You can attract bees who will eagerly pollinate your plants and help create a beautiful and bountiful harvest. If you have ever had trouble growing certain vegetables like cucumbers in your garden, it may not be the soil that is the problem. It is more than likely that you don’t have a good way to attract bees. Throw away the notion that bees are nasty, stinging critters. They are actually quite passive by nature and only sting in defense, when stepped on or threatened. Bees, pollinating and good harvests all go hand-in-hand. One out of three bites of food depends on a pollinator (Creatures ..read more

Chicks There’s nothing that hints of spring quite like newly hatched chicks. If you haven’t ordered yet, now is the time to do so, either through a nearby breeder, the local feed store or a mail order hatchery. You’ll also want to have your brooder set up so you’re all ready to go when that peeping box of precious fuzz arrives.   Choosing the Perfect Chicken Breed There are so many different breeds of chickens to choose from that it can be quite intimidating to get started. Determine what you’re most interested in: egg laying, meat producing, broodiness (setting and hatching eggs), or a ..read more

If you live south of a certain latitude, your garden is already in the ground and your growing season is underway. Many of us up north, however, are still digging out from a winter’s worth of snow and ice. Planting even cold-hardy crops such as peas and spinach might require a drill or chisel to loosen the topsoil if we could get to it at all. Even if you can’t get your hands in the dirt quite yet, there are plenty of things you can – and should – be doing right now. In order to hit the ground running when spring does arrive in your region, it is a great idea to have all your planning, decisi ..read more

A tornado is very unpredictable. You can never perfectly prepare for a tornado outbreak. Even those who live in areas coined “Tornado Alley” prepare as well as they can and then, when an outbreak happens, they pray that they and their families are one of the lucky ones to survive. Why have outlooks been so dreadful? The answer can be simply stated like this: Tornadoes are very unpredictable. Even when forecasters can spot a tornado and warn residents, tornadoes seem to have a “mind” of their own. Historical accounts show tornadoes destroying one house, jumping the next one, then touching dow ..read more

starting seeds If you are planning on finally getting your garden started come spring, you might be surprised that some of your planting actually should begin when it’s extremely cold out. Indoor planting, that is. Seed-starting indoors has numerous benefits for all zones. It increases the success of your plants since they get a pretty easy start indoors, and it also allows you to extend your growing season. Actually, for some of the colder zones (like mine, zone 5) you pretty much have to start seeds indoors due to the short growing season. Certain types of vegetables or other plants simply ..read more

5 Long-Lasting Superfoods To Keep You Healthy All Winter Consuming seasonal superfoods – that is, foods that are nutrient-rich — strengthens your immune system so you can fight off those nagging colds and be at the top of your game no matter what life throws at you. Here are five winter superfoods that you should consider adding to your list. Even better, they will store for weeks or months:   1. Root vegetables Vegetables such as parsnips, celery, carrots, beets and turnips all grow under the ground, where they can take in nutrients from the soil. These high-fiber vegetables are truly ..read more

DIY Warm Winter Blankets Anyone Can Make As the winter temperature drops far below freezing, many people start to get out their thicker blankets and perhaps add a throw or two on the couch to stay warm. Learning how to make a quilt or even just simple layering blankets is a great skill to have. It will help you keep your family warm and also serves as an excellent gift for loved ones.   Learning How to Quilt Knowing the basics of sewing, both hand sewing and machine sewing, is quite beneficial for homesteaders and off-gridders. You can mend clothing, bedding and other household necessit ..read more

It is important to mouse proof your home. As the weather gets colder, mice are trying to find places to stay warm. You don’t have to live next to a farm, field or forest to have a large mouse population in your neighborhood. It is important to mouse proof your home the best you can to keep these varmints out. Mice are the ultimate survivors, and they thrive anywhere they find warmth, shelter, water and food. They may not bother us during spring and summer, but as the chill of autumn weather appears they look for better alternatives. Unfortunately, that often means our homes and cabins. There ..read more

Fresh apple cider is delicious Autumn is here! And autumn means harvest time has come and is in full swing. To me, fall has always meant lots of apple pies, apple butter and apple sauce, as well as jugs full of apple cider and juice. There’s just nothing like a fresh-made, frothy mug of apple cider after a long day of harvesting and processing the fruits of my labors from the previous six to eight months. It doesn’t matter if you have your own private orchard supplying you with all the apples you could want or if you’re raiding the local farmer’s markets. Either way, you can make your own ap ..read more

Canning Tomatoes It is never more gratifying to be a gardener than when luscious ripe tomatoes are rolling off the plants and into our kitchens. For most of us, though, there are often far more tomatoes than we can eat at the time. After slicing, sautéing, roasting, making salads and salsa, adding to pizza and ratatouille and grilled burgers, and filling the freezer with sauce, there is only option left.   Canning Tomatoes It is time to can tomatoes. People have been canning tomatoes for long enough that everyone and their great-grandmother—and I do mean that literally—has strong opinio ..read more