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Author: DiyGarden

Amending New Garden Area With Rabbit Manure

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Are you adding a new garden area or just looking to improve the soil in your existing garden spot? We are adding another garden area and looking for ways to amend the soil. One of the things we use is animal waste, mostly rabbit and chicken manure. We work hard to use chemical free fertilizers and I might be oversharing, but we seem to have an abundance of manure around here! So, Ron spreads it in the garden areas. We amend new garden beds with it, we topcoat some plants with it. It’s nice to know that there is a use for animal manure and for the most part it’s free. If you are in need, just ask around and you will probably find someone willing to share with you.

Here is how Ron is amending our new garden bed. He even is sharing a secret source of help with the garden.

There is a Difference in Manures

If you are new to using animal manure in your garden beds there are differences in when and how to use the manure.

Chicken

Chicken manure is called a hot manure, it needs to rest before you use it around your plants. It can kill your garden plants because the concentration of nutrients may be too high for plants and burn them. We use chicken manure off season, spreading it around and rototilling it into the garden beds.

Rabbit

Rabbit manure is a cold manure and it safe to use around most plants without it resting for a season. We normally toss some in the hole we dig to plant our veggie plants. Our bunnies, Ricky & Lucy, (Here is a picture of Lucy, isn’t she cute!) are set in cages that are about waist high and under their cages we put small kiddie pools and other various plastic type containers to catch the poo. It is easy to grab and use when we are ready for it.

THE INSIDE SCOPE…

Want to get to know Ricky & Lucy a little better? Check it out here.

Well, I’m hoping the conversation about animal manure was interesting. I’ll know you are a true gardener if you made it all the way through the blog.

Here is to your homesteading dreams,

Shawn

Rose “Heartache Healer” Loose Leaf Tea Blend

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This week we are talking about the Rose “Heartache Healer” Loose Leaf Tea Blend. I’m really excited about this tea because it’s February, the month of love and nothing makes me think about love more then the heart and roses! In fact, it is putting me in the mood of offering to you a sale on our Rose “Heartache Healer” tea. 10% off the entire month of February. All you have to do is follow this link and it will take you to the sale.

The Ingredients of the “Heartache Healer” Tea

Rose petals, lavender and peppermint. Close your eyes and you can almost smell the roses and lavender and taste the peppermint of this magical tea. It will heal your heart from any heartache.
The rose petals contain Vitamin C which is great for your immune system. It also calms your nervous system, helps with anxiety. Your heart reacts lovingly towards the roses.
Lavender also helps the nervous system, along with offering pain relief. It is renowned for its calming scent and vibrant purple flowers, lavender is widely used in herbal remedies.
Peppermint is a stimulant and will perk up your mind as well as your mood!

“What a fun tea! So glad that this is our tea of the month.”

Follow Along

You can see how we make our Rose “Heartache Healer” Loose Leaf Tea Blend by checking out our YouTube video here. Please feel free to hit the subscribe button and follow along on our channel.

This rose blend tea will help turn your heart happy, calm your anxiety and nervousness and perk up your mind and mood.

Our teas are made in house, blended with love and care. Most herbs are organic, and non-GMO. The teas we offer to you are herbal teas with medicinal values.

Here is to your next cup of tea,

Shawn

Converting IBC Totes Into Hydroponic Beds

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This week Ron is converting IBC totes into hydroponic beds. It is very exciting because I can actually see the physical part of the structure up. See the totes being cut into the different sections of the hydroponic beds. How they are going to be placed in the structure and how to get the garden section ready for the brassicas that are growing in the grow room right now. I’m not good at visualizing things so just seeing how the totes are being separated and then set up for the hydroponic system is exciting.

You can see how Ron does it by clicking here.

