Have you ever noticed kind of a gap? Sometimes it feels like there's a bit of a disconnect between me and my non-homesteading friends. Ever been there? Thankfully, considering I've been chasing this homesteading dream for about 7 years now, most of my friends/family now understand that Jill is just weird. And they're used to it. No one even raises their eyebrows anymore when we bring home a new farm animal or start building a new ...Continue Reading
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6 Strategies for Fly Control in the Chicken Coop
"Keep your mouth shut..." That used to be my routine bit of advice for anyone entering my chicken coop during the summer months. Fly control in the chicken coop used to feel like a losing battle for me, and the results were... gross. The cloud of black, buzzing flies used to be so thick when you'd open the door, you almost needed a welding helmet to keep them out of your eyes and mouth. If you think I've been talking about bugs a ...Continue Reading
6 Tips for Successful Desert Gardening
Today I'm welcoming Melissa from Ever Growing Farm to the Prairie Homestead. We share the challenge of gardening in less-than-ideal climates, and I love her ideas for gardening in the desert. Take it away Melissa! Growing food in the high desert can be an incredible challenge, but I am living proof that you can be successful at it! If you follow a few simple methods to help combat the hot, dry, and windy conditions that are the norm ...Continue Reading
Homemade Potting Soil Recipe
(Pssst. This post is from 2015. I'm not pregnant anymore.) ;) I'm back from the dead. Or at least that's what it feels like, especially if dead = first trimester. That's right, there'll be a new Prairie Kid on the homestead come October. (Pssst. This post is from 2015. I'm not pregnant anymore.) The funny thing about me and the first trimester (actually, funny really isn't the right word...) is that my personality pretty much ...Continue Reading
How to Test Seeds for Viability
You dig, you till, you fertilize, you plant, you water... And then you wait. And wait. And you scratch your head when nothing pops out of the ground... Was it lack of water? A hungry animal? Poor soil? Bad seeds? Whatever the cause, it's always frustrating when you have to replant. Last year my bean rows had a germination rate of around 20%. It was dismal, especially considering all the big plans I had for those heirloom ...Continue Reading