Tag Archives: homestead hacks

Our favorite articles about simple time or money-saving Homestead Hacks posted on TexasHomesteader.com

Homestead Hack: Keep Wild Birds Away From Chicken Feed

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by Texas Homesteader ~

Y’all already know we split the garden area this year. About 40% of that area became the chicken ranging area and the other 60% remained my veggie garden, but more efficiently arranged. I love the symbiotic relationship of chickens/garden. I’m hoping the chickens will keep grass scratched away from the adjoining garden area to help me win the fight against Bermuda grass. And I know they will also eat all the bugs & grasshoppers coming toward my garden from their area. I can toss over grubs or produce that didn’t make it, and the hens provide me with fresh eggs. Win/Win!

I recently shared with you a low-waste chicken feeder RancherMan whipped up for me. While I love how much it reduces the chicken’s slinging it to the ground and wasting it, the wild birds were also loving the free open buffet. We’re feeding organic laying pellets, I certainly didn’t want to be feeding that to the birds! But oh we’ve discovered a secret – check out today’s Homestead Hack.

Check out this Homestead Hack - Sometimes it's true you can use low-tech methods to successfully address a problem. Love it! #TexasHomesteader

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Homestead Hack: Cleaner Vegetable Chopping

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by Texas Homesteader ~ 

Repurposing a plastic lid as a cutting board has a couple of benefits – using something I’ve already got handy and keeping those veggie juices corralled.

You know my battle cry: “Use Whatcha Got!”. Check it out, y’all!

This Homestead Hack has 2 benefits when chopping veggies - using something I've already got & keeping juices corralled. #TexasHomesteader

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Homestead Hack – Killing Weeds With Boiling Water

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by Texas Homesteader ~ 

Now that we have free-range hens again I’m using up those fresh eggs in many various ways. RancherMan loves for me to boil them up & have them for him in the fridge ready for a quick high-protein snack. And I’ve been making Egg Salad Sandwich Spread to replace his traditional purchased peanut butter sandwich preference for lunch.

Since I’ve found out how much healthier free-range eggs are compared to their commercial counterparts I find I’m always boiling eggs, (thankfully I found an easier way to peel those very-fresh eggs.)

But egg salad isn’t the only benefit of boiling up fresh eggs, I’m also killing weeds in the bricks of my sidewalk. How you say?

Y’all know my battle cry: “Use Whatcha Got!” This isn’t a new idea, but it’s a great one to keep in mind.

Killing weeds in the bricks of my sidewalk. Y'all know my battle cry: "Use Whatcha Got!" This isn't a new idea, but it's a great one #TexasHomesteader

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Homestead Hack: Easily Saving Painting Supplies

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by Texas Homesteader ~ 

When you have a painting project, each day means you’re cleaning brushes and reusing them day after day. I’ve found an easier way. See how we preserve brushes to resume painting at a later date – you’re gonna love this!

Homestead Hack: EASILY SAVING PAINTING SUPPLIES - see how we preserve brushes to resume painting at a later date - you're gonna love this! #TexasHomesteader

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Homestead Hack: Don’t Waste Onion Trimmings!

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by Texas Homesteader ~
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Recently I was trying to chop some purple onions for the freezer. I had so many of them and used as many as I could fresh.

But I also wanted to make sure they didn’t go bad before I could use them all. Plus it’s so nice to have chopped onions as close as my freezer to simply toss into any recipe.

As I was trimming those tough neck parts & the hard-to-chop dense section on the bottom where the roots once were, I paused before I tossed the wasted parts into my compost bucket. 

There might still be a way to put these wasted parts to good use…

HOMESTEAD HACK: DON'T WASTE ONION TRIMMINGS! I'm Using the tougher trimmed parts from onions to replace an item I used to have to buy #TexasHomesteader

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Homestead Hack: Healthier Hot Instant Breakfast

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by Texas Homesteader ~

My mornings usually involve coffee and computer work when I first awake. Yeah, I know breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But I’m one of those people who really needs to wake up a bit before I can even THINK about eating something.

Most warmer months I like to enjoy a jar of my favorite Homemade Yogurt, sweetened with my homemade preserves – quick, easy & healthy. OR sometimes I’ll opt for a bowl of my crispy homemade granola.

But when the chill of winter hits I really want something hot to warm me up and I love the convenience of microwave oatmeal. Now I’m not picking on the Quaker Instant Oatmeal folks, their product is delicious. But those expensive packets tend to be too small a portion for me when prepared, taste way too sweet for my palate.

Plus I don’t recognize some of the ingredients on their little packets of instant oatmeal and that bothers me too.

Oh yeah, they’re convenient, and making oatmeal ain’t nothin’ new. But I wonder how easy, cheap & healthier it would be to experiment with plain oatmeal cooked & sweetened MY way instead of theirs??

HOMESTEAD HACK: HEALTHIER INSTANT HOT BREAKFAST. You can pronounce every ingredient in your hot breakfast for a mere fraction of the cost! #TexasHomesteader

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