I think the average person knows bees pollinate plants and can deduce from this that they're good for a garden. However, I know for myself that I wasn't aware of just how important they are. In fact, they're quite vital. There are other insects that pollinate, such as butterflies, but bees appear to be by … Continue reading The Importance of Bees for your Garden
About four years ago we brought our cat José home for the first time. A coworker was no longer able to keep him and we took him off her hands so he didn't end up at the shelter. He was roughly eleven weeks old and I remember feeling nervous because even though I'd had pets … Continue reading Why you Shouldn’t Declaw your Cat
On face value the answer to whether or not eating oysters and other bivalves (such as clams, mussels, and scallops) is vegan would seem obvious. They're animals so of course they're not, right? The argument is that because they don't have a central brain it is unlikely they're able to feel pain. There's also no … Continue reading Vegan Gray Areas: Oysters
I want to make it abundantly clear that this is not my recipe. I simply veganized this recipe: http://www.foodiemisadventures.com/2013/02/southern-pecan-pralines.html I've been making my father this original praline recipe for years now. He grew up in South Carolina and these are a popular Southern treat. He said they remind him of his grandma's and I honestly … Continue reading Veganizing Pecan Pralines
Photo by kinkate from Pexels I made the decision to be vegan mid January of this year (2019). My first priority was to understand how to eat a balanced plant-based diet. However, I knew being vegan wasn't just about food. Another regular purchase I make is beauty products. I started off doing a simple google search for cruelty … Continue reading Cruelty Free vs Vegan Beauty Products
We had a garden when I was growing up, but I didn't have much interest in it besides playing between the beds and prematurely pulling out the occasional carrot. Sometimes I'd pull out flowers from the trees and plants and decorate the lattice fencing that surrounded the garden. (That didn't go over well - Sorry … Continue reading Maybe Consider Starting a Garden
I'd like to preface this by saying that I'm not getting into the health aspect of whether eating eggs is good or bad. The focus of this is purely from an ethical standpoint in the case of backyard chickens, not those from factory farms. Photo by Oleksandr Pidvalnyi from Pexels For many homesteaders, having backyard chickens is a … Continue reading Vegan Gray Areas: Eggs From Backyard Chickens
When I first became interested in homesteading and self-sufficiency I gravitated towards the idea of making things myself as much as possible. I not only wanted to make my own food, but also things like toothpaste, deodorant, cleaning products, etc. As I was researching I quickly found that not only were these things often not … Continue reading When it Makes Sense to Do-It-Yourself
Disclaimer: This is literally my first time ever planting trees! However, I did have guidance from my father who has planted many trees in his day. What we're planting: 1 Snowsweet Apple Tree1 Haralson Apple Tree1 Summercrisp Pear Tree1 Luscious Pear Tree Other supplies needed: Post Hole Digger (preferably)Shovel (if you don't have a post … Continue reading A Beginner Planting Trees
It probably doesn't come as too much of a surprise to you that in the United States almost 40% of adults over 20 are considered obese and over 70% are considered overweight. In the world, 13% of adults over 18 are obese and 39% are overweight. While activity levels do play a role in weight … Continue reading The Risk of Inadequate Diets
The Vegan Homesteader 