IBC Tote Conversion

These IBC totes are not hard to find. We found ours at Facebook marketplace and I think we paid $60 a piece for them. It is important to ask what was in them to begin with. You only want food grade totes. That way it is an easy scrub and wash out getting them ready for the hydroponic system. You also want to make sure you have the top and bottom of the tote. You will need both ends to make the water container and the garden patch.

Using the IBC totes the way we plan to has a couple of benefits to it. Once the bottom of the toe gets filled up with water it is a closed loop system so we don’t have to worry about watering the garden. It does it automatically. And when the hot summer North Texas sun hits that will be a benefit! Also, we haven’t talked a lot about it but it will be an easy way to turn our hydroponic system into an aquaponic system by adding fish. Which as you know we only add one new animal a year and I’m hoping this is the year for fish.

Next Steps

The next steps for the hydroponic systems is to get the totes cleaned out and then the plumbing put in so the water travels from the bottom of the tote to the top. Ron will shoot a video so you can watch him put that together.

Here is to your homesteading dreams,

Shawn

 

Lemon Balm “Sweet Sleep” Tea

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basil & lemon balm

Lemon balm “sweet sleep” tea is the answer to what a lot of people are looking for! With the crazy winter weather we are having this year a lot of people have been ill. It is hard to rest when you are battling the flu with sore throats that brings on coughing and sneezing. Your body needs some help in kicking that flu or common cold. Providing some relaxation and rest is just what your body needs. So, we all know that rest is the most important tool towards feeling better. Our lemon balm “sweet sleep” tea is key in helping you get that rest.

Making the Tea

Click here to see how to create the Lemon Balm “Sweet Sleep” tea.

The Herbs

Lemon Balm Herbal Tea

Lemon balm is a versatile and fragrant herb in the mint family, known for its lemony scent and calming properties. It’s a hardy and easy-to-grow perennial that thrives in a variety of conditions.
Chamomile is a popular herb known for its gentle floral aroma and calming properties. Chamomile is most commonly consumed as a tea.
Tulsi, is a sacred plant in Indian tradition. Known for its aromatic leaves and medicinal properties. It is easy to grow and thrives in warm climates. Combining the three herbs is what makes the Lemon Balm “Sweet Sleep” work so well in helping your body get the rest it needs.

I’ve been making medicinal herbal tea blends for my own use for years. Here is an article I wrote back in the day about organic medicinal teas. My interest has only grown in this field and I finally took the step toward offering medicinal herbal teas to the public. The teas I offer are made in house, blended with love and care. Most herbs are organic and non-GMO. The teas we offer to you are herbal teas with medicinal values. Here is a link directly to the Lemon Balm “Sweet Sleep” tea.

Here is to your next cup of tea,

Shawn

Outside Hydroponic Set Up

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With the weather finally breaking out of the freezing range it was time for Ron to work on our outside hydroponic set up! He put the frame together and put the chicken wire around it last time he worked on it. Today, he decided to put down some fabric cloth and cover it with wood chips. There were two reasons for doing this. One – to help suppress weeds inside of the system. Two – to help with leveling things out.

If you want to watch how Ron did this you can follow along on the video here.

Weeds & Leveling

Suppressing the weeds is pretty easy to understand. Here in North Texas the weeds can grow up as tall as your head or no grass or weeds at all. Just depends on the season. The leveling need is understandable as well. Since we don’t plan on scraping the ground down to be level the wood chips will be used for that. There will be totes inside that will need to have corners raised or lowered. Chips will work great for that. You can see what the end goal will look like by checking out this blog.

There aren’t that many steps to getting this set up and ready for seedlings. But, Ron is working a full time job and the bad weather we are having at this time. However, the next step will be getting the totes in the enclosure. Getting them cut to hold the water and setting up the grow tanks.

