Growing Greens Indoors + No-Knead Sourdough Recipe + What Your Garden Says About You

IN TODAY'S EDITION

1. Homestead Tip 🌱

2. Poll Results From Last Thursday 📊

3. All Things Homestead: Indoor Gardening This Winter - Spice Up Your Space with Herbs, Microgreens, and Veggies 🥬

4. Personal Development: The Garden as a Mirror - Reflecting on Personal Growth 🏡

5. Today's Top Picks 🛍️

6. Today’s Must-Read Blog Post: No-Knead Sourdough Bread 📰

7. Let’s Keep It Reel 🤣

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POLL RESULTS FROM LAST THURSDAY

What’s the biggest benefit you feel homesteading has brought to your life?

🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Physical and mental health improvements

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A deeper connection with nature and animals

🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Financial savings and reduced dependency on stores

🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ Valuable life skills and knowledge

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Community connections and friendships

via @beehiiv polls

Feel free to participate in fun polls in our next newsletters! 😉

Also, follow us on Facebook and Pinterest for daily homesteading inspiration and updates.

ALL THINGS HOMESTEAD

Indoor Gardening This Winter - Spice Up Your Space with Herbs, Microgreens, and Veggies 🥬

Who says the gardening season ends when the frost hits? Nope, we’re just moving the party indoors! Today, we're going to jump into how you can keep growing fresh herbs, crunchy microgreens, and hearty veggies inside your home.

We’ve got all the tips and tricks, plus some cool DIY ideas for upcycling containers that’ll add a splash of fun to your space.

Kickoff with Indoor Gardening Basics

Creating the Right Environment:

• Lighting: Light is a big deal for plants. If you’ve got a spot near a south-facing window, you’re golden. If not, no worries—I’ll show you how to whip up a DIY grow light setup that’ll do the trick.

• Temperature & Humidity: Aim to keep your indoor garden cozy, around 60-75°F. Keep things from getting too humid with a bit of air circulation—maybe a small fan or cracking open a window now and then.

• Air Flow: Keep the air moving a little to stop mold and mildew from bugging your plants. A light fan or an open window can help a lot here.

Picking the Perfect Spot:

Find a little nook—could be a countertop, a part of your kitchen, or a sunny windowsill. Just make sure it’s a spot that gets enough light, or where you can set up some grow lights.

What to Grow in Your Indoor Winter Garden

• Microgreens: These little greens, like radish and sunflower, are super quick to grow and pack a nutritional punch.

• Salad Greens: Imagine snagging some fresh lettuce, spinach, or baby kale right from your living room for dinner.

• Herbs: Go for the easy-growers like basil, parsley, and mint. They keep cooking fun and your kitchen smelling nice.

Step-by-Step Guide to Planting

• Microgreens: I’ll walk you through using a shallow tray with soil, sprinkling those tiny seeds, and giving them a light cover. Just a little water, and in about a week or two, you’ll see them sprout.

• Herbs: We’ll get into how to pot herbs so they thrive, and how regular trimming keeps them bushy and productive.

• Salad Greens: Check out how to plant them in bigger containers. I’ll explain how to harvest with the “cut-and-come-again” method, so you get continuous growth.

DIY Containers and Custom Lights

• Upcycled Containers: Get creative with old yogurt containers, tin cans, or mason jars—turn them into your new plant homes.

• Drainage Fixes: I’ll show you how to poke holes or use pebbles for drainage to keep roots happy and healthy.

• DIY Grow Lights: No need for expensive setups. Some LED strips or a basic clamp light can brighten up your plants perfectly. I’ll guide you through a budget-friendly setup.

Caring for Your Green Buddies

• Water and Nutrition: Keep the soil moist (not wet), and a little liquid fertilizer every couple of weeks can work wonders.

• Common Problems and Quick Fixes: Got yellow leaves or spindly plants? I’ll cover what these signs mean and how to nip issues in the bud quickly.

Here’s a Quick Peek at the Supply List:

• Seeds: Start with some radish, sunflower, basil, and parsley.

• Containers: Anything goes, from recycled yogurt cups to classic pots.

• Soil Choices: Whether it’s potting soil or coconut coir, pick what you prefer.

• Lighting: Easy LED setups that won’t make your wallet wince.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

The Garden as a Mirror - Reflecting on Personal Growth 🏡

Have you ever thought about how a garden mirrors your own life? Just like a garden, our personal growth needs intention, regular care, and, sometimes, a little “weeding.” Today, we’re going to explore how each part of your garden represents parts of our own growth journey. Think of it as a way to look inward while learning from the natural world.

