Last spring, I couldn't get my tomato seedlings to grow. I tried everything. After using multiple different seeds and seed companies, trying different pots, changing the lighting, watering differently, and even replanting everything, I threw up my hands in despair. Maybe I just wouldn't be growing tomatoes for the year... But then I thought of the one variable that I hadn't considered before: the potting soil. Later into ...Continue Reading
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Season 10: Episode 13: When Fertilizer Turns Toxic with Julie Lay
In this podcast episode, I'm uncovering the toxic story behind what folks want us to think is a harmless fertilizer. I'm talking with Julie Lay. Julie has a BS in Animal Science from Auburn University and until 2020 spent her entire career working in the food safety industry, which you could argue she’s still doing, but in a very different way, today. Podcast Episode Highlights What is bio-sludge? Why did Julie get so ...Continue Reading
Season 10: Episode 12: The Mystery of the Poisonous Potting Soil
In this podcast episode, I'm taking a little break from our current theme to fill you in on the major soil saga we had on the homestead this spring. If you have ever purchased potting soil or dirt, or if you keep a compost pile, my story has ramifications for you too. Podcast Episode Highlights Background of what happened this spring with our soil... What I learned when I experimented with various potting soils What I ...Continue Reading
Easy Ways to Start Living a More Sustainable Zero-Waste Lifestyle
Homesteading has always been about self-sufficiency, about being free from modern systems, and providing more than we consume. And I truly believe that this homesteading way of life goes hand-in-hand with finding ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle. As humans, we have basic needs for survival like food, water, and shelter; these needs are met by using some form of our earth's resources. When you choose to live sustainably, you ...Continue Reading
How to Save Tomato Seeds
Confession: Until very recently, I've never really had any interest in saving seeds from my garden. A homesteading lifestyle is about being self-sufficient and having independence, so you would think that saving seeds would be a common activity by all of us. The truth is, however, that until recent years when seeds were scarce (aka the 2020 Seed Shortage), it hasn’t really been taken very seriously by many gardeners and ...Continue Reading