This DIY Garden Setup Can Feed Your Family All Year
Most people assume gardening shuts down when the frost hits, but that’s only true if you’re following the old rules. With a few simple setups you can build yourself, it’s possible to harvest fresh vegetables, herbs, and even some fruits all year long — right from your...
Can You Do Electroculture in a Greenhouse?
At Self Sufficient Projects, we’re all about empowering you to grow your own food, harness nature’s resources, and live a more independent life. If you’re a greenhouse gardener looking to boost your yields or experiment with innovative techniques, you may have...
The One Plant That Can Fix Your Entire Garden – And You’re Probably Ignoring It
Many people spend a small fortune chasing better soil, fewer pests, and healthier plants, without realizing that the fix for all of these costs nothing and might already be growing in their backyards. You won’t find it on the shelf at the garden center. At first...
The Most Dangerous Berry in the US (You Might Have It In Your Backyard)
There’s a berry growing in backyards all across America that looks harmless, even inviting. Some birds eat it. It pops up near fences, along trails, and at the edge of gardens. Most people walk right by it without a second thought. But here’s the part that caught my...
What’s Killing Your Plants Behind Your Back
You’ve watered, fertilized, and done everything “by the book”—so why do your plants still struggle? The answer might lie beneath your feet. Microbial Imbalance Soil stripped of beneficial microbes becomes a breeding ground for root rot and nutrient theft. One telltale...
The Unseen Garden Pests You’re Accidentally Feeding
Think pests are just part of homestead life? Think again. Many are crashing your garden because you’re rolling out the welcome mat. Rotting fruit under trees? That’s a five-star feast for rodents. Damp mulch layers? A luxury hotel for cutworms. This can't be ignored....
The Best Cordless Lawn Mowers for Self-Sufficient Living
Maintaining a tidy yard isn’t just about curb appeal. It’s about stewardship, food security (if you’re growing your own), and even pest control. But if you're living off-grid or trying to reduce your dependency on gas and oil, a traditional mower might not cut it,...
How to Grow Ginger – A Self-Reliant Guide for Backyard Growers
Ginger has been cultivated for thousands of years, prized for both its culinary punch and its medicinal value. But it’s not just for tropical farms or grocery store shelves—you can grow it right at home with a bit of planning and patience. Whether you’re homesteading...
DIY Stove Made From Used Tire Rims
I had two used tire rims and I decided to make a stove. They have enough holes for the fire to breathe well, and I could easily create an opening to fuel the fire. The easiest thing to do was to put the two rims on top of each other. This gave me enough height and...
DIY Mini Root Cellar For Your Backyard In Less Than Two Hours
Once upon a time, root cellars were the only way people had to preserve their food. These wonderful cold-storage areas became less common when refrigerators became affordable. Houses were no longer automatically built with a root cellar beneath them or nearby. A root...
How To Make Aztec Warrior Cake That Lasts for 10+ Years
Aztec armies marched for weeks; messengers ran hundreds of miles without supply trains. They needed calories that wouldn't spoil under a scorching sun or in a damp jungle. Bulk was the enemy, spoilage was a death sentence. Their solution was pure, brutal efficiency:...
The Best Old Fashioned Pickled Eggs Recipe
Pickled eggs have stood the test of time as one of the most reliable and long-lasting foods in a self-sufficient pantry so we had to share the best old fashioned pickled eggs recipe. Long before refrigeration and modern preservatives, homesteaders and pioneers used...
Grandma’s Survival Stew
When the grid goes down…when supply chains break… when the grocery store shelves are bare, what are you going to feed your family? In times like that, you need food that’s filling, reliable, and made from ingredients you already have on hand. Grandma’s Survival Stew...
Canning Potatoes: A Self-Reliant Staple for Your Pantry
When you’re striving for true self-sufficiency, a well-stocked pantry is more than just convenience - it’s security. Canning potatoes is one of the most practical ways to preserve a staple crop for long-term storage, making them available at a moment’s notice. Whether...
How To Make Your Own Homemade Ant Killer
5 DIY Recipes to Eliminate Ants Naturally Learning how to make your own homemade ant killer should be a priority for every house owner who does not have the knowledge. There's nothing like spotting a trail of ants marching through your kitchen to remind you just how...
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...
DIY “Endless Food Machines”
More and more stories keep showing up on the Internet cautioning about coming food shortages, higher prices and empty shelves. There are numerous factors fueling this idea from climate change to the threat of American tariffs to inflation in general. The result is...
Growing Kunekune Pigs: A Practical Guide for Self-Reliant Homesteads
If you’ve ever considered raising pigs but were put off by the size, mess, or feed costs of traditional breeds, Kunekune pigs might be the solution. These small, pasture-loving pigs are making a name for themselves among self-sufficient growers who want meat animals...
How I Saved $400 a Year by Harvesting My Garden Seeds
Throughout the growing season and into the fall our gardens often provide us with a regular harvest of fruits and vegetables. We carefully cook them, prepare them and often preserve them. But while we’re harvesting the fruits of our labor, how often do we think to...
10 Foods You Should Never Keep in Your Fridge
It's easy to assume that most fresh foods should be refrigerated. But that’s not true. Cold temperatures can have an adverse effect on the texture, flavor and believe it or not -the shelf life of many foods. There are also some foods that should simply not be kept in...
DIY Herbal First Aid Kit
Let’s face it: no one ever plans to cut their hand while doing household tasks, come down with a nasty cough after a weekend trip, or wake up with a bloated stomach and no idea what triggered it. But it happens. And when it does, it’s better to be ready with something...
