Successful homesteaders are home — 8 practices to protect that essential home-time

The artistic homesteader needs time at home to create.

One of the problems of rural life is the compulsory trips into “town”.  If you work from home, live on a rural homestead and meet your own needs sustainably, through the efforts of your own hands, you need to be home to do the work.  But life in town compels you to leave your rural [...]

Winter gardening without a greenhouse

Winter herb pot in a sunny window

I was in Alberta last week delivering baby bunnies to Trina in Lethbridge and visiting our friends Dave and Connie.  We had 2 days to relax and visit.  That’s the first “vacation” we’ve had in over 10 years.  It was nice.  I could learn to like having days away from the farm.  Thanks to having [...]

12 steps to a successful shearing day and gorgeous fleece

Coloured angora is a beautiful, rare fiber that comes with personalitiies.  Angora Whethers produce softer, finer, heavier fleeces well into adulthood.

Yesterday was fall shearing day at Joybilee Farm.  Inevitably we awoke to pouring rain that stayed all day.  We haven’t had a full day of rain since June — only intermittent showers the past week.  But yesterday, as Robin was doing chores in the early morning darkness, preparing for the arrival of the shearer at [...]

Garlic self-sufficiency: How to grow and preserve garlic

150 garlic heads ready to be braided

Yesterday I harvested garlic — about 125 heads. I have garlic to meet all our needs — for livestock medicine and for cooking, for planting next season and for sharing. Our grocery stores sell garlic. It all comes from China. There is local garlic at the farmer’s market at about $1.25 per head. A good [...]

Spinning and Weaving with Nettle Fibre — the urban spinning fibre

The linen festival last Saturday was fantastic.  I think it was the most enjoyable Linen Festival we’ve had a Joybilee Farm…Thank you to our farm helpers, Kara and Erika, you were both a big help to make the day go smoothly…to Evelyn for coming out for the day to help with the flax breaking, scutching [...]

Wanted: The Perfect Wood Cook-Stove

Searching for the perfect wood cook-stove to meet your family's needs?

I love my wood cook-stove.  It keeps me warm, makes exceptional pizza and bread, and offers me on-demand hot water.  It is a conversation piece and lowers my carbon footprint, while reducing my energy costs. When I was shopping for my stove there were a few qualities I was looking for.  There were some things [...]