Recent content by Homestead Hustle

The weather here is pretty nice right now. It's supposed to be in the 70s this week. In my opinion, this is the perfect weather to be outside in.

Our store didn't have a lot of chicken last week when I went, but they still had some. I do think meat might be more limited for the next several weeks, but I don't think that it will be really scarce like toilet paper was - at least, I hope it's not!

I am looking to hire some summertime help this year. I think so many people are out of jobs right now that it should be pretty easy to find someone to help out. We'll see, though.

I think most of us are aware that citronella repels mosquitoes, but did you know that lemon balm is also known to repel them? I'm giving it a try this year. I've planted lemon balm in a few pots and put each pot where I like to spend time outside. I have one pot near my front porch swing and...

I learned along the way, too. I was fairly young when I had my first dairy cow and had no idea what I was getting into! I've learned a lot since then. I know I made several mistakes with my first cow I wish I hadn't.

I recently planted some spaghetti squash. I only planted a couple of rows, though, because it requires quite a bit of room. I am looking forward to seeing how it comes out. It is pretty easy to take care of, and it's a tasty vegetable, so hopefully we'll have lots of spaghetti squash to eat...

I think the price will continue to drop for a while due to the state of the economy. I doubt it will fall below $1, though. I can remember decades ago when gas was less than $1 per gallon! Times sure have changed.

I have a fire extinguisher in my kitchen, but I'm thinking about getting at least one more. I'd like to have one for the barn. How many fire extinguishers do you have and where do you keep them?

RichZ has a good point. I'd look for local beekeepers and see if they sell their honey. Or, if you're feeling adventurous, you could always try your hand at beekeeping yourself. I'm nervous around bees myself, so that wouldn't be an option for me, but it's a great option for those who are okay...

I don't know if this is helpful or not, but in general, it's a good idea to plant vegetables among herbs and flowers. In other words, don't plant vegetables in large patches in your garden because doing so attracts pests to them.

I do think that some folks will want to move to a place where they aren't as crowded, but I don't think many of them will move to the country - mainly because they can't afford to buy a new home right now. I also think the city to country transition is quite an adjustment. If you've lived in the...

Has anyone thought about making and selling face masks online as a new source of income? I have been making masks to give our customers when they order from us, but since they are such a big thing right now, I wonder if I'd have any luck selling them online. I feel a bit guilty for charging for...

I like the idea of fishing, but I think I'm just too impatient. All that sitting around and waiting makes me feel unproductive! I do like how peaceful it can be, though. I like a little quiet time for myself occasionally.

I know what you mean. I have a hard time leaving my farm in another person's hands even for a few days. I know they have professional farm sitters, but it still makes me nervous to leave my farm and animals in someone else's care.

We're thinking about building a structure to house our baby calves for the first few months of their lives. Do you all separate your baby calves from their mothers or allow them to stay together? If you separate them, do you house each baby calf separately, have a few housed together, or house...