Several years ago, we successfully grew shiitake mushrooms using oak logs. Ironwood is also used to grow these mushrooms, so 2 years ago...

We are at the mid-point of closing down the garden for winter. We are spreading a giant piles of woodchips across the beds, mucking out...

We are in the midst of mite treatment for our three beehives, so it seems like a good time to summarize our 2024 honey season. To start,...

Last week, we harvested our garlic. We succession-plant bush beans, which was one of this weekend's tasks. The variety we plant mature in...

The average precipitation for Richland County is about 5 inches. Last summer, we were lucky to have gotten an inch of rain in June, and...

I walked all the way around the hay field and checked out all of the tried and true black cap plants near our house. This is all that I...

Ever since I was a kid, I loved to collect things. Bottle caps, rocks, beer cans, were all fair game. As an adult, my collecting became...

We have an area no larger than an acre near our house and the road. The soil in this area is very sandy and there are "lots" of pine...

We are always on the hunt for local open houses and events, to learn more about small-scale agriculture in the Driftless Area. I recently...

Walking our front pasture this past Saturday afternoon with Ed was glorious. The weather was almost spring like, it was bright and...

Since we first started our homesteading adventure, we have given each year a theme. While work overlaps from year to year, we find that...

With the year winding down, it is time to take stock and review. I enjoy thinking back on each year. I find my memory is not as good as...

Every year, it seems like a race to complete projects before winter settles in. Despite a couple of cold spells, our autumn was mild....

Our two new barn cats, Smudge and Maple, were released from their training crate a couple of months ago, and they have quickly found...

As we approach August, we are starting to count the days until we try and extract honey from our hives. I opened each of our three hives...

This weekend, I was finally able to find time to clear the trees that had fallen across the trails in our woods. I had wanted to get this...

With maple syrup season finally in the rear-view mirror, it's time to turn our attention to our chicken project. Maggie has assembled a...

The past couple of weeks, Maggie and I have been enjoying some relaxation and continuing education. Two weeks ago we made our annual...

When winter comes to the country, things slow down. In the city, a lot of effort and money are spent in overcoming the roadblocks the...

Two summers ago, I dug up a little tiny baby red bud plant from our Milwaukee area home to bring to the property. Our Milwaukee neighbor...