garden 101 – Literature and Farms

Homesteading as a Parent: Balancing Family Life and Self-Sufficient Living

Homesteading is a lifestyle that has been gaining popularity in recent years, as more people seek to become self-sufficient and live off the land. For parents, homesteading can be a unique and rewarding way to raise a family, but it also comes with its own set of challenges. In this article, we’ll explore the joys and difficulties of homesteading as a parent and offer tips for finding a balance between family life and self-sufficient living.

The Benefits of Homesteading with Children

Homesteading can provide many benefits for children, including hands-on learning experiences, a connection to nature, and a sense of responsibility and self-reliance. Children can help with tasks such as gardening, animal care, and food preservation, which can teach them important skills and values. Homesteading can also provide a slower pace of life, away from the distractions and pressures of modern society.

Time Management and Prioritization

One of the biggest challenges of homesteading as a parent is finding enough time to balance family obligations with homesteading tasks. It’s important to prioritize tasks and be realistic about what you can accomplish in a day or week. Make a schedule that includes both family time and homesteading time, and involve your children in age-appropriate tasks. You can also enlist the help of friends, family, or neighbors for larger projects or when you need a break.

Safety and Health Considerations

Homesteading comes with its own set of safety and health risks, especially when children are involved. Make sure to take precautions such as fencing off dangerous areas, providing safe equipment, and teaching children about safe practices. It’s also important to maintain good hygiene and sanitation, especially when dealing with animals and food production. Be aware of potential hazards such as pesticides, toxins, and wild animals, and take steps to protect your family.

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Finding a Support System

Homesteading can be a lonely and isolating lifestyle, especially if you live in a rural area or have few like-minded neighbors. It’s important to find a support system of other homesteaders or parents who can offer advice, resources, and friendship. Look for homesteading groups, online forums, or local organizations that promote self-sufficiency. You can also participate in farmers markets, community events, or homeschooling groups to connect with other families.

Conclusion:

Homesteading as a parent can be a fulfilling and enriching lifestyle, but it also requires careful planning, time management, and safety considerations. By involving your children in homesteading tasks, prioritizing tasks, and finding a support system, you can find a balance between family life and self-sufficient living. Remember to be flexible, patient, and open to learning from your experiences as a homesteading parent.

How to Successfully Market Your Small Farm

Learning to successfully market a farm is the main frame to running a full-time farm. This is because without the customers to purchase from you, your farm is doomed. Many small farms fail. It is an honest and painful fact that many do not.

Marketing your farm is a key way to help gain the customer base needed to run a successful small farm.

As someone who has helped many smaller farms market themselves, I have found a few key ways to help gain a better customer base and grow your farm to help create a better income for your farm!

Photo by Alejandro Barru00f3n on Pexels.com

What type of small farm is the most profitable?

The ideology that a specific type of small farm would be more profitable than any other is a flawed one. There are many untapped potential businesses within the agriculture community that could be multimillion dollar ideas.

Passion is what should always fuel you first and foremost as our consumers fully recognize when we are being fake. When you start following trends; however, we can see what is popular as of right now.

Mushrooms
Bee Keeping
Microgreens
Farm to Table

These are just a couple of the growing trends in agriculture. Fun Fact: I do the marketing at 4LeafMicros. Here I have also learned how to run a successful microgreen facility and have been helping them grow their business.

Mushrooms are lucrative but take time to grow. These can be grown in a small space and will often sell for a pretty penny considering how low maintenance they are.

The next three are a little more involved. Microgreens, beekeeping, and a farm to table restaurant are far more involved farm ventures when compared to other investments. These three will need to be more hands on.

When we look at companies like True Leaf Market, we can note that their more than just a seed company. They grasped the popularity of microgreens and urban farming and ran with it. This company has found great success with being a fantastic seed supplier!

How do you make the most money on a small farm?

We often find ourselves thinking about the what ifs when thinking about a small farm lifestyle. We look at larger factory farming and wonder how we could possibly compete with these big producers.

The answer is simple: people love the idea of a small farm and supporting local agriculture.

Optimizing your ability to produce quality products that your customers cannot find anywhere else! Finding your own particular niche is important. When deciding what you will have you need to consider the local consumer.

