We finally have chicken on the farm! Find out more about what we chose and come along while we build a winter coop to keep them safe and warm.
Join me for a canning duel! I am doing a faceoff: USDA-approved canning method against a decades-old Mennonite canning method. Which will I choose as my favorite?
Homemade peanut butter cookies made with fresh ground flour came out PERFECT! Come bake with me.
Are our bees ready for winter? Come along while we do our final fall inspection.
Faith and I whip up some Ultra Elderberry Syrup and Elderberry gummies.
Homesteading is tuff, why did we choose to homestead off-grid?
Pumpkin bread is a fall favorite! This versatile recipe can be made as a muffin or dessert!
While I salvaged the juice, I won’t be using the steam juicer to make tomato juice again... see what happened!
Philip and I had the pleasure of attending the Homesteading and Preparedness Festival. Check out the KSL Festival in Bowling Green, Kentucky!
Building the solar array was a HUGE undertaking! Come build this enormous solar array with us!
It won’t be long and it will be time to hunt for frost flowers! Check out these unique flowers that “grow” on Kowalski Mountain.
Our second trip to Homesteaders of America did not disappoint! Here are a few of the highlights as we experienced it!
Take a walk down memory lane with me to see exactly what it took to get us to our full-time off-grid homestead journey.
Here it is the 2023 Homestead Gift Guide! Check it out!
Moving our heavy RV from the bottom of the hill to the top is a HUGE job! We called in a semi to get the job done! Join us as we prep the RV site and move this RV to the new RV site.
It’s MOVING Day! We’ve been talking about it for years, but FINALLY, Moving Day has arrived! Come along while we move our farm to our off-grid homestead over 700 miles away!
Unboxing my new Norpro 619 Steam Juicer. Plus, visit a beautiful farm where Philip and I pick muscadine grapes to make fresh grape juice. Learn more about beautiful Heather Oaks Farm.
For years we have been traveling to Kentucky slowly building our homestead. We finally took our LAST workcation! We are moving to Kowalski Mountain,
Treating honey bees for varroa mites is an important part of apiary management. Come along while Philip treats the Florida apiary for varroa mites with Apiguard..
Creating custom essential oil blends for soap making is simple! Join me as I create a special blend designed to repel ticks and turkey mites.
Taking time to build something special for ME! DIY Garden Steps! The waterfall garden needs a better entrance!
The full recipe is on YouTube! Come along while I make my Tick Repelling Soap!
Finally I am releasing my proven tick repelling soap recipes! For the first year in many, I did not get ravaged by turkey mites!
The wind-blown peach trees are flat on the ground! Philip left me a bucket of supplies to upright the trees and stabilize them. Can I do it?
Epic fail! Not every project on the homestead goes as planned. I like to keep it real, sharing not only the triumphs but the disappointments too.
Do meat chickens lay eggs? Answering your questions about dual-purpose chickens.
I neglected to prepare to make a birthday treat for Philip. Thankfully it’s blackberry season in Kentucky! I was able to forage for enough wild blackberries to save the day!
It’s the end of July and I am wrapping up the spring garden! Come along for the LAST Florida garden tour!
Storing homemade soap properly is essential to help it last! I share options for all budgets and available space to best protect your investment.
It’s getting real ya’ll! We’re building fences to move our four Dexter cattle t the homestead! Phase 1 is complete!
It’s the VERY FIRST garden tour at the homestead on Kowalski Mountain in Kentucky! Join me, I’m so excited to show you the good and the VERY ugly!
Zucchini bread is one of my favorite treats! This special snack is made more nutritious by including fresh ground flour!
A bee smoker is a must-have tool for every beekeeper! Why do beekeepers use smoke?
It’s already the end of June! Time for the June Garden tour to see how the garden is faring in garden zone 9A
The 2023 Kowalski Apiary Honey is ready for sale!
How are the bees at Kowalski Mountain doing? Are they recovering? Let’s find out!
This tangy venison meatloaf is my favorite way to make this classic comfort food!
As we prepare to move, I clean the unsavory cuts of venison out of the freezer and turn them into canned dog food using the pressure canner!
Why Buy a Grain Mill? Check out the kinds of grain mills available and why you should grind flour at home!
