Self-Reliance and Homesteading

Archive for the ‘Gardening’ Category

Anyone who has a garden, or a small scale farm, knows that you’re going to have extra food. What do you do with all that extra produce? Yes, you can give it away. There is another alternative, however. I found this great article detailing 11 different things you can do with a bountiful harvest of apples. Check it out. You might like some of these.

How to Use a Bounty of Apples

Organic Farming Vs Conventional Farming
By Richard Murray

Organic Farming is at a Crossroads

Organic, holistic, natural, back to the earth, and homesteading, are all disciplines of agriculture that are growing in popularity each day. People all over the world are extremely concerned about our environment especially as how it relates as to what we put into our bodies and also how it affects our earth and our lives.

Agribusiness and the multinational food producers over the years have done an excellent job of providing substantial amounts of nutritious food for a growing world population, but is this scenario of farming sustainable? Currently there is a tremendous amount of debate between organic farmers and conventional farmers who are looking for common answers to this question. Read the rest of this entry »

Composting is a great way to get rid of organic waste around the house, while at the same time sprucing up your garden. I found this great how-to article, complete with photos, about how to compost. I hope you enjoy it and learn something from it.

How to Compost

Your Garden Location – Eight Tips on Picking the Best Spot For Your Organic Garden
By Sue Merriam

Choosing the right garden location is one of the most important steps of organic gardening. You will either have pleasure and a bountiful harvest or years of headaches depending on the location. In her book, Organic Food Gardening Beginner’s Manual, Julie Villani says considering a few points now will make your organic gardening easier and fun. Here are eight tips on picking the perfect spot for your organic garden:

Let In The Sunlight

This is especially crucial if you plan to grow vegetables over the winter. You will want a spot that gets at least six hours of sunlight each day. If you live in an area where the temperatures are milder, then you will want a garden that gets its maximum sunlight in the morning. If the summers are hot where you live, look for an area that gets some afternoon shade. Read the rest of this entry »

Fruit is (or should be) a regular part of our diet. I like to eat several pieces of fruit a day. That can get expensive. Then there’s always the worry about consuming pesticides, food waxes, and anything else that I’m sure I don’t want to know about.

While surfing around YouTube, I came across this video and thought it was interesting. Here you go. Read the rest of this entry »

Chickens – A Delightful and Valuable Part of Organic Gardening and Homesteading
By Sue Merriam

Adding chickens to your backyard farm is the fastest way to a healthy, organic garden, and a delightful way to make your homestead more self-sufficient.

Why Chickens are Invaluable To Self-Reliance

In the thirties, during the Great Depression, horror stories abounded about soup lines and folks facing starvation. But those who owned their own land along with a dozen or more hens and roosters never went hungry. That’s because in a bad economy, those who can raise their own food are way ahead of the game. With a dozen or so hens and a rooster you’ll have a steady supply of eggs and meat. Read the rest of this entry »

Beginner Organic Gardening
By Amy Cohen

There are many reasons to learn beginner organic gardening. Creating an organic garden is simple and easy and does not require as much work as you would think. A little know-how goes a long way.

As an Organic Gardener myself, I hope these tips will help you create your own organic garden.

The first thing is to choose a location for your vegetable garden. Choose a location that receives the most sun through out the day. Plants love the sun. Determine where the sun rises and sets so you can choose where to plant accordingly to size so that no plant shades another. Read the rest of this entry »