Non-Alcoholic Homemade Drinks

A smoothie is a terrific way to start your morning.  You get a quick boost of nutrients, which otherwise might take all day to consume, and it is very refreshing.  Keep an open mind when deciding what to put in your smoothie.  A lot of vegetables are really very sweet, but we are not used to thinking about drinking them or having them first thing in the morning.

Anything you put in a blender, with a little water or juice, will make a smoothie.  If you want more of an ice-cream texture, add a frozen banana. I keep a plastic storage bag of sliced bananas in my freezer.  I can toss a handful of frozen banana slices into any smoothie recipe and I will have a thick, frozen drink without affecting the flavor too much.

You do not need an expensive, specialized machine to enjoy homemade smoothies and frozen drinks.  Just be nice to your blender and chop whole fruits and vegetables into manageable pieces.  Add a little liquid and start on low speed, working your way up to the highest speed.

Some great blends to try are: baby spinach, banana, and cranberry juice; kale, apple, and apple or pear juice; beet, apple or pear, and water; banana, blueberries, and milk; banana, peach, and orange juice.  Have fun experimenting with different flavors.  You will notice a real difference in your energy level once you incorporate nutrient-dense smoothies into your morning routine.

One of the hardest things for me to do is to drink enough water.  Keeping a pitcher or two of infused water in my refrigerator is an easy way of encouraging everyone to drink water throughout the day.  Water is important all the time, but it is especially important during the summer heat.  There are more accurate ways to calculate it, but, a person needs to drink about half their body weight (in ounces) per day.  For example, a person who weighs 200 pounds should drink about 100 ounces a day.

To infuse water, simply add any fruit, vegetable, or herb to a pitcher of water and store in the refrigerator.  Try sliced lemons, limes, oranges or peaches.  There are interesting varieties of mint, such as apple, chocolate, or pineapple mint, that lend themselves nicely to infused waters.  Try other flavors that you personally enjoy.  Cucumber water, for example, tastes a lot better than it sounds.

In the South, you cannot go into anyone’s home without being offered a glass of sweet tea.  Everyone has their favorite recipe, but the main difference is usually just the amount of sugar.  I was very excited the first time I tried sassafras tea.  It has a beautiful, rich flavor that leaves plain sweet tea in the dust.

Sassafras is a tree that grows all over the South.  The leaves are used to make filé, a flavorful thickening agent used in certain types of gumbo.  The roots are used for a slightly spicy addition to tea.  Because the tree is a self-propagating machine, I will pull one or two out of the ground each year and harvest the roots into chunks that will easily fit into a kitchen pot.  Add a couple pieces of root and 2 family-size tea bags to a pot of water.  Allow the water to simmer, but not boil, until the tea is dark and your house smells like sassafras.  Pour into a pitcher, straining out and saving the sassafras root.  Sweeten as desired.  Allow the root to dry.  You can use the same root piece several times.

Another way to serve tea is with a shot of mint simple-syrup.  It is a delicious treat that can be added to lemonade as well as tea.  To make a mint simple-syrup, muddle a handful of mint into 3 parts sugar while bringing 1 part water to a boil.  Add sugar and mint to the boiling water.  Stir constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the water is a thick, syrupy consistency.  Strain the mint leaves out of the syrup.  Let cool.  Transfer to a clean glass jar and cover tightly.  Stores for a few weeks in the refrigerator.  Blueberry soda-syrup is another sweet treat to have on hand.  Unlike mint simple syrup, which is pure sweetness, blueberry soda syrup is tart and tangy.

• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• ¾ cup water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon citric acid

Bring the blueberries, water, and lemon juice to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat.  Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the blueberries have burst.

Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, using the back of a wooden spoon to press out as much of the liquid as you can.  Return the strained liquid to the saucepan.  Add the sugar and citric acid.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture has thickened.

Remove from heat and allow to cool before transferring to bottles or jars.  This will keep in the refrigerator for up to one month, or you can process it in canning jars in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes and use it year-round.

To use, add 2-3 tablespoons to a glass of club soda or ginger-ale.

Alcoholic Homemade Drinks

Everyone is familiar with the mint julep, the favorite drink of the Kentucky Derby.  Any herb can be used for a julep, however, and since my lemon balm is having a great year, I decided to try lemon balm juleps.

• 2 ounces bourbon
• several sprigs fresh lemon balm
• 4-5 Tablespoons superfine sugar
• crushed ice

Into the bottom of a silver julep cup, or a Mason jar, press 2-3 tablespoons of superfine sugar together with just enough water to make a sugary paste.  Add a layer of fresh lemon balm leaves.  Press them gently with a wooden spoon, but do not smash them.  Pile on a layer of finely crushed ice.  Top with a sprinkling of sugar and then a few more lemon balm leaves that you have bruised, but not crushed, by clapping them between your hands.  Repeat the layerings until the glass is full.  Pour the bourbon over the layers and enjoy.

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The prickly pear cactus is a thing of beauty when it is in bloom. Once the flowers bloom and fade, dark purple fruits will appear.  Prickly pear syrup makes beautiful and delicious drinks to serve to a gathering of friends.

• 10-12 prickly pear fruits
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 ounce vodka (optional)

Gloves are the first line of defense when you are harvesting prickly pears, but you should also pick and handle them with metal tongs – the spines really do hurt.  Use a vegetable scrubber to remove the spines.  Cut off both ends of the fruit and make one cut from top to bottom.  Slice the skin off the fruit.

Chop the fruit and combine with the water and sugar.  Bring to a boil.  Use a fine-mesh sieve to separate the seeds and pulp from the syrup.  Store the syrup in a glass jar in the freezer.  Adding 1 ounce of vodka will keep the syrup from freezing solid.

Add a splash of this to sparkling wine or to your favorite margarita recipe.  For a non-alcoholic version, omit the vodka and add a splash of the syrup to mineral water.

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Elderflower cordial is a recipe I found in Amy Stewart’s The Drunken Botanist.  It has a delicate and floral taste which can be added to practically anything.

• 4 cups water
• 4 cups sugar
• 30 clusters fresh (not brown) elderflowers
• 2 lemons, sliced
• 2 oranges, sliced

Bring the water and sugar to a boil and allow to cool.  While it is cooling, go outside and cut fresh elderflowers.  Shake gently to evict any bugs.  Bring indoors and use the tines of a fork to separate the flowers from their stems.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and let sit for 24 hours, stirring and tasting as necessary.  After 24 hours, strain the mixture into clean, sterile Mason jars.  Store in the refrigerator for up to one month, or in the freezer indefinitely.

You can add a splash to any drink, alcoholic or non-alcoholic.  Substitute elderflower cordial for the tonic in any recipe using tonic as a mixer.

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If you are planning a party where alcohol will be served, consider stocking your bar with vodkas you infuse yourself.  It will save you money, while highlighting the products that are growing in your garden.

It is super-easy to infuse your choice of herbs, spices, and fruit in vodka, which can stand alone as a drink, or can be used for cocktails.  Remember that tender plants such as herbs do not need to be submerged for a long time – they will develop an off-taste.  For herbs, 8-12 hours is usually long enough to impart their flavor.  Most fruit should take not much longer than a week.  If you are using citrus rinds and dry spices, you can probably leave them soaking for a month.  Taste your concoction frequently and strain as soon as you are happy with the flavor.

To make an infused vodka fill a clean jar with herbs, spices, or fruit.  Cover with an affordable vodka.  Cover tightly and store in a cool, dark place.  Taste regularly.  Strain and use within a few months.