What to Grow in Our Outside Hydroponic System

I’m so excited about getting this up and going. I’ve already got some plants ready for the system. But, tell me what would you plant in a hydroponic system? I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas. How, to use the space to it’s full potential. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

Here is to your homesteading dreams,

Shawn

Herbal Cold Medicine Ball Tea

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The herbal cold medicine ball tea consists of 3 herbs. These aren’t just any herbs, these are powerhouse herbs that will work with your body and fight against viral, bacterial infections that many of us face during this time of year. So, if your nose is sore from blowing it, your tired, and ran down and weary of taking medicine that just doesn’t seem to be helping. Let me tell you about my little friend, the herbal cold medicine ball tea.

You can watch me make the tea here.

3 Magic Herbs

The 3 medicinal herbs that is in this tea blend is oregano, peppermint and thyme. Here is how each of these herbs work to help you kick that common cold.

Oregano boosts immunity. It is rich in antioxidants like thymol and carvacrol, which protect against free radicals. It contains vitamins A and C that support immune function also fights Infections. Oregano contains natural antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral compounds. It also encourages sweating, which can help flush toxins from the body.

Peppermint helps with stress relief. The menthol in peppermint has a calming effect, helping reduce anxiety and stress. It also acts as a natural decongestant for colds and sinus issues. The aroma of peppermint can soothe tension headaches as well.

Thyme has antiseptic and antibacterial qualities. It also helps relieve coughs and congestion when used in teas or inhalations. Thyme also contains compounds that fight inflammation and boost immunity. All of which helps with upper respiratory and viral or bacterial cold and flu symptoms such as sinus issues, sore throat and congestion. It helps with sinus infections, sniffles, coughs and bronchitis.

Medicine ball tea

So, as you can see there aren’t a lot of ingredients in this tea. But the 3 herbs that are blended to create this tea are hard working along with your body to help you feel better and recover from the common cold. If you are interested we have the tea already made and packaged for you. It can find it by clicking here at the “Our DIY Homestead” store. It will take you directly to the Herbal Medicine Ball Tea Blend.

Here is to your next cup of tea,

Shawn

Time to Start Veggies for Hydroponic System

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It’s hard to believe that it’s time to start veggies for the hydroponic system. After all, I’m in North Texas and we are getting hit with so much cold, snowy weather. Which makes it difficult to get the hydroponic system set up outside. And I know my northern friends have an even longer wait. I am still going to go forward with the belief that there will be a place to put these veggies when it’s time for them to be planted.

You can watch how I start the hydroponic seeds by clicking here.

A Veggie Is A Veggie

You might wonder if there is a difference between a veggie seed for a hydroponic system versus a veggie seed planted in a dirt garden. The answer is no, the difference is the planting material. Most of us are use to starting seeds in a planting mix which I do for most of our garden. However, the veggies seeds I start for our hydroponic systems I use a material called “rock wool”. The seed grows roots in this medium very well. It also protects the hydroponic system from dirt which can contribute to clogging the system.

Watering System

The thing that keeps me drawn to a hydroponic system is how water is used to grow the veggies. The main water source for the system might be an upfront heavy use of water. In our case we will be filling a 275 gallon tote full of water. That is a lot of water! However, it’s all the water we will need for a season of growing plants. A hydroponic system is a closed loop of circulating water so except for some evaporation the same water is used over and over again.

Here is a blog I wrote about starting our first hydroponic system

In North Texas this is important and very helpful because there are always water restrictions in the summer which makes it very difficult to keep the veggie plants alive in the heat of the season when watering the garden is very restricted. These totes are easily found and relatively inexpensive, we found ours on Facebook Marketplace.

Here is to your homesteading dreams,

Shawn

Tea That Tames Your Sore Throat

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Today, I’m going to be telling you about a tea that tames your sore throat. This is important because with the type of weather most of the United States is experiencing with the warm weather and then the plunges of cold in between, it makes me think we are on a weather roller coaster. With this type of weather people get sick and experience a sore throat. Well, never fear – I bring to you a herbal tea that will help fight a sore throat. I lovingly call it, Sage, the “sore throat tamer” tea.

