Before You Bring Home a Pig: 8 Big Problems to Consider
Pigs are a good idea to raise, but they aren's for everyone. Here's what you should know before getting your first hog! #pigs| The Homesteading Hippy
For so many gardeners, the process is the reward. Spending time out in the garden, enjoying fresh air and sunshine, and taking care of all of the many different chores that will move the needle slowly but surely towards a harvest of delicious fruits, veggies, and herbs. But for other gardeners, gardeners like me, the […] The post 11 Ways to Speed Up Your Garden Crops appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
Pigs are a good idea to raise, but they aren's for everyone. Here's what you should know before getting your first hog! #pigs| The Homesteading Hippy
Yes, chickens eat their own poop. Chickens eat their poop to recover missed nutrients and also to hopefully build immunity to diseases. Learn more here.| The Homesteading Hippy
Corn is safe for chickens, and it's also a great source of energy and its several important vitamins and minerals. But it should be fed sparingly because of its calorie content.| The Homesteading Hippy
Most people I know don’t homestead like our ancestors did. I mean truly living off the land and, just as importantly, living free. These days, it’s easy to feel like you are just playing at homesteading, like it’s a hobby. Anybody can get a flock of chickens for their suburban home or start a modest […] The post How to Homestead for Free… For the Rest of Your Life appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
You can probably tell this jelly tastes delicious just by looking at it! Here's how to mae it, step by step with photos. #jelly #lilac #canning| The Homesteading Hippy
Soil fertility will make or break your garden - there's no doubt about it. We found 22 ways to improve your soil if it isn't as nutrient-rich.| The Homesteading Hippy
Permaculture Climate Zones and Microclimates: What You Should Know| The Homesteading Hippy
If you’ve ever had a mouse infestation in your house, you know how much these little rodents can ruin your life. But it can always get worse: you could get a rat infestation! Rats do all of the same things that mice do, they just make things even worse! If you are hearing scratchings in […] The post 10 Tips and Strategies to Get Rid of Roof Rats appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
Rabbits pull fur for all kinds of reasons. Some are natural, but others are a sign that there is a problem or trouble brewing! #rabbits #homesteading| The Homesteading Hippy
What’s one thing you think you could find on any homestead? If you answered Mason jars, pick any prize off the third shelf because you’re a winner! These ubiquitous and ever-handy glass jars are, of course, used for storing delicious, home-canned food, but they can also be used to keep all sorts of other things […] The post Here’s How To Store Your Mason Jars appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
Most homesteaders I know care about two things when it comes to keeping the house clean inside and out: doing more with less and cutting back on creepy chemicals. Just walk down the cleaning aisle at your local grocery store, and you’ll see what I’m talking about. There’s a specialized cleaner for everything you can […] The post 30 Homesteading Uses for Borax You Really Need to Know appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
What if you grew a garden just for your chickens? This will solve a lot of headaches, but you've got to do it right. Here's how... #chickens| The Homesteading Hippy
If you hike, camp, or do anything else outdoors, you probably know stinging nettles as an irritating, annoying menace. But did you know they can be a forager’s dream? It’s true! Stinging nettles, the exact same ones that give you a nasty rash when you bump into them, are a legitimate superfood packed with vitamins, […] The post How to Dehydrate Stinging Nettles appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
Have you ever had to eat the same thing day after day? Did you get tired of it? Of course you did, and if you keep chickens, you should know they feel the same about menu fatigue. Your flock needs novel foods, including treats, to break boredom, reduce stress, and keep their energy levels up. […] The post Super-Easy Corn Muffins for Your Chickens appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
One of the most common, and most annoying things that can happen around the home and homestead is breaking a light bulb off in its socket. Maybe you twisted a little too hard trying to change it. Maybe an errant ball or a dropped piece of lumber smacked it… Whatever happened, getting the old remains […] The post 8 Ways to Remove a Broken Bulb from Its Socket appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
If you don’t give your chickens regular treats, you should. Treats help your birds stay happy, healthy, and energetic, and believe it or not, they also lower stress and help to prevent fights. Chickens are omnivores, and that means they can eat all kinds of things, but you’re always best to give them wholesome and […] The post Super-Quick Oatmeal and Raisins Treats For Chickens appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
If you want to enjoy your marshmallows anytime you want, let me show you how easy it is to dry them to maximize their shelf life. #marshmallows #dehydration| The Homesteading Hippy
