Why Growing Bees Is Easier Than You Think Might Be

What if I told you that one of the most powerful allies in your garden doesn’t come from a seed packet, but has wings? 🐝 Most people assume beekeeping is complicated, expensive, or only for seasoned homesteaders. But the truth might surprise you. Growing bees (yes, growing them) is far easier than you think, and the benefits go way beyond honey.

As homesteaders, we have all thought about having a beehive in our yard to enjoy fresh local honey while boosting pollination. But just when we’re about to dive in, a swarm of myths tends to cloud the way…

Let’s debunk all of these common misconceptions right now.

Breaking the Myths Revolving Around Beekeeping

Beekeeping is an exciting endeavor, however, it is still surrounded by several common myths such as:

Beekeeping Can Harm Bees

Many people do believe that beehives can disrupt the natural lives of bees. The reality is that beekeeping can actually support and strengthen bee populations. When done responsibly, this practice can provide bees with a safe environment to thrive. And this is the reason beekeepers often raise bees in areas where they are getting extinct due to pesticide use or habitat loss.

Bees Are Aggressive

Let’s be honest, growing up, we all have feared honey bees because of their aggressive nature. However, in reality, bees are docile and will never sting when unprovoked. Beekeepers, for this reason, use calm and slow movements when handling hives so the bees won’t feel threatened around them.

Beekeeping Is Not Beginner Friendly

Another myth about beekeeping is that it requires too much hard work. If you’re just starting, let me just tell you, beekeeping is the most beginner-friendly project you can work on. Why? Because bees are self-sufficient. They can get themselves food and build their combs. As a beekeeper, your only role would be to inspect occasionally and ensure favorable circumstances.

It Is Expensive to Raise Bees

Beekeeping can absolutely be started on a budget. While some equipment may seem expensive, there are plenty of affordable and DIY alternatives for beginners. Even if the initial setup costs a bit more, remember—a healthy hive is largely self-sustaining, requiring minimal maintenance.

How Can Growing Bees Reward Backyard Gardeners?

When you have beehives in your yard, expect them to gift your space with:

Enhanced Biodiversity

Bees can help in supporting plant diversity and local wildlife in your backyard. Wherever they reside, they ensure to attract other beneficial pollinators, which in turn encourages the growth of plants in the surrounding area.

Increased Pollination

When you have beehives on your homestead, expect everything to be green, thriving, and lively. The thing about bees is that they are natural pollination experts. As they buzz from one flower to another, they fertilize your plants and prepare them to produce healthier yields, juicier fruits, and bright blooms, all thanks to the bees.

Readily Available Organic Honey

One of the obvious reasons we all want to have beehives in our backyard is the perks of having fresh organic honey. Let’s be real, store-bought honey has lost all its charm. It is often processed and loaded with artificial flavors. In contrast, honey from your garden is flavorful, pure, and has all the natural goodness you simply can’t find on a supermarket shelf.

The Hidden Healing Power of Your Backyard Hive

Beyond the taste, raw honey has been used for generations as a natural remedy. It can soothe sore throats, ease coughs, help with seasonal allergies, and even speed up the healing of minor cuts and burns thanks to its antimicrobial properties. When you keep bees, you’re basically stocking your very own healing cabinet.

And if you go a step further, your hives will also provide beeswax and propolis. These two ingredients are staples in old-time salves, balms and tinctures, used for everything from chapped skin to boosting immunity. Having a beehive isn’t just about pollination or honey, it’s about reviving a self-sufficient way of living that’s hard to come by these days.

Here are just a few time-tested remedies you can create with ingredients straight from your hive:

🩸Heavy Metal Detoxifier – flushes out mercury, aluminum, and lead from your bloodstream using safe, herbal chelators

🦠Nature’s Amoxicillin – a plant-based antibacterial formula to help fight infections and boost immunity

🌿Herbal Parasite Flush – a powerful three-ingredient recipe to eliminate worms and cleanse your gut

🧬White Cell Boosting Juice – a raw blend of immune-supportive fruits and honey to help the body fight back.

👌“Better Than Collagen” Elixir – A mineral-rich blend said to support skin, nails, and joint health.

🔥Amish Fire Cider – A tonic made with raw honey, garlic, vinegar, and hot peppers to clear sinuses and boost circulation.

🌙Moon Milk – A honey-sweetened bedtime drink known to promote deeper, more restful sleep

🍯Antiviral Herbal Honey – Infused with immune-boosting herbs to help ward off seasonal bugs.

🐝Honey Lemon Ginger Cough Drops – A soothing classic that calms the throat, clears congestion, and supports immunity.

All of these recipes, and many more, can be found inside Nicole Apelian’s Forgotten Home Apothecary, where she  brings back the powerful, plant-based healing traditions our grandparents once relied on.

You’ll learn exactly how to make your own tinctures, capsules, oils, teas, salves, elixirs, syrups, and poultices from plants you can find growing around you — or already in your kitchen.

How to Attract Bees on Your Homestead

Don’t worry, you can have beehives on your farmstead too. You only need to:

Plant as Many Flowers as You Can

The most fun and easiest way to attract bees into your garden is by planting a variety of attractive blooms. Especially the bright colored ones, as the bees are die-hard fans of them. Consider planting these plants at various locations across your garden and choose blooms that can thrive at different times of the year. This way, your bees will have a consistent food source all the time.

Provide Safe Shelter and Drinking Water

Bees are all up for a space that feels safe, secure, and away from the hustle and bustle of the weather. To invite them into your garden, offer them shelter in a shaded place. You can also bring bee houses and have them installed in your backyard. Don’t forget fresh drinking water too–a clay pot with water and some stones would work the best.

