The problem with preparing for emergencies is that you almost never see them coming. They just show up. One minute everything’s normal, the next you’re wearing a mask and can’t find toilet paper of all things, which is exactly what happened during COVID. If you’ve wondered whether it’s worth stocking up before an emergency, the…
I kept bees for about fifteen years, and it’s one of the things I miss most from everything I’ve raised. There’s something almost meditative about standing near a hive and watching bees work their way in and out, once you spend real time around them, it’s hard not to see them as one of nature’s…
Most guides to raising animals for food assume you have acreage, a barn, or at least a backyard coop. Quail don’t need any of that. I raised mine in a small space, no land required, and if you’re looking to learn meat and egg production without needing a yard for it, quail are one of…
One of the biggest misconceptions about growing food and becoming more self-reliant is the idea that location is the most important factor. If you’ve ever wondered whether you need land to be self-sufficient, you don’t. I’ve learned that living in cities, towns, and on acreage. People believe they need acreage. They believe they need to…
I’ve used my garage for several different things over the years, but there’s always been one requirement: my wife retains her parking space. If you’ve ever wondered whether you could build a second kitchen in your garage, this is how I did it. For several years, I used the garage for growing plant starts, what…
Have you ever had stuff lying around and wished you had a use for it? That’s the whole use-what-you-have philosophy in action. If you’re wondering how to build a storage shed cheaply, this is how I did it with fence post corners and leftover lumber. One day I was looking at a small pile of…