Busy Boxes: Homestead Style

I've used some form or fashion of busy box/bag for my kiddos for years! But the older kiddos are beginning to weary of my playdough and flash cards. So, in addition to growing the content of the boxes to their ages and skill levels, I'm also putting together some other things for them to build … Continue reading Busy Boxes: Homestead Style

Homestead Update: Autumn Tasks

Oh friends... So much has been happening on the homestead! Not the least of which has been a yucky cold circulating the family. Thank God for elderberry and astragalus syrup, pink juice, and I've got some fire cider on the docket to complete later this weekend. This is one of our busiest times of year. … Continue reading Homestead Update: Autumn Tasks

Homestead Update

I've got folks coming in for a visit next week so I will try to do as much updating as I can in this week so that I can enjoy our guests next week. First, our kitchen project is making incremental progress! The sink is finished being restored! Before And after! So when I brought … Continue reading Homestead Update

Square Pegs in Round Holes

I keep hearing people use this expression as if it is a bad thing, referencing things that just don't seem to work, are frustrating, or ill-suited to one's needs or efforts. Being the literary minded person I am, I've always enjoyed figures of speech and discovering their origins. I'm also a nerd for preserving the … Continue reading Square Pegs in Round Holes

Swale Footbridge: Continued

Sigh ... The thing about having toddlers is that they need their Mama on a fairly constant basis, which I both love and find annoying at times. But the reality is projects get slowed way down so that I can soothe hurt feelings, calm hysterical tantrums (without throwing any of my own) and kiss boo-boos … Continue reading Swale Footbridge: Continued

Coop, Sowing, and Trees

We started work on the chicken coop . Actually, we re-started it. For some reason, our corners weren't coming out square so we unscrewed the entire base frame and checked that the cuts were straight. The 2nd try was better. The lesson in this is that a tiny mistake can cause big problems that compound … Continue reading Coop, Sowing, and Trees

Chicken Coop Building Materials List

Ugh. Lumber is expensive. I know there are ways to get it cheap or scavenged. But I didn't do that. In fact, we've spent a stupid amount of money on this daggone chicken coop and run. But ya know what? I would rather it be done the right way with quality materials and only have … Continue reading Chicken Coop Building Materials List

Building a Reclaimable Compost Bin

My family and I live in a rental home currently and doing any major planting or building is frowned upon. That said, we are contractually responsible according to our lease for the maintenance and beautification of the property. With that in mind, I set out to design and build a "reclaimable" compost bin. Ideally, I … Continue reading Building a Reclaimable Compost Bin