Enjoy the blessings of summer with one or more of these garden drinks.  Happy Summer!

The post Beat the Heat with Drinks from Your Garden appeared first on Homestead.org.

This textbook scenario is the very reason many chickenkeepers give up on a flock of cuddly pet chickens and settle for the usual transactional relationship: food and lodging in exchange for eggs.If this is your experience, I’m here to assure you that it is perfectly possible to transform a standoffish flock into a highly friendly one.

Even if you have no desire for pet chickens, but are a homestead reliant on chickens to sustain your family, it cannot be overstated how valuable it is to have a flock that trusts you.

In the event of injury or illness in the flock, or the need to sell or relocate a chicken, your own sanity and the chicken’s frayed nerves will benefit from a little trust.

Forging a bond with your flock at the chick stage could not be simpler. Like any relationship, you’ll be investing time.

Sit with them in a contained play area where they are free to explore and grow accustomed to your presence.

Pick them up periodically throughout the day. Do so gently, never squeezing or making them feel restricted. If they are distressed, open your hands and allow them to hop out.

Keep your hand firm enough not to drop them, but loose enough that they do not feel you are restraining them. You may want to allow them to stand in your hand and shelter them with the other. This is a good way to not only show the chick that she is safe and in control, but you also begin truly stepping into the role of the mother hen.

If the chicks were to be raised by a hen, the hen would be the place of safety from any dangers and cold. They would gather under her wings, knowing they are completely safe.

By gently placing your hand over them, like a mother’s wing, you are telling them, “I am a safe place”.

This is, of course, the easy part.

But what happens when your flock becomes a group of hormonal teenagers, and they are upgraded to new living arrangements, where they so much enjoy their freedom that they forget all about the lovely bond you so carefully cultivated, only for them to never call or write, and for all intents and purposes, you cease to exist in their lives?

Joking aside, moving house is stressful. And stressed-out chickens will restructure the pecking order in the interest of survival. This usually results in editing out of the ranks the loving chickenkeeper who did not move house with them.

But this does not mean that all of your efforts were in vain. They have not forgotten you, nor your bond. Chickens are highly intelligent and scientifically evidenced to be empathetic and capable of love.

But they will need to be reassured that you are the same place of safety and you aren’t abandoning them.

The day after you move them into the coop, do not become discouraged with their suddenly sittish or aloof behavior. Resist the urge to chase after them. This will be seen as aggressive and result in a knee-jerk flight response.

Chickens are prey animals, so it is vitally important that they feel safe and in control. View it from their perspective.

The ancestors of our backyard flocks grew up in harsh jungle environments with no shelter and very little defense against every creeping thing in the shade of the trees that had the taste for chicken.

Even now, there are many dangers for the backyard flock. While the lucky chickens of Hawaii may have very little to worry about, the dangers in my area include owls, hawks, eagles, weasels, coyotes, neighborhood dogs, foxes, raccoons, possums, skunks, and bears.

They have every reason to lead with mistrust. They can’t afford not to be scanning for danger.

But that makes you especially valuable to them. You can be their safe place. You can be the trusted protector that they rely on.

The key to showing them that you are not out to harm them is to establish yourself as a non-aggressive mainstay of their environment, and avoid any behaviors that their predators would do, such as chasing and squeezing them.

If you need to quickly gather up your chickens, do not chase them, and keep your emotions even. If you are stressed, they will be too.

The following information is applicable regardless of whether the birds you are hoping to establish a friendly relationship with are hormonal pullets you raised or full-grown chickens that you have adopted.

Spend time in the run with them, or in the yard where they free range. Be a safe, calm fixture in their environment.

Rather than simply throwing their chicken feed to them, maybe strew some enticing snacks around where you are sitting. Chickens are highly food-motivated, so they will probably be willing to get closer to you, but don’t interact with them at first.

Show them that you are safe and you are not out to eat them. Over time, the boldest of the birds will likely dare to jump into your lap. And once one has broken the ice, the queens of FOMO that chickens are, the others will follow. Just give it time.

Especially skittish birds may require more time to decide you are safe. This is okay, give them time. Give them patience. Bonds are not formed in an instant.

Pick your chickens up periodically over time. If a hen does not feel she is held securely, she may squirm. Try holding her in a different way that makes her feel safe and secure. If a hen is reluctant to be picked up, what you learned about holding baby chicks applies to grown hens. Allow her to stand in your lap and hold her with a relaxed grip that she understands she has the full ability to leave if she chooses. Over time, your flock will be running up to you, not just for treats, but for hugs.

That is all to say, the secret to cuddly chickens is, unsurprisingly, trust. Trust: the cornerstone of any healthy relationship.

With that in mind, even if your strategy for establishing it differs, you can reach a great bond with your flock. Remember to consider how a chicken would view your behaviors and be patient with them as they weigh you against their instinctual scrutiny.

Chickens are, in my mind, some of the finest pets available, and I firmly believe that everyone, everywhere should be able to keep chickens, and maybe someday, it could be a reality. Whether you want to keep chickens for your homesteading needs or you just want a delightful flock of birds for pets, chickens are up for the task.

The post The Secret to Cuddly Chickens appeared first on Homestead.org.

The enzyme fertilizers work like magic, boosting harvests and helping produce a profusion of huge, show-quality blooms. Some gardeners have even reported that their long unfertile fruit trees suddenly started flowering and fruiting profusely after several applications of the remarkable enzymes. Additionally, enzyme fertilizer mixed with compost makes an excellent natural and very effective mixture for enriching depleted and poor soils. Enzymes can help with deterring pests, and even have some handy household uses.

How Enzyme Fertilizer Works

Enzymes are proteins that act as biocatalysts speeding up chemical reactions in cells. Some enzymes help break large molecules into smaller pieces while other enzymes help bind two molecules together to produce a new molecule. Enzymes are naturally present in the soil, excreted by bacteria, fungi, and other soil microbiomes. There they play a significant role in helping break down organic matter and making nutrients more available for plants to use. That way, they make the soil medium free from dead roots and other debris and increase the levels of NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium). In order to do their job, enzymes require cofactors and coenzymes, which are derived from trace minerals and vitamins present in healthy soils and compost. By cleaning the soil from debris and adding lots of nutrients, enzymes remove the breeding ground for harmful bacteria and pathogens making plants disease free and vigorous, while the more readily available nutrients boost growth, harvests, and blooms.

Besides boosting enzymatic activity in the soil, the ingredients used in the enzyme fertilizer add natural oils and compounds that have antifungal and pest repelling properties. Therefore, the diluted fertilizer can also be used as a spray to prevent and treat various plant problems such as mildew and insect infestations.

How to Make Your Own Enzyme Fertilizers

Enzyme plant fertilizers can be easily made yourself from almost any plant material. Good examples are fruit peels, fresh vegetables, and other plant scraps. Using materials such as citrus or pineapple peels will make the smell pleasant. Adding garlic, onions, or spices will make your fertilizer have the double function of also repelling pests. While adding cinnamon will both add a fragrance as well as make the fertilizer a good fungicide.

