Homesteading doesn't stop because the garden is full of snow or the hens have decided to go on an egg-laying hiatus during the winter. This time of year doesn't mean that there aren't any outdoor homesteading chores to do: the animals still need to be fed, ice needs to be chopped out of the livestock water tanks, and the snow needs to be shoveled. But the winter months seem to be a bit slower without the hustle and bustle of gardening ...Continue Reading
Just Like Us
I don't know what normal people read over their holiday break, but I dove into a book about the Donner Party-- the infamous wagon train that got stuck in the Sierra Nevada mountains in 1846 and resorted to cannibalism. I'm weird like that. I needed an audiobook to help pass the 15-hour drive to visit my family over Christmas. And the story seemed strangely fitting as we rolled across Montana in the middle of a blinding ...Continue Reading
Ultimate Guide to Chicken Nesting Boxes
Have you decided to add chickens to your homestead or are you looking for ways to improve your current egg-laying system? We've been raising chickens (both meat chickens and laying hens) for over a decade now. I've been sharing tips on raising chickens throughout the years, and I've got tons of thorough info available for you all on my website, including: How to Build a Chicken Run Ultimate Guide to Broody Hens Fly Control ...Continue Reading
Easy Fermented Mustard Recipe
Condiments are a great addition to snacks and meals for an added flavor boost, but sometimes the store-bought stuff isn’t always the best for you. Making your own condiments can seem daunting, but it isn’t usually that difficult. When making homemade condiments, you get to control what ingredients are being used, and this is another way you can be more self-sufficient. The homesteading lifestyle is about producing more than we ...Continue Reading
10 Tips for Butchering at Home
Raising your own meat to provide food for your family is a truly rewarding experience... More and more people are questioning where their food is coming from (which is awesome) and trying to be more self-sufficient by providing what they can themselves. This has included growing gardens, cooking from scratch, raising animals, and butchering at home. We made the choice years ago to butcher our own meat animals whenever possible (we ...Continue Reading