Spring is sprunging, officially. Though there is still a crusty two feet of snow on the ground. But there is mud. A lot of mud. And occasional blue skies, and a few twittering melodies by the birdfeeder — and that is all I need to hear.
The homestead is happy we’re spending time with her. I’ve not stopped thinking about her all winter. There are so many wonderful homesteading blogs and resources in the world wide web to keep me learning. These are my favourites:
1. http://www.tenthacrefarm.com
A wealth of information on this site, and perfectly tailored homesteading ideas with information from their weekly emails.
I could spend a bajillion dollars purchasing from greenhouses to fill the endless garden plans for our three acre homestead. So articles like this are super useful.
https://www.tenthacrefarm.com/2018/01/fruit-crops-to-propagate-for-free/
And since I’ve planted a ten fruit tree orchard, I want to facilitate it’s healthiest growth. Learning to underplant, plant clover cover, and protecting the trees can be found here…
https://www.tenthacrefarm.com/2017/07/how-to-build-a-fruit-tree-guild/
2. http://www.thenerdyfarmwife.com
If you’re a make stuff at home kinda person, you’ll love this website. I grew calendula last summer and created my own oil infusion (also oil of oregano and rosemary oil). Calendula has the following properties:
- skin soothing
- antiseptic
- healing
- anti-inflammatory
So I can now do any of the following…
10 Things to Make With Calendula Flowers
I am definitely making these healing bath salts, as I will need them once outdoor gardening season begins, and since I naturally have all the forest ingredients…
Sore Muscles Soak with Epsom Salt & Herbs
And definitely another one that is too pretty, since my garden is filled with coneflower and lavender, this one is my next season’s plan…
Echinacea (Purple Coneflower) Oil & Salve
3. http://www.motherearthnews.com
The mother of all homestead sites. There’s not a question that hasn’t been asked or answered on this site. There is also an entertaining podcast. Which I like to listen to while I’m gardening, of course.
https://www.motherearthnews.com/podcast
I recently took a course on fermentation, so a huge jar of water kefir sits on my counter. Once a day, at least two of us take a medicinal dose (because to say we enjoy it would be a stretch, but the medicinal benefits are just too useful).
https://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/water-kefira-refreshing-probiotic-zbcz1610
I plan to try another kefir, milk kefir. This I know everyone enjoys, as they ask me to buy it from the store.
https://www.kombuchakamp.com/milk-kefir-recipes-and-tips
4. http://www.familyfoodgarden.com
When we first arrived in the Kootenays, I read voraciously on anything homesteading, goat breeding, chicken hatching, garden building. To my delight, I searched the world wide web, high and low, looking for a blog with inspiring pics and useful information. I came across this site replete with useful information.
This mama of two, now of four, was homesteading only miles from me. Her graphics clear and attractive, her information informative and always one step ahead of me in my gardening practice.
If you’re newish to gardening, or haven’t planned your garden on paper, this planner is easy to use:
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/477319356/ultimate-printable-garden-planner?
This gardener is growing year round in my Canadian climate, so I know I can too. Here’s how she grows greens in zone 6…
https://www.familyfoodgarden.com/komatsuna-greens-mustard-spinach/
5. http://www.reformationacres.com
My favourite bread recipe hails from this site. And everything you need to know about hatching new chicks. Which is something I’m hoping to do this spring.
Healthy Multigrain Seed Bread Recipe
Researching chicken breeds for the first time, I’ve kept this article in my feed for quite some time.
https://www.reformationacres.com/2018/01/best-beginnerg-chicken-breeds.htm
And if you’re looking for a beautiful YouTube channel to follow, this is it:
6. http://www.gardendesign.com
For fundamental principles in landscape design, check out this website. No, you may not be landscaping a residential garden, but there are design principles that will allow you to enjoy your more space more.
You can get loads of ideas just by staring down pictures…
https://www.gardendesign.com/pictures/
The rules of landscape design make your spaces feel complete. Rules are always there for a reason. I’ve used this resource repeatedly…
https://www.gardendesign.com/landscape-design/rules.html
Planting ideas too…
https://www.gardendesign.com/ideas/planting.html
I’m not just homesteading for food consumption. I am a passionate plant admirer. And I’ve got space to plant them. This newish site helps me learn plant combinations.
Garden design for those that don’t want to hire a designer, cause you actually want to do it yourself. For fun. And spend the time watering and weeding and hanging in nature too. Like drawing sketch representations of all my many gardens…
8. http://www.communitychickens.com
You want to know something about chickens? This site is for you.
https://www.communitychickens.com/the-kids-guide-to-talking-parents-into-chicks/
To incubate or not to incubate, that is the question. If you have had experience, I’d like to hear from you.
I’m in the process of having a coop built. I’ve already painted a sign: “Cluckingham Palace”. I don’t want to spend palace dollars to build it though. I plan to paint another sign: “Last one in is a rotten egg”. You know, cause chickens can read.
https://www.communitychickens.com/6-things-every-chicken-coop-needs/
I’d love to hear about the sites can you add to my list.
Teresa Wiedrick
I help overwhelmed homeschool mamas shed what’s not working in their homeschool & life, so they can show up authentically, purposefully, and confidently in their homeschool & life.
We kept chickens for years. Sometimes we ordered day-olds to get sexed chicks. Sometimes we bred and hatched our own, butchering the boys for meat. There were benefits to both, but after a couple of years of hatching & butchering the novelty of all that work wore off. Predator-proofing the coop and the run turned out to be an ongoing challenge, especially as we began spending more time away from home. Bears, bobcats and ravens seem to be able to count cars in the driveway in order to determine when it is best to plan an incursion and no matter how Fort-Knox-like we thought the coop was, eventually some massive or wily critter would find a way to wreck it. Evenings in town, weekend camping, overnight trips to the city or holidays away also became logistical problems. Not only did the coop need to be secured at dusk and opened in the morning, the eggs collected and water and feed replenished, stuff a neighbour could drop by and do, but there needed to be enough of a human presence around the property to deter predators.