For the Unabashed Hippie

For many homesteaders, the drive to become increasingly more self-sufficient is strong. Learning how to make soap often becomes a natural "next step" (after gardening, harvesting, and animal husbandry) in homesteading.The technique you use to make your own soaps determines the amount of time you invest in your hobby (or product).

What to do during your spring, autumn, and routine beekeeping inspections varies. The spring inspection starts or revives your bee colony, the autumn inspection prepares your beehive for the cold weather (assuming it gets cold in your area), and your routine beekeeping inspections help maintain a healthy and productive hive.

Like any endeavor, camping is more enjoyable with a little preparation, so assembling and packing the equipment you need is your first order of business. If you’re tent camping, it pays to heed certain rules — you don’t want to share your snacks with the wildlife, do you? And what’s camping without a campfire?

When things go wrong while exploring the great outdoors, some basic wilderness knowledge and tools can radically improve your chances of surviving.Six essentials for surviving in the wildIt takes just an hour or so to gather a few basic items that can help you survive many serious outdoor situations. Put these wilderness essentials in a waterproof baggie and carry them in your backpack, in the glove compartment of your car or snowmobile, in your canoe, etc.

In the world of bird watching, a field trip is defined as going afield — that is, beyond your immediate home surroundings or backyard to observe birds. For many beginning bird watchers, their first organized field trip is with a bird club. This field trip can be an educational experience as you observe how other bird watchers act in the field, how they spot and identify birds, and where they go to find birds.

You get a lot from keeping goats. Raising goats can help you achieve a sustainable lifestyle. You can milk them or eat their meat, use their fiber and their skin for making clothing, and even use their dung for fuel (if you are so inclined).You may want to raise goats for a variety of reasons: Becoming more self-sufficient: Goats can give you milk to drink and food to eat, and even help you carry your belongings when backpacking.