From modern and luxurious to beautifully restored historic properties, Australia is home to an abundance of handsome homesteads.

Wondering how to go off-grid? This step-by-step guide will show you how to transition to an off-grid lifestyle.

This rustic Steamboat Springs retreat appears as if it’s been nestled in the valley overlooking Lake Catamount since the late 1800s.

The restoration of a falling-down homestead in North-west NSW honours over a century of interwoven family history.

If you've found land and want to build a homestead, you need to do these five crucial things before buying land to ensure you make a good investment

It’s 2024 and everyone loves the idea of homesteading. And what’s more natural than a beautiful homesteading design that incorporates houseplants that can benefit your home year-round! Houseplants offer much more than aesthetically pleasing greenery. They are essential elements in homesteading designs, providing a host of benefits that enhance your off-grid lifestyle. From improving indoor … Create a Off-Grid Oasis in 2024: Houseplants as Essential Elements in Homesteading Designs Read More »

A decrepit homestead was theirs to interpret in Victorian fashion when this couple stepped up to save it (and the barn) from ruin. Now it’s exquisite.

Finding the perfect off-grid property is a dream of many homesteaders, but to truly live off the grid requires a specific type of land.

See how this run-down cottage on a NSW farm was renovated into an elegant farmhouse, home to a large family.

A Yass homestead gets a long-awaited renovation to allow views of the park-like Garden. It's the Sprawling park-like gardens at Ledgworth that draw attention, even before the newly painted crisp white farmhouse with a modern interior comes into view.

The bridge-like dining room opens up on both sides, meaning you can literally eat supper in the great outdoors.

Build a productive and efficient farm on your property with this 10 acre homestead layout. My design is fully customizable, so you can work it to fit your land.

Want to make your pantry a little more green? Love Plants in Home? Follow these Kitchen Garden Ideas to invite the touch of nature!

Vintage frugal tips for your homestead. It is no secret that the generations that came before us seemed to know these frugal tips as a way of life.

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We’ve spent hours researching the ins and outs of building a root cellar, looking for the best designs and plans, and we package it all in this article for you.

B R Y A R T O N F A R M We purchased the 1893 farmhouse, 1900 barn, and beautiful surrounding acreage in May of 2014. Here are a few shots of what the farm looked like Before our restoration wor…

City-dwelling architects, artisans, and other talents are escaping to greener pastures

Welcome to the exciting world of tiny houses, where small spaces meet big style!

Each room looks like a museum...

Can you really homestead on 1 acre of land or less? Yes! Here's how to make the most of your small homestead by choosing the best livestock and plants!

The sunroom dining room ideas can be designed according to your home style or can be designed completely different style with unique decors.

Believe it or not, buying a piece of land in the countryside is not a pipe dream, even if you have practically no money.

Composting is an awesome way to sustainably dispose of food waste and create free organic fertilizer. Come learn about 6 different ways to compost at home!

