Homemade, lacto-fermented pickles couldn’t be easier or more delicious. If you have time to slice them up and add them to salt water, you have time to make this recipe. This is seriously the simplest recipe ever and makes the best tasting, mildly sour, probiotic pickles. This easy fermented pickle recipe honestly seems like a pretty sorry excuse for a blog post. I mean, really. How could anything with so few steps and ingredients ever be considered revolutionary enough to be … [Read more...]
DIY Arbor Plans
Learn how to build an arbor with these simple arbor plans. You can easily build this in a day or two, giving your garden a beautiful entrance. It’s the summer of outdoor projects. All things indoors can wait as we create the beautiful homestead we have always dreamed about. [thrive_leads id='28019'] We’ve torn down the garden cottage, expanded and built garden beds, added a picket fence around the garden, added landscaping around the house and barn, built goat fencing and … [Read more...]
7 Tips for Growing a Cut Flower Garden and How to Make Beautiful Arrangements
I love growing and arranging my own bouquets from my cut flower garden. There is nothing like the satisfaction and creativity of growing something so beautiful from a tiny seed. Learn my favorite varieties to cut and my tips for making beautiful arrangements. Are Flower Gardens Worth It? I remember a conversation a few years ago when a friend, who grew a wide variety of cut flowers in a very small space, told me why she didn't grow tomatoes and herbs. I was curious because, at the time, … [Read more...]
Farmhouse Cottage Garden
We turned one of the little cabins on our little homestead property into a farmhouse cottage garden. We have a long way to go in restoring it, but I love all the life that it adds to our farm, even in this current season. Cabin #1 on our new property Cabin, cottage, tiny house...I've called this little space a lot of things. Whatever the proper name, this little space has been sitting mostly neglected for many years. We weren't really sure what would we would use it for, but with its … [Read more...]
7 Essentials for a Backyard Chicken Coop
Do you dream of having your own little homestead no matter where you live? These 7 essentials for a backyard chicken coop will have you well on your way to your own little piece of self sustainability. Today is a guest post from Jayden Copeland over at Back Road Bloom. Jayden writes about everyday homemaking and country living, which you all know is right up my alley! She has put this entire guide into a beautiful ebook, and is offering it for FREE. Be sure to go download your copy … [Read more...]
June Garden Tour- Summer Vegetable Garden
It is summer at the farmhouse, which means its time for our summer vegetable garden! We've tilled, planted, fertilized and weeded all April and May, so now join me for our June garden tour. This post may contain affiliate links. See my full disclosure here. Back in March, I shared how we were preparing for our summer vegetable garden. I talked about how we were starting seeds in the greenhouse and getting greens in the ground. Well, wouldn't you know it, the first gardening year … [Read more...]
Spring Garden Preparation Zone 6 Gardening
We are doing some things to prepare our zone 6 garden here in the midwest. The soil is workable and we are starting some seeds. Zone 6 Gardening Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNudnAc-Sm8 I did this video in collaboration with Christina from The DIY Mommy. We explore the differences in spring garden preparation in zones 6 vs. 3. Watch Christina's video HERE. I have to admit I am a 'fly by the seat of my pants' gardener. I'm not one to test the ph of the soil, and research … [Read more...]
Simple DIY Macrame Plant Hanger with Video Tutorial
I love this project for the ease and simplicity of it. You could easily whip out three of these babies in 30 minutes once you get the hang of it. Now, before anyone gets too upset, I know this isn't actually macrame. This is just my super simple way to make a jute plant hanger that mimics the macrame style. I love having plants around the house. They reduce carbon dioxide levels and other air pollutants, and they just look so beautiful and fresh. So, for this project I … [Read more...]