DIY Soap is Easier Than You Think, but it Takes Some Time and Requires Some Caution There’s very little in the history books on the invention of soap. Some stories on the Internet claim it occurred when someone picked up some wet ashes from a fire that had been mixed with drippings of animal fat and were surprised to see it had cleansing … [Read more...]
How to Make Papercrete: The Ultimate Building Material for Off Grid Living
Papercrete is Concrete Made with Paper. It’s Inexpensive, Sturdy, Lightweight, Insulating, and Better than Bricks. Papercrete was invented in the 1920’s, but it was so easy to make, no one bought it. Papercrete has been used to build homes, walls, fences, and is easily formed into any object from flowerpots to furniture. Want to save this … [Read more...]
DIY Waterproof Wood Planter
I don't normally post a lot of DIY articles and videos on this site, but when I do, I try to make sure they're really good ones that are fairly easy to do and legitimately useful. I'm not very good at building things, so easy is a requirement for me. Recently, I came across a project that I love: A DIY Waterproof Wood Planter by Lumnah Acres. … [Read more...]
The Easy Way To Make Charcoal and Biochar
Buying charcoal is for chumps. If you have access to wood and steel drums, you can make your own charcoal. It's easier than you think. And while you're at it, you can also make biochar, which is incredible at improving garden soil. It can actually clean your soil by binding together pesticides and other contaminants. But it also binds together … [Read more...]
How to Build a $17.50 Greenhouse Without Any Tools
If you're an avid gardener, you already know the benefits of having a greenhouse in the winter. It allows you to keep growing things even when it's too cold outside, that way you can have fresh veggies and flowers all year long. I've talked to gardeners who say it would be nice to have a greenhouse, but they're too expensive. Well yea, if you … [Read more...]
Making Glue From Milk – A Homestead Kids Science Project
I don't normally share videos like this, but I found it so interesting that I just couldn't resist. In this video, Big Family Homestead explains how you can make your own glue using ordinary milk. Not only is this a fun activity to do with your kids, it's also something you might need to know how to do anyway if you plan on living off grid … [Read more...]
5 Homemade Healing Salve Recipes From 100 Years Ago
What did our ancestors use when they had wounds and sore muscles? I can tell you what they didn’t do; they didn’t run to Wal-Mart and purchase an antibiotic ointment or a sore muscle rub. Instead, our ancestors understood how to use herbs and other ingredients to create healing salves for what ailed them. Intrigued? I was, too! Learning how to … [Read more...]
DIY Automatic Pig Waterer
Pigs have a reputation for being messy for a good reason: they are very messy! If you put down a bowl or trough of water, it is going to get dirty fast and you are going to have to freshen it all the time. To get around this problem, try building a pig waterer. This is a lot easier than you might think. As you'll see in this video by Lumnah … [Read more...]
How to Make Infused Oils From Common Weeds
Your backyard is a growing pharmacy; you just have to know where to look. The common weeds on your property contain fantastic healing and medicinal properties. With these weeds, you can create infused oils for homemade salves and ointments, or dry the herbs for herbal baths or herbal teas. Before you consider using backyard weeds for medicinal … [Read more...]
Chicken Coop for $50 and 1 Hour To Build
Why buy something expensive when you can make it yourself? Even a halfway decent chicken coop is going to cost you at least $100, probably more. But what if I told you it's possible to get a great chicken coop for only $50? If you own chickens, like DIY projects, and you have an hour to spare, you should try this homemade chicken coop by Off … [Read more...]
These Homemade Laundry Pods Will Save You Money
It's amazing how expensive laundry detergent is. Several years ago, when I realized how much I was spending on it, I decided to start making my own. Not only did I save a lot of money, my son's skin stopped itching. Turns out all the extra chemicals they put in that stuff was the cause of his rashes. A few years ago, Tide started making and … [Read more...]
DIY Planter Box from Just a Few Boards
Several years ago I spent $100 on a nice elevated planter box for my back porch. It looked really nice in my backyard, and I grew some of my favorite herbs in it. Then last week, I was looking through Youtube and I saw this video by Cottage Life, and I thought, "Hey, that looks a lot like my planter box." So I clicked on the video, and yea, … [Read more...]
DIY Cinder Block Grill
Have you ever thought about building your own grill? Most people wouldn't even consider doing this. They're afraid they don't have enough knowledge or that it would be way too much work. But after watching this video from Dr. Stewart Productions, you'll realize that building a grill isn't nearly as complicated as you thought. Want to save this … [Read more...]
How to Make Activated Charcoal (With Pictures)
Yes, you can make it at home, but it's a little more complicated than you might think. A little more complicated is an understatement. If you can buy activated charcoal and stock it, go for it. Making it is a complex and tedious chore. Some websites say it’s so easy. Well, it's not. I'm not saying it can't be done, but you have to be patient and … [Read more...]
10 Amazing Uses for Activated Charcoal
At one time, activated charcoal was considered a universal antidote for a wide range of conditions. With the advent of modern medicine, the popularity of activated charcoal declined. However, in recent years it has seen a bit of a resurgence, especially among the alternative medicine community. In this article, we’ll take a look at what … [Read more...]
25 DIY Fire Pit Plans That Are Easy To Build
With summer right around the corner, you may already be planning some home improvement projects. If you plan on entertaining family and friends or experimenting with some survival techniques, a fire pit is a brilliant addition to your backyard. Whether you’re cooking hot dogs or cozying up next to your kids, your fire pit will get tons of … [Read more...]
25 Off Grid Uses for Five Gallon Buckets
The origin of the phrase “reduce, reuse, recycle” is somewhat unclear. Most people think it dates back to the first Earth Day held on April 22, 1970. For dedicated homesteaders, however, the popular mantra is more than a call to reduce trash -- it is a way of life. One of the most useful items homesteaders can recycle is the five-gallon bucket. … [Read more...]
