Last week, I was cleaning up breakfast and getting ready to play a game with my middle child when Rich came barging through the front door carrying a frozen water dish and yelling for towels. I quickly grabbed what I could find and ran to the door to help. Quite honestly, knowing Rich, I was expecting a half severed finger or something ridiculous. What I saw instead was somehow even more shocking…

In the dish was one of our ducks, completely frozen to the side and covered in ice. And yet even MORE shocking – the duck was alive and moving his head.

How did this duck freeze?!

The night before, we had a blizzard with heavy winds and a windchill of -30°F. As usual we did our nightly check to make sure everyone made it into the coop where they would be warm and safe for the night. This poor guy clearly never made it in. My best guess is that he was hiding in the grove and there was no way of seeing him. With 180 birds it’s nearly impossible to tell if one is missing.

At some point in the night, he decided to hop into the heated water dish for a drink, and literally froze his chest to the side of the rubber dish! The more he splashed, the more he froze. Our heated waterers should prevent this from happening, but with the strong winds and extreme cold his wet feathers froze instantly.

As animal caretakers we are always doing our best to prevent harm – yet somehow they manage to get themselves into predicaments regardless. We have found some crazy things over the years, but this was definitely a first!

Ducks are truly amazing animals. We were able to slowly thaw him from the dish as to not shock his system, and then begin to dry and warm him back up. Within 24 hours he was up, moving and eating as normal.

How do you thaw out a duck?

The key to bringing any living creature back up to temp is to do so SLOWLY. It’s essential that you don’t go too quickly or you will shock their system. Like when you are out in the cold for a long time and your fingers or toes are freezing cold – imagine sticking them in hot water. It HURTS! So don’t do that to your duck.

We placed the entire dish in the bathtub and decided it was really important to get him unstuck first. We ran cold water from the tap to help melt the ice around his chest. Once we were able to get him out of the bowl, we raised the temperature of the water slightly and continued to run it until all the chunks of ice were off his body. At that point we drained the water and made him a little nest of towels.

After about an hour, Mr. Quackers was starting to stand up. A little wobbly on his legs but I was super impressed with his progress.

From there, we brought a large pet carrier into our entryway – which has heated floors. We put a blanket on the bottom, and gave him a freshly fluffed warm towel from the dryer to snuggle up with. Which is where he lived for the next few days.

How long did he live in the house?

Mr Quackers the duck lived in our entryway for about 8 days. He had some frostbite we wanted to heal up before sending him back outside, and we were still in the middle of a cold snap so we wanted to make sure he was strong enough to handle it.

While living in the house he enjoyed gourmet meals of scrambled eggs and veggies with his feed to strengthen him up! As well as constant chit chats with the boys who were elated to have a house duck for a week.

What can we do differently?

While we are certain this was a fluke scenario, we still use each mishap as a learning moment on our farm. The heating element in the water dish should prevent this from happening in most cases. We believe that the heavy winds accompanied by frigid temps made any water he splashed freeze instantly. Once a feather or two stuck to the bowl it was over.

The tricky thing about ducks is that they do need open water to be able to dunk their heads into in order to clean their bills and help with eating. Heated nipple waterers work great for the chickens, but for ducks they aren’t an option in most cases. A friend of ours suggested cutting holes in the side of a bucket just big enough to get their heads into. This would prevent them from hopping in – which sounds like a really great option to try! What other water options have you used in cold climates for ducks?

Crazy enough, since sharing Mr Quackers story on Instagram, I’ve heard some similar stories of ducks freezing and people chopping them out of frozen ponds! Have you ever experienced anything like this before?

The post How Our Duck Nearly Died Freezing in a Blizzard appeared first on The Little Green Wagon.

I’ve been growing pumpkins on our farm for about 8 years, and my husband started even before that. I’ve seen it all, and I’ve got your back. Some issues aren’t easily avoidable, and all pumpkins will rot. But with these tips you can slow that process down to hopefully get your pumpkins to last the entire season.

