How to Make Cowboy Bread (Lasts Months in Your Pantry)
It calls for ingredients we all keep in the pantry, and it doesn’t even need an oven. This old-fashioned bread goes back to the days when meals were made from scratch, with whatever there was on hand. It was a trail favorite among cowboys and gold miners, cooked under...
Shelf-Stable Rice Meals That Stay Fresh for Years
When stored right, rice can outlast just about every other grain in your pantry without losing its bite or nutrition. But what if I told you that plain white or brown rice in Mylar bags is just the beginner level of what’s possible? For generations, homesteaders,...
Better Than Concrete: DIY Cob Projects You Should Do Today
Cob building material is a mix of clay, sand, and straw, forming a sculptable mortar that dries rock-hard. Unlike concrete, it requires no permits, no mixers, and no special tools. Cob literally bends to your needs. With it, you can knock out functional homestead...
How to Preserve Milk for Years
Back in the day, people didn’t run to the store every time they needed milk. They had ways to keep it fresh long after the cow had been milked, even without a fridge. Sounds almost impossible now, right? But here’s the thing: those methods worked, and many of them...
Automatic Chicken Feeder That Needs No Electricity: How Do You Make It?
Chickens don’t care if you’re sick, busy or on vacation. They demand food daily. Store-bought automatic feeders? Pricey, power-hungry, and prone to failure. Five years ago, I jury-rigged my first gravity-fed feeder from a cracked bucket and leftover PVC. Today, it’s...
The Best Guardian Animals for Your Homestead (Besides Dogs)
There’s a description of dogs that protect livestock. They’re called “guardian” dogs. They protect poultry like chickens and ducks and even more timid livestock like sheep, goats and suckling pigs. The primary predators fall in a range from coyotes to foxes to...
How to Make Your Own DIY Homestead Defense Kit
At 3 a.m. one night, I noticed someone outside, wandering around with a knife in hand. When he got near the backyard, the chickens went crazy, then fell silent. I’d run through situations like this in my head before, but in the moment, my hands still shook. Then I...
Greenhouse Mistakes I Learned from Building My Own
I’ve built 3 greenhouses. And like so many things we do, each one was progressively bigger. Along the way I learned some hard lessons. Some were fairly immediate, others showed up as time went on or when winter arrived. Then again, I found some unique challenges in...
How to Heat a Greenhouse Without Electricity
Growing food year-round is a dream for many homesteaders and gardeners, but when cold weather sets in, keeping a greenhouse warm can become a real challenge. If you’ve ever wondered how to heat a greenhouse without electricity, you’re not alone. Relying on...
How to Water Your Plants When You’re Away
The great thing about rain is we don’t have to water. But that assumes we’re home assessing how much water any of our plants or gardens need. Everything gets complicated when we go on vacation, visit relatives or even a business trip when someone’s living alone. The...
How to Keep A Greenhouse Warm in Winter
Greenhouses are powerful allies in the garden, extending the growing season and protecting plants from the harshest conditions. But when winter’s chill settles in, even the sturdiest greenhouse can become a frosty trap if not properly managed. Keeping warmth inside...
DIY Self-Feeding Keyhole Garden
Keyhole gardens were first developed as a concept in Africa to help to grow food in dry areas. They are now becoming popular in other hot, dry areas of the world, like Texas, for the same reasons they have become popular in Africa. Keyhole gardens are built to...
How to Plant Celery: A Step-by-Step Guide for Self-Sufficient Gardeners
Celery may not be the first crop most people think to grow, but once you add it to your garden, you’ll see why it deserves a spot. This crisp, flavorful vegetable is a staple in soups, stews, and snacks, and growing your own means avoiding the limp, chemical-treated...
This Tiny Bug Can Destroy Your Garden in 48 Hours
It’s a scenario many homesteaders have faced — or will at some point. You step into your garden one morning, expecting to admire your thriving plants, only to find one reduced to a bare skeleton overnight. The speed of the destruction feels unreal, like something...
DIY Harvest Booster Tonic
When I started living off-grid, I remembered this rule: your land will give you back what you sow into it. So, when it came to feeding my crops, I always ensured I used sustainable, natural and budget-friendly options. And when I wanted to boost the yield, I resorted...