Latest Chickens Articles Homesteading Goats| The Homesteading Hippy
Pickles, of all kinds, are one of the most versatile and easiest foods to make when canning at home. If you like classic dill, sweet bread and butter, or something more exotic, they are just the thing for sandwiches, chutneys, and a whole lot more. But I’m willing to bet there’s one kind of pickle […] The post How to Can Watermelon Rind Pickles (Water Bath) appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
Your mental picture of a rabbit is probably the same as mine and everyone else’s: a cute little fuzzball that can almost fit in your hand! This is the iconic image of a rabbit for good reason: most of the time it’s true. But, not all rabbits are teeny tiny! In fact, some are downright […] The post 13 Large Rabbit Breeds That Are Just Adorable appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
Gardening is always rewarding, and it’s always a lot of work. I won’t lie to you. If anyone tells you that you can just scatter a few seeds, water them occasionally, and then look forward to posting Instagram photos and TikTok clips of you looking grounded and earthy in your bountiful garden, they are blowing […] The post 10 Ways to Be Super-Proactive in Your Garden (Instead of Reactive) appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
If you’re anything like me when I was starting out, when you think of raising sheep, you probably think of huge, gently rolling pastures that play as a home to an immense flock of sheep. It really is an idyllic image! But it’s one that isn’t entirely founded in reality, and it kept me from […] The post 9 Tips to Raise Sheep on a Small Homestead appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
There are more plants that you can make flour out of than you think. Learn about some of the best in this article. #kitchen #cooking| The Homesteading Hippy
One of the coolest and most gratifying things about owning chickens is that no matter what your preferences are, no matter what strikes your fancy, there’s bound to be a breed out there that will fit the bill: Sizes big and small, every color of the rainbow, and suitability for any kind of purpose. There […] The post 10 Chicken Breeds That Have Feathered Feet! appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
Lemon powder is one of my favorite secret ingredients. Whether it is adding freshness and sweetness to tea, a little bit of zip to my favorite marinades, or a wonderful sweet aroma to homemade bath products and cosmetics, it’s just the best! It’s also hard to find really good, fresh, organic stuff online or anywhere […] The post Making Lemon Powder (from Fruit or Peels) appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
These dehydrated sweet potato chips are delicious. Plus, you can use them in sous or rehydrate them for other dishes. #sweetpotatoes #foodpreservation #dehydration| The Homesteading Hippy
We talk in-depth about the permaculture concept of hügelkultur, which is growing of plants on a large bed of decaying plants and wood.| The Homesteading Hippy
It’s been pushed to the background with all of the scandals flying around lately, but as far as I’m concerned, one of the most worrying revelations is the fact that so much of what we use for food preparation and storage in our kitchens has probably been slowly poisoning us. It might be BPA and […] The post Get These 30 Non-Toxic Kitchen Items Today appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
If you aren’t a homesteader but want to be, getting started can look like an unclimbable mountain. If you didn’t grow up on a farm or in a family that emphasized self-sufficiency and self-reliance, it’s easy to feel like you are just coming around to it way too late in life. Take it from me, […] The post Top 10 Very Reasonable Homesteading Goals for Your First Year appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
No matter how well you get along with your neighbors and the people in your community, you probably want some privacy when you’re outside. But on a homestead, especially a big property, putting up a privacy fence can be really expensive. Plus, when you are surrounded by nature that you otherwise enjoy, a fence can […] The post Top 20 Fastest Growing Shrubs to Hide Your Homestead appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
All plants need water to survive. Everyone knows that, even non-gardeners! But gardeners understand it — I would say feel it — more than most. All of us with green thumbs have known the pain of losing plants or botching a harvest simply because we forgot to water or didn’t water our plants enough. It […] The post Top 20 Drought-Resistant Plants That Barely Need Water appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
If you'r looking to make a sign post to hang outside of your coop, we've got dozens of funny names to choose from! #chickens #DIY #homesteading| The Homesteading Hippy
If you are like me, you probably want to do as little work as possible in your garden and still enjoy a big return of bountiful, beautiful flowers. In that case, you’ve got to get perennials. Perennials, planted with care and tended to just a little throughout the year, can keep coming back year after […] The post Top 20 Best of the Best Perennials for Your Garden appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