If there are five farms around you producing eggs, why not choose to do duck eggs. Filling a gap inside the system is the best way to make money on your farm.

Another great way to make money would be to take your regular products and turn them into another product! If you are growing fruit it may be worthwhile to process the fruit into preserves.

What crop is in highest demand?

Heirloom tomatoes and other interesting produce. Heirloom produce make a show stopping addition to the dinner table and many shoppers at Farmer’s Markets are looking for just that!

Sourcing proper heirloom seeds from reputable seed companies is important to the quality of your crop!

How do you promote a local farmer’s market?

Many of us won’t start our own market, but it is a great idea to promote markets that you are attending on social media and other platforms. This is important to drive customers to you.

Promoting using ads if you are starting your own market is a great idea. Both Facebook and Google have their own ad running systems. This will direct your ads to specific target audiences.

How do I get more customers to my farmer’s market?

Creating a social media presence using various strategies on Instagram and Facebook can be a great way to promote your business and markets you may be attending.

If you are starting your own, promoting is important. Encourage vendors with a following to post about the market on their own feed. Make sure your market is accessible to the public.

A variety of different vendors is more appealing to consumers than the same ones. Consumers do not want to see carrots at every booth. Art is another great way to drive customers!

Music and other entertainment can also help ensure that your market does fantastic!

What are the marketing strategies for agribusiness?

Marketing strategies for your agribusiness and small farms is important to consider if you want to succeed. Depending on your product, who you market to is important and laws surrounding changes.

Make sure to check with local laws before marketing your business. Some products need USDA inspections.

Business-to-Business

Business-to-Business is a great way to grab attention of more consumers. You do so by working with individual companies to get your product into their business.

You can either do wholesale or consignment with your products. These businesses often have a larger customer base which can make you more successful than doing direct to consumer.

Drawbacks of this include a lower profit margin compared to selling yourself as the business will take a cut of your profit.

I cold pitch to various local companies asking their wholesale and consignment policies. If it is a restaurant, I discuss the benefits of locally grown produce.

Many businesses are eager to carry local products on their shelves as well!

Business-to-Consumer

Cut out the middle man! By using B2C, you are making the profit for yourself. This creates a larger yield for your business.

The downside is, you will need to work harder to gain the customer base and keep it. This means more social media marketing, markets, and other ways to ensure your products get directly to the consumer!

Creating a great social media to gain a larger following is a good way to find more customers.

Regardless of your decision, marketing can be a fun and exciting way to grow your business and follow your passions!

Best Fruit Trees (How to choose the right one for you)

When I was younger, my father and I always discussed planting him as a fruit tree when he passed away. He passed away this year and while I knew he wanted to be a tree, I really could not decide which tree.

I mean, how do you pick the best fruit trees to plant?

I have had fruit trees, but somehow the idea of planting one with my father’s ashes seemed so permanent. I really began thinking it over on what tree exactly he would be best as based on a variety of factors.

What are the best fruit trees to plant?

This is highly dependent on your area. Citrus will not do well in Alaska. But like, I mean, that is pretty much a given.

For me, deciding what the best fruit tree to plant is entirely up to you and your family. My family loves eating apples. I’m talking like 5lbs a week. This makes apples an important part of my homesteading plan.

Not only that, but deciding on the best possible variety is important, too. All of these are based on your location. This is also based on the availability of varieties; luckily with the internet, getting varieties is easier than ever!

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Which fruit tree is easiest to grow?

For me, I love my orange tree. It has produced hundreds of oranges with little maintenance. But honestly, I really think this is dependent on your environment.

The truth of the matter is that there is no true easiest fruit tree to grow. Most trees require some work. Unlike a garden, the amount of work is usually pretty minimal!

I have also found that more native fruit trees are much easier to grow than others. Like mulberry trees and elderberry. These grow wild around me and the ones we own have flourished with minimal effort.

Elderberry is known to contain immune-boosting properties and is renowned for making gorgeous syrups!

Photo by **Елена Кузьмина** from **Pexels**

Which fruit trees bear fruit fastest?

Peaches are by far the fastest to produce fruits. This is because they mature much faster than others. They have been hands down one of my favorites to grow due to their beautiful blooms and delicious fruits.

