Increase your self-reliance by increasing your ability to do more projects yourself instead of hiring out or purchasing from the store. Our do-it-yourself projects for the homestead include building projects, home goods, cleaning, health/beauty, and crafts! Because, after-all, self-reliance is all about “doing it yourself” (with a little help, of course).
Heating with wood is a great alternative for self-reliant folks who want to provide more of their own resources. But doing so can be expensive if you don’t get an affordable system set up to burn firewood the right way; likewise, firewood can be pretty …
Making maple syrup is a labor of love, especially for a hobby sugaring operation with small equipment. Reverse osmosis is a process that can speed up syrup production by removing a significant amount of water from the sap before you put it in your evaporator. …
Cleaning maple sap buckets after you collect sap, or in preparation for this year’s collection, is essential for food safety. Clean sap buckets ensure that you are not introducing any pathogens or bacteria into the sap that you are collecting to make maple syrup. Cleaning …
Looking for a kindness list that is safe for social distancing? We see a lot of lists of acts of kindness come out during the holiday season, but in 2020 there are many that don’t apply. We can’t as easily give hugs, visit a local …
Bean teepees are a vertical gardening option for growing pole means. These bean towers are an awesome addition to your garden for many reasons. First, they are a great example of vertical gardening – going up with your garden can help save space and allow you …
A borax ant trap is a simple solution for getting rid of ants. It is easy to make and use. Many households will already have the ingredients on hand. They are also pretty cheap. You can get a whole box of Borax (which you can …
With one flannel shirt, you can make up to 6 sewing projects ranging from clothing to gifts to practical items!
This recipe for beeswax shoe polish and leather conditioner creates a beeswax balm that conditions and polishes leather. It can be used on any leather product including boots, purses, and even baseball gloves! As an avid thrift store shopper, I have seen so many pairs …
Over years of experimentation with maple sugaring methods, we’ve learned a few important tips for boiling more efficiently.
This article is the third in a series on backyard sugaring in partnership with the Vermont Evaporator Company. We appreciate their partnership in helping us to test out the process and share with our readers! You’ve tapped your trees, and in your sugar woods is …