No matter how much you love gardening, I think it’s fair to say that there are plenty of chores you probably wish you could skip. If you are like me, it’s that initial planting phase. Preparing the soil, dropping in the seeds or transplants, and then ever so carefully watering them; it’s just tedious! It’s […] The post Top 20 Self-Seeding Veggies for the Lazy Gardener appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
Raised beds are a great choice for any garden. You can garden with raised beds entirely or use them as a supplement or extension to your existing in-ground garden plot. If you’re dealing with difficult or poor soils, they can make your life a lot easier and if you struggle to move around on your […] The post 15 Critical Mistakes to Sidestep With Your Raised Beds appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
Your hens won't lay forever. Have you thought about what happens when that time comes? Learn about nine options in this article. #chickens #homesteading| The Homesteading Hippy
One of the most enjoyable things about keeping chickens is figuring out which breed is right for you. They all bring a little something different to the table, and learning more about different breeds is a fun pastime in and of itself. To help you zero in on your next addition to your flock, I’m […] The post Full Overview of the Partridge Rock Chicken Breed appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
If you want a garden, you’ve got to be ready to put in work… There’s no way around it unless you want to hire someone to tend it for you! But as bad as you want a garden of your own, maybe you are intimidated by the amount of work you think it will take. […] The post 20 Tips to Start Your Low-Maintenance Garden appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
Southeast US is a really good place to start a garden... but it has it's issues. I look at every aspect so you know what to expect. #gardening| The Homesteading Hippy
When you think about raising sheep, what’s the first thing you think of? If you answered “wool,” you aren’t alone. That is indeed their most iconic commodity, but it isn’t the only thing that they produce. Sheep are a true utility livestock breed, capable of producing wool, of course, but also plenty of milk and […] The post The Top 12 Sheep Breeds to Raise for Meat appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
Chickens typically live between 5 and 8 years, with significant variation between breeds. Learn more about chicken lifespans here. #chickens| The Homesteading Hippy
There's a lot to know if you're going to raise chickens yourself. Get a head start with these 12 free chicken care downloads. #chickens| The Homesteading Hippy
If you force your chickens to sleep on the ground they’ll be miserable. Learn to how to pick and install a good roost inside. #chickens| The Homesteading Hippy
Figuring out the pecking order in your flock will save you a lot of headaches in the long run. Here's what you need to know. #chickens| The Homesteading Hippy
Hydrogen peroxide is something that you can reasonably expect to find in any household. It’s just one of those ubiquitous medicine cabinet items. When I was growing up, anytime I would get a little scrape, cut, or other boo-boo, my mom or grandma would whip out a little bit of gauze, the hydrogen peroxide, and […] The post The 20 Most Useful Uses of Hydrogen Peroxide appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.| The Homesteading Hippy
Rebekah is a full-time homesteader. On her 22 acres, she raises chickens, sheep, and bees, not to mention she grows a wide variety of veggies in her giant greenhouse.| The Homesteading Hippy
Heather's homesteading journey started in 2006, with baby steps: first, she got a few raised beds, some chickens, and rabbits. Over the years, she amassed a wealth of homesteading knowledge, knowledge that you can find in the articles of this blog.| The Homesteading Hippy
If you want to raise chickens that give you the most organic eggs, we've got 10 different breeds for you to choose from.| The Homesteading Hippy
Piglets start out drinking only milk, but in just a few weeks they’ll begin to eat a variety of solid foods. Find out more about exactly what piglets eat here.| The Homesteading Hippy
It is possible to keep chickens and turkeys together so long as you keep an eye out for diseases and conflicts. Learn more about cohabitating your birds here.| The Homesteading Hippy
Goats need more than just grass to live on when browsing in the pasture. Get 10 recommendations for nutritious plants here. #goats| The Homesteading Hippy
Pigs will eat just about anything but this doesn't mean you shouldn't be mindful about their diet. Here's what you can and cannot feed them.| The Homesteading Hippy
Tomatoes are safe for pigs as long as they are ripe, but pigs should never eat any other part of the plant.| The Homesteading Hippy
Sweet potatoes are totally safe for pigs and a nutritious part of a good diet. Proper preparation is important, however. Find out how here.| The Homesteading Hippy
Peanut butter and peanut are filling supplements for pigs that can help them gain weight. Just make sure they don’t have harmful ingredients.| The Homesteading Hippy
Blueberries are a safe, sweet treat for pigs that are full of nutrients. Everything you should know on giving blueberries to your pigs here.| The Homesteading Hippy
Leghorn Chicken Breed – What You Need to Know| The Homesteading Hippy
The A to Z to growing kale: kale varieties, prepping the soil, tending to the crop, harvesting, preserving it, and much more.| The Homesteading Hippy