Goat milk soap is an excellent soap that not only cleans well, but it is also nurturing to the skin!
It’s time to extract the spring honey! Peek into my kitchen while I harvest 45 pounds of raw honey!
Cream of wheat is so easy to make from wheat berries! Recipe included!
This video is a part of the #Juneisdairymonth2023 collaboration. This goat milk soap has an essential oil blend is made especially for men!
The end of May Garden Tour is up! Such a colorful harvest from our community family garden! Check it out.
We’re just getting started on our root cellar! Start this journey with us as we continue to build infrastructure on the homestead.
Why would we build a root cellar on our off-grid homestead? Learn what a root cellar is and why we need one!
I’m turning into an addict! A VANILLA Extract addict! I’m making my 3rd batch in just about 6 months’ time! Join me in the kitchen while I make a double-fold batch of vanilla extract.
It’s time! We will be harvesting honey very soon! Check out the process from start to finish!
The garden is exploding! I couldn’t wait for the end of the month to show you! Mid-May Garden Tour in Garden Zone 9A.
The right protective beekeeping clothing can create a positive and comfortable beekeeping experience. What should you choose?
Just for fun, I decided to make the official Coronation Dinner as enjoyed by the Royal Family on this historic Coronation day! Cook with me while I make a Roast Rack of Lamb to celebrate!
Even away from home, a special holiday meal can be cooked outdoors! Cook with me at Kowalski Mountain while I make Easter dinner in the dutch oven and over the fire.
Visit Abshier Blueberry Farm with Philip and I and our granddaughters. This is a REAL family outing…. from blissful giggles to the end of a hot outing.
This old-fashioned ginger snap cookie recipe is a go-to cookie all year long! Bake some today!
The April Garden Tour is up! See how much the garden has grown in just one month! PLUS we’ve expanded!
The Bosch Universal Plus Deluxe Mixer is on sale now until Mother’s Day! Now is the time to upgrade your mixer!
Weston has joined the beekeeping team at Kowalski Apiary. Come along while Weston gets his first up-close and personal experience in the apiary.
The last video in the Baby Quilt series is all about finishing this quilt! Come along while I navigate obstacles to get this quilt finished.
Step-by-step instructions on how to do a blanket stitch! Join me in the waterfall garden to do a little quilting.
The fourth video in the baby quilt series is all about applique. See how I create and finish the applique of Baby Hunter’s quilt.
Applique is a sewing technique that brings a quilt to life! Adding characters personalizes the quilt and creates a theme. I share the technique I use and various other methods of applique.
It’s easy to grind your own cream of wheat with a Nutrimill Grain Mill! Full recipe!
Canning meat is a great way to preserve meat that is ready to eat! I answer all your questions, how you pressure can it, and how long it lasts!
The third video is the Baby Quilt series! The prep work is done, it’s time to assemble the quilt top! Come along while I assemble the blocks, add the sashing, and figure out this medallion! Can I get it done in time?
A beekeeping mentor is a great way to learn about beekeeping! Philip has the joy of mentoring several beekeepers. It’s such a joy to see them successfully growing their apiaries!
The second video in the baby quilt series! Using a rotary cutter to cut quilt blocks is quick and easy! Come along while I cut out the blocks for Hunter’s baby quilt.
I love to give baby quilts as gifts for new grandbabies! These baby quilt ideas will help get you started to design your own baby quilts… or any quilt!
It’s that time of year again… time for the very first garden tour of 2023! Come along while I get these seedlings planted.
The secret project is revealed! For weeks I have been working on a baby quilt for Baby Hunter and finally, I can reveal the big secret! The first video in this Quilt Making Series is all about the planning process.
I show you the Recipe Keeper App that transformed my recipe collection from a mix of magazines, cookbooks, and recipes printed from the internet to an app on my phone or tablet.
After years of using a 3 ring binder for my recipe collection, I discovered Recipe Keeper. The digital recipe organizer that I can use on my phone, tablet, PC at home, or on the go!
A historical wind storm blows through Kentucky destroying property, widespread power outages, and multiple deaths. Philip makes an emergency trip to the homestead.
Bees are fascinating! This beekeeping for beginners guide will give you the basic information you need to get started with your very own apiary.
