For some people, the idea of starting their first garden and growing their own food can seem overwhelming. For others, it might seem ridiculously easy. You just plant seeds, and they grow—right? “But there is so much more to it,” say the overwhelmed future gardeners. The soil temperature has to be just right, and you need to choose the right plants for your climate, plant them … [Read more...]
Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Collection
We're so excited to offer another seed giveaway this year from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Once again, I'm in awe of their beautiful new catalog full of rare, flavorful, and nutritious seed varieties! In the letter within this year's 22nd annual catalog, the Gettle Family shared the exciting news that they adopted two children from China last year. When they traveled to … [Read more...]
Crafting Drinks from Nature
Pascal Baudar is an author, wild food researcher, brewer, and traditional food preservation instructor in California. His 2018 book, The Wildcrafting Brewer: Creating Unique Drinks and Boozy Concoctions from Nature's Ingredients, is a really interesting read about brewing and fermenting flavorful beverages (not just beers!) using local ingredients you can find in your backyard, … [Read more...]
Abscesses and CL in Goats
Caseous Lymphadenitis, usually called CL, is the most common cause of skin abscesses. CL is highly contagious because it can infect goats through unbroken skin. CL is unique in that it most commonly affects lymph nodes in the neck. The only way to know if a goat has CL is to have a vet aspirate the contents of the swollen area and culture it to see if it is positive for CL. It … [Read more...]
Who wants to raise geese on the homestead?
Once upon a time, I said I would never have pigs or geese. Well, you know my stance on pigs turned around 180 degrees. Today I'm a huge advocate of having pigs on the homestead, and especially American Guinea Hogs. But what about geese? Until I received a review copy of Kirsten Lie-Nielsen's new book, The Modern Homesteader's Guide to Keeping Geese, I didn't realize I had never … [Read more...]
Foraging for Fruit in your Everyday Life
Foraging for fruit is not going to save the world, but it's an act that can help make us better people. It enriches lives, gets us out of doors, and ignites our curiosity. It connects us with subtle shifts in the seasons and brings us closer to the people and animals who share wild and settled spaces with us... - Sara Bir, author of The Fruit Forager's Companion Simply … [Read more...]
Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
My love of spaghetti squash is one reason I garden. Until recently you never saw it in grocery stores. Thankfully it is gaining in popularity, and I can buy it at the store if we run out of homegrown. It looks like a typical winter squash at first glance, but when you cook it, you discover that it is quite different from butternut, acorn, and all the rest. Instead of having … [Read more...]
Indian Goat and Sweet Potatoes
Although you can use goat meat in place of beef or pork in your usual recipes, I don't really like to do that. When I eat chili, for example, I expect it to taste like pork. If it tastes like goat, I just don't like it. I greatly prefer recipes that come from parts of the world where people eat goat regularly. And it makes sense that they would have figured out which spices and … [Read more...]
Cheaper, Greener, Safer Skin Care Options
It's unfortunate that 80% of Americans think that their personal care products, such as skin care products, have been tested and approved for safety by the government. They have not. And you know all of those claims to make you look younger in 60 days? Those don't have to be backed by research either. In addition, skin care products can contain more than a thousand different … [Read more...]
Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE) in Goats
Fall is the perfect time to test your goats for CAE so that if any test positive, you will be able to remove the kids at birth in the spring. Not sure why you need to test? Check out this excerpt from the second edition of Raising Goats Naturally. Usually referred to as CAE, caprine arthritis encephalitis is caused by a retrovirus, and there is no cure. It is transmitted … [Read more...]
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