Ensure a Pest-Free Environment

Bees, most importantly, honeybees avoid spaces that have pest infestations. First of all, ensure your backyard is free of harmful insects. Secondly, regularly inspect beehives for signs of pest invasions to take action timely. Additionally, keep your backyard clean and avoid using unnecessary chemicals nearby to create a safe and welcoming environment for your bees.

Related: What Happens If You Place A Beehive In Your Backyard https://selfsufficientprojects.com/what-happens-if-you-place-a-beehive-in-your-backyard/

A Forgotten Amish Trick to Attract Pollinators 

The Amish have long used honey not just for flavor, but as a practical preservative. Before refrigeration was common, they often coated cured or smoked meats in honey to create a natural barrier against moisture and bacteria. Honey’s antimicrobial properties help slow down spoilage, especially when combined with drying or smoking. In some communities, a thick honey glaze would be brushed over hams or sausages before storing them in a cool, dry cellar – an old-world method that still works wonders today.

A few hives in the backyard meant a steady supply of honey, beeswax, and even propolis, which they also used for everything, from wound care to waterproofing.

While most folks focus on planting flowers and keeping things pesticide-free, I recently stumbled across an old Amish method for drawing in pollinators, all while keeping pests away. It’s unlike anything I’ve tried before.

They’ve been using it for generations, and it works so well that their gardens practically hum with life, even when surrounding areas struggle with pollination. It’s simple, subtle, and surprisingly effective.

I won’t spill all the details here, but if you’re curious about what the Amish do differently, there’s a place you can find out. Just email me.

Things to Avoid When Beekeeping

Beekeeping is straightforward, it doesn’t require any rocket science. Nevertheless, like any homesteading project, there are a few things you need to avoid to have your beehive thrive the best. Some common mistakes to steer clear of are:

Harvesting Honey Too Soon: Unless honey is harvested within the proper time, it will later ferment or become spoiled completely. Always try to wait until cells get fully capped. This implies bees have cured the honey well, and the water content is reduced.

Forgetting New Colonies: Although bees are independent, new colonies need to be assisted in settling down, particularly within their first year. Keep an eye on food supplies, colony size, and hive temperature to establish a successful foundation that will be able to sustain itself in the future.

Not Verifying the Status of the Queen: Your queen is the focal point of your hive, and her health is paramount for productivity. If she is damaged, lost, or weakened, your colony will quickly disintegrate. Look for evidence of her daily presence by inspecting for eggs or larvae, even if you cannot always locate her personally.

Related: 10 Long-Lasting Foods You Can Make From Honey https://selfsufficientprojects.com/10-long-lasting-foods-you-can-make-from-honey/

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, this guide has busted all those myths that tell you that bee raising is hard on your homestead. The truth is, beekeeping is low maintenance, easy, and does not entail you purchasing any high-tech equipment. With a bit of love, care, and patience, you will be able to foster a healthy and thriving ecosystem in your backyard.

So, get your sleeves rolled up and start getting your garden ready to welcome nature’s most vital pollinators. Your plants and crops will thank you for it.

How has your experience been with these awesome little pollinators let me know below!

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Manage Serious Wounds With Household Items

I was using a knife outside and it slipped while I was trying to cut some insulation on a wire. One misjudged strike, and the blade glanced off , biting deep into my shin. Blood was oozing out  within seconds.

Alone, with the nearest hospital two hours down washed-out backroads, I cradled my hand wrapped in my t-shirt I took off in haste to the porch, cursing my carelessness.

I yanked off my t shirt, tied it above the wound, and hobbled to the kitchen. Raw apple cider vinegar stung like fire but cleaned it.

A glob of honey smothered the gash, and a strip of boiled cotton held it all. Three days later: no infection. Just a scar and a lesson. Panic won’t save you. Ingenuity might.

Household Items for Treating Wounds

Let’s cut through the noise. Here’s what works, tested through trial, error, and necessity:

🧂Clean Water & Salt

Clean water is your first weapon. I keep a designated stainless-steel pot in my barn for boiling water during emergencies.

Mix in non-iodized salt (1 teaspoon per 2 cups of water) to create a saline solution that rivals store-bought antiseptics.

After slicing my thumb open sharpening a knife, I soaked the cut twice daily. Salt’s osmotic pull yanks bacteria from tissue, and the wound closed clean despite grimy conditions.

🌿Natural Amoxicillin

Clean water and salt can work wonders. I’ve used that combo plenty of times to keep a wound clean and infection-free. But when the skin starts turning red, hot, and tight, I would rather use something that the Amish call their “natural amoxicillin ”

It’s not a pill, and it doesn’t come from the drugstore. But this old remedy hits harder than anything I’ve found off the shelf. 

What it does:

• Slams the brakes on infection before it gets a foothold
• Drains swelling and calms down angry skin fast
• Kicks your immune system into gear like it’s on a mission
• Doesn’t just treat the surface - it goes deep where it counts

I’ve used it when a cut looked like it might seriously go sideways, and here’s how my experience went:

• Pain started fading almost immediately
• The swelling didn’t just ease up - it melted away within hours
• By next day, the redness was gone

- Saline is step one. This 3-ingredients recipe is what I use when I need to end the fight before it even begins.

🍯Raw Honey

Its enzymes generate hydrogen peroxide, killing bacteria without harming healing tissue. Key detail: Processed honey is heat-treated, destroying its medicinal enzymes. Always use raw.Its enzymes generate hydrogen peroxide, killing bacteria without harming healing tissue. Key detail: Processed honey is heat-treated, destroying its medicinal enzymes. Always use raw.

🍵Black Tea Bags

Tannins in black tea act like nature’s clotting agent. Soak a tea bag in hot water, let it cool, and press firmly on a bleeding cut.

