Author: Kileen
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How to Preserve Your Garden Harvest Before Frost
The first frost has a way of sneaking up on you. One minute, you’re picking tomatoes and peppers in the sunshine. Then you look at the forecast and suddenly realize: It’s time to get everything out of the garden. Instead of scrambling at the last minute, I like to think of the weeks before frost… Read more
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Is My Sourdough Starter Dead? How to Tell
You open the refrigerator, look at the forgotten jar in the back and think: There is absolutely no way that thing is still alive. Before you throw it away, take a closer look. An established sourdough starter can sometimes survive periods of neglect better than new bakers expect. Inactive Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Dead A starter… Read more
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Sourdough Starter Troubleshooting: 12 Problems & How to Fix Them
Sourdough starter is alive, which means it doesn’t always behave exactly the way we expect. One day it’s overflowing from the jar. The next, it barely moves. If you’re new to sourdough, it can be difficult to know what’s normal and what’s a sign that something is actually wrong. Here are 12 common sourdough starter… Read more
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Herbalism for Beginners: Where Do You Even Start?
Herbalism can feel overwhelming when you first start. Tinctures. Infusions. Decoctions. Salves. Herbal oils. Then there are hundreds of plants you’re apparently supposed to recognize. But you don’t need a cabinet filled with 100 herbs to start learning herbalism. Start with a few plants and learn them well. What Is Herbalism? Herbalism is the traditional… Read more
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Tallow vs. Coconut Oil vs. Olive Oil in Homemade Soap
When I first started making homemade soap, I thought oil was oil. If a recipe called for olive oil, coconut oil, or tallow, I assumed they were basically interchangeable. They’re definitely not. One of the most interesting things I’ve learned about soapmaking is that each fat brings something different to the finished bar. Some help… Read more
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What to Do With an End-of-Summer Tomato Harvest
There comes a point every summer when the garden seems to decide that every tomato needs to ripen at the exact same time. One day you’re waiting impatiently for the first red tomato. A few weeks later, your counter is covered in them. That’s one of my favorite problems to have. Instead of letting an… Read more
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10 Things I Stopped Buying After I Learned to Make Them Myself
There was a time when I never really thought twice about tossing laundry detergent, bread, deodorant, or household cleaners into my shopping cart. If we needed it, I bought it. But the more I started learning about homesteading and making things from scratch, the more I began asking a simple question: Could I make this… Read more
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10 Vegetables Every Beginner Homesteader Should Grow
One of the biggest mistakes new gardeners make is trying to grow everything their first year. I know how exciting it is to flip through seed catalogs and imagine overflowing harvest baskets, but the truth is that gardening is a skill learned one season at a time. Choosing vegetables that are forgiving, productive, and easy… Read more
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25 Things Every Homestead Should Have
When people think about starting a homestead, it’s easy to get caught up in buying every tool, gadget, and piece of equipment available. The truth is, you don’t need everything at once. Some of the best homesteads are built one tool, one skill, and one season at a time. Whether you’re growing a small backyard… Read more
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Start Your Sourdough Journey
What Is a Dehydrated Sourdough Starter? A dehydrated sourdough starter is simply an active starter that has been dried for long-term storage. Drying pauses the activity of the wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, allowing the starter to remain shelf stable until you’re ready to use it. Once water and fresh flour are added, the… Read more