Spending so much time in front of the camera ensures we catch a lot of crazy moments on film. Come laugh with us as we dig through the blooper vault for some good clean fun.
It’s swarm season! What’s a honeybee swarm? Why do bees swarm? What do I do if I find a swarm? Check it out! Need help locally, call us at Kowalski Tree Service.
Cream of wheat is a hearty breakfast ready that is easy to make from fresh ground flour! From whole wheat to delicious cooked cereal in less than 15 minutes! Join me in the kitchen while I make breakfast!
I was thrilled when I realized I could make cream of wheat with my fresh ground flour! Not only is it easy to make, but it’s also delicious and filling!
Join me as I made Rosemary Peppermint Goat’s Milk Soap. I may look a bit like a mad scientist but soap-making isn’t scary at all!
I’m hooked! Making soap is addicting! Experimenting with fragrances to find the perfect scent is exciting! This Rosemary Peppermint Goat’s Milk Soap is invigorating! Recipe included.
It’s simple to make Sweet Iced Tea using Loose Leaf tea. Join me in the kitchen while I make a custom blend and a gallon of Sweet Iced Tea.
I switched to loose-leaf tea to make my sweet iced tea. Find out what’s the difference between loose-leaf tea VS tea bags. How to use loose-leaf tea to make Sweet Iced Tea.
Spring is right around the corner, time to order Spring Chickens! Thinking about raising meat chickens? Let’s look at actual costs, is it worth it to raise your own meat chickens?
Bake with Me! This delicious Chocolate Truffle Blackberry Cheesecake is my favorite! Join me in the kitchen as I bake this very special Valentine’s Day treat just for me!
Bake with Me! This delicious New York-Style Cheesecake is Philip’s favorite! Join me in the kitchen as I bake this very special Valentine’s Day treat just for him.
Two amazing Valentine’s Day cheesecake recipes for Him and Her! Sure to satisfy both of their sweet tooths.
Join the Kowalski Mountain Subscriber’s Library here!
Come along for the official UNBOXING of the Bosch Universal Plus Mixer Deluxe package. See everything in the box plus cook with me!
When choosing cattle for the homestead, how do you choose? Dairy Cow VS Beef Cow? What did we choose?
Spreadable butter is easy to make at home with only two ingredients!
Meet Prince! The young Dexter bull we’ve purchased for the homestead at Kowalski Mountain! We’re building a legacy! Prince is just the first of our young herd.
I grew a bunch of luffa sponges, but what in the world do I do with them? See how I made usable luffa sponges for the shower and the kitchen.
Cook with me! I made a beautiful rotisserie chicken at home with our homegrown chicken! Plus a bonus recipe of my favorite chicken and rice. Recipes can be found in the Subscriber’s Library!
I’m looking at ways to use my abundance of luffa sponges! See how I use them to make seed-starting cups to get my tomato seeds planted for the 2023 Spring Container Garden.
After living an in RV for four years, I’ve learned a bit about how to organize an RV to make the most of the space we have! Each RV has its own challenges! These space-saving organizational tips can help you organize your RV whether you live in one full-time, or use it for weekend getaways!
As the sun sets on 2022, let’s look back and see how far we’ve come! The 2022 YEAR in REVIEW is on YouTube! Join Philip and I as we share the exciting progression at Kowalski Mountain in 2022, the setbacks and failed projects, and also what we have planned in 2023!
I was so nervous making soap for the very first time! Watch to see if I successfully make soap or lye soup!
I’m diving into a new adventure! After growing an abundance of luffa sponges, I wanted to find ways to use them. I’m making homemade goat’s milk, honey, oat, lavender soap. Learn the basics of cold soap processing as I dive head first!
Creamed honey has many names it is known by: whipped honey, creamed honey, and honey butter to name a few. Learn what creamed honey is and learn how to make it yourself with your own crystallized raw honey.
When offered free retired laying hens, Philip can’t pass up a free meal. Join me in the kitchen while I process and can chicken.
Pressure canned chicken is the convenience food of the homesteading world! See how easy it is to pressure can your chicken at home!
