Get out your shears. It’s time to prune. Deciduous shrubs like lilac and forsythia that flower in the spring will need pruning depending on their …
VIDEO: It’s lambing season and it’s so easy a kid can do it!
Watch three-year old Lily “pull” a lamb, her second of the season.
futureHAUS – pre-fab housing that’s super smart
As part of an international challenge Virginia Tech’s FutureHAUS research proposes an alternative to conventional construction: a pre-fab delivery method …
How about a ‘Grannypod’ instead of a nursing home?
We all know how expensive nursing homes can be, often running into five figures each month. And it’s not just …
Fascinating ancient Celtic tip on creating a straight hedge
Hi, Kelly here. I hail from a small celtic island where everything had to be created from locally available materials until the …
VIDEO: The difference between a face cord and a cord of firewood
The word cord probably comes from the amount of cord or string it takes to tie this bundle of wood. …
What do you think about a home you can move when you do?
The kind of person who moves into a dumpster to investigate sustainable living is sure to know a thing …
Poison ivy? Get a goat!
Skip the lawnmower and herbicides! What you need are some goats to clean up poison ivy and poison oak. Save …
Dome Sweet Homes – Check ’em out
They’re super strong and long-lasting. They are energy efficient and virtually disaster-proof. They’re cheap to make and some can be …
VIDEO: How to shear a sheep
Thinking about keeping sheep? Remember you’re going to have to shear it, not just for the fleece, but to keep flies …
Tiny home is modern housing alternative
Kristopher Angstadt grew up hunting and fishing in bucolic backwoods sprinkled with tiny, tucked-away cabins. These little living quarters, set in …
Best Tree Choices To Plant In Fall Season
Shorter days and longer nights mean it’s the perfect time to plan for next spring. Trees, especially, thrive when put …
Homeowners Battle to Stop City Taking Their Homes
The Squirrel says: You NEVER know what’s going to bite you. Sometimes, the things you take most for granted, like the …
How to Benefit Horses Through Rotational Grazing
How to Benefit Horses Through Rotational Grazing Rotational grazing, also referred to as planned grazing, is an excellent way to …
Understanding your water rights
Follow these guidelines when talking to the local water authorities or realtors Does “First in Time, First in Right” apply …
How to pick a lock
I’ve always meant to get around to learning how to pick a lock. I usually use a credit card or …
Squirrels in the attic? Don’t relocate them yourself, and other humane wildlife-removal tips
The Self-Reliance Central logo and patronus is our canny squirrel. So we liked this story and the advice on how to banish …
Five tips for growing and selling marijuana like a pro – from a university instructor
The UK Guardian Web – Advice for Canadians. (US citizens living in areas where the farming of marijuana for medical …
How to split a 26,000-pound block of granite with a two-pound hammer
“We’re building buildings in here like it’s the 19th century. Around here they built the foundations with granite. And where …
Shipping Containers – The Home of the Future?
Housing issues are everywhere. We have massive problems in cities like LA and New York where property is expensive and …
Portland tiny house made of reclaimed refrigerator panels
By Janet Eastman, The Oregonian, Portland, Ore. With all the talk about tiny houses, in a nutshell it comes down …
Fear of frost? Tips to keep your garden growing through fall’s chill
(BPT) – As summer winds down and frost threatens, even avid gardeners may be tempted to pack up their trowels …
7 Safety Tips to prepare your family for the unexpected
MISSION, KS — When weather or other unforeseen circumstances cause a power outage, a portable generator may be the perfect solution. …
Do you qualify? Will the government help to repair or improve your home?
Want to add an addition onto your home? Renovate your bathroom or basement? Learn about programs to help pay for …
Heads up! These mice droppings can kill you
You probably didn’t know it but deer mice, cotton and rice rats and white-footed mice carry the potentially deadly Hantavirus. …
THIS MEANS WAR
This story comes from Texas but it’s relevant everywhere there are mosquitos. Read down for the red-highlighted sections that apply …
A small Iowa town embraces energy independence
In late March, the Rocky Mountain Institute hosted the second annual eLab Accelerator. Described as a bootcamp for electricity innovation, the …
This plant shows where diamonds lie!
Geologists looking for diamonds in the diamond-bearing kimberlite dikes (fissures) of Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia have identified the presence of an unusual …
How to split hostas
It’s that time of year. Many gardeners need to hack back the hostas and spread them around the yard. So …
Save money and enjoy peace of mind when you turn your house into a nursing home
One of the benefits of modern society is the convenience of elderly care. But nursing home bills can also really …