No matter when you plan your retirement from a regular job, do you know what you want to do then? If you are only looking forward to watching more TV or traveling, is that going to be enough? Too Old? During my 50’s, my mom passed away after having Alzheimer’s for many years. Several years … Continue reading Retirement on a Homestead?
Getting a Portable Generator
Back in 2011, the U.S. economy seemed unstable. Rather than wait for the bottom to fall out, I purchased a portable generator. To prepare for possible emergencies, I also filled some large plastic containers with shelf-stable food. I bought a water filter, a hand-powered clothes washer, and a propane range. Portable Propane Generator Limited Usability … Continue reading Getting a Portable Generator
Big Project Problems
We have been trying to get a house built on our property in Florida for over two years. Surprisingly, the worst problem with this big project hasn’t been finances—it’s been people! Other people and their ideas can create the biggest problems . . . and sometimes the best solutions. First Step for Our Big Project … Continue reading Big Project Problems
Lessons from Growing Bananas
In most of Florida, you can grow tropical plants. Our property is between Zone 8 and 9, so we can grow tropical plants and some heat-tolerant plants that would normally be found further north. Tropical fruit-bearing plants include all citrus, bananas, avocados, papaya, mango, guava, pineapple and many others. Plants that like a little cold … Continue reading Lessons from Growing Bananas
Homestead Skills and How to Get Them
People who grow up on farms, or live in rural areas, pick up many homestead skills that are very useful. Knowing how to milk a cow; fix a tractor; butcher a pig; put up a fence; repair a chicken coop; ride a horse; sew and mend clothes with a machine or by hand; and others … Continue reading Homestead Skills and How to Get Them
Community Garden Surprise: Salad Green
If you don’t have space where you live to grow food, one option is joining a community garden. I did this a few years ago and planted a 4-foot by 8-foot plot. Someone from my church had a local nursery, so I purchased some plants from her to get the garden started and used seeds … Continue reading Community Garden Surprise: Salad Green
Raising GOATS Naturally – Book Review
Raising Goats Naturally does a great job of covering all the bases for goat owners and people interested in becoming one.
Mother Earth Fair Experiences
Shortly after we decided to create our own homestead, we also subscribed to the Mother Earth News magazine. They publish six times a year and we often read the entire magazine to see what other people are doing. Another activity that the magazine sponsors is the Mother Earth Fair all over the U.S., where you … Continue reading Mother Earth Fair Experiences
The Food Supply & How to Improve It
The food supply is important to me as it can affect both the short-term and long-term health of me and my family. A Possible Source If you are like me, you get your news online instead of from the major networks. One of the daily news feeds I receive had an ad for a company … Continue reading The Food Supply & How to Improve It
Exhausted from Heat and Summer Work
My husband and I spend many weekends on our property; feeding plants and making improvements at our homestead in Florida. At our respective jobs during the week, we sit in front of computers in an air conditioned office. I never expected to get exhausted from heat working outside. We headed out to our property on … Continue reading Exhausted from Heat and Summer Work