If you have livestock of any form, you know they need just as much care, if not more, in the winter. If you have wood heat, well then you are hauling and chopping and cleaning ashes.

But the days are shorter and the weather harsher so many on the homestead keep busy inside with more projects that require staying by the fire. Here are some ideas:

1. Plan and draw out the spring garden and planting schedule.
2. De-seed any wildflowers from last year’s bed to re-use.
3. Knit, crochet or sew.
4. Cabinet, closet and drawer cleaning for that spring garage sale
5. Inventory the canning supplies.
6. Order your spring seeds on line.
7. Keep composting and turning it into the ‘dead’ garden.

There are many more ideas of winter homestead projects that can be done indoors or out. Please feel free to leave a comment and we can expand this list for more people to see! Thank you!

Best Blessings.

Technorati Tags: canning, garden, homestead, livestock, projects, winter

The shopping or purchasing mentality of a homesteader bears examining when speaking of saving money. I’d like to simply touch on that one area of the homesteading mentality that is pretty much the same across the board regardless of homesteading style, or homesteading at all. 

Here are a few tips of how someone who may be known as a ‘homesteader’ usually tends to thinks before shopping for food, clothing, and misc items:

“Can I make this thing myself for less expense?” (food, furniture, gadget, etc.)

“Do I have something already that works in place of this just as well?”

“How often will I use this?” (Hint: If it’s not on a regular basis - it’s not purchased.)

“Can I do without it?” (If you’ve been fine without it for a while now… see next question)

“Do we NEED it or just want it?”

In the world of ‘impulse buys’ on isles by the register and fast food accessibility, these may be unusual questions to ask ourselves, but asking these questions before any purchase, big or small is a habit worth developing.  Take this challenge and run those questions through the mental computer on your next shopping trip.  I’ll be willing to bet that you will save some money.

Best Blessings ~ enJOY your life!

Donna MIller

Donna Miller is a work-from-home wife and mother. She delighted to share her trials and triumphs of learning to homestead anywhere. 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.

For most garden enthusiasts, the arrival of fall means a harvest and a long rest for the vegetable garden beds. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. With a bit of careful planning and appropriate timing, you can enjoy a second harvest of cool weather crops throughout the autumn months with fall vegetable gardening. There are a number of vegetables that will thrive in the cooler months of fall, like root vegetables and leafy greens and a variety of cabbages. To select the best fall growers, check packages for descriptions like “cold hardy” or “quick maturity”. This will ensure that the plants you select for your fall vegetable gardening will give you the harvest that you are hoping for.

Timing

Timing is truly everything when it comes to fall vegetable gardening, since you will want to beat the first hard frost to ensure that you get a good, healthy crop. Some plants don’t even survive the first fall frosts, so they would probably not be good choices for your fall vegetable gardening efforts. To find out what the frost calendar is for your area, you can contact your local extension office. They can give you the best ideas of dates to plant for fall vegetable gardening, as well as a list of potential crops that will work well this time of year.  Some plants actually like the shorter days and cooler temperatures of the autumn months, and will reward you with sweeter tasting veggies than you would enjoy in the hotter summer harvest.

Protection

Some of the crops that you choose to plant in your fall vegetable gardening will require some protection to survive the frosty nights of this season. This means that you will need to keep your eye on the weather reports during the months of September and October, and be prepared to cover those vulnerable plants when the temperatures begin to threaten to drop to frost point. You can purchase protection for your plants, or you can construct your own out of old milk bottles or worn bed sheets. By protecting your plants through the colder nights, you can allow them to thrive during the warmer days, and extend your harvest by a few weeks. Some plants will even continue to grow through hard frosts if they have proper protection at night.

Fall vegetable gardening will allow you to enjoy your favorite hobby past the warm weather months, and give you a crop of sweet vegetables that you might be able to enjoy all the way to Thanksgiving with a bit of luck in some areas. Happy fall gardening.

Technorati Tags: fall vegetable gardening, homestead garden, planting, vegetable garden beds, vegetables

Development

The Western Malleable and Gray Iron Manufacturing Company, produced the first garden tractors. The first one was developed in 1937, and was sold by Montgomery Ward. Two years later, in 1939, the first riding tractor became available, and then in 1950, the first riding lawn mower came into existence.

Gradually the size of the tractors went on getting reduced, while the features and facilities, increased. A smaller sized model farming tractor was designed in 1972, and that’s where today’s compact garden tractors found their roots.

Usage

Garden tractors are farming tools to be used for diverse farming activities :

- The job of pulling heavy loads can be physically tough. They can assist you with the job at hand. Let these heavy-duty machines do all the hard work.

