An Introduction to Chicken Breeds and Their Eggs Sep09

An Introduction to Chicken Breeds and Their Eggs

So, I wanted a chicken. Just a chicken, you know, for eating and laying eggs and stuff. Well boy-o-boy, I never knew there could be so many from which to choose. Chickens are kind of like dogs. There’s a million kinds and you get different behaviors from all of them. Then again, you eat chicken.  You do not eat Bobo, your oaf of a Great Dane. DO NOT EAT BOBO. If all of this seems overwhelming, the amazing people at Oh Lardy have a great guide to keeping chickens. Our favorite part of the post was the detailed image that serves as a cheat-sheet for what kind of eggs to expect from different breeds of chickens. Check out their...

Building for Free with Papercrete Sep02

Building for Free with Papercrete

You have WAY too many newspapers on your stoop. Junk mail accounts for as much as 50% of your garbage. Your printer is evil and spits out hundreds of misaligned pages. Even if, by the grace of all that is holy, none of these descriptions currently fit your life, the odds are that there is excess paper somewhere in your vicinity. Good news! You can build something out of it. Up-cycle. Recycle. Reuse. Whatever you want to call it, re-purposing old materials to make something amazing is something of an art form. Papercrete is the medium by which some of the most amazing reuse projects are completed (including much of the house to the left). A...

Crowly Folk School Aug14

Crowly Folk School

Remember those things your grandfather just knew how to do? Almost like the knowledge came down from the heavens in the form of flannel-and-hat manna. And, just like the Hebrew people, you grew tired of the gift. Well, thankfully, all is not lost. Folk schools teach skills that are being...

Eat Fresh (or Frozen) Jun09

Eat Fresh (or Frozen...

Growing a successful, lush vegetable garden is a rewarding experience. Of that, there is no question. For those who have two green thumbs, harvest might mean picking more than you can chew. Learning how to properly preserve and freeze vegetables is a great way to enjoy the fruits (and...

Food Every Year: Perennial Fruits and Vegetables Jun07

Food Every Year: Perennial Fruits and Vegetables

Planting a new crop every year takes quite a bit of work and dedication. Thankfully, the world has given us fruits and vegetables that you can plant one year and enjoy for the next several. Perennial fruits and vegetables are a great way to build a sustainable garden without spending dozens of hours each planting season. You might instantly think “apple tree,” but there are many, many more options out there that produce food year in and year out. The site Village Green Network offers some pretty great articles on all things sustainable, and this is one of their gems. When you think perennial, start thinking guacamole made from...

Homemade Feta Cheese Jun06

Homemade Feta Cheese

Sometimes, you just need a little cheese. Most of the time, you don’t have the money for it (or at least I don’t). From the prolific blog Foodie With Family comes one of the most comprehensive recipes for making delicious, savory feta cheese. Here at Cultivated, we love the...

A Forum for the Rest of Us May07

A Forum for the Rest of Us

Sometimes, living a self-reliant life can be, well, a bit lonely. Getting sage advice from seasoned homesteaders and sustainable-minded individuals is vital to survive everything that nature and society can throw at you. Unfortunately, for most of us, there is no Gandalf-like sage for most of us. There are, however, pretty great forums where people who are trying to cultivate life meet and discuss a range of issues. It might be a bit obscure, but the Sustainable Country Forums have sparked and discussed more than a few pretty great topics. I hope to start sparking some new discussions soon.    ...

Dry Your Own Herbs May06

Dry Your Own Herbs

And no, not those kind of herbs (I’m looking at you, Colorado). If you have any space indoors or out, growing herbs like basil, mint, parsley and others is a no-brainer. We have some growing right outside our front door below the porch. Although they taste great fresh on eggs, pasta and...

DIY Jar Comb Honey May05

DIY Jar Comb Honey

Just to preface this, there is no one article to rule them all when it comes to beekeeping. There are, however, thousands of dedicated beekeepers who give their advice freely on sites like the BeeSource Forums. It’s a good thing, too. Bees are integral to the ecosystem. Without them,...

Morel Mushrooms Grown at Home May04

Morel Mushrooms Grown at Home

Sounds impossible. Sounds improbable. It can be done. Morel mushrooms might just be some of the tastiest mushrooms to grow in North America. In my neck of the woods, the things can be found by taking a walk in the park, having a mushroom identification book on hand, and slicing them down the middle to be sure of no false-positives. One thing is for sure, morels are not easy to find (and can be dangerous if you don’t know what you are looking for). So why not take the guess work out of it entirely? Mushroom Appreciation.Com  is a great resource for the mushroom lovers out there. In one of their more useful posts, the site discusses...