Green tea works, but black tea’s higher tannin content packs more punch.

🌱Dried Yarrow Powder

When bleeding won’t quit or you need something that does more than just soak it up, reach for this homemade stop-bleeding yarrow powder.

It’s not flashy. It doesn’t sting. And it works faster than most people expect.

What I’ve seen it do:

• Stopped bleeding in seconds, even when pressure alone wasn’t cutting it
• Calms angry, swollen skin like flipping a switch
• Keeps infection at bay with natural antimicrobial power

- Helps damaged skin knit itself back together and supports tissue repair so healing kicks in right away.

The first time I used it was on a knuckle I sliced wide open while fixing a fence. Blood wouldn’t stop, and it wasn’t in a spot I could easily bandage. Sprinkled on some on this powder, held it for a minute, and just like that the bleeding slowed, then completely stopped. The next day, it already looked better than I expected.

I keep a jar in my kit, right next to the stuff I used to think I needed.

Activated Charcoal

Food-grade charcoal binds toxins in bites or infected wounds. When a dog in our hunting group was bitten by a non-venomous snake, we mixed charcoal powder with water into a paste, slathered it over the punctures, and wrapped the leg. It bought us three hours to reach a vet.

Warning: Never use charcoal on burns or open wounds—particles can embed in tissue.

🧴Superglue

Cyanoacrylate is a last-resort wound sealer for shallow, clean cuts. Use only on superficial wounds, avoid mucous membranes, and never glue dirty or infected cuts. Medical-grade glue (Dermabond) is safer, but superglue works in a pinch.

The Amish also have their own take on this wound sealing method, and it’s not something you’ll find in a hardware aisle.

They’ve been making their own version of medical superglue for generations. It’s not synthetic, but it holds just as well, and comes with natural compounds that don’t just seal the wound. They help heal it, too. The first time I saw it, someone had split their palm wide open working in the barn. Instead of reaching for a bandage, they dabbed this dark, sap-like glue across the cut.

Within seconds, the wound was sealed tight. The next morning, the skin around it already looked calm and clean. Learn the full step-by-step recipe here.

Step-by-Step Wound Management Process

Start by asking two questions:

Is this bleeding lethal? and What’s inside the wound?

For punctures, like when your dog steps on a thorn. Soak the paw in warm saline for 10 minutes to draw out infection.

Never skip this step, even under pressure.

Once the wound’s clean, apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment. If you don’t have any other options on hand, you could use Neosporin or another store-bought ointment, but it’s not always the best long-term solution. Most store-bought ointments contain a mix of antibiotics like neomycin and polymyxin B. While they can help prevent infection, overusing them can lead to antibiotic resistance, something that’s actually becoming more common than most people realize.

Some even have allergic reactions to ingredients like these, causing redness, itching or delayed healing.

And then there’s the petroleum jelly base, which is essentially a byproduct of the oil industry. It doesn’t actually nourish or support the healing process. It just sits there.

So why not make your own DIY antibiotic salve that works even better than most store-bought products, all without the harmful lab-made chemicals?

Not only does it give you full control over what goes on your skin, but it also supports your body’s natural healing process more effectively.

It’s simple to make, and the results often surprise those who try it. The best part? It can outperform store-bought options, all while being free from the unnecessary additives and chemicals you don’t want in your body. And you can find the exact recipe I use right here.

Match the remedy to the wound. For burns, slather honey thick as frosting. Its stickiness seals out bacteria.

For deep cuts, mix aloe gel and honey (50/50) to speed healing.

Bleeding? Press a cooled black tea bag directly on the wound. Tannins act like nature’s clotting agent.

Staying Safe on the Homestead and Beyond

Keep wounds clean. Know when to escalate. And never let pride override reason.

Teach every family member how to mix saline, stop bleeding, and apply pressure.

Stay sharp. Stay stocked. Stay alive. Your homestead depends on you.

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The Best Guard Animals for Your Homestead

There’s a description of dogs that protect livestock. They’re called “guardian” dogs. They protect poultry like chickens and ducks and even more timid livestock like sheep, goats and suckling pigs. The primary predators fall in a range from coyotes to foxes to raccoons and even wolves. The dog’s bond with the livestock and deter predators and defend their flocks. The question is, are there alternative guardians? The answer is yes, with some conditions.

Alternative Guardians

The definition of a guardian is an animal that will confront a predator or at least pose an ominous threat to an attack. Some of these guardians can also offer a degree of security around a homestead. Not so much because they have the intimidating bark or the teeth of a dog, but because they make a lot of noise when an intruder approaches. They won’t necessarily attack, but you’ll sure know something is approaching. Here are the animals often identified as alternative guardians to dogs.

Donkeys

Donkeys come in all sizes, down to miniature donkeys. It’s recommended that a guardian donkey be standard size or larger. All have highly territorial instincts and are naturally hostile to foxes, coyotes, bobcats and even stray dogs.

Donkeys bray loudly when threatened and even launch aggressive attacks using both their hooves and teeth to every part of an intruder’s body.

Female or castrated male donkeys are recommended, because an uncastrated male donkey may be aggressive towards the livestock they’re supposed to protect. The ''gelded'' or castrated male donkeys are typically recommended as the best guardians.

It’s often recommended that people stay away when a donkey is agitated or charging. Let it calm down a bit if it seems to be agitated. But there are no guarantees. Donkeys vary and some will ignore everything around them, while others will see everything as a threat.
The only downside to a donkey is that they require the same care and attention as a horse.

Mules

Mules are larger than donkeys and have the same instincts when it comes to predators. They can also serve a dual purpose on a homestead, pulling a cart or you can even ride them. A gelded mule is best, and they also have the same level of maintenance as a horse.

