One of the greatest ways to become more self-reliant is to grow your own food at home. Check out these tips, tricks, and suggestions for growing your own fruits and vegetables on the homestead.
Have a handful or a bushel of green tomatoes that never ripened? Don’t despair. There are a lot of ways to use unripened tomatoes in cooking and canning. Don’t let your underripe tomatoes go to waste with these ten tips for using green tomatoes. Note …
Eggshells are a great way to add nutrients to your garden. They have been used for centuries as part of the composting process and they offer several benefits when added to the soil. In this article, we will discuss how eggshells can be used in …
Drying black currants is a great way to preserve this tart summer berry. Dried black currants can be used in sweet baking projects like scones or cookies, or they can be added to savory dishes like stuffing or rice. Drying black currants at home is …
What’s the best way to water your garden? When your garden needs moisture, you can tell – the soil will look dry, your plants will look droopy and “thirsty,” and everything will be growing a bit slower. But how do you know if you have …
These cucumber beetle traps are inspired by directions provided by Susan Mulvihill in The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook. Read our review of that book here; we highly recommend it as a resource for all of your vegetable garden pest questions. Here, we share our experience …
As a gardener who loves to keep things simple, I used to wonder, “Do I really need to prune our tomato plants?” I mean, even a messy garden with weeds and overgrown plants still seems to produce. But the truth of the matter is that …
We were provided with a review copy of The Complete Guide to No-Dig Gardening by Cool Springs Press / Quarto Publishing Group. We appreciate them sharing a copy so we could share with our readers. The Homesteaders’ Book Club recently selected Charlie Nardozzi’s new book …
Growing onions in your vegetable garden can sometimes be tricky. But with a few hints and a bit of practice, you can learn how to grow onions and successfully harvest and store almost a year’s worth of these flavorful bulbs! Onions can be grown from …
Pruning basil plants can increase growth significantly, leading to big bountiful basil bushes and a longer harvesting season. Learn how to prune basil the right way with these easy steps, and you’ll be eating pesto all winter! Why is Pruning Basil Important? Like many plants, …
A well-planned fall vegetable garden can keep your season going well into the cooler months. Depending on your location and the tools you use, your garden could last right up through December! The key to a successful fall garden is good planning. You need to …