Fig season is short, although it does come twice a year, so be sure to preserve figs while you can. Figs can be canned, frozen, pickled, dehydrated and even fermented! Fig season is season is something to celebrate. Like mulberries, figs don’t ship well which makes it hard to find fresh figs for sale. In …
During the summer Mustang grapes grow all over our area. Mustang grapes are similar to muscadine grapes. We use these tart grapes to make grape jelly and juice, of course, but we also use them to make grape jam. Grape jam is usually made with whole grapes that have been seeded but I prefer to …
When you make home canned soups you end up with a meal in a jar instead of ingredients to make a meal. Canning soup at home helps you be better prepared for emergencies and for busy weeknight dinners. A friend recently told me that someone told her, “You can only can soups at home using …
This sausage, potato and kale soup is an adaptation of Olive Garden’s “Zuppa Toscana” soup. I love making soups but when I can adapt them for canning it’s even better. Keeping hearty, home canned soups on hand as saved more weeknight meals than I’d like to admit. The Ultimate Guide to Preserving Vegetables has step …
Traditionally fermented pickles are easy to make and full of probiotic goodness for your gut. These pickles are usually known as sour pickles. They aren’t canned and there’s no vinegar. Every summer we make jar after jar of these naturally pickled cucumbers to preserve for the year. We make whole dill pickles, spears and pickle …
It is possible to grow enough food to feed your family even if you live on a small piece of property. Maybe not 100% of your fruit and vegetable needs but, honestly, I don’t know anyone who grows 100% of their food. This is a really long article, so you might want to grab a …
Mulberries grow in many climates and are often considered a nuisance. Put these tasty berries to use and treat your family to something they cannot get at the grocery store! These tasty mulberry recipes will help you get started. What are Mulberries? Mulberries are small, usually dark but sometimes white, berries that grow on a …
Homemade cakes are easy to make and they’re all make pretty much the same way. You need some kind of flour, sweetener, fat, liquid, leavening agent, and maybe an egg or two – that’s it. Here is a list of super easy homemade cake recipes that use staples from your pantry. Some of these recipes …
Salves are probably the easiest herbal skin care product to make at home. They’re fantastic for healing and soothing all kinds of skin conditions. If you’re new to this diy lifestyle you may find yourself asking, “Yeah, but what IS a salve?” What is a salve? A salve is basically an ointment that is applied …
Using mulch in the vegetable garden isn’t just about having a prettier garden. Mulch can help control weeds, build the soil, reduce watering, and much more. So, exactly what is mulch? What is mulch? There are various definitions of mulch but basically it’s anything that you put on the soil around a plant – usually …
I was an adult before I found out that the loofah “sponge” I buy in the bath section at the store is actually not a sponge. It is, in fact, a plant. When I learned that, I knew I needed to start growing loofah to provide bath scrubbies and sponges for cleaning. Loofah, also spelled …
This diy lip scrub is made with just 3 ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. It’s easy to make and will put an end to your dry. flakey lips. Since it’s homemade you know there are no questionable ingredients. Lip scrubs play an important role in preventing dry lips. They are both …
This easy homemade sugar scrub exfoliates and moisturizes at the same time – without leaving your skin oily feeling. The basic recipe is super versatile and can be used to make a variety scrubs that make fantastic, and inexpensive, gifts. Ingredients Needed Glycerin – Vegetable glycerin is an emollient and will help moisturize your hands …
Gardener’s hands can get pretty dirty but with this homemade hand scrub no one would ever know. This scrub is perfect for getting the dirt out from under fingernails and out of the nooks and crannies (aka wrinkles) in our hands. It takes just minutes to mix together using ingredients you probably already have in …
Making homemade sugar scrub couldn’t be easier when you use this DIY sugar and honey scrub recipe. Use twice a week to keep your skin glowing. I make it because it’s super cheap and it works. But it’s also one less thing that you have to put on a shopping list and remember to get …
I have to admit that I’m not the best at keeping indoor plants alive. I’m not sure exactly what the issue is, but most of my potted plants die. But that doesn’t mean I don’t grow a mean indoor garden – one that’s filled with vegetables and herbs. I think the biggest difference is that …
As a family who keeps bees I’m often asked about using honey for allergies – mainly, does it work? The simple answer is “it depends.” There are a lot of variables to consider when deciding to use local raw honey as part of your seasonal allergy protocol. The basic thought process of using honey for …
Because figs don’t ship well, it’s hard to find fresh figs in the local grocery store. Fortunately, fig trees are easy to grow and care for, making them perfect for growing in the backyard orchard. Fig trees ( Ficus carica) originated in Northwestern Asia and the Middle East. They were brought to the Americas by …
Unlike regular potatoes and other vegetables, sweet potatoes are not started from seed or from an older potato, they’re started from slips. Sweet potato slips are small plants that sprout from the sweet potato tuber. And they’re super easy to grow at home and without any special equipment. The first time I grew sweet potatoes, …
Looking in from the outside, people often think I do more than I actually do. It’s not that I’m trying to deceive anyone, in fact, when people ask how I “do it all” I quickly tell them, “I don’t.” And no one else does either. NO ONE. We’re all limited by time, finances, and energy. …