Herbal Tea Blend

This herbal tea blend is created from 3 different herbs, sage, lemon balm and thyme. The sage is antibacterial, anti-spasmodic and antiviral and it will help the sore throats caused from bacterial or viral infections. The lemon balm helps with adding taste to the tea and also is a relaxer component for your throat. The thyme aids in healing of your throat.

You can watch the video of me making the tea blend right here.

What I love about this sage tea that tames your sore throat is these are medicinal herbs that are used to create the tea blend. My first stop in helping a sore throat can be a natural remedy not an over-the-counter product.

This was important enough to me that I started making this tea for myself and I wanted to share it with others as well.

Order Your Own Sage “Sore Throat Tamer” tea

All of my teas are made in house, blended with love and care. The teas I offer to you are herbal teas with medicinal values. If this tea sounds like it would be helpful to you please visit the “Our DIY Homestead” Shop and you can order your own Sage “Sore Throat Tamer” tea.

To Your Cup of Tea,

Shawn

Doing Chores In The Snow

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It’s not often that we are doing chores in the snow but this last week in North Texas found us doing just that. Since we have been here for a few years we did have almost everything we needed so the animals weren’t affected that much… besides the chickens pouting in their coop because they did not like the snow! It just took time to find were everything was put away from the last time we had freezing, snowy weather. We also had to protect the few garden crops that we still have growing.

You can watch Ron doing the chores by clicking here.

Food, Water & Shelter

Food, water and shelter are the most important things to think about when doing chores in the snow. We have had a heated dog water bowl for several years and have learned it is a great source of water for the hens. Ron also set up a heat lamp over their other water so we didn’t have to worry about frozen water. This is the first year that we have had bunnies during a winter freeze so we had to buy heated rabbit bowls for them. Everyone received extra feed and Ricky & Lucy, the bunnies, got extra lettuce greens as well. Ron had just put in extra straw for the hens and the bunnies were protected from the weather from their shelter. Everyone was safe and warm.

Garden Veggie Protection

carrots

We always plant carrots in the fall and overwinter them and they are ready in the spring. Usually, we don’t worry about them much but when temps dip below the 20’s into the teens we cover them. Here is a peek at how they are looking.

We did an experiment this fall and planted celery. In the beginning of the season it was to hot then the temps were in the 70’s and 60’s and the celery loved it. It is not a fan of the 20’s and colder weather but it is doing pretty well.

Well, warmer weather is on it’s way and we are hoping the snow melts away soon. But it’s winter here in North Texas and another storm is already in the forecast. Let’s hope we get to skip the snow this next time.

Here is to your homesteading dreams,

Shawn

The Magic of Peppermint Tea

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On these cold, blustery days nothing warms a person up better then a hot cup of peppermint tea. The magic of the tea comes from the many ways it helps your body mentally and physically without the tea drinker even being aware of it. After learning what a cup of this tea does for you, believe me you will enjoy it even more so.

Really, the first thing that I notice when making the tea is the smell of the peppermint. My mouth is already watering in anticipation of that first sip! There are many benefits of drinking peppermint tea. Some of which are it can help calm a headaches as well as help with relaxation from anxiety and stress.

I like making a loose leaf tea blend of peppermint, lemon balm and tulsi. The blend brings out the right notes in each herb to make a delicious herbal tea. It is able to warm your body, helps with making you feel better physically with headache relief and also helps with relaxation easing stress and allows anxiety to ease. There is no need for popping pills for relief, it can come from three herbs. It all happens from the magic of peppermint tea. Wow, what a drink!

I believe in the magic of this tea so much that I have started creating it right here at home and offering it to others. All of my teas are made in house, blended with love and care. The teas I offer to you are herbal teas with medicinal values. If this tea sounds like it would be helpful to you please visit the “Our DIY Homestead” Shop and you can order your own Peppermint Calm & Refresh Tea.

Happy Homesteading,

Shawn