Creating memories with the grandkids while we do my favorite Christmas tradition. Years ago I started a handprints Christmas tree skirt, come along while we add the 2022 handprints.
Christmas traditions with the grandkids are extra special! This post is all about the importance of Christmas traditions, how they evolve and how they help us navigate difficult times in life.
What’s for breakfast? On the homestead, I cook two meals, breakfast, and dinner! Here’s a sampling of what we eat on the homestead to fuel our day.
Honey is an investment! Learn how to properly store honey to make it last!
Learn how to use reusable harvest guard canning lids! Ensure your best possible seal rate when you use the lids properly! I’ll show you how!
It’s hunting season! Time to prepare for meat processing! Here are our favorite venison processing tools!
Come bake with me while I make homemade pumpkin puree AND pumpkin bar! You’ll for yourself how easy it is.
Homemade pumpkin puree is SO easy! I’ll give you all the scoop (pun intended) about how to make our own.
Let’s look at the difference between water bath canning and pressure canning to determine what method you should choose.
The second hunting stand cushion I made was a fitted rectangular cushion cover. Grab a cup of coffee and come sew with me.
A squirrel ate a hole in our hunting stand cushion. Come along and sew with me while I attempt to repair the damage done. Can I fix it?
Join me in the outdoor kitchen while I make homemade spaghetti sauce using Harvest Guard reusable lids and Denali One use canning Lids. See for yourself hw they work.
Reusable or one-use canning lids? What’s the difference, how should you choose? Be sure to check out the Shop this Post at the bottom of the post to get my 10% discount code!
Come cook with me as I make sugar bricks as an emergency food source for our struggling bee colonies. These were quick and easy to make in the freeze dryer.
To supplement our struggling bee colonies in Kentucky, we are making Sugar Bricks to provide a supplemental food source. Sugar bricks are easy to make at home!
The 2022 Homesteaders of America Conference was an amazing event we were privileged to attend. This VLOG brings you along to see the conference as we experienced it as first-time HOA attendees.
HuntStand Pro is an app that Philip and I use on the homestead all year long. This customized mapping system allows us to map our property and trail system. Watch on YouTube how we use HuntStand Pro on the homestead. Read the full review on the blog.
While at the homestead I cook very much as I do at home. I try to cook hearty, homemade meals that are filling after a long day. I share a few of the tips and tricks I use to make homemade meals on workcation! Check it out!
For years I have been blaming chiggers for the horrible bites I get every summer at the homestead. The locals all tell me that it’s turkey mites not chiggers. They are similar but much worse! So what is the difference can I tell and how do I fight back?
The 13-month update to the Egg Preservation Experiment is on YouTube! Are the eggs still good?
See the full post to learn how.
Not only can luffa gourds be used for sponges. You can eat them. See the full post.
See the pond transform from the small pond Philip built just to see if it would hold water, to a half-acre pond on the homestead.
Building a farm pond may seem like an extravagant expense, but the pond brings value to the homestead in a variety of ways. Check it out.
See the driveway transform before your very eyes! Check out the newest video on YouTube.
The driveway has cleared the way for us to take the next step at Kowalski Mountain. Get all the details of the biggest job of the Summer workcation!
Philip had a crazy idea that we would unload the solar panels ON the pallet. See how we unloaded an 1100-pound pallet!
See the first complete apiary inspection of the bees at Kowalski Apairy II on the homestead.
Unpack with me! We have a proven routine for arrival day at Kowalski Mountain. I’m bringing you along as I settle in and unpack.
The August Container Garden Tour is UP! Check out what’s left in the August Container Garden in garden zone 9A.
The luffa have grown like crazy! See the video on YouTube. See the difference between the male and female flowers and come along while I process and use my home grown luffa sponge for the very first time!
Growing luffa sponges in my garden has been such a cool project! See how your can grow our own luffa gourds at your homestead.
Fowl pox has infected our Broad Breasted Turkeys! What is fowl pox? Can we still harvest our meat turkeys?
Come Shop With Us at Central Beekeepers Supply in Russellville, Arkansas. This family owned beekeeping store has got all things beekeeping that you might need. John is one of the mentors that taught Philip about Beekeeping via his YouTube channel.
Varroa mites are one of the greatest threats to honey bees. Treating for varroa mites is a part of good apiary management.
