Homesteading Ain’t Cheap: Talking About Money on the Croft
So….Money. That’s Awkward. I’ve mentioned in other posts that I am undertaking Keeper’s Croft on a pretty tight budget and it seemed like it was time to do a whole post about homestead personal finances. To represent this WHOLE experience, money has to be…
Watching the Fluff of the World Floating By… June 2021
It’s been almost 6 months since I last did any writing in this space. I’m not sure why I’ve been so quiet. I expect it is the weight of the last year… and the weight of the future to come… that has caught up…
The Amazing, Grand, Very Good Plans for Keeper’s Croft in 2021
Woohoo! It’s 2021! Yeah! ……And everything is pretty much the same. Regardless, I have to say, never has a new year felt more cathartic even if only in a symbolic sense. I also happen to be one of those people that does like to…
Year One at Keeper’s Croft
Today marks the one year anniversary of Keeper’s Croft! Below I reflect on the top ten highlights that tell the story of this first year. 1) The First Morning and First Christmas – 12/20 and 12/25, 2019 Seeing the sunrise behind my new home…
November 2020 on the Croft: Wrap Up
Hello! Even though the winter solstice isn’t until December 21st, November always feels like the true start of winter in Iowa. And I have to be honest, you’ll notice that I didn’t post much this month AND I’m a week late posting this and…
Bird Feeding 101: How to Feed Birds Like a Boss
It’s the time of year, when temperatures get a little nippy, that my mind turns to feeding birds. Bird Feeding is one of the most enjoyable, and easy, ways to interact with wildlife. It provides the opportunity to observe birds up close, learn how…
October 2020 on the Croft: Wrap Up
Hello! October is the very heart of Autumn and because I love this season, I have a soft spot for October. In Iowa, it starts with the peak of the bird migration as most birds flee south. It signals the end of the garden,…
Planting Prairie on your Homestead: Prairie Restoration Stage 1
Why Plant Prairie on Your Homestead? To be clear, I am only recommending doing this if you live in an area where prairie occurs. That said, it’s probably a safe statement to say that many, if not most, areas around the world have some…
What Does Homesteading Mean?
I’ve been noodling on this question since I started the blog a month or so ago. What does homesteading mean? The Oxford dictionary definition refers to frontier life and settlers. In modern times, I think it has translated at its most basic level into…
How to Make Your Own Worm Composter for Under $30
I’ve been vermicomposting (the fancy word for using worms to make compost) for many years but I’ve always used a commercial bin. The problem is that one little bin doesn’t make a lot of composter and I really want to ramp up my production….