About the Author

Kenny Coogan

Kenny Coogan is a food, farm, and flower columnist. Coogan leads workshops about owning chickens, vegetable gardening, animal training, and corporate team building on his homestead. His newest book 99 ½ Homesteading Poems: A Backyard Guide to Raising Creatures, Growing Opportunity, and Cultivating Communityis now available at kennycoogan.com.
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Articles by Kenny Coogan

Identify and Store Nuts for the Winter
December 29, 2022 · · Self-Reliance

Scarlet leaves are among us as the nights become cooler. If you are starting to feel a little squirrelly, you are not alone.

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10 Alternative Agritourism Examples for Your Small Farm
September 9, 2022 · · Homesteading

Check out these 10 alternative agritourism examples and see the possibilities of your farm!

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A Guide to Pepper Plant Diseases
July 17, 2022 · · Growing

Add to Favorites Hot, sweet, purple, yellow, wrinkly or bell – I love all peppers. If you find yourself wanting to harvest your peck of peppers, but are having trouble …

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Summer Green Smoothie Recipes

Whether making a green smoothie or adding summer greens to a fruit smoothie, these blended concoctions are healthy and revitalizing.

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How to Prevent Injuries on the Homestead
July 5, 2022 · · Homesteading

By training your body correctly in your daily life, not just when you are lifting heavy objects, you can prevent injury on the homestead.

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Backyard Bugs: Identifying Insects for Good
July 5, 2022 · · Homesteading

Add to Favorites Creep, nuisance, vermin, trouble, and costly are synonymous when identifying insects. It’s a shame, too, because without insects, our world would be very different. Yes, we may …

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12 Plants That Keep Away Mosquitoes
May 16, 2022 · · Growing

Growing dual-purpose edible plants that keep away mosquitoes is beneficial and practical. From the annoyance of buzzing in your ears to the threat of Zika and West Nile, mosquitos are troublesome.

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Wild Plant Identification: Foraging for Edible Weeds
March 22, 2022 · · Growing

Proper wild plant identification is paramount if you are going to forage. Do not eat anything you are unsure about eating.

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How to Attract Owls and Why You Should Give a Hoot
December 14, 2021 · · Homesteading

Learning how to attract owls to your homestead has many rewards including acting as a natural way to get rid of mice. The joy of spotting the magical birds on evening owl prowls is also a reward in itself.

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Recycling a Deck into Standing Raised Bed
November 11, 2021 · · Growing

Not wanting to add to the landfill, I started drafting up ideas on how I could transform my dilapidated deck into a standing raised bed.

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Growing Carnivorous Plants
October 31, 2021 · · Growing

If you are looking for a plant that brings a combination of excitement and beauty, look no further than the large and diverse group of carnivorous plants. With over 700 species found on all continents except Antarctica, it’s easy to find one that will grow well for you.

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5 Critical Sheep Breeds for the Homestead
September 13, 2021 · · Sheep

In addition to providing food and fiber, small flock owners are looking to support livestock conservation by venturing into raising rare sheep breeds.

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How Do Greenhouses Work?
February 4, 2021 · · Growing

Greenhouses are useful for growing produce out of season or starting seeds and cuttings earlier than your climate allows. This jump-start allows us to extend our growing season.

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Top 10 Witch Hazel Uses
January 29, 2021 · · Growing

Available in lotions, pads, distilled extracts and even suppositories, witch hazel uses are widespread. Earlier this summer I was weeding in shorts, and I was stung or bitten on my inner thigh by an unknown insect. It was incredibly painful.

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12 Tips for Starting a Nursery Business from Home
April 27, 2020 · · Growing

Starting a nursery business from home, whether small or large, means knowing the best ways to propagate and sell plants. I purchased my one-acre homestead for its location, mature trees, and potential to grow rows and rows of vegetables.

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