Homesteading Skills

Although garlic is usually planted in the fall, planting garlic in the spring will yield a harvest. But it’s a different growing and harvesting experience than if you plant garlic in the fall. Spring garlic greens growing. | Photo by…
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The last months of winter may not seem like a prime gardening season, but it is a great time to get a jump on spring growing by starting seeds indoors. Photo by Kate Garland Starting your plants indoors protects tender seedlings from…
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Testing bean seeds for viability.| Photo by Kate Garland With spring around the corner, you may be perusing seed catalogs to order your favorite fruit and vegetable varieties. But don’t be so quick to purchase new packets -- those…
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Is it time to order seeds yet? We chatted with experts to learn more about ordering, storing and planting seeds for the growing season. Photo by Micky Bedell Gardening season seems far off with the ground frozen and temperatures…
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If you want to keep bees, planning ahead is key to getting started. And that starts with knowing the answer to an important question: When should you order bees? Photo by Gabor Degre Winter is wrapping up and bee season is right…
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Do you have healthy garden soil? Ensuring that you do is a continuing task. Here's what you need to know. Photo by Gabor Degre Sure, it’s January and in many parts of the country spring is weeks -- even months -- away. But it’s never…
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Garden clippings on top of a backyard compost pile. Woody material can take a few cycles to break down. | Photo by Elizabeth Stanley Spoiled vegetables, banana peels, grass clippings and dead leaves -- these are the things that may…
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Don't let a perfectly good garment go to waste when it needs a small repair! Here's how to sew a button back on. Photo by Troy R. Bennett We’ve all been there. You’re getting dressed, going about your buttoning, when you realize one…
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It is rare that throughout the year a large poultry carcass will appear in your kitchen for use as the base for a big batch of homemade stock. But when it does and the bird is picked nearly clean, consider saving the cooked turkey bones…
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When done well, food composting is an excellent way to dispose of waste while creating garden-friendly soil additives. But, when done in a slipshod manner, all that organic waste becomes a convenient and smelly buffet for rats, mice and…
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Crop rotation is an easy and cheap way to have a healthy and productive garden. Learn how to get started in this excerpt from The Backyard Gardener by Kelly Orzel. Organic Growing Practices There’s a personal satisfaction in…
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With just two ingredients, creamy, delicate butter is a treat on biscuits, breads and more. Here's how to make homemade butter. Photo by Sarah Walker Caron Butter is a staple on any kitchen table throughout the year, but the…
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