Re: THE FRIENDSHIP BISTRO

12:13 pm - 48 degrees - light rain and fog... You stroll out in to the garden, picking ripe fruits and vegetables, knowing that come February you’ll still be enjoying their freshness. For those of us attracted to the romantic aspects of self-sufficient life, this is an appealing scenario and one that we’re seriously looking into. After searching the internet and Pinterest – this is what I found out... {photo source: pinterest.com} Root cellars, the ancient technology that enables the long-term storage of your garden’s bounty, are currently experiencing a rediscovery, but not merely because of the pleasures of eating self-grown food, but also because of the actual possibility of reducing expenses and providing for significant food storage in times of potential trouble. Here is a little history on root cellars... Native Australians were the first people to take advantage of the cooling and insulative properties of buried foodstuffs in the earth. Records indicate that over 40,000 years ago they grew large amounts of yams and developed the technique of burying their produce in order to preserve it for future use. In the process, they also discovered the phenomenon of fermentation, and ever since, alcoholic beverages have been a large portion of those products stored in underground repositories. Underground storage facilities from the Iron Age have been discovered, and the Etruscans commonly buries their immature wine, but the actual use of walk-in root cellars as a means to prolong the freshness of fruit and vegetable crops was probably an invention that occurred in 17th century England. It might seem surprising that the great civilizations of China and Egypt did not develop root cellars, but the Chinese were the masters of food preservation via salting, pickling and the additions of spices; the Egyptians, residents of an arid environment, were the masters at drying food. It took the right combination of cool winters and hungry Englishmen to finally invent the concept of root cellars. Early American root cellar. {photo source: pinterest.com} Certainly the most notable practitioners of root cellar arts were the early colonists that arrived in North America from the United Kingdom. The eastern halves of America and Canada contain thousands of old root cellars, and the small Newfoundland town of Elliston actually claims the title of “Root Cellar Capital of the World,” and boasts of over 135 root cellars, some dating back 200 years. What exactly is a root cellar? A root cellar is a structure built underground or partially underground and used to store vegetables, fruits, and nuts or other foods. The basis of all root cellars is their ability to keep food cool. They were, essentially, the first refrigerators. A well-insulated root cellar can keep the food inside 40 degrees cooler than the summertime temperatures outside. This coolness also has benefits during the winter, as maintaining food at a temperature just slightly above freezing has the effect of slowing deterioration and rot. Temperatures inside the home, even in basements, are noticeably warmer, so food stored inside the house have a tendency to spoil much more rapidly than food stored in a cooler root cellar. Temperatures above 45 degrees F cause toughness in most stored vegetables, and encourage undesirable sprouting and considerably more rapid spoilage. The temperature in a root cellar is never uniform. The temperature near the ceiling is usually 10 degrees warmer than elsewhere in the cellar, so the ceiling area is therefore appropriate for placement of produce that tolerates warmer temperatures well, such as onions, garlic, and shallots. What can you plan on storing in your root cellar once you build it? Certainly, many of us probably have visions of root cellars in the 19th century, packed with bushels of apples and sacks full of potatoes. Today’s root cellars are really not much different, and potatoes and apples are two eminently storable garden products. But the problem with that pair is that they don’t really go well together. Apples have a tendency to emit ethylene gas, which causes problems for potatoes stored nearby, and will also make any exposed carrots or other root crops bitter. As a matter of fact, many fruits, including plums, pears, and peaches, and some vegetables, such as tomatoes, cabbage and Chinese cabbage, are also notorious ethylene producers. Luckily, there are ways around this problem. A good root cellar has a variety of shelves, some higher than others, and some closer to the air vents. Placing the ethylene producers up high and nearer the exit vents has a tendency to move harmful gases away from produce stored on the floor below. Many root crops are also regularly stored in boxes of loose soil or sawdust, further insulating them from their neighbors’ emissions. Some produce, like cabbages and onions, often emit odors that can taint the flavors of other vegetables, as well as fruits, so finding high, remote corners for these pungent items is a good idea too. One of the key control features of a root cellar is the set of air vents that allow air to enter and exit the cellar. These vents not only allow a greater amount of temperature adjustment than available to a static space, but the air circulation can also be a valuable tool to deal with the ethylene gases and odors produced by a mixed assortment of fruits and vegetables. Inside the cellar, the arrangement of shelves should allow for generous distances between them. The shelves should also be kept a few inches away from the walls to encourage greater air circulation. Materials placed on the floor should be raised a few inches by small blocks or racks. The down side to root cellars at the pests. Rodents are the single most common pest problem for food stored in root cellars. Installing metal wire mesh in common entry points, such as open vents, is a good idea, as is a frequent trapping program. The next most vexing problem for stored food is plain old rot. The saying that “one rotten apple with spoil the lot” is quite true in this situation, so care should be taken to remove any spoiling produce or other foodstuff. In general though, the lower temperatures will combat the mold and bacteria problems that are common in warm, wet conditions. {photo source: pinterest.com} {photo source: pinterest.com} {photo source: pinterest.com} Food You Can Store In Your Root Cellar APPLES – store at 32 degrees – 90-95 percent humidity – shelf life: 2-7 months depending on variety BEANS (dried) - store between 50-60 degrees – 60-70 percent humidity – shelf life: 1 year BEETS - store at 32 degrees – 90-95 percent humidity – shelf life: 3-5 months BROCCOLI - store at 32 degrees – 90-95 percent humidity – shelf life: 1-2 weeks BRUSSEL SPROUTS - store at 32 degrees – 90-95 percent humidity – shelf life: 3-5 weeks CABBAGE - store at 32 degrees – 90-95 percent humidity – shelf life: 3-4 months CARROTS - store at 32 degrees – 90-95 percent humidity – shelf life: 4-6 months GARLIC - store between 50-60 degrees – 60-70 percent humidity – shelf life: 5-8 months JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES - store at 32 degrees – 90-95 percent humidity – shelf life: 1-2 months LEEKS - store at 32 degrees – 90-95 percent humidity – shelf life: 3-4 months ONIONS - store between 50-60 degrees – 60-70 percent humidity – shelf life: 5-8 months PARSNIPS - store at 32 degrees – 90-95 percent humidity – shelf life: 1-2 months PEARS - store at 30 degrees – 90-95 percent humidity – shelf life: 2-3 months POTATOES - store between 40-45 degrees – 90-95 percent humidity – shelf life: 4-6 months PUMPKINS - store between 50-60 degrees – 60-70 percent humidity – shelf life: 5-6 months RUTABAGAS - store at 32 degrees – 90-95 percent humidity – shelf life: 2-4 months SQUASH - store between 50-60 degrees – 60-70 percent humidity – shelf life: 4-6 months SWEET POTATOES - store between 55-60 degrees – 60-70 percent humidity – shelf life: 4-6 months TOMATILLOS - store between 50-60 degrees – 60-70 percent humidity – shelf life: 1-2 months TOMATOES - store between 50-60 degrees – 60-70 percent humidity – shelf life: 1-2 months for green; 4-6 months for varieties intended for winter storage TURNIPS - store at 32 degrees – 90-95 percent humidity – shelf life: 4-6 months

If you have a love affair with plants and flowers, then why not create an inspiring greenhouse structure right in your own backyard.

With sweeping vistas and equally impressive interiors, Emma's homestead at The Range is nothing short of spectacular.

Beyond the allure of living in a compact, efficiently-designed space lies an often underappreciated aspect of the tiny house movement: the power of community.

The Rowe family controls a vast swathe of South Australian pastoral land from their headquarters on historic Princess Royal station.

We visited Earthship MIMA, the only Earthship in Japan, in Mima, Tokushima Prefecture, and learned its sustainable housing secrets!

Add warmth and coziness to your kitchen with fall decor and celebrate the season using colorful accents inspired by fall colors.

Let’s have a house party in the country, at a luxurious farm stay where the focus is squarely on sustainability... and glorious food. Step inside Dairy Flat Farm.

DIY living functional garden decorations & outdoor structures: magical grass sofa, fun bean teepee, beautiful grape & rose arches, willow dome & fence, etc!

We've all seen them. Those huge listicles with ideas for making money on your homestead. A laundry list of things that could potentially bring in income, but mostly just a few dollars here or there.