Recent studies have proven that having indoor plants can actually be beneficial to your health. This isn’t necessarily very hard to believe, and most of us already have faith in their powers. They add color and life to our homes, create a feeling of unification with nature, and diminish levels of carbon dioxide while constantly replenishing our rooms with fresh oxygen. With all these wonderful qualities, why don’t we all own indoor plants? Well, unfortunately some of us are unable to keep these plants alive for long enough to justify having them in our homes.
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If you watch the news, you are well aware of food recalls. This seems to practically happen every day. Poultry is one of those foods that have been recalled due to problems with the food the chickens ate or the injections they were given while being raised. You can avoid these problems and know what your poultry contains by raising your own chickens. Raising chickens is not hard. Your grandparents didn’t have the local Wal-Mart supercenter to run in and buy a package of chicken breasts: they raised their own. They probably gathered their own
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When your pets get sick or hurt, it can be very upsetting and a helpless feeling if you don’t know how to ease their discomfort. Veterinary care can often cost a lot more than a mortgage payment just to treat a scrape or an ear infection! An alternative for minor ailments is to turn to nature for some natural remedies that will soon have your cat or dog feeling much better and back to their old self. Keep in mind that if your animal has a broken bone, looks like it might be in need
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Strawberries are a great addition to any garden, but they do require special care and attention, especially in the winter. To keep your plants healthy and producing for many seasons, you will want to prepare them well for the winter season. Strawberry Plants Left in the Ground In the fall, remove weak plants from your strawberry patch. Dig up plants with the fewest leaves to let the larger, more productive plants have plenty of room to grow. Search through your beds for runners; these look like vines that spread out from the main plants. Cut
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Keeping sheep on your homestead or farm is no small undertaking. They require good housing to protect them from the elements, vaccinations, feed, and regular care. They need to be sheared each year, and when lambing time comes around, you will have to supervise and care for the babies as needed. The payback, though, can be great. Sheep are an excellent source of wool and meat. You can use the wool yourself or sell it for income. You can also sell the lambs for extra money and slaughter sheep to feed your family. Before your
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Generally speaking, goats are fairly hardy animals. There are a few things, however, that can take them down. One thing that can cause a goat to become is basic mistakes in care. One thing many new goat owners forget is to provide baking soda for their goats. Yes, goats eat baking soda, and it keeps their gut working properly. Always have a mineral feeder or small feed tub with plenty of baking soda available for them that they can eat free choice. They’ll eat what they need when they need it. Obviously, it can get
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It may seem like a daunting task to get through the pre-work in buying a first gun; it can feel like an overwhelming process.  But there is a way to keep the task at hand to a pleasurable experience so you understand what you’re getting and manage to avoid excess work in the process. Ideally, you will want to look at a few variables: What is the purpose for the gun? What will it take to keep it running? How will you store it? What will it take to become proficient with the firearm? With
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In earlier articles, we have mentioned how you can actually use roses to create not only beautiful but delicious dishes and arrangements. However, in order to have food-grade roses, you must grow them without chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Growing organically is the answer. Growing organic roses is no harder than growing organic fruit and veggies
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There are pluses and minuses to everything in life. In every effort, the balance between benefit and cost should be carefully weighed. Likewise, the decision to maintain chickens depends on what one hopes to achieve in the endeavor. There are many reasons why you might want to raise a flock. You may be interested in doing it for food, pets, a hobby, or as a 4H project with the kids. Raising chickens can have many benefits and could be a huge help in an off-the-grid situation; not only do they serve as a food source,
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Keeping your garden tools in good repair will add years to their life. It will also make your job easier next spring, as they will be sharp, oiled, and ready for use. The first step to putting away your gardening tools for the winter is giving them a thorough inspection. Wooden handles – These will need to be sanded and oiled well before storing for the winter. Wipe handles clean to remove dirt, using little or no water. Using fine sand paper, sand the handles smooth. To preserve your wooden handles, wipe them down with
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