How to Preserve a Carved Pumpkin Naturally
When autumn arrives, pumpkins take center stage. Their rich orange color, earthy scent, and nostalgic charm have made them a symbol of harvest, protection, and celebration for generations. But anyone who has carved one knows the heartbreak of watching it wilt and rot...
Best Ways To Preserve Your Fall Harvest
For most of us, Autumn is harvest season. One reason is that the fruits and vegetables in our gardens have ripened. Another reason is the onset of winter as the first frosts and freezes turn many fruits and vegetables into toast. It’s those first frosts and freezes...
Planting Garlic Right
Garlic has long been a cornerstone of both the kitchen and the apothecary. Revered for its pungent flavor and powerful healing properties, this humble bulb deserves a place in every garden, whether you have sprawling garden beds or a few pots on your balcony. Planting...
How to Survive Extreme Weather with Only What Grows in Your Backyard
Weather extremes vary, from bad heat waves to winter freezes. A sudden frost can turn many plants to toast. But there are some steps you can take to protect and preserve what you plant when the weather gets tough. That can be especially important if you’re dependent...
20 Foods You Can Preserve in Pantyhose
Wearing pantyhose is something that has more or less gone by the wayside with the traditional 9 to 5 – but you shouldn’t toss your favorite pair of worn-out stockings just yet. Did you know that you can easily preserve a large assortment of foods in a pair of...
Foods To Stock Up On This Winter
Winter brings unique food security challenges. Prices soar. Demand Increases. Panic Sets. I've tracked this pattern for years! Here are some foods to stock up on this winter. However, smart stockpiling before the cold hits has put my mind at ease, often slashing my...
I Wish I’d Known This Before Building A Root Cellar
Before the days of refrigeration and year-round access to fresh vegetables, folks had to figure out how to store their harvest to last through the year. This is what I wish I had known before building a root cellar in my backyard. For many, the answer was a root...
This Is How I Kept My Livestock Alive During The Disaster
Taking care of livestock during a natural disaster's fallout is... whew. I'm still sore in places that I didn't know I could be sore in and, to be brutally honest, I only did about half of the hard work. This is how I kept my livestock alive during the disaster. My...
I Wish I Stockpiled These Before The Hurricane Hit
While I may not always be the top-notch prepper I, perhaps, should be; I do like to be prepared. In fact, whenever a storm is forecast to hit us, I'm usually one of the ones making sure we have water in the tub and a little extra food tucked away. Hurricane Helene was...
Deadly Canning Mistakes You Probably Make
If you ever need to rely on your own supplies for the long haul, home canning is a must-have skill. You can’t grow vegetables year-round—every area has a growing and harvest season based on its climate. Once your yearly harvest is done, there’s no more fresh produce...
Items You Need to EMP-Proof Before It’s Too Late
When power goes out, most homesteaders reach for their backup generator. But what happens when every circuit board within a thousand miles gets fried simultaneously? Your generator, solar system, and emergency radio become useless in an EMP event. The threat of an EMP...
The First 7 Days After Hurricane Helene Hit My Homestead
This article may be a little more intense than you're used to from me. Hurricane Helene was forecast to hit the Atlanta area. Instead, it barreled right through my life and our farm. We were extremely lucky that it wasn't worse, but we had no internet for 21 days, no...
High-Risk Looter Places You Have To Stay Away From In A Crisis
Desperation can drive ordinary people to extremes. Over the years, I’ve seen how quickly society’s rules crumble when disaster strikes. Places that seem safe today can become high-risk zones overnight. After analyzing looting patterns across various crises, I’ve...
Why You Should Cure Potatoes Before You Store Them for Winter
Some years ago, I divided my harvest of Red Pontiacs into two batches: one I cured, and one I didn’t. By January, nearly half of the uncured batch showed signs of rot, while only a handful of the cured potatoes were affected. Here's why you should cure potatoes before...
Power Outage: How To Survive The First 7 Days
This 7-day blackout scenario draws from a real experience with a prolonged power outage. It occurred during a period when supply chain issues and labor shortages made it difficult for utility companies to fix the electrical grid. Here's how to survive the first 7 days...
How to Keep Looters Off Your Property After a Disaster
Something that often follows a disaster is another form of disaster. Looting has become all too common in disaster areas, especially when authorities have evacuated them. Worse, many homes and buildings sustain damage, giving looters easy access to property and...
50 Powdered Foods That Last Forever
If you want a way to make certain foods last longer, have you thought about turning them into powder? Many powdered foods, especially those high in protein, are versatile and practical to use. Let's talk about 50 powdered foods that last forever. Of course, you won’t...
How to Get Running Water When the Next Hurricane Hits
Though food and shelter are of exceptional importance during a natural disaster, we cannot live for long without water. It is a simple fact of life and, when you are faced with no water at all, an extremely irritating one. We spent two weeks with no running water due...
DIY Apple Cider Vinegar
The concept of vinegar first showed up about 8,000 years ago. Ancient people discovered that juice made from fruits would eventually turn into wine. They also realized that wine would turn into vinegar when exposed to air. Eventually, they noticed that vinegar from...
Household Items People Repurposed During the Great Depression
During the Great Depression, when times were incredibly hard, people got by by repurposing everyday household items. Homesteaders can take inspiration from the resourcefulness of the Depression era. Reusing items creatively can be a lifesaver in emergencies or tough...
Foods To Stock Up On This Winter
Winter brings unique food security challenges. Prices soar. Demand Increases. Panic Sets. I've tracked this pattern for years! Here are some foods to stock up on this winter. However, smart stockpiling before the cold hits has put my mind at ease, often slashing my...