To make the enzyme fertilizer, shred or chop the plant material of your choice and combine with brown sugar or molasses at a rate of 1 part plant scraps to 3 parts sweetener, and 10 parts warm filtered water. Combine the above ingredients in an airtight bottle, (a simple plastic soda bottle works well), and shake vigorously. If there are some plant scraps floating on the surface exposed to oxygen, then put some stones or other weight on top to prevent mold. Leave the bottle to stand in a cool dry place for the enzymes to start working. Open the cap once in a while to let the co2 out (if using citrus peels, this will be pleasant). After about 3 months, your enzyme fertilizer would be ready to be used in the garden. The enzyme fertilizer can be stored in a cool, dry place away from sunlight for 5 to 6 months.

Using Enzyme Fertilizer in the Garden and Beyond

For use as a fertilizer, dilute the enzyme liquid at a rate of 1 tablespoon to a gallon of water. Dilution ratios of 1:100/500/1000 all work well depending on the pH requirements of the plant. Since the undiluted enzymes are acidic, using a more concentrated fertilizer for acid-loving plants such as blueberries will be beneficial. Fertilize your plants with the diluted enzyme fertilizer once every one to two weeks. You will not need to wait long, soon your plants will be thriving, blooming, and fruiting with vigor.

The enzyme fertilizer can also be used as a great natural way of keeping your plants pest, fungus, and disease-free. Spray the diluted liquid on plants or add it to the surrounding soil to control pests and fungus as well as stimulate the plants to defend against diseases.

Undiluted enzyme fertilizer can also be added to compost or dug into the soil and will greatly improve both of them. Spraying enzyme fertilizer on unfertile land along with the addition of incorporated compost is a very effective way of transforming bare sandy soil into fertile loam.

Enzyme fertilizers are also very helpful in the home. Undiluted enzyme liquid can be used to clean and polish practically anything. It will effectively remove grease, dirt, and mold from a wide range of surfaces.

Citrus Peel Enzyme Fertilizer Recipe

Have you wondered what you can do with all your lemon, orange, and tangerine peels? Here is an excellent way of using them in the garden and beyond. My personal favorite, this recipe is especially wonderful because of its pleasant fragrance and the fact that it is done in winter when most citrus peels are abundant. Making your own citrus enzyme fertilizer is a nice project for the cozy home on winter days when there is not much to do in the garden, and the 3-month curing time will make it just ready for spring gardening.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar
• 3 cups (300 g) citrus peels
• 4 1/2 cups (1 liter) of water

Mix sugar and water in a plastic bottle. Add the cut or shredded citrus peels and shake vigorously. Tightly close the cap and place it in a cool dry place for three months. Occasionally open the cap to let out the co2. After three months, the liquid will become dark brown and have a white film on top. Use the delightful smelling citrus enzyme fertilizer in keeping your garden pest- and disease-free, flourishing, and abounding with blooms and fresh harvest.

The post Enzymes for Plants: The Secret to Boosting Harvests and Blooms appeared first on Homestead.org.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 24 oz. button or baby portabella mushrooms
• 2 T. butter
• 3 T. olive oil, divided
• ½ c. ham, minced
• 3-5 gloves garlic, depending on your taste
• ¼ c. chives, minced
• 15-20 spinach leaves cut into small ribbons (chiffonade)
• ½ c. panko breadcrumbs
• ¼ c. dry white wine
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• ½ c. shredded parmesan, divided
• Pinch of cayenne
• Salt and pepper to taste

First, preheat the oven to 375 and begin preparing the mushrooms.

Wipe off any obvious dirt (it’s actually peat) with a damp paper towel or cloth and remove the stems, setting them aside for the filling; carefully scrape out the gills with a small spoon or knife and discard.

Next is the ever-important tip for the first cooking step I mentioned above.  Instead of stuffing raw caps (as most recipes call for), we are going to cook them a little first.  Mushrooms store a lot of water.  We want to cook off that water so that our mushrooms and stuffing don’t become a slimy, soggy mess.

To do this, just put a little oil, about a tablespoon, in a large skillet and bring to medium heat.  Put the ‘shrooms in with the tops down, so they look like a bunch of little cups in the pan.  Now, just wait about 5 minutes and you’ll see those little cups filling up with water.  Now, imagine all that water sogging-up your delicious filling… not cool, eh?  So, once they’ve filled up with water, flip them over and cook until the water has evaporated from the pan.  Then, carefully place them, cup-side down this time, onto a paper towel to leach out that last little bit of moisture.

To make the filling, in the same pan you cooked the caps in, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the butter and bring to medium-high heat.  When the butter is through foaming, add the ham and cook 3-4 minutes until it starts to develop a little color.  Very finely mince the mushroom stems (discarding the harder ends, if present) and add them to the ham, along with the garlic, and spinach.  Cook for another 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic, then add the wine.  Cook another 5 minutes or so, until all the remaining liquid has cooked off.  Finally, turn the heat down a little and add the panko.  Mix everything together and spread evenly over the pan to toast the panko, repeating the process every couple of minutes, until the mixture feels slightly dry and crispy.

Next, put the cream cheese, chives, cayenne, and all but a few tablespoons of the Parmesan (it will be sprinkled on top) into a bowl and add the breadcrumb mixture.  Once combined, taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to your liking.  Next, spoon the filling into your ‘shoom caps.  Place them on a fine-mesh baking rack, or parchment paper, on a sheet pan, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan, and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and slightly bubbly.   Let them cool for 5 minutes, and voila…  A tasty mushroom appetizer even the pickiest of eaters will devour.

Crispy Kale Chips

The Best Lemon Bars

https://www.homestead.org/cookbook/quick-quiche/

The post Savory Stuffed Mushrooms appeared first on Homestead.org.

However, we found ourselves continuously tweaking the design to incorporate new features aimed at making tending our flock a little bit easier.  Recently, we were asked to design and build a chicken coop for our vegetable CSA farm.  We looked at our original design and all the features we added over the last five years.  We also considered how we ended up with our current design because not all of those new features worked out the first time.  There was some (read: a lot) of trial and error.  While the chicken coop at our CSA farm benefited from our years of continuous improvements, it occurred to me that it would have been nice to incorporate some of these improvements from the start or at least know why some coops are designed a certain way.

This is by no means an exhaustive summary of all chicken-coop design consideration, but, instead, some of the things we found important to our lifestyle.  With busy schedules, running our own consultancies, going to night school, and keeping neighbors content about chickens in an urban setting, these features turned out to be essential for simplifying our chicken-keeping lives.  For us, things like quick cleanability, easy access to coop and run areas for servicing, sealing for pests and predators, winterization, and automation were important to us.  In case of that extended vacation, we also wanted it to be uncomplicated for our neighbors to take care of the chickens.  To us, that meant daily egg collection with minimal servicing needs.

Before starting on your own chicken coop design project, decide what kind of coop fits your needs.  I put coop styles into three categories—tractors, stationary, and free-range.

Well, the last is not so much of a coop design, but it is a choice on how to maintain your flock.  It is possible to provide minimal protection for your chickens and allow them to free range in a backyard.  They will destroy any unprotected gardening and are susceptible to predators like large birds, coyotes, and even neighborhood pets.  Keep in mind, chickens fly, but do not take flight.  They can easily jump and flap their way over a 4-6-foot barrier.  In an urban setting with coyotes and large birds near a throughway with no yard fence, free-range was not an option for us.

A tractor coop is a chicken coop on wheels that is easily moved from place to place to provide chickens with a fresh patch of ground to feed and scratch in.  These are great if you are looking for a way to use your chickens for aerating soil, but it is not for manicured lawns.  It is tempting to build a tractor “just in case” you might want to move it, but parts that are supposed to move may no longer move after long, stationary periods out in the elements.  Rubber wheels, lubricated bearings, and axles can degrade from exposure causing irreversible damage.  So, only build a tractor if you plan to use it and maintain it.

