Your garden is producing and your fruit trees have ripened, but you want to save some of the bounty for the cold winter months. How do you go about it? Turns out, the answer for storing produce is an old and simple one--canning. Or more accurately, “jarring”. Read on for how to convert your glass Mason jars into food-saving solutions. What You Need To get started you’ll … [Read more...] about Can-Do Canning
Solar Systems Demystified
It’s no secret that one massive barrier to living off grid in this modern age, is how to power the numerous appliances that make our daily lives more convenient. To be sure, some who prefer a rural existence eschew these time-saving devices entirely, but for the vast majority of homesteaders it’s a serious concern. Fortunately, the world has progressed to the point that many … [Read more...] about Solar Systems Demystified
Get Your Goats: Part 4
Owning goats is all well and good, but how do you keep the critters fed? Sure they’re browsers, but there’s more to keeping them alive and nourished than simply turning them loose in scrub brush. What happens when the forage runs low? Or if a cold winter dumps feet of snow on top of it? Here’s a general idea of what to feed your cloven-hoofed friends when the natural food … [Read more...] about Get Your Goats: Part 4
Beetlemania
Do you wake up to skeletonized plants, wondering what could possibly be chewing your leaves down to their literal veins? Notice odd brown patches in your lawn, that no fertilizer can seem to clear? If so, chances are you’ve been beset by the Japanese Beetle. Read on for some tips on identifying and handling these crop-destroying pests. Identification As mentioned, this … [Read more...] about Beetlemania
Snakehandling 101
No, this isn’t the introductory paragraph to a turn-of-the-century, “snakehandling” cult brochure. Nor will it teach you how to go into the outback and become Crocodile Dundee. If you encounter a snake on your homestead you need to relocate, however, here are a few ideas on how to wrangle the slithery little bugger. ENSURE THE SNAKE IS NOT VENOMOUS!!! This is the primary … [Read more...] about Snakehandling 101
