Chelsea Green Blog
Farming & Homesteading
Grow Mushrooms on Your Jeans. Seriously.
Do you have an old, worn-out pair of jeans in your dresser? Instead of throwing them out, try to grow mushrooms on them. Follow this simple step-by-step outline to start growing mushrooms in the unlikeliest of places…on your pants! The following is an excerpt from Organic Mushroom Farming and Mycoremediation by Tradd Cotter. It has…
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Soil Is Alive: What Lives In Our Soil?
Ever wonder what worms and centipedes are doing as they crawl through your soil? They’re actually working to improve the soil’s health, which benefits the environment and all living things in the long run. The following is an excerpt from Farming on the Wild Side by Nancy J. Hayden and John P. Hayden. It has been adapted…
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October Garden Planning: 10 Tips for Success
Just because fall is here, that doesn’t mean gardening season is over! There’s still plenty of time to wrap up the season, prepare for next year, and tackle all of those pesky to-dos around the homestead. So without further ado, here’s your October garden planning cheat sheet. October Garden Planning: The Harvest 1. Pumpkins and…
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Managing Chicken Manure: The Joys of Deep Litter
Ever heard the phrase, “always follow your nose?” As it turns out, this is a good rule of thumb when it comes to chicken manure. Composting chicken manure in deep litter helps build better chicken health, reduce labor, and retain most of the nutrients for your garden. The following is an excerpt from The Small-Scale Poultry…
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How to Make Mulch With Fallen Leaves
The leaves are falling, which means it’s time to start raking and figuring out what to do with them. This year, try turning your fallen leaves into mulch for your garden! The following is an excerpt from Will Bonsall’s Essential Guide to Radical, Self-Reliant Gardening by Will Bonsall. It has been adapted for the web.…
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Building Your Own Root Cellar for the Fall Harvest
Building a root cellar is a great way to keep your harvest fresh through the cold months. With protection from weather and animals, these cellars can be just as good as a regular refrigerator. They can be built into a wall in your basement, dug into the ground, or simply buried. The following excerpt is…
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How to Harvest, Store, and Cure Squash
Squash newbies, this one’s for you! Learn how to harvest, cure, and store squash with these tried-and-true guidelines. The following excerpt is from The Resilient Gardener by Carol Deppe. It has been adapted for the web. Featured Image Credit: Johnny’s Selected Seeds Harvesting Squash When we harvest, we don’t want to break the fruit off…
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5 Steps to Achieve A Lean Vegetable Farm
Looking to create a lean vegetable farm? The lean system, designed to cut out waste and increase profits, allows you to operate a successful and healthy farm with a fraction of the work it usually takes. Here are five simple steps to help you get started! Unless otherwise noted, all photographs copyright © 2017 by Ben…
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Growing Medicinal Herbs: An Agricultural Revolution
Growing & using your own medicinal herbs keeps you healthy AND helps improve our environment. So what’re you waiting for? Check out these quick tips and get ready to start an agricultural revolution with medicinal herbs! The following is an excerpt from The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer, Revised Edition by Jeff and Melanie Carpenter. It has been adapted for…
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Drop the Beet: Growing No-Till Beets
Let’s drop the beet! Beets can be grown year-round and are a perfect, flavorful addition to meals. Get started on growing your own no-till beets with help from these tips! The following is an excerpt from The Living Soil Handbook by Jesse Frost. It has a been adapted for the web. How to Grow No-Till…
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A Guide to Harvesting Hazelnuts
Today, hazelnuts are all the rage. These small nuts, known for their one-of-a-kind flavor, are both delicious AND hearty enough to be grown and harvested in almost any weather conditions. So what are you waiting for? It’s time to start harvesting hazelnuts! The following is an excerpt from Cold-Hardy Fruits and Nuts by Scott Serrano and Allyson…
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Drill, Plug, Wax, Wait: 6 Simple Steps to Growing Mushrooms Outdoors
Growing mushrooms outdoors just got even easier! Learn about growing mushrooms on wood, from logs to tree stumps, with this simple six-step tutorial. The following excerpt is from Organic Mushroom Farming and Mycoremediation by Tradd Cotter. It has been adapted for the web. Log & Stump Mushroom Cultivation People have been growing mushrooms on logs and stumps for…
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Naturally Feeding Your Flock: Feed Poultry With Fresh Greens