Stationary coops are best if you are looking for a semi-permanent structure that might be moved periodically. They lack wheels and a foundation is not necessary for a backyard flock.  An open bottom gives the birds access to the ground for scratching and pecking.  Most are not permanent structures and they can be moved periodically as needed.  We added four sturdy handles to allow four strong people to move the coop across the backyard with only a modest effort.

We have eight raised beds and getting a tractor onto those beds is just not practical, so we have a stationary coop.  However, we do want our chickens to aerate our beds, eat vine-borer grubs, and leave some fertilizer.  In addition to composting the bedding and soil, we pen our hens on each bed at the start of the season.

The needs of backyard hens are pretty basic.  Industrial chickens operations take this notion to an extreme, but once chickens have access to food and water with some protection from the elements and predators, the rest of the coop design is about convenience for owners.  Chickens will lay eggs anywhere.  The nesting area is a space to encourage chickens to lay eggs so we can easily find them.  We do not walk our chickens on a leash.  The run is an area where they get fresh air, scratch and peck and hunt for worms off-leash.  They do not sleep in our house; the coop keeps the chickens safe at night protected from predators and elements.

Our original coop design is pretty straightforward.  The 8’ by 4’ footprint is framed by 2”x4”s.  The cuts were selected to maximize lumber usage such as completely using a 12′ board with 8’ and 4’ cuts or two 6’ cuts.  The center-peaked roof uses a single sheet of plywood as do the coop and nesting walls.  The nesting box was built separately with an internal frame allowing it to be screwed onto the main coop.  It is divided into three 12” x 12” x 12” spaces, which is more than ample for four hens. The run and the coop are accessed through simple hinged doors for cleaning and servicing. The nesting box is easily accessed through a hinged lid for egg collection and cleaning.  The perches were made from 2”x2” fencing.  We used galvanized dryer vents for coop ventilation. 

We were advised that our neighborhood is frequented by coyotes, raccoons, and large predatory birds, so, we implemented several features for predator protection.  To keep raccoons from reaching into the enclosure, the run was enclosed with ½” by ½” hardware cloth stapled every six inches.  We gave our hens a safe, enclosed coop to sleep in and added a nested, sliding, garage door to close them in the coop at night.  The garage door was manually operated with a rope and cleat requiring the coop to be closed at night and opened in the morning.

Our flock would often decide to sleep on the perches in the run.  Whether this was because they could not see well enough to get into the coop or they just wanted to enjoy the fresh air, sleeping outside thwarted the multi-layered nighttime defenses from predators.  So, one of the first features we added was a coop light.  We simply plugged in the light at night and unplugged it when we closed the coop door.

However, given our chickens are not so interested in sleeping in, ever.  We found getting up early to open the coop cut into our weekend.  So, we decided to automate not only the coop door, but also the light.  While we were at it, we also added a socket for a screw-in heater inside the coop.  Automating the light was a simple matter of adding a mechanical timer switch.  For the heater, we used a simple temperature controller.  When the coop temperature drops below 40°F, the heater automatically kicks in to keep the coop warm.  To automate the door, we opted to buy a commercial coop motor and timer.

Our most recent change swapped a heated waterer with an automatic waterer.  The heated waterer proved to be a necessity for New England winters, but keep in mind, they need electricity.  The automatic waterer simple device has a gravity activated valve and it screws into a water hose. When the waterer is full, the valve shuts off the water.  As it falls low, the valve opens.

Now, the coop door opens at 6:00 AM and closes at 10:00 PM; the light turns on at sunset and off at 11:00 PM; the heat turns on at 40°F and there is a constant supply of fresh water.  Of course, the automation did not get installed without a few hiccups.

On a few occasions, we found the glass infrared-heater shattered.  It appears our chickens like to peck at it.  We have since replaced that with a ceramic heater.  We opted to build our own garage door out of wood.  Wood does not slide against wood really well, so it took several adjustments and a few failure-to-opens to get it moving consistently.  Wood also changes with weather and time, so there are additional tweaks with seasons.  To avoid this tweaking, we will purchase a commercial door, slides, motor, and timer for our CSA farm.  There are several all metal options available for this.

We only just installed the automatic waterer last month.  It seems simple enough, but it did involve new valves and splitters at our water hose.  We also learned there is a sweet-spot to the valve adjustment.  An improperly adjusted valve causes the water to either continuously flow or never fill.  I also expect winter to present some new challenges as well; freezing may send us back to the heated waterer.

Since we had not anticipated adding so much automation, the coop did not have a protected space for some of the equipment.  We decided to turn one of our nesting boxes into a utility closet.  The utility closet houses electrical outlets with a breaker switch and the mechanical and electrical timers.  Even if you do not plan to automate your coop to this extent, you should consider how electricity may be accessed and the rules in your municipality.  You might also consider options like solar panels which are also available with automated coop doors.

All that automation may sound like a lot of work, but ultimately, it simplified our lives tremendously.  Not only did it allow us to get extra shut-eye, but it also made traveling easier to manage.  Except for collecting eggs, the chickens no longer needed daily service.

The automation also made it easy for neighbors of all ages to take care of our chickens when we were away.  As a matter of fact, it made neighbors happy to take care of our chickens when we were away.  For some reason, the simple responsibility of opening the door and turning on the light made some neighbors a little nervous about caring for the chickens.  What if they forget?  What if they do something wrong?  What if the chickens need something more?  After automation, the task seemed less daunting.  It was more of a daily egg treasure-hunt than a daily chicken chore.

Since kids at the CSA farm were going to be taking on the chicken chores, we realized we could make it easier to clean the coop.  The indoor coop is off the ground to prevent nighttime predators from simply digging under the coop.  Since the area under the coop is part of the run, the footprint is also used more efficiently.  However, the best feature is the slid out floor allowing quick coop cleaning.  Our original design was a framed piece of plywood that slides through the coop door (see photo).  This worked great and was really simple, but cleaning was not as easy as it could be.   The floor must be slide all the way out or tipped up to clean.  The hidden nooks and crannies around the frame could also house pests and dirt that are hard to remove.  For the new design, we opted for a piece of plywood cut to size with a grab handle.  Without the frame around the edges, the floor only needs to be pulled out about a foot and the dirty coop materials are quickly swept into the run.  Six-year olds are doing this.

For the nesting boxes, the stand alone internal frame design was easy to assembly, but it created a low wall between the coop and the nesting boxes.  This is not a big deal, but it does trap some material in the nesting boxes during cleaning.  The new coop was made with an external frame and a slanted floor.  This eliminated the low wall and allows the nesting material to be easily swept into the coop for cleaning.

The final improvement we made for the cleanability of our coop was sealing the interior surfaces better.  We found out the hard way how many little critters can build a home in every nook and cranny inside the coop.  And during a cold winter, a warm coop is a very attractive place for a critter to squat.  Last winter brought on a pretty nasty mite invasion in our coop and ultimately, on our chickens.  After a deep cleaning in the coop to rid it of mites, we added generous coating polyurethane to all surfaces and caulked all corners with silicone.  This generous coating of polyurethane and well sealed corners now allows us to periodically hose out the whole thing.

Now, cleaning the coop and feeding the chickens takes around 20-30 minutes a week.  Additionally, since it is so easy to clean the coop, we do it more often and more thoroughly.  This keeps infestations at bay and our chickens healthier.  The cleanliness and lack of smell also keeps our neighborhood happier.