- Cultivators, provided with garden tractors, may be used for plowing, thus making your farms more fertile. Tilled land, according to the experts, is always a good idea if quality crops are to be expected.

- Often used for mowing lawns in gardens. Trimming with the help of tractors, helps reduce odd grass lengths, bringing the parts of the surface back in sync.

- Plowshares embedded in garden tractors, are mostly used for purposes other than gardening as well. A stack of snow may be cleared with the help of plowshares.

Handle with Care!

Garden tractors are machines after all! Proper care must be taken while operating the system, to keep ourselves safe and our good investment safe as well. Here are some guidelines :

- One should always turn off the engines before moving out of the driving seat.
- Servicing should never be attempted while they are in operating mode.
- Garden tractors, with running engines, should never be left in closed garages to avoid accidents.
- Neither the driver nor the idle sitters on the tractors, should smoke there.
- Your body should always be kept at a distance from the operating machinery.
- Speed of the miniature machines should be taken care of.
- It is always advisable to regularly check whether the brakes are working properly.
- Untrained drivers should not be allowed to experiment with the machines.

Buying Tips

You need to be cautious when buying. Following are some guidelines to help you:

- Guarantee of the product purchased and warranty period associated, should be checked.
- Getting your new purchase insured proves to be a good move. Do so when it is time for the warranty to expire.
- It is always better to ask in advance if servicing will be provided at some extra cost, or the price you pay would take care of it.
- Be wary while choosing the brand. Verify that the parts are available close to your location. Getting compatible parts at a later date can get difficult.
- First aid treatments should be learnt to help you in case of of accidents and emergencies.

No doubt with the right care and handling your Garden Tractor could last for years.

Technorati Tags: garden tractor, gardening, gardens

Technorati Tags: budget, food, frugal, grocery savings, homestead, left overs, menu, save money, savings, stretch gorceries, tips, tomato

Coupled with the beginning of scientific farming methods and labor saving machinery, farming has become a lot more productive than it used to be before. There’s an exponential growth in the yields of some major crops because of the development of better plant varieties and fertilizers. Animal waste has also elevated largely because of caring for them and breeding them in larger quantities. The use of tractors and other modern farm implements has, however, lessened the need for farm labor.

The single most notable factor that affects the quality of the grain, hay and silage on a farm is moisture, according to professionals in farming. As a result of this, moisture management is a continuous process. This is done by hay moisture testers, which speedily and accurately measure the moisture in the field, bin or storage.

Killing the weeds Without killing the crop!

The health of the crops has to be protected from weeds and bugs. Many herbicides and pesticides are available to do this. Among these, the Crossbow herbicide is an great product that kills woody brush like blackberry plants; scotch brook and the poison oak. It is the triclopyr ingredient in the herbicide that makes it so effective.

The grass remains unhurt and only the blackberry plants are killed by the Crossbow herbicide. However, it is a swell idea to keep the blackberry plants and spray the herbicide because there will be enough leaf area for herbicide absorption. This will take in enough to kill the root. The best time to spray this chemical is late spring since this is when the plant stems appear fully extended.

Crossbow herbicide is oil based which could be undesirable, particularly during warm weather, which causes the herbicide to vaporize and settle on the neighboring plants. One way to get around this is to apply it on a cloudy day to prevent the sensitive plants in the vicinity from overspray.

Buy flax seed, because they are good for you.

It is a good idea to buy flax seeds from a farm since they are fresh. From a health point of view, flax seeds and oil of the flax plant are greatly desired. They are rich in Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA) belonging to the group of substances called Omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential to protect from heart disease. Flaxseed oil is wonderful for the heart because it is the richest source of ALA. It can also protect against certain cancers in the ground or whole form because of the lignans available in it.

Thanks for reading this article today; I trust it has been informing to you in some way or another.

