I am a vegetable serial killer.  

That’s right. I have a brown thumb. My uncle just about summed up my skills when he once commented on my garden – “It’s kind of like survival of the fittest, isn’t it Kimberlee?”  Ha. Ha. Ha. Very funny Uncle Bob.

So, when I publish a post about the easiest organic vegetables to grow, you know they have to produce like weeds or they wouldn’t survive under my neglect care.

The good news is plants really don’t want to die. Surprising, right? And if you’re brave enough to give gardening a try, you’re going to discover that you ABSOLUTELY CAN plant an amazing and productive garden.  You might just have to work a little harder to grow certain veggies or choose to stick to these Top 10 Survivors in my “survival of the fittest” garden.

Easiest Organic Vegetables to Grow

Peas

In my climate, peas are one of the first vegetables I plant in the garden and they are definitely among the easiest organic vegetables to grow. These little guys prefer cool growing conditions and will tolerate light frosts. They will germinate in soil temperatures between 4-24 degrees C.  So, can I get a loud Hooray!!! Come on, let’s hear it for peas!!!! If you live in a cold climate, you feel my excitement.  

Choose an early season variety and dig these seeds about an inch and a half into the ground.  I love that I don’t have to worry about the spring winds whipping them away like the tiny carrot seeds (one reason I don’t plant my carrots early in the season). They stay snug in the soil until it’s time to reveal themselves.

And then they just grow and grow and grow…you’ll need netting or a pea tower for those tall growing varieties.

Tip: You can also plant mid-season and late varieties so you’ll have a continuous supply of peas.

Variety I’m growing this year

Super Sugar Snap Pea
As the name suggests, these guys are sweeter than the regular Sugar Snap and you can eat them pod and all. That is very important to the kids who tend to gobble these up before they even make it to the house.

Radishes

This is another crop that can be seeded directly in the garden as soon as your soil can be worked in spring. In fact, it doesn’t do well in the summer heat so plant them early. Radishes may be seen as simply a spicy salad topper, but they are amazing roasted in the oven and served as a simple side dish.

They also grow so fast, I don’t think there is time for these guys to perish.

Variety I’m growing this year

Cherry Belle Radish
Plant these radishes today and in 3 weeks you could be enjoying your first crop. Easy and fast to grow, you’ll love these bright red, cherry radishes.

Beans

Beans are so easy, beautiful and fun to grow. And there are SO many choices. Not just yellow or green, but purple and even striped. Have you heard of Dragon’s Tongue Bush Bean with its glorious purple streaks? Or how about the majestic, bright purple Royal Burgundy, which can handle cooler soils? Or “Scarlet Runner”, which will make you sigh in delight as it proudly shows off its eye-catching red flowers that attract hummingbirds. It’s gorgeous, my friends. And every garden needs a little gorgeous. So, plant yourself some beans.

Varieties I’m growing this year

Jacob’s Cattle (Baking Bean)
This is a favourite bean in our area and its perfect for all your baked bean recipes.

Provider (Bush Bean)
I really love this bean. It is very easy to grow and can be planted earlier than other beans, which means I get to eat fresh beans faster!

Rocdor (Pole Bean)
What can I say? It’s a tasty bean and I need something yellow to go with the above green beans.

Carminat (Pole Bean)
And, of course, to round things out I need a purple bean. Although they turn green after you cook them, these purple pods will “WOW” you with their Instagram worthy lavender blossoms. If you can’t find an organic version, try the Royal Burgundy.

Tomatoes

Even if I lived in a 100 square foot skyrise apartment building, I would find a way to grow a tomato plant because nothing compares to the taste of homegrown tomatoes. And they are so easy to grow. Well, you might want to stay away from those “upside down” tomato planters. They dry out easily. Best to plant your tomato in a large pot or in a garden.  Tomatoes need an even supply of moisture. A thick layer of mulch will help hold in the moisture and prevent weeds from growing.

Just like beans, there are so many colours and sizes it will make your head spin. The most important consideration in our climate, other than taste, of course, is if there is enough time for the fruit to ripen. You’ll also have to choose between indeterminate and determinate varieties. I prefer determinate because a cage is usually enough to support them. The downside is all of your tomatoes will ripen almost at the same time. However, we have such a short growing season in our climate that this doesn’t really matter to me. If you choose an indeterminate, you will get tomatoes over a longer period of time, but prepare to prune and stake!   

Varieties I’m growing this year

Mystery Keepers
This is the best storage tomato in my opinion. They ripen from the inside out so they can stay sitting on your counter for months after harvesting them before they turn red.

Sungold
I grow these cherry tomatoes every year because they are extra sweet and taste like tangy candy. I eat them right off the vine and throw them in salads.

