Foraging
How to Forage and Use Ground Ivy in the Southern Mountains
Learn to identify, harvest, and brew ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) the mountain way, how it differs from English ivy and poison ivy, and who should skip…
Foraging
How to Label and Date Your Homemade Herbal Preparations
Learn how to label herbal preparations so you can trust them months later: what to write, what holds up on glass and tin, and a simple…
Backyard Chickens
How to Clean and Sanitize a Chicken Coop in Late Winter
A full coop cleanout is easiest on a mild late-winter day. Here's how I clean and sanitize a chicken coop before spring: scrape, scrub, dry, and…
Gardening
How to Pot Up Seedlings Into Bigger Containers Step by Step
Learn how to pot up seedlings into bigger containers: when they're ready, how deep to set them, and how to keep them sturdy on a windowsill…
Fishing
How to Set Up a Simple Catfish Bottom Rig for Beginners
A catfish bottom rig for beginners is simple: a sliding sinker, a short leader, and a circle hook. Here is how to tie one and fish…
Foraging
How to Forage and Use Solomon’s Seal in Appalachia
Learn to forage Solomon's seal in Appalachia: how to know it from deadly look-alikes in spring, dig the rootstock with care, and prepare it the old…
Foraging
How to Forage and Use Fireweed: Spring Shoots and Summer Tea
Learn how to forage fireweed in the Pacific Northwest: tell spring shoots from look-alikes, dry the leaves for tea, and store a winter's supply properly.
Backyard Chickens
How to Get Hens to Lay in the Nest Box, Not the Yard
Hens laying outside the nest box? Here's why it happens and how to fix it: box count, lighting, clean bedding, fake eggs, and the training routine…
Gardening
How to Grow Carrots in Containers on a Balcony or Patio
You can grow carrots in containers, no yard needed. Here's the pot depth, the right short varieties, and the watering that gives you straight, sweet roots.
Fishing
How to Read Water Temperature for Fishing, Pond and Creek
Water temperature tells you when and where fish will bite. Here's how to read it for bluegill, crappie, and catfish, with a simple thermometer and the…