Hey folks! Wasn’t sure if this flair was better than gardening but here goes:

So I want to build a raised garden bed in my backyard, for various reasons but one being I’m a renter and I like repurposing/recycling/crafting etc.

My partner property manages at a school and they were getting rid of an old bookcase/cubby - I’m wondering if there’s anything I should do to the material to make it better/safer for planting in? It looks like it has a glossy varnish I’m wondering might need to be sanded off or if i should go the opposite direction and coat it in something more protective. I worry about things leaching into the soil

Any advice on garden bed construction and recycling material is appreciated ❣️

Where I live, relocating an animal that you have live trapped is illegal unless it’s staying on property you own.

It’s also illegal to use leg type (basically any traps that aren’t cage type) traps unless you also have a trapping license.

Even with a license it’s illegal to shoot a predator (outside of the season) just because it exists. But you can shoot it out of season if it’s ACTIVELY attacking your livestock.

Just be aware.

Crossposting this everywhere that might help**

Zone 5B.

Have a slope on a portion of my yard. Basically starts into a forest. We had tick problems so I cleaned the hill up real nice as it was mostly vines and weedy trees.

Transplanted many hostas there & they did alright, marigolds not so much(both are supposed to repel ticks).

It stays pretty dry without watering until we get big enough rain, in which case the yard at the bottom of the slope gets sopping wet.

I do plan on adding French drains on the slope, but what plants could I add in low sun/ dry soil conditions to absorb water?

I was rendering pork fat to make lard. I was doing it over night in a crock pot. When I got up this morning the crock pot was off and the half rendered pork was cold. Do you think it is any good ?

Just thought I'd share because I've never read a book like this. My son bought it for me for Christmas because he knows I'm a bit of a prepper. I don't have a bunker or anything but I do keep dozens of cans of food and essentials stowed away just in case. You never know with all the hurricanes, floods and other disasters over the past couple years when you might be stuck without food for awhile.

This cookbook has a bunch of recipes for meals that can be stored without refrigeration for months or even years. What I love about it though is the backstories behind every meal. It's like a history book and a cookbook had a baby.

For the past few weeks I've been making a bunch of them, some are a bit weird and some have been surprisingly tasty. My husband is probably getting sick of me making these weird concoctions in our kitchen but it's so interesting.

When you read about the meals our ancestors lived off it's hard not to want to try them just to experience it. I won't give away any spoilers but if you like history and survival meals and techniques then I would highly recommend this book.

I got my son to send me the link to the website where he got it, it's https://www.thelostsurvivalfoods.com/

What would be a "normal" count of daily power-ons of a home gas condensing boiler system? Or optimal cycle duration? Any ideas?

I have cattle panel fencing for trellises. I would like to cover them with film to start seeds in this year. Any suggestions on what or where to purchase something?

I recently set up a small collection system on a 7x8 greenhouse, and I’ve been pleased at how quickly my (2) 50 gallon barrels fill. I have these connected to a drip watering system for some garden beds. So now I’m looking at ways to expand this, but the cost of containers has shocked me. What are the most cost effective options that everyone has found for storing rainwater? Thanks

My fiance and I are looking to start a homestead next year. We live on 6 acers and want to start with chickens, rabbits and maybe a cow.

We are extremely interested in being able to sell off the extra meat we process and are willing to invest in any commercial equipment required for government inspections. I would just like to ask around what everyone else's experience has been like.

Much appreciated!

Lost one of my babies to a fox today, one of my two female pekins. We're new to a lot of this stuff, any suggestions for deterrent, traps, or bait for that last option?

Edit: I don't WANT to shoot anything y'all. That's why I said deterrent or trap as well, I'm looking for (hopefully) some creative solutions here because I'm looking for my best option. I'm sorry but throwing my hands up or locking my ducks away from their water for all time is NOT REALISTIC.

Between losing my dad, pregnancies, babies, moving to a new province etc it’s been a while since I’ve had a real garden. I had a small one last year for the first time since moving to our homestead a year and a half ago. This year I’m doing the real deal. The goal is enough for us (family of 4), and to sell some excess at our end of driveway farm stand.

A lot of it is also testing out varieties and trying to find ones that we like and that will grow here. What I used to grow in zone 8b 211 frost free days doesn’t exactly translate to zone 3a with 90-120 frost free days.

Still fine tuning but I think it’s mostly there. Toying with the ideas of doubling trellis area for peas combining with the med greens beds perhaps, but I’m not sure.

