If You Care About Healthy Soil and Clean Water, Here's What You Need to Know to Keep Your Garden and Landscape Free of Contaminants. Soil and water safety is an important topic for every gardener. That’s true whether you’re growing vegetables for your family or maintaining a backyard oasis of flowers. The long-term sustainability of a garden is based on understanding its building blocks: soil and water. For a garden to thrive, it must have healthy soil and clean water. It’s more complicated that you think. It goes way beyond “soil is dirty, and water runs clear.” And many gardeners don’t know what to look for. Soil and water contaminants can be sneaky critters, and this article will share what you need to know to keep your garden safe. Healthy Soil and Clean Water: What to Know About Soil Contaminants Unseen pollutants in soil pose serious risks to plants as well as people. Soil may look rich and fertile, but a closer inspection is needed to be sure … [Read more...] about Healthy Soil and Clean Water: What Every Backyard Gardener Should Know
homestead
How to Make Money Homesteading
The Best Ideas for How to Make Money Homesteading and Turn Your Homestead into a Profitable Brand Living off the land has always carried a quiet kind of power. Call it the power of the homestead. For modern homesteaders, the satisfaction of producing your own food, raising animals, or tending bees isn't just about self-reliance. Modern homesteading can also be the foundation for a sustainable income. That’s why we’ve created this How to Make Money Homesteading guide for beginners and experienced homesteaders. Whether you're bottling honey, harvesting garlic, or selling pasture-raised meats, you can run a profitable homestead business without compromising your values. But making that leap from hobby farm to profitable venture means thinking beyond chores and feed charts. It means building a brand, telling a story, and embracing the messy, rewarding world of small-scale entrepreneurship. How to Make Money Homesteading: Build a Brand Your brand isn’t just a logo on a carton … [Read more...] about How to Make Money Homesteading
How to Plant an Apple Tree
Plant an Apple Tree Using these Step-by-Step Instructions. Planting an apple tree involves a combination of art and science. It begins with understanding your local conditions and ends with ongoing tree care. In this story, we will provide step-by-step instructions and photos showing the mechanics of how to plant an apple tree. Container-grown trees can be planted in the spring or fall. Bare root trees can be planted in the spring or fall when the trees are dormant. For more information about selecting the specific variety of apple tree that’s best for you, please read Chose the Right Variety of Apple Tree. Before You Go to the Tree Nursery Before you buy an apple tree, make sure there is enough space in your yard to accommodate a mature tree. Standard (full-sized) apple trees can reach 30-40 feet tall and can have a spread (width) of 30-40 feet. A semi-dwarf apple tree can grow to 14-20 feet tall and wide. A dwarf apple tree at maturity will typically reach 6-12 feet … [Read more...] about How to Plant an Apple Tree
Benefits Of A Portable Chicken Coop
Raising chickens is more popular than ever, and more and more people are discovering the benefits of a portable chicken coop. Whether you have lavender orpington chickens in your backyard or have flocks of Rhode Island reds, leghorns or Plymouth Rock chickens, you are in good company. During the Covid-19 pandemic, sellers and manufacturers of products related to raising chickens reported record sales. There are several possible reasons for this, including fears of supply chain issues. In addition, at various times during the pandemic, there were shortages on various food and personal items. Naturally, some people tried to become more independent. Producing your own food takes you out of the commercial food system. That means you don’t have to worry when prices change or when there is a shortage. In addition, raising chickens gives you the benefit of having not only meat but also eggs. You can’t just buy some chicks and put them in your yard, however. You need to have … [Read more...] about Benefits Of A Portable Chicken Coop
Sell Vegetables at a Farmers’ Market
Have you wondered how to sell vegetables at a farmers’ market? If you are an avid gardener or have a homestead, you may have considered turning your hobby into a business. There is an increased focus on locally produced goods. Plus, more consumers want to support small businesses and growers. That’s why there is no better time to turn your hobby into a money-making venture! If you are looking to sell vegetables at a farmers’ market, here’s what you need to know. What is a Farmers’ Market? A farmers’ market is a place where farmers and other food producers sell their products directly to customers. Consumer interest in buying fresh local food has seen a spike since the pandemic. So, farmers’ markets have been important tools for reducing food insecurity over the past 15 years. No matter where you are based, you are sure to find a farmer’s market close by where you can sell your produce. Sell Vegetables at a Farmers' Market (and Other Items, Too!) When it comes to … [Read more...] about Sell Vegetables at a Farmers’ Market
