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

Your Freedom Ends Where Mine Begins: Unschooling From the Perspective of Oneness
This article is part 3 of a longer series, called Does Unschooling Have Natural Limits? Please subscribe to get future installments. Freedom can be a tough concept to grasp

DIY Probiotics – 4 Cheap and Easy Alternatives
From Marjory Wildcraft’s GrowYourOwnGroceries.org. Yes, the prepackaged probiotic capsules and tablets in health food stores can be pricey. But there’s no need to break the

Superfood Low-Water Soil Mix for Gardening Success!
Every good gardener who’s been at it awhile, knows that success starts in your garden’s soil. What’s the difference between soil and dirt? Dirt and

Why You Should Use a Composting Toilet!
Have you ever thought about getting a composting toilet, but heard rumors that left you feeling queasy? Let me clear a few things up! Composting

A Battle is Brewing: New Standoff Begins in North Dakota over Water Rights and the Oil Pipeline
History History has come alive before our eyes in the Standing Rock Oil Pipeline stand-off. Standing Rock Sioux activists, joined by supporters from across the country, have

Chipotle Helps Farmers Transition to Organic Growing Practices
Even the most dedicated health-foodies sometimes need (or want) to eat out – and for that, I’m glad there’s Chipotle. Sure, they’re a big business,

Pallet Planter: The Easiest Way to Grow Strawberries
Growing strawberries is one of the best things about fall gardening. Who doesn’t love fresh juicy strawberries, picked right off the plant and ripened to

The Three Sisters: An Ancient Symbiotic Plant Relationship
The Three Sisters I first heard the term permaculture about five years ago from my friend John, after I mentioned to him that I was

Studies Show Jasmine is a Natural Anxiety Supplement
My Natural Anxiety Supplement Found Atop a Mountain The first time I ever smelled jasmine, I was atop a mountain on the edge of a cliff

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

Fact or Fiction: EPA Approves Permit for GMO Mosquitoes in Florida and Texas
If there’s one thing I hate, it’s mosquitos. Like, if I could wipe out any bug on the planet without causing environmental collapse, it’d be

Six Steps to Protect Your Baby from Illness this Winter
As Winter approaches, many families worry about how to keep their new baby free from illnesses and viruses. Here are 6 commonsense things you can

Most Popular Posts
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