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If you are seeing this message, it's because you are either a first-time visitor, you are not a member or you are not logged in. In any case, take a moment, register (it's FREE) and login. You won't be sad you did. I hope to create a community of free flow information for all homesteader's or homesteader want-to-be's. I haven't met anyone who has it all figured out yet and knows it all, but together we can share knowledge, success and failures... and maybe, just maybe make a few friends in the process. Check out the forums and keep your eye out on the download section for free software!

It started as a dream for MOST of us, so don't feel bad if that's the stage you are in, just come aboard and learn and share what you can!

Your participation makes this a successful website! Stop in at the forums, add a recipe to the menu on the left, or maybe you have a good file to upload to be shared with others!

Now is the time of year to begin preparing your maple sugaring equipment. It's a time to review the previous years production, make purchases, and dream a little bit as you stare out the window into the snow, cold and general dreariness that January brings with it. Here is a list of items you may need to produce Maple Syrup:

• Maple Sugaring Book.

• Maples Trees (If you are a hobby sugarer, almost any Maple will do, if you are a commercial producer you will be best served by the Acer saccharum or Sugar Maple. It has the highest concentration of sugar in it's raw sap.)

• Maple Taps (you can make your own also)

• Buckets or Milk Jugs

• A storage tank of some sort (A galvanized or plastic trash can [new of course] are commonly used)

• Evaporator (for small amounts you can use your stove inside, but be aware that you will put large amounts of moisture in your house)

• A Hydrometer and Hydrometer cup.

• Candy Thermometer (or a refractor if your producing larger amounts)

• Smaller Pans (To finish boil the syrup)

• Wool, Orlon, or Other Type of Filter

• Containers or Canning Jars.

For you're reading pleasure: Hobby Maple Syrup production, a bulletin from Ohio State. Make Your Own! A Mass Maple website. 2006 Maple Production Report. Maple Syrup Supplies. * Please note, although we try to check out the websites we do not necessarily endorse them.

You can see a video of tapping a maple tree here: http://www.themodernhomestead.com/comment.php?comment.news.55

A short video tutorial for tapping a maple tree.

Katlupe added this fine piece on cooking with woodstoves, make sure to check it out!

One of things I love about country living is the smell of wood smoke! I had never been around woodstoves very much until I got my own. So I had to learn alot! How to start a fire, how to clean my stoves, how to keep my fires going, how to open and close the dampers and when to open and close them. I can go on and on with all the things you have to learn. As living with a fire inside your house, safety must be your first concern. So take the time to learn all the basics of fire safety as well.

Read the rest here.


* Picture from this post on Lehman's Country Living Blog.  Good people at Lehmans, check them out.

We've just recently finished (well 90%, because do you EVER really finish a project?) the greenhouse addition.  We spent $100.00 to do it, but had some of the electric plastic conduit sitting around. I figure you should be able to build this for around $140.00.
We've got a lot to learn about growing in the greenhouse, but I must say that we love it so far. We've had nights in the 20° range but no freezing in the greenhouse yet.  We haven't supplemented any heat to it as of yet (beside the heat that escapes when we go into it from the house.

 

Read all about the build over here.