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Just Leave Me Here and I’ll be Fine

By Kimberly Shane

Just Leave Me Here and I’ll be Fine

Just leave me here blog.jpgHave you ever day dreamed about living “off the grid” or at the very least away from the city? There are some today who are going the route of homesteading; this puts them miles away from neighbors and likely hours from a city. This lifestyle is not for the faint of heart—think pioneers who settled “out west”… well kind of. Now we have technology and helpful tips all over the internet, like the ones we found on homesteading.com. I’m going to share with you some of the tips that were new to me but I encourage you to check out their site to learn more about homesteading and living a self-sufficient lifestyle. You can find a link at the end of this blog.

Did you know that you could grow trees from twigs? Yeah, me neither! This will save you quite a bit of money because you aren’t having to purchase a tree nor take the time to drive to the farm/nursery to pick it up. It does take time but is super simple; all you need is a tree branch (the tree you want), a plastic bottle, knife, hammer, and some time. The instructions are easy to follow; find them here: https://homesteading.com/planting-trees-from-twigs/  I think I’ll personally try this and update the blog to let you know how it goes. 

Homesteader or not, I’m quite sure that if you ask anyone about their likes and dislikes associated with gardening they will be quick to let you know that they are not thrilled with having to weed. There have been lots of blogs written about which weed killers to use, how to make your own natural weed killer but truly the most “green” and least expensive option is to hand weed. Not to worry, the folks at homesteading.com help us out here too. They recommend starting in the spring because the weeds are smaller and have weaker roots plus the soil is wet which all adds up to making it easier to pull them out of the ground. You can also smoother the weeds and choke them out by spreading 3-4 inches of mulch over top of them. Of course, mulch can be purchased or you can create your own from wood chips, straw, leaves, pine needles or compost. Autumn is the best time to spread your mulch, this will free you from weeds come spring!

So far we have touched on maintaining your outdoor space but the part of homesteading that I think would intimidate me the most is being a distance from medical care or a drug store to pick up some Tylenol, if needed. But did you know that there are many natural remedies for everyday aches and pains? I’ve heard this before but, admittedly, have not tried any. Herbal tinctures act by pulling out the benefits of various herbs and concentrating them to have a greater impact for you and your health. It involves herbs, vodka and time; here are some instructions: https://homesteading.com/tincture-recipes-diy-herbal-tincture/

There are so many great tips and tricks for homesteaders and homeowners alike. I must say; however, I’m so impressed with the virtual community that seems to surround these homesteaders. I genuinely feel with enough courage, perseverance and access to the internet I could become a homesteader (if I could get a good pizza a few times a year). What about you? Would you want to give it a try?

Source: https://homesteading.com/self-sustaining-ideas-living-homesteaders-dream/

 

Tags: Green Living, Gardening, Outdoor Living, Home Maintenance