Discover essential tips and insights for starting your homesteading journey. Perfect for beginners looking to embrace self-sufficient living.
If you are new to homesteading and just starting a homestead then it is important to know the key steps to success. Of course there is no concrete, set plan for homesteading for beginners. However, there are some general steps you can take to ensure you make your homestead exactly what you want it to...
Learn how to start homesteading with practical tips from an experienced homesteader. Gain guidance and inspiration for your journey.
This advice does not replace that of a Veterinarian! Please consult with your Vet if you have ANY questions about this post, what to feed or how to feed your animals! Goats can live a very happy and comfortable life with no hay, grain, alfalfa, beet pulp or other feed from humans. BUT you better
When I first started backyard farming, I kept coming across descriptions and references to permaculture and the permaculture principles. At the time, I was
It's a permaculture design that works harder than you do.
Found this abandoned wheat farm in the middle of the wheat fields not far from The Dalles, OR. It's now home to a famiy of owls (they were reluctant to be photographed).
It’s important to ease yourself into the homesteading lifestyle You will always be looking for ways to make homesteading easier.
When I first started backyard farming, I kept coming across descriptions and references to permaculture and the permaculture principles. At the time, I was
Since we moved to a home with a decent sized garden I've slowly been learning about how not to kill plants how to grow things. But every spring, when I start planning which fruit and vegetables I am g
A DIY tutorial explaining how to whitewash wood in 4 easy steps. Creating a vintage feel for your home with whitewashing. How to whitewash wood walls.
How to start a backyard farm business when you have no money to spend to get started. Use these ideas to help .
Anatomy of Hugelkultur http://perennialideas.ptpc.com.au/sites/default/files/styles/larger/public/hugelkultur_how_to_image.png What is Hugelkultur? This is a German compound word - aren't they all? It translates as mound/hill (hugel --> WHO-gull) + culture/cultivation (kultur --> cull-chur). Hugelkultur is making raised beds that are filled with rotting wood. It is such a simple concept, but it is an amazing method to use. Wood pile core of a hugelkultur bed http://littleowlfarm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/hugelkultur_pile.jpg Benefits of Hugelkultur Full of slowly decomposing organic matter Full of nutrients. Builds fertility over time. The rotting wood is a massive sponge for water (read that: very little or sometimes no irrigation needed - fantastic method of water harvesting/preservation). Heat from the decomposing wood helps create a warmer microclimate It will last for YEARS! 30 years for a deep bed is not unheard of in climates without a high rainfall. 10-15 yrs for a deep bed in areas with high rainfall. 5 yrs or so for shallower beds. As the bed ages, it will slowly shrink further and further down to the ground. Side by side comparison of growing cantaloupes - seeds from the same packet! Left - traditional garden method; Right - a very shallow hugelkultur bed Look at the difference! http://saponaria-wortsandall.blogspot.com/2008/07/hugelkultur-compared.html Creating Hugelkultur Find your woody material. This can be downed trees, old firewood, pruned branches and twigs, rotten logs, etc. Wood can be fresh or rotting. Rotten wood does decompose faster. Just about any wood can be used. Paul Wheaton recommends against Black Locust (since it almost never rots!), Cedar (it has natural pesticides and herbicides), and Black Walnut (contains a chemical that prevents plants from growing near it). Mound your woody material Lay the wood in a long mound. It can be any height you want it to be. 1-2 feet is common in backyard gardens, but Sepp Holzer builds his mounds 5-6 feet high. You can also lay the wood in a dug trench, so that the total height is not as high above ground level. Cover your woody material If you are not going to plant immediately, you can add additional compostable items: grass clippings, manure, kitchen scraps, garden waste, sod, etc. Cover with a few inches of soil and/or compost. Plant your mound That's it! Sepp Holzer's Raised Bed System... really a form of Hugelkultur Please click on the diagram or link below to see a larger image. http://edenparadigm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Holzer-Raised-Bed-Diagram-LRG-1024x652.jpg Concerns about Hugelkultur If you are using fresh wood, there is concern that nitrogen will be sucked into the wood during initial stages of decomposition. While that is technically true, it appears that this system either mitigates that due to a concurrent release of nitrogen or due to an unknown mechanism unique to this technique. Either way, people plant vegetables (high nitrogen utilizers) right away into brand-new hugelkultur beds all the time with fantastic results. Check out these pages: Paul Wheaton building a hugelkultur bed. Huge forum thread on hugelkultur at Permies.com
How to start a homestead exchange in your area. A homestead exchange is a gathering to swap produce, homemade goods, seeds or any other item.
