Now that the winter weather has arrived, its important to be prepared for whatever Mother Nature can throw at us. In the winter months, weather emergencies typically consist of snow, ice, power outages, or burst pipes. I think it is important to be prepared, however being prepared shouldn’t happen in the 48 hours leading up to a storm or weather event. When you wait to prepare until the last minute, you end up going into stores that are sold out of generators, ...
Homesteading
Evolution of a Garden Plan
In 2008, my husband & I put in our first garden. There was no garden plan, just me spending about $30 on random veggies I thought I would like to grow. We tilled the ground (which was a nightmare - a lot of clay), and I marked out the beds and planted. My oldest son was only 7mos old at the time, and I thought I'd be able to do it all. Other than the tomatoes, our garden was an absolute disaster! I didn't realize how much I didn't know about gardening. For starters, we had a huge tree ...
Goals for 2016: In the Garden
One of the best parts about New Year's Day is that anything is possible. The year is a clean slate, and you can make the most of each and every day, every moment. This reminds me of the garden. In the garden, you start each season with a clean slate, just dirt waiting to show you the possibilities. So, for my first post of 2016, I would like to share my goals for in the garden. The Past 2 Years in the Garden Over the last 2 years, we have built 9 raised garden beds, one of which holds our ...
Stock Your Pantry with Home Canned Pineapple
Once upon a time, I found great satisfaction in stocking my pantry with groceries because it meant that I was able to provide for my family. Now, I find even greater satisfaction by stocking my pantry with rows of beautiful Ball jars, filled with home canned yumminess, like this home canned pineapple that I made this afternoon. Canning is a terrific way to preserve fresh produce that you grow yourself, or that you find at a great price when it is in season. This week, our local ...