Downtown Homestead

We showed you how to attract birds to your garden for the summer, but now we want to share with you how to care for your winter birds. When winter is here and the days grow short it seems like many things are dead and everything seems so lifeless. I found that adding just the right equipment to your landscaping will attract winter friend into your yard. Watching these winter friends interact with each other will give you great pleasure. I have young children in my home and one summer we decided to make our yard more attractive for winter birds. These winter birds came into our lives and made our winter months something great. If you would want to persuade the winter birds to make their homes near you and your family then you will need to take a good look at your landscaping and see what you have and what you will need to encourage the feathered friend to fly your way during the winter. A few types of trees that winter birds find attractive are evergreens such as fir, pine and holly...

Organic gardening has become much more popular in recent years, and for good reason. We've learned a lot about the ill effects of pesticides: in our foods, in water runoff, in the air we breathe, in the foods that our friendly creatures rely on, in the harm we expose our pets to. We are a much greener planet today, or at least trying our best to be, and it's a healthy goal for all of us. But leaving your garden to the bugs is not an effective solution. There are much more appropriate options available. You just need a good resource to keep your garden healthy, green and safe. The Organic Gardener's Handbook is a pictured reference guide that will keep you from ever feeling tempted to buy a bottle of poison again. Addictive Pest Control One surprising lesson about using pesticides is that your garden becomes dependent on them in much the same way drugs affect humans. The more you use, the more you need until finally, your garden can't survive without artifi...

The current high prices of heating fuel and electrical energy are making the cost staying warm in the cold weather unbearable. Energy department officials estimate the average family in the United States spends $1,600 on energy a year and the cost can’t help but increase with crude oil always threatening to climb to $100 per barrel. There are many things a homeowner can do to reduce energy waste and save money. Many projects cost little or will payback their cost quickly. Energy Reduction Hints for Homeowners Make sure attic and wall spaces are well insulated. Most insulation projects are suitable for many do it yourselfers and there many qualified contractors that specialize in insulation work. Wash laundry and clothes only when you have a full load ready to go. Switching to cold water washing for the laundry will save 85% of the energy needed for the hot water Consider air drying the dishes instead of using the washers drying cycle During the winter, keep your curtains open dur...

If you’re a warm weather fan like Laura is, the thought of the coming winter months can be a bit depressing. The knowledge that these bright sunny days will soon transform into those cold windy nights, is enough to make anyone want to find a warm cozy corner of their home to hunker down in hibernation. Unfortunately, if you’re homeowners like we are, you know there are way too many things that need to be done around the house in preparation for those icy rain storms and heavy snow. Winter can be very damaging to your home. Ice and snow can build up on roofs leading to leaks or structural damage, water pipes can freeze, and heavy snow can wreak havoc on plants and trees. So before you grab your homemade quilt and hot cup of cocoa, take these simple steps for winter home prep.   10 Winter Home Prep Tips Winter Home Prep Tip 1: Winter Window Preparation The first step in preparing your widows for winter is to give them a good cleaning. Be sure to clean the glass, frame, and wind...

Picking a pumpkin is one of the joys of childhood. In autumn pumpkins are ubiquitous at grocery stores, garden centers, and farmers markets. The most fun place is the pumpkin patch where children can see the fruit as part of the life cycle of a living vine. Within the life cycle of the seasons in a garden the pumpkin goes full circle. Seeds sown in spring produce a flowering vine throughout the summer. Fruits harvested in autumn become decorations, food for wildlife and humans, residence for rodents, and seeds for snacks and next year’s garden. Winter remnants of the plant become organic nutrients in soil supporting seeds sown in spring. Pumpkins prompt possibilities which link generations together in the family circle. The simple act of picking a pumpkin can spread into a lifetime of happy memories.   Pumpkin Puree Making pumpkin puree is a fun and easy family afternoon activity. Puree is used for pie, bread, pudding, muffins, mousse, flan, soup, stew, and soufflé. Direction...

Applesauce is a favorite among children and adults alike. Some homemade applesauce recipes require special equipment, complicated and time consuming procedures and seem to be more of a hassle then it is worth. However, fresh homemade applesauce can be made very easily in small batches with no special equipment and in less than half an hour. And the best part? It’s Super Simple and Kosher Too! There are many benefits to making your own applesauce. You can have fresh applesauce any time of the year; however it is best when apples are in season. Applesauce can be made with any apple variety as each variety has its own unique flavor. Making fresh applesauce ensures a fresh product without any unnecessary additives. Important nutrients are retained due to the minimal processing required. How to Make Super Simple Kosher Homemade Applesauce Choose only fresh apples preferably while in season. Apples that have been flash frozen for storage do not have the same fresh flavor. The amount of ...

As the garden harvest comes rolling in, many of us are left with more vegetables than we can comfortably eat. As always, to help your neighbors, offer some to them, trade with other gardeners for things they both of you didn’t grow, hot water can some, and freeze some for the winter. Have you ever tried freezing your own vegetables? Because many of them contain enzymes that will cause them to lose color while frozen, it can leave you with a colorless bunch of vegetables, which don’t look appealing. I recommend blanching them before freezing them, it helps keep their color vibrant, and also makes cooking them from frozen easier.   Homemade frozen vegetables are healthier than store bought ones, since you know you’re vegetables have been grown organically . They are also friendly to the wallet , since you spent your sweat equity instead of your hard earned money. There is no reason to not be doing this. So, what is blanching? Blanching is the process of boiling your vegetable...