Each spring since 1987 I’ve maintained a nearly forgotten part of Canadian heritage that’s still a working feature of the rural landscape where I live on Manitoulin Island. Nestled along the shore of Lake Huron in Ontario, Canada, you’ll find […]
Continue ReadingSMALL COUNTRY BUILDINGS: How to Create Good Ones That Last
Q: How should I build the first small building on my 15 acre country property? I don’t have a lot of experience, but I’m thinking of completing a stackwall and timber frame structure measuring 16×24 feet this summer, then something […]
Continue ReadingCASE STUDY: Cuba Leads Organic Agriculture Worldwide
When you think of agriculture, you probably don’t think of Cuba. You should. Out of necessity this country made the fastest transition from chemical agriculture to organics, beginning back in the early 1990s. Today Cuba is a model of what’s possible in the realm of real-world organics, urban gardening and a way to produce food that’s just plain inspiring.
Continue ReadingCASE STUDY: Earning a Homestead Living
See how Steve and friends raise boutique beef on Manitoulin Island for people who want more than just ordinary food.
Continue Reading
Got a Question for Steve?
[pirate_forms]
TRICKLE IRRIGATION: Make the Most of Water Resources, One Drop at a Time
Trickle irrigation is a better way to water gardens in at least two ways. Trouble is, there are many ways to do trickle irrigation badly. Let Steve show you a system that’s been working perfectly since 1992.
Continue ReadingQ&A: Tiny Home Bylaw Issues
Did you ever have trouble with zoning bylaws when you built the tiny house you’ve written about? I want to follow your plans, but the 550 square foot floor size is smaller than the 800 square foot minimum I hear about where I live. What should I do? Read on for Steve’s advice to this reader.
Continue ReadingSane & Sustainable Homesteading: Part 1
How to thrive on the land without burnout, despair and failure
Continue ReadingVIDEO: Water Well Drilling
Supplying your own water is vital issue when you’re living away from a town or city, and getting a water well drilled is always something of a gamble. Watch and see a well drilling day at Steve’s place. See the […]
Continue ReadingSane and Happy Homesteading: Part 3
Note to a Discouraged Homesteader
Continue ReadingSane and Happy Homesteading: Part 2
Back on my Mother Earth News blog I talked about the reasons I see would-be homesteaders change their minds and give up on their homesteading dreams. This often involves rejecting too much technology, but there are other reasons, too. Mistaken […]
Continue Reading