Awareness is an interesting thing! Until something gets your attention or becomes a problem, you often times don’t even notice it. This was my experience with the fir tussock moth, (Orgyia detrita). I had never noticed it in the four years we had our property until caterpillars started raining out of the oaks onto our … Continue reading The Trials and Tribulations of Creating a Homestead – Part 2: Caterpillar Invasion!
The Trials and Tribulations of Creating a Homestead – Part 1
Many people move into the country thinking they will live off-grid and be a kind of frontiersman or woman. Although we would like to be completely self-sufficient, it is a long road to get there and there are lots of holes along the way. As we move in that direction, we want to be prepared … Continue reading The Trials and Tribulations of Creating a Homestead – Part 1
Being on the Self Sufficient Hub Podcast!
My son, Alex, whom you will hear more from in later posts, was recently quarantined for work. He didn’t have it too bad -- he spent a few weeks in a hotel room working remotely and listening to various podcasts on the internet. Knowing my interests and having read all of my blogs, he decided … Continue reading Being on the Self Sufficient Hub Podcast!
Sprouts, Floods and Squirrels – Oh, my!
When we finally finished moving into our new house, one of our first objectives was to start growing food. Florida’s summers are so hot that most people grow typical summer crops like greens, broccoli, spinach and cabbage in the winter. Our location in central Florida only gets one or two nights of freezing weather each … Continue reading Sprouts, Floods and Squirrels – Oh, my!
Laminate flooring! Should you buy it?
Back four years ago, when we thought our house would be finished quickly, we purchased laminate flooring. It looks like a wood floor, can have either a bright shine or a matte finish and should have been a great product. The company we bought the flooring from, held onto it for several months as we … Continue reading Laminate flooring! Should you buy it?
Our first holiday in the new house!
A lot has happened in the six months since we moved into our house back in October – November of 2020! It took until the end of the year to finish moving everything and get our house set up for the holidays, but we had a good Thanksgiving with friends and an equally pleasant Christmas … Continue reading Our first holiday in the new house!
Getting Our New House Finished!
Here is a slide show of pictures taken at our homestead this past weekend! It is hard to believe that it’s been three years since we originally contracted to get our house built. What we have been through in the meantime has taught us a lot! If I was going to go back and change … Continue reading Getting Our New House Finished!
Fruit Trees as a Survival Strategy – Abbas Zawawi
Peaches are fun to grow. Mulberries taste like sunshine and morning dew dipped in honey. But bananas are prolific. Nothing out-produces bananas, and you can pack them into a small space, which is great for a front yard. Give them lots of sun and water, and they will give you an abundant harvest throughout the … Continue reading Fruit Trees as a Survival Strategy – Abbas Zawawi
Banana Overload and Ways To Handle
My friend, Abbas, has a banana grove in his front yard which is very productive. Last fall, he had a huge number of bananas. In a stroke of genius, he decided to have a spur-of-the-moment Banana Sundae Party for some friends and make the ice cream from bananas also. With eight people eating up frozen … Continue reading Banana Overload and Ways To Handle
My friend, Abbas: A Gardening Hero
A good friend of mine, Abbas Zawawi, moved to Florida a few years after I did. He qualifies as what I would call a “Gardening Hero.” He took a standard suburban piece of land with a house on it and has turned it into a bountiful food forest. I recently visited him to see … Continue reading My friend, Abbas: A Gardening Hero