Dramatic Bee Rescue from a GIANT Cactus. You don’t want to miss it! This is the most intense bee rescue yet!
Meet the animals that we currently have at the Florida house! Some have a purpose and some are pets. This video is part of a YouTube collaboration with other homesteaders, see the types of animals they keep on their homestead. Playlist goes live August 5, 2022 at 5 PM Eastern.
Animals are an important part of self sufficiently on the homestead. Check out what kinds of animals we keep and determine if they have a purpose or are a pet.
The July Container Garden Tour is on YouTube! Meet my garden nemesis face to face, harvest potatoes with me, and don’t miss my garden blooper!
One of the most difficult aspects of organic gardening is insect control. This year the Leaffooted Bug was a garden nemesis that I could not control. Learn all about them and how I plan to be better prepared for them in the future.
The 10-month update on the egg preservation experiment is up! Are the eggs still good? What do they taste like? Would I preserve eggs in lime water solution again? Check it out on YouTube.
We are raising our first pair of Broad Breasted Turkeys’. What’s the best kind of meat turkey? What’s the difference between a heritage breed and a production breed? How do you choose?
Philip got a call to remove a feral colony of honeybees from a tree. Get a look at how he recovers the feral colony and how they do.
It’s honey time! Here at Kowalski Mountain, we sell only pure, raw honey. Demystify the terms found on the honey label and join us as we extract the spring honey.
I had the privledge of farm sitting for a friend! Join me as I clean in the barnyard and enjoy playing with baby bunnies. poults and more!
A unique collection of questions about bees asked by our followers! While I am a bit of a science nerd, you challenged me!
The challenges of the June garden are heating up! Join me for the June Container Garden Tour. See how our garden is handling the heat and insect pressure.
After I got sick on the last workcation, I was looking for an all-natural electrolyte drink. My mom suggested Switchel, the original sports drink!
Philip pulled the spring honey! Check out on YouTube how he decided what frames to pull. He’ll do a hive inspection to check on how the new queen is managing, we’ll see eggs, larvae, the Queen, and even a bee hatching!
June is National Pollinators Month! As beekeepers, we celebrate pollinators every day! Not only are they amazing creatures, but they are also vital to our survival!
I’m stretching my Dutch oven cooking skills and cooking a prime rib roast in the camping dutch oven. I made a big mistake at the end, see how I save dinner!
Philip’s favorite season is the fall, mine is spring! The 2022 Spring Workcation was full of projects that prepare us for our future!
The container garden is a jungle! See how our garden is growing in Garden Zone 9A.
Why in the world would we bathe our Cornish Cross Broilers? Find out why?
We bring you along for the entire butchering process, showing you our setup, explaining the entire butchering process and show you how we preserve our meat.
Butchering your own meat animals at home brings about a range of emotions. It can be especially intimidating to the first-time home processor. I’ve put together a list of equipment that will make the job easier for both you and your animals.
Curious about how quickly Cornish Cross broilers grow. Watch these little balls of fluff grow into full-size meat birds in just 8 to 9 weeks’ time right before your eyes!
Raising Cornish Cross broilers is one of my favorite homesteading projects. In just 8 to 9 weeks’ time, we can raise a year’s worth of meat in our backyard. No matter how big or small your homestead is!
This off-grid water pump system allows us to use water anywhere on the homestead: Stationary or Portable System!
Breaking ground on the Kowalski Mountain Vineyard! Building for the future, preparing for our permanent move to Kowalski Mountain.
We’ve moved the very first livestock to Kowalski Mountain! Join us as we move a portion of our apiary to the homestead.
Prior to our Spring Workcation we got security camera images of our RV canopy damaged by the wind. Join us as we access the damage and bring you along for the repairs.
These homemade snickers bars are a real treat! This adaptation makes these homemade candies in molds, creating a traditional style snickers bar that can handle the hangry.
Building a homestead is a challenge no matter how you do it! Building a homestead over 700 miles away on raw land.. that’s a challenge. See why we are doing it and how!
The 2022 Container Garden is Growing! Time to get the trellises in! Join me as I build simple trellises with items I found around the house.
