? A greenhouse is a…
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Life’s a ‘Rind’ When You Have Watermelon!
Watermelons are a delicious and refreshing fruit that can be grown in your own backyard with the right knowledge and care. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a beginner looking to try your hand at growing watermelons, this guide will provide you with valuable information on the best practices for growing watermelons, the best time…
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Naturally Animal-Proofing Your Garden
Obviously the easiest way to keep critters out of your garden is to put up a good fence. The higher and tighter the better, while burying the bottom will go a long way toward keeping critters from digging beneath. What if you don’t have the time or materials to get a fence up, however? Read…
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Fruit | Gardening | Herbs | Vegetables
Six September Gardening Tips
As the days grow shorter and the temperatures get either downright pleasant, or just a little less unbearable depending on what part of the country you’re in, you’re likely wondering what steps you can take in your garden. Its an odd time of year, as the harvest of ripe produce lines coincides with the approach…
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Fruit | Game | Gardening | Herbs | Vegetables
Exiling Deer from your Garden
Whether you want to keep the deer from eating all your garden vegetables and flowers or whether you’re interested in ways to help wildlife during a hot, dry summer, here are a few things you should know. Any limited availability of food and water can lead to a reduced number of newborn fawns and fewer…
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Fruit | Gardening | Herbs | Vegetables
A Brief History of the Victory Garden
As homesteaders, self-sufficiency seems almost folded into our DNA. While the lifestyle has many appeals, one thing in particular that binds us is a deep appreciation for the land, and a desire for a connection to the food that nourishes us. These sorts of virtues have fallen in and out of mainstream appeal over the…
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Preventing Frost Damage
Here in Virginia, it’s been a cold winter, and a snowier one than most of the last odd decade. Come to think of it, that theme seems to be the trend nationwide this year, with even parts of Texas seeing absolutely unheard of weather. As such, this article may be a few days late, but…
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Fruit | Gardening | Vegetables
Pumpkin Planning
The weather has turned crisp, the leaves have begun their annual metamorphosis into fiery colors of red and orange, and your neighbor, Del, has the most stunning patch of pumpkins you’ve ever seen, yet again. Your kids envy this section of his garden, and eagerly wait for his go-ahead to select the year’s jack-o-lanterns. Even…
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Fabulous Fig Facts
Figs. While commonly associated with decadent Roman living and the diets of the well-to-do, the ancient fig is actually far less delicate, and far easier to grow than what you’ve probably heard. Originating somewhere in Mesopotamia, the fig has been a delicacy for millennia, serving both as a standalone treat, and a natural sweetener. In…
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Pawpaw Picking
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…
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Raised Garden Beds
Convinced you don’t have a green thumb? Tired of having to choose between constant weeding or seeing your plants choked out? Raised garden beds may be the key to your problems, and they’re rather easy to craft. Read on for the why and how of this time- and back-saving garden addition. Benefits While obviously too…
