Being Self-Sufficient | Spruce Hill Homestead

The Horses Prayer

When I was a little girl, I found a copy of this prayer, deep in the bottom of the tack box. I spent hours reading it…and knew it by heart. This prayer guided me, in my interactions with all the horses in my life…and with a lot of other animals, too. Today, I still think about this prayer in those moments when I am working in the barn. I wish I still had it, but it has been lost to time. I knew it was old, and its oldness held a special reverence for me. This words rang true when it was written, when I sat in the barn reading it, and still ring true today. I can still feel the paper in my hands…and my heart will always carry its words.

Six Vegetables You Can Start in your Garden Now!

Here on the Front Range of Colorado, we haven’t had much of a winter at all. I always look forward to a few good snow storms to ready to pasture and garden for the coming dry summer. But, this year…not much happened. This sets me up for knowing that the summer will likely still be dry…and I will need to pay special attention to my garden. Because of this, I’ll be looking for some early spring plantings and salad greens that can take a random spring snow storm (since it is very likely one WILL come). The unseasonably warm weather has me itching to get out in the soil. I want to ready it for planting, check to see how it wintered, and get a few seeds in the ground.

Continue reading “Six Vegetables You Can Start in your Garden Now!” »

Essential Oils in the Garden!

This time of year, my mind begins to turn to spring. I start imagining all the wonderful things we can grow, and look forward to those first spring salads. I try to keep my garden as chemical free as possible, because I hate the idea that my boys are exposed to anything that could possibly harm them. Because my kids are known to go right out to the garden, pick something, and stand there and eat it…it worries me to use too many chemicals in that space. For me, essential oils came along as an answer to this issue. We already use them throughout our home and for our body products, so it was natural to try them in our garden space. Here are just a few of the uses of essential oils in our growing spaces! Continue reading “Essential Oils in the Garden!” »

Learning Old Time Skills to Help Your Homestead

When many people think of homesteading, they picture a far off, rural, place where people live off-grid and only off the land. This is true for some people, but the vast majority of modern homesteaders are, in fact, living much like you. They may have an urban homestead, where they grow food in all their available spaces and source food locally. They may be suburban, with a little more space. They could be living off the grid, or they could have every modern amenity available to them. The truth is: Homesteading today looks very similar to everyone else’s life, but with an eye toward sustainability, self-sufficiency, and healthy living. Continue reading “Learning Old Time Skills to Help Your Homestead” »

How I Feed my Magazine Addiction (for FREE!)

I love all things about magazines. I admit it, I am one of those people. I carry a magazine most places I go. I love to browse through them. I get a little irritated if my hubby steals a new one before I have the chance to flip through it. But, magazine subscriptions can be expensive, so I needed to find a way to feed my habit. Read on to find out how I learned to do it for FREE (plus gained so much more) with a great site. Continue reading “How I Feed my Magazine Addiction (for FREE!)” »

Beginner Preparedness Vol 5: A Realistic Guide to Food Preps

I have always tended to have an eye towards preparedness, especially when it comes to food. I like to know what is in those cupboards and how I can use those items to make a nutritious and well-received (read: actually something my children will eat) dinner at times when I cannot get to the store. Listen, stuff happens in life….sometimes the bank account is a little low, sometimes you are blocked in by a blizzard, or sometimes you have the flu so bad that the thought of going out to get food is enough to make you lie down and cry. For me, those are really the moments that food prepping is all about. Continue reading “Beginner Preparedness Vol 5: A Realistic Guide to Food Preps” »

Beginner Preparedness Vol. 4: Evacuating Livestock & Horses

The time to begin thinking about how you would get off your property safely with your large animals and livestock is well in advance to any disaster that may strike. Large animals take extra thought and planning, as well as a fair amount of equipment to get moved to a new location. We had one such occasion ourselves, when I left my husband standing in the driveway holding four horses during the Black Forest Fire. A friend was coming back with the trailer to get them…but we didn’t know if he had been held up or was unable to get through. I had no choice but to leave and hope for the best. Don’t wind up in this situation. Plan ahead and know how you will get all of your large animals and livestock to safety. Continue reading “Beginner Preparedness Vol. 4: Evacuating Livestock & Horses” »

25 Great Holiday Gifts for Preparedness

I am a BIG fan of practical gifts. I love things that I can use every day, as well as things that may come in handy in a situation where we need to be prepared. These twenty-five gifts are great for preparedness, but also would be a big hit for the hikers, campers, fisherman, and hunters in your life. Why not give the gift of preparedness this holiday season? Your gift will be far less likely to be discarded or tossed aside after the “glow” of the holidays wears off. In fact, your family and friends may someday thank you! Continue reading “25 Great Holiday Gifts for Preparedness” »

The Go Bag for Household Pets

No disaster plan is complete until you also have a plan for your household pets. We have all heard stories about pets being left behind during evacuation or of people who could not leave because they did not have a plan for their pets. Having a plan in place and a GO bag packed is the first step to protecting your four-legged loved ones.

Our family has evacuated with pets. A wildfire left us in a hotel room with two huge labs, a turtle, and a gecko. It was a little crazy…but we were prepared with everything we needed to ride it out. Not having to worry about how to get all our beloved animals taken care of took a huge weight off our shoulders.

Continue reading “The Go Bag for Household Pets” »

Sunday Sentimental Recipe: Grandma Velma’s Refrigerator Pickles

I am lucky to have many family recipes passed down through the generations. Most of the women in my family were amazing cooks, and they also knew how to stretch a budget and feed a family for a very low cost. The origins of these recipes are pretty much unknown. Most are scrawled on cards, and very few say how the recipe was discovered initially. Dinners in their homes were always amazing. Occasionally, I will share one of these family treasures with you! Continue reading “Sunday Sentimental Recipe: Grandma Velma’s Refrigerator Pickles” »