Peach trees produce fruit the fastest. Peaches also produce fruit for about 10 to 20 years. That is a fantastic yield!

I have also found that peach trees are much hardier than other varieties like citrus. You can grow them in colder environments and will not need to cover them as much as a citrus tree.

That does not mean you will never need to protect your tree from frost. Check out my article on protecting a tree from frost for more information on the subject!

Which fruit trees are the most beautiful?

While this is mostly a personal opinion, I have really grown to love the look of cherry trees. The blooms are unmatched in beauty.

Cherries can be slightly more difficult to grow. For sweet cherries, you need two trees for pollination. This can be difficult for those of us who struggle with space.

It is said that cherries contain melatonin, which can be great for those of us who are sleep-deprived with children!

These trees also do not do well in the heat and need a cooler climate. This makes them a poor choice for Florida.

Overall, I love all fruit trees and find each one unique and purposeful! Choosing one for you is just about finding what you eat and combining that with a tree compatible with your location!

7 Easiest Vegetables Anybody Can Grow! (Victory Garden Approved)

Disclaimer: Some products listed below I have an affiliate link for. This in no way sways my views on them!

When I was younger, I always struggled with growing vegetable gardens. Not sure if it was the soil, my knowledge, or if I just was not taking care of it, but my gardens forever sucked.

I remember the dying plants that filled my small corner of the backyard; they obviously died of neglect and teenage me was off showing rabbits, forgetting to water my thirsty plants.

It wasn’t until the pandemic that I truly discovered my love for the garden. I always raised chickens for food, but in the garden, I saw no point in it.

I will say that no matter what, there were always a few vegetables that I could grow no matter what. These were the easiest vegetables that really anybody, including teenage me, could grow!

What vegetables are easy to grow?

This is the question of the hour, I remember really asking myself what would grow in my yard of death. I needed plants that would thrive with no water, occasional dogs trotting through them, and, well, the chickens.

Over the years of growing everything under the sun, I really have it down on what will grow when neglected!

Beans

Beans for me have always been foolproof. This can be true for both pole and bush beans and I always have a great harvest. Every year, I grew beans in our garden and we ate those even as everything else died.

Now, I love to pickle the beans and grow many varieties to change up our colors. Purple beans are one of my favorites to feed to the kids!

There are a few considerations to be had before growing beans. While they are more hardy and resistant than plants like tomatoes, knowing if they are pole or bush is important.

Pole beans grow up and bush beans bush out. If you have a pole bean variety, you will need to trellis them. Bush beans can produce the entire season too, and will only produce more as you harvest!

If you are feeling adventurous, try planting them with corn. Corn will shade bush beans and help keep them from getting burnt by the sun. Indigenous peoples started this practice and now many of us like to plant corn, pole beans, and squash like pumpkin. This is called Three Sisters Garden.

Photo by Samuel Theo Manat Silitonga on Pexels.com

Lettuce

Lettuce is a great cool weather plant that is so easy to plant! It can be harvested and continuously grown throughout the season as well!

I personally have had lettuce come back from the dead on multiple occasions. It is a very forgiving vegetable.

Lettuce can be grown hydroponically as well; this makes them easy to grow indoors for year-round salads!

There are so many varieties of lettuce that can make wonderful plants in an edible landscape. They come in a variety of colors and flavors, so the possibilities are endless for the amount you can try!

Cucumbers

I love making refrigerator pickles! This makes growing cucumbers important for my family!

I also just love snacking on these and so, I learned quickly to grow them. They trellis but I just grow them along a fence.

The biggest problem I have run into is cabbage worms. I spray neem oil on my plants and use Diatomaceous earth to help stop them from boring into my cukes!

Cucumbers just grow like crazy for me so I love growing them!

Squash

I grew like fifteen butternut squash from one plant during the pandemic. We ate so much butternut that my family begged me to never grow them again!

Like cucumbers, squash has some pest issues, but I proactively treat ‌them and thus, always have a decent harvest!

Microgreens

Places like True Leaf make growing microgreens super easy! I love their seeds for more than just microgreens though.