Yellow Pear Tomato
These darling heirloom tomatoes produce the cutest, pear-shaped yellow cherry tomatoes that look like little fairy bells. Try them…just because!

Loose Leaf Lettuce

There is no reason you should have to buy salad greens if you don’t want to. I haven’t taken an official poll but these have to be the easiest of all crops to grow. Every two weeks I simply sprinkle a few teaspoons of seeds in my garden and lightly cover with soil. This will guarantee a fresh, continuous supply of leafy greens for all your salad needs.

Warning: Although leaf lettuce is easy to grow, slugs also love it. So, wash your greens carefully! I learned this lesson the hard way. Slug salad, anyone?

Variety I’m growing this year

Mesclun Gourmet Greens Mixture
Get ready for the most beautiful salads ever! This one package of seeds contains seven different tasty salad greens in varying shades of colour and texture – Arugula, Endive, Red Kale, Red and Green Romaine, Salad Bowl and Lolla Rossa Lettuce.

Carrots

Did you know carrots will grow even in sub-par soil? And that’s why I love the carrot.

Now, if you are a gardener, you may be thinking,” you’re wrong!”. Many sources will tell you if your soil is too heavy or rocky, you’ll need to plant your carrots in a raised bed. But if this were true, I would have never been able to grow a single carrot.

Although they do prefer a lighter soil so they can grow to their full and long potential, I have had success growing decent sized carrots even in my clay soil. In fact, I even managed to grow a carrot in my garden path. So, don’t be afraid to plant carrots.

Varieties I’m planting this year

Purple Dragon Carrot
I prefer a plain, old, regular orange carrot, but the kids get a kick out of the purple ones and they say they taste better. These carrots are actually orange inside with a yellow core.

Danvers Half long Carrot
If you have shallow soil like me, you may want to try the Danvers Half-Long carrot. They are about 6 inches long and have that perfect sweet, crunchy carrot taste.

Nantes Scarlet Carrot
This is another excellent carrot variety that has survived in my garden. Dependable, nearly coreless, sweet and stores well – What more could you want in a carrot?

Beets

As a northern gardener, my vegetable plot would not be complete without beets. This is a frost tolerant vegetable that definitely ranks high among the easiest organic vegetables to grow

The only problem is that I often forget to take them out of the ground until they have grown past their optimal size – making these roots a lot tougher than they would be otherwise.

If you can remember to harvest them on time and keep sowing every few weeks throughout the spring and summer, you can enjoy beets into the fall.

Varieties I’m planting this year

Boro
This will be the first year I plant this variety. They are touted as the sweetest beet variety. We will see.

Detroit Dark Red
This is an heirloom variety grown since 1892 that is still popular today. It’s the perfect all-purpose beet!

Herbs

If you enjoy herbs, then pick up as many as you like because there is a very good chance none of them will die. I have yet to kill an herb. Basil, dill, parsley, oregano, fennel, rosemary…they all grow really easily. In fact, if you are nervous about starting a garden, why not start with a simple herb garden? You don’t even need to plant a garden because they do really well (and sometimes better!) in containers

Onions

Onions have survived since the Bronze Age so it’s not surprising that they are easy to grow, right? Although I’ve never planted onions by seed, I do plant onion sets every spring. And by mid-summer I have good sized bulbs. It’s as easy as that!

Garlic

The most difficult part about growing garlic is not growing it. It’s remembering to plant it. Or motivating oneself to plant it at the end of the growing season. In our climate, you have to plant cloves in the fall and then you reap the rewards the following year.

What about zucchini, cucumbers and squash?

Now this is really embarrassing to admit, but zucchini, cucumbers and squash are also supposed to be among the easiest organic vegetables to grow. And yet I have not been able to successfully grow any of these. But that hasn’t stopped me from trying. Here are this year’s victims.

Let’s take a moment and pray for them before they meet their death in my garden…or not! Fingers crossed!

So, do you agree? Are these the easiest organic vegetables to grow or do you have one to add to the list? Let me know in the comments below!

PIN IT FOR LATER!

Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. Thank you for your support!  You can find the full disclosure here.

Who wants to try making their own soap from nut shells? Anyone? Anyone?

Ok, so maybe it’s only me who gets a thrill from trying out these kinds of crazy, homemade cleaning recipes but doesn’t this sound like a lot more fun than just buying a bottle of soap from the store? Anyone can do that, right? But who is going to go to the trouble of extracting saponin from shells and then use that to clean their home?

Only the really, really, really cool (or nutty depending on your point of view) homesteaders. And, although I know you want to be a cool homesteader, there is another reason you should consider making soap nut cleaner.

Soap nuts are incredibly inexpensive. I can make a bottle of cleaner for less than $1. They are also completely bio-degradable, environmentally friendly and work like magic in the laundry, as a dish soap or even as an all-purpose cleaner.

