Tips to Homesteading

Archive for the ‘HomeLife’ Category

So the economy has turned topsy-turvy and you’re wallet has turned inside out.

The dream of having that large spread of land and the acres of fertile soil to grow and homestead on seems farther out of reach than ever. Don’t give up on the dream, learn some much needed skills (and scratch that homesteading itch) by becoming an urban homsteader.

This is not as new of a twist on homesteading as the recent media may make it seem. Many people who have dreamed of owning a large homestead have learned to make a life of homesteading in a more urban environment.

Here are a few things that can get you started:

• Compost – fruits and veggies can be composted with little annoyance to the neighbors.
• Grow Boxes – or indoor growing gardens like this one turn counter space into garden space.
• Study/learn skills – Libraries, on line, good subscriptions to magazines help keep the dream alive. So does this book – “Making the Best of Basics”
• Practice skills – Contact your local Co-op or Agricultural extention for classes and fairs.

Look at all areas of your urban environment more creatively and you can learn many needed skills that any homesteader needs. From tending small animals (some areas will let you keep a chicken or goat or two) to gaining that green thumb, you can preserve and go back to basics right where you are!

Homesteading on a Sub-urban Scale

Happy Homesteading – no matter where you live!

Best Blessings!

The Millers

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Winter is in full swing!

As winter marches on and on and temperatures drop deep this season, we hope to keep the tips coming to keep your homestead humming!

Around the Home – Check Foundations:
Rake away all debris and edible vegetation from the foundation of your home.
Seal up entry points to keep small animals from crawling under the house.
Tuck-point or seal foundation cracks. Mice can slip through space as thin as a dime.
Inspect sill plates for dry rot or pest infestation.
Secure crawlspace entrances.

Around the Garden – Time to Mulch:
Apply winter mulch to perennials where winter temperatures generally fall below minus 10 degrees F.
Simply lay lightweight cover of organic mulch, such as shredded autumn leaves, pine needles or straw, over beds to protect plants from winter’s extremes.
Avoid more compact mulches and whole leaves (which can mat), since they can suffocate plants. This leaves slimy ground and is not a good cover.

For the Animals – Extra Comfort:
Lay down extra bedding so that animals can rest in warmth and comfort.
Straw, tree bark or wood shavings provide a soft surface to sleep on as well as additional insulation.
Don’t use rugs or rags–they can absorb liquids and freeze. Those are not comfortable when wet!

So….now that you’ve braved the weather to check around the homestead…go grab some hot cocoa and snuggle by that fireplace! Take care of yourself too!

Best Blessings!
The Millers

Donna Miller is an author, teacher and entrepreneur. Her favorite roles are that of wife and mother to three home-school graduates. The Millers own and operate Millers Grain House which offers Chemical Free and Organic Grains, Grain Mills, Bread Machines, Grain buckets, Bosch Mixers, the NutriMill, instructional tutorials, recipes and more.

Technorati Tags: animals, garden, home, homestead, house, mulch, vegetation, warm, winter

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The animals need tending, the fence is down and it is a high of 18 degrees today! What is a homesteader to do?

Stay warm.

Sound’s stupid or simple as far as advice goes, but the tip is just to not ignore the need to stay warm.

Tips on HOW to stay warm are….

• Wear layers! Lots of layers!
• Double up the socks. If you don’t have water proof shoes wear grocery bags between sock layers.
• Cover your head and neck. Hats and scarves are a must!
• Good weather-proof gloves are important. These are worth the investment.
• Timing is everything. Go out mid-day if possible and in dry weather if possible to tend to outdoor chores.
• Go in short stints rather than long haul.
• Learn the signs of frost bite.
• Rest. Working in the cold weather can really take a lot out of you physically, so rest.

Now, don’t ignore the most important ‘tool’ you have on the homestead – YOU!

Until next time – Best Blessings!

The Millers

Donna Miller is an author, teacher and entrepreneur. Her favorite roles are that of wife and mother to three home-school graduates. The Millers own and operate Millers Grain House which offers Organic and Chemical-free Whole Grains, Bosch Mixers, the NutriMill, instructional tutorials, recipes and more.

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In this Wednesday’s Winterizing Tips to Homesteading we will go up, under and around to keep the winter chill at bay!

For the home, go up and Inspect Roof, Gutters and Downspouts!

• If your weather temperature will fall below 32 degrees in the winter, adding extra insulation to the attic will prevent warm air from settling inside through your roof. If you have ceiling vents, this will decrease the cold draft coming in from them as well.
• Replace worn roof shingles or tiles to avoid icy build up.
• Clean out the gutters and use a hose to spray water down the downspouts to clear away leaves and debris. If it is rainy and the debris holds water, gutters will get heavy and potentially damaged with ice.
• Consider installing leaf guards on the gutters and extensions on the downspouts to direct water away from the home to avoid icy build up close to doors and pathways.

Around the Garden, it’s time to go underground!

• Dig up any tender bulbs. Cannas, tuberous begonias, gladiolus, dahlias and most other summer-blooming bulbs don’t survive winters in USDA Zone 9 or colder. Store freshly dug up bulbs in vermiculite in a paper bag in a cool (65 degrees F  or cooler), dry spot.

For the Animals and Livestock protection is just around the corner.

• Add at least one solid wall around the pen if there isn’t one already. This will provide a wind break. Ideally one wall should be on the north side to block the bitterest wind.

 Now go inside and Warm UP!!!

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Best Blessings!

The Millers

Donna Miller is an author, teacher and entrepreneur. Her favorite roles are that of wife and mother to three home-school graduates. The Millers own and operate Millers Grain House which offers Chemical Free and Organic Grains, Grain Mills, Bread Machines, Grain buckets, Bosch Mixers, the NutriMill, instructional tutorials, recipes and more.

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Bloom where you're planted!

So, you dream of living in the country, living off the land, having small livestock and a serious spread of a garden. Life will be good then, and don’t we know it! For now, you’re in the suburbs though and there’s no sign of leaving any time soon. Can anything be done to start your homesteading journey? You’d better believe it!!

Homesteading in towns and inner cities are becoming not only trends, but growing vital branches of homesteading. Call them urban homesteaders or whatever you’d like; the truth is more people are bringing back the ‘old ways’ in the ‘new areas’.

Some tips to doing this are:

~ Window boxes, Indoor Grow Boxes.
~ Grow your own small, raised bed victory garden.
~ Join in a neighborhood community garden.
~ Compost yard clippings.

No matter where you are, you can begin to learn and develop skills that will and can be used when the eventual dream of homesteading comes to life for you!

Technorati Tags: city, compost, country, garden, homesteader, inner cities, livestock, suburbs, urban

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