This company is one of my absolute favorite seed resources. Plus with my link you will get free shipping!

What vegetables are harder to grow?

Don’t come for me, but I find tomatoes and bell peppers incredibly hard to grow. It is hard to start from seed and even harder to keep alive!

Every tomato plant I own is mauled by hornworms. The bell peppers are always excessively small. They just aren’t easy for me to grow.

I will say, my favorite part of gardening is the freedom it gives me. I can grow whatever I want and really, it doesn’t matter if it is not perfect!

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How Do You Make a Permaculture Farm?

Disclaimer: Some links below I have an affiliate link. This means I make a small commission on purchases bought through my link! It holds no representation of how I feel about these products.

I was sixteen when I discovered permaculture. I was a major agriculture nerd, but I felt a severe disconnect from what class was teaching me. I saw the pig farms with crowded animals and the various other issues in agriculture and I began to wonder, how do we fix this?

It was then that I realized that my longing for a natural farm was intertwined with permaculture.

Permaculture has since called to me in every aspect of my life. When my father passed I swore I would start the homestead we planned together.

What are the 12 principles of permaculture?

I think the main appeal of permaculture for me was the fact that instead of being about making money, it was a philosophy of life. I always felt as though this commercial agriculture that my classes taught us was more about growing food for now rather than sustaining ourselves for the future.

These 12 principles of permaculture speak to my soul and feed me in knowledge rather than just sustain my need for food.

Observe and interact

I find peace within my garden and chicken coop. By watching the way the ecosystem interacts with one another, I find myself also interacting within my garden and farm systems. Rather than working against these forces, I work with them.

Catch and store energy

This is one that I have yet to fully work on. It is a plan for the future when I am on my permanent homestead. Though the idea of being able to use solar to run my home really appeals to me considering our electric bill was over $300 last month!

Obtain a yield

The yield for me has been the happiness and joy the garden brings me, but also, being able to feed my family diverse and healthier food options.

It is the happiness that my garden brings that keeps me going. Because, as my husband often points out, bell peppers are 50 cents in the store.

Apply self-regulation and feedback

I began trying to reduce my family’s waste through cloth diapers when I had my first son! Now we compost and recycle.

Slowly, I am learning to reduce my impulse shopping and other factors that draw me into consumerism!

Use and value of renewables

As I said previously, we really began researching solar energy! I have tried to switch to other renewable energy sources like a rain barrel. However, this is not our permanent homestead so I do not want to continue

Produce no waste

Aside from cloth diapers, we use reusable products like menstrual cups, reusable zip lock bags, and other sustainable products.

Honestly, switching from tampons has saved us at least $200 a year. These cups have been a great investment overall!

Design from patterns of detail

I love the way ‌natural shapes look in the garden! I find that it brings me far more joy than bricked-out beds do.

While I do have square raised beds, I try to position them in more natural ways to help add to the eye!

Integrate don’t segregate

When my father was still alive, my garden drove him insane. He always told me I had no real order and I always told him it was the natural order.

I still live by this. Let the garden thrive in neglect. These plants are in their own ecosystem and are flourishing in whatever way I have them going.

Use small, slow solutions

This was always a struggle. I have always gone massive in life. But lately, I really have stopped to smell the roses, you could say.

As much as I want to start a massive at-home dairy and goat yoga studio, I think a nice garden is a step – for now.

Use and value diversity

Diversity for me looks AMAZING when it comes to gardening. I truly value my ability to grow foods we do not see in the grocery stores.

I mean – purple carrots, blue eggs, and the weirdest of the weird. I think it is all beautiful! I also love the way my plants work together to stay healthy!

Use edges and value marginal

I have been expanding the garden this year. I want to trellis onto the chainlink fence all my cucumbers and other vine vegetables.

Yeah, the deer might get some, but I am using space that otherwise just sits there.

Creatively use and respond to change

This has been the biggest change in my life. When my father passed, it was a devastating blow since he was my partner in gardening.

Now, I plant this year’s garden without him for the first time in 5 years and it saddens me. But I relish in those years we did have and use it as fuel for my future goals!

I use permaculture and you do too in far more aspects of your life than just homesteading! It is an amazing philosophy to view.