Goose

A single, solitary goose in the farmyard makes a surprisingly effective guardian. Their honking will alert you to something unusual going on around your chickens or sheep and they will fearlessly attack. Unfortunately, their attack is without teeth, and they won’t survive against a pack of coyotes. However, they can intimidate a fox or raccoon and their charge at anything that approaches will often be enough to deter the invader.

The reason you want a solitary goose is so they will bond with the other farm animals. If you have more than one goose they’ll bond with their kind and not feel as protective or territorial of other animals.

They’re easy to raise and feed and relatively inexpensive compared to donkeys. Speaking of early warnings, there’s actually a fascinating way to read what’s going on around you - without needing to see it yourself. It’s a skill known as recognizing bird language.

Birds give off specific alarms when they spot predators, both animal and human. Once you know how to recognize those signals, it’s like having a silent lookout system in the trees, perched all around your property. I never really thought much about bird calls until I started learning what they meant. Now, I can usually tell when something’s stirring nearby long before I see it.

Alpacas

Alpacas make good companions to a flock of chickens or sheep, and they will not only alert you to the presence of a predator, but more aggressive Alpacas will chase them away. They’re highly alert and they’re best used as a deterrent against smaller predators, like foxes and raccoons. Their relatively large size also serves as a deterrent to larger predators, but even an Alpaca would be challenged by a pack of coyotes. Then again, so would most dogs.

Here again, the recommendation is that the Alpaca should be gelded or castrated to diminish their aggressiveness. They’re also a new maintenance challenge in the farmyard requiring care, although most Alpaca owners feel they’re relatively easy to care for. 

It’s also recommended that you have two Alpacas. They’re herd animals and the two will often work together to deter predators.

Llamas

Llamas are cousins of Alpacas, only larger.
The same recommendation applies to gelding or castration and, again, it’s recommended that you have at least two.

Llamas are larger than Alpacas and some homesteaders say they are better than Alpacas as guardians.

A lot depends on the size of your holding pen and homestead.
What’s always recommended with both Llamas and Alpacas is that you never put a new Alpaca or Llama directly into the livestock pen.

Put them next to your livestock in a separate pen for 2 weeks so the animals can become accustomed to each other. After that, introduce the Llama or Alpaca to the pen and carefully observe how they interact with your livestock. Hopefully, it’s a peaceful transition. If not, put them back in the separate pen for another week.

Which One is Best?

Like so many things, that depends on your situation and the kinds of predators you have in your area. If your primary challenge is from smaller predators like racoons and foxes, a goose could do the trick. If the threat is defined by larger predators like coyotes, you’ll probably need a donkey or a mule. As a middle ground, you could think of Llamas and Alpacas.

I also recommend you plant some specific plants in your garden, as part of your anti-predator strategy. Certain plants can play a role in deterring predators, by making your space less ''inviting'' to them. For example, lavender has a strong scent that might discourage animals from getting too close, while yarrow and feverfew give off odors that could keep smaller pests at bay. 

Even calendula and California poppies, known more for attracting beneficial insects, might add an extra layer of deterrence with their fragrances. While they aren’t a replacement for a guard animal, these plants can work well alongside other strategies to create a more secure environment for your homestead.

If you're interested in incorporating these plants into your setup, there’s a kit that includes all of these seeds, along with a guide to help you use them effectively. The guide walks you through planting, maintaining, and leveraging these flowers to keep predators at bay, giving you a simple, natural way to boost your homestead’s defense.

What’s Wrong with a Dog?

Nothing. In fact, most homesteads rely on dogs not only to guard livestock, but for home security. The challenge for a dog, however, is that most don’t like being relegated to a pen or chicken run for the rest of their lives. 

However, if the dog can roam around an enclosure surrounding the pens, it will give it at least some sense of freedom while it guards the farm and homestead.

One of the reasons some homesteaders look for dog alternatives is that some dogs end up eating the chickens. It varies.
If you would rather have a dog as a guardian, here are the dog breeds generally recommended as guardians on a homestead: Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherds, Akbash, Maremma.

It Works

If you’re considering an alternative to a dog for a guardian animal, it makes some sense to get on the Internet or YouTube and learn more. There are pros and cons to each, but if your greatest challenge is predators attacking your livestock, it’s worth finding the best solution.

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What To Do If You See A Bat On Your Homestead

We’ve all heard many stories about bats: they attack people, drink human blood, and build nests in your hair!

Despite these unpleasant myths, and also the fact that they are not the most beautiful animals to have around, bats are beneficial to the ecosystem. What are these benefits, and what can you do if you have bats on your property?

Insect Control

Many bat species are Microchiroptera (i.e., insect-eaters). They help reduce the insects on your property and save money spent on pesticides, especially for gardeners and farmers. It is said that one bat can devour over 1,000 mosquitoes in one night and many bats enjoy eating beetles that damage your gardens and crops. Imagine you want to spend the night relaxing out in your backyard, surrounded by hundreds of hungry mosquitoes, and no bats around. So if you find one, don’t kill it.

Pollinators

Bats enhance your plant production. There are some bat species in some areas of the world that routinely eat nectar. They transform pollen from one plant to another which helps produce even more plants right in your backyard. What To Do If You See A Bat On Your Homestead

Seed Dispersal

New plants and forested areas flourish from seed dispersal. The fruit-eating bats distribute seeds to help maintain plant and forest growth. While eating the fruit, the bats excrete the seeds away from the original source. So you might want to consider having bats around your plants.

Prey

Several animals in the ecosystem prey on bats for their daily meals. Mammals such as raccoons, ring-tailed cats, and weasels eat the bats while they are roosting. Hawks, falcons, and owls consume their share of bats in-flight.

