GenAcres Homestead

Composting 101 A Little Art and a Little Science Composting, in a nutshell, is turning your waste into nutrient-rich soil for use in your garden. You can read about the subject in such depth as to make your head swim and find it to be quite overwhelming. But whether you start with a compost bin or a designated 3 foot by 3-foot area, knowing a few basic principles will help you achieve that rich, earthy-smelling soil amendment that we all want.

Give Your Onion Seedlings a Haircut! If there's one crop that I love to grow indoors from seed, it's onions. Of course you can buy sets from your local hardware store or nursery, but there are usually only a few varieties available. So not only do I have a larger selection of onion types to choose from if I buy the seeds online and grow them myself, but I can start them earlier indoors and give them plenty of time to grow before they get planted out.

Why You Need a Rain Barrel Now! One only needs to read about Flint Michigan's ongoing problems related to their water system to realize that clean water may not always be available to us.

    Growing the Right Potato  the Right Way! Digging up a bed full of plump, healthy spuds is one of the many joys of growing your own food. It's always exciting to see what has grown under the earth when the wait is finally over and it's harvest time. But if your potato harvest has been rather disappointing, the reason may be as simple as not using the correct method of growing the potato for the type of potato you're trying to growing.

Tomatoes - Determinate or Indeterminate? What are the basic differences between a determinate tomato plant and an indeterminate tomato plant and which one is right for your garden?  

  Finding the Perfect Home for Your Homesteading Dreams By Lance Cody-Valdez Your retirement years provide a perfect opportunity to slow down, find joy, and reconnect with nature. If you have ever dreamed of starting a homesteading hobby, you can get started by searching for the right house where you can live out your goals.  Whether you want to live off the land, practice a new craft, or just create an atmosphere for your family to visit, the ideal home is out there waiting for you. With a few tips in mind, including those shared below by  The Homestead Village Blog , you will be ready to start this next step. Know What to Look For Real estate publications propose the idea that most buyers are  more interested in the location  rather than the features of the house itself. This will likely ring true for you as well since you probably need a spacious property away from urban areas to practice your homesteading hobbies comfortably. There are, however, certain key features to prioritize d

It's Organic and Economical! Growing healthy, juicy vegetables is as much an art as it is a science. One of the most effective yet economical ways to ensure that you grow great vegetables, whether potted or in the vegetable garden, is to use Epsom Salt.    So what is Epsom Salt and why is it so popular among vegetable gardeners? The main ingredient in Epsom Salt is magnesium sulfate which is an important soil additive for healthy plant life. It allows plants to take in nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen and enhances the capability of the soil. It assists in the creation of chlorophyll which is used by the plant to convert sunlight into food. Generally, the benefits of Epsom Salt on plants are many including that it’s organic, it’s gentle on plants and it’s inexpensive! Here are some specific ways it helps with your vegetable plants: Improves flower blooming. It enhances a plant’s green color. It helps plants grow bushier. Greatly improves a pl