Homesteading

While it’s easy enough to enjoy the thought of one day running your own homestead, pining for that life of self-sufficiency, the truth of the matter is that kind of life can be taxing, and that’s putting it lightly. Things don’t always go the way we planned, and we’re left scratching our heads...

There’s a sincere beauty in the variability of every individual homestead. Each one is located in a unique area, and that comes with its own environmental elements and challenges as well. While I don’t have to worry about the threat of a black bear ripping down fences, or a crippling October...

We all want more space. We especially want more space to grow more things, which is especially true for the modern homesteader, mainly because space can be hard to come by. If you live in a city of bustling urban sprawl, but seek to live a homesteader’s life, this feeling is probably commonplace...

Raising pigs might seem intimidating for some homesteaders, but as long as you have the space and right infrastructure in place, pigs can make a great addition to any farm, ranch, or homestead. Your needs will change depending on why you’re raising pigs and how long you plan to have them on your...

Let’s be honest: a lot of people interested in homesteading have some version of a plant problem. And by plant problem, I mean, we love plants. What could be better than to grow more plants from the plants we already have? Here are several easy, sustainable techniques to root, divide, and clone your...

There are many great reasons to add sheep to your homestead. Whether you’re interested in wool, meat, dairy, help with weeds, showing, or all the above, sheep make useful additions to farms and homesteads of any size. Yet the choice between breeds can be tough. The American Sheep Industry...

Ducks fill a niche on the homestead that no other animal can. Various breeds can either give you a whole lot of meat or a whole lot of eggs, but this article will focus on species that are classified (generally speaking) as dual-purpose birds, meaning you get the best of both worlds. You'll be...

If you’ve decided to raise pigs, one of the first decisions you’ll need to make is what pig breed to choose. There’s a wide variety of pig breeds around the world and many have their own unique characteristics. Below are several factors to consider as you decide what breed might be best for your...

Many folks with backyard flocks of poultry and fowl never realize the goldmine their birds produce. Some people might very well call that a crying shame. The reality is that manure from backyard ducks and chickens is every bit as valuable as other forms of manure yet goes relatively unnoticed, much...

Congratulations, you’re sold on goats! But what breed is right for you? There are many options to choose from, so you should select carefully based on your space and needs. The first domesticated goats are descendants of the wild Bezoar ibex (Capra aegagrus). From the Zagros Mountains of present-day...

Chickens can act pretty strange sometimes. But if you raise chickens, one behavior you’ll want to know how to recognize quickly is broodiness. Broodiness in a chicken is important to identify because depending on your goals with your flock, you might manage the situation in two different ways. What...