How much land do I need for permaculture?

This is a question I hear all the time – rather than a statement telling me why someone can’t grow food using permaculture.

Any amount of space works! Whether you place a hydroponic salad grower in the corner of the kitchen of your studio apartment or have multiple acres, permaculture can be done!

The only thing that is holding us back from growing is ourselves. Keep reading about that until you realize that it is the excuses that hold us back from greatness.

How is permaculture different from organic gardening?

Organic gardening is by the USDA’s standards, but permaculture is a philosophy.

The USDA states, “These methods integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.” This is mainly a marketing technique.

While a lot of permaculture is organic, it is grown in a way that benefits the ecosystem as a whole and changes the grower’s life.

What are the benefits of permaculture?

At this point, you may be wondering, “Well, what are the benefits?” And well, there’s a good few

Waste reduction
Preservation of resources like soil.
More diversity

The list really just goes on, but the main benefit is to our environment.

What’s wrong with permaculture?

Permaculture sounds like a dream, but there are disadvantages!

A lot of work!
It takes time and money
Can be rather messy.

This being said, most of these issues are with impatience. Learning patience can help remedy situations.

As for money, there are ways to garden with no money!

Homesteading: Where to Start

With the uncertainty of the world, many of us are turning to self-sufficiency to help ensure the security of our families’ food. This can seem like such a daunting task when you first begin to look at doing homesteading.

Like you, I once wondered where to start when it came to ‌homesteading.

Homesteading can be relatively simple with the right planning and resources. Here we will discuss resources to help simplify the process of becoming more self-sufficient.

How do I start a homesteading garden?

There are a few things to think about when you start to decide how you want to go about growing food. The main one is planning out your garden. A well-planned garden can help simplify your growing season and thus help amplify your overall yield.

I am a big fan of Jess from Roots and Refuge. Last year she wrote The First Time Gardener: Growing Vegetables and honestly, it is amazing! She goes over in-depth on starting gardens and is a valuable resource for every beginner.

Deciding what your family eats can go a long way when you are planning your garden. Why would you want to take up valuable space with beets if you do not eat them?

Ensuring the area you begin planning out is ideal is equally as important. Water sources, nothing in the way, and easy access are important to ‌success.

The closer your garden is to your house, the more likely you are to visit your garden. Frequent visits are key to making sure your garden stays healthy!

There are ways to make your garden inexpensive and even free! Look into your resources to help make your garden as cost-effective as possible!

How do you transition to homesteading?

Transitioning to homesteading was probably the hardest part for my family. We love our sleep! But, the fresh food made it worth it.

Set alarms
Start small
Don’t quit your day job!

With these three tips, your transition will be much easier!

Setting alarms before you have a cow to milk and chickens to feed can help you adapt to the lifestyle well before you are in it. This can help the transition into the lifestyle since you will not have the exact responsibilities of homesteading!

Please start small. I see it every day where someone goes all out. You can burn yourself out and overall, set yourself up for failure. Many people will try and expand faster than they are ready. Start out with a few chickens before moving on to a flock of a thousand.

Some may be tempted to quit their job and follow the calling of homesteading. While for some this is a valid thing to do, it may not be feasible for everyone.

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

Where is the easiest place to Homestead?

Homesteading can be done anywhere that you want. This question can be slightly overthought when many ask me this.

There are considerations that need to be thought of when deciding where you want to homestead and many of which have to do with legality.

Goals on your homestead
Zoning laws
Cost of living
Climate

These all should play a factor in where you decide to permanently settle down. Some states have laws in regards to living off-grid and some counties do not allow certain animals. If these are important for you considerations should be made when deciding where to live.

Other things like the cost of living should always be considered when settling down. These are factors that affect our everyday lives.

Your goals should be first above all. Deciding where to homestead is somewhat permanent and shouldn’t be taken lightly! Climate is another factor because if you are wanting to grow things like citrus then Alaska is not the place for you!

Does homesteading save money?

Homesteading can save money. This is only if done correctly.

Having a budget in place is important to help you and your family save money when growing your own food. This and careful planning are on the front lines to success.

Having the option to grow your own food and saving seeds can create an environment where you are entirely self-sufficient. Without the upfront cost of seeds when saving, you can save money by not purchasing seeds!

