The Best Perennial Vegetables and Herbs for Every Hardiness Zone

mountains and ocean

The USDA developed a map that defined different growing or gardening zones dividing the US into regions based on the average low winter temperatures. USDA Hardiness zones consist of 13 individual zones that define average minimum temperatures using data from different weather stations across the country. The USDA Hardiness Map … Read more

How To Grow a Backyard Food Forest (No Matter Your Space)

cost of food forest

It is relatively easy to set up a food forest in your backyard if you have a comprehensive plan and are patient enough to wait for it to fully establish. Food forests do not require synthetic chemical inputs and therefore pose no risk to your home environment. In addition, they … Read more

How To Lay Out a Self-Sustaining Permaculture Farm

Chicken coop

A self-sustaining farm can provide a stable lifestyle and allow you to better manage resources. In a self-sustaining system you can produce enough food for yourself, your family and the community. It takes a lot of discipline and farming to establish a self-sufficient permaculture system. A self-sustaining farm means that … Read more

What Is Syntropic Farming? (And Why It’s So Revolutionary)

forest

Syntropic farming is an approach to regenerative agriculture that allows the creation of dynamic, successional, and economically viable ecosystems that restore degraded soil biodiversity. It is solely based on principles by which nature and forest ecosystems function. Syntropy refers to the tendency of a closed system to structure and organize … Read more

How To Start a Permaculture Farm With Zero Budget

Permaculture is a process that requires significant investment in terms of money and time. Starting a permaculture farm requires ownership of land, availability of labor, and finances to support yourself before it is fully established. It is difficult to set up a permaculture garden without a lot of money, but … Read more

How To Make Your Permaculture Farm Profitable (Yes, It’s Possible!)

Diverse permaculture farm

Can Permaculture be Profitable? Yes, Permaculture can be a very profitable venture. it depends on a number of factors, including the specific context in which the permaculture system is being implemented, the resources and skills available to the farmer, and the markets for the products or services being produced. A … Read more

These 9 Fruit Trees Will Bring Birds Flocking To Your Garden

Crabapple (Malus)

A bird-friendly garden should incorporate trees that provide fruits and berries. Fruit-producing trees will bring a wide range of native birds to your garden. They maintain year-round interest and supplement bird feeders as a natural food source. Native trees are hosts to insects such as butterflies and moth caterpillars, which … Read more

Don’t Eat That! What You Need To Know About Wild Bird Berries

nandina berries

Are bird berries poisonous to humans? Some berries eaten by birds are safe for human consumption but others are highly toxic. Many birds can consume berries that are poisonous to humans but safe for them, like poison ivy berries. Do not eat wild berries you encounter just because you’ve seen … Read more

5 Winter Berry Shrubs That Keep Birds Fed and Happy

Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria)

Tough weather conditions in the winter result in a scarcity of food for local wildlife. You can plant winter hardy, berry varieties to attract birds and other small animals to your garden in the winter. Birds will frequent your garden if you plant high-yielding, colorful shrubs that produce fruits in … Read more

9 Fastest Growing Shrubs for Birds and Butterflies

Buddleia/ Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii)

Your garden can be a haven for birds and butterflies if you plant the right type of flowering shrubs. They offer nectar for pollinators and berries, foliage and seeds for bird food. It is best to diversify the shrubs in your garden, mixing varieties that mature at different heights and … Read more