Welcome!
Homesteading
While you can find a wealth of information on building a house yourself, we still believe that the best resource available are good books on …
Wide-open spaces, animals, home-grown food – what do you give a person who seems to have everything? Ahem! Ranchers and farmers appear to live a …
Splitting rounds for firewood is hard work. Your best splitting axe should be sharp, wieldy, ergonomic, durable, and affordable if you want your woodpile to …
Elderberries are a delicious and marvelous ingredient from the wild larder. Whether you grow them or find them growing wild in your area, learning to harvest …
Starting a worm farm business at home is an excellent option for farmers, smallholders, and gardeners looking to diversify their income streams. You might not …
In 2020, people in the United States spent over $10 billion on herbal dietary supplements. That’s an incredible figure considering you can easily make many …
Gardening
Check out these whiskey barrel planter ideas! Whiskey barrel planters are a fun and easy way to create a splash of color and greenery around …
Here’s how to harvest cilantro without killing the plant! Okay, so which part of Coriandrum sativum are we on about here? In North America and Spain, the leaves and …
How to speed up compost! Starting a compost bin is a great way to add nourishment to your garden and practice eco-friendly living. If starting …
How to grow lima beans and when to harvest them! Many homesteaders are looking to grow more varied crops in larger quantities to counteract the …
The potato plant is a nightshade family member that produces edible tubers. Some people are curious about whether or not potato leaves are edible.
So – …
Summer is a time for new beginnings – and what better way to celebrate the season than by planting a few flowers? If you want something …
Raising Animals
Need chicken nesting box ideas? Start here! Chickens are amazing. They provide so much and generally ask for very little. They are often a staple …
Fermenting chicken feed may be the newest trend in chicken-keeping, but what is it, and is it worth your precious time and effort? It certainly …
Have you ever seen chickens with afros? They get called crested chicken breeds on our homestead. And you only have to scratch the surface of the world of …
Cheap fencing for pigs – Many people get put off keeping pigs after hearing horror stories about chasing escaped little grunters around the homestead! While …
All creatures who are born eventually die. There is no exception to the rule. The only variation lies in the time each species gets to …
Duck pen ideas! Many people put off keeping ducks after seeing duck pens that are muddy and filthy! But although ducks love to play in …
Backyard Lifestyle
Want epic stock tank pool ideas? Look no further! With temps skyrocketing everywhere, your top priority this summer is staying cool. But your poor window-rattler …
Summertime means camping trips for many families. And what’s a camping trip without some super fun campfire games to play? Here are 13 of our favorite …
Do you love watching hummingbirds dart around your garden? Well – providing them with food in a hummingbird feeder is a great way to keep …
Vegetable Gardening
We don’t have to grow red tomatoes anymore, or yellow corn. Vegetables now come in the most beautiful colors, from deep chocolate to pink to …
Companion planting is working with nature. It is a natural way to encourage healthy plant growth, ward of pests and diseases, improve flavor, and maximize …
It’s lovely living in a home perched on the side of a mountain! One of the only downsides is researching the best trees that grow …
Tools and Equipment
Digging trenches may traditionally be the toil of chain gangs! But thankfully, modern tool technologies have eased the backbreaking burden. No need to break your …
Splitting rounds for firewood is hard work. Your best splitting axe should be sharp, wieldy, ergonomic, durable, and affordable if you want your woodpile to …
Outdoor fun doesn’t always have to involve going on vacation. If you have a yard you can add plenty of cool backyard stuff to keep …
Let’s face it – life on a homestead or farm isn’t all sunny days and dry weather! Whether you’re a backyard gardener or building an …
Electric lawn edgers might seem like something you may not need on your homestead, but they can serve some hugely handy functions. I find it difficult sometimes …
Lawn maintenance requires a certain set of tools to make sure that your property will look nice and well kept. Lawn edgers and string trimmers …
Outdoor Cooking & The Homestead Kitchen
How to bake without an oven – Whether you want to try something new or your oven is temporarily out of order, you’ll be amazed …
The potato plant is a nightshade family member that produces edible tubers. Some people are curious about whether or not potato leaves are edible.
So – …
The summer is finally here! Long days, warm nights – and more time to enjoy life and each other’s company.
One of everyone’s favorite ways to …
Projects & DIY
Have you ever approached a house and been captivated by its porch, even if it is not lofty or massive?
An attractive front yard porch is …
If you want to level-up your make-it-from-scratch game, why not try homemade cheese? Making things from scratch can be fun and rewarding, and making your …
Want to beautify your backyard with a breathtaking greenhouse?
Then read this article!
You’ve just stumbled upon the holy grail of DIY greenhouse plans, resources, and tutorials!
We’ve …
Chickens
Fermenting chicken feed may be the newest trend in chicken-keeping, but what is it, and is it worth your precious time and effort? It certainly …
Are you looking to spruce your coop with a sign or two to make things livelier? Then read this post! I’ve scanned through countless dozens …
A chicken twisting its head upside down is a disturbing sight. A symptom of wry neck, this condition is easy to treat, if a little …
Off Grid Living
Homesteaders from all over the world feel the high cost of housing digging into their pockets. And their piggy banks!
Whether your cash flow is feeling …
Do you stress about having guests come to stay? I sure do. My husband and I share our home with six dogs, four of which …
When people visit our off-grid homestead, one of the questions we often get asked (after they’ve finished admiring the chickens!) is what we do about …
Hey, thanks for visiting Outdoor Happens! We’re a team of outdoorsy people, bringing you the best in self-sufficient living, gardening, homesteading (have you read our “Practical Homesteading Skills” article? It has 58 great homesteading skills you can start learning today!), farming, raising animals, tools and equipment, in-depth reviews, cooking, and just awesome outdoor living in your own backyard.
We live the homestead life ourselves – it’s not easy but if we stick together we can help each other. That’s our aim. We’ve scoured the earth for the most versatile group of homesteading writers. They are all amazing at many things, but most have a passion they’re an expert at and that’s what they’ll share with you in their articles.
Me? I’m your permaculture, survival garden, and edible plants chick. My husband’s your fix-anything mechanical guide, as well a whizz with irrigation systems, compost, soil tests, and fertilizer. We have Djordje the Knife Guy, Mike the Jovial Griller, and Nicky Goat Girl (she’s an expert at other farm animals too!).
Want to know more about us? Have a read of our About page, and we always appreciate your feedback – leave us a comment or send an email. Any specific equipment you’d like us to review, or topics you’d like to read about?