Predators on the homestead are a reality of farm life. See how we are preventing predators at the Florida house.
Finally! The last post about the Winter Workcation! It’s all about the beginning stages of our off-grid rainwater harvesting plans.
Bonus Video! Assembling the Leaf and Original GreenStalks! Be sure to use my link to save $10 on your purchase of a GreenStalk Planter.
It’s finally that time a year! In garden zone 9A it’s time to plant the garden! Learn all about garden zones and what they mean . Join me as I get our container garden planted.
t’s time for the 6-month update on the Homestead Egg Preservation Experiment! Find out how it’s going!
It’s swarm season in Florida! Philip retrieves our bees and the bees of a fellow beekeeper! Check it out!
Venison Stuffed Peppers One of my favorite family recipes! Try this amazing recipe with ground beef too!
As we video the process of building the homestead, we have some crazy moments! I’ve gathered a few bloopers just for fun! Be sure to watch till the end, I saved the best for last! Check it out.
Philip cut the very first log into lumber on the brand new sawmill. Come along, learn how we mill our own lumber on the homestead.
The first Winter Workcation of 2022 is in the books! See what we were up to on our last trip to Kowalski Mountain.
It’s springtime and its time to add the honey supers to begin spring honey production. Join us as we get these colonies ready for spring.
Our first workcation of 2022 was focused on one major task: assembling the Woodland Mills Sawmill! It’s all hand on deck to tackle this epic project!
The quest to find quality rural internet is on! We purchased a Weboost Destination RV Signal Booster in hopes that it will help. Find out if it did. .
We had some unexpected guests join us on the homestead. While they were with us we installed our Christmas gift together. A Kowalski Mountain street sign to mark our driveway. Join us…
Meat birds are the perfect solution to homesteaders who have limited space. They are easy to process at home, require limited space and are a short term commitment.
Our goal for our apiary is to grow bees. As a bonus, Philip gets to mentor new beekeepers to teach them the ins and outs of becoming a beekeeper. Join us as he spends some time sharing his knowledge about the art of beekeeping with an aspiring beekeeper.
After our garden was destroyed by frost, I start round 2 of my seed starts. Join me while I replant our last opportunity to start seeds early.
In celebration of our anniversary, I am sharing our Venison Marsala recipe and a FREE Meal Planning Guide for use when preparing a big meal. Check it out.
Choosing a grain mill can be a daunting task. Check out the major types of grain mills and see why I selected mine.
Look back with us as we wrap up our wedding preparations. We planned an intimate ceremony at the Hitching Post right here on Kowalski Mountain.
Are you a homestead dreamer, read about our homesteading dream and the inspiring stories of these 3 other homestead dreamers.
While I have always cooked from scratch, I take a good hard look at the quality of ingredients in my cooking, starting with flour. Check it out!
The first garden tour of the 2022 Gardening season is on YouTube! Help us reach our goal of 1000 subscribers! Check out the good, the bad, and the ugly as we get this season started!
As I embark on a new adventure of grinding my own flour, we’ve got to learn the basics! We’re starting with Wheat Berries.
Honey Spoons were a fun treat to make as Christmas gifts. Cook with me while I make this tasty treat.
Learn all about the homestead egg preservation experiment here and see how to do it yourself at home. To see my four month update of how the eggs look and are used in cooking, see the updated video here.
The sawmill is a game changer! It finally arrived at the homestead,
On one of our hunting trips this season we started the interior construction of the bathhouse. Check out how far we got and see our vision for the project.
This is my family’s favorite jerky recipe! Best part is it can be used with any lean meat to make your own jerky.
This article is featured in the Homestead Living eBook, pretty enough to share as a gift. Get the eBook here.
Sign up for the Kowalski Mountain’s Subscriber Library to get instant access to the Homestead Living Winter 2021 eBook.
Already a member? Check your email for the password to download your FREE copy. Click this link to the Subscriber’s Library.
With our belongings in storage, I created an Old-Fashioned Christmas Tree to bring holiday cheer. PLUS: Parade of Christmas Trees
Time to pull out the honey extractor for our first major honey harvest! Be sure to find out how much honey we harvest!
