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if you set it at one temperature and you don't change it? We're having this debate at the moment. I'd like to adjust the temperature as needed, but my husband has some sort of internal alarm that goes off when I even consider moving the dial.

We were just talking about that @Holli. I'm feeling pretty optimistic about the new year ahead, but it never hurts to keep cheerful decor around. You could always decorate it for Valentine's Day without much fuss.

I'm an urban homesteader. I'm sure there are blogs out there for urban growers and raising chickens has definitely become an urban thing of late. I consider homesteading to mean being as self-sufficient as possible.

None. I'm sorry, maybe it's a required taste, but I've always found kumquats repulsive. I think it's really cool that you're supposed to eat the skin in order to enhance the flavor of the inner flesh, but it's just gross.

My signature dessert is a triple chocolate cake that I make from scratch. It basically consists of loads and loads of different kinds of fresh chocolate. I use the word "signature" lightly since chocolate pretty much always tastes good.

I sell homemade soaps and lotions that I make with milk from my goats. I had a stall at the farmers market until the pandemic hit. In order to adapt, I set up a store on Etsy, but I'm having a hard time drawing attention to my goods. What are some tips for standing out on Etsy?

Sometimes my mind continues racing at the end of the day and that wrecks my sleep. I started a routine where I write down what's bugging me, then I put it to bed, so that I can go to bed peacefully. That trick works for me.

Yes, they are awful! Unfortunately, I bought a ton of them on sale, so I'll be using them for a while. It's pretty much the only paper towel I've used that's pretty much nonabsorbent.

If you've joined your town's chamber of commerce have you found it beneficial to your business? My local chamber of commerce has been on a heavy recruitment spree and I seem to be on their radar.

I've never heard of having macaroni and cheese as a main dish. It's always been a side dish around here. I like the idea of switching it up though. I would probably take mashed potatoes, but would fancy them up with by adding some red onions, cheddar cheese, and bacon chips on top.

Does the kid have special needs? I think that's the only time that I would even consider it for a child who is old enough to know better. Really, I can't imagine making such a request of a neighbor in the first place.

I've always focused on making sure that my livestock and poultry had ample space both for foraging and sleeping. Is there such a thing as too much space, particularly with their housing structure?

If it's soaked, remove the soaked bits and add some dry on top. If it's just wet, then turn it (like compost) and allow it to dry out. The DLM can add to the humidity, but it shouldn't be enough to be a problem. Unless you see or smell mold, or see standing water or sweating walls, then you...

@Marv Buettner, that's a good idea. So many people don't bother with handwritten cards today and that's a shame. Really? To me that feels like giving something in order to get something in return. I'd hate for someone to feel pressured. What if they don't cook or can't afford to return the...

I've always sprayed everything down with WD-40 to prevent rust, but a neighbor said I should use oil instead and that WD-40 could harm my equipment. Is that true? What do you use to prevent rust from forming on your machinery, tools, and other equipment?

I mostly grow heirloom tomatoes and am a big fan of the Brandywine and Arkansas Traveler varieties because they taste great and the plants can handle our Southern heat and humidity. My advice is to see what folks are planting near you. If it grows for them, it will likely grow for you too.

I keep hearing that it's easy to cultivate mushrooms, but I've yet to pull it off. What's the trick here? I know my spores came from a reputable dealer, but I ended up with very few mushrooms.

I'm happy with my chickens and I think the good outweighs the bad, but since you asked: They're destructive. Chickens are always scratching at the ground and picking through ground litter which means you'll have to devise a plan to keep them out of your garden until the plants are established...

Most family farms include women. I think fewer farms are started by women because they are less likely to have the resources to do so. What you're describing is a factory farm and I've seen plenty of homesteaders who use tiny cages and such in order to raise chickens for as much profit as...

I think of homesteads as a basic example of subsistence agriculture. I'm not sure that animal power matters anymore since we've learned to cope with machines and other tools. Maybe that counts as a technological adaptation. I'm not sure.