Do you buy baking soda in those tiny little boxes they sell at the grocery store? Not me. I buy huge 20-pound bags from Sam's Club. Sometimes people look at me weird when they see the big bag of baking soda on my kitchen floor. My friend once asked if I was starting a bakery. The truth is, I don't use baking soda for food very often. Rather, I … [Read more...]
15 Pioneer Skills You Must Learn Today
I don't like doom and gloom. Talking about how the economy is going to crash again (as it does every decade or so) and how life is continuing to get more difficult for the average worker (regardless of which party is in power) is depressing. Still, we need to talk about it occasionally. Why? Well for one, it can be very motivating. When my … [Read more...]
3 Things To Know Before Going Off The Grid
When people hear the words "off the grid", they usually think about a nice little cabin in the woods or a homestead out in the open country. What they often don't think about is no power, no cable, no water, no sewer, no garbage pickup, and all the other things we take for granted every day. It's not so bad once you get used to it, but if … [Read more...]
20 Things We Wish We’d Known Before We Went Off Grid
For the past several years, Nick and Esther of Fouch Family Off Grid have been living off the grid in a yurt while building their off grid timber frame dream home. In that time, they've learned some valuable lessons about living off the grid. In this video, they share those lessons. I typed them up for you, but it's worth watching the video as … [Read more...]
13 Self-Reliance Skills The Pioneers Needed to Survive their Journey West
Between 1840 and 1860, more than 400,000 men, women, and children set out on the overland journey across the American West which became known as the Oregon Trail. Heading out from departure points in Missouri, these pioneers desired a new life, one that offered more freedom, more opportunity, and more space. In some ways, these Americans are not … [Read more...]
Blacksmithing Basics: 7 Things You Need to Know
There was once a time, as little as 150 years ago, where everything made from metal was made by a blacksmith. A box of nails that we can carelessly pick up at the hardware store was once a treasured commodity, each nail made by hand. It’s no wonder that during that time, as much as 20% of the adult male population would have been employed working … [Read more...]
11 Toxic Plants That You Should Learn to Identify
Whether you're going camping for the weekend, exploring the land around your homestead, or learning about edible plants and medicinal herbs, knowing which plants are highly toxic is essential. Never, ever, consume a plant you have not positively identified as safe, OR that is a look-alike for one of the poisonous plants. For example, wild carrot is … [Read more...]
100-Year-Old Life Hacks You Didn’t Know Existed
It's amazing how much wisdom has been lost to the ages. There are so many simple life hacks that used to be common knowledge. In this video, Household Hacker tries out some life hack inserts that were printed over 100 years ago in 1916. The first card reads... How to Pull Out Long Nails: It is often rather difficult to pull out a long nail … [Read more...]
3 Things to Know Before Moving Off The Power Grid
While you may dream of moving to an off-grid homestead, the reality may not be what you’d expect. When most people think of “off-grid living” they imagine a simpler lifestyle, where a rudimentary electrical system powers only basic conveniences. You may be picturing hard rustic living, but in truth, off-grid living can be easy, and even include … [Read more...]
Primitive Technology: Freshwater Prawn Trap
The videos at Primitive Technology are the truest form of bushcraft. You simply cannot find a more minimalist approach to creating a livable space and the tools to go along with it anywhere else. When I first found this channel, I was so impressed with the quality of the videos and the skill level that I automatically subscribed. I think there were … [Read more...]
Needle & Thread: Sewing 101
Modern convenience makes it easy to go to the store and buy a pair of pants or drop a jacket off at the tailor for last-minute adjustments the night before a party. Unfortunately, convenience makes it just as easy to forget our most basic skills, like how to bake instead of buying, make preserves from your own kitchen, and how to know your way … [Read more...]
6 Alternatives to Your Electric Washing Machine
Did you know that washing machines use up an incredible amount of water and energy in just one cycle? A standard washing machine uses up to 40 gallons of water to wash just one load of laundry! Not only is this method extremely wasteful, it’s also expensive. To justify using the washing machine, you need to let clothes and towels pile up all week … [Read more...]
