Milking sheep is something that most people in this country find unusual or even weird. Most have never even considered it as a possibility. Many of those who have considered it have been put off by the wool and terrible reputation dairy sheep have. Or maybe you already have a flock of hair sheep and…
How To Propagate Plants Part 2: Cuttings
Last time we started talking about how to propagate plants by discussing seeds and the various requirements that sometimes must be met before germination is successful. Today we are going to discuss propagation via cutting. Cuttings are stem or root pieces that are induced to create a new plant. Propagating plants using this method can…
How To Propagate Plants Part 1: Seeds
Today we are going to start a mini-series on how to propagate plants. Different plants are successfully propagated using different methods. There is no one size fits all solution to making more of your garden plants. So in the next several articles we will be discussing tips for propagation via seed, cuttings and grafting. Because…
A Quick Look At Sheep Coat Color Genetics: Spotting
Last time we started talking about sheep coat color genetics. We discussed the Agouti or pattern genes which are mainly responsible for your sheep’s coat color and markings. We also discussed the black brown genes and the extension genes that sometimes play a role in coat color. Today we are going to discuss our favorite…
A Quick Look At Sheep Coat Color Genetics
Have you ever wondered about the genetics behind sheep coat color? Or have you wanted to know how to skew your lamb crop towards being more colorful? Maybe you browsed around our website and realized that sheep come in some really flashy patterns not just white? Or perhaps you have an interest in producing naturally…
How To Prune Hydrangea Macrophylla
Earlier this year we discussed how to prune Hydrangea paniculata, the woody, sun-loving white hydrangea. Today we are going to discuss how to prune its semi-woody cousin the mophead hydrangea, Hydrangea macrophylla. These are the hydrangeas with glossy green leaves and blooms that are blue or pink and can change color depending on the soil…
How To Make Hoshigaki—Preserving Food Like Our Ancestors
After reading this title, you are probably wondering what in the world is hoshigaki? Hoshigaki means dried persimmon in Japanese. In an earlier article where we advocated for planting persimmon trees in a no-spray orchard we mentioned that this was one of the uses for persimmons. Today we are going to show you how to…
The No-Spray Fruit Tree You Should Start Growing Now
Everyone wants to grow common fruits such as a apples, peaches and plums in their backyards. The sad reality is that most people are unlikely to reap a nice crop from these more common fruits. Realistically, they are just not no-spray fruit. Most homeowners who plant fruit trees do so without realizing that these trees…
How To Turn Kitchen Waste Into Homemade Soap
Most people trying to homestead know how important it is to waste as little as possible. But one thing many people don’t know what to do with is waste fat from the kitchen or from processing animals. Did you know that instead of throwing away all that fat, you can easily turn it into a…
The 10 Best Winter Vegetables You Should Be Growing
Now that we gave you some tips to use to extend your season, we thought we would tell you about 10 of our favorite winter vegetables. Some of these have the potential to overwinter to produce a very early spring crop as far north as places like Vermont and New York if given protection. Of…