I like to do things “from scratch.” At least I want to know how to do and make things from the most basic steps onward. A lot of times knowing saves me time and money. For years it sometimes crossed my mind that I’d like to learn how to make cheesecake from scratch. This summer …
The topic of sweet potato diversity is pretty obscure. If they think about it at all, most folk believe that the extent of it is that there are some red colored sweet potatoes beside the regular orange ones, found in the supermarket. Don’t let the supermarket fool you. Sweet potatoes are far more diverse than …
Some years ago I think I actually coined the term, “feel good crop.” You see, here in Oklahoma we garden in an extreme environment. We hold the continental US record for the hottest 40 days and nights in a row and, I’ve seen colder winters here than we ever saw on the East Coast. We …
Let’s talk about ornamental squash and pumpkins as food. Have you ever noticed that in late summer many beautiful squash and pumpkins appear in the produce section? Not many people purchase them for food, and, judging by the price, I can understand. They’re usually quite expensive! However few realize that they can be used for food, …
While in the garden this morning I thought of an axiom: “One can never make too many observations.” I thought of this while inspecting a bean variety I’ve grown for years, yet examining it today I saw details about it which I had never before noticed. This is true for so many facets of gardening. …
Rodents can be a real problem in the garden and homestead. It seems that one day they’re not a problem and then one blinks and… they are a big problem! “Rodent” can refer to a good many different species. The term encompasses not only rats and mice, but also moles, voles, ground hogs, rabbits and squirrels, …
It’s mid August and my tomatoes haven’t done very well this year. Weeds abound and tomatoes don’t. The other night I was weeding and discovered this tomato plant, hiding in the weeds. I had planted it very late. It looks feeble. It made me think of the question of when to pull the plug on …
Being into self sufficient living I personally prefer to grow much of my own food, make my own bread (with my own sourdough), shave with a straight razor and… compute with Linux. Linux and homesteading are a natural combination, though one doesn’t often hear them mentioned together. What is Linux anyway? Linux is an operating …
There’s something special about mulching a vegetable garden. As a boy, I can remember my father covering our entire garden in 8″ of clean straw every spring. Everything we planted seemed to thrive. I can remember the feel of walking barefoot on that mulch, as I helped to care for and harvest from that garden. …
There’s not much more exciting than when you are going to be bringing home a new animal to your homestead herd or flock, whether it’s a goat, sheep, cow, or even a horse or mule. But, there’s something important that you need to do when you bring home any type of new animal, and that …