With spring in full swing, most gardeners already have their gardens in, farmer’s markets are opening up, and even the local grocery stores are carrying a variety of spring vegetables. No matter where one falls in the preparedness continuum, we ...
Read More »Articles Written By Esther
It’s A Piece of Cake
I never had the kind of grandmother who baked all through the day in a red and white checkered apron and greeted us at the door with a plateful of warm chocolate chip cookies. My grandmother was far too busy ...
Read More »DIY Pest Control
Fewer things are more aggravating to a gardener than walking out to check the crops and finding some pest has destroyed the produce. This frustration is especially true if the goal is to live a sustainable, self-reliant lifestyle and you ...
Read More »10 Advantages Of Honey
Honey is believed to be the first natural sweetener used. There are records of its use by cave dwellers. But honey is a sweetener with a difference; it is the only one that offers us life-giving qualities. Honey is a ...
Read More »The Many Uses of Caraway
Caraway seed is the chief spice used in savory dishes in traditional European cooking. A strong aromatic, it is a member of the parsley family, which includes dill, anise, fennel, and cumin. It is native to northern and central Europe ...
Read More »Many Uses for Bee Balm
There are two different plants that bear the common name bee balm: Monarda Didyma and Monarda Fistulosa. Both are grown for their scent, color, and usefulness. M. Fistulosa, the lavender-colored Wild Bergamot – also known as Oswego tea and Horsemint ...
Read More »How To Build a “Three Sisters” Garden
The “three sisters” garden is a gardening technique taken from our Native American forefathers. It is a tradition where corn, beans, and squash are planted together. The corn stalks are used for the beans to climb up as they grow, ...
Read More »How To Make Your Own Essential Oils and Perfumes
Making essential oils is done by extracting the natural oils from herbs and/or flowers. These extractions can be made with oils or alcohol. Extracting Oils with Oil Oil attracts oil, bringing it out of the leaves and flowers. Therefore, one ...
Read More »Food Storage Basics
The last winter crops are in from the garden, and in spite of mild weather in some parts, it may still be a little too early to plant anything in your neck of the woods. This slack time can be ...
Read More »Maximizing Bee Pollination
All gardens need to be pollinated, and bees are the usual suspects for this task. Unfortunately, they are seriously lacking in our gardens, as most of us live in urbanized areas. So let’s plant a garden that will invite them ...
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