My best winter hack… preserve eggs for the winter! Click the link to learn how! #homesteadersofigchallenge
New Video on YouTube! We found ourselves with a queenless hive this fall. Philip takes action to get this colony queen right!
It’s finally HERE! The Kowalski Mountain blog has a whole new look!! Che k it out!
I find Dutch oven cooking intimidating! Join me as I work to improve my Dutch oven cooking skills! Roasted Lemon Rosemary Chicken and Maple Oatmeal Bread are on the menu. Read about it here.
The FREE Homestead Anywhere eBook is finally HERE! Click here to read all about the project and get your FREE eBook today!
Whether you are organizing the freezer over the fridge, or the homestead harvest in multiple freezers, these tips and tricks will help you organize a freezer that will save you money! Read about it here.
See how I pack and prepare for a trip to the homestead! A little preparation at home makes meal time at Kowalski Mountain simple!
It’s hunting season again in Kentucky! See how we process the harvest right at home!
I’ve been talking about canning for weeks, now I’m going to teach you! Learn all about how to water bath can for yourself!
We planted our winter food plots in September with Eric, Jess, and Weston. Already the food plots are growing well... check it out.
Spent time with Faith and Jess doing some fall canning! I got so much video, I had to create the September Workcation Canning Trilogy.
I dazzled Weston with my GiGi magic and made homemade ice cream. Watch the magic unfold.
Join us as we look back at how far the homestead has come in just a few short years! Features images and videos from 2016 to the present.
During the September Workcation, we got some of the heavy lifting done to move forward with the barn construction.
My very first VLOG on YouTube! We enjoyed apple picking at Jackson’s Orchard.
Our Labor Day Workcation post is on the blog! Get an overview of what we did!
Since we don’t have a temperature-controlled food storage area on the homestead, we have to bring in everything we need. I’ve got a low-tech food planning system that makes meal prep much easier.
I’m conducting an experiment to learn how to preserve eggs! Check it out!
The fall garden seed starts are planted! Join me.
We’ve submitted our dream to the Homestead Documentary Season 2, learn more about the project.
Our First Honey Harvest! We didn’t expect this beekeeper’s first this year, but we’re excited!
Hive 7 is doing well! Did you miss this bee extraction? Not too late to check it out.
It’s scalloping season! Join us as we head out to the grass flats in Crystal River to enjoy the day with family.
The final post of the July Workcation Series, we planted 5 trees to line our future driveway. Join us to see how we tackle the challenge.
The sixth post in the July Workcation Series is extra special! For years I’ve missed the blackberry harvest on Kowalski Mountain, but not this year! I enjoyed bringing in the harvest with my daughter. Check it out.
The fifth post in the July Workcation Series is all about our Off-Grid Water Pressure System. See how we haul water and use an off-grid system to dispense water where we need it.
The fourth post in the July Workcation series shows how we hauled the logs needed to build the guest cabin out of the woods. Enjoy!
As my garden winds down, I’m reminiscing over our gardens, check out the 2019 Garden Bounty.
Reminiscing over our 2020 garden. A rainbow of flowers. Lets look at the Colors of Summer 2020
The third post in the July Workcation Series. Join me as I fill the deer feeders and learn about why we feed deer and how we do it.
The second post in the July Workcation Series. We built a pen for an unexpected guest.
Read an overview of our July 2021 Workcation! This is just the first post in the July Workcation Series, lots to come.
Barbra-Sue made her first trips to Kowalski Mountain just 4 years ago. Philip gets a glimpse of what she’s made of roughing it on the property. Take a look back.
Philip was called in as a professional beekeeper to extract a colony of honeybees from a hollow tree. Read about it here.
Join me for an updated container garden tour.
A routine tree job becomes an adventure in bee extraction 35 feet in the air! Check it out!
Use this recipe to make Porcupine Balls. Add 1 cup chopped peppers to the mix when not cooking mix in a green pepper. Yummy!
Check out more adventures with bees in the Kowalski Apiary!
A surprise visit from my daughter and an impromptu trip to a local blackberry farm means I’m making jam. Join me…
Ohhh the trouble with Queens, We needed to replace a queen who was MIA and lost another while we worked! Plus we got to see a new bee emerge… was it our new queen? Check it out…
Are your turkeys escaping the yard? Try clipping their wings to prevent their escape, I’ll show you how.