On somewhat of a whim, we built a chicken coop and bought a small flock of chickens five years ago.  It has been a lot of fun and a great learning experience.  As you can see, it is an ever-evolving process, but each new improvement makes keeping chickens a seamless part of our life except we get much tastier eggs for it!

The post Designing A Chicken Coop: A Work in Progress appeared first on Homestead.org.

Let’s start with the methods and plants we can use internally. Almost any herb can be used in a tea, tincture, or infusion. I am focusing on the ones that have the widest range of uses and that can be grown or foraged with ease: pine pollen, lemon balm, thistle, yarrow, plantain, and sassafras.

Pine pollen can be foraged February through April, depending upon your location. Pine pollen is a superfood, rich in vitamins and minerals, with over twenty amino acids and all eight of the essential amino acids. Pine pollen increases stamina, libido, and general vitality. It lessens the impacts of aging while increasing energy levels and mental integrity. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, and anti-tumor properties.

Collect pine pollen in paper bags when the catkins are yellow and powdery. Put the yellow catkins in a metal bowl, cover with a towel, and let sit overnight. Sift until you have released the pollen from the catkins. The pollen you sifted from these mature catkins can be stored in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Sprinkle over food or add to smoothies.

Green Catkin Honey: Place the younger, green catkins in a sterilized canning jar. Cover with local honey. Store for two weeks, mixing daily. To mix, stand jar upside down for several hours. In two weeks, strain catkins from honey. Use pine pollen honey anywhere you would use regular honey. It has a bright, floral flavor.

Pine Pollen Tincture: Combine two parts 100-proof alcohol to one part pollen in a glass jar. Shake daily for two to three weeks. Strain through a cheesecloth into a dark glass bottle. Add ½-1 teaspoon to herbal teas.

Sassafras

Sassafras was an important part of home medicine for the early American colonist who learned about the medicinal properties of sassafras from the Iroquois. It was used as a blood purifier, as a tonic after labor, and to prevent colds and fevers. Sassafras is an herb that is not recommended for women who are pregnant.

The sassafras tree begins to put on tender leaves in early spring. Fresh leaves are great for tea and you should use fresh when it is available. But because sassafras tea relieves throat infections and colds it is a good idea to preserve some for the winter.

Pick sassafras leaves when they are new and tender. Refrigerate in a paper bag until they are dry. Sassafras tastes great with mint so it is a good idea to pick and dry mint leaves while gathering sassafras leaves. Your sassafras and mint blend can be stored in a ziplock bag or glass jar in the pantry. When you feel like you might be coming down with a bug, start drinking this delicious tea.

If you didn’t gather any sassafras leaves this spring, or if you run out of the leaves you dried, you can use the bark or roots of the sassafras tree to make tea year-round.

Yarrow

Yarrow tea can be found at every health-food store but once you have it growing in your yard, you will have it forever. It is an extremely easy to grow perennial. It is an excellent plant to have, especially if you have children because it is gentle enough for them to take.

Yarrow tea is used to reduce fevers, shorten the duration of colds and flu, improve relaxation during illnesses, and relieve cramps caused by illness or hormones. To make yarrow tea, simply pour boiling water over two tablespoons of dried yarrow (leaves, stems, and flowers) and steep for 8-10 minutes. Sweeten with honey. Internal usage is not recommended for pregnant women, as it can cause uterine contractions.

Gather the plant once it flowers and hang upside down in a paper bag until dry. Once dry, chop into usable pieces and store in an airtight container until needed.

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm tea has been used to ensure long life and protect against dementia since medieval times. To make a lemon balm tea, pour one cup of boiling water over one tablespoon dried lemon balm leaves and steep. Lemon balm is so beneficial and so gentle, it is a good tea to drink every day.

Lemon balm relieves anxiety, depression, insomnia, migraine, and nervous tension. It is good for the circulatory system, working as a heart tonic, relieving palpitations, and lowering blood pressure. It is also used for respiratory conditions such as asthma, chronic coughs, colds, and flu. It also helps with digestive issues, relieving colic, indigestion, and nausea. Lemon balm is another herb gentle enough to give young children.

You can gather the leaves of lemon balm as soon as they begin growing. Because lemon balm loses potency during the drying process it is best to make a tincture and/or infusion for winter use.

Lemon Balm Tincture: Fill a glass jar ¾ full of lemon balm leaves. Cover leaves with 100-proof alcohol, making sure all leaves are submerged. Cap with a non-metallic lid and store in a cool, dark place for four to six weeks, shaking daily. Strain tincture into a sterile jar and store in a cool place for up to one year. Take ¼ teaspoon as needed. This is a terrific stomach soother with anti-viral properties.

Lemon Balm Infusion: Fill a clean glass jar ¾ full of lemon balm leaves. Cover with local honey. Using a knife or chopstick, poke around sides of jar to eliminate air bubbles. Turn upside down once a day for three to five weeks. Strain honey into a sterile glass jar and store in refrigerator indefinitely. Use as you would plain honey.

Milk Thistle

Milk thistle is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, hepaprotective, and immunostimulating herb. It was approved in 1986 as a treatment for liver diseases and is widely used to treat alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic fatty liver, cirrhosis, liver poisoning, and viral hepatitis. It also works to detoxify synthetic chemicals in our bodies so it is good to have around if you or a family member is on a strong course of medication.

Thistle was used in medieval times as a tonic for the nervous system. It was used for treating depression, anxiety, and other nervous conditions. It was believed to help people maintain a relaxed, calm, and peaceful disposition.

To harvest thistle, cut seed heads off plant when the seed heads have turned brown. Put them in a paper bag and store in a cool, dry spot for 48 hours. Lay a towel on your work space and carefully brush seeds from the seed head. Remove all of the debris and store seeds in an airtight container.

Thistle Tincture: Grind ¾ cup thistle seeds in a blender. Put ground seeds into a clean jar. Add one cup of water and one cup of 100-proof alcohol. Store in a cool, dark place three to five weeks, shaking daily. Strain tincture into a dark glass jar and store in the pantry. Add one teaspoon to your herbal tea.

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Now let’s talk about the herbal preparations to use externally. Lemon balm, yarrow, nettle, and plantain all make excellent bath teas and infused oils.

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm is a terrific skin restorative. You can add it to any bath tea blend or make a strong lemon balm tea and add it to a hot bath. Another way to preserve lemon balm for external treatment is to make a body spray.

Lemon Balm Body Spray: Gather a large amount of fresh lemon balm leaves. Tear into pieces, bruising the leaves to release the essential oil. Loosely stuff into a clean, dry jar, leaving an inch of headspace. Cover with witch hazel, taking care to submerge all the leaves. Let this mixture sit for three weeks before straining into a clean jar.

You can use this mixture as you would regularly use witch hazel or you can dilute with an equal amount of distilled water to use as a body spray. This mixture is great for soothing and toning skin, relieving itchy skin, and it encourages healing from cuts and scrapes.

Yarrow

Greek myth tells us Achilles was held by his heel and dipped into a pool of yarrow, making him invulnerable to arrows. The wound that killed him was on the heel that was not immersed in yarrow. I haven’t personally tested the arrow theory, but I do know yarrow works great on rashes and dry, itchy skin.

