Gardening
The Brilliant Homestead
A Great Homesteading Ideas Blog
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Almost nothing in the plant world can compete with the beauty and baffling array of shapes and colors exhibited by winter squash. From butternuts to cheese pumpkins… candy roasters to Jack-o-lanterns… the variety is amazing. Not all squash grow well in every location, however. Some take a long time to mature and others can’t take … Read more
Let’s face the dirty truth: gardening books are often boring. And good gardening ideas are few and far between. Sure, there’s the occasional laughter-inducing tome, such as Ruth Stout’s epic Gardening Without Work… or the infectious enthusiasm for geometric horticultural engineering found in Mel Bartholomew’s Square Foot Gardening. But most gardening books do little to stir the mind. How many … Read more
Probably more than you think! Check out this video on apple tree grafting from the Turkeysong Experimental Homestead: So far he’s grafted over 140 varieties of apple onto one apple tree. Do you have a lousy fruit tree growing in your yard? Perhaps a wild fruit tree? A native persimmon that doesn’t fruit or a … Read more
Now this is interesting – Lee Valley makes a grafting bit that lines up to the same angle as a pencil sharpener. That means you can drill a hole in the side of a tree, sharpen a freshly-cut scion from another tree, then stick the two together and seal with grafting wax. I think we must try it. … Read more
How much space do you need for an assortment of fruit trees? How much do you REALLY need? Even in a tiny yard you can grow a LOT of fruit by planting a high density orchard – check this video out: By using espalier techniques and some very creative planning, this homeowner filled her yard … Read more
Buying a greenhouse is a good option for less mechanically inclined homesteaders(our personal pre-fab favorite is this affordable model); however, building your own simple homemade greenhouse doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking. Check out TexasPrepper2’s use of cattle panels as walls in his easy greenhouse design: We at The Brilliant Homestead approve. Cattle panels are good and tough … Read more
Though having a sugar cane press simplifies the process of making cane syrup, it’s almost impossible to find one that’s affordable. David The Good at Florida Survival Gardening came up with a simple way to make sugar cane syrup without a press… and it works! Read on! -The Brilliant Homestead. For a video of this process, check this out. As … Read more
If you want to see something inspiring, watch this: Seeing Establishing a Food Forest the Permaculture Way is one of those landmark experiences. It’s when you realize that there’s another way to garden other than in straight rows and in raised beds. The abundance and incredible life of a food forest is an incredible thing. … Read more
At The Brilliant Homestead, we like it hot… and this recipe is just what the doctor ordered. There’s nothing like the flavor of homegrown pickled jalapeno rings. Give this pickled jalapenos canning recipe a try: you’ll love it. Homegrown Pickled Jalapeno Slices Recipe Originally published at Florida Survival Gardening This year I started a bunch … Read more
Industrial jarred sauerkraut from the grocery store is a dead food. Homemade sauerkraut is alive. Like yogurt, homemade sauerkraut contains a variety of beneficial microorganisms that will help you live a healthier life. When we first became interested in fermenting our own foods, we picked up a copy of Sandor Katz’s book Wild Fermentation. This guide … Read more
Breeding Squash: Create Your Own Heirloom Squash Varieties!
Compost Meat, Paper, Bones and More with Super Easy Composting
Put Your Chickens To Work with a Simple Chicken Tractor
Fast Urban Composting and Coffee Grounds in the Garden
How To Dig a Well: 4 Methods
June 2015
May 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
Florida Survival Gardening
Journey To Forever
Mother Earth News
Permies
The Deliberate Agrarian
The Prepper Project
Back to Eden small section walkthru with Pigeon Pea and Copice. November 1, 2015
From truck liner to grow bed. November 1, 2015
From netcups to 1 gal grow bags to full sized plants. November 1, 2015
Pit Garden - Walipini - Earth tubes - Testing November 1, 2015
Back To Eden Short Update October 25, 2015
Fertilizing A Garden in Florida Sand November 27, 2015
The Tropical Almond November 26, 2015
How To Grow Turmeric November 23, 2015
Beautiful Farmland November 20, 2015
How Long Can You Store Scion Wood? November 18, 2015
Top 8 Vegetables You Can Easily Grow in 100+ Degree Hot Summers November 30, 2015
Is Rock Dust Sustainable ? November 27, 2015
Why Rock Dust Does Not Work November 24, 2015
