17 Spectacular Homesteading Articles from 2017 – Reader Favorites

Well here we are 2 days into the new year; I can hardly believe it is 2018! Each year I like to look over the posts I’ve written the year before and see which YOU all found the most interesting. So today I bring you the top posts from 2017. These are the homesteading articles that you visited the most and gave the most feedback on (either through public comments or private messages).

These homesteading articles, all written in 2017, cover everything from vintage skills to dehydrating to backyard chickens and gardening.

17 Spectacular Homesteading Articles from 2017

1) 40 Vintage Frugal Tips For Your Homestead

I love vintage skills and some of the best are the frugal tips for your homestead. It is no secret that the generations that came before us seemed to know these frugal tips as a way of life. We have some much that we can learn from them, even improving some with a modern take; but most are best left as they were done in the past. Vintage frugal tips are a great way to keep vintage skills alive and save us money in every home and homestead. Continue Here

2) Dirty Little Homestead Secrets – The Crap You Don’t Hear

Homestead secrets…the dirty truth and crap you don’t read on most homesteading blogs. Let’s call these homestead secrets…inconvenient truth. I’m not gossiping about some person’s secrets, just uncovering some of the truth you may not see in pretty Pinterest pictures and gorgeous blogs. But if you’re going to have any real success as a homesteader you need to uncover these homestead secrets. We need to talk about them, help each other spread the truth and know that the crap we face. Continue Here

3) Everything You Need to Know About Growing Rosemary

Growing rosemary, this wonderfully aromatic herb is vital in many kitchens. It has long narrow leaves, and colorful flowers. In the right conditions it can be a very hearty herb to grow. Some even grow them into hedges. They make beautiful additions to landscaping, while also adding a beautiful aroma to the air. Continue Here

4) Common Canning Mistakes That Need to Be Fixed

Common canning mistakes need to be fixed before you or someone else gets sick! I see a lot of these canning mistakes when people are giving advice on forums, old recipes and even some blogs. The thing is they may not be an issue the first, second or even third time you do them but it only takes once to cause an accident with a huge mess, make someone extremely ill or even cause death. Continue Here

5) Marigolds in the Vegetable Garden – Import Things They Do

Marigolds in the vegetable garden, offer us so much as gardeners and homesteaders. Do you know why? Let me share the top 6 reasons you should be planting marigolds in the vegetable garden…if you aren’t already. As vegetable gardeners we know the importance of bees to the success of garden…aka pollination. Marigolds not only attract bees but they help the to thrive and survive! BUT if you are planting marigolds in the vegetable garden as part of your bee attracting plan there are a few caveats to be aware of (I’ve learned this the hard way).  Continue Here

6) The Most Delicious Vintage Cookie Recipes

Vintage cookie recipes for Christmas! The last time I brought your Vintage Pie recipes for the holidays (or anytime) but it just wouldn’t be Christmas without some of these amazing vintage cookie recipes! If your family is like mine you have a few standards that have graced holiday dinners for as long as you can remember. Maybe they’re secret recipes that you can’t share or maybe everyone on the block is now making your great-great-grandmother’s favorite vintage bake. Either way vintage cookie recipes should be kept and made for generations to come. You know how important I think cooking from scratch is, and baking is at the top of that list during the Christmas season. Continue Here

7) Where You Can Find Free Land in the 21st Century

The spirit lives on in many small and rural towns, where you can get a plot free land (or nearly free). Each one has its own requirements for the land and how it is to be used; so it will take a bit of time and research to make sure it will be a good fit for you. But I believe that effort could be well rewarded!  So just where is this free land to be had? Well, I’m glad you asked! Continue Here

8) Vintage Cooking Skills You Should Have

Vintage cooking skills seem to be a dying art in the general population. I write a lot about “vintage skills” because I don’t want to see this important knowledge to be lost to current and future generations. You don’t have to be a homesteader or a prepper to appreciate that there a skills we need to maintain, even though modern society has a easier version. Continue Here