Dry yarrow as you would for internal use. You can add yarrow to any bath tea blends because it also relieves itching caused by dry skin or bug bites. One of my favorite yarrow bath products is made by grinding the dried plant material in an herb grinder until I have one cup or more. I add this to three cups of Epsom salts and store in a glass jar on the side of the bathtub. It is perfect for the itchy skin and sore muscles that can happen in the garden.

Plantain

Plantain leaves are antibacterial, astringent, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic. The leaves will quickly stop a flow of blood and helps repair damaged tissue. The leaves can be heated and used as a wet dressing for wounds, skin inflammations, ulcers, cuts, and stings. Plantain-infused oil works wonders on eczema and sunburns.

Plantain Infused Oil: Gather twelve to fifteen large plantain leaves. Stack them together and slice thin. Place in a clean, dry jar and cover with olive oil. Poke around the edges of the jar to eliminate any air pockets. Make sure all of the herb is submerged in the oil. Store in a sunny place at room temperature for four to six weeks. Shake daily. Strain out plant material and allow strained oil to sit for a few days. Bottle your finished oil in dark jars. Seal and label. Store in a cool, dark place.

Nettle

Nettle is another herb that is soothing for insect bites, eczema, acne, and chickenpox. You can make bath salts with nettle and Epsom salts, but since I don’t love the way it smells, I like to use it in a bath tea blend.

Soothing Bath Tea Blend: You need an equal amount of dried lemon balm, dried yarrow, and dried nettle. You can also add an equal amount of dried chickweed if you like. Combine in a large metal bowl. Add ½ cup of oatmeal and ½ cup of powdered milk. Fill muslin or cheesecloth bags with mixture. If these are just for home use, a thin sock will work. Throw a bag into the tub while the water is running. You can use the bag as a washcloth or just soak in your herbal bath.

Feel free to add any other herbs or flowers to the mixture. The great thing about making your own herbal blends— whether you are using them internally or externally—is that you know what special needs you and your family have and you can adjust your blends accordingly.

Although herbs have been used both to prevent and heal medical conditions, please use common sense when using herbs for treatment. If you are on medication, consult with your doctor before adding any medicine, herbs or otherwise, for possible contraindications. Use this article as a jumping-off point for your own research. Using herbs has enriched my life and it is my hope that your life will be enriched as well.

The post Time to Tincture appeared first on Homestead.org.

Your little plants grow quickly and beautifully for a time, then they are chased by the dreaded weeds. Weeds, weeds everywhere, growing like grass on a golf course, thick and full, tall, and happy. By late June, if you’re like I used to be, you’ve all but given up even trying to keep them at bay. Once the real heat of summer hits, you surrender and end up harvesting whatever vegetables have fought their way through the jungle of weeds.
Why does it always happen the same way every year?  Yes, those who love to work at pulling and hoeing weeds might keep their gardens in the green, but the rest of us give up after we’ve sweated through our first pair of gardening gloves.

The answer is that you haven’t cast the right SPELL on your garden before you ever planted it. It’s a magic spell—a witches’ spell, if you like—that protects your garden from weeds, makes fertilizing completely unnecessary, and banishes many a bad nematode or blight from your shiny summer squashes.

Would you like to know the secret to a weed-free garden?

Here is the spell that will solve all your gardening woes this year:

“Dirt plus Darkness and Moisture, too… We will make SOIL out of you!”

Why do I say that this is a “witches’ spell”? Because the secret to the weed-free garden is a fungus amongus. It’s not a toadstool or a mushroom, but it’s a fungus none-the-less. What has been lost to modern gardeners who use chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides in order to fight all the ills of the garden, and even to many organic gardeners, is that simple fungi can do all the hard work for you.

Let’s talk DIRT!

Dirt is just rocks. It’s minerals (which are rock) that have been ground up to a small size.  The largest particles of dirt are called sand. The next smaller size is called loam. The smallest-sized dirt is clay. All dirt is some combination of different sized rock particles:  sand, loam, and clay. But dirt is NOT the same as soil.

The only plants dirt grows are weeds. You need SOIL to grow vegetables, fruits, bushes, and trees. What’s the difference between dirt and soil? Organic matter. Often, gardeners bring organic matter into their gardens by introducing compost, peat, or even humus. While these elements add some life (and water-holding capacity) to dirt, they don’t make true soil.  To make true soil— magic soil that will make your garden sing under the midnight moon—you need FUNGI.

Let’s go back to the spell that makes soil… “Dirt plus Darkness and Moisture too…” The best soil is made in darkness.

You can turn a straight-up suburban lawn into good garden soil over just a few short months with nothing more than newspapers and mulch. Soil is made from aerobic bacteria and fungi called mycorrhizae. This happens in darkness and moisture.  If you cover the ground with something that blocks out the light but allows water to pass through, such as newspaper, cardboard, or contractor’s paper, then you will block the light to your dirt while still allowing water to reach it. This is step number one. This step will kill the grass and smother the weeds.

Step #2 is to keep the ground moist and cool. You do this by adding mulch on top of the paper; about 6 inches will do just fine and any mulch will do.  You can use hay, straw, or wood chips.  Try to get your wood chips from a tree service company, not from bags at Walmart or Home Depot. It’s best to have real wood chips and not the junk that they sell in bags. But if you must use the bags, it’s better than nothing.

Quick Note: If you want a raised row garden then make your raised rows before you apply the newspaper (or cover) and the mulch. Rest assured, the spell works with raised rows or with just flat land.

Under this dark, moist, cool layer, magic will happen.  Aerobic bacteria will grow; fungi will grow; worms and bugs will arrive. Ground that was once hard, dry, dead dirt will transform itself into good, fertile, fluffy soil ready for planting. Just give it a few months.

Step #3: Don’t Disturb It!  After a few months of letting nature do its work, you can plant directly into this soil.  It will be lighter, softer, more aerated. It will be alive. If you till it, turn it, or disturb it any more than is absolutely necessary, you will kill it. Fungi grow in thin webs that create a nutrient-carrying structure. They trade nitrogen with plant roots in exchange for sugar that the plant makes. Don’t disturb the soil any more than you absolutely need in order to plant your little seed or seedling. Don’t break the web of life created by the fungi.

Step #4 is to keep adding mulch as the plants grow.  Keep adding straw, torn-up newspapers, shredded wood, or whatever you can. Build up the layer of compost as the plants grow.  This will keep the weeds out. This will make the nitrogen in the soil conducive to vegetable and fruit plants and poisonous to weeds. Without going into detail there are different types of nitrogen. The type of nitrogen created by fungi, darkness, and moisture is good for soil but bad for weeds. Keep your soil dark, cool, and moist for a weed-free garden.

Why the Witches’ Spell Works for Making Soil

The problem with how people are taught to garden is that it destroys beneficial fungi (mycorrhizae) which are thin spiderweb-like strands of life that live in dark, moist soil. The fungi break down nitrogen that already exists in the soil and they transport that nitrogen to the roots of plants to trade it for sugars that plants make through photosynthesis.

In modern gardening, people are taught to hoe, rake, heap, and pile raw dirt. That process kills the fungi required for proper nutrition to good plants. That process literally MAKES proper nutrition for BAD plants, i.e. weeds!  Dirt does not grow vegetables, fruits, and trees. Dirt is just ground up rocks. Soil grows the vegetables we like. Soil is the enemy of weeds. Soil exists on forest floors beneath inches of decaying matter. Soil exists in moist, cool places. Soil exists because dark, cool, moist dirt grows the bacteria and fungi required to turn sterile dirt into rich, healthy soil.

