Peachy Pear Jam
This is one of my favorite recipes from childhood, and the very first thing I canned once I learned how! It’s still the one thing I have to can every year. The bright summery taste of fresh peaches and fresh... Continue reading →
Making a Bunny Barn – Rabbit Enclosure in Barn Stall
When we bought our house, one of the things that we loved was the beautiful antique New England barn. The 13 modular stalls over the years have housed a large variety of animals from horses to pigs to chickens to... Continue reading →
15 Best Organic Gardening Tips
Anytime you can practice gardening without harmful chemicals and synthetic fertilizers your garden will thank you for it. The most successful gardens are the ones that follow the cues of nature rather than trying to fight against it. Once you... Continue reading →
Keeping Drakes in your Duck Flock
I get a lot of questions every day about raising ducks. One of the most frequent duck topics I hear about has to do with dealing with drakes and their behavior. Many of those questions concern mating issues – so... Continue reading →
How do I keep rodents out of my coop?
It is an unfortunate fact of life that if you keep animals in your backyard you are going to attract rodents. It doesn’t mean your farm is dirty or that you are messy, rodents are just everywhere and if you... Continue reading →
Building Chicken & Duck Nest Boxes
You got your first fluffy chicks or ducklings – congratulations! While those fuzzy little ones are busy growing and you are daydreaming about all the fresh eggs that will be coming your way soon, it’s the perfect time to build... Continue reading →
Starting a Backyard Orchard
The best time to start a backyard orchard is a couple years ago. But since we don’t have time travel, let’s say the best time to start is today! Most fruit trees will take a couple years to get established... Continue reading →
When Can Chicks Move Outside?
This simple question has dozens of answers. When a mother chicken hatches out her brood, she will usually take her chicks out for their first adventure in the new world by day 2. Clearly, chicks can handle being outside right... Continue reading →
Bringing Back Victory Gardens!
During WWI and WWII Americans (and residents of many other countries) banded together to help supplement the food supply chain amid food rationing and shortages among agricultural workers. During WWII, 1/3 of the vegetables produced in America came from the... Continue reading →
Homesteading Activities while Housebound
Everyone’s world seems to be getting a lot smaller in the past few days, with schools, restaurants, stores, and many of the activities & events we love to frequent are closing down. Many people are out of work, working part... Continue reading →