Tag Archives: self sufficient living

Planting Garlic!

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It’s October and where I live, that means it’s Garlic Planting Time!
Who doesn’t love garlic!? Whether you’re trying to repel vampires, boost your immune system, or make your dinner delicious, garlic is there to save the day. Are you one of those who reads a recipe that states “two cloves garlic” and think “sure! Five cloves it is!” I know I am! Everything is better with garlic and so that means we go through a fair amount of garlic heads in a year!
It’s pretty easy to grow so why not plant it in the fall and have it ready mid spring!? You can easily plant and store all you need for the year! Don’t forget to set aside enough to plant next fall for the following year!

What kind of garlic to plant? First you’ll need to decide if you want to grow a hardneck or softneck variety. Are you looking to harvest oh-so-sought-after garlic scapes? Then go for the hardneck variety. They also are hardier and do better in colder climates (though I grew them here in zone 8a and it turned out fine) Hardneck garlic has a rich flavor and large cloves that are easier to peal.
Softneck garlic won’t have the tasty garlic scapes but are a better variety for long term storage. When stored properly they can last 6 months or more. They seem to also mature sooner than the hardneck. They have a milder flavor and are lovely braided hanging in the pantry. 

After you’ve picked your variety you can head to the seed catalogs or online to order. There are truly tons of places you can order from but I’ll tell ya, I just went to the produce isle at the grocery store and got some organic heads of garlic.  

Open up your garlic heads and separate the cloves. Chose the biggest cloves and leave the paper in tact. Head out to the garden and pick a nice sunny spot with good drainage. You will want an area that gets 6 hours of sun. Garlic is a heavy feeder so it needs lots of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Adding compost and organic material to the soil at the time of planting isn’t a bad idea. I like to add in some bone and blood meal when planting. 

Space your garlic 4-6 inches apart in a sunny location with loose soil.

Loosen up the dirt and plant shallowly, root side down, 4-6 inches apart and cover with just and inch or two of soil. Your garlic may not come up until the spring or.. you may see some green before winter really gets going. In that case, I like to mulch them well with leaves to protect them from the cold. If it’s going to snow, I will definitely make sure I’ve insulated them with leaves or straw. Whatever you’ve got will work.

Make sure you plant the cloves in the right direction!

In the spring, be on the look out for those scapes and make sure you harvest them before they start to flower to make sure you get the biggest cloves possible out of your garlic. I already cannot wait for the garlic scape pesto I will be making in the spring! 

Garlic scapes in the spring. Harvest them for bigger cloves on your garlic head.

Go plant your garlic, enjoy this beautiful fall weather and

Happy Homesteading!

What is a Homesteader?

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I recently attended the Homesteaders Of America conference of 2021 in Front Royal Virginia and I must say I left inspired! If you have an opportunity to attend, I assure you, you will leave eager to expand your homesteading endeavors! I met people from all over the country, from all walks of life, with various homesteading scenarios. Some were suburban gardeners, some had hundreds of acres and some were just starting their journey. Multiple times while chatting with people, I was asked “do you homestead?” On one hand I thought, well, I suppose so! I mean, after all, this blog and my Instagram profile IS called Butterfly Homesteader but I also couldn’t help but feel like doubling down. Compared to some of these people, I’m just a backyard gardener with a few chickens and big dreams.

As the conference went on, I met more and more people and listened to more and more speakers all tell very different stories about their homesteading journeys. Though they were all varied, there were some common themes. They all wanted to feel connected to their food source. They wanted a natural and healthy lifestyle. They wanted food security and safety. They wanted to be self sufficient and sustainable. They wanted to be stewards of the land and give more than they take. They wanted to be able to provide for their family without so much reliance on the stores. They wanted their children to know that food doesn’t have to come wrapped in plastic at the supermarket. They wanted skills to take care of themselves and raise their children to have those same skills. They wanted an escape from the hustle and bustle of the world and live a more simple life where Family is the center. On a political note, many of them worried about the future regardless of their Left or Right leaning opinions. They wanted to live a lifestyle they hope will prepare them and their family for uncertain times ahead. While each of them and their stories were all similar AND different, at the end, we all just came together with the same common goals. 




So what is homesteading? Well, to put it simply, it’s a way of life. A self sufficient lifestyle where we are constantly planning what needs to be done to be prepared for the future. Homesteading is a “start right where you are” kind of thing. You can start right on your balcony in pots, raised beds in your yard, or bigger if you can. Don’t sell yourself short assuming you must have it all and do it all. You are enough. What you can do right now is still valid and important. Every step you take to assure safety and security for your family is essential to a homesteading lifestyle. If you are constantly on the move learning all you can about being self reliant and sustainable with what you have.. then, my friend… you might be a homesteader. Homesteading is also about community. You don’t have to do it all on your own. Find your village. Create your village.
Homesteading doesn’t always look like Pinterest perfect lives or hilarious IG reels/tiktok videos and stunning IG posts. It’s not beautifully edited YouTube channels and you don’t even need to be an authority on any particular subject. In fact, we are always learning and growing and figuring out new ways to pivot and adapt to the ever changing weather and ways of the world. Homesteading isn’t an all or nothing label where you must grow all your own food and build your own house by hand and raise all the different livestock animals to get in the club. Can I tell you a secret? I’ve never made sourdough bread before! Gasp! I know! I’ll lose my “homesteading membership” for that one I’m sure! There’s tons skills homesteaders seek to acquire and I encourage you to ask yourself what skills you have, what skills you seek and what skills you can teach others. At the end of the day, your family, your food security, and your health, is YOUR responsibility! Happy Homesteading!