How and when to harvest home luffa (loofah) sponges

How and when to harvest home luffa (loofah) sponges

Harvesting my luffa sponges was a bit of a confusing endeavor. I read so many “How-To” articles and felt they were pretty misleading in ways. The truth is these little cucurbits and their gourd family is bewildering! I’m going to explain to you what I’ve learned about harvesting luffa sponges. I’ll also let you know how I did…

Living from Scratch: How to Start a Modern Homestead

Living from Scratch: How to Start a Modern Homestead

I started homesteading in 2016 when my then-husband found a small farm on Craigslist (not a joke). We had been traveling musicians for a while and were ready for something different. We were after a living from scratch lifestyle: slow and simple. Something that allowed us to reduce our carbon footprint by getting ‘back to the earth’….

Fastest growing vegetables and fruits for your garden

Fastest growing vegetables and fruits for your garden

All these fast growing vegetables and fruits are ready to harvest in around 75 days or less. Some of them will be better suited for the early spring, and others for the late summer. Many of them are great choices for early fall when the cooler weather starts arriving, such as leafy greens. And all of them are great to add to a cold frame,…

How to make fresh, southern homemade snow ice cream

How to make fresh, southern homemade snow ice cream

My first time tasting snow cream was around 2006 when I was in college. A friend of mine who grew up in South Carolina introduced me to homemade snow ice cream during a fresh snowfall on campus when we got inches of snow from a small snow storm that blew through.  I remember it being so much fun making snow angels and then collecting a large bowl of snow to make ice…

Growing luffa sponges

Growing luffa sponges

So, you want to start growing luffa sponges? You’re in the right place! This is a step-by-step guide on how to grow these natural luffa sponges. ​ Luffa sponge (also spelled luffah or loofah) is a cucurbit vegetable in the gourd family. They actually can grow right in your backyard! I always thought they were…

17 Tips for how to keep chickens warm in the winter

17 Tips for how to keep chickens warm in the winter

Chicken keepers wonder every year how to keep chickens warm in winter weather. Cold climates aren’t something I’ve been familiar with growing up in Florida, so moving to Kentucky brought a new experience when the sunny days turned to cold temperatures. Although I wasn’t a new chicken owner, I was worried about the chickens the first winter I was here.  Always keep an eye…

Tips on how to store and preserve homegrown lettuce longer

Tips on how to store and preserve homegrown lettuce longer

I’ve been learning how to preserve homegrown lettuce from the garden and have found the best way to make it stay crisp and fresh longer. Outside of utilizing the crisper drawer to store lettuce, I’ve learned a few tips and tricks over the years. Learn how to keep your lettuce crisp and fresh longer so you can grow your garden and eat…

Dixie Rainbow Chickens: Dual-purpose, backyard breed

Dixie Rainbow Chickens: Dual-purpose, backyard breed

I raised Dixie Rainbow Chickens for almost 5 years and my experience was great! Here’s the rundown on everything you need to know about this hybrid, rainbow breed chicken, including Dixie Rainbow Chicken pictures. Pin it for later or to show you chicken lovin’ friends! The beginner’s guide to dixie rainbow chickens. I originally learned…

Sticktight fleas

Sticktight fleas

I was outside one day and noticed sticktight fleas on my chickens. Growing up with cats and dogs, a flea, in general, was nothing new. I had see a dog flea and a cat flea, but these were different.  Sticktight fleas, or Echidnophaga gallinacea, are a species of fleas that burrow underneath the chickens’ skin and…

Composting made easy

Composting made easy

Composting is one of the most beneficial activities for the homestead. Plants grow better and provide a more substantial harvest with home compost. It also cuts down on food scraps waste and yard waste, etc. I’m going to make it easy for you to understand hot to compost. How to make compost easy while understanding…

How to make fermented feed

How to make fermented feed

What is fermented chicken feed? According to Linda of Garden Betty, “In a nutshell, fermented chicken feed is probiotics for your chicken. It’s a wet mash (the chicken keeper’s term for moistened food) created by lactic acid fermentation (the same type of fermentation that occurs naturally in sauerkraut). Just like kraut, it contains all the…

Heat tolerant vegetables

Heat tolerant vegetables

I live in Florida so growing heat tolerant vegetables is really the only option when planning for crops. We have a long growing season, with just a small amount of cool weather. As a generally hot climate state, Florida brings hot weather even in the Fall and Spring season some years. I’ve set out to…

Vet’s Best flea and tick yard and kennel spray: an honest review

Vet’s Best flea and tick yard and kennel spray: an honest review

The unfortunate part of looking for a flea and tick spray for your yard is they’re often loaded with chemicals. I’m going to tell you about a plant-based, chemical-free flea and tick yard spray that is safe for you, your children and your pets (and smells wonderful!). *Disclaimer: I am not nor have I have…

What are loquats?

What are loquats?

Plenty of folks have asked me what are loquats, and it’s a fair question really. We have two loquat trees in our yard and I didn’t know what they were. Just as there are easy vegetables to plant in a garden, there are easy fruit trees to grow in the backyard. Loquat trees are one…

Gifts for the gardener

Gifts for the gardener

Are you shopping for gifts for the gardener in your life? Well I’m glad you’re here because I have the perfect gifts for you! All of these gifts are sure to grow your special someone’s affection for you in no time, or just simply put a smile on their face. Gift ideas for the gardeners…

Simple Homestead Blog Hop #275

Simple Homestead Blog Hop #275

Homestead happenins’ I wanted to share my review again with you this week of Lisa Lombardo of The Self Sufficient HomeAcre‘s newly released book “The Beginner’s Guide to Backyard Homesteading”! I’ve really been loving this book and truly feel like once I start keeping bees and dairy animals, I’ll be 100% prepared! Read my honest…

The Beginner’s Guide to Backyard Homesteading (Book Review)

The Beginner’s Guide to Backyard Homesteading (Book Review)

Disclosure: I received a copy of The Beginner’s Guide to Backyard Homesteading for free in exchange for my honest review of its contents. Receiving this book free of charge has not influenced my ability to provide my honest opinion on the contents of this book. Additionally, this post contains affiliate links. By utilizing these links,…

Cheap kitchen gadgets

Cheap kitchen gadgets

I love being in the kitchen and I love cheap gadgets. The love of baking and cooking runs in my family. As I get older, I continue to find little things that make my life in the kitchen easier. 5 cheap kitchen gadgets I use every day and can’t live without. From cooking with grease…

Victory gardens

Victory gardens

Victory Gardens (war gardens) are gardens promoted in 1941 shortly after the US entered WWII due to a food shortage. Food was prioritized to be sent to the military and allies so civilians were encouraged to grow-their-own. Folks grew everything from vegetables to fruit and herbs! Victory gardens and why you need them. I’ve always…

Practicing self-sufficiency during COVID-19 quarantine

Practicing self-sufficiency during COVID-19 quarantine

Here are 20 self-sufficient things you can learn to do while socially distancing yourself under the COVID-19 quarantine! BONUS: These are all accessible whether you have land or not! 20 ways to get closer to self-sufficiency while quarantined in your home. What better time is there to practice self-sufficiency than when you’re under a COVID-19…