Now, you may be wondering why I suddenly decided to write a post about soap nuts.

I am preparing for the upcoming Mother Earth News Fairs. Sadly, the one in Tennessee has been postponed until next year due to the current world situation. But don’t despair. There is a Skills for Self-Reliance Mini-Course going on RIGHT NOW that you should definitely check out.

It features seven pre-recorded workshop videos from some of their most highly attended FAIR workshops. Topics range from elderberry and raising chickens to fermenting kraut and getting started off-grid.

The next fair will launch in June in which I will be presenting a 30 minute “Green Your Cleaning Routine”.

In case you are curious, here is a shot of where I will be filming my presentation.

And here is a photo of the other side of the room. (Note: We will not be filming from the other side of the room.)

During my presentation, I will be sharing some of my favourite, natural cleaning ingredients and easy, DIY recipes such as this one.

How do you use soap nuts?

Soap nuts come from a tree called ‘Sapindus Mukorossi’ (the Soap Berry tree). But they are actually not nuts . They are berries that are harvested from September to February each year. Although it takes 9 years for the tree to begin yielding fruit; once it starts producing, it can be harvested for 90 years!

The soap nut grows on trees native to India and Nepal. Unfortunately, they don’t grow here in Canada or I would immediately plant one in my backyard. I can’t think of a more environmentally friendly cleaning product than a nut I personally plucked from a tree.

Nevertheless, you can buy these soap nuts at the Bulk Barn and package them in a reusable bag and then throw them in the compost when you’re done. Zero plastic. Zero waste. There are also many great sources of soap nuts. If you live in the United States, Amazon sells these award winning Naturoil soap nuts. In Canada, Amazon sells these organic soap nuts in 250 gram, 500 gram or 1 kg reusable bags.

For cleaning purposes, we use the shell of the soap nut. The shells contain a natural cleaning agent called saponin, which acts as a detergent. These natural surfactants break the surface tension of water. So, for example, if you were to use soap nuts in the laundry, they will free dirt, grime, and oils from your clothing and keep them suspended in the water so they can be easily rinsed away.

The nuts themselves are naturally anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-microbial. They’re also naturally organic and I can tell you why.

Soap nuts smell like vinegar and if you were to errr…accidentally put one in your mouth or maybe put one in your mouth on purpose because you were writing a blog post about them, they taste like soap. Absolutely bitter and disgusting. Fortunately, Google tells me they are not poisonous although they may make your tummy upset so try your best to resist sampling them.

Anyway, I don’t imagine any human or animal would enjoy the taste of soap nuts. Except maybe owls. Here’s a fun fact: Did you know owls can’t smell? And that’s why these great hunters will eat skunks. See, wasn’t that fun? I thought so.

Now, let’s move on to the real fun. Making a cleaner out of shells!

Soap Nuts All Purpose Cleaning Base

You could simply combine soap nut shells with water and start cleaning but saponin is released faster when the shells are heated.  So, I boil the nuts to make a concentrated liquid that I can use as a base to clean everything from my dishes and laundry to my floors and bathtub.

Ingredients

1/2 cup soap nuts

3 cups water

Instructions

–       Pour the water into a medium saucepan and add the soap nuts. Bring to a low boil and then reduce to a simmer with the lid on for up to an hour or until the nuts become soft and start to break apart.

–       Stir and mash the berries occasionally.

–       Remove the pot from the heat, strain out the soap nuts and let cool before pouring into your container.

How long does soap nut liquid last?

It has a two-week shelf life or at least a month in the fridge. You can add a teaspoon of citric acid to the recipe to help make the juice last longer.

How do I use soap nuts in the laundry?

If you do your laundry using hot water, you can place 5 or 6 soap nuts in a mesh bag and throw them in the laundry. If you use cold water, make the above liquid and use 1 or 2 tbsp. In both cases, I would add ¼ cup of washing soda (sodium carbonate) to your wash cycle. And then add ¼ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle to remove any soap residue.

Washing soda will “soften” your water (especially important if you have hard water). It binds to the minerals in your water and allows the detergent to be absorbed into fibers properly to clean clothes.

Warning: Washing soda is not the same as baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). Although both natural substances are made from a mineral called trona, washing soda has a higher PH level, is a more abrasive cleaner and doesn’t dissolve as well in water compared to baking soda.

How do I use soap nuts to clean my dishes?

Pour the above mixture into a soap dispenser and use a few squirts in each sink full of dishes.

How do I use soap nuts as an all-purpose cleaner?

Mix the above liquid with an equal amount of water and start cleaning.

How do I use soap nuts to clean my bathroom?