The bats come in handy when there are unwanted invaders in your backyard or around your homestead. They feast on rodents and smaller birds which are nuisances to your garden, crops or home.

Guano

Bat guano enriches the soil: it improves the texture and drainage, controls nematodes, and acts as a natural fungicide.

Guano also makes an excellent fertilizer for your lawn or plants to make them greener and healthier. It is high in nitrogen and phosphorus, fast-acting, and has little odor. Compared to other types of manure, guano is applied in smaller quantities. If you are using it for your plants, the guano can be worked into the soil before planting or at any time during the growing process. It can be made into tea and used with regular watering practices for deep root feeding or used fresh or dried.

Also, guano speeds up the decomposition process when composting to create nutrient-rich compost. 

Nesting Locations

As today’s buildings become better-constructed, bats and other wild creatures tend to lose their nesting spots. Since bats play such a significant role in natural pest control, it’s essential that we help to protect them and encourage nesting on our property.

One way to accomplish this is with a bat house. You can build your own house or buy one at a hardware store/bird store. There are several guidelines to ensure attracting bats (a typical bat box can host up to 50 brown bats).

Place close to water source

Locate at least 15 feet above ground

Face the sun (full sun is best) for most of the day

Be in darkened area at night

Have rough inside for clinging

What To Do If You See A Bat On Your Homestead?

A Bat In Your Attic. Now What?

If you have bats in your attic, you are not alone.

Maybe you see them entering and exiting your house, or you might smell their odor. And since they are nocturnal, you might hear them crawling around and squeaking in your ceiling or walls at night.

Since bat colonies multiply over time, it’s not unusual to have colonies of 100–1,000+ bats in one attic!

Bats can be health risks because their droppings grow fungus and cause respiratory problems. Their guano and urine can have a bad smell and cause structural damage to your house by corroding the drywall and damaging the ceiling and walls. And depending on how long the bats have enjoyed your attic space, you might need to deal with decomposing bats.

So, how do you get rid of the bats? Well, there are several humane methods that you can try yourself. None of these involve chemicals or poisons. In fact, it is often illegal to harm bats because of their value to the ecosystem. 

Since the females give birth to the pups in late April to early June, bat removal should not occur during the summer months; the babies can’t fly until the end of August. You need to wait until winter. Bats hibernate when the temperatures remain around 35–40° F. If your attic temperature is colder, the bats are likely to relocate. Then you can seal up the entry and exit areas.

However, if your homestead is in a climate that has mild temperatures throughout the year, you may have bats remaining year-round. For this situation, after finding the entry points (look for piles of guano and a large amount of urine stains around the ridge caps, louvers, vents, and fascia boards; examine broken windowpanes, warped boards and siding, missing bricks, and any small gaps/openings), then you can use exclusion devices that attract the bats out of the attic. Place a device on each opening. Remember, bats can get into an opening of about 3/8 inches.

A typical exclusion device is a piece of 1/3 inch poly netting. This can be regular window screen purchased at a hardware or home building/supply store. Select the softest net so you can bend it more easily and it will be less harmful to the bat if a wing should get caught. Cut the net to fit and hang about a foot below the exit point on your house. Fasten with duct tape, a staple gun, or screws at the top and sides but allow the bottom to remain open. Mount with a downward angle to allow the bats to fly out but not fly back in. Leave up for several weeks.

When all the bats have vacated, you can take the screen and set it near your bat house or in an open area on your property. Next, it’s time to seal the openings. Use polyurethane foam with a foam gun to control the flow. Another product to use is a regular caulk; an all-weather rubberized kind is recommended. Squeeze into the cracks and gaps. If there are loose boards, bricks, or roofing, replace or securely attach.

Finally, it’s time to clean up. Examine your attic for signs of guano, urine, or hair. Be sure to wear protective gear (eye wear, a face mask, and rubber gloves) to protect yourself from any mold. Spray the fecal matter with a 10% bleach solution. Put the droppings into a heavy-duty plastic garbage bag. Be careful as the droppings are fragile and can turn into dust when touched. Sweep the smaller, broken pieces into a pan using a small plastic hand broom. Then throw away the broom and pan. Spray the area with an enzyme-based, deodorizing disinfectant so it poses limited or no health dangers.

Now, you can enjoy sharing your homestead with bats knowing that they are a strong contributor to your well being, and that you have provided an appropriate home (a bat house) for them. That’s not a myth!

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Making Beef Jerky

When purchasing a whole cow carcass, we start dreaming up what we can do with it. Roasts for the winter? Stew? Burgers on the grill all summer? Of course!

But what are you doing with those skirt steaks? They’re thin, flimsy, and usually aren’t usable for much other than two things: stir fry and jerky.

Today, we’ll be taking a look at how to make your own jerky. No special equipment is required and with a simple recipe that anyone can follow, we’ll get you preserving that bounty of beef in no time. Keep in mind that you can, of course, use other cuts of beef. I just prefer the skirt steaks and other, already thin cuts of beef because it makes my life a little easier when it comes to cutting everything down to size. Let’s get started!

Flavors and Marinades

Jerky can be made to taste like anything you prefer, but most people (at least in the US) are used to jerky with soy sauce and brown sugar. Your average bag that you grab at the grocery store is almost always some base combination of those two flavors with extras added depending on the variety they’re going for.

You can get recipes like that absolutely anywhere. We’re going a little more spicy this time around. My family loves my sweet and spicy recipe. We use pineapple juice, habaneros, and a handful of other ingredients that give the beef a kick and a sweetness that lingers in the back of your mouth after every bite.