Also trying out some fodder ideas before we add pigs. Hence the large amounts of sunflower, squash, sugar and red mangel beets. Our current cows will appreciate as well :)

More details on the beds

Bed 1 3’x16’ Corn #1

Simonet (4, DS)

Bed 2 3’x15’ Peas #1

Norli (3” in row, DS)

Companions

-Mitsuba (4, DS, WS) 2’

-Mesclun Mix (4 or 9, DS, WS) 5’

-Parsley (4, DS, WS) 8’

Bed 3 3’x20’ Cabbage

Cabbages (1, SE, WS) hex pattern spaces 24” =30 cabbages

Aichi x7

Golden Acre x 8

Purple Savoy x 8

Mammoth Red Rock x7

Bed 4 3’x20’ Broccoli & Cauliflower

Broccoli (1, SE) 15/person

-All Season Blend x 12’

-Romanesco x3’

Cauliflower (1, DS) 3-5/person

-Majestic x5’

Bed 5 3’x20’ Medium Greens #1

Mustards (4, WS, DS)

-Mizuna x2’

-Choy Sum x6’

-Wasabina x2’

Rapini (4, DS) x5’

Swiss Chard (4, DS) 3-5/person x6’

Bed 6 3’x16’ Tomato #1

Stupice x3 (SE)

Ildi x3 (SE)

Bloody Butcher x3 (SE)

Companions:

Dill (1, DS)

-Fernleaf x 4’ for seed

-Dukat x 12’ for leaves

Bed 7 3’x15’ Tomato #2

Moskvich x3 (SE)

Gardener’s Delight x3 (SE)

Isis Candy x3 (SE)

Companions:

-Lettuce Winter Density (1, DS) x10’

-Collards (1, DS) x5’

Bed 8 3’x20’ Tomatillo & Eggplant

Eggplant, Casper, staked (1, SE) 1-3/person x4’

Tomatillos in cages(1 per 4 sqft… 2 offset rows spaced 24”… =16, SE)

-Toma Verde x5

-Amarylla x6

-Chupon de Malinalco x5

Bed 9 3’x20’ Peppers (Staked)

Ancho Poblano (1, SE) x2’

Hot Peppers, Mix (1, SE) 2/person x6’

Sweet Peppers (1, SE) 7/person

-Early California Wonder x2’

-Pimento x2’

-Cubanelle x2’

-Hungarian Banana x3’

-Apple x3’

Bed 10 3’x20’ Melons

2-3/person, 1 per 2’ row… 20 total, DS

Watermelon, Blacktail Mountain x5

French Chartonais x3

Green Nutmeg x3

Sweet Granite x3

Kajari x3

Prescot Fond Blanc x3

Bed 11 3’x16’ Tomato #3

Uluru Ochre x3 (SE)

Rebel Starfighter x3 (SE)

Orange Icicle x3 (SE)

Companions:

-Basil ( 4, SE, DS) x8’

-Cilantro ( 4, WS, DS) x8’

Bed 12 3’x15 Tomato #4

Cuore di Bue x3 (SE)

Orange Accordion x3 (SE)

Extra Tomatoes x 3 (SE)

Companions:

-Lettuce Red Romaine ( 4, DS) x10’

-Daikon (4, DS) x5’

Bed 13 3’x20’ Root Veg #1

Parsnip (9, DS) x8’

Turnip, Royal Crown (9, DS) 10-20/person x7’

Beets, Cylindra (9, DS) 20-30/person x5’

Bed 14 3’x20’ Large Greens

Kale (1, DS) 40/person

-Lacinato x2’

-Red Russian x2’

-Scarlet x2’

-White Russian x2’

-Vates Blue Curled 2’

Amaranth (1, DS) x 10’

Bed 15 3’x20’ Root Veg #2

Carrots (16, DS)

-Danvers x5’

-Rainbow Mix x5’

Salsify (9 or 16, DS) x5’

Radish (16, DS) 20-30/person x5’ (plant 1’/week & rotate)

Bed 16 3’x16’ Cucumbers

9-12” in row on cattle panel = 20 cucumber plants, SE, DS early June

-Beit Alpha x 10

-Early Fortune x 10

Companions

-Bunching onions (16, DS) x whatever short multiplier onions

-Multiplier Onions (9 or 16, DS) x10’

-Parsley Root (9, DS) x 6’

Bed 17 3’x15’ Peas #2

Early Podded Snow (DS)

Companions

-Spinach (9, DS) x15’

Bed 18 3’x20’ Pole Beans (DS)

-Blue Lake x 10’

-Hilda Romano x10’

-Kentucky Wonder Wax x10’

-Red Noodle x10’

Bed 19 3’x20’ Medium Greens #1

Chrysanthemum ( 4, DS) x5’

Pac Choi (4, DS) x3’

Kohlrabi (4, DS) x5’

Fava Bean (4, DS) x7’

Bed 20 3’x20’ Corn #2

Blue Jade (4, DS)

I was in a hurry and accidentally bought "pine straw" (which is just pine needles) instead of regular straw for my mushroom bed. I've heard that oyster mushrooms are the most forgiving, has anyone grown any in pine needles or a mix of wood chips/pine needles? I did lasagna method with these 2 things and hemp bedding on top.