Remineralize Your Garden Soil with Rock Dust & Compost November 21, 2015
Easiest Vegetable to Grow in the Garden You're Probably Not Growing November 19, 2015
The 2015 Holiday Gift Guide November 30, 2015
Submission Guidelines, Letters to the Editor, and more November 26, 2015
You have been accepted into The Herbal Homestead University November 24, 2015
Learning the Lovely Language of Agriculture November 24, 2015
Meet the Newest Members of the From Scratch Team November 23, 2015
6 Easy Winter Garden Tips for Organic-Gardening Success November 30, 2015
Farm-Incubator Experiment Is Working for Abundant Fields Farm, Part 2 November 25, 2015
15 Fun Facts About Geese November 25, 2015
Measure Garden-Soil Compaction With a Carrot Test November 23, 2015
Harvest Your Mistakes November 20, 2015
The Prepared Homestead Kitchen, Top Appliances: Part 1 November 30, 2015
Preparing for Power Outages on the Homestead, Part 1 November 27, 2015
Not Your Normal What-I'm-Thankful-For List November 24, 2015
Cast Iron Whips Teflon: I Made the Switch, and I Won't Go Back November 24, 2015
How to Get Rid of Burrowing Animals in Your Yard November 23, 2015
Taking Leave... November 24, 2015
Jimmy & Bekah's Diner Dream(a gofundme campaign) November 5, 2015
Discovering...Isaac Phillips Roberts(Part 1)Recollecting his Mother November 2, 2015
Agrarian Criticism...And My Response November 1, 2015
A Deliberate Christian Response To An Agrarian Tragedy October 31, 2015
Here's how to subscribe via e-mail at the new site! September 11, 2015
Create Your Own Florida Food Forest FREE DOWNLOAD / One More Day to Totally Crazy Easy Florida Gardening August 31, 2015
Important Florida Survival Gardening Update! Read this! August 7, 2015
Jamaican Sorrel leaves are a good green July 24, 2015
Today at the 326 Community Market: Large-fruited PawPaw Seedlings! July 23, 2015
How to Get Started Tracking Animals: 16 Tips & Resources November 19, 2015
Autumn Olive Fruit Leather September 18, 2015
Save Money on Chicken Feed with Natural, Healthful Alternatives September 4, 2015
How to Grow Apples Without Pesticides August 21, 2015
Bread and Butter Pickles August 11, 2015
How to Create a Nature & Woodland Themed Holiday Season November 22, 2015
*GIVEAWAY!* + Gift Ideas for Kids that aren’t Toys November 19, 2015
How to Make Aromatherapy Cloud Dough for Kids November 14, 2015
How to Get that Natural Christmas Tree Smell (without a real tree) November 8, 2015
Is Nature Deficit Disorder a Real Thing? November 1, 2015
It’s Happening (again!) For Just 5 Days November 30, 2015
Tiny Mountain Houses Can be Constructed in Four Weeks November 30, 2015
Small Stilt Seashore Home November 29, 2015
New Lookout Tiny House Brings the Outdoors In November 28, 2015
The BIGGEST Tiny House Build Sale Is On! November 27, 2015
Aftermath – “False Sense of Security” (S02E02) November 24, 2015
April Showers Approach October 28, 2015
How To Brush Your Teeth With A Stick (SHTF Dental Hygiene) October 27, 2015
How To Bake Bread with Sunlight October 22, 2015
Boost Your Immune System With Elderberry Syrup October 11, 2015
discovering pawpaws, with andy moore November 28, 2015
nothing fancy: most-used gear in my kitchen November 27, 2015
dear old: everyone into the burrow November 22, 2015
333 – Maddy Harland on Most Recent Issue of Permaculture Magazine Part 2 November 13, 2015
332 – Maddy Harland on Most Recent Issue Of Permaculture Magazine November 11, 2015
331 – Hugelkultur, Water Systems, and Land Texture with Erica Houck Part 2 October 2, 2015
330 – Community, Ponds, and Quack Grass with Erica Houck Part 1 September 23, 2015
329 – Questions From Jet Packer Davin Hoyt Part 3 September 4, 2015
Bedlam! by Ree November 30, 2015
The ABC’s of Thankfulness by Ree November 24, 2015
In Case You Missed It by Ree November 20, 2015
Home & Family by Ree November 17, 2015
Home is Where the Heart is by Ree November 16, 2015
Growing Dwarf Fruit Trees November 24, 2015
From Scratch Thanksgiving Menu November 19, 2015
Raising Meat on a Small Homestead November 17, 2015
How to Cook a Pastured Turkey November 12, 2015
Homemade Medicine Made Simple: Horehound Cough Drops November 23, 2015
Sourdough Poultry Stuffing November 19, 2015
My Hero November 17, 2015
Saving Heirloom Green Bean Seed November 13, 2015
How to Can Crisp Apple Slices November 9, 2015
Australia - Six states..and that funny little island. December 1, 2015
how many Eggs you get today December 1, 2015
Fine one day, dead the next! Help! December 1, 2015
Silkie show! Just for fun December 1, 2015
Games That Made Me Cry: GURPS Traveller November 30, 2015
The Pulp Swordsmen: Eric John Stark November 29, 2015
Ye Olyde School: Donald Featherstone’s War Games through the Ages Series -Update November 25, 2015
Rpg Scene: Harbinger Games’ Far Realms November 23, 2015
Remembering Poul Anderson November 22, 2015