Mix equals parts of the soap nut cleaner recipe above with equal parts vinegar to help remove mineral deposits. Use to clean the tub, shower stall or toilet.

And that’s it. Have you or will you try making soap nut cleaner? I wanna know. Leave me a message in the comments below.  

PIN IT FOR LATER!

Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. Thank you for your support!  You can find the full disclosure here.

April 9, 2020…

He didn’t need to utter a word. I could tell by the pained look on my husband’s face that something was terribly wrong.

“It was a stillbirth.”

I cried.

I cried harder when I walked into the barn and saw the perfect, little, brown Babydoll lamb lying motionless in the hay.

April 12, 2020…

“Come, quick!,” yelled my husband. “It’s happening.” I ran like a crazy fool to the barn only to just miss the birth of twin lambs, Henry and Henrik, from our second ewe, Hanley.

We watched as Hanley eagerly began showering her first lamb, Henry, with big, sloppy kisses.

But she didn’t seem to notice Henrick, the second lamb still lying in the hay. So, wearing gloves, we brought the other newborn to her nose. She half-heartedly licked Henrick a couple times and then turned away. From then on, she wanted nothing to do with him.

We waited until morning hoping she would allow Henrik to nurse. No luck. So, we filled a bottle with colostrum and began feeding him.

But it wasn’t easy. Every time we went out to the barn, it was like playing a game of “Where’s Waldo”. Once Henrik got stuck behind the hay feeder and then I found him curled up with the male sheep in another pen.

Fearing for his safety, that evening we snuggled the lamb into a cardboard box and carefully placed him next to our bed, hoping to make those midnight feedings a little easier on ourselves.

Sometime between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. the next morning, Henrick passed away.

More pain. And more tears as I write this wondering if there was not something more I could have done to prevent his death.

I know, you’re probably thinking they are just lambs. But my heart broke anyway.

After five months of waiting, I was eagerly anticipating our first births on the farm, this grand milestone of achievement as a shepherdess.

Death was certainly not in the script I had imagined.

But I should have known better. Nothing I have done on the farm (or in life) has gone according to my carefully made plans.

The truth is when you sign up to become a farmer, the agreement clearly states in big, bold letters that you are also signing up for death.

We have lost ducks to foxes and chickens to a ferret. We have had chicks drown in their own water and we had to kill our previous rooster when it nearly clawed out one of neighbour’s children’s eyes.

I have lost hives to human error and the long, cold Canadian winters. And, of course, there are the multitude of plants that have perished under my care.  

And then, there are the purposeful deaths. This year, we will be raising our own meat chickens. And these ram lambs I wept over may (I say “may” because I have not yet been able to eat anything I’ve raised) have one day ended up on my dinner plate. Males have a tough life on the farm.

So here I sit writing to you…contemplating life and death, which are never too far from each other here on the homestead. And, although it is to be expected, it’s not easy. Taking a life or witnessing a death never is.

And this heartache makes me want to scream and cry and pound the dirt, throw my hands up in the air and give up.

But I haven’t yet and I don’t think I ever will. Because homesteaders and farmers, we are not only tough, but, we are full of eternal hope and gratitude.

We learn from the painful experiences and we assure ourselves that next year will be better.

We give thanks a million times over for all the blessings we do have and then we dry our tears and we grab our feed buckets and carry on to the next task knowing there is no other life we would rather live.

And so, I have said my goodbyes, I have buried the losses and I will press on taking joy in watching Henry annoy my ewes as he happily frolics around the barn showing everyone just how high he can bounce.

There is still life on the farm, my friends, and it is beautiful.  

I’ll admit I panicked a little. Ok, a lot. Ok, I might have stomped my feet and pouted.

I’m a planner so when it was suddenly announced that schools were going to be closed for an indefinite period of time, I didn’t feel prepared. Now, this shouldn’t have come as a shock but, at the time, there was only one case of COVID-19 in all of New Brunswick.

So, while most people in our province immediately rushed to the stores to stock up on toilet paper and bottled water, my first thoughts were:

1.      Buy more chocolate.

2.      Raid the dollar store for craft supplies. Because what the heck am I going to do to keep my kids entertained, active, learning, off screens and most importantly — from uttering the dreaded words: “I’m bored”?

A friend once told me, “Only boring people get bored.” And while this may be true, it is nice to have a few boredom busters up your sleeve when your kids insist on wearing their cranky pants.

So, what’s my secret? Keeping a schedule. Whether you’re under mandatory quarantine or simply avoiding the crowds, here’s a few suggestions to create a routine to keep your kids entertained, active and learning.