Hey everyone,

I’m planning to buy a large piece of land for homesteading and hunting, primarily on my own property but also on public land when possible. My goal is to manage the habitat for small game—squirrels, rabbits, pheasants, quail, doves, and pigeons—while also growing my own food and working toward a self-sufficient lifestyle. I’ll be implementing timber stand improvements, food plots, and prescribed burns to attract and support wildlife.

Since legal cannabis cultivation is part of my plans,not for sale for my glaucoma , I’m mainly considering: • Washington • Oregon • Colorado • Missouri • Vermont

I’ll also hunt large game (like deer), but I believe managing for those will be more straightforward with well-placed food plots. My main concern is which state would provide the best opportunities for hunting small game (both on my own land after good habitat management and on public land)?

For those of you with experience in these states, which one would allow me to attract and sustain the most small game with proper land management? And how do these states compare for public land small game hunting? Are there certain regions in these states that are better for this kind of setup?

I’d really appreciate any advice from hunters, landowners, or homesteaders in these areas. Thanks in advance!

Hypothetically, your homestead has pigs, ducks, chickens, a few cows, goats and sheep. Let's say you wanted to do rotational grazing, with one animal following after the other to improve soil quality for gardening and manage parasites/pathogens. In what order would you rotate your animals, and/or which order would you NOT do?

We have a lovely skunk, who has burrowed to take residence under our front porch. It is not scared of us our the cats. We do have chickens, and I am used to trapping all other predators and visitors. I called a pest removal service who wanted (understandably?) $750 to trap and remove the skunk, with no guarantees. Online advice says to throw a blanket over a trapped skunk to relocate it. No thank you to both. All statistics suggest trapping and/or shooting the skunk will result in it spraying. Is there a better solution to remove this skunk beyond trapping it away from my home, shooting it and risking the spray?

EDIT
This thread is awesome! Thanks for your expertise, ideas and a couple lols ..I will wrap/cover the cage, tie a rope to it, bait with peanut butter, xanax and catfood, place it near the den opening, and dispose of skunky with baited breath .cheers

I have 3 Nigerian dwarf goats. They have a very nice shelter and attached round pen. We take them out daily for a grazing walk, but they spend a lot of time in their shelter and pen. How is the best way to clean up the pen's formally grassy ground? It's very snowy right now so I'll probably have to wait until the thaw.

https://preview.redd.it/ayb7abxpgcge1.jpg?width=678&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7f956acc82f91af15a52cc49e55cf3fd8893f690

for heating, do you use: Solid fuel, gas, oil, heat pump or electric resistance element?

indoor temperature(s)?

delta? (indoor temp minus outdoor temp)

is your temperature constant? is it controlled with a thermostat - what is it's technology level?

I lived 17 years at my parents house. natural gas furnace, central air system, on thermostat. bought my first house at 23; central gas furnace w/ thermostat. lived there 20 years, sold that house, then built a custom house.

new house:

1500sqft. open floorplan, 3b2ba, remote Master Suite. we heat with woodstoves. we have 3. one in the Great Room, one in the kitchen & one in the bedroom.

the Great Room is our primary, we fire it 24/7. the Master is used most nights. the wood kitchen cookstove is used the least.

it is possible to keep our house around 21° to 24° when we are awake & indoors to tend & see the wall mouted thermometer. shortly after a reload, it can often soar to 28°. in early morning it is often down to 16° before the reload lights.

there are ceiling fans in every room & we have one "tower fan" that we use to encourage air into the two spare bedrooms & the guest bath.

We have 2X 12,000 BTU Mini-split units for cooling. one in the Great Room & one in the Master. we only use them in the hot seasons.

Sorry if this isnt the right group to ask in, if anyone can suggest an appropriate group please say.

Got this fox fur coat from a relative that recently died. It is definitely real fur etc etc, just a question about why there are gaps where more fur could go? Particularly on the arms.

What is the least acre for self sufficient, I don't mind eating the same food, if I wanted to homestead, I need the least area to work with, is it possible, do I actually need a partner or someone to help me

Does anyone have a recommendation for a gas or propane hot water heater that doesn’t require electricity?

We are in a tropical climate and off grid.