Having clean laundry was my greatest off-grid obstacle until I discovered two secrets – washing with rainwater and a hand-crank wringer. During long-term power outages before we transitioned off-grid, I washed clothes by hand. It was not terribly difficult, but I was never thrilled with the results. I haven’t used an electric […]
After years of looking for the most durable, yet simplest homemade rugs to wash, I have finally hit on a winner – shag throw rugs made of old T-shirts and towels. Besides being easy to make and care for, the rugs are fabricated from goods from the rag bag. With […]
We get many calls here for a well bucket that will slip inside a 4-inch casing with a pitless adapter or inside a 3-inch casing or liner. We have designed such a bucket, made with our same high-quality parts and handy thumb-lever release. The Super-Slim WaterBoy well bucket measures 46 inches in […]
Darren and Reba are having an exciting time at the Topeka Mother Earth News Fair weekend, which goes on until 5 p.m. today, by the way. Stop by if you’re in the neighborhood, or Kansas, or the Midwest. The Fair is being held at the Kansas Expocentre in downtown Topeka. They […]
We rarely encounter health issues on our humble homestead, except those mundane ailments involving chiggers, poison ivy or ticks. Still, I enjoy adding to my library of old-time cures and concoctions ― just in case. This summer, I was ecstatic to find a charming old book by a country doctor who […]
Sometimes we country folks take for granted the right to grow vegetables and having enough space to do so. A recent trip to St. Paul, Minn., reminded me that not everyone can just plop a row of tomato plants in the ground. Those ingenious Minnesotans, however, found ways to grow […]
If you have a water well and the power goes out for an extended period, you still can get to your water the old-fashioned way – simply and inexpensively – with a well bucket. Long before the age of electricity, people fetched water by hand with a simple rope and […]
Sowing tiny seeds like turnips, rutabagas, onions, leeks and herbs can be difficult. For instance, the seeds usually come out of the packet too quickly without enough space between the seeds. Also, heavy rains can wash the seeds into a pile before they’ve sprouted. And, tiny sprouts dry out quickly. […]
After seeing conflicting accounts of whether microwaved food retains nutrients, I decided to try a semi-scientific experiment here with tomato plants and five water sources. The results, so far, have surprised me. I understand my test does not meet scientific standards. This project was simply to satisfy my curiosity about water […]
The rumble and racket of the county road grader every spring gets my heart pounding. I know in its wake will be a fresh batch of pumpkin-sized rocks scattered all up and down the roadsides. As soon as the grader passes, I’m out there with my rock-toting wagon selecting those […]
