Add to Favorites By Robyn Scherer – Sculpting is an art form that takes time, skill, and an attention to detail. Usually, people think of sculpting as an art form using clay or stone. However, there are other media and methods that can be used, such as wool. This has led many to discover how to felt wool and create beautiful wool sculptures. For Teresa Perleberg, of Bear Creek Design and Felting in Fort Ransom, North Dakota, wool is the preferred medium. “I never knew I could sculpt until I found the wool. There are no seams and no sewing. I just look at photos and start making it ..read more

Add to Favorites Reading Time: 5 minutes   By Dana Benner  There is no shortage of tools needed to keep the homestead up and running. Recently, someone asked me what I thought were the top tools to have, the ones that I could not do without. I sat down and made a list, which was a long one. At the top of the list were bladed tools and that list is the basis of this article. Remember that this list is just my opinion, and your opinion may be different, which is fine. Also, this article is written with the idea that your homestead has an established dwelling and all other needs are ta ..read more

Add to Favorites Reading Time: 6 minutes   Most of what it takes to become good country neighbors is little more than courtesy, patience, and a listening ear. By Wren Everett  In the city, life is fast and often impersonal. We live next door to neighbors with whom we have never had a conversation beyond a brief nod while fetching the mail. If they did hang over the fence while we were trying to get yard work done and chat, it might be somewhat annoying or odd. Our typical expectation for most city neighbors is to mind their own business and remember to bring their garbage cans ..read more

Add to Favorites Reading Time: 6 minutes   There’s always something to be done or fixed on homesteads, it seems. Here are 4 simple homestead projects you can do in a weekend. By Jenny Underwood  It seems to me that there is a never-ending list of projects we need to complete around our homestead. It ranges from the simple to the more complex. But one thing is certain, most of them can be made much more inexpensively if I do it myself, and with the rising cost of everything, that is something that can benefit us all!   Root Storage Bins This year saw our gardens produc ..read more

Add to Favorites Whether you’re raising meat rabbits or rabbits for show, rabbit farming changes seasonally. What works in summer may not work in winter. And though rabbits are one of the easiest livestock to raise, precautions do need to be made. Housing Unlike many livestock, rabbits do better in 0-degree weather than 100 degrees. Their fur thickens, their appetites increase, and they huddle together. But that resilience only goes so far. A rabbit hutch needs to be sheltered on several sides during all seasons. In the summer it shades them from the hot and harsh sun. Winter rabbit farming r ..read more

Add to Favorites Winter bird feeding is a fun activity for the whole family to enjoy at a time of year when outdoor chores are at a minimum. It’s a great way to help nature and stay connected to the wild world around us. Top 3 Winter Bird Foods Black Oil Sunflower Seed — If you feed only one thing to your birds this winter, black oil sunflower seed should be it. Black oil sunflower seed attracts more birds than any other type of seed. The kernels are high in fat so they provide fuel for cold days. If you don’t like all those messy shells littering the ground around your feeder, there are shel ..read more

Add to Favorites Reading Time: 4 minutes   Hoof care is important any time of year, but particularly so in winter when conditions are the wettest and most worrisome. By Bryan Farcus MA, CJP; ©2007-2014 “Farrier-Friendly” Series It’s that time of year, once again, and I’m finding that the evening chores at the barn are getting a bit hurried. At times, it can be quite a challenge to use-up that last sparkle of daylight. Though I do enjoy the change of seasons, I tend to dread the thought of what inevitably follows. For horse owners, a shift from September to December can be a major co ..read more

Add to Favorites I love giving hand knit gifts for the holidays. I’ve made hats, mittens, scarves, stuffed toys — you name it. This year, I’ve got a new plan: I designed a new knitting pattern—Cocoa Cozies—and I’m giving my friends a cute mug and a cozy. These cozies are all over the place in the knitting world, and they’re both useful and fun to knit. And fast! I made two of these easy knitting patterns in one evening, so if you’re looking for a quick bunch of gifts, knit several of these, buy a set of coffee mugs, and you’re all set. I can see knitting one of these for each of the ..read more

Add to Favorites Reading Time: 4 minutes   Learn how to make cute, personalized cross stitch Christmas decor and stocking tags. Unpacking the Christmas decorations is my favorite part of the holidays. I have ornaments from my dad’s childhood and from mine, a darling stuffed Santa that my mom gave me, and myriad tree-shaped candles that make the mantle magical. Also, a Christmas village comes to life on the coffee table. It’s a labor of love putting it all out. (And a pain in the you-know-what to put it away!) I’ve added my own touches to the decorations over the years, with handknit ..read more