One winter more than a decade ago after receiving my master’s degree and suffering through a class on research and statistics, I decided to finally put that knowledge to use. I then proceeded to design a study that I knew … Read More
A few months ago I was giving a talk and brought up aquaponics as a good way to grow vegetables during times of drought. Aquaponics is growing fish and plants together. It could be outside or in a greenhouse or … Read More
With record breaking temperatures hitting many parts of the U.S. this week, anyone with livestock has probably been anxiously watching them to make sure they are surviving the heat. So, here are a few tips: WATER! Keep cool water … Read More
You’ve heard of the 100-mile diet where people eat only things that were grown within 100 miles. Well, I make a 100-yard ice cream that contains only ingredients that were made from within 100 yards of our kitchen — goat … Read More
It’s spring, which means babies on the farm, and often, buying babies from other farms! A couple of months ago a fairly new farmer was telling me about a boar he bought that brought a whole lot of health issues … Read More
Star with her boys in 2006. They were sold to a pet home, and I’m still in touch with the owners! Recently I received an email from a vegetarian who would like to produce his own dairy products but is … Read More
“Psst! Lemme give you some advice!” Although I made a lot of mistakes when we started homesteading, there was one thing that I got right — and it was totally by accident. I wound up with a great goat mentor. … Read More
It is that time of year when many of us are curled up with a cup of something warm and a hatchery catalog or we’re on the Internet looking at classified ads for other livestock. Whether you will be bringing … Read More
The only thing I regret about moving to the country is how many people look at me and say, “I wish I could do what you’re doing, but I live in town.” Oh, but you can do what we’re doing, … Read More
I’m in Grand Rapids, MI, at the annual conference of the American Dairy Goat Association this week and am writing up blog posts on some of the more interesting things that I learn. If you’ve read Homegrown and Handmade, then … Read More
Thrifty Homesteader was created in 2012 after the publication of my second book, Ecothrifty. The name was coined by one of my followers because I said that I didn’t want anyone to think that they had to be rich to homestead or live a greener life....
