On The Homestead #5
Spring has finally graced us with warm weather and (sometimes not so) gentle rains. Our little 1 acre homestead is producing some greens and veggies for our table. My perennial onions are supplying delicious green tops, the dandelions and plantain are still young and tender, and the horseradish greens are leafing up nicely. Our family enjoyed a ‘prima verde’ omelet for dinner with all these nutritious greens chopped up and sauteed into an abundance of fresh eggs from our hens. I love eating meals made entirely from our own garden and homestead.
My spinach, peas, lettuce, and calendula have all sprouted and are soaking up the rain as I write. I divided up the garlic sprouts and planted them out in a block. Several onions survived the winter and will be allowed to flower and set seed this year. Saving seeds for the future is important for self sufficiency. My Egyptian Walking Onions (perennial onions) have been planted out in rows. I will use them for green onions until they get big enough to dig the bulbs. The rhubarb is almost ready to pick for muffins, pies, and bread. Yes, spring is a wonderful time of year!
I enjoy learning about what other people are doing on their homesteads and sharing my favorites with you every Saturday! Here are my top picks from this past week.
I always get a kick out of reading what Pa Mac has been up to on The Farm Hand’s Companion…this week I had a good chuckle and learned about raising a pole barn the old fashioned way. Check out The Farm Hand’s Companion and see what you can learn from this down home guy and his adventures in homesteading. 
I’m working on planting and using more medicinal herbs and this article about Chamomile is a great intro to one of the easiest herbs for beginners. Check out Best Herbs to Grow Series: How to Grow Chamomile officinalis by Natural Mothers Network for the basics on this great herbal remedy.
In addition to reading about traditional homesteading skills, I like to keep up on preparedness and survival skills. This article on First Aid Training from Survival Cache is full of great info and worthy of a few moments of your time. First aid training is important to everyone whether you are planning to go hiking in the woods or drive your car into town. Our family has taken CPR and first aid training so we know what to do in an emergency situation. If you’ve had training you’re more likely to keep a cool head, keep the victim stable, and get help in a timely manner.
Well alrighty folks, it’s time for a little unabashed self promotion. I started writing articles for The Prepper Project this week and I hope you’ll take a moment to read what I’ve been up to!
Canning Without Electricity is all about the things to take into consideration if you’re planning to can food off grid. Hey, the Amish do it…why can’t you?
8 Best Chicken Breeds for Preppers - I want to try raising pretty much every kind of chicken, partly because I’m addicted to chickens, and partly because I want to find out which ones are the best foragers, producers, mothers, and, ultimately, the best for self sufficiency.
I’d love to hear your comments on my articles over at The Prepper Project, so stop by and say hi!
And last, but not least, wouldn’t you just love an old wood cook stove like this one?
Thanks to Lynn from Southern Direction for sharing her love of useful old tools, like this wood stove, with us on The HomeAcre Hop this week! This is just the kind of wood stove I’d like for doing off grid canning.
What’s the news on your homestead this week?
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