Learning to say No While seemingly simple in theory it may become one of the hardest things you should learn to do, just say NO. When you first begin a business, it appears you want to please everyone no matter what it takes. Even when it cost either more time or money than it should. […]

Cottage Food Laws Cottage food laws allow small-scale individuals to produce particular food items using their home kitchens without governmental oversight. Baking, cooking, canning, pickling, and producing other low-risk food items are a few options. Cottage food laws by design help give the small people a break. Affording small-time producers, the opportunity to try out […]

For this post I will use our home state of Michigan as an example. Each state has different rules and regulations, but this should give everyone a general idea of the process.   The pollorum test is a blood test. Usually the blood draw is taken from a vein under the wing. Only a drop […]

Growing and selling produce in a Farmer’s Market seems to have become all the rage. As more and more people look to add non-GMO, pesticide-free fruits and vegetables to their table, local markets have blossomed. The growth is not found solely in big cities but is also in high demand in rural America. Customers want […]

 Get your homestead hero the perfect gift with this helpful gift guide! Great Reads: Epic Eggs: The Poultry Enthusiast’s Complete and Essential Guide to the Most Perfect Food – By Jennifer Sartell Retails for $16.89 Creating Your Off-Grid Homestead eBook – By Teri Page Are you ready to go off-grid? Creating Your Off-Grid Homestead is […]

Sustainable Certifications As They Relate To You As we transition back to agrarian values research indicates the importance of sustainable certifications and an increase in goods sold. You may find yourself contemplating the value of additional certification if you haven’t already achieved it. Transparently defining the value of your goods insures that customers can trust […]

Reducing output costs on the homestead can be as simple as saving seeds each year. By mirroring the habits of our forefathers, we can grow various modern and heirloom varieties of produce for little to no cost. In effect, you can multiply your initial seed investment many times over. Being completely honest, my first foray […]

Ok, so I don’t tattle but I do have one canning secret I’d love to share with you.  One of the main goals we homesteaders have is to be as self-sufficient as possible.  In most cases we use, reuse and repurpose many things.  For a large majority of us, that also means we must preserve […]

From June to August, Ben and I participate in a local Farmers Market called Downtown Rising in Plattsburgh, NY. As some of you may know, a lot goes into a Farmers Market. Generally the week before is the time to make and prep new products for the following weekend. Friday evening can be a late […]

Selling a Lifestyle My husband is a blacksmith. His talent and strength astound me at times. He takes a bit of modest metal, heats it, bangs on it with a hammer and shapes it brutally into something beautiful. Blacksmithing is a work of passion. It can be physically demanding. Years of standing over an anvil […]