“Nothing we can buy in a feed bag can match the breadth and depth of nutrition to be discovered right at home.” — Harvey Ussery Feeding your flock naturally comes with a variety of benefits, from boosting poultry health to saving you money on feed bills. Resources that are readily available at your farm or…
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Garlic Growing 101: From Seed to Harvest
All hail the mighty garlic clove! This small crop adds a big punch of flavor that complements almost every delicious dish you could think of. Become a master at garlic growing with these tips on seeding, harvesting, and more. The following is an excerpt from The Living Soil Handbook by Jesse Frost. It has been adapted for the…
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How to Preserve Food Without Nutrient Loss
Want to get the most out of your harvest? Preserve food to keep your fruits and veggies fresh for weeks to come! Methods of food preservation like fermentation, drying, and salt-curing are very simple, don’t require fossil fuels, and promote food safety. The following is an excerpt from Preserving Food Without Freezing or Canning by the…
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Boreray Sheep: A “Woolly” Remarkable Flock
“Ewe” won’t believe how much Boreray sheep have to offer! This breed provides much more than just a cute face and a full coat of wool. When raised in an ideal environment, Boreray sheep can have a huge positive impact on your farmland. The following is an excerpt from The Lost Flock by Jane Cooper.…
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Reduce Heat Stress in Crops and Livestock: Arid Agriculture
During the summer, many environments struggle with temperatures above 100˚F. These high temperatures put heat stress on crops that are not very thermotolerant. Thankfully, there are some crops that can still effectively produce food in extremely hot climates. Many farmers have found ways to build “guilds” of crops, livestock, and canopy plantings to reduce heat stress and…
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8 Steps to Fermented Hot Sauce With Wild Greens
Hot sauce fans, this one’s for you! This easy recipe for fermented hot sauce with wild greens is sure to add an extra punch of flavor to your favorite meal. The following is an excerpt from The New Wildcrafted Cuisine, by Pascal Baudar. It has been adapted for the web. RECIPE: Fermented Hot Sauce With…
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Un-Coop Your Poop: Everything You Need to Know About Chicken Tractors
If you keep your laying hens in a stationary coop, you’re missing out on their incredible soil building talents. Un-coop that chicken poop by putting your flock in mobile shelters, otherwise known as chicken tractors! These tractors spread manure for chickens to till, which helps keep your grass short and your soil healthy. The following is…
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Designing A Food Forest: The Seven-Layer Forest Garden
Get ready to create your own seven-layer forest garden! Food forests, or edible forest gardens, are life-filled places that provide habitat for wildlife and food for humans while promoting natural beauty and biodiversity. To get started, all you need is to take a page from Mother Nature’s book. The following is an excerpt from Gaia’s…
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Not Level? No Problem. How to Build a Greenhouse on a Slope
Is your yard uneven or sloped, but you want to build a greenhouse? It may not seem like the “perfect spot,” but building a greenhouse on a slope actually comes with a couple of benefits that you won’t get from making one a level site. The following is an excerpt is from The Bio-Integrated Farm by…
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A Game Of Chicken: The Demand for Real Meat
Meat production can be a tricky business. Everyone wants to consume real chicken and pork, but meeting this demand can be difficult for farmers and food companies. To ensure that we’re eating high-quality chicken and poultry, we must even out the demand for real meat. The following is an excerpt from Saying NO to a Farm-Free Future…
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All In The Sting: Health Benefits of Honey Bee Venom
Tired of trying different traditional medicines to relieve inflammation and joint pain? Give bee venom therapy a try. Apitherapy and bee venom therapy is an emerging medicinal treatment that uses the stinger of a honey bee to alleviate pain and aid in healing. Bee venom therapy works by catalyzing the body’s natural healing processes. Most…
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No-Till Arugula Start to Finish
Growing no-till arugula is a simple and environmentally-friendly way to grow your own food. These greens can be used on pizzas, salads, and as a garnish on almost any dish. By following the steps below, you’ll be all set to harvest arugula within the year. The following is an excerpt from The Living Soil Handbook…
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From Field to Storage: Grain Storage Container Options
Wondering where to put all the grains you grew? Storing grains accurately is essential for a successful harvest; and how you store them can make or break the quality of your crops. Check out the following grain storage container options to see which is best for your farm or homestead. The following is an excerpt from The…
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