9) How to Get Rid of Flies in the Coop Naturally

Flies in the coop is something that everyone with chickens deals with. What most of us want is a natural way to keep flies in the coop to a minimum. And I am here to tell you that not all natural fly control works…but some do! Here in the Phoenix summers flies in the coop become quickly out of hand if we don’t take measures to stop them. Something about the heat of summer brings those nasty boogers out in droves! Continue Here

10 More Vintage Skills We Still Need in a Modern World

Vintage skills aren’t dead…but they are sick and needing a revival. So what vintage skills do we still need in modern society? Well if you ask me, most of them; but I whittled down my list a bit to the top 10 more vintages skills I think we still need today. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have all these vintage skills. I am working on them myself! But work on them! Don’t let the self-sufficient skills of the past be lost forever – learn and teach them! These are listed in no particular order. Continue Here

Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts

Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts in 3 minutes – believe it my friends! If you like Brussels sprouts then you know how long it can take to roast these bad boys for dinner. Well today I wanted some with my kielbasa at lunch time…and this lady didn’t have 45 minutes to roast anything.

As usual it is my kitchen BFF to the rescue! And my new favorite recipes is born. I hope you’ll love these Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts as much as I did. Continue Here

Homesteading After 40

Homesteading after 40…is it a midlife crisis or the perfect time to start? For me, the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. I’d love to tell you that homesteading is in my blood and that from a young age I wanted chickens and gardens; but that would be a lie. Frankly, as a teenager, I had dreams of running off to New York city and starring on Broadway. But alas, and thankfully, that dream never came to pass. No, my homesteading dreams started much later in life. I can’t really call it a midlife crisis because the seed was planted in my thirties, but it wasn’t until my forties (yes, I’ll be 45 in March of 2017) that it began to sprout and grow. Continue Here

Backyard Chicken Coop Mistakes That Will Cost You

The backyard chicken coop has become the symbol of the modern homesteader. There is something special about adding that coop to your garden farm and collecting healthy backyard eggs. But there are 5 mistakes with the backyard chicken coop I see repeated often, even though they are easy to remedy. I decided it was time to write about the 5 biggest backyard chicken coop mistakes I see over and over; and how to fix them! Believe me when I say, we have all made at least one of these mistakes, so don’t sweat it if you have; it can be fixed. Continue Here

How to Make an Income from a Backyard Homestead

You can make an income from your backyard homestead, surprisingly you can do it without acres of land. While homesteading is very rewarding and can help you live a more frugal life; it isn’t free. It helps with your backyard farm can pay you back in actually cash sometimes too and not just in the food it produces. Continue Here

How to Make Celery Powder at Home

Celery powder is one of those spice cabinet staples in my house. I love the flavor it adds to soup, stew, chili and even dusting beef, pork, chicken and fish. Not to mention it is great in homemade salad dressings! Making my own herb and spice powders makes me feel better about what I am serving to family and friends when I cook too. I mean, have you seen some of the ingredients in store-bought varieties?  Continue Here

Rabbit Poop for a Better Garden

Rabbit poop fertilizer can truly change a garden; and if you have rabbits you have an endless supply of droppings at your disposal. Why not make that waste into something you can use for an amazing garden? Now I know that most gardeners dread having a rabbit in the garden. Rabbits are know to mow down veggies, burrow holes and generally not a friend to our gardens. Continue Here

Homestead Dogs – The Best Breed for Every Job

Homestead dogs, the best breeds for every job. A good dog on your homestead can make such a difference! But not every breed is suited to every job on a hobby farm or homestead. Dogs have been companions and co-workers for thousands of years and can make the homesteading life more rich and rewarding… they aren’t called man’s (woman’s) best friend for nothing! Continue Here

There you have it – the top homesteading articles from Imperfectly Happy written in 2017!