Technorati Tags: crop, farming basics, seed, weeds

Organic ingredients have become popular across the nations because of its purity and healthy nature. Organic ingredients do not reduce the possibilities of any residue of herbicide, fungicide or any pesticide within the functional ingredient. Genetically, engineered products can be detrimental for the plant’s health. It has been found from studies that the organic farming keeps the topsoil undisturbed and this helps in better production and crop rotation. Again by producing organic ingredient, soil poisoning can be stopped. But the fact is clear that organic farms require more labor. The food ingredients are now highly in demand, the healthy natures of these food ingredients are causes of its popularity. Food ingredients are used for preparing chocolates, snacks and various food products. Conventional farmers use chemicals which kill microscopic bacteria. Many of these bacteria enhance the plant’s ability to absorb nutrients. The fillings and the frying oils, coco butter etc are some of the delicious items prepared from organic ingredients. Organic ingredients are also used for making frozen food items. The elimination of polluting chemicals and nitrogen leaching are done during soil building and along with this it prevents soil, water and air pollution. For maintaining the natural harmony, it is indeed required to maintain the ecological balance. Organic ingredients are widely used for both foods and agricultural products; nowadays, even cotton is also grown following the process. The food ingredients are now highly in demand. Functional ingredients are also highly being used for yielding better and tastier products. For further information, one can refer to the website AgCommoditiesInc.com

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Technorati Tags: benefits, organic farming, organic gardening

Planning your garden is one of the most important parts of vegetable gardening, and it’s quite simple. Whether its a vegetable garden, a flowerbed, indoor houseplants, or some combination, successful gardening requires planning, patience, and a little detective work. Whatever you do, do not choose garden soil, no matter how rich it might be, for indoor vegetable gardening! No matter what gardening zone your garden is located in there are catalogues with myriad variety of vegetables. Use these vegetable gardening tips to prepare your garden and keep your home full of fresh vegetables. Preparing your garden soil for planting is the most physically demanding part of vegetable gardening and may also be the most important part.

The patios and balconies of apartment buildings and condominiums often have good exposure for container vegetable gardening. Container gardening makes it possible to position the vegetables in areas where they can receive the best possible growing conditions. Container gardening can provide you with fresh vegetables as well as recreation and exercise. Although vegetable production will be limited by the number and the size of the containers, this form of gardening can be rewarding. Soilless mixes such as a peat-lite mix are generally too light for container vegetable gardening, since they usually will not support plant roots sufficiently. MEDIA A fairly lightweight potting mix is needed for container vegetable gardening. Soil Conditions The right type of soil for the right type of plant is key to successful vegetable gardening. Clay and sandy soils must be modified for successful vegetable gardening. Proper fertilization is another important key to successful vegetable gardening.

Buy seeds, seed starting kits and gardening supplies for vegetable gardens. If you are new to gardening, starting vegetables from seed may be too huge an undertaking, instead purchase plants. Practice crop rotation in your vegetable gardening by planting tomatoes and other vegetables in a different spot every year. Mulches can be used effectively in all types of gardening situations from vegetable gardens to flower gardens and even around trees and shrubs. I know an eyebrow or two might be raised at the suggestion of indoor vegetable gardening, but it can be done, within limits.

Added to the pleasure of gardening will be the satisfaction derived from relishing vegetables freshly picked from your very own plot. Learning is a process, vegetable gardening needs time. As in so many other pursuits, so it is in the art of vegetable gardening: practice does make perfect.

Technorati Tags: food, garden anywhere, gardening, prepare, soil, vegetable garden

When I say “Shop first at home know-how” what I mean is to get out your weekly circular from your favorite store (the one that doubles or triples coupons or is closest to home to save gas) and shop the sales FIRST. Add these items to your list this week. There is one caution however; buy only the things you KNOW your family will use. There is nothing like a can of sardines on sale that no one will touch for years. Don’t go there. On the flip side, if you have been wanting to introduce a food to your family but it has been too costly until now, this is the time to broaden their taste-bud horizons!

Now that you have listed what is on sale that you will use (complete with prices to the side) go make a week’s skeleton menu using those items and ones you know are in your pantry, freezer and refrigerator. Don’t forget to include desserts, sides and beverages for the meals.

Now once your weekly menu is semi-complete, fill in the blanks with what you want/need to finish your plan. With this new complete week’s menu, head back to your grocery list (the one with the sales items on it) and look over your menu for the week thinking of all the spices, oils, salts, ingredients needed to make that menu come to life in your kitchen. If you are missing something, add it (and the price estimate of it) to your week’s shopping list.

Now that you have shopped at home first, you are armed with a plan and a detailed shopping list. You are more likely to eat at home (saving money) this week. You are less likely to go back to the store (wasting precious time and expensive gas) for things you forgot. You are pretty sure how much you will be spending in the grocery budget, thus stretching that grocery dollar farther and farther.

Donna Miller is a work-at-home wife and mother. She delighted to share her trials and triumphs of learning to mill and cook with whole grains. The Millers own and operate an online Store which offers Organic and Chemical-free Whole Grains, Bosch Mixers, the NutriMill, instructional tutorials, recipes and more. Visit Millers Grain House

Technorati Tags: groceries, money saving