Start with a Personal Intention

Before we get into it, take a second to set an intention for yourself. What do you want to get out of this? Maybe there’s an area in your life that feels a little stuck, or maybe you just want to reflect on the “seeds” you’ve already planted. Setting a small goal now can help make this time more valuable.

1. Planting Intentional Seeds

Being Intentional About Growth

When we plant seeds in a garden, we’re making deliberate choices. We don’t just toss seeds around and hope for the best; we plant them with purpose, hoping to see them sprout and flourish. In our lives, our goals and dreams are like seeds, too. They need intention to take root and grow.

Exercise: Planting Your Own Seeds

Think about the “seeds” you’ve planted in your life recently. These could be goals you’ve set, habits you’ve started, or personal changes you want to see. Now, take a moment to jot down:

• What specific goals or habits have you started to “plant” in your life?

• Are you actively caring for these goals, or are they getting a bit neglected?

2. Weeding Out Negativity

Why Weeding Matters

In any garden, weeds show up—even if we didn’t plant them. They crowd the plants we want, stealing nutrients, water, and space. In our personal lives, “weeds” are like those negative thoughts or habits that creep in and hold us back from thriving.

Finding Your Weeds

What are the “weeds” in your life right now? Maybe they’re limiting beliefs, negative thoughts, or bad habits that you’re trying to shake. These can be little things you say to yourself or automatic behaviors that aren’t really helpful.

3. Pruning for Healthier Growth

Why We Prune

Gardeners know that pruning, or cutting back dead or overgrown parts of plants, helps keep them healthy. By trimming away what’s no longer useful, the plant can focus energy on the strongest branches. In our lives, “pruning” means letting go of things that drain us.

Exercise: Pruning Your Life

Take a minute to think about the areas in your life that could use a little pruning. Is there a commitment that takes more than it gives? Maybe a habit you’re realizing doesn’t align with where you want to go? Consider what small changes might help you focus on what truly matters.

Reflecting on Letting Go

Pruning can feel tough because letting go is never easy. There’s often a little sadness or guilt when we cut things away. But remember, pruning opens up space for new growth.

4. Nurturing Your Growth Consistently

Growth Needs Consistency

Plants need regular sunlight, water, and nutrients to grow. The same goes for our own growth—we need consistent care. Whether it’s a small self-care practice, journaling, or simply checking in on our goals, these little routines keep us moving forward.

Building a Growth Routine

Think about routines you could create to support your growth. It doesn’t have to be complicated—a daily gratitude list, setting weekly goals, or a simple reflection each day. These habits don’t need to be big to make a big impact.

5. Embracing Growth Cycles

Understanding Natural Growth Cycles

Just like a garden has seasons, our growth does too. There are times of planting, nurturing, and then harvesting. There are also seasons for resting and reflecting. Recognizing what “season” you’re in can help you work with it instead of against it.

Identifying Your Current Season

Which season do you feel you’re in right now? Is it spring, where you’re planting new intentions? Summer, where you’re working hard and watching things grow? Fall, where you’re taking stock of what you’ve achieved? Or winter, where you’re taking a break and reflecting?

Here’s to planting and nurturing what truly matters to you! 🌱

THE STEADY HOME’S GIGGLE CHAMBER

Why did the scarecrow start a new job in December?

He wanted to be part of the winter wonderland.

TODAY'S TOP PICKS

TODAY'S MUST-READ BLOG POST

No-Knead Sourdough Bread

Think making sourdough is rocket science? Think again! 🍞 Lexi Maitland’s Beginner’s Guide to No-Knead Sourdough Bread is here to prove you can whip up a bakery-worthy loaf without breaking a sweat—or kneading a single fold!

Imagine this: It’s Saturday morning, your kitchen smells like fresh-baked bread, and you’re slicing into a golden, crusty loaf you made all by yourself. All it took was a little mixing, some patience, and Lexi’s foolproof guide.

No fancy tools? No problem. No pro experience? Even better. This blog post lays it all out: step-by-step tips, beginner hacks, and even what to do if your bread doesn’t go as planned.

LET’S KEEP IT REEL!

I've put together some fantastic farm videos that are sure to make you laugh. Take a look and enjoy the fun!

1. This grandma has some serious gardening skills that put me to shame:

@romania

Ever seen grandma level up her gardening game with power tools? 🌿💪 Bet she could teach all of us a trick or two! Who else thinks their gra... See more

2. POV: Your garden has the cutest little thief around!

@thejesslyfe

There’s a thief in the garden #animals #trending #fyp #funnyvideos #animalsoftiktok

3. When you’re hoping for giant carrots but end up with bite-sized ones instead! 😂

@petratools.com

When your carrot harvest is so small, even the Easter Bunny needs a magnifying glass to find them! 🤣🤣 📷 @britt_nicole222. Give her some lo... See more

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