According to a quick Google search, onions are the third most bought vegetable in the United States (the average U.S. citizen consumes about 22 pounds of onions a year). Most people that I know use onions as a top ingredient in recipes — even the ones that don’t call for onions. Onions are a simply delicious vegetable that come in many colors, varieties, and flavors. This article doesn’t cover this deliciousness, but rather, the medicinal properties of onions. Red onions. Photo Courtesy of Thomas Martinsen//Unsplash Yes, you read that right. Onions are more than delicious. They’re medicinal, t ..read more

Winter is nearly over, and I’ve been flexing my irrepressible hope and getting seeds started indoors. While watching my little starting pots with great anticipation, I did a quick internet search to find out the average time it takes for onions seeds to germinate. The first website that showed up featured an article with repetitive paragraphs and photos of an amaryllis bulb, rather than onions, so I skipped that one. One of these things is not like the other … When I tried looking up the best way to stratify native prairie turnip seeds (Pediomelum esculentum), I was treated with surreal illust ..read more

Table of Contents Common Turnip Types White Turnips Colored Turnips FAQ About Types of Turnips Turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa) is a biennial root vegetable primarily cultivated for its fleshy taproot. Smaller varieties of turnip are suitable for human consumption, while larger ones are processed for animal feeds. Depending on the variety, the leafy greens that top the turnip taproot can be cooked as well. Popular in the United States, the term “white turnip” can be misleading. Turnips come in various colors, such as purple and yellow. If you’re familiar with the bulbous or round turnips ..read more

Few tools come in as many different shapes and sizes as the humble saw. To the uninitiated, two saws may look the same, and one may even think that any saw can fulfill the duty of another. Trust me, little could be further from the truth. If you have a chance to take a gander at any saw manufacturer’s product line, you will see a dizzying array of saws. A US Navy Builder 2nd Class using a saw to cut wood planks. Photo courtesy of the United States Navy//Wikimedia Commons To help with organizing this article, I will split saws in two categories: Those that are used for land maintenance (think f ..read more

Table of Contents Common Cauliflower Types White Cauliflowers Colored Cauliflowers FAQ About Types of Cauliflower Cauliflower is a popular cruciferous vegetable that belongs to the Brassica genus. Closely related to broccoli, cauliflower also grows a tightly packed head of florets often referred to as “curd.” These florets are well-loved due to their versatile kitchen uses and nutritional value. Climate can greatly impact the growth of cauliflowers. Similar to other Brassica crops, growing cauliflower from your vegetable garden can be a challenging, but rewarding endeavor. Different types o ..read more

“You know those hats the young girls wear?” my friend asked. “The ones with the opening for a ponytail?” She pointed at an addition to her garden collection. “Here’s a plant that looks just like that.” The tall, spikey leaves stretched upward before spanning out in every direction, much like a ponytail escaping a hat. “Impressive,” I admitted. “Don’t tell me it’s called a ponytail.” “Actually, it is! It’s a ponytail palm.” Description Despite its popular name (ponytail palm) and its palm-like appearance, the ponytail palm is not really a palm. It’s more of a succulent, closely related to agave ..read more

Permaculture. As far as homesteaders are concerned, there are few topics that are more crucial to success on the land. Even if you aren’t a full-time back-to-the-lander, the concepts and ideas espoused by Bill Mollison (the creator of the term “permaculture”) will be useful to a caretaker of any amount of land. If you haven’t already done so, I recommend checking out my article on the basics of permaculture to familiarize yourself with those introductory ideas. Today, we are going to go deeper into one aspect of successfully implementing permaculture on your homestead: Retaining water on your ..read more

Table of Contents Common Watermelon Types Mini or Personal Watermelons Icebox Watermelons Picnic Watermelons Giant Watermelons FAQ About Types of Watermelons Belonging to the cucurbits or gourd family, watermelon is a summer staple cultivated around the globe for its refreshing flesh and sweet flavor. From small watermelons to plumper varieties, this fruit can be planted at home, giving you a year-round supply. Learning about watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) can be overwhelming. Age-old heirloom varieties and modern-day hybrids have differing flavors, needs, shapes, and sizes. With our exten ..read more

The United States is an ecologically rich country full of plant and animal diversity. Those living in the States are fortunate to have animal life around them regardless of the region where they live. An animal that remains consistent — no matter where one ventures — is the squirrel. Fox Squirrel Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth Buttram//Insteading Mischievous, cunning, social, talkative, fast, curious, clever, and smart, squirrels are well-known animals common to the U.S. Of course, the species of squirrel differs depending on where one lives. In the east, one of the most commonly seen species is ..read more

Table of Contents Common Beet Types Table Beets Bunching Beets Mangel or Sugar Beets FAQ About Types of Beets Whether you hate them or love them, beets’ culinary value is undeniable. This cool-weather crop can be eaten almost entirely, including its green tops. Homesteaders can choose from a wide selection of seedlings and grow beets at home. Beet varieties are not exclusively red or purple in color. Some lesser-known varieties come in shades of gold, pink, and white. Surprisingly, there are also striped beets that carry these colors. Depending on your garden setup and kitchen needs, there ..read more