Last year, I had a bunch of wasp’s nests in my yard. I kept getting bitten and stung. One time, I got stung in my eyebrow. The toxins almost immediately started flowing down into my eye, and it became completely swollen. It was incredibly painful. Everytime I got stung, I immediately ran to my garden […]
Author Archive: Chrissy
How to Build and Fill Free or Super Cheap Raised Beds
I have tried all the different types of growing. In the ground, hugelkultur, raised beds – as long as it’s free or super cheap, I’ve tried it all. And I’ve found that different types of beds are better for different types of growing. For me, it makes sense to put annuals in a raised bed […]
Book Review: Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver et al.
(This was originally an essay that I wrote for my Urban Farming class in Undergrad in Fall 2024. It’s been updated to make it relevant here! P.S. I got an A!) Sprinkled with essays, recipes, and short stories, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is the true story of a family who vowed to eat and live off […]
Kale Yeah! Easy Ways to Eat More Greens (Without Hating It)
Okay, let’s be real here. Eating more greens isn’t exactly an exciting idea for most people. Greens are the side dish we skip the sad pile on our plate, or something that we only reach for when we’re trying to “be good.” But greens deserve better treatment than that. These amazing leafy powerhouses are packed […]
Urban Homestead Tour 2025
Almost 14 years ago, I moved into this house with my little family. We’ve had lots of changes over the years and a major re-start 3 years ago, when I was able to buy the house from my ex-husband. I thought it was about time to show you all the work I’ve done!
The Ten Commandments of Frugal Living
I am extremely frugal. Sometimes to a fault, I’ll admit that. I grew up on a farm where everything was used and reused until it was literally not able to be anymore. But then, someone might fix it up and give it even more life. I actually grew up next to a landfill and my […]
25 random acts of kindness that don’t cost money
Today, a person ahead of me in line paid for my purchase. The cashier was so cute, they handed me my goodies with a mischievous smile and just said “have a nice day!” I said, “am I going to be paying for this?” And they told me the person ahead of me already did. I […]
Canning 101, Part 4: Frequently Asked Questions
And thusly, we reach the end of my treatise on canning. I hope that these videos have been helpful and inspire you to get started with some canning for your family. This final video answers many of your questions about the procedures and processes involved in canning, and how important they are. If you have […]
Gluten-Free Sausage and Potato Mini Galettes
I really love anything wrapped up in pie dough or in puff pastry. And when Sweet Loren’s puff pastry hit my local grocery store, I was right there buying it up en masse. Ok, not really, but I did buy a couple packages. I’ve seen all those upside down puff pastry tarts that are popular […]
Canning 101: Part 3 Pressure Canning
Pressure canning is the more intimidating of the canning processes, but it doesn’t have to be. There are lots of safety features built into your canner to make sure that everyone stays safe. I go over those features, along with lots of other tips and techniques to get started pressure canning! Give it a watch! […]