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7 Tips on How to Save Money on Groceries
We have all seen the rising prices on the grocery store shelves. Since the pandemic threw a wrench into our food system, followed by high inflation, there is not much that has escaped the rising costs. So this year I have approached grocery shopping a little differently. Check out how I save money on groceries! My philosophy this year has been all about saving money, and one of the biggest ways my family has spent money in the past is on groceries. It is really not a stretch for our family of 5 to have a monthly grocery bill of $700 to $800. That is relatively cheap compared to the…
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How to Make Vanilla Extract at Home
The cost of everything seems to keep going up and up and up now a days which means we have to learn how to be frugal with the items we purchase from the grocery store and ensure we are getting the most bang for our buck. Today at the grocery store vanilla extract costs about $9 for a 2 oz bottle. That seems excessive to me, so instead of purchasing the bottle from the store, we are going to learn how to make vanilla extract at home for less than $2.50 an ounce! What is Vanilla Extract? Vanilla extract is simply a mixture of alcohol and vanilla beans that is…
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9 Ways to Save Money During Inflation (Homesteader Edition)
We have all been feeling that crunch with rising costs of gas and groceries, but what if you didn’t have to? What if you could be more self reliant? That is what homesteading is all about! Today we are going to share 9 ways to save money during inflation on your homestead. There are so many ways to save money that are often overlooked and under utilized. When prices start going up at the market people start to go into panic mode. But what if you didn’t have to panic or stress about rising costs? What if you could still feed and support your family during rough times through your…
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Spring’s Best Pollinators And How To Support Them
Spring brings a lot of my favorite things. My favorite things of all are the pollinators that begin to visit our homestead! Pollinators are the heartbeat of any homestead. They keep the garden growing, the flowers blooming, and the homesteader happy. Today we are going to talk about Spring’s best pollinators and how to support them! What is a pollinator? First let’s clarify what a pollinator is. A pollinator is any animal or insect that aids in the movement of pollen from the male part of the flower to female part of the flower. That is they aid in the reproduction cycle of the plant. Movement of pollen must occur…
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How to Start A Homestead No Matter Where You Live
I get a lot of questions about homesteading from how to do it to how much land is needed. Today we are going to explore how to start a homestead no matter where you live. My husband and I started our homestead/farm almost two years ago and while we have learned a lot through trial and error, there are still so many things to learn. Early on into our adventure I researched everything I could. I wanted to know the ins and outs of homesteading, and while I found some useful information, I have found the best information has come from doing and failing. As you consider starting your homesteading…
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How To Plan Your Homestead Garden
It is that time of year again! January marks the start of planning your homestead garden for the coming spring. At least that is what we are doing here at Hackett Hill Farm!! Come along with us as we plan for our homestead garden and get some great inspiration for yours! Gardening is one of my favorite parts about homesteading. There is something so satisfying about knowing that I grew something from seed to feed my family. I also love the process of choosing plants to grow, planning a layout, and starting seeds. Each step along the way brings you closer to the earth your home is built on. Let’s…
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Preparing Your Vegetable Garden For Winter – A Homesteader Interview
The garden is the heartbeat of the homestead. It is the place you spend your entire summer tilling, planting, and weeding. Then fall hits and it is harvest time and you spend the next month picking, canning, and preserving. But what do you do after harvest? How do you begin preparing your vegetable garden for winter? Whether your plan is to have a fall/winter garden or close it down until spring, we are going to discuss it all with our homesteader Charis Scofield. Before we dig into the interview, let’s talk about some of the decisions you will need to make before you start preparing the vegetable garden for…
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Beginners Guide on How to Winterize Your Bee Hives (An Interview)
Today we are talking about bee keeping on the homestead and what you need to know on how to winterize your bee hives. We will talk with homesteader and bee keeper Cara Nitz and get her thoughts on keeping bees and how to prepare them for the long winter ahead. Bees and homesteading have gone hand in hand for well over four thousand years. The first kept hives consisting of little more than holes in rocky mountainsides or roughly woven baskets. Today’s beekeeping is much less crude and is quickly becoming a popular hobby around the world! Bee keeping can be a daunting task to undertake if you are…
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Benefits of Seed Saving and How to Start (an Interview)
Seed saving is an important part of any homesteaders or gardeners preparation for winter. As the garden comes to a close, it is important to be planful of the upcoming year and a new gardening season. Seed saving is at the heart of true sustainability and self reliance. All Photo rights in this post belong to Ashley at The Homestead Mother Today we are going to be talking seed saving. I will be interviewing Ashley from The Homestead Mother and we will cover everything you need to know to have a successful seed saving year as you prepare the homestead for winter. We will explore how Ashley got started in…
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How to Use Herbal Remedies on the Homestead (an Interview)
With cold and flu season upon us, what better way to prepare the homestead for winter than with Herbal remedies. These remedies are what our ancestors used before modern medicine came into play and continue to be a great way to keep your family happy and healthy on the homestead. Herbs are a multi purpose plant at the homestead. They can be used to make mouthwatering recipes, in cleaning, and as medicine for animals and homesteader alike. There are many different uses of herbs in medicine and wellbeing that we will talk about today. Before we meet our homesteader let’s learn a little more about herbs and their uses…
