Homesteaders Holiday Gift Guide

Updated for 2024

Can you believe the holidays are almost here already? Ugh! I'm so not into shopping this year, but luckily I've already purchased a lot of gifts for my homesteading and gardening friends so I won't have to spend too much time Black Friday shopping! 

These are some of my favorite items from the last year....I think you'll find many of them quite useful around ye old homestead! 

I did my best to try not to be too much like every other gift guide out there. I think everything on this list fits the homesteading lifestyle. Everything here is useful, practical and/or makes life easier, cheaper or simpler. Click the blue text to take you to the products.

If you're looking for a gift for a plant lover here is my Indoor Gardeners Gift Guide. Most homesteaders also like to grow things indoors especially in winter.

Gifts for homesteaders

Herb Scissors: I'm going to start with my newest favorite kitchen tool, herb scissors. I seriously love these as they make it super easy to chop or dice fresh herbs. Simply snip herbs like you're using regular scissors. The 5 sets of blade work perfectly to cut your herbs without having to haul out the cutting board and chopping knife! 

These are perfect for the homesteader that grows and preserves their own herbs. They make quick work of all the chopping that needs done before the preserving can take place! PRIME DEAL IN 2024

Dry Safe bag for Outdoors: This bag is a must have for hikers, ATV enthusiasts, campers and survivalists alike. Or...pretty much anyone who might get caught in the rain! I got one of these for my son to take kayaking after a particular wet trip that cost us an Iphone, and with this bag even if he ends up soaked, everything inside stays completely dry.

I keep mine in the Gator or atv when doing outside work on damp days. Perfect for carrying you phone, a small towel or some tools when doing farm chores in the rain. Totally worth the cost!

10+ ways to shorten a cold naturally

Cold season is here and that means that a good bunch of us are going to be sick really soon! If you're anything like me you hate that 'medicine head' feeling that OTC cold remedies give you. I hate it so much I generally just tough it out and wait for the whole thing to pass. 

I've tried just about everything to get rid of a cold fast and while you can't exactly get over a cold in 24 hours, I have found several natural options that help me to feel better faster. 

Thankfully, none of these natural cold remedies give me that 'wide awake ready to fall asleep' feeling that commercial cold meds do! Give these 10 options a try....

How to shorten a cold naturally

End of the harvest spiral veggie dinner

It's always with a heavy heart that I pick the last few veggies from the garden. This year an impending frost ended gardening season sooner then I'd liked (and a crazy work schedule that prevented me from getting things covered in time) 

So as I grabbed the last few items from the garden I decided to make the best of it and create a "Summers End" veggie dish using the last zucchini, kale, basil and some carrots that definitely would have liked to grow longer! 

I use a spirilizer for the zucchini in this dish because it cuts the zucchini into fine strips that resemble pasta. You could actually use zucchini like pasta noodles when it's cut like this. It holds up really well as long as it's not over cooked! At this point in the year I'm about over zucchini so anything that sort of disguises it is great for me!

The many health benefits of ginger

I'm sure you've head of the old 'drink ginger ale for an upset stomach' home remedy, right? Many people think that it work because of the carbonation which makes you burp, releasing pressure. They're right...sort of. 

What actually works is the ginger in the ginger ale. Of course most commercially available sodas don't contain much (if any) actual ginger anymore so the relief you feel probably is from a combination of burping and adding liquid to your stomach which basically relieves pressure and 'waters down' the acids that are bothering you. 

Thankfully, soda companies are noticing the demand for real ginger and are reverting back to their old recipes which are pretty effective for an upset stomach....you do have to check the label to be sure though.

Real ginger however, will do the trick much more efficiently and do so much more! Ginger is amazing for reducing irritation of your stomach, helping with bile production, and relieving nausea. 

It is often given to people with digestive issues, women with morning sickness, and even cancer patients dealing with nausea. If you have digestive issues, you can definitely benefit from using ginger on a regular basis.

Health benefits of ginger

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a great food to add to your natural healthcare regimen for more then just stomach upsets. It can also help with inflammation, arthritis, pain, circulation and so much more. Gingerols are the active compounds in ginger that are responsible for its anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Mother Earth News Fair in Pennsylvania

Yesterday I spent the day at the Mother Earth News Fair in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania. It was a pretty nice day but there was a little rain here and there (which seems like fair tradition by now!) There were a lot of vendors and many speakers across several stages covering everything from off grid living and tiny homes, to livestock care and organic gardening. 

The fair spanned the entire back lot of the Seven Springs resort, plus the side lot and several areas indoors. As always, it was quite busy and we had a wonderful time.

Mother Earth News Fair, Seven Springs

I have been going for several years but after missing last year, I noticed several changes to the fair. First, many of the big brands that were mainly information booths were not there. Meyer Hatchery, Brinsea, Purina, Manna Pro and many more used to attend the fair and get big booths where they would hand out free samples or coupons and information all weekend long. These weren't sale booths, they were just to introduce attendees to their product. I didn't see any of these companies there and only a few of this type of booth there. I also didn't see any of the magazine or website booths as I had in recent years. 

Next, there were a ton of 'vendor' type booths. People were selling darn near everything and there were a lot of them! There were a few demonstrations but mostly there was row upon row of herbal concoctions, soaps, creams, foods, seeds, natural products and tools. The maple cotton candy people were back, and it was just as yummy as last time. Oh...and there were mashed potato martinis! I kid you not!