For herbalists and wildcrafters, nettles (Urtica dioica) mean spring has arrived. They have been a spring staple for centuries and have been enjoyed over much of the world. Nettles leaves and roots are rich in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, silica iodine, silicon, sodium, and sulfur.. Many of these ingredients act as antioxidants in …
WASPS AND HORNETS! Most of us have had those moments of trying to enjoy a summer day while being pestered by a wasp or hornet. The sting hurts and people are afraid of them because of it. BENEFITS Most of the time these insects are beneficial. They hunt other insects, some of which are pests. …
What’s all the buzz about beneficial insects? Well, for one thing they help with pollination which gives a bountiful harvest. Whether you grow apples, cherries, blueberries, tomatoes, beans, flowers or other crops, they all need pollinators. Unless you are using a broad-spectrum insecticide, you likely have more insects in your garden than you might realize. …
I have to admit, although I was a honey bee keeper for a couple decades, I have only recently become enamored with Mason Bees. These industrious little creatures are fun to watch and super easy to care for. I think they are my favorite beneficial garden insect. I was fortunate enough to get my first …
It’s the time of year when the nettles are up and the green is on. This is one of the times of year when wildfoods and medicine is abundant on SongCroft so you can often find me roaming the land with a basket, shovel and scissors in hand. Today I was out wild-harvesting the nettles, …
INGREDIENTS 1 cups dried elderberries (Sambucus nigra) 1/4 cup schisandra berries 1 small piece fresh ginger 2 whole cinnamon sticks (optional) 5 whole cloves (optional) 4 peppercorns 6 cups water 2 cups raw honey Yields: About 6 cups INSTRUCTIONS Place all ingredients in a pot. I prefer a stainless steel pot. Simmer slowly, stirring often …
People often look to Youtube videos and blog posts to learn how to homestead. There is indeed a lot of good information out there posted by a lot of generous people. There is a lot of benefit to these resources and I am glad they are available to people who are starting out in homesteading. …
Learning to cook saves money. A home cooked meal is often a lot healthier than what one might order to go when in a rush or stopping in for a quick meal. It is also almost guaranteed to be healthier than a frozen meal. There are a variety of ways to learn to cook and …
People have lots of reasons for homesteading and we have discussed this in other articles, so today I want to discuss how to start homesteading. Homesteading Goals I would start by making a list of things you want to accomplish. If you have a life partner, I would have you each make these lists separately …
Floating Row Cover Floating row covers can be very helpful in the garden. They are made from a spun fabric and if you are careful with it, it can last for many years. Although the fabric covers the vegetable rows, it still allows water and sun (although often reduced to about 70%) through. What’s really …