Swales are ditches dug on contour with the removed dirt placed on the downside slope of the ditch to form a berm. Water will get caught in the ditch and slowly soak into the ground. All sorts of pl…
For us it means keeping life as simple as possible. It means living as close to the land and being as self-sufficient as we possibly can.
This off grid cabin is a beautiful example of a solar-powered tiny house built on a small budget, and it has no mortgage or utility bills!
You can homestead no matter where you are. Here are some ideas to help you learn how to be a Semi-Rural homesteader.
Permaculture gardening in full flight - Glover St Community garden, Sydney NSW Curiouser and curiouser. Recently I attempted to write a ‘Permaculture in a nutshell’ type affair for SuperLiving Magazine – which I assume is a publication for, um, people who like reading about superannuation. Or their lack thereof, given recent global developments. This was a slightly strange commission, as I felt it unwise to make too many jokes about other, more preferable forms of ‘natural capital’ and ‘nest eggs’ – or allude to the concept of not poo-ing in your drinking water and so forth. I also held back on how I felt that everyone should really get together and plant an orchard and a nut grove right now if they really wanted some long-term investments, rather that fiddling with their stocks. However, I managed to restrain myself and here’s what I wrote:
10 things you never want to put in your compost bin. Composting is one of the easiest and most enriching thing you can do for your garden soil.
Yesterday, some readers asked if I had any tips for growing great carrots, so I thought I’d share a few things that work well for me. I’m by no means an expert carrot grower and sometim…
On keto diet? Here are 17 keto diet hacks for everyone who wants to burn fat and still eat low carb meals. Enjoy the tricks to continue your keto diet for beginners.
I am so happy to have our bunkie complete and to be able to share it with you. We started back in May and have slowly worked away as funds ...
Not enough light. Too much water. Bad timing. Come learn how to avoid or fix the 9 most common seed starting mistakes - and grow happy, healthy seedlings!
How to start seeds indoors: find the best location in your home to start seeds indoors, seed-starting tips and DIY greenhouse ideas.
Learn how to make a DIY Herb Drying Rack, a surprisingly stylish and functional kitchen tool that you didn't know you needed.
Are you homestead dreaming? Do you want to simplify your life? Do you want to live more traditionally and be more self-sufficient? Here's how we began our own homestead journey a few years ago...And here is how you can start your own homesteading life, no matter where you live! Find out the step-by-
Lacto-fermentation produces traditional dill pickles, kimchi and sauerkraut. It is nothing more than salt, vegetables and water.
Find out an easy way to DIY a batik look using your kids school glue.
Starting a homestead and wondering which animals are best? Here are the easiest animals every homesteader should own to be self-sufficient!
Since we moved to a home with a decent sized garden I've slowly been learning about how not to kill plants how to grow things. But every spring, when I start planning which fruit and vegetables I am g
The definitive post on diatomaceous earth! Learn how to use diatomaceous earth for its health benefits and around your home and homestead.
Learn how to feed your sourdough starter to keep it healthy and happy! Here are instructions on how to feed starter by weight, or by volume measurements. Included are tips on how often to feed it, flour options, and also the importance of temperature.
Eggshells to start seeds are actually really beneficial for your plants! Here's why: The eggshell will break down and biodegrade in the soil around...
Want to start homesteading but don't want to jump all in? Start small by following these steps. Then build on them as you have time and feel comfortable to take the next step. Read more about homesteading for beginners.