Starting & Saving Seeds: Grow the Perfect Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs, and Flowers for Your Garden is a wonderful resource on learning how to save seeds!

By saving your own seeds, you are also creating a plant that is better suited to your environment. Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to grow heirlooms to save the seeds.

Heirloom seeds just mean the plant has been grown and passed down for years. Hybrids are just plants that have been crossed, and occasionally in our gardens, we accidentally grow hybrids!

5 Mistakes Often Made When Building a Chicken Coop

Disclaimer: Some links are affiliated, meaning I get a small commission if you purchase a product. This does not reflect on my opinion on these!

When we build our coops, often there is no set guide to follow. Sometimes we convert older buildings into our coops.

There are mistakes that we often make when building our chicken coops!

Here are some common mistakes that you may be unknowingly making when you plan and build your coop!

How big should a coop be for 6 chickens?

When we decide how big to build our coop, often we wonder how big to make it. A good rule to follow is two square feet per chicken. While chickens will do fine in a smaller area, a larger pen is good for their health!

A bigger coop gives more space for them and thus creates happier and healthier chickens!

Purchasing a coop large enough for your chickens is key if you choose not to build one yourself. We have used Omitree 10′ ft Wood Chicken Coop for our chickens and it was very spacious! It makes a wonderful grow-out pen.

Do nesting boxes need to be elevated?

Most coops have nesting boxes. But did you realize the higher off the ground the box the more likely your chickens may roost in them? Chickens love to roost because it provides them safety but sleeping inside the nest box can lead to dirty nesting material.

Keeping your nest boxes only a couple feet off the ground will help to remedy this situation for your chickens!

I am a big fan of Little Giant Single Plastic Nesting Box! I find these to be much easier to clean than regular wooden boxes and easier to install as well!

Too flimsy of wire

Many people choose to use chicken wire due to its name. However, chicken wire is not predator-proof. Animals like raccoons can easily chew their way into your coop if you do not use proper wire. I suggest a stronger wire for your fencing like 1-inch mesh.

Other predator-proofing measures should be followed to keep your chickens safe.

Part of predator-proofing your chicken coop is making sure your wire is not overly flimsy!

Hard to clean

We all want a cute coop. I get it. You see these Instagram-ready coops with curtains and the whole nine yards. But did you ever ask yourself if you can maintain that?

I know I can’t. I opt for concrete walls, dirt floors, and well to be able to sterilize the entire coop as needed. While curtains in your nest boxes are adorable, what if a chicken gets sick?

I will say, I use nestbox herbs in my coop and I find it helps my birds out and adds many benefits!

Not enough airflow

When you read on any educational site like Mississippi State University, they discuss in full, making sure chickens have proper ventilation.

So why is it that a lot of coops are stuffy and full of ammonia when it comes to our chickens? I get asked all the time about heating chicken coops and closing them up. Do not do this.

Heat lamps are a fire hazard and having no ventilation is a recipe for disease. Instead, opt for breeds better suited to your climate and if you must wrap your coop for winter, make sure there is proper ventilation!

Photo by Kirsten Bu00fchne on Pexels.com

Conclusion

With spring fast approaching, there will be plenty of new chicken owners everywhere! Make sure that you give your chickens the best start with some of the do not above!

Happy Farming!

How can I garden with no money? (Low-cost to free gardening)

For most, gardening has become a way to provide their family with a cheaper alternative to fresh, healthy vegetables. From composting to finding free seeds, finding free gardening resources can be difficult!

Gardening with no money is hard! Luckily, I have the answers for low-cost to free gardening.

Keep reading if this is something you feel you may need in the near future with the upcoming spring gardening season quickly approaching us!

Disclaimer: Some links to products I have an affiliate link to. This means I make a small profit on your purchase. This in no way reflects on the quality of the product as I only recommend things I myself love!

What is the cheapest way to do a garden?

There are many ways to help decrease the overall cost of your garden. Finding free supplies on the side of the road and on the internet locally can help reduce your costs by a ton!

Starting your plants from seed is usually the most economical way to start plants, and propagating can help duplicate your plants as well!

