Everything Else for the Green Homestead

If a homesteading article doesn’t fit nicely into one of the other category, it ends up here. As the collection of articles grows, new subcategories will eventually emerge. If one of your favorite articles disappears, don’t worry it is probably residing under a new heading. One theme of this category is simple living or the more dramatic term voluntary poverty. The decision to become a modern homesteader didn’t happen over night; it wasn’t that long ago that I ‘needed’ a sporty new car, nice house, and the latest gadgets. It hurts at first to give up impulse purchases and the random junk a person tends to buy when they are in a mega retailer. Don’t tell me I am the only one who has bought something ‘because I really needed it’ and then left the new purchase in the trunk for several weeks before I realized what I had done. Really think about each purchase and think can I live without it? You will have money to purchase land for your new homestead before you know it. If you would like to submit a random homesteading or living simply article, please share it with us!

	Harvesting Rainwater with Rain Barrels - According to the University of Rhode Island, using rain barrels can save a single household up to 1,300 gallons of water each summer. While you can't drink the water -- at least without first filtering it -- it can be used for almost anything else. Few measures so simple can make such a dramatic contribution towards a sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle.
	Making Candles with Unrefined Beeswax - Despite thousands of years of technological advancement, beeswax remains among the best candle making materials. You can find purified beeswax sheets and pellets in most craft stores, but with a little extra work and a lot less money, you can make your own candles from unrefined beeswax.
	Historical and Modern Homesteading - Homesteading, or living off the land, will never be seen as a particularly modern lifestyle. However, it is interesting to note that homesteading -- as it's thought of today -- is a relatively new practice that has greatly evolved over the past several decades.
	Washing Clothes by Hand - There are quite a few tools available to make washing clothes by hand a little easier, but the only things you absolutely must have are plenty of water, a large container, some kind of soap or detergent, and a clothes line or drying rack.
	Making Soap From Goat Milk - Goat milk soap is sometimes thought of as gimmicky, but it's popular for good reason. Goat milk contains three times as much beta-casein (a type of protein) as cow's milk does, which along with the butterfat content, moisturizes and conditions skin. It's also rich in Vitamin E and fatty acids, both of which nourish the skin and keep it healthy.
	How to Make Lye from Wood Ash - Largely forgotten by the modern world, lye is still important to those interested in self sufficiency. The modern world wouldn’t be the same without lye either; oven cleaner, drain opener, and biodiesel production all use lye.
	Cooking and Heating With a Wood Stove - Wood stoves have been used for centuries as an economical method to heat homes and cook meals. However, they do have several limitations that must be carefully considered before making the decision to move to wood-fueled cooking and heating.
	Knitting With Organic Yarn - This centuries-old craft is a form of quiet entertainment that doesn't rely on electricity or technology. But due to methods used to process yarn and dyes, it doesn't always fall into the eco-friendly category. However, with the growing emphasis on sustainable practices, more and more organic yarns are becoming available.
	Want to be on Television? - Are you trading in your cul-de-sac for a cabin? A prominent television production company is developing a series profiling families opting to trade in status quo lifestyles for something more intentional and meaningful.
	Environmentally Friendly Green Clothing - Isn’t it time to couple growing social consciousness, available natural materials, and modern technology to produce green garments that look and feel good without depleting our natural resources or polluting our environment?