In case you haven’t noticed, Americans are pet crazy. There are almost 90 million dogs and more than 94 million cats living in our homes. According to statistica.com, a whopping 68 percent of all U.S. households owned pets, and that’s up from 56 percent in 1988. It’s estimated that the average pet owner spends $477 dollars a year just on food treats for their pets. Keeping our pets healthy and happy is certainly driving the increase in the sales of natural pet products such as natural pet foods. But natural pet food isn’t the only growth area in the natural pet products industry. Pet owners also trying other natural pet products, including healthy dog treats, vitamins and supplements, shampoos, and more. In this story, we highlight some great natural choices for dogs. (We’ll cover natural cat products in a different story.) Top natural dog food As people choose a more natural diet for themselves, they also tend to start looking for natural foods for their dogs. Finding the … [Read more...] about Natural ways to Keep your Dog Healthy
5 Ways to Revitalize Your Garden in Summer
Ah, the lazy days of summer. The hot sun inspires all sorts of fun, but for our gardens, it can take a toll. Notice that your garden, so lush, colorful and beautiful only a few weeks ago, is looking pretty hot and tired these days? Never fear: here are some easy ways to revitalize your garden in summer. Plant Late Summer – Early Fall Blooming Plants When gardeners get that springtime planting bug, we tend to plan our gardens around late-spring and early summer, so our gardens look fantastic April-June, but then wither away come July. Solve that problem now by planting perennials that bloom in late summer through fall for a much-needed second wave of color. Some plants to consider include purple asters, penstemon, and certain long-blooming varieties of roses. Knockout Roses, are a popular low-maintenance choice. You can find a wide selection of them at NatureHillsNursery.com. Mid-summer can be a very harsh time to plant, however, so follow these tips to give your new plants the … [Read more...] about 5 Ways to Revitalize Your Garden in Summer
3 Easy Ways to Make Your Kitchen Greener
Today’s homes are getting greener because today’s eco-smart consumers are demanding greener household products and more eco-friendly choices. Outfitting a modern apartment, home or homestead is increasingly about creating a more self-sufficient lifestyle. This greener approach to modern living is probably impacting our kitchens more than any other room in the house. We are taking a more earth-friendly (and personal-health friendly) approach to cleaning, preparing and cooking food, serving food and practically everything we do in our kitchens. As a result, more and more families are getting smarter about natural household products. With new eco-friendly choices for getting dishes clean, why would you keep using the petroleum-based products your mother used? And why not cook and serve your food in products that were made with sustainability in mind? Here are three easy ways to make your kitchen a greener place for you and your loved ones. Recycled glass tumblers made by … [Read more...] about 3 Easy Ways to Make Your Kitchen Greener
Great Summer Zucchini Recipes (Part 1)
What do you do with all the zucchini ripening in your garden? That’s a good question for backyard gardeners every summer. So the editors at Home, Garden and Homestead are on a quest to find the greatest, tastiest, and easiest recipes that use those delectable green zucchini squash that keep coming and coming. Zucchini is a popular backyard vegetable for many reasons. It’s easy to grow—even for beginners. Most insect pests (except maybe squash bugs) leave the hardy plants alone. And once the plants get into full production mode, the dark green fruits grow quickly and prolifically. That’s why you have to be ready with some go-to recipes to put all the zucchini from your garden to good use. Here’s the first zucchini recipe in a continuing series. This hearty zucchini and pasta dinner has been a favorite in my family for years. Italian Zucchini Pasta Ingredients 4-5 fresh zucchini, sliced 1 can (15 ounces) stewed or diced tomatoes 1-2 fresh tomatoes, diced 1 pound, sweet Italian … [Read more...] about Great Summer Zucchini Recipes (Part 1)
Best new roses for your garden
Rose bushes are the queens of the garden. As garden royalty, roses have a knack for making themselves the center of attention. Sometimes all it takes is a single rose at the peak of bloom to draw our gaze. Because of their size, rose bushes stand out above lawns, groundcovers and flower beds. Roses come in a stunning variety of colors, shapes and sizes, and every year new varieties arrive to steal the show. A delightful selection of new rose varieties is now available. Here are some can’t miss new varieties of roses selected by the editors of Home, Garden and Homestead. A beautiful rose to celebrate Park Seed’s 150th anniversary In honor of the 150th anniversary of Park Seed-- one of the most respected gardening companies in America, Jackson & Perkins has introduced a new floribunda rose called ‘La Park’ Floribunda. Back in 1868 in the small town of La Park, Pennsylvania, a 15-year-old named George W. Park founded a company to sell the seeds he had harvested from his … [Read more...] about Best new roses for your garden