Featured Stories

Installing a Backup Hand Pump
March 13, 2019 · · Self-Reliance

Add to Favorites By Gail Damerow One of the disadvantages of having an electric well pump is that when the power fails, the pump stops de­livering water. If the water …

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Naturally Cozy — Washable Feminine Hygiene Product
March 13, 2019 · · Self-Reliance

Add to Favorites By Patrice Lewis Gentlemen, please skip this article. You’re probably not going to be comfortable with the subject matter. Ladies, let me ask you a question: What would you do if …

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Grow A Moringa Tree
March 13, 2019 · · Growing

Add to Favorites By Kenny Coogan You might know Moringa oleifera by a different name, like benzolive tree, drumstick tree, horseradish-tree, West Indian ben, murungai, ben-oil tree or moringa. No matter what you call it, …

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Water Systems For Off-Grid Living
March 13, 2019 · · Self-Reliance

Add to Favorites By Dan Fink A steady supply of drinkable water is the single most important factor in deciding where to settle down and live. It has shaped humankind’s …

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A Unique Earthship Community
March 13, 2019 · · Self-Reliance

Add to Favorites By Karin Deneke, Colorado How would you like to own a home that harvests water from the sky, harnesses energy from wind and sun, can grow its …

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Preparing For Power Outages
March 13, 2019 · · Self-Reliance

While an argument can be made that our society has become too dependent upon electricity, few argue that sudden power outages can sometimes be more than merely inconvenient.

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How To Build Your Own Rainwater Harvesting System
March 13, 2019 · · Self-Reliance

Add to Favorites By William L. Seavey We all have heard the news: California has been declared to be in Exceptional Drought, and a governor has declared a state of emergency. Here’s …

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How To Build Your Own Solar Oven
March 13, 2019 · · Self-Reliance

Add to Favorites By  Jeff Hoard, HM Ranch One of the easiest and most productive projects I’ve built here at HM Ranch is a simple solar oven. The only expense …

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Genetically Engineered Crops Divide The Food Movement
March 13, 2019 · · Growing

Add to Favorites By John Hibma Farmers find themselves squarely in the middle of the debate over genetically engineered (GE) crops and foods. Also referred to as genetically modified organisms—GMO—the concern over the genetic …

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We Learned A Lot When We Established Our Small Farm
March 13, 2019 · · Self-Reliance

Add to Favorites By Janice Bever, Highland Hills Farm, Charleston, New York The summer of 1996 began a new episode in our lives. My fiancé and I had been searching for a place to …

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The Truth About Farmsteading
March 13, 2019 · · Self-Reliance

Among new or wannabe farmsteaders (or homesteaders), there is often a sense of romanticism. They begin their journey to a simpler, self-sufficient lifestyle and are quickly overwhelmed by what seems to be contradictions in the lifestyle.

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What I Learned From My Life As A Forester
March 13, 2019 · · Self-Reliance

Add to Favorites By F. Diane Pickett If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one around to hear it, does it make a sound? You’re darn right it does …

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How (And Why) I Moved To A Straw Bale House
March 13, 2019 · · Self-Reliance

Add to Favorites By C. Gonzales, Port Republic, Maryland By August 2010, I had had enough. My home was lovely, warm when needed, cool when needed, pretty, functional, and safe. But it lacked natural …

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How To Make A Chainsaw Holder
March 13, 2019 · · Self-Reliance

Add to Favorites By Roger Weber, Butler, Kentucky I had to make a chainsaw holder on the garage floor, which was inconvenient and taking up too much room. I made up this vertical …

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Healing Herbs For Herding Dogs
March 13, 2019 · · Self-Reliance

Add to Favorites By Judith Toth Bigham, Ohio Although herding is first and foremost an agricultural enterprise it has in recent years “morphed” into a competitive sport that attracts enthusiasts from all walks of …

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