This Is How Your Compost Could Kill You
Compost is usually thought of as safe, natural, and even healthy for your garden. But beneath the surface of that pile, there can be hidden dangers you might never expect. There’s something no one tells you when they gush about compost’s magic: under the wrong...
Ingenious Ways To Use Milk Jugs In Your Backyard
Turning old milk jugs into useful garden accessories is about more than just helping the environment. It's also a creative and cost-effective way to repurpose materials, enhancing your gardening experience in the process. It adds a personal touch to the backyard and...
6 DIY Projects to Protect Your Plants From Frost
When you live in a cold or temperate climate, you often must protect your plants from early fall or late spring frosts. Here are several quick and easy do-it-yourself projects that will cost little to no money. Your chosen method will depend on your plants, their...
Ingenious Projects for Endless Hot Water Without Electricity
How many times have you found yourself without hot water without electricity? It could be a power outage, the hot water heater failing, or a water supply disruption. Regardless of why you are without hot water, it is more than a minor inconvenience. We need hot water...
Plants You Can Grow In Water Bottles
So, you've decided that chaos is the right path for you and you want to make a garden out of all those water bottles that you're using on a day-to-day basis at work. I'll tell you what; I'm right there with you on this one. Let's see what we can do to recycle some of...
DIY Poor Man’s Greenhouse
As a homesteader, you need to be well-prepared for any crisis. For instance, you should know how to use survival off-grid tools, build a shelter, or grow enough food for your family. Without electricity, water, or modern infrastructure, a simple greenhouse can be a...
I Would Never Do It. Would You?
I had always loved experimenting with new practices on my farmstead. However, a brief but eye-opening encounter has made me realize that what seems exciting at first can sometimes lead to serious problems later. One such experience I witnessed was regarding a DIY...
How To Make A Wind Turbine At Home
Living off the grid can be expensive. As a homesteader, you can take several steps to cut down your electricity bills and reduce your overall energy consumption. One of the strategies you might want to consider is having a wind turbine. You can choose to install a...
I Finally Did It
Fish are bred and raised in a controlled environment as part of fish farming, commonly called aquaculture, a significant agricultural area. It has been an exciting and rewarding experience for me to work in fish farming for several years. Fish farming has given me...
Corn Porridge: A Simple, Nourishing Staple You Can Make Anywhere
Corn has been a survival food for centuries. Long before processed cereals and instant oats, families relied on cornmeal porridge for warmth, energy, and endurance. It’s cheap, versatile, filling, and—best of all—it can be made with the simplest tools and ingredients...
How to Cook a Full Meal Without Gas, Electricity, or Fire
Nothing seems to be getting cheaper these days. That’s especially true for utilities like electric, gas and if you don’t have access to a ready supply of firewood – you’re paying more for that too. Fortunately, there are some cooking alternatives that not only work...
Fermented Fish: A Self-Sufficient Food Tradition Worth Reviving
Fermentation isn’t new. It’s one of the oldest food preservation techniques known to humankind, dating back thousands of years. Long before refrigeration or canning, families relied on fermentation to stretch their food supply through long winters, harsh climates, and...
I Saved $400 a Month by Stockpiling This Way
Living off-grid, my main goal was always to live a sustainable life without overspending or wasting anything. However, when I first moved, my bills were skyrocket high and resources were often spoiled, which disappointed me. Later on, my fellow homesteaders advised me...
How to Store 2+ Years Worth of Food in a Small Pantry
Small spaces force you to think differently about food storage. When you have limited square footage but need to store enough provisions for two years or more, every inch counts. Standard pantry advice falls short because it assumes you have abundant space. You don't,...
Canned Beets: A Long-Lasting Source of Nutrition and Wellness
Beets have been prized for centuries as both food and medicine. From ancient Greek athletes who consumed them for strength, to traditional healers who relied on their earthy roots to purify the blood, beets have always held a special place at the table. Today, canned...
Home-Cooked Meals to Keep in Mason Jars for 5+ Years
Canning home-cooked meals rather than keeping jars of individual ingredients, can be a viable alternative to MREs. Best of all you can make them yourself, at a much lower cost than the processed pouches sold in-store and online. Yet canning home-cooked meals and...
What Happens If You Cook Your Food In Leaves?