Eat Dandelions in 16 Delicious Ways May03

Eat Dandelions in 16 Delicious Ways

How many people do you see spraying harmful chemicals on the yellow “weeds” that invade yards known to all yard Nazis as “Dandelions”? Although considered a weed by some, others enjoy this plant as a gourmet green growing right outside the front door. The Prairie Homestead offers an article that is sure to change the hearts and minds of those who battle the little yellow flower year in and year out. Dandelions, just like any other plant, should not be eaten unless you know where they came from and whether or not they have been sprayed with chemicals. There are also some false-friend plants that you certainly should...

Beginning the Road to Self Sufficiency May02

Beginning the Road t...

You don’t have to wait until you get your dream property to begin cultivating life. Starting on the road to self sufficiency can be as easy as changing a few buying and spending habits. “How Anyone Can Be More Self Sufficient” is a great article detailing ways that anyone,...

Spinach Asparagus Leek Soup May01

Spinach Asparagus Le...

Sometimes, it’s hard to plan out what to eat. It can be even harder when you are trying to live a sustainable life. There are, however, thousands of great recipes that are easy to make with ingredients grown on a homestead or in a small garden. Spinach Asparagus Leek Soup is one of...

Center for Ecoliteracy: A Hub for Cultivating Sustainable Living Apr30

Center for Ecolitera...

You are never too old to learn something new. If learning about living a sustainable life isn’t worth the time, nothing is. There are quite a few resources out their to help aid in sustainable living, but it can be hard to find one that is well-designed. The Center for Ecoliteracy is a...

Chicken Coop Infographic Made of Win Apr29

Chicken Coop Infogra...

I have a confession to make: i’m addicted to infographics. I’m also addicted to asparagus, but that’s a totally different (and sometimes smelly) addiction. Sometimes, I stumble upon an infographic that just cannot help but be shared. Sometimes, I consider getting a tattoo of...

DIY Garden Trellis: Free, Easy, and Beautiful Apr28

DIY Garden Trellis: ...

Garden Trellises can be crazy expensive. They don’t have to be. These incredibly easy DIY Garden Trellis plans give gardeners another option to cultivate climbing plants. The truth of the matter is that no one wants to spend an extra 50 bucks on something if they can make it. With this...

Ozoshare Sustainable Living Social Network Apr27

Ozoshare Sustainable...

If you’ve been looking for a free, Facebook style social network that revolves around sustainable living, this one might be for you. Ozoshare, although not as active as Facebook, has everything you could want in a social network. Private mail, events, groups, and a constantly updated...

The Driftless Folk School Apr26

The Driftless Folk S...

If you live anywhere near Wisconsin (or within close proximity to an airport), the Driftless Folk School is the ideal destination for the sustainably minded who want to learn, well, pretty much anything. Want to learn about fruit tree grafting? Interested in foraging for wild edibles? What...

Edible Container Gardens: 6 Tips Apr25

Edible Container Gar...

When you don’t have much space and the weather is violent, container gardens can be the perfect option for a bit of homegrown produce. When venturing into any gardening technique, a few tips from a seasoned professional is essential. Edible container gardens, when done right, can be a...

Raising Goats: An Introduction Oct27

Raising Goats: An In...

Raising goats is a much more rewarding enterprise than you might think. Valuable fiber, great meat, and a nearly unlimited supply of milk and cheese is waiting in these precocious, entertaining creatures. Raising goats does, however, require a bit of expertise and some hard work.  Grit (an...

Wiser.Org – A Network for Sustainability Oct26

Wiser.Org – A ...

Wiser.Org is exactly what it says it is: a network for sustainability. Connecting with individuals from around the world for one common purpose is tempting, isn’t it? Although creating and joining groups of Facebook can be beneficial, some micro and niche social networks like Wiser.Org...

Starting from Seeds (Courtesy Organic Gardening Magazine) Oct25

Starting from Seeds ...

Starting plants from seeds is an essential step in cultivating life and becoming truly self-sustaining. Creating sustainable agriculture means understanding how to start from seed in order to create and cultivate crops that are adapted to a unique geographical location. Organic Gardening is...

Vermicomposting Social Network (Yes, It Does Exist) Oct24

Vermicomposting Soci...

Yes, there is a social network for people who love worms. Vermicomposting is the use of worms in composting techniques to create new soil, fertilizer, and rich compost. Vermicomposters.com is a social network and information hub for people interested and passionate about vermicomposting. It...

DIY Greenhouse from TreeHugger.Com’s Ramon Gonzalez Oct23

DIY Greenhouse from ...

Building a DIY greenhouse can extend your growing season, add a bit of aesthetic intrigue to your property, and offer a haven for unique plant species. TreeHugger.Com’s Ramon Gonzalez wrote a great DIY article “3 Easy DIY Greenhouses for Under $300” that showcases a few...

Work on an Organic Farm: WWOOF Oct22

Work on an Organic F...

WWOOF is not just the sound a dog makes, it is also a well organized platform for individuals and groups who want to work on organic farms. The tagline “World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms: Linking volunteers with organic farms and growers” perfectly explains the...