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Learn How to Plant Cover Crops + Boost Self-Care!
Also, what’s your favorite fall recipe using homegrown ingredients?
Cedie Omaña
September 01, 2024
What’s your favorite fall recipe using homegrown ingredients? |
In Today's Edition:
Homestead Tip 🌱
Poll Results From Last Thursday 📊
All Things Homestead: Why and How to Plant Cover Crops This Fall 🍀
Personal Development: Easy Self-Care Habits to Keep You Healthy 💛
Today's Top Picks 🛍️
Let’s Keep It Reel 🤣
Brought To You By:
Explore Forgotten Survival Foods with The Lost SuperFoods Backyard Book!
Have you ever wondered what foods helped ancient warriors and spies stay strong during tough times? "The Lost SuperFoods" is your guide to stocking up on these incredible foods that history almost forgot, but were crucial for survival.
🥘 Stock Up on History's Best Kept Secrets!
This book isn’t just a list—it’s a journey through 271 pages filled with over 100 forgotten survival foods. From the "Doomsday Ration" designed to help the U.S. during the Cold War, to the energy-packed superfood that powered Genghis Khan’s conquests, you’ll discover amazing foods that are both inexpensive and long-lasting.
Learn how to prepare these foods with step-by-step recipes and detailed photos that make it easy, even if you’re new to this kind of preparation.
Homestead Tip of the Day:
Prune back perennials such as berry bushes, fruit trees, and shrubs after their growing season ends. Apply a layer of mulch around the base to protect the roots from freezing temperatures and to retain soil moisture.
Poll Results From Last Thursday 📊
What fall crafts or DIY projects do you enjoy?
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Making wreaths from dried plants
🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ Creating homemade candles or soaps
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Crafting fall-themed decorations
🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ Building new garden structures
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Others (Feel free to specify your answer after you've voted.)
via @beehiiv polls
Feel free to participate in fun polls in our next newsletters! 😉
All Things Homestead
Why and How to Plant Cover Crops This Fall 🍀
As the main growing season starts to wind down and the last of the summer veggies are harvested, now’s the time to think about what's next for your garden beds. Instead of leaving them bare, why not give cover crops a shot?
Here’s the lowdown on why cover crops are a game-changer and which ones you should get into the ground this fall.
Why Should You Plant Cover Crops?
Boost Nutrients: Ever heard of natural fertilizer? Legumes like clovers and field peas pull nitrogen right out of the air and fix it into the soil. This means less chemical fertilizer and more natural goodness for your garden.
Stop Erosion in Its Tracks: These plants’ roots grip the soil, keeping it from washing away in the rain or blowing away on windy days.
Break Up Tough Soil: The roots of cover crops dive deep, breaking up hard soil along the way. This makes it easier for next year’s plant roots to spread out.
Keep Those Weeds at Bay: A thick growth of cover crops leaves no room for pesky weeds to sprout up.
Hold onto Water: With cover crops, your soil will hold onto water better, which can be super helpful during those dry winter months.
Which Cover Crops Are Best for Fall Planting?
Cereal Rye: Tough and dependable, cereal rye can be planted later in the fall and still yields a thick, protective carpet of roots and foliage.
Winter Wheat: Great for when you want a cover crop that’s a hard worker but easy to manage. It boosts soil health and keeps those winter weeds away.
Crimson Clover: This one not only looks gorgeous with its deep red blossoms, but it’s also fantastic at fixing nitrogen. Plus, bees love it in the spring!
Hairy Vetch: A real cold weather champ, hairy vetch covers the ground thickly and enriches it with nitrogen.
Field Peas: These grow quickly and work well when paired with grains like oats, which together improve soil structure and fertility immensely.
Planting cover crops is one of the smartest moves you can make for your garden. It’s like giving your soil a winter vacation. Come spring, you’ll find your garden ready to return the favor with bountiful yields.
Personal Development
Easy Self-Care Habits to Keep You Healthy 💛
First off, let’s talk about why self-care matters. Think of yourself like a battery. When you’re fully charged, you’re ready to tackle the day with energy and enthusiasm. But if you keep going without recharging, you’ll eventually run out of juice. That’s when stress, anxiety, and burnout can creep in.
Regular self-care keeps your battery charged, so you can handle everything on your plate without feeling overwhelmed.
Simple Self-Care Practices to Add to Your Day:
Start Your Day on the Right Foot:
What to Do: Begin each morning with a small ritual that makes you feel good. It could be enjoying a quiet cup of coffee, doing a quick stretch, or spending a few minutes in meditation.
Why It Helps: Starting your day with a peaceful moment helps set a positive tone, giving you a calm, focused start before diving into your tasks.
Get Moving:
What to Do: Find a way to move your body every day. This doesn’t mean you need to hit the gym—simple activities like a walk around your property, some light gardening, or even playing with your pets can do the trick.
Why It Helps: Physical activity boosts your mood, reduces stress, and keeps your body strong. Plus, it’s a great way to clear your mind and shake off any tension.
Practice Mindfulness:
What to Do: Take a few moments each day to focus on the present. You can do this by paying attention to your breathing, noticing the sounds around you, or just appreciating the beauty of your surroundings.
Why It Helps: Mindfulness helps calm your mind and reduce anxiety, making it easier to stay grounded and focused, especially when things get hectic.
Take Regular Breaks:
What to Do: Make sure you’re taking short breaks throughout the day. Even just a few minutes to sit down and relax can make a big difference.
Why It Helps: Breaks give your mind and body a chance to rest and recharge, preventing burnout and keeping you productive.
Connect with Others:
What to Do: Spend quality time with family, friends, or even your animals. These connections are crucial for emotional well-being.
Why It Helps: Social interactions lift your spirits, provide support, and remind you that you’re not alone in whatever challenges you’re facing.
Learn to Say No:
What to Do: Start setting boundaries by saying no to tasks or obligations that feel overwhelming or unnecessary. Focus on what truly matters to you.
Why It Helps: Protecting your time and energy is key to maintaining balance. By setting boundaries, you can avoid burnout and stay focused on your priorities.
End Your Day with Gratitude:
What to Do: Before you go to bed, take a moment to think about the good things that happened during the day. Write down a few things you’re grateful for, no matter how small they may seem.
Why It Helps: Ending your day on a positive note helps you sleep better and keeps you in a good mood. It’s a simple way to boost your overall happiness.
So, start today—whether it’s taking that morning coffee break, enjoying a walk, or simply taking a few deep breaths when things get crazy. You deserve it!
The Steady Home’s Giggle Chamber
Why was the soil so good at keeping secrets?
It was always well-grounded.
Today's Top Picks 🛍️
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!
When the chore spinner always lands on gardening—guess you’re winning forever:
When your husband asks about plant expenses and running is your only option:
Nothing is both scarier and funnier than being chased by a chicken while just trying to drop off a parcel:
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