Using sound judgment to be more self-reliant.
Do your garden tools look like this? Maybe with some extra mud stuck on the back?
My tools take a beating, so every so often I give them some TLC. If you can clean them up before you put them away for the season, so much the better, but cleaning and sharpening garden tools is time well spent whenever you get it done. [Read more…]
This is a fun and easy pillowcases to reversible tote bag upcycle project that you can complete in just a couple of hours (at the most) with the added bonus of teaching you an awesome sewing skill – making a bag with a lining, or making it reversible!
Sewing Level – Beginner
Time to Complete – About Two hours [Read more…]
One of my favorite things about fall and winter is the availability of fresh citrus. The lower temperatures also mean cold and flu season, not to mention another season that is my favorite – the holiday season! I use citrus to do many things – quench my thirst, treat my colds and inspire my gifts. I let no part of the citrus fruit go to waste. In this post, I'll share some affordable and easy to make homemade citrus gifts that are sure to please. [Read more…]
Maple syrup is a delicious, healthy alternative to refined sugar, and is enjoyed on the table as well as in many recipes. It's simple to make maple syrup in the backyard, though once bitten by the sugaring bug, many go on to expand their operations!
Note: If you're here from the “50 Things You Should Make Instead of Buy” article, we do have a quick and easy homemade maple syrup substitute at the bottom of the page.
There are many species of maple trees. The sap gathered from all of them can be boiled down into syrup. Read more about Maple Tree Identification.
Most syrup is produced in the northern states, but can be made as far south as Tennessee. The temperature must drop below freezing at night and rise above during the day for the sap to run. Trees should have at least a twelve inch diameter before being tapped. When the maple trees start budding, sugaring is over, as the sap produces bitter syrup. [Read more…]
Love them or hate them, burn barrels are a part of country living. With the cost of dropping off trash at local dumps going up, more and more people are returning to using burn barrels. People sometimes complain about the smoke and the smell of a burning barrel of trash. This post how to make a burn barrel for your country property, or for emergency trash disposal anywhere, that burns cleanly and efficiently. You don't need to “build a burn barrel” so much as assemble the right parts correctly to minimize smoke and ash. If you want someone to do it for you, there are a couple of commercial burn barrel options you can buy at the end of the post. [Read more…]