Keeping a Routine with Google Calendar

As many of you know, I like to make plans and detailed to-do lists. So, of course, once I found out the kids would be at home over the next few weeks, I quickly made a daily routine using my favourite scheduling tool – Google Calendar. Here’s how I patterned our day:

1. Schedule what you need to do first

First, I entered all our “fixed” activities such as when we sleep and eat as well as the mornings I work from home teaching English online. Basically, all the things we “need” to do.

2. Schedule what you want to do next

Teaching the kids at home

Next, I blocked off time for things I would like to do such as home schooling. The kids were so excited when I told them they could continue their studies. Ok, maybe not. But I am thrilled!

IXL Learning

There are many online learning options available. I enrolled the kids in https://ca.ixl.com/, which follows our provincial curriculum and offers training in both English and Math.

ABC Mouse

ABC Mouse is another great option for ages two to eight and the first month is free.

Ted Talks for Kids

If you’re looking for some educational screen time, I love TED Talks. Here is a list of talks to watch with kids.

Outschool

“Outschool” has 8000+ video chat classes for K-12 science, art, mindfulness, English, social studies, life skills, and more!

Masterclass

Older kids may enjoy Masterclass, which has many easy-to-watch 12-minute lessons.

YouTube

There are several great educational YouTube channels. I love the Encyclopedia Britannica’s channel where your kids will find answers to everything from: “Why is the Mona Lisa so famous?” to “Is Pluto a Planet?”

Free books

I also stocked up on grade level activity books and books from the public library. If your public library is still open, stock up now or go to your virtual library and take out ebooks or audio books.  

Bonus: You can download unlimited audiobooks and ebooks from “All You can books” for free for 30 days.

Reading lists by grade level

You can find lots of book ideas organized by grade level from Mensa Kids and Goodreads.

Learn a new skill

This is also a great time to extend upon your child’s special interests. Jack loves learning about animals (especially sharks) and Ella likes to make slimy, squishy things in the name of science. What does your child want to learn more about and be sure to sign out extra books on those topics or check out related online learning through sites such as “Outschool” or “Masterclass“

Hint: Now is the perfect time to start your seeds indoors and is a great learning activity that will keep your kids entertained.

Make a mess (aka cooking)

Cooking may not be an official subject at school, but there is a lot kids can learn from whipping up a batch of their favourite cookies or even homemade yogurt. Bonus: The probiotics will help boost your immune system! Older children can even make a simple meal such as this one. Check out this post for a guide to cooking skills by age.

Time to be Creative

Next, I blocked off another hour for crafts and creative play. My kids love to draw, paint and create a mess.  Here are some ideas to keep your kids entertained:

“Save your sanity” supplies                                                  

 I may not have stocked up on toilet paper, but I definitely stocked up on craft supplies from the dollar store. I may or may not have spent over $50.

• Markers, crayons and paint supplies
• Grade level activity books
• Stickers, “make a funny face” books and a few treats as rewards for completing their school work
• Balloons
• Bead kits
• Puzzles
• Melting beads
• Bouncy balls
• Playdoh and clay
• Origami paper
• Craft kits
• Notebooks (especially for older kids who may want to journal their thoughts)
• Mini trampoline (Unfortunately, they didn’t have one. But I would have bought one if they did!)
• etc.

Slime

My daughter is so obsessed with slime and making other gooey things that we bought the book – “Mason Jar Science”, which has lots of sticky recipes to keep your kids entertained.  Here are also a few fun, easy projects you can make with items from around the house.

Story Rocks

Although our kids love story time, they also enjoy making up their own stories. One fun way to do this is using story rocks. Find some rocks or other objects the kids can use to paint pictures on and place them in a box. Everyone can take turns choosing a rock and incorporating it into a story. You can also simply have fun counting the rocks and making piles of numbered groups or pulling a rock out of the box and seeing how many things in the room are the same shape or colour.

Get out the sillies!

I blocked off another hour simply for rough housing and play. Here are some ideas:

Game on!

We have a library of board games and puzzles we purchased over the years at thrift stores that have been gathering dust. Our plan is to take one out a day and battle it out. The winner gets to choose the following day’s game.

Danceathon

Music may just be the ticket to lift the mood in your home. Now may be the time to sign up for that free month on Spotify and take advantage of their music playlists.

Make a fort

Grab some boxes, blankets, pillows and couch cushions and make a fort.

Get moving

Active for Life is an awesome website that has tonnes of ideas to get your kids moving based on age and skill.

Bonus: Exercise helps boost the immune system!

Need more screen free acitivities?
Check out this list of 27 screen free activities for kids.

Get out of the house!

Just like at school my kids are enjoying at least an hour of forced time outdoors. If you happen to live on a homestead like us, this is a great time to clean out the sheep (goat, donkey, etc) pen. Or maybe just enjoy a nature hike followed by a campfire and roasting marshmallows.