At the end of the day, the biggest thing you need to worry about is making sure that you’re marinating long enough. If you can start your marinade 24 hours prior to baking your jerky, do that. Yes, it’s a big gloopy bag in your fridge. If you need to, you can double-bag the marinade to make sure it doesn’t leak. Or, by all means, put it in a bowl. We aren’t going to talk about all the accidental drips I’ve had over the years, right? 

Cutting and Storing

“What?” I get that a lot when I bring this up. Toss your thawed meat in the freezer for an hour or two (per 3-4 pounds) to firm it up. It won’t wholly freeze, but it will stiffen the fibers and crystalize some of the fluid enough to make it easier to cut your jerky strips. This means less knife slippage and fewer accidents. 

Storage should be in an airtight container. Your jerky will be okay on the counter for a week, but I prefer to put mine in the fridge. If there is any possibility of mice or rats in your house (as there often is during the cooler months in older homes and on farmsteads), this jerky is extremely attractive to them. Use glass if storing on your counter, if possible. Otherwise, you will wake up to a mouse gnawing a hole in your jerky container. Another good place to store it is this underground root cellar you can build in your backyard that is also hidden from any prying eyes. 

The Recipe

We title this section like this just in case you want to skip ahead. We know what it’s like: ten billion words and no recipe. Not here.

You will need:

Skirt steak or round steak, at least 2 pounds. Feel free to ratio the recipe up or down depending on how much meat you have handy.

- 1/2 cup brown sugar

- 1 dozen red habaneros

- 1 cup pineapple juice

- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

- dash or two of salt

- dash or two of garlic powder or 2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced 

- liquid smoke to taste: for beginners, we usually use 2-3 tablespoons for a charcoal BBQ-level flavor

Preheat your oven to 175 degrees F. Slice your beef into 1/8-1/4″ thick slices, as long or wide as you prefer. Personally, we go for about the length of the knife and no broader/wider than a credit card in most instances.

While wearing gloves, so you don’t hurt yourself later on, slice your habaneros into halves. 

You can slice them further if you want to, but we’re really just using them for the heat. Not the pepper itself.

Pour your marinade mix (everything but the beef) together in the largest locking plastic bag you can find. One gallon is usually fine, but if you can find two-gallon, size up. More room is better. Zip the bag, and shake it all up until it seems to be relatively well combined. Add your meat, zip it again, shake it again, and pitch it in the fridge for the next 12-24 hours. It will keep up to 48 hours, but I prefer not to do this. At that point, all you are doing is adding cooking time and effort to your jerky.

When your marinade is finished, go ahead and fish out your beef. Place it all on a cooking wire rack (or two, or three; or however many you need, we’re not judging here). Bake in the oven until the meat is dried all the way through. This usually takes three to five hours. I highly recommend checking it every now and again. Once the meat is dry, it tends to char pretty fast.

If you want plans to smoke your meat I have a great plan here for doing so with a homebuilt smokehouse!

Or you could build a smokehouse barrel click here.

I use a smokehouse for my meat I use... it dries it out just fine and there is something about a smokehouse flavor that is to die for. 

Some of the elements that will affect your personal drying time are your elevation, the fat content of your meat, the thickness of your slice, the type of oven you’re using (a convection oven is going to be towards that three-hour mark), and so on and so forth.

Since we don’t know the specifications of your house, your kitchen build, or the exact type of meat you’re using, it’s very difficult to say that your jerky will be done exactly at this time or another. Again, our suggestion is to simply make certain that you check on it every 10-15 minutes after the three-hour mark.

Final Thoughts

We mentioned this before, but we’ll say it again: this jerky should keep for up to a week on your counter. However, I keep mine in the fridge just to be on the safe side. This should be kept readily for short-term hiking and camping, especially in cooler weather. If using it in warmer weather, watch to see if the meat sweats significantly. If it does, please dispose of it.

The meat is not thoroughly dried and can easily make you ill. 

That said, happy cooking! I would love to hear how our jerky recipe goes for you. Hit me up in the comments down below.

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6 Foods You Should Bury In Your Backyard

For modern people with small storage and high energy costs, burying food is a practical solution.

But not all foods are good for burying. We’ll talk about that later. First, let’s look at the foods you can and should store in your backyard.

Root Vegetables

Storing root vegetables underground is a great way to keep them fresh. For example, potatoes can stay fresh for up to 8 months when stored correctly. I cover the potatoes with straw and slightly acidic soil. The straw helps control moisture. Sand provides extra insulation. Spacing the potatoes right prevents rot. I learned this from past mistakes.

Carrots need special conditions for storage. The earth, about 4 feet deep, stays at 35-40°F. This is perfect for carrots. Clean sand acts as a moisture barrier. Proper spacing keeps the carrots from touching. After testing different soils and depths, I found this method works every time.

Beets and parsnips can be stored well underground. But you need to plan it well. The soil keeps the temperature stable. I put the veggies in diagonal rows. I add sand barriers to help air flow and avoid direct contact. When buried in sandy soil at the right depth, these veggies stay firm and healthy for months.

While underground storage can be a great way to keep root vegetables fresh, it’s not without its risks. In uncertain times, you can’t always rely on conventional methods.

That’s why learning from those who’ve survived through difficult times, like the Amish, can be incredibly valuable. The Amish Ways Book offers practical survival food tips and preservation techniques that ensure you won’t lose your harvest to spoilage, pests, or changing conditions.

If you’re worried about the risks of improper storage, this book can help guide you to a safer, more reliable food storage system.

Tubers and Bulbs

Storing sweet potatoes underground is an easy way to preserve them long-term. First, cure them at 80-85°F for 10 days. Then, move them to cool, dry conditions. The Earth’s natural temperature keeps compost undisturbed until you need it. Adding dry sand helps prevent moisture buildup and protects against temperature changes.

