First Steps in Building a Home by Hand
| June 18, 2011 | Posted by Cat, The Homesteading Mom under Buildings and Construction, Frugal Living, Homesteading (General) |
A couple of years ago, we made a decision to build a home by hand. The primary reason is the savings from doing the labor ourselves. We ended up building a tiny cabin that we’re putting the finishing touches on this summer. It was a pay-as-we-go project, no construction loan, and absolutely nothing charged on credit… more
How To Buy Land Without Debt
| June 13, 2011 | Posted by Cat, The Homesteading Mom under Frugal Living, Homesteading (General) |
I hate debt, especially one of the biggest debt burdens people can carry- the mortgage. Did you know that “mortgage” means “death grip” or “death pledge”? (Google “word origins mortgage”) A rough economy and the ever-increasing likelihood of layoffs has every thinking person justifiably concerned. Banks have foreclosed on millions of homes since 2008, driving home values… more
How Rural Homesteading Makes Us Safer
| June 10, 2011 | Posted by Cat, The Homesteading Mom under Homesteading (General), Politics & Government Issues |
Please watch the documentary “Urban Danger“. The link will take you to the film’s home page and click on the tab to watch on line. The part that is probably the most important to see is the first 40 minutes or so, which nails down the various risks that are built in to city life,… more
FDA Claims Unconstitutional Powers to Seize Food without Evidence of Contamination under Food Safety and Modernization Act
| May 6, 2011 | Posted by Cat, The Homesteading Mom under Homesteading (General), Politics & Government Issues |
A cornerstone of homesteading is small-scale food production. There are many reasons to produce your own food. You get to control which varieties of plants you grow, the breed of animals you raise, the type of feed your livestock eat, and how to care for the soil. Not only can you save money by growing… more
Rough Winter
| May 3, 2011 | Posted by Cat, The Homesteading Mom under Gardening, Spinning |
It has been almost five months since my last entry. The winter was spent with revolving respiratory illnesses going around and around the household. Plenty of bronchitis and ear infections and feeling just plain icky. Trying to find the time to cook, clean, care for sick kids, care for a sick self, and still keep… more
Grandma Rose’s Portuguese Rice Pudding
| January 24, 2011 | Posted by Cat, The Homesteading Mom under Frugal Living, Recipes |
My grandmother used to make a dish called “sweet rice” (arroz doce) every Christmas. Because of this, rice pudding is something I equate with the Yuletide season, but it is a very inexpensive and delicious dessert any time of year. 4 cups water 2 cup white rice 4 cups hot whole milk 2 cup sugar… more
Turkey (or Chicken) Pot Pie
| December 7, 2010 | Posted by Cat, The Homesteading Mom under Frugal Living, Recipes, Using Up Leftovers |
Another Thanksgiving has come and gone, but the turkey remains! Most folks I know are happy to be done with turkey for a while, but we ended up with seven turkeys this year- plus one carcass. Yes, I said SEVEN turkeys. We spent Thanksgiving with my parents, and got the carcass and some leftover turkey… more
Pediatrician Recommends Honey & Lavender for Colds
| December 7, 2010 | Posted by Cat, The Homesteading Mom under Beekeeping, Home Remedies, Self-Sufficiency |
We took our two young children to the pediatrician this morning. They have both had nasty colds, complete with coughing, nasal congestion, coughing, runny noses, and oh, did I mention coughing? I wanted to make sure that they didn’t also have ear or throat issues, and needed to know what was causing the coughing (post nasal drip from… more
Winter is Knocking on the Door
| December 6, 2010 | Posted by Cat, The Homesteading Mom under Uncategorized |
It’s December now, and the garden is bare. The honey has been harvested, and the beehives are closed up for the season. The winds have been howling, and the first snow flurries of the season in our area are predicted for tonight. I always see the first snow as Winter officially knocking on our door. And while the sun is… more
Pressure Canning vs. Water Bath Canning
| August 4, 2010 | Posted by Cat, The Homesteading Mom under Canning |
What is the difference between pressure canning and water bath canning? Temperature! A very high temperature to be exact. Pressure canning allows the heat inside a pressure canner to build up to 240*F. The water bath method uses boiling water, which only reaches 212*F, and even less if at higher elevations. Something magical happens when a pressure… more
Egg Salad
| August 4, 2010 | Posted by Cat, The Homesteading Mom under Gluten-Free, Low-Glycemic Meals, Recipes |
If ever there was an inexpensive source of high quality protein, it is the humble and amazingly versitile egg. Here is my version of the classic favorite, egg salad. Ingredients a dozen eggs mayonaise, 1/2 cup or less 2 tablespoons green onion 2 tablespoons chili powder salt & pepper Directions Boil and peel a dozen eggs. (click here for… more
Uses for Leftover Water from Boiling Eggs
| July 29, 2010 | Posted by Cat, The Homesteading Mom under Gardening, Homesteading (General), Techniques |
When you boil an egg, some of the calcium from the shell leaches into the water. This is a good thing! You now have water plus calcium. Here are two good uses for the calcium water left over from cooking eggs. When the water cools down, use it to water tomatoes. It will add some calcium… more
Five Uses for Leftover Egg Shells
| July 29, 2010 | Posted by Cat, The Homesteading Mom under Gardening, Homesteading (General) |
Ever wonder what to do with leftover egg shells from cooking or baking? Here are a few ideas for leftover egg shells: Soil Amendment- Crush them up (mortar & pestle, food processor, blender, etc.) and add them to your soil before planting tomato plants. Tomatoes love the extra calcium, which “may” help prevent blossom-end rot. Seed… more
How to Hard Boil an Egg
| July 29, 2010 | Posted by Cat, The Homesteading Mom under Recipes, Techniques |
Hard boiled eggs are used in many favorite, staple recipes, including egg salad, devilled eggs, and as a protein source in salads. Hard boiling eggs are one of those basic cooking skills that a lot of people take for granted. Since it is both a time and resource saver to hard boil a dozen eggs rather… more
Welcome to Homesteading Mom
| July 27, 2010 | Posted by Cat, The Homesteading Mom under Canning, Dehydration, Embroidery, Food Preservation, Gardening, Home Remedies, Homeschooling, Homesteading (General), Housekeeping, Knitting, Livestock, Needle & Thread, Recipes, Sewing, Smoking, Spinning, Techniques, Weaving |
This site is dedicated to helping people learn homesteading skills. The category list will continue to grow as this web site grows, but here is a quick description of each category: Food Preparation Food should be prepared from single-ingredient items (for example, pork, milk, basil, honey, butter, eggs, carrot, etc.), and from as many items… more
Recent Comments