Lettuce needs 6 or 7 hours of sun per day on average, but also requires shade the rest of the time. Learn more about its light requirements here.| The Homesteading Hippy
Kale is an ideal cool or even cold weather leafy veggie, but it still needs around 6 hours of sunlight a day or more to thrive. In hotter climates, kale can grow in partial shade.| The Homesteading Hippy
The ultimate guide to growing cucumbers in your garden: which varieties to choose, how to plant and water, harvesting, pests, and disease.| The Homesteading Hippy
Everything you need to know about planting, caring, harvesting, preserving and even cooking beetroot in your garden.| The Homesteading Hippy
Aphids are one of the most common pests out there. You'll surely have to deal with them at some point, so here's what to do to prepare.| The Homesteading Hippy
Composting is really easy, and its benefits to your garden are huge. Here's everything you need to know to make yours.| The Homesteading Hippy
Bantam chicken breeds don't need as much space as standard-sized ones, but they need more than you think. Learn more here.| The Homesteading Hippy
Turkeys are omnivores that can eat a highly varied diet. Learn about 25 foods they can eat and 7 foods they can’t here.| The Homesteading Hippy
Pigs may not be the easiest animals to raise, but they have a ton of benefits. Here's everything you should know about how to raise them.| The Homesteading Hippy
Raising chickens for the first time brings questions. The biggest one is what to feed your flock? Learn more about what to feed chickens.| The Homesteading Hippy
It's a great time to become a homesteader, but not every state will treat you right. Avoid the five worst US states for homesteaders.| The Homesteading Hippy
You need to place a generator in the right spot for efficiency and safety. Learn where to place it, and where not to, in this article. #homesteading #generators| The Homesteading Hippy
Calcium is absolutely critical for growth, egg laying, and overall health in chickens. Learn about 13 of the best calcium sources here.| The Homesteading Hippy
Tim is a farm boy with vast experience on homesteads, and with survival and prepping. He lives a self-reliant lifestyle along with his aging mother in a quiet and very conservative little town in Ohio. He teaches folks about security, prepping and self-sufficiency not just through his witty writing, but also in person.| The Homesteading Hippy
A lot has changed since 2009 when Heather Harris published the first article on The Homesteading Hippy. The site has grown to almost 1,000 articles (at the time of writing this), and the team has grown to 5 homesteaders who post regularly (more or less). Speaking of which, here’s a little bit about us, and […]| The Homesteading Hippy
Gardening is a wonderful pastime and a great way to improve your food security. And not for nothing, it’s one of the very best ways to enjoy truly premium vegetables! Once you bring in a bumper crop of perfect, fresh, organic veggies, it’s hard to go back to the grocery store. But if you are […]| The Homesteading Hippy
Hummingbirds are important pollinators and tons of fun to have around your home and garden. Inside are 20 plants that attract them.| The Homesteading Hippy
Sheep exhibit many behavioral cues that you can learn to read, greatly facilitating and easing your interactions with them. #sheep #homesteading| The Homesteading Hippy
Bantam chickens are a great choice to save space in the coop or if you have limited space to start with. Learn about 15 breeds here.| The Homesteading Hippy
Plan on making a bundle raising pigs? They might cost you big instead. Learn about the hidden costs of raising pigs here.| The Homesteading Hippy
If you're looking for the best state to build your own homestead, I've got 10 great recommendations for you inside. #homesteading #selfsufficiency| The Homesteading Hippy
Pigs can eat all kinds of things safely, but they can't just have anything, contrary to what some say. Learn what they can eat here.| The Homesteading Hippy
Preparing for the arrival of piglets is always exciting, but there’s a lot you have to do. Make sure you take care of these 10 things. #pigs #homesteading| The Homesteading Hippy
If you plan on raising pigs, you've got to avoid these 10 common mistakes, or else you're in for a bad time. #pigs #hogs #homesteading #farming| The Homesteading Hippy
Feeding pigs can cost you a fortune. If you want to save money, check inside and learn 14 clever ways to feed them nearly for free. #pigs| The Homesteading Hippy
Trying to get by without air conditioning for any reason is a brutal test of endurance when it is hot. Learn 18 tricks to stay cool here. #DIY #homesteading| The Homesteading Hippy
Canning fruit is one of the best ways to get started with at-home canning. It's generally easy if you follow these tips for doing it safely. #canning| The Homesteading Hippy
People think pigs can eat anything, but that's not true. Lots of things are truly toxic to them. Learn about 14 such things inside.| The Homesteading Hippy
Plain squash cannot be safely canned at home. Learn why not, and possible workarounds, in this guide.| The Homesteading Hippy
There are some good reasons to raise chickens and turkeys together, and also reasons why you shouldn't! Learn about them here.| The Homesteading Hippy
Chickens have a unique digestive system compared to mammals. Learn what you need to know about it here.| The Homesteading Hippy