Reading and snacks (aka: quiet time for parents)

If you can encourage even the youngest ones in your household to settle down with a book, the afternoon is a great time for a cup of tea while the kids hopefully munch on snacks and enjoy some quiet time.

Clean up and chores

The last hour of the day before supper is reserved for clean up and chores because supermom can’t do it all. Even the youngest in your household can help with chores. Here is a great list of things your kids can do by age.

Pop pilates

This is not for the kids, but for parents. Since most gyms are closed, you might want to consider heading online for your workout. I love the pop pilates workouts from blogilates.com. She has a monthly calendar so all you have to do is follow along with the exercise routine of the day.

I hope this schedule will help you craft your days while at home with the kids. If you have any other ideas, please let me know and I will add them to the list.

Now, it’s your turn. You know your children best. Head over to Google Calendar and create your own sanity saving schedule to keep your kids entertained, active and learning. 

Searching for the perfect Christmas gift for that wannabe homesteader in your life?

Does your New Year’s resolution involve learning new skills?

Are you ready to embark on a challenge?

Check out my book – 52 Homestead Skills.

You may have noticed that I haven’t been active on my blog. After working with Mother Earth News to turn my “52 Homestead Skills in a Year” challenge into a book, I have been travelling across the United States to speak about homesteading at the Mother Earth News Fairs.

Seeing my book for the first time.

I wrote this post when my book was first published, but decided to wait to send out this announcement until the book was available in Canada. Although it is not on Amazon.ca in printed form, you can get a kindle editon in Canada here. It is also available in both formats at Amazon.com or at Mother Earths News.

Inside my book you’ll find all the deets on every one of the 52 homesteading skills I naively committed my family and I to undertake in a 12-month period, including all the “behind the scenes” stories on how easy and smoothly it all went.

If you’ve ever been afraid of making mistakes or have ever felt intimated by your lack of farming know-how, this book is for you.

“The hardest hurdle to starting (homesteading) is that people want to be perfect at everything out of the gate. When in reality, the fun and sense of accomplishment is not in being perfect, but in trying and learning, and celebrating that! You did in one year what it took me some 20 years to work my way through.”
– Jennifer Kleffner, Miles Away Farm

Although I had read many gardening, farming and homesteading books, up until I started this challenge, I hadn’t done anything more than learn how to kill a bunch of plants in our small vegetable garden.

I had no idea what the heck I was doing. I had no idea where to begin or what to learn first.

If you feel this way too, you’re not alone. The important thing is that you don’t let these uncertainties stop you from living out your own homesteading dreams.

So grab a copy of 52 Homestead Skills, a pen and paper and begin mapping out your own journey.

If I can go from knowing absolutely nothing to learning how to preserve my own foods, keep bees, spin wool, raise chicks, use a scythe, plant fruit trees, compost, garden and so much more, I know you can too.

52 Homestead Skills is divided into months and projects so you can follow along week by week or use the  book as a jumping point to begin your own homesteading adventures.

52 Homestead Skills would make a great Christmas gift for that wannabe homesteader in your life.

Why should you set out to learn so many new skills?

As a beginner homesteader who didn’t grow up on a farm, I knew next to nothing about farming.

So how would I know what I would be good at or what I would truly enjoy doing without trying out a bunch of skills? So I set out on this challenge to get a taste of all kinds of homesteading endeavors. What did I discover?

I admit I have not knit a single thing since I took a course on knitting. Not only was I terrible at it, but I also didn’t enjoy it as much as I loved spinning wool, a skill I continue to try and perfect today.

Through this challenge I also discovered that I am not interested in selling vegetables so I only keep enough for our family. But I love to sell eggs and honey and am in the process of expanding my bee business.

After milking a goat and talking to farmers about the commitment involved, we decided to hold off on the purchase of a dairy animal. But I still enjoy making my own yogurt.

I learned so much. Not only about homesteading, but about myself and my capabilities. I know that you too will benefit from a similar challenge especially if you are also new to the homesteading game.

My book displayed at the Mother Earth News Fair bookstore alongside some other great new titles. Check them all out!

Is this book any good?

I know you’re wondering. Well, here are the reviews I’ve received to date on Amazon.com.

 #1 – Great information, well written and presented.

I bought this book because I am planning to retire to a twenty six acre farm in about five years and I thought I would find it helpful to get some advice from someone who had done the same. I found the book to be well written, the information well presented and over all an enjoyable read. Not all of the skills need to be learned in the order presented and some may not be relevant to your unique situation but generally most are completely relevant to new off the grid homesteaders. I recommend this book to anyone interested in starting a small farm or just wanting to increase their self sustaining skill set.

#2 – Common sense but good reminder you have it?

A lot of common sense stuff but also, “why didn’t I think of this ” too!

