Countryside Contributor, Author at Countryside

Making Money with Goat Milk Soap

June 11, 2021 · Countryside Contributor · Soapmaking

Add to Favorites By Heather Hicks — We didn’t plan to have a soap business, in fact, I didn’t plan for dairy goats! Some of life’s best adventures are from following your children’s lead …

Black Currants: America’s Delicious Forbidden Fruit

June 8, 2021 · Countryside Contributor · Growing

Black currants are easy-to-grow, requiring very little care, which was perfect for us! One spring, we were buying baby fruit trees at our local nursery and were excited about starting a small orchard on our 10-acre homestead.

Mullein, Not Just a Common Weed

June 5, 2021 · Countryside Contributor · Growing

You will find mullein, a woolly-leafed, tall-stemmed biannual, along roadsides, in meadows, and riparian corridors throughout the United States and Canada.

Growing Your Own Spuds

June 5, 2021 · Countryside Contributor · Growing

Potatoes are one of the most versatile root vegetables to grace a garden. There are white potatoes, yellow potatoes, red potatoes, even purple potatoes.

Different Types of Fire Extinguishers and Their Uses

June 2, 2021 · Countryside Contributor · Homesteading

Not only is it smart to keep fire extinguishers in your home, but it’s also the law in many states. Many of us do not realize that a single fire extinguisher does not work on every type of fire.

How to Make Lip Balm at Home

May 27, 2021 · Countryside Contributor · Soapmaking

One of the neatest things about having a desire to be as independent as possible is the many things you learn to do on your own. And come those cold winter days, you’ll be happy to know how to make lip balm at home.

Using Natural Fertilizers on the Homestead

May 20, 2021 · Countryside Contributor · Growing

Gardens are hungry creatures, demanding endless applications of fertilizer to keep vegetables, fruits, and flowers growing throughout the season. Unfortunately, many find their plot’s needs increase each passing year despite frequent feedings.

Dead Ram Walking: Treating Sick Sheep Symptoms

May 17, 2021 · Countryside Contributor · Sheep

One day the ram was walking around and looking totally healthy — the next day he was just standing under a tree with his head hanging down. I approached him, hoping he’d lift his head and move away from me, but he didn’t.

How to Grow Sweet Potatoes

May 13, 2021 · Countryside Contributor · Growing

Sweet potatoes are about as versatile of a vegetable as one can get, making this tasty root the perfect garden staple in nearly any USDA planting zone. Sweet potato pie, marshmallow-covered casseroles, and sweet potato bread are but a few of the mouthwatering dishes made possible by this humble root.

An Easy Peasy Start to Seed Saving

May 13, 2021 · Countryside Contributor · Growing

Add to Favorites By TJ King – When I started gardening years ago, I did a terrible job harvesting shelling peas (Pisum sativum). Each season, I missed peas on every …

Farm Estate Planning

May 11, 2021 · Countryside Contributor · Homesteading

Farm estate planning is essential to the process of passing a farm on to the next generation as smoothly and successfully as possible. The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Startups Service reports that family-owned farms account for 97% of the 2.1 million farms in the United States.

5 Tips to Developing a Permaculture Food Forest

May 2, 2021 · Countryside Contributor · Growing

Food forests, also known as edible permaculture forest gardens, are growing in popularity worldwide. A food forest is taking the old-fashioned monocrop orchard and adding many more layers of utility to it, while making it more self-contained and lower maintenance.

How to Add Calcium to Soil

May 2, 2021 · Countryside Contributor · Growing

Ensuring your soils have an adequate level of available calcium should be an essential part of your field fertilization practices for several reasons. Here’s why and how to add calcium to soil on your homestead.

Artisanal Sheep Cheese: Shepherds Manor Creamery Part 2 of 2

May 2, 2021 · Countryside Contributor · Sheep

The Histons considered producing “mixed milk” cheese (where goat or cow milk is added to the sheep milk), but have found that their niche in sheep is what makes them stand out. All of the artisanal sheep cheese produced at Shepherds Manor Creamery is made from 100% sheep milk.