Backyard Chickens
A Backyard Chicken First-Aid Kit: The OTC Essentials
A backyard chicken first-aid kit you build before you need it. The over-the-counter basics I keep in my bin, what each one is for, and the…
Backyard Chickens
The Best Ways to Shade a Chicken Run Before Summer Hits
The best ways to shade a chicken run before the heat hits — shade cloth, natural shade, shaded water, and the cooling tricks that keep my…
Gardening
How to Set Up a Vacation Watering System for Your Pots
Vacation watering for container plants, sorted before you go — self-watering spikes, grouped pots, a deep pre-soak, and how to keep a balcony alive for a…
Gardening
Fabric Grow Bags vs. Plastic Pots: Which Should You Use?
Fabric grow bags vs pots — I've grown in both on the same balcony for six seasons. Here's the honest trade-off, what each one is genuinely…
Gardening
The Best Self-Watering Planters for Small Spaces
The best self-watering planters for small spaces — the reservoir pot I trust on my balcony, the cheap way to make any pot self-watering, and the…
Foraging
How to Store Dried Herbs So They Keep Their Strength
How to store dried herbs so they keep their color, scent, and strength — the jars I use, the four things that ruin a batch, and…
Foraging
How to Make Herbal Tea from Foraged Plants, Step by Step
Herbal tea from foraged plants is the easiest place to begin — the plants I gather, how I dry and blend them, how to strain a…
Foraging
How to Make an Herbal Infused Oil (Two Simple Ways)
An herbal infused oil is the base for half of what I make — salves, balms, simple kitchen oils. Here's the slow way, the warm way,…
Gardening
How to Grow Tomatoes in Containers on a Small Balcony
You can grow tomatoes in containers on a balcony — really. Here's the pot size, the right variety, and the watering routine that gets you actual…
Backyard Chickens
How to Make a DIY Chicken Bucket Waterer (Step by Step)
A DIY chicken bucket waterer keeps water clean for days and costs next to nothing. Here's exactly how I build mine, the leak trap to avoid,…