#3 – Awesome read

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I was expecting a matter of fact book, yet what I received was a wonderful narrative of a real person learning how to master homesteading. The book is funny, honest and informative. It is now my favorite book.

#4 – Skills and humour

This book was a totally delightful read! Teaching homesteading skills with an honest been there, done that, learned something and survived it sense of humor! She did an AWESOME JOB with this book. I hope she will do a Volume 2 with some more of the skills she’s learned that’s sprinkled with down to earth humor!! I would snap it up in a heartbeat!!

#5 – Disappointing

Wasn’t much there. I was hoping for details and they were lacking.

#6 – Practical and basic homestead skills.

Love the projects and the author’s sense of humor.

 #7 – Fun!

Almost all the skills are skills that I already do, or want to learn. Nice job.

So there you have it. What do you think? Will you give it a read? If you do purchase a copy, please leave me a review. I would love to hear what you think. Thank you so much!

PS. Thank you to these readers who took the time to enter a review on Amazon.

Signing my book at the Mother Earth News Fair.

How to use this book

Start by thinking about and writing down your goals. Make a list of when and what you want to accomplish as well as the resources you’ll need to make it happen.

We focused on skills that would save us money like making our own bread, yogurt and soap, for example, as well as starting a garden and growing our own food. We also took on skills that could potentially bring in an income like raising chickens and selling eggs or beekeeping and producing honey.

Yes, planning is time consuming, but without taking this step, you are at risk of overwhelming yourself with too many homesteading projects. My long time readers know that I speak from experience.

By writing down your goals and organizing them by season and month and week, you can achieve more (and save your sanity) by spreading your projects throughout the year and not just in the busiest of farming seasons.

So now it’s your turn. I am so excited for you to begin your adventure. I hope your 2020 New Year’s resolution will involve learning a few new skills.

Your support means THE WORLD to our family.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
We appreciate each and every sale.

THANK YOU!

Thank YOU, my dear reader, for supporting and encouraging me along the way.

I would also like to thank the many, much more skilled and talented farmers, friends and family members, who helped me write this book:

George Wheatley of Doré Products, beekeeper extraordinaire  who never tires of my 1,001 questions. Right, George?

Cindy Cormier of Nirvana Nutrition, my dear friend, amazing baker and faithful recipe tester.

Rachel Dalton of Brigadoon Fiber and Alpaca Farm, for teaching me to spin wool and sharing her wisdom.

Shannon Jones of Broadfork Farm for taking the time to read every gardening related excerpt in this book despite the fact that it was one of the busiest times of year for their organic vegetable and cut flower farm.

Guy Goguen, for saving my trees from my poor pruning habits and sharing his 40 years of experience trimming trees at Le Verger Goguen.

Tiffany Thorne of  Thornehill Farm for allowing me to try my hand at milking her goats and for not laughing when I wasn’t successful.

Rebecca Martin, Christian Williams, Jean Denney and Jean Teller of Ogden Publications who believed I could write this book before I even believed it myself. Thank you for putting your trust in me, bringing this book to life and letting me be part of your amazing and talented team.

And last, but certainly not least, my partner in crime, Jérémie Bastien, and my two favourite helpers, Ella and Jack Bastien, for not only putting up with my crazy ideas, but jumping in with both feet right alongside me – always supporting, and cheering me along the way. I will forever be grateful.

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Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. Thank you for your support!  You can find the full disclosure here.

Raising sheep for beginners (what not to do)

Don’t be fooled by their sweet, teddy bear faces. Make no mistake. They may officially be called a “flock”, but in reality this is a gang of sheep made up of clever thieves, escape artists and head butting scallywags determined to make my life anything but boring.

Let’s just say being a shepherdess and raising sheep has had its challenges. It’s not all warm, woolly, hugs and cute, bouncing lambs. So let’s start from the beginning…

What to expect when you bring home your sheep

It was like Christmas Eve. After anxiously waiting all day, it was almost midnight when the delivery truck bearing our four Olde English Babydoll Southdown Sheep finally arrived.

Our Babydolls came from Our Little Flock in Ontario, which I highly recommend. Unlike me, Jamie Neeb is an excellent shepherdess and a real sweetheart always ready and willing to answer my hundred and one questions about raising sheep. This was especially appreciated by me since I really didn’t know that much about raising sheep four months ago when they arrived at my back doorstep. And when I say nothing, I mean very, very little.

I recently attended a National Ladies Homestead Luncheon at the Mother Earth News Fair in Asheville, North Carolina.

We were invited to ask any questions we had about homesteading. I raised my hand and stated that we were getting sheep in two months and could anyone tell me anything about raising sheep.

They laughed.

But it wasn’t a joke, my friends.

Their reply was, “Don’t worry. Next to goats, sheep are a breeze.” This should have been consoling — except we don’t have goats. Sigh.