Back in the day, people didn’t have foil or fancy bakeware. If you wanted to cook something over the fire, you used what was around, and that often meant...leaves. It sounds strange at first, but wrapping food in leaves and cooking it right in the coals was a common...
You Should Never Keep These Livestock Together
Many people believe that we should house all kinds of different livestock together, the way our ancestors may have. Sometimes, it can be beneficial to pasture different types of livestock together, but that only applies to those with abundant land so that each species...
These Mistakes Could Kill Your Livestock
Small farms and beginner farmers often lose livestock. There is, after all, a saying in the farming world: if you have livestock, you'll also have deadstock. It's unfortunate, but it's just part of life. Everything you have will, at some point in your farming...
These Are The Most Dangerous Chicken Breeds. Do You Have Any Of Them?
Setting up a chicken coop on your farmstead is indeed an exciting and valuable adventure that comes with its own fair share of challenges. One such challenge lies in selecting the right chicken breeds for your flock. While many breeds offer ease of management and...
8 Miniature Farm Animals You Should Raise
You might have a personal preference – maybe your grandparents raised horses on their farm back home, or you think that cattle would be a fun addition to the homestead. However, the challenge arises when considering their size, which is often impractical for today's...
Geese
If you are looking to add some entertainment to your homestead, raise some geese. They are one of the most endearing types of poultry and there will never be a dull moment on your property. Besides them being fun-loving animals, there are several reasons why...
What Should I Feed My Chickens In Winter?
Many first-time chicken keepers find themselves swooning over baby chicks during the spring, enjoying fresh eggs throughout the summer and fall but may find themselves at a loss when the leaves fall and the snow sneaks in. So how do I feed my chickens in winter and...
Low Maintenance Animals for Your Homestead
While many of us dream of a ranch with sprawling acreage and thousands of head of cattle or another high-production type of livestock, it isn't always yet in the cards for us. And it may take some time to get there. Or, perhaps, you've just started your farming...
Why We Don’t Eat Turkey Eggs
Americans go crazy for eggs. Chicken eggs at least. The average Joe or Jane eats about 250 of 'em every year! There's also a growing interest in trying other types like duck, quail, and emu eggs. But why we don't eat turkey eggs? They might as well not exist. Most...
12 Amish Farming Secrets Every Homesteader Should Know
Unlock the secrets of sustainable living with insights straight from the Amish playbook. In this revealing article, we’ll explore 12 time-tested farming techniques that have powered Amish self-reliance for generations—methods so potent they were deemed too dangerous...
The Weeds in Your Backyard You Should Start Eating Today
For years, I cursed them. Every Saturday, knees sore, I yanked weeds from my lawn and tossed them into the compost. It felt like an endless war. Then one frustrating morning, a neighbor leaned over the fence and asked, “Why are you throwing away dinner?” I froze....
16 Ingenious Uses for Mylar Blankets on Your Homestead
Mylar blankets were once referred to as “space” blankets. That’s because the concept originated with NASA during the space program due to its ability to capture and reflect heat. They’re usually 4 x 8 feet and fold to the size of a handkerchief. They’re also very...
Bone Meal Fertilizer: The Secret Soil Booster Hiding in Your Kitchen
When it comes to organic gardening, the answer to stronger roots, bigger blooms, and healthier harvests might be hiding in something you'd normally toss away — bones. Yes, actual bones. Ground into a fine powder, bone meal fertilizer is one of the most time-tested and...
8 Cheap Ways to Cool Off Your House This Summer
When summer hits full force, even the best-built homesteads can feel like they’re baking from the inside out. Sure, air conditioning helps, but not everyone has it, and even if you do, running it all day can burn through your power supply and your budget. But here’s...
Ingenious Uses of Tallow You Never Thought Of (Except Eating!)
If you’ve got a jar of tallow sitting in the pantry, chances are you’re saving it for cooking. But did you know that this old-school fat is good for way more than this? Before you use it for the usual, here are seven unexpected ways tallow can become a handy tool in...
Best Indoor Propane Heaters: Stay Warm When the Grid Fails
When the power’s out and the temperature’s dropping, what keeps you warm? An indoor propane heater can be the difference between shivering and surviving. But not all units are made the same—and using the wrong one can be dangerous. Here’s what you need to know—and...