Please allow me to repeat one last time for emphasis. If you hoe, you will kill the fungi. If you rake, you will kill the fungi. If you cultivate, you will kill the fungi. If you turn the soil, you will kill the fungi.

If, instead, you trust nature and follow the Witches’ Spell for a perfect weed-free garden then your great gardeners’ fortune will arrive on the midnight moonbeams and the morning dew. That fortune is the spreading of fine, filaments of fungi all through the soil under your deep layers of mulch and newspaper.

Try it!  Remember. “Dirt plus darkness and moisture too… We will make SOIL out of you!” 

Final Benefit of Making Soil for a Weed-Free Garden

As you are done with your garden plants just chop and drop the plant matter from your plants right on top of your thick mulch layer.  It will decay and descend into the soil. There is no reason to ever take anything out of your garden again. Just chop and drop the plants when they are done. There is no need to ever bring anything into your garden again. The mulch will turn to compost. The compost will turn to food for next year’s garden. The fungi will make sure of it.

If you just keep your garden dark and moist then it will make more and more rich soil for the following year. The true secret to growing a weed-free garden and the perfect garden plants is to focus on making the perfect garden soil. Once you do that the rest is easy year after year after year. Guaranteed!

The post Soil-Making Magic: The Secret Witches’ Spell for the Perfect Garden appeared first on Homestead.org.

What if we, homesteaders, landowners, and herb gardeners, became the sustainable change, and tossed the notion of the ideal lawn right out to the curb with the lawnmower? That’s right, when you plant a wildflower lawn, or let it pop up naturally, you will no longer need a mower. You can replace it with a scythe.

Soon you will be back in the land of hand tools, as you swap your lawn for a lush wildflower meadow that invites birds, bees, snakes, and insects you have never met before, right into your backyard.

Benefits of Wildflower Lawns

Protection of Biodiversity

As opposed to a few species in a lawn, you can grow many in a wildflower meadow. It all depends on your location, soil type, amount of sun and shade, but any number of plants past 20, and you are onto something good. Surpass 30 species and your new lawn is just about as diverse as it can get. The real challenge comes in identifying the many plants common to a wildflower lawn.

Here are some perennial plants to consider adding to your wildflower lawn to get you started:

• Butterfly weed – Asclepias tuberosa
• Queen of the Prairie – Filipendula rubra venusta
• Black Eyed Susan – Rudbeckia sp.
• Bloody Cranesbill or Hardy Geranium – Geranium sanguineum
• Echinacea – Echinacea purpurea
• Lupines – Lupinus perennis
• Daisies – Leucanthemum superbum

Plant a diversity of native wildflower seeds that are region-specific, and expect nothing. Some seeds may sit for longer than you would like, others will come up unexpectedly, whether they have been sitting dormant in the soil, or brought in by birds and other critters from distant lands.

Attract Pollinators

If you have an orchard on, or nearby, your homestead, likely you’ll be interested in beekeeping. You’ll also know that bee populations are in decline, you may have even heard about Colony Collapse Disorder. It is very real and very frightening, but there is something we can do about it: plant flowers, whole yards, and meadows of them, as we diversify the species that are in them.

See, all of these benefits of wildflower lawns flow into and out of each other. One simply serves to enhance the next, and it shows just how much the life cycle of a lawn is very one-sided. Who does it serve, other than your bare feet? Naturally, a grass lawn is better than bare soil, yet the earth desires to be covered in richness. To have luxurious richness, we need to attract pollinators and go full circle.

Wildlife Haven

If you wish for your lawn to provide a natural habitat for others, be ready to welcome larks, robins, warblers, finches, and even barn owls to your wildflower haven. Winged insects will fly in by the hundreds to take refuge from the stark, short-grass landscape that surrounds them, just as bees will find a diverse assortment of pollen to help them through the hardship of following the one-time blossom of mass agriculture.

But, it is not just about the bees, you’ll also be hosting moths, wasps, beetles, hoverflies, and bumblebees. All of these beneficial insects are essential if we aspire to have a bountiful crop of just about anything, and the more, the better. Rather than sticking to the concept of a conventional lawn, which feeds not more than grubs and acts as a habitat loss for all living creatures, invest in a wildflower lawn and you too will hear hedgehogs nibbling on fallen fruit during the night. On occasion, you may even see bats flying overhead, while out on your refreshing evening stroll.

Natural Beauty

As much as our eyes enjoy sameness, they also crave distraction. A wildflower lawn gives you a feast for the senses and so much more. Flowers will randomly pop up with their own variations of color. Large blossoms will stand proudly in the sun, while others will remain hidden underneath the layers, shyly hanging out and attracting pollinators.

The summer breeze will gently release the scents of blossoms, combining the fragrance of different species together. The fall winds will softly rattle the dry stalks of plants, and in winter, it will be the perfect backdrop for watching rabbits hop through your yard. Spring, of course, is where it all begins again, as the lawn turns from shades of tawny brown to hues of green, yellow, and purple.

Opportunities for Education and Recreation

A flourishing wildflower lawn has diversity in all shapes, sizes, and colors. It is the perfect place for the artist or the hidden painter in you. A wildflower meadow can also gain from the keen eye of a photographer, who, in turn, will educate onlookers with the help of a macro lens about the diversity of species and how magnificent our natural reality is.

Homeschoolers can also benefit from visiting such diverse lawnscapes, as they learn to identify new plants, butterflies, and insects, delving deeper into what it means to live with nature, not above it. Draw, sketch, get down on your knees and discover what is crawling all around. Then get familiar with easy to forage plants that can be made into herbal teas and healing salves: plantain, borage, dandelion, chicory, chamomile, poppy, and more.

Low Maintenance

Easy maintenance and low cost go hand in hand. Meadows are naturally drought tolerant, so there will be no more watering. Once they are established, they can take care of themselves, providing their own seeds—which means low input from you.

All you have to do is scythe it, or mow at the highest level your mower will allow, as little as twice a year. What to do with all that leftover grass and wildflower stems? We suggest you let it dry out sufficiently, as in making hay, and use it in your no-dig garden. Letting the grass grow long, is a win-win situation. The bees benefit from a diversity of pollen for much of the summer, and your garden gets mulched with it when the flowers are done.

Another benefit of wildflower lawns is that they will grow in nearly any type of soil, even nutrient-deficient areas. Leave it to nature and the worms will come in and restore the soil as the land becomes less and less disturbed.

Wildflower Lawns Promote Sustainability

Whereas a typical lawn has shallow roots, a meadow has a variety of root types that dig deep into the ground, bringing essential nutrients to the top of the soil. Once you learn to read your weeds as soil indicators, you’ll discover that they are actually beneficial next to the garden, as many insects prefer to dine on what grows wild.

It can also be said that wildflower lawns are beneficial in raising air quality, as they remove a range of pollutants from the air. Wildflower lawns also have amazing potential for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. As we face a changing climate, any way and everywhere we can sequester carbon is a good place and time to do it.

When you factor in the reduced mowing time (even just once or twice a season!) and the removal of herbicides and pesticides to maintain your flourishing space, this will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution associated with having a “lawn”.

A Place of Tranquility

Earthing and forest bathing are two wonderful ways to restore and relax in nature; wildflower meadows are the next best thing. If you only have a small plot of land, you can create a wildflower oasis with little effort. Take out your wooden stool, early in the morning or close to sunset, and sit among the waving flowers and the buzzing/chirping insects. Feel, as you are, one with nature.

