When we moved into our new house last spring, one of the most exciting things for us was the apple tree in the backyard. While our yard is much smaller than we would like, this apple tree is the centerpiece that ties it all together and really makes it feel like a mini homestead. Well,…
Homestead & DIY
Joel and I just bought our own little urban homestead and we are so excited to share our homesteading endeavors with you! This is where I will be talking about things like storing and preserving food, harvesting rainwater, natural building, living off grid, and alternative means of heating, cooling, and power for your home. I will also cover some survival topics, which are becoming more and more important in this day and age.
6 Ways to Cook Outdoors (without charcoal or propane)
Cooking outdoors is a must in the summertime. While I do enjoy barbecuing on our gas grill, I love the thought of cooking outside in a more natural way. Cooking with fire, hot coals, the sun, or the earth is really appealing to me in a primal way. I especially love the idea of a…
Backyard Garden Update
Well, I figured it was about time for me to give you a backyard garden update! As you may or may not know, we moved into a brand new little homestead this past March, and have been feverishly working on the garden ever since. We don’t have a huge amount of space to work with,…
How to Make Soap For Beginners + Calendula Soap Recipe
I’m going to say right now that I am no expert when it comes to making homemade soap. In fact, what you will see in this post is how to make soap for beginners. This is because I am also very much a beginner! The benefit from learning from a soap making newbie like me…
Do You Want to Live Off Grid?
My end goal in life is to live off grid. I don’t know if I will ever accomplish that, but I can dream. I know what it takes from my experience of living in a tent cabin without electricity and only a wood stove for heat during many summers in the high country of Yosemite…
5 Ways to Protect Potted Plants in Winter
I can’t even believe it’s almost winter already, but here we are. While it’s not technically winter yet, it has been quite cold in our neck of the woods, and it’s supposed to stay that way for a little while. Over the past several weeks we’ve cleaned up the garden, harvested what we could, and…
Herbal Diaper Rash Salve
It seems as though everyone I know either has a child in diapers or is pregnant, including my sister who is due to give birth any day! So, it seemed fitting for me to make something for babies from the Introductory Herbal Course that I’m taking from the The Herbal Academy. This course has been…
Willow Witt Ranch Farm Tour
Today I’m going to tell you all about a local farm. This is not just any farm, mind you. This is Willow Witt Ranch, a glorious 440 acre, off grid working farm in the outskirts of Ashland, OR, that literally screams paradise. Joel and I were lucky enough recently to get a behind the scenes…
How to Make Infused Herbal Oils
Well hello there! As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been taking the The Herbal Academy’s Introductory Herbal Course over the past several weeks, and I’ve been loving it! I already had a basic knowledge of medicinal herbs so I wasn’t sure how much I would learn from this course, but it has really surprised me how…
How to Dehydrate Peppers for Food Storage
We’re at the end of summer, when the bounty of the season is in full swing. Time to start preserving the harvest in any and every way. Canning and freezing are the most common ways to do this, but don’t forget about dehydrating! This is a simple and effective way to preserve food for storage,…