No-till gardening and companion planting can help reduce the costs of things like fertilizer and pesticides. Having a biodiverse garden helps to discourage pests and diseases within your garden.

How can I grow vegetables without spending money?

This is difficult to achieve but it can be done. Save seeds from foods you already are buying like peppers, squash, and others.

Check your spice cabinet as well. Seed spices like fennel, dill seed, and celery seed can be planted and will grow into the plant they came from!

Keeping the space you plant smaller will help to minimize any upfront cost of your garden as well!

I am a big fan of recycling and composting so both of these can be used to help reduce your costs in your garden!

How can I get free garden supplies?

There are a few methods to make gardening even cheaper. Resources that with a little effort you can get cheap and even free items for your garden.

Seed library
ChipDrop
Local coffee shops
ShareWaste
Equestrian center

These resources can provide free materials for your garden. Either compost, mulch, or even seeds!

Seed libraries can be great ways to get free seeds. These are usually inside actual libraries. Another way to get seeds free is through swaps. Look in your local area for seed swap events.

43 Assorted Vegetable & Herb Seeds by Black Duck Brand is another option for inexpensive seeds.

ChipDrop is a company that teams with arborists to deliver free wood chips to gardeners. Forewarning: This is a lot more wood chips than you think it is.

Sometimes, local coffee shops or even Starbucks will let you have their spent coffee grounds. This can be composted to make amazing compost for your garden!

ShareWaste is a program that connects gardeners with those who want to compost and either do not have the time or space to do it. You can customize what items you will take. This can be a wonderful way to help make more compost.

Some areas have a local equestrian center where you can pick up horse manure for your garden for free. A word of caution: you do not know if it may contain weed seeds inside the manure; but if you hot compost it, it will kill off the seeds!

Can you grow food from the grocery store?

Absolutely! As I said above, that is a wonderful way to reduce your costs. Foods you can grow include:

Seeds like fennel, poppy, etc.
Potatoes like sweet potatoes or even regular potatoes
Garlic
Herb plants
Seeds from various vegetables.

This can be cost-effective to start your own garden.

Conclusion

Growing a garden does not need to be expensive. You do not need to break the bank to grow your own food. I hope this guide helps you grow you and your family healthier foods!

Happy planting!

3 Ways to Compost

Disclaimer: Some products listed below I have an affiliate link for. This does not change my opinion of them!

Composting is important for not only improving soil quality but for saving the environment. This is important for the biodiversity of our ecosystem.

Regardless of whether you live in an apartment or a farm, composting is able to be done.

Here I will show you how to compost in any situation you may have!

What is the best way to compost at home?

This is very dependent on where you live and the lifestyle you live. Living somewhere like a homeowners association may make composting impossible due to the rules and regulations around it. Services like Kaimuki Compost Collective can make this doable for you.

For me, I like to use the compost bin I built myself. It allows me the freedom to easily compost. Many people do hot composting; however, this can be more complicated.

A compost bin can make this simple for just about anyone. Whether you purchase or build one, these make composting a breeze.

Hot composting is a science and you should research it. This method makes composting quicker than regular.

What is the easiest way to compost?

Personally, I like just tossing everything into a bin. But, the correct way is to make sure you have an adequate mixture to reduce any potential smells and to have a good balance.

There are a few methods, but having a turning bin can make it easiest for most. Your compost should be turned at least once a week!

What household items can be composted?

Composting can seem daunting and many really wonder what can be composted. With regular everyday composting, the list is pretty basic.

Food scraps except those that are animal products
Paper products such as non-glossy cardboard and plain paper
Eggshells
Coffee grounds
Yard waste

There are other composting methods that allow you to compost animal products such as meat. This is called Bokashi. This method uses fermentation to make breaking down bones and meat quicker.

You can purchase a Bokashi composting bin and get started with it to help lessen your food waste even more.

Can you compost when you live in an apartment?

Composting inside an apartment can add extra work to the composter. It is doable, however. Bokashi composting or finding a composting service would be the best method for you.

Finding a compost drop-off can be easily done. Litterless has a comprehensive list online of sites that accept compost items.

