Heirloom treasures are one of the most precious things that can be passed down the family line, especially when family members are represented through the years. This embroidered tablecloth can be made and used at the holidays, and will serve as a precious memory of past holiday gatherings. Handmade Holidays has pretty much been my theme for 2020, and I have really been ...
FALL
How to Harvest and Store Romaine Lettuce Seeds
While purchasing seeds won't necessarily set you back a whole lot of money, as a homesteader, you are likely interested in frugality to some degree. When seed quality and frugality can intersect, all the better! This year is a great time to learn how to harvest and store your very own romaine lettuce seeds. Rather than yanking the bolted lettuce plants out of the ground ...
Easy Root Vegetable Storage Ideas That Need No Root Cellar
As a gardeners, one of the goals of growing your own food is to achieve good nutrition to put on the dinner table. Most crops are preserved by some sort of food preservation method like canning. However, if you have a root vegetable storage plan, you can cut out a lot of extra work for yourself! Root Vegetable Storage Made Easy The benefits for storing root vegetables ...
How to Make Fruit Leather from Any Fruit
If you have your own fruit trees or partake in loss leader deals at the store, you may find yourself with lots of extra fruit on hand during the summer. Rather than letting your overripe fruit go into the compost pile, why not take advantage of the sweetness of fruit at this stage and learn how to make fruit leather? It's nature's candy! So you've made your strawberry jam, ...
How to Get Free Plants Through Plant Propagation
As rewarding as gardening is, it can cost you a chunk of change if you don't watch where and how you spend your money. Thankfully, gardening doesn't have to break the bank if you are into gardening on the cheap. Inexpensive options abound at your local dollar store, and even in your own garden when you learn plant propagation. Propagating (also known as cloning or planting ...
How to Grow Rosemary and Ways to Use It
Ahh rosemary--who doesn't love the pungent aroma and flavor of this beautiful Mediterranean herb? I suppose there are some, but not many can say that they don't love this versatile herb for something, whether that be cooking, making herbal remedies, or keeping flies at bay. Here's how to grow rosemary and all the ways you can use it. Rosmarinus, rosemary’s scientific name, ...
How to Have an Easy Garden {and Still Get a Harvest}
It takes some work to grow your own food. Believe me, I’ve been trying to get ‘er done for many years, and it does take some doing. What I have learned over these years is that it doesn’t have to take a lot of time to grow your own food, thankfully! These are three of my best tips for an easy garden, my fellow busy homesteader! I almost called this post “The Lazy ...
How To Make Plants Grow Faster
If we are hoping to grow food for ourselves and our family table, a whole lot of things need to go right. Proper plant care and environment are the precursor to a fabulous harvest. Here are some no-fail rules of thumb for how to make your plants grow faster. As a gardener, you’d like to see the fruits of your labor faster, but plants don’t want to play ball. It can take ...
How to Grow Food in a Small Vegetable Garden
If your dream has always been to become a gardener or have a small farm, but don’t have the space in your backyard, chances are that you will just have to find a way to maximize your existing space. There are plenty of ways you can grow produce in a very small vegetable garden, and always have fresh, organic produce to harvest for your cooking. Don't be discouraged if you ...
Tips for How to Keep Your Raised Garden Bed Soil Healthy
Whether you’re an avid gardener or starting your first vegetable garden, you’re going to have to be sure of one thing above all else: the health of your raised garden bed soil. People with raised planters and window boxes alike are going to need advice like this on hand, and even those who rely on greenhouses are never going to escape the whims and whiles of the soil ...
How to Make a Knockoff Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea Recipe
It's the time of year when cold and flu are prevalent, and we look for a good cup of hot tea that will help us get well and stay well. This knockoff Starbucks medicine ball recipe is one that's been around our household since my daughter first made it. My youngest Ezra has always been a whiz in the kitchen. They have very specific tastes, and often, those tastes are much ...
How To Save Money by Freezing Pumpkin Puree
Growing pumpkin is relatively easy and depending on the type you are growing, each one can yield quite a bit. Freezing pumpkin puree is a good way to save money on food if you use canned pumpkin frequently, and if you aren't picky about the type of pumpkin you are freezing. Having had to be pretty tight with my budget over the past 30 years (save for the past 6), I've ...