Lion Soul Homestead

   Hello and Welcome to Lion Soul Homestead's Blog: 🌿 Top 3 Herbs for Preventive Health:  Holy Basil, Lemon Balm, and Chives Lately, I’ve been learning more about how herbs can keep us healthy before we ever get sick. Herbs are amazing little plants that help support our bodies in many ways. Today, I want to share a bit about  three herbs for preventative health — Holy Basil , Lemon Balm , and Chives .  🌸 Holy Basil Tulsi (Holy Basil) | Seen @ Jaya's Garden | Thangaraj Kumaravel | Flickr Holy Basil (also called Tulsi) is one of the most powerful herbs for overall wellness. 🌱 Growing Tips If your zone is  under 8 , it’s best to start it indoors or wait for early spring unless you can control the temperature. If you live in zones 8–9 , grow it in spring or fall. In zone 10 or higher , you can grow it year-round. 💚 Health Benefits Holy Basil helps the body in so many ways: Supports your heart and blood vessels Helps with stress and anxiety Keep...

  Hello and Welcome to Lion Soul Homestead's Blog: Photo by Vladimir Srajber: https://www.pexels.com/photo/goat-herd-grazing-in-croatian-countryside-34075170/ Today, I'd like to dive into the pros and cons of raising Goats for Meat vs. dairy, or potentially both. Photo by Andreas Ebner: https://www.pexels.com/photo/goat-standing-in-a-field-14688313/ Meat Goats: Pros  Generally, they are more capable than dairy goats at birthing and raising their babies without assistance. Some meat goats, like Boers, can be roughly 200lbs, give or take. That's a pretty good return on investment, even if feeding store-bought feed. Males are, of course, larger and usually the ones used for meat. If you tend to get more males, you get more meat per year. Meat breeds tend to have fewer issues in general, such as needing hoof trimming, deworming, other illnesses, or diseases.  *Always test for issues regularly to make sure they do not need treatments such as deworming*   ~ Just because th...

👋 Hello and Welcome to or Welcome back to  Lion Soul Homesteads blog!! 👋 STOP, don't buy those chickens 🐔 just yet, or start on remodeling projects🏡, there's something much more important to start with.......... 🌴🌳🎋 Trees 🌲🎄 and bushes, plus a few other plants that take a very long time to grow and produce for you. Unless you don't want to grow any stone fruit, such as Peaches, dates, cherries, and other fruit trees, berry bushes, and some long-term veggies. You will definitely want to get started buying and planting these valuable trees ASAP!! Fruits are not only a great way to get a sweet treat, but they also have many vitamins and minerals our bodies need. some of these fruits can be expensive if you were to eat them more than once a month, or while trying to feed a family, these fruits often. If you grow your own in an amount that will give you or your family enough to harvest, you can not only snack on them but also make delicious jams, jellies, and desserts t...

Introduction to Herbalism Pictured: Fenugreek Herb What is Herbalism? Herbalism is the practice of using plants and plant extracts for medicinal purposes. It’s one of the oldest forms of medicine known to humanity and involves the study and application of various herbs to promote health and treat illnesses. Herbalists often use a variety of plant parts, including leaves, flowers, roots, seeds, and bark, to create remedies. These remedies can come in many forms, such as teas, tinctures, capsules, powders, and ointments. Herbalism has deep roots in traditional medicine across various cultures, each with its own unique practices and beliefs. Here are a few examples: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) : Herbalism is a core component of TCM, which has been practiced for thousands of years. Chinese herbal medicine uses a variety of plants, minerals, and animal products to restore balance within the body. Common herbs include ginseng, astragalus, and licorice root. Ayurveda : Originating in I...

  Hello and Welcome to Lion Soul Homesteads Blog!! 👋 Photo by Ruvim Miksanskiy: https://www.pexels.com/photo/aerial-photography-of-snow-covered-trees-1438761/ The Benefits of Gardening During Winter Winter gardening might seem impossible, but it’s far from it! Even in the coldest climates, you can grow plants indoors with the help of grow lights. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, winter gardening can be an incredibly rewarding endeavor. Why Grow a Winter Garden? Growing a winter garden has numerous benefits. For one, it can mean fewer trips to the grocery store. Let's face it, food prices—especially for items grown far away—can be overwhelming. If you don't have farm stands or local markets nearby, like me, a winter garden can provide a sustainable solution. Each year you cultivate a winter garden, you gain invaluable insights: What crops do you enjoy or use the most. What items end up as compost or livestock treats. How much of a particular plant...

Let’s Set Homesteading Goals for 2025! Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/dirt-path-leading-to-house-under-clear-day-sky-461755/ As some of you already know, I love talking about homesteading and all the amazing topics that come with it! For us, this year looks very different because we traded our 2-acre homestead for a motorhome and relocated back to Louisiana. Interestingly, we’re now in the same area where we lived in 2018, right before the pandemic hit. Although we’re currently in an RV park, my homesteading dreams are still alive and well. There’s a community garden here, and we’re excited to contribute and grow what we can. While we can’t have livestock like rabbits here (and certainly can’t process them), I plan to explore indoor gardening with herbs, small flowers, and air plants. We’re also considering 4-H for our kids, provided we can find a place to house their rabbits nearby. In the long term, I’ve been researching farming loan programs to help us establish...