Onions need special care to stay fresh. Use chambers made from hardware cloth and straw. This keeps onions off the soil and allows airflow. Proper spacing and moisture control help them last longer.

Garlic can be stored underground easily. Use simple containers like milk crates with hardware cloth. Add a dry straw between the garlic to prevent moisture. This helps the airflow. The steady ground temperature protects the garlic from freezing or sprouting early.

Winter Squash and Pumpkins

Storing winter squash is different from storing root vegetables. In my early attempts, I learned that moisture control is important. Now, I use elevated platforms made of hardware cloth to keep the squash off the soil. This simple change improved the storage results.

Butternut and acorn squash can stay fresh for up to six months. You can keep them in dry straw beds inside underground rooms.

The earth protects them from changes in temperature that cause them to rot. It’s important to space them out properly. Even small touches between the squash can make them start to decay.

Hubbard squash can stay fresh longer with some extra care. You can wrap each one in newspaper before storing it. This prevents spoilage and keeps the squashes in great shape.

Hardy Fruits

Storing fruit underground works best with controlling moisture. For example, apples and pears store well when wrapped in paper and put in closed containers. The earth’s steady temperature slows the natural ripening without freezing them. Asian pears can be stored very well. They can last up to five months when preserved underground properly.

Traditional fruits like russet apples and bosc pears store better than hybrid fruits. Harvest them when they are fully ripe. Make sure the fruits have no bruises or marks before storing them.

Regular checks are vital. Remove damaged fruit early. This stops spoilage from spreading. Storing fruits in separate chambers prevents ethylene gas. This stops nearby produce from ripening too fast.

Foods Not Suitable for Burial

Knowing which foods to avoid can save time and money. Leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, and kale are tricky. Even when wrapped and stored carefully, they quickly become slimy and inedible. Underground storage doesn’t work well for these veggies as they spoil within days. 

Soft fruits face major issues. Their high moisture and delicate nature make them vulnerable to mold. Berries, peaches, and plums spoil fast, especially in humid underground spaces. Stone fruits release ethylene gas, which speeds up decay and impacts nearby items. 

Packaged foods can attract pests. Rodents and insects target processed foods, even if they seem long-lasting. Dark, cool areas are perfect for infestations. Over time, metal containers can rust, ruining what’s inside.

Dairy and meats are risky for underground storage. Without cooling, bacteria grow fast. This leads to spoiled food and health issues. Their strong smells attract wildlife. 

This damages the storage. Even sealed packages fail over time. The moisture and pressure cause problems.

Certain foods like chocolate, oils, and honey can have issues when stored underground. The changes in soil temperature can affect their texture and make them spoil. Condiments and preserves in glass jars can also break from the movement of soil. Above-ground storage is much better for these items.

Storing food underground may seem like a good idea, but it’s important to know what works and what doesn’t. If you’ve ever considered using your backyard as a long-term food storage solution, you’ll need to be prepared. 

Without the right knowledge, you could end up with spoiled food, damaged cans, or infestations.

This video teaches you how to create a proper underground storage space that not only protects your food from spoilage but also shields it from disasters like EMPs or radiation. In a crisis, this could make all the difference.

Pros and Cons of Burying Food

Pros

Underground storage uses the earth’s natural coolness. This keeps steady temperatures without needing electricity. The earth’s natural coolness works better than modern refrigeration during long power outages.

For example, last summer, a power outage spoiled my neighbors’ refrigerated foods. But my underground storage kept the food fresh. This method saves space. Storing food underground frees up room inside your home. You can use this extra space for other things. The earth naturally provides insulation and moisture control.

This means you don’t need expensive equipment or special rooms to keep your food fresh. This makes storing food cost-effectively. 

Underground storage is useful. It works well for any size. Even a small backyard can store enough vegetables to feed a family through winter. It’s a simple, reliable way to preserve food long-term. 

Cons 

Physical labor is a big challenge for underground storage. Digging and keeping storage pits in good condition takes a lot of work, especially in hard soil.

Winter presents another problem. The frozen ground makes it harder to access stored items. This adds extra challenges. Regular maintenance is key to keeping storage areas in good shape year-round.

Pests continue to be an issue. Even with good planning, rodents may sometimes find ways into storage areas. Staying alert is important to keep these pests away.

Moisture can cause big problems. Heavy rain or spring thaws may lead to water leaking in, even if the system is well-made. Adding drainage systems can help, but this makes the setup more complex.

Location can limit underground storage. High water or poor drainage makes this method hard in some areas. Clay soils are very hard to manage, and need extra care. Urban people often face issues like digging rules or not enough space for underground systems.

How to Safely Bury Food

Preparing well helps store food underground successfully. I’ve created a system that works well over time. 

Start by picking the right place. Look for soil that drains well on slightly higher ground. This helps avoid water buildup. Partial shade keeps temperatures steady.

To test how well the soil drains, fill a hole with water. If the water goes away in 24 hours, the soil is good to use.

Dig the main pit to a depth of four feet. This depth helps keep the temperatures stable. Make the walls slope outward. This prevents cave-ins. Add a six-inch layer of gravel for drainage. Line the walls with hardware cloth. This keeps pests out.

Use cedar planks for shelves. They don’t rot or have bugs. Install a thermometer and humidity gauge to check the conditions. Make separate areas for different foods to stay organized.

Ventilation is very important. Put PVC pipes with screens on the ends in opposite corners. This lets air move and controls humidity. In extreme weather, partly close the vents. This keeps the conditions steady.

Looking ahead, underground storage is a good way to preserve things. It is reliable during power problems, natural disasters, and other disruptions.

