About the Author
Marissa Ames
Articles by Marissa Ames
15 Essential First Aid Kit Contents
Add to Favorites Though we know we should carry a first aid kit, contents can vary box by box. Should you purchase ones sold on department store endcaps or build …
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How to Make Laundry Soap at Home
Not long after I learned how to make homemade soap, I tweaked the recipe and learned how to make laundry soap. Those other “homemade laundry soap” recipes had flaws.
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Natural Pest Control for Gardens and Orchards
Brian Eubanks knows what he’s talking about. He’s an ISA-certified arborist and horticulture consultant in Reno and Sparks, Nevada. And he wants to tell you about natural pest control.
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The Dos and Don’ts of Buying a Homestead
It’s a dream held by many: buying a homestead and getting back to the land, raising children in a wholesome environment or retiring with a slower, simpler life. But what should you know or research before buying a homestead that seems perfect at first glance?
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Why Rotating Vegetables in the Garden is Crucial
Add to Favorites Could over a million lives have been saved between 1844 and 1846 by rotating vegetables in the garden? Several factors contributed to the Great Famine. Irish families lived …
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Growing Onions from Seeds or Sets
Beginners and master gardeners are successfully growing onions. Among the hardiest crops, they are almost foolproof.
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How to Make Shea Butter Soap Three Ways
If you’ve already made soap from scratch, you know how to make shea butter soap. Just add shea butter, then alter the other oils for proper saponification, and you have a moisturizing and luxurious bar.
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Why the Ball Canning Book is My #1 Guide to Safe Food Preservation
Add to Favorites What’s the best food preservation guide to buy? The Ball canning book is my most trusted source. And here’s why: The Ball Brothers started making jars in …
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How to Make Green Soap: An Excursion Through Time
Ancient Syrians knew how to make green soap used by Queens Cleopatra of Egypt and Zenobia of Syria. It’s a timeless method that abounds today.
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Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Soap’s Dirty Secrets
Sodium laurel sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate. What do those terms mean? And will they harm you or the environment?
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Old-Fashioned Lard Soap Recipes, Then and Now
Homesteaders cooked a lard soap recipe in kettles over fires. You can make it in your own kitchen.
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Kids and Soap: Homemade Arts and Crafts for The Holidays
Winter holidays often involve cold weather, hot drinks, and homemade arts and crafts. It also means the kids are out of school for one to three weeks. What homemade arts and crafts can kids do, without risk of injury, that can also serve as holiday gifts?
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Eliminating Weevils in Flour and Rice
Their little legs wriggled on my spoon. How harmful could they be? Casting my eyes to each side, I watched for approaching family members as I dropped the little bugs in the sink and stirred the flour.
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Natural Ways to Get Rid of Mice
For the safest, most natural ways to get rid of mice, start with the most minimum impact and work up from there. I have a friend who insists on using only the level of protection necessary in a situation.
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How to Make Castile Soap
Vegan, sustainable, and often organic, castile soap is highly sought after. Properties are comparable to soaps made with tallow, lard, or coconut oil but the bar made from olive oil ranks higher.
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