The Countdown Continues! Countdown clock has been added to the blog! If you view the blog on a mobile device be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see the countdown clock. Check it out!
We have a broody momma turkey! Learn all about broody behavior and follow us as we patiently wait during the incubation period. https://kowalskimountain.com/broody-momma-turkey/
We’re reminiscing today! One year ago today we purchased our 1975 Massey Ferguson tractor. Check it out! https://kowalskimountain.com/new-tractor-on-the-homestead/
I heard beekeepers use the term “make a new queen” and I struggled to understand how bees “make” a queen. As I researched this topic, the science nerd came out in me. See what I discovered in this new post on the blog! https://kowalskimountain.com/making-a-new-queen-bee/
Join me for a video tour of the 2021 Container Garden. https://kowalskimountain.com/container-garden-tour-for-2021/
Did you see the swarm reel on Instagram… check out the full post about the swarm and how we got the bees back. https://kowalskimountain.com/capturing-the-swarm-returning-our-colony-to-their-rightful-hive/
Here’s the reel on Instagram if you missed it https://www.instagram.com/reel/CODkHvJjrMx/?igshid=zw18m9k2aryj
Did you miss the recipe earlier…. check it out here. https://kowalskimountain.com/venison-stuffed-peppers/
Building the first permanent structure on Kowalski Mountain is an epic event!! Check out how Philip and I set the poles and beams in Barn Raising Part 1. https://kowalskimountain.com/barn-raising-part-1/
Zucchini bread is one of my favorite quick breads! Delicious, moist and so easy… check it out https://kowalskimountain.com/moist-and-delicious-zucchini-bread/
Our strongest hive swarmed and we were lucky enough to see it! See how we worked together to Capture the Swarm! https://kowalskimountain.com/capturing-the-swarm-returning-our-colony-to-their-rightful-hive/
New Queen Bees at the Kowalski Apiary! Check them out! https://kowalskimountain.com/exciting-news-new-queens-have-hatched/
Get an up-close peek inside the extracted bee nuc with our agriculture inspector during our annual apiary inspection. https://kowalskimountain.com/peek-inside-the-extracted-bee-colony-with-the-apiary-inspector/
Philip and I answer the plea of a homeowner who had a bee colony take up residence in the wall of their home. Philip uses some of his “MacGyver” skills to extract the bees naturally to preserve the colony. https://kowalskimountain.com/beekeeper-removes-a-bee-colony-from-a-house-naturally/
Philip conducts hive maintenance and we get to taste the first of our very own honey! Enjoy this close-up view in our apiary. https://kowalskimountain.com/a-sweet-treat-for-the-beekeepers/
We love these easy stuffed peppers! Perfect use for an abundance of peppers! Prepare, freeze and and enjoy delicious bounty from the garden year round! Enjoy! https://kowalskimountain.com/venison-stuffed-
Enjoy these amazing photos as you take a peek into the Kowalski Apiary! https://kowalskimountain.com/busy-little-bees/
Here’s the link friends! I know my northern friends are still dealing with winter…. but here in Florida gardening season is well underway. We usually start in February! Did you miss our 2021 Garden Intro? We’re in the process of moving, but I wasn’t going to miss my fresh veggies. Check it out!
https://kowalskimountain.com/the-2021-garden-intro/
Our Cornish Cross Broiler Adventure https://kowalskimountain.com/cornish-cross-broilers/
Broiler Harvest. Please note, this post contains images of animal meat processing. https://kowalskimountain.com/broiler-butchering-day-a-family-affair/
Thanks for joining the Kowalski Mountain family!
www.kowalskimountain.com
2021 is a year of change for the Kowalski’s! Introducing our 2021 Garden. https://kowalskimountain.com/the-2021-garden-intro/
03.09.2021 A winter storm brought in snow and ice that covered Kowalski Mountain in a wintery blanket. Philip and I enjoyed the beauty of the snow and navigated the challenges. https://kowalskimountain.com/snow-for-the-honeymooners/
03.08.2021 Watch how we moved the bees from the Nuc to their permanent hive. https://kowalskimountain.com/new-neighbors-join-the-hive/