Preparing for El Niño 2024: A Comprehensive Guide for Homestead Gardeners in North America As El Niño fades away in 2024, understanding its impact on specific North American growing regions is worth considering for homestead gardeners. El Niño characterized by the warming of ocean waters in the equatorial Pacific, influences weather patterns globally, especially in...
To maximize the yield and quality of your beet harvest, paying close attention to the scientific aspects of soil conditions is essential. Here’s a deeper dive into the factors that influence optimal soil conditions for growing beets: Soil Texture and Structure Beets prefer loamy soil, which is a balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay....
From Kennebec to Burbank Russet, a look at 10 types of potatoes, their characteristics and how they fit into your planting strategy for your homestead. The Ultimate Guide to Selecting and Growing Potato Varieties Potatoes are more than just a staple food; they are a culinary delight that varies significantly in flavor, texture, and color....
When it comes to securing a homestead, most people think about high fences, security cameras, or alarm systems. However, an often overlooked but highly effective method is the use of plants and shrubs to create a defensive barrier. This natural approach not only enhances the beauty and biodiversity of your property but also offers a...
As we dive into the practical aspects of botany, specifically focusing on the cultivation of medicinal herbs and plants, it’s essential to understand the significance of each species and its contribution to both traditional and modern medicine. Our continued exploration will not only cover the botanical characteristics and environmental needs of these plants but also...
Creating a healing garden – or medicinal garden in more practical terms, offers significant health benefits, a fact well understood by homesteaders and natural health advocates. Growing a garden of medicinal plants is not merely a hobby but a practical approach to accessing natural remedies and embracing self-reliance in health care right in your own...
For most, there only knowledge of Devil’s Claw is what they see in the supplement section of their local pharmacy or health food store, but can be grown in your medicinal garden with a bit of effort and be far more effective then in a processed pill form. Scientifically known as Harpagophytum procumbens, is...
Optimizing Storage Efficiency: The Ideal Temperature for Your Root Cellar Root cellars are important cornerstone of the homesteading journey, but for many homesteaders, too much is left too chance and based on passed down practices or lack of understanding of how root cellars work to keep your food supplies in optimum conditions for maximizing their...
Calculating how much to grow is as important as what to grow when planning for your homestead this year. With skyrocketing super market prices as well as questionable growing techniques by large food producers – most homesteaders look towards the ultimate goal of being able to grow as close to 100% of their required produce...
Carrots have long been a staple of the North American and European diet – revered for its nutritional value and versatility as well as its ability to be stored for extended periods of time. While most gardeners and farmers focus on cultivating carrots for their edible roots, the process of harvesting seeds from carrots is...