Hardware Salvage 101
Before you buy new tools or parts, take a closer look around your home. What if the rusty old junk in your shed or the forgotten scraps in your backyard could become your most valuable tools? Hardware salvage isn’t just about hoarding leftovers, it’s a treasure hunt...
Long-Lasting Foods That Got Soldiers Through the Civil War
The Civil War's hidden battleground? Soldiers' stomachs. During the war, soldiers required sustenance that could endure brutal conditions and long marches. Forget gourmet meals—these were foods designed to withstand hell and high...
Survival Items That Will Skyrocket in Price in 2025
As I rummaged through my garage for a flashlight during an unexpected blackout last week, I realized how unprepared I truly was. It got me thinking about emergency readiness and the items we often take for granted. Looking ahead to 2025, it's becoming clear that...
Frugal Lessons From My Grandfather Who Lived Through The Great Depression
My grandfather was just a teenager when the stock market crashed in 1929. He'd often recount how his family's comfortable life in Chicago crumbled overnight. "One day we were eating steak, the next we were scraping by on beans," he'd say, his eyes distant with memory....
Signs The Supply Chain Is About To Collapse
Supply chains cracking. Inflation’s soaring. Now, panic's setting in. Lately, the signs of strain are hard to ignore. I remember the day I first realized how vulnerable this system really is. It was during a particularly nasty winter storm a few years back. The roads...
Do THIS Before the Grid Goes Down
In uncertain times, it's vital to prepare for survival without the modern comforts of electricity. When the grid goes down, it’s hard to predict how long the outage will last, and an EMP attack could make things even more challenging. To ensure my family's safety and...
These Items Vanished When The Great Depression Hit
Rising inflation, the increasing cost of living, and tightening economic conditions have led many to fear a looming economic recession or even a depression. The Covid pandemic provided a glimpse of what a severe economic downturn might look like. When lockdowns began,...
This Is How Much Water You Actually Need
Aside from shelter, water is the most critical component for maintaining human life in a survival situation. On average, a human being will die without water in only three days. Depending on the environment, a person’s survival without water could be much less....
The Last Big Blackout Taught Me This
I wasn’t too worried when the lights flickered. It happens, sometimes. It was a stormy night, with the temperature hovering just above freezing and occasional spatters of cold rain lashing the windows. I had no clue it's gonna be a big blackout. People use more power...
Homesteading After 60: What You Need To Know
My grandparents had a farm in Georgia, where they raised nearly everything they needed. I remember my grandmother telling me that they bought coffee, flour, and sugar. They raised most everything else. On weekends and in the summer, I helped with the farm chores....
Is It Legal To Go Off The Grid In Your State?
Living off grid is not illegal in any of the 50 states - at least not technically. There are many simple off the grid living activities you can do anywhere, but some of the most essential infrastructure aspects of disconnecting from modern society are either strictly...
How To Install A Trip Wire Alarm On Your Property
There’s nothing more important than keeping your home and family safe from intruders. While you can get a professional surveillance system anytime, they usually cost a fortune to install and may bring a lifetime of monthly fees. There are cheaper yet very effective...
How To Change An Electrical Outlet
Being able to repair your own home is important. But I’ll have to say; the ability to make them in the midst of a disaster is even more so. It’s not unusual for homes to be damaged in the midst of a disaster, and if we don’t know what we’re doing, making repairs to...
DIY Canned Food Dispenser
This past week I had some spare time and I decided to put it to good use. I finished a survival project I had in mind for a while now and I am very happy with the results. This is why I decided to share my project here with you. I know from experience that any...
26 Esentials For Off-Grid Living
Off-grid living is something that many of us aspire to. Not only does it provide for excellent self-sufficiency and sustainability living in a post-disaster world, but it allows us a most cost-effective and sustainable lifestyle in the here and now. Of course,...
How To Winterize Pipes and Prevent Damage
We may be in the heat of summer, but wintertime isn’t all that far away. Before we know it, we’ll be digging out the winter coats and grabbing the snow shovels. I don’t know if time is really going faster or it just seems that way; but either way, snow and colder...
DIY Hidden Pantry For Your Kitchen
If you've always wished you could put that awkward space between your fridge and the wall to good use, here’s an awesome idea. All it takes is a few boards and some casters to create a handy slide-out pantry. What You Need To Build a Hidden Pantry In The Kitchen: 2...