Green spaces provide long-term joy and wonderful benefits for our mental health, one only needs to feel it, breathe it in, and release it back out to believe it.

Are you ready to give up your lawn and return your land back to Mother Nature? She needs all the wildflowers and trees she can receive as we face an uncertain climate in the future. Who knows, you may even decide to allow your homestead to become a Certified Wildlife Habitat as you silently, and beautifully, prove that lawns, and traditional lawn care, are definitely a thing of the past.

The post 8 Benefits of Wildflower Lawns appeared first on Homestead.org.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 lb. fresh green beans, ends trimmed
• 1T. unsalted butter
• 1T. olive oil
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced (about 1 T.)
• Zest of one lemon
• ¼ t. crushed red pepper flakes

First, put a large pot of water on to boil.  Once the water is boiling, add the beans, blanch them for 2 minutes, and strain into a bowl of ice water.

Next, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter and oil.  Once the butter stops foaming, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, just about 30 seconds.

Then, strain the green beans from the ice water and place in the pan.  Cook for about 5 minutes until the beans start to char a little, being careful not to burn the garlic.  Finally, sprinkle with the lemon zest and cook another minute.  Serve immediately with grilled chicken, your favorite fish, or a nice roast.

Lemon Herb Roasted Hasselback Potatoes

The post Lemon Garlic Green Beans appeared first on Homestead.org.

As I was doing this, happily engrossed in my work, I looked up to see something across the yard which I had never seen in my whole entire life.  A sight which made my blood run cold.

What I saw was a large black-snake climbing up a tree.  Almost straight up it in fact—it looked like he must have Velcro attached to his disgusting snake belly.

“Snakes can do that?”  I marveled to myself.

That led to a very, very troubling interlude while I pondered the fact that I have been walking under trees in the Ozarks since I was old enough to walk, and it has never once occurred to me to look up and see if there was a snake dangling from a limb overhead while contemplating doing a half-gainer down my shirt.

I’m not sure that I will ever fully recover from this epiphany.

Let me make one thing clear.  I do not like snakes.  In fact, I am completely opposed to anything that doesn’t have enough integrity to get up and walk on its legs, as do most all the other more respectable creatures do.

Yeah, yeah, I know about them catching and eating lots of field mice and other rodents, but I would gladly catch and eat rodents myself if it meant that the world would be free of reptiles of all kinds.

Maybe you’ve noticed that people often associate human traits with snakes and vice versa.  That seems appropriate to me, because I have plenty of problems with humans as well.  One of the things that irks me about the human race is the way they mess around with the English language.  I’ve never fully recovered from what the kids have done to the word “awesome”.

Time was, “awesome” meant something mighty, something inspiring, humbling even.  Nowadays, as best I can tell, it means something like, “no kidding?”

Well, they’ve done the same damned thing with the word  “snake”.  Be honest now, I’ll bet when you saw the title of this piece, you thought this was going to be about used-car salesmen or IRS agents, didn’t you?

Well, it’s not, and you don’t need to expect any stories about Eve being offered an apple by her divorce attorney, although you’d have to agree that it would be just as plausible a story as the original.

Still, humans may be pretty bad, but they don’t sneak into your tent and bite you with venom-injecting fangs.  That’s just a fact, so calling people “snakes” even hate-radio jocks, is just a dilution of a perfectly good word.

I was thinking about all this the other day when I received this email:

Dear Neil,

I got a big chuckle out of the Collie story.  I don’t have a dog (yet) but do have 2 cats.  I love dogs but can’t keep one where I live.

I hate snakes (actually I’m terrified of them) but will have to get used to them or find excellent ways of keeping them away besides cats.  I’ve read guinea hens work well, but are really noisy, and that pigs like to eat them.

Do you have any idea what the copperhead and rattlesnake population is like there?  Not actual numbers (who’d want to count them?) but more like what are seen on occasion or frequently noticed?

I can easily put up with non-poisonous snakes.

~Chris

Dear Chris:

There are four types of poisonous snakes in the Ozarks: the Copperhead, the Cottonmouth, and two species of rattlesnakes, the Pygmy and the Timber Rattler.

That’s what I get from my reading anyway, in an entire lifetime of bumbling into nasty, snake-y looking places, I’ve never encountered a rattlesnake in the wild.

I’m absolutely certain that they’re out there, though.

One of my clients found one in her backyard one evening, and seemed quite agitated over the experience for weeks thereafter.

I also recall a particularly colorful neighbor who was fond of prodigious quantities of cheap wine who once brought a matched pair of rattlers into town where he was photographed displaying them for the local paper.  He handled these specimens by means of strings that he’d tied around their necks.  (Like I say, colorful.)

He confided that he couldn’t recall precisely where he’d found them (evidencing one of the characteristics of drinking a half-gallon of Roma) so I can’t swear they were from the Ozarks, but, as I say, I’ve little doubt of it, because nobody could drive very far that drunk.

Copperheads are the most plentiful of our poisonous snakes, but you won’t see much of them either.  They tend to stay hidden under something during the day, because they dislike the sun’s heat and the light of day, hence the obvious parallel with gang members in the city.

Native Ozarkers tend not to wander out into the yard barefoot at night.

The truth is, unlike that clown who comes on the TV screaming about detergent right after you’ve fallen asleep in your chair, snakes are even more afraid of humans than vice versa, and you can step on a snake without being bitten… probably.

When I started out in the rural real estate business, I decided that I was just going to have to get used to the idea of snakes, and forget about all those years of nightmares I’d had about finding them in my bed, etc.

Well, forty years later, I’ve been in some of the most God-awful-looking places imaginable, and I don’t have even ONE set of fang marks to show for it.

Cottonmouths have to reputation for being the most aggressive snakes, but I’m here to tell you that even they will turn ummm… tail and run given the opportunity.

I was once showing some land to a young couple from Chicago.

When you’re trying to sell property with a creek on it, you’ve GOT to show the customer the creek no matter what’s involved, and you can’t go whining about the snakes, because then maybe they’ll chicken out.  (What’s more important after all, a slow painful death, or paying the rent?)

That’s how I got to be down in this humid, dark valley with these two innocent bystanders, standing waste deep in some kind of broad-leaf weed that almost completely obscured the muddy black creek-bank from view.

Almost.

While we were standing there, while I was busily engaged in trying to look like someone who wandered into places like this all the time, I noticed a spot about ten feet away from us where I could see all the way down to the dirt.  There’s no telling what little surprises the rest of that 20 acres held, but it was in that particular square foot that I saw the characteristic blunt, charcoal-gray tail of a cottonmouth about as big around as my arm, wriggling away from us.

I considered just dying right there on the spot, but I didn’t want to upset the lady, so I never said anything, answered all their questions, and briskly escorted them out of there with what I hope was not obvious haste.

They didn’t buy it.

To answer your questions, Chris, I think you’ll find the cats will do a bang-up job of keeping snakes out of the yard.

Frankly, though, if you plan to mow the lawn every so often, you probably won’t even need the cats all that much, to say nothing of the guinea hens – who have the amusing habit of making their incredibly raucous noise virtually every waking moment of each and every day.

I’m not sure whether you meant pigs like to eat the snakes or the guinea hens, (although I’m certain both statements would be true) but what they’ll do to your rhododendrons is even worse than the noise from the guineas.

So here’s my advice on the best way to deal with snakes on your property in the Ozarks: Fuggedaboudem, it’s politicians and televangelists you have to worry about.

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