Underground storage works well with modern preservation methods. It can keep things safe even when the power goes out or there

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Backyard Projects That Might Get You In Trouble With The Law

Living on a homestead can be awesome. The self-sufficiency you can develop can make you feel unmatched from the rest of the world.

However, there are still some laws that apply to your homestead most likely. If you do some of these projects without permission even if it’s on your homestead, you might get a large fine, or even get arrested, depending on where you live. So here are 6 backyard projects that might get you arrested. 

It only takes one Karen or Kevin to put a monkey wrench into your plans. 

Keeping Livestock

Keeping your livestock is imperative to homesteading success. It provides the bulk of the calories your household needs and gives you healthier food than you could find in the grocery store. From chickens to cattle, livestock is a must for a homestead!

Legality

Unfortunately, some districts have limits of livestock or disallow them altogether. Many cities don’t allow roosters, making a self-sufficient flock in the backyard impossible for breeding purposes. Usually, butchering chickens in your backyard is not allowed. That means you have to ship them out to a butcher. You have to pay more money for something you already know how to do!

Coops and other structures may violate building codes in your county and may require a permit. Animal control is typically involved if you try and keep large livestock on small lots.

If your livestock leaves the backyard and ends up damaging somebody else’s property, you’ll be liable for the fees.

All of these issues could lead to fines or arrest if you don’t fix the issues over time.

Related: Is It Legal To Go Off The Grid In Your State?

What To Do

Check with your local zoning authority for allowed livestock in your area. Find what you can legally do and go from there. For example, if you are in a strict area that doesn’t even allow laying hens, you can choose to raise rabbits for your protein needs instead.

Camping

If you are purchasing a homestead that is nothing but raw land and plan to build a home, you can use a camp trailer as a tiny house while you build the permanent house. This will save you a lot of money instead of renting something until you complete construction.

Legality

Many jurisdictions have a ban on unpermitted camping for longer than 2 weeks. Yes, this even includes your land!

What To Do

Apply for a permit of temporary housing or long term camping on your plot of land. Each jurisdiction will have a different process, but it’s important to get this done before getting fined.

Building A Small Extra Structure

Small structures can support livestock, garden supplies, be a greenhouse, a small shed, and much more on a homestead. The backyard is a good place to put something that you’d access regularly. However, even a small project like this one can get you in trouble.

Legality

Almost all types of structures require a permit of some type. Certain places have Ag-Exempt permits that aren’t as strict and other codes, but they still require a permit.

If you don’t get a permit, you may get away with it for a while. But, once the district catches on, you are subject to fines and paying property taxes that weren’t applied to the unpermitted building. This could result in liens placed on your homestead!

What To Do

Don’t build until you speak with your local officials about what permit(s) you need. It’s not worth paying a lump sum at a later date, and better to wait a bit now.

Selling Surplus Produce

Growing enough produce for your household and growing enough to feed two households is almost the same amount of work. That is if you have the right systems in place. Automatic watering systems and low maintenance no-till gardens make growing excess produce doable for the majority of homesteaders. Selling your extras creates extra cash flow and more self-sufficiency.

Legality

Most places don’t allow sales from a backyard garden without a permit and/or inspection first. Even going down to the local farmers market usually requires a business license for your produce.

What To Do

If you are serious about selling your harvests, and not just selling to your friends, get a license to do so and follow any regulations that your locality calls for.

Humanure

While it may seem foreign to the majority of people in the modern world, turning your waste into usable compost that can help your garden flourish is a fantastic idea.

Just like composting animal manure (chicken, horse, cow), “Humanure” contains vital nutrients that feed plant life. Septic sewage is even treated, composted, and sold back to us as potting soil, which most consumers don’t know.

Legality

You can’t just go and dump raw sewage on the ground and wait for it to compost. It can leach into water supplies either. It needs to compost properly and aged to the point of being unrecognizable.

You also won’t be using this rich compost in your market garden and sell the produce. Food production plots require industrially treated humanure compost.

What To Do

Compost it properly in a secured location. Don’t let it leach out anywhere and make sure you do it right so it doesn’t smell. Humanure is an awesome project on the homestead, but it offends many people.

If you plan on using your compost in the garden or around fruit trees, don’t sell those crops to customers.

Collecting Greywater And Rainwater

Collecting and reusing greywater and rainwater is a great way to preserve water and get multiple uses from one precious resource.

As long as you aren’t using harmful ingredients in your greywater, it is useful for watering lawns, trees, and even the garden. Rainwater can be for your livestock and everything else that requires freshwater.

Legality

Greywater isn’t legal to use everywhere. Some places allow intricate systems while some may allow free-flowing greywater as long as it doesn’t leach into water supplies. Some places don’t allow outside use at all but may allow it to fill toilets which converts it to blackwater.

Rainwater harvesting isn’t illegal in most places, but some districts have a limit of how much you can harvest and what it’s used for.

What To Do

Contact your local agencies responsible for water codes. Specifically rainwater collection and greywater usage. Some places may require a professional to install systems and they may require inspections as well.

If you decide to use greywater only use products designed for that specific use. Not everything that goes down the drain is suitable for reuse so your shopping habits may change as well. Natural and homemade soaps typically do great in greywater systems.

Being smart with water usage on the homestead is a great idea. If you are on a well, getting more use from the water already pumped will save you money on the power bill. Or, if your system is off-grid, it can save you space by needing less solar panels since you’ll use your pump less often.

Your homestead may feel like paradise but it’s not exempt from the law for the most part. Unless you want a fine or a police officer showing up to arrest for your unlawful backyard projects, it’s best to know your local codes and regulations before starting any.

Being self-reliant is great but sometimes the law doesn’t agree.

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