Start Here
Hey! Whether you’re a new visitor or a familiar face, perhaps you’d like a quick run-down of what you can expect to find here at Homestead and Chill, and even better – how to easily find it!
To browse by topic, check out the main menus and sub-categories. For example under the “Food & Ferment” drop-down, you can find an entire “Sourdough” section – with articles on how to start your own sourdough starter from scratch, or make a simple loaf of bread. Or, the “How to Grow” section of the Garden menu for instructions on how to grow carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, figs, turmeric, and more.
Not feeling up to hunting through the menus? Below is a list of our top articles – all in one place, organized by subject! Simply click on any of the links and dive in.
If you’re interested in gardening, you’re going to love this free Homestead and Chill Garden Planning Toolkit (click to get your 22-page garden planner via email). It has a companion planting chart, growing tips, and planting calendars for every hardiness zone! Finally, if you’re curious to see our favorite garden and kitchen tools used to keep this little modern homestead running, pop by our Amazon Storefront to browse by category – such as compost, kombucha, books, chickens, and more.
Above all, thank you so much for being here!
Top Seed-Starting Guides
- 12 Places to Buy Organic, Heirloom & Non-GMO Garden Seeds
- Seed Starting 101: How to Start Seeds Indoors
- How & Why to Feed Seedlings with Seaweed Extract
- A Beginner’s Guide to Using a Hobby Greenhouse
- The Best Way to Organize & Store Your Garden Seed Packs
Top Garden Bed, Soil & Compost Articles
- How to Kill or Remove Your Grass (Grow Food Not Lawns!)
- How to Design & Build A Raised Garden Bed
- How to Fill a Raised Garden Bed: Build the Perfect Organic Soil
- How to Amend & Prepare Garden Bed Soil: Before Planting or Between Seasons
- Composting 101: What, Why & How to Compost at Home
- Vermicomposting 101: How to Create & Maintain a Simple Worm Bin
- Garden Irrigation Solutions: DIY, Efficient, and Toxin-Free Watering
- Make Actively Aerated Compost Tea to Feed Your Garden
Top Natural Health Tutorials
- How & Why to Make Fire Cider for Immune Health
- Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe
- How to Make Calendula Oil, Plus 8 Ways to Use It
- Homemade Lemon Vinegar Cleaning Spray: Natural, Non-Toxic & Effective
- How to Make a Homemade Rice Heating Pad (or Cold Pack) Tutorial
Most Popular Sourdough Articles
- How to Make Your Own Sourdough Starter from Scratch
- How to Feed, Maintain & Store a Sourdough Starter
- Simple No-Knead Sourdough Bread Recipe
- Sourdough Crackers Recipe: How to Use Discarded Sourdough Starter
- Simple Sourdough Focaccia Bread Recipe
On Building A Homestead
- How to Start Homestead: 9 Must-Read Tips for New Homesteaders
- How to Start a Garden 101
- How to Choose the Best Fruit or Ornamental Tree for Your Garden: Climate, Varieties, & More
- How to Plant a Tree: Best Practices
- What to Expect When You’re Expecting: Backyard Chickens 101
- How to Design & Build a Raised Garden Bed
- A Beginner’s Guide to Using a Hobby Greenhouse
- Rainwater Collection Systems 101 & FAQs
Top Flower & Pollinator Posts
- Top 23 Plants for Pollinators: Attract Bees, Butterflies & Hummingbirds
- 7 Best Easy Annual Companion Flowers to Grow From Seed
- All About Calendula: How to Grow, Harvest, Dry & Use Calendula Flowers
- How to Turn Your Yard or Garden into a Certified Wildlife Habitat
- All About Monarchs: How to Attract, Raise & Release Monarch Butterflies
Top Vegetarian/Vegan Recipes
- Vegan Roasted Sugar Pie Pumpkin 3-Bean Chili
- Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash & Sage Soup
- Easy Parmesan Zucchini Fritters with Healthy Yogurt Dill Sauce
- Quinoa & Black Bean Homemade Veggie Burger Patties
- Sweet Potato, Apple & Fresh Cranberry Bake with Walnuts
Top Cannabis Articles
- How to Grow Cannabis, Organically: Soil, Seeds, Containers & Care
- How to Feed Cannabis Organically: Top-Dressings, Teas & More
- How to Harvest, Trim, Dry, Cure, and Store Homegrown Cannabis
- Organic Cannabis Pest Control: How to Keep the Bugs Off Your Nugs
- What You Need to Know About Vaporizing Cannabis: Science, Safety, Quality & Technology
Top Garden-to-Table & Preservation Recipes
- Freeze: Simple Roasted Tomato Sauce, The Besto Pesto (parmesan, walnut, lemon basil pesto), Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde, or Roasted Onions
- Dehydrate: Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Chili Powder, Lemon Peel Powder, and Cinnamon Apple Chips (or chewy rings)
- Ferment: Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar, Dilly Radishes, Carrot Pickles, Homemade Sauerkraut, and Sweet & Spicy Hot Pepper Sauce Recipe
Top Chicken Articles
- What to Expect When You’re Expecting: Backyard Chickens 101
- Backyard Chickens: The Top 18 Breeds Breeds for Your Backyard Flock
- 10 Tips on Caring for Chickens During Cold Winter Weather
- Baby Chick Care 101: Brooders, Butts & Beyond
- How to Take Care of Molting Chickens
- Keeping Chickens Cool & Safe in Hot Summer Weather (or Heat Waves)
Top Pest Control Articles
- Identify the Top 18 Garden Pests & Beneficial Insects
- Over 25 Ways to Stop Pests from Destroying Your Garden
- How to Properly Emulsify Neem Oil & Make a Safe Garden Pest Spray
- Homemade Organic Soap Spray Recipe: Kill Aphids, Mealybugs, & Other Pest Insects
- Organic Aphid Control: 9 Ways to Get Rid of Aphids
- 8 Organic Ways to Get Rid of Cabbage Worms & Cabbage Moths
Other Key Sections
Also be sure to check out the Kombucha section, along with our music playlists – that you can enjoy here on the blog, on YouTube, or via Spotify.
Enjoy! I hope you found what you were looking for – and then some.
