Foraging
How to Clean and Dry Medicinal Roots After the Dig
A good dig can be ruined in the kitchen. Here's how I clean and dry medicinal roots in a damp mountain fall, from scrubbing to the…
Fishing
How to Catch Shellcracker (Redear Sunfish) in the Spring
Shellcracker are the biggest, best-eating sunfish in the pond. Here's how to catch redear sunfish in spring: where they bed, what bait, and how to rig.
Gardening
How to Grow Radishes in Containers (Ready in 4 Weeks)
Radishes are the fastest crop you can grow in a pot. Here's how to grow radishes in containers: the right depth, thinning, watering, and why they…
Foraging
How to Forage and Use Tulip Poplar Bark in the Mountains
Tulip poplar is the tallest tree in the cove, and its bark is a winter gathering. How to identify it, take bark without harming the tree,…
Fishing
How to Fish With Worms for Beginners: Bait, Hook, and Bobber
Worms catch bluegill, shellcracker, bullhead, and catfish. Here's how to keep them, hook them, and fish them under a bobber from the bank or a dock.
Gardening
How to Grow Scallions in Containers (From Seed, on a Balcony)
Scallions are the easiest onion to grow in a pot. Here's how to sow bunching onions in a grow bag, keep them cutting for months, and…
Backyard Chickens
How to Reduce Ammonia in a Chicken Coop This Winter
If you can smell ammonia in your coop, your hens are breathing too much of it. Here's how I cut it down in winter: dry bedding,…
Foraging
How to Make an Herbal Body Butter With Beeswax and Jojoba
A simple herbal body butter from beeswax, jojoba, and a soft butter, whipped in one afternoon. The ratio, the steps, and how to jar it for…
Backyard Chickens
How to Keep a Chicken Coop From Smelling (Neighbor-Friendly)
A well-kept coop shouldn't smell past the fence. Here's how I control chicken coop smell for the neighbors: dry bedding, dry water, airflow, a cleaning rhythm.
Foraging
How to Make an Herbal Decoction From Roots and Bark
An herbal decoction is how you get the most from tough roots and bark. Here's how I simmer, strain, and store one, with the mistakes that…