So the sheep finally did arrive and it was magical, of course. It was the first time I heard a sheep bleat. And I laughed at their high-pitched “baaing” sounds and was enamoured with their cute wooliness.

The Sheep “Piggies”

At first, those little bouncing lambs acted like they were completely innocent and sweet until…

This big, furry, sleepyhead is Buddy, a Great Pyrenees. He is supposed to be our livestock guardian dog. I’m just not sure he knows it yet.

I noticed our livestock guardian dog, a “Great Pyrenees” named Buddy by our kids (Note: I wanted to call him “Gryffin”, but was outvoted. I never seem to win those battles!) seemed to be constantly hungry. That surprised me since I was feeding him several very large bowls of food a day.

I had no idea what was going on until one day after leaving the barn, and realizing I forgot to fill up the water bucket for the sheep, I returned to the barn and caught them chowing down on Buddy’s food like it was made of the tastiest morsels of grass and not chicken. Who knew sheep have secret hankerings for chicken?

Beginner Tip: My vet recommended I always have a bottle of Anti Gaz Emulsion on hand in case of such emergencies. Apparently, I am not the only one who owns sheep who are actually little piggies. You do not want your herd to bloat and die. Sheep bloat can be a fatal condition.

Hara, Hanley, Hunter and Henley, as my woolly friends have been named, thought they were so smart to wait patiently until I had left the barn before stuffing their faces in Buddy’s bowl. And Buddy just let them because he wasn’t going to mess with those gangsters. In fact, it looks like the sheep may be guarding him. Yes, they are little “guard sheep”.

Of course, the sheep were not happy about losing their daily chicken treats. So they decided to show their outrage by staging an escape.

The Great Sheep Escape

The kids came running in from playing outside yelling that the sheep were in the yard frolicking around the trampoline — most likely trying to figure out how to bounce their woolly bums.

Meet the boys! Henley and Hunter, our two Olde English Babydoll Southdown Rams.

Unfortunately, Jérémie was conveniently at work so it was up to me and me alone to catch them. The kids thought this was the most fun they had all summer watching me chase those sheep around the yard hollering and shouting and pulling out my hair. Of course, they couldn’t resist joining in the fun shouting and chasing right along with me.

I panicked when the sheep started going down the driveway. You should have seen me run. I sprinted down in front of them like I had been training for the 100 yard dash my entire life. The kids brought up the sides and we were able to corner them between the garage, the fence (the one they were supposed to be inside) and the car.

There was only one problem. Babydoll lambs weigh approximately 60 lbs each. And I had to carry them all about 100 yards to the barn. But let’s hear it for “girl power” because I did it!

There was, of course, some panicked “baaing” by the sheep and a few choice words from me but I got those woolly escape artists back where they belonged — only to discover that my darling husband (not the kids surprisingly) had simply left the barn gate open.

Beginner Tip: You will definitely need to be able to pick up your sheep, so start training those muscles now. Your sheep may not escape, but you will need to trim their hooves, give them medication or occasionally trim extra wool around their eyes. The best way to do this is to place them on their bums. As long as their hooves can’t touch the ground, your sheep shouldn’t try and fight you. At least not too much.

Meet Hanley! One of four Olde English Miniature Babydoll Southdown sheep who arrived on the farm in June. Don’t be fooled by her sweet face. These woolly teddy bears have been keeping me on my toes.

The Porcupine Incident

Sadly, my woolly adventures didn’t end here. Another evening we went into the barn to discover Hanley had had an encounter with a porcupine. Why does a sheep, which is terrified of coming within metres of another stranger, decide to go chasing a porcupine? Well, she now knows better. She had about dozen quills stuck in her muzzle. Each one having to be painfully removed. Thankfully that was over a month ago and she seems to have completely recovered from the ordeal.

Beginner Tip:  Our sheep have all been given the TASVAX^® 8 vaccine, which may not be necessary, but it is cheap “insurance” against diseases that commonly affect sheep and lambs including tetanus (which was a concern after the porcupine incident).

We have only had this gang of sheep for four months. Who wants to bet that our adventures in raising sheep are not over? Anyone?

This is most likely a “to be continued” story… All I can say is — the sheep are still alive and well! This homesteading project has been stamped a success. I now judge my farming successes by my ability to keep things alive. Yes, that’s the name of the homesteading game. If you can just keep you, your family, your animals and your plants and trees alive, I’d consider you a farming star. You know, like rock star or hockey star. This could be a thing, right? The great Farming Hall of Fame. Catchy, I think.`

Want to read more about raising sheep? Check out my other posts.

• Help! The lambs are coming!
• Dreamers to Farmers in TWO Years! (Raising sheep for milk)

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