Conclusion

Composting can be a great way to reduce your environmental impact. Taking your food waste and turning it into nutrient-rich soil is important as our earth is in a soil crisis.

Composting can be done in a variety of ways, from Bokashi to just a plain bin. Regardless of your method, it is the best way to help reduce your environmental impact!

Happy Planting!

How do you start a garden for beginners?

With spring quickly approaching, many of us veteran gardeners are planning our gardens. But for those who have never gardened before, this may seem like a large feat.

You may be asking, how do you start a garden for beginners?

Well, starting a garden is much easier than it seems and here I will break it down.

Disclaimer: Products mentioned here I have an affiliate link meaning I may gain some compensation on your purchase. This has zero sway in my personal opinion on it!

Choosing a location

Choosing the right garden location is the biggest decision you can make. You need to make sure that your garden location has good sunlight and is safe from being destroyed.

Another factor to consider is the proximity of your garden to your house. I love considering permaculture and other types when I pick my layout. Since you will be visiting your garden daily, it is best to put it close to your house.

Keeping your garden close to your house helps make those daily trips. Walking a garden daily is important to make sure everything is growing right. This allows you as the gardener to look for various things that are going wrong such as pests or diseases.

Planning your set up

Making sure you have a plan on the layout of your garden is important for many reasons. Firstly, it allows you to plan how many plants you will need for your garden. It also allows you to decide on what companion plants you will be planting along with your other plants.

Plants such as marigold are wonderful at detering pests from your vegetables!

Another important consideration is if you will be building raised beds, no-till gardening, or another method. Each application has their own benefits.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

No-till gardening

No-till gardening is great for the lazy gardener. This method helps to support the microorganism life inside your soil. You layer organic material onto your planting site and just plant into it. This method only improves the soil over time!

The Living Soil Handbook: The No-Till Grower’s Guide to Ecological Market Gardening is a wonderful book on this method!

Raised garden beds

A tried and true method and most people love this due to the easier nature of it. A downfall of it is how expensive it can be. There are ways to mitigate the cost, however.

Starting your seeds

Seed starting is a lower cost way of growing vegetables. Making sure you plant them in the right growing medium is important for good germination rates. I personally love using peat moss!

Peat moss makes a good growing medium due to its ability to holding onto water better. It is also relatively inexpensive when purchased from places such as Lowes or Home Depot.

Enjoy the season

From this point forward, just enjoy the garden. Once those plants go into the ground, learning to love your garden is key to a successful garden!

Often, we find ourselves focusing on everything but what we enjoy. So plant the purple carrots, try the crazy variety, and most of all, love the garden!

Happy planting!

The Benefits of Homesteading with Children

Time Management and Prioritization

Safety and Health Considerations

Finding a Support System

Conclusion:

What type of small farm is the most profitable?

How do you make the most money on a small farm?

What crop is in highest demand?

How do you promote a local farmer’s market?

How do I get more customers to my farmer’s market?

What are the marketing strategies for agribusiness?

Business-to-Business

Business-to-Consumer

What are the best fruit trees to plant?

Which fruit tree is easiest to grow?

Which fruit trees bear fruit fastest?

Which fruit trees are the most beautiful?

What vegetables are easy to grow?

Beans

Lettuce

Cucumbers

Squash

Microgreens

What vegetables are harder to grow?

Products for you!

What are the 12 principles of permaculture?

How much land do I need for permaculture?

How is permaculture different from organic gardening?

What are the benefits of permaculture?

What’s wrong with permaculture?

Books I recommend on the topic of Permaculture!

How do I start a homesteading garden?

How do you transition to homesteading?

Where is the easiest place to Homestead?

Does homesteading save money?

How big should a coop be for 6 chickens?

Do nesting boxes need to be elevated?

Too flimsy of wire

Hard to clean

Not enough airflow

Conclusion

What is the cheapest way to do a garden?

How can I grow vegetables without spending money?

How can I get free garden supplies?

Can you grow food from the grocery store?

Conclusion

What is the best way to compost at home?

What is the easiest way to compost?

What household items can be composted?

Can you compost when you live in an apartment?

Conclusion

Choosing a location

Planning your set up

No-till gardening

Raised garden beds

Starting your seeds

Enjoy the season