If your garden spot has poor or rocky soil, consider growing in containers. Just about anything that is grown in a traditional garden can be grown as well, or even better in containers. And there are many container options to fit everyone’s style and budget. Container Gardening is a popular trend that provides unique and…
Using a greenhouse to extend your growing season is a smart idea. A greenhouse can be used in just about any Climate Zone in the US, and all over the world. But where is the best place to put it on your property? To get the optimum value from a greenhouse, it’s length should be…
Blackberries are one of the most nutritious fruits you can grow, and one of the tastiest. Using these simple techniques, you’ll be able to propagate your own plants from cuttings quickly and easily. FREE PLANTS! The propagation of blackberry plants can be done easily using cuttings from the parent plant. Using a rooting hormone and…
Being able to raise fruit on your own homestead is very rewarding, but to make sure your fruit trees get off to a good start, you’ll have to follow the rules Mother Nature has handed down. The Agriculture Zone where you are located directly affects the time of year that you will want to plant….
Raising sheep is becoming a popular pastime for American Homesteaders and Ranchers. One of the reasons for this is the rise of Hair Sheep breeds. Many are abandoning the traditional woolly breeds in favor of hair sheep. Here are some reasons why you might want to consider Hair Sheep. Hair sheep do not grow wool,…
Knowing that all or part of the food you place before your family came from your own hands is one of the most rewarding things you will ever experience. There is a satisfaction that comes from taking part in your own food production that is hard to explain, but very real. The Backyard Homesteader is…
If you need gift ideas for someone in your life that loves the outdoors and spends a lot of time there, here are some items that they will truly love. Whether it’s Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries or some other occasion, it’s always the right time to give a nice gift to someone you care for. I’ve…
Homesteading is a mindset. It’s a lifestyle of self-sufficiency, frugality, prioritization, skill set development, and a positive attitude toward life and nature. If you possess the willingness to develop those things, you’re ready to start. A homestead can be a small backyard or a large piece of property. Most homesteads will include a garden, fruit…
With over 375 varieties of blackberries, finding the right one for your garden can be challenging. Here’s a list of some of our favorite varieties and their production potential. Like most fruits, blackberries vary in sweetness, size, and growth characteristics. Plants that do well in southern climates may not do well in a northern environment….
Vegetable Gardening brings so many rewards that it is sad to see the growing season come to an end. However, before winter sets in, there are some important things to do that will ensure the garden gets off to a great start in the spring. Winterizing a garden need not be hard or stressful, but…
Owning a flock of chickens comes with the additional responsibility of keeping them safe. But determining what threatens them may be challenging. Let’s look at the various chicken predators, their habits, and determine a strategy to keep your chickens safe. Just about every carnivore and omnivore in the woods that surround your home is a…
Raising Free-Range chickens makes perfect sense for most farms, and increasingly, even for homeowners. Many cities have lifted the ban on backyard chickens making it a perfect setting for Free-Range chickens. A happy chicken brings great reward to its owner, and allowing them to “Free-Range” can truly make them happy. But there are both advantages…