If you juice carrots a few times a week, the pulp really adds up. Finding a good use for all that excess carrot-y goodness is always a challenge, and it’s just too nutritious to just throw in the compost. So this week, use up that pulp by making some Carrot Halwa! Carrot Halwa is also known as Gajar Halwa or …
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It is very possible to get most of the plastic out of your life—especially the disposable and single-use plastic. (Though durable goods like computers and car parts will be the exception). Start with the low hanging fruit first, like buying your eggs in cardboard instead of polystyrene. Then consider taking on just one or two of the bigger changes a …
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I truly enjoy foraging in my neck of the Ozarks. As I venture out to collect the abundant wild spinach, pokeweed, and mulberries, my neighbors seem to think I’m mysteriously gifted with esoteric forest knowledge (which, of course, isn’t true), or just quaint and a little weird (which is actually pretty true). Photo courtesy of Wren Everett//Insteading But for all …
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A particular quote comes to mind when I think of the patience required for a happy, healthy homestead: “The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.” —A. H. Glasow I’ve been homesteading (in one way or another) since before I knew a term existed to define the lifestyle. It started …
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There’s a lot of confusion out there about the different kinds of sugar and sweeteners available today, how to use them, and whether they are healthy and safe to use. Here is everything you ever wanted to know about sugar, plus the lowdown on the over 25 different types of sweeteners on the market today. Caveat Emptor How did we …
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Pumpkin comes from the genus Cucurbita, covering varieties of gourds, and squashes. Believed to have first originated in North America’s New England, the term is commonly used in grocery stores and farmers markets, referring to many orange-colored winter squash varieties. Technically, pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo) are considered fruits, and specifically, a type of berry called pepo. Most pumpkins available in supermarkets …
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According to the mainstream media, Canola oil is “heart healthy” and a good source of monounsaturated fats similar to olive oil. Unfortunately, much of what you hear in the mainstream media has been influenced by the heavy-handed marketing tactics of big food companies. Canola oil is cheap to produce, so they’ve spent a lot of money trying to convince you …
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The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on the state of the climate emergency in March 2023 was declared “a code red for humanity.” While the terrifying report finds that human activity has already caused warming beyond anything we’ve seen in thousands of years, the most important message of this report is that, although we cannot avoid all …
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Fire can be beautiful, pleasant, and calming when properly tended. Fire can also be hazardous and full of rage. Depending on where you find yourself homesteading in the United States, you may not be aware that it is wildfire season. For those of us who are in fire-prone areas, it feels strange to know there are folks for whom this …
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I have an awkward confession to make. I’m watching “The Office” for the first time (belatedly), and getting up to speed with all the jokes my friends made back in 2007. While I have enjoyed the show (all the while giving thanks that I don’t work in an office anymore), I couldn’t let this scene pass by without comment. This …
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