The Homestead Guru
We share what we are passionate about.
We help you unleash the guru, inside you.
The Homestead Guru was a project born by people who love talking about and trying practical solutions. We have hundreds of articles on all things practical and have built a sort of community over the years for those who want to learn and grow along with us.
Here we aren’t here to be your gurus. We are here to help you learn how to be your own guru, while we become our own gurus. Thank you for being here.
Years of Growth
Featured Posts
The Latest and Greatest

Beat the Heat Efficiently: DIY Sustainable AC under $20
It is summertime and the weather is sweltering. What do you do to stay cool? Maybe try one of these DIY sustainable AC you can

Hand Washing vs the Dishwasher – Which is Better?
From Marjory Wildcraft’s Grow Your Own Groceries. Is it More Efficient to Hand Wash or Use the Dishwasher? Cooking from scratch is an integral part

Hunting Guide for Morel Mushrooms
Hunting for Morel Mushrooms When the trees are sporting their new green leaves and the ground is warm and damp, it is spring in Minnesota

Pavlov, Roller Skates, and Why We Don’t Punish Our Kids – Unschooling
I originally wrote this in 2012, when my children were much younger. Gentle discipline. That sounds pretty progressive, right? Not spanking or hitting children IS

Tell me Your Story, Morning Glory – A Simple and Beautiful Garden Flower
Morning Glory is one of my favorite plants to grow because it is almost impossible to kill. They have beautiful blooms in pink, blue, magenta,

Kratom Ban Update – Georgia Man Arrested, Florida Bill to Ban Kratom
The DEA made Kratom front page news in 2015 when they announced it would be placed on the Schedule One list, effectively making the popular

Perennial Food Plants for Lazy Gardeners
Okay, we’re not lazy gardeners, really. We just want to reap the best harvest we can with the least amount of effort. Perennial plants really

Bullet Garden: US Army Commissions Ammo that Grows Plants
Biodegradable Bullets The US Army has commissioned a new type of bullet that is not only biodegradable, but that will sprout seeds months after being

A Refreshing Perspective on the #BlackLivesMatter Movement
Homestead Guru Editor Angel Robinson Gives Her Take on the #BlackLivesMatter Movement There are a lot of people out there claiming to speak for all

Self Sufficient Backyard Gardens are the Way of Life in Northern Italy!
My Tour of Backyard Gardens in Italy I was delighted to arrive in Northwest Italy and discover that backyard gardens were in nearly every home.

The Kratom Consideration: Thoughts and Concerns on the Miracle Plant (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly!)
One of the most fascinating aspects of plants (for me) is the fact that so many of them contain compounds that have a pretty profound

Trouble Sleeping? Study Says Go Camping to Reset Your Biological Clock
A new study suggests that a week of camping outdoors can reset our biological clock, also know as the circadian clock. The circadian clock is
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Our Greatest Hits

BioIntensive Gardening – How to Double Dig, Make Compost, & Companion Plant
Biointensive gardening is an organic method designed to creative highly productive gardens with long term sustainability at its core. What is so great about this

IT’S ALIVE! Living No-Turn Compost: BioChar
Maybe you wanted to start composting this Earth Day, but you’ve heard it’s tricky to get right. I understand–nobody wants a stinky mess out back

The Tropical Fruit Tree Americans Forgot: The Pawpaw Tree
What if I told you that North America has an easy-to-grow native tropical fruit tree that you’ve never even heard of? The Pawpaw is our

Tomatoes Hate Cucumbers: Secrets of Companion Planting + Popular Planting Combinations
Did you know that tomatoes hate cucumbers? Consider companion planting. While they might taste great together in a salad, tomato plants dislike growing in close

How To Start a Kitchen Scrap Garden
How to Regrow Kitchen Scraps Feel like you never really get your money’s worth of lettuce or celery at the store? Why not grow another

This is Why Your Compost Stinks
You started out with good intentions–wanting to create richer soil for your garden and reduce your waste. Maybe you even bought the pretty compost crock