Homesteading | Self Sufficient Living | Living off the Land
I bet you didn't know this, but... I didn't exactly grow up in an "organic" household. In fact, my dad has worked in the farm chemical industry for years, both selling and applying herbicides and pesticides. I grew up surrounded by every form of herbicide and insecticide you could imagine. All of our childhood coffee cups and kitchen utensils were emblazoned with the names of various chemicals and seed treatments. I remember the ...Continue Reading
Perfect… Healthy… Well Balanced... Soil... ...the kind of soil that encourages disease-free veggie plant growth and produces amazingly high harvest yields. Every Gardener’s Dream! Well, this gardener’s dream anyway… The reality is that most of us won’t find the perfect soil patiently waiting for them in the vegetable garden. I, for one, have yet to turn over a patch of dirt and find perfect soil waiting for me to plant in. Maybe ...Continue Reading
Our new greenhouse has drastically expanded our short growing season... But it's also expanded my garden challenges. Especially when it comes to pests-- something I usually don't have to worry *too* much about, considering we garden in the arctic (aka Wyoming)... The Surprise Guests in My Greenhouse... The kids ran into the house one March afternoon announcing there were tiny eggs all over my spinach. Honestly, I ignored it ...Continue Reading
It’s no secret. I’m not a gardening diva. And heaven knows I’ve had my share of ridiculous gardening mistakes, like that time I killed my whole garden with poisoned hay mulch. Even so, I stick with it every year. Every January, I order my heirloom seeds and dream of that idyllic garden that weeds itself and never looks messy. (Are you laughing yet? ?) And then, by June, the weeds are working hard to destroy the dream. In fact, the ...Continue Reading
It has begun. I went out to check Oakley and her new calf a couple of days ago and noticed a smattering of small flies already sticking to her back and flanks. (By the way, WE HAVE A NEW CALF!) But back to my story... Animals make manure, and manure attracts flies. LOTS of flies. Our city friends are always a bit shocked to see the sticky fly strips hanging from the ceiling in my kitchen when they visit (oh-so-classy, but ...Continue Reading