Pick A Good Pumpkin

Picking a good pumpkin from the start is the number one thing you can do to ensure your pumpkins last as long as possible. What exactly does that mean?

• Look for pumpkins with a strong stem attached. The stem is the lifeline to the pumpkin, and when it rots, it starts the process of the whole thing rotting.
• This also means: don’t carry your pumpkin by the stem! This weakens the bond between stem and pumpkin – and let’s just pretend it doesn’t break off and you drop it in the middle of the field (been there, done that) – the weakened stem starts the rotting process that much sooner.
• Avoid buying pumpkins with holes or scratches in them. Look over the entire pumpkin to make sure the skin looks good. Small holes that haven’t healed over allow bacteria to enter the pumpkin – which of course leads to rotting. Scratches and dents that have clearly healed over should be fine.
• Feel around for soft or mushy spots. Those are a clear indication that rotting has started.
• Look for clipped stems. Ones that have been ripped off the vine are more prone to damage.

Ensure Safe Transport

Don’t let your new pumpkins roll around in your vehicle getting bumps and bruises along the way. Keep them safe and secured, buckle them in if you have to, and don’t make sudden stops. Take them out of the car as soon as you get home so they don’t overheat, and put them in a cool, dry, place out of direct sunlight.

Keep Your Pumpkin Stem Intact

Yep, I am talking about stems again…. because they are very important in keeping your pumpkin healthy. Once you bring your pumpkin home, continue to take care of that stem. Always move them around by grabbing the fruit itself, not by tugging on the stem. I know it seems like a great handle, but trust me on this. It’s not worth the convenience.

Clean Your Pumpkins

Pumpkins rot when bacteria enters the fruit. This can happen through holes in the skin, or through that stem. One thing you can do to prevent this is to clean your pumpkins. There are a lot of sites that recommend bleach, I personally use vinegar or Theives cleaner to avoid the harsh chemicals. You can soak them in a tub of your cleaning solution if you’d like, or I usually just spray them down and wipe them with a towel.

Don’t Let Pumpkins Freeze … Or Get Too Hot

Depending on where you live, you might need to monitor the weather a bit. Yes they can handle some heat, but too much will cause rotting, especially if they are in direct sunlight.

A bigger issue I have in Minnesota, is the freezing of my pumpkins. A light frost is usually fine, but with a hard freeze, the flesh of your pumpkin changes and starts to rot. White pumpkins are especially vulnerable to this, and their skin will turn brown or yellow after even a light frost. To be safe, when nighttime temps drop below 32 degrees, bring those puppies indoors or cover with a sheet if it won’t get too bad.

Protect Your Pumpkins From Pests

Yes I mean watch for bugs trying to eat your pumpkin – but I also mean critters. Squirrels for example LOVE pumpkins. I’ve also heard of raccoons snacking on them at night. Just be aware of your neighborhood, and perhaps bring them inside at night if you think you might have an issue.

Don’t Carve Your Pumpkins Until You’re Ready

Once you carve your pumpkin, you open it up to bacteria. Rotting starts to happen right away. You can try spraying the inside with your cleaning solution, and storing it in the fridge, but just know you’ve only got a few days (to a week if you are diligent about refrigerating and keeping bacteria out) once you’ve carved it. Our tradition is to carve ours on October 31st.

I hope with these tips you are able to enjoy your pumpkins all season long. If you’re in Southern Minnesota, we would love to see you out at our pumpkin patch The Little Green Wagon this fall and I’ll help you pick out a good one! You can read about how we got started with our small farm and growing pumpkins here.

The post How to Make Sure Your Pumpkins Look Amazing All Season appeared first on The Little Green Wagon.

Not only are these natural, safe, and actually healing products, but they work better than anything I’ve used in the past. Three babies in and I have fallen in love with Primally Pure’s baby line — and I will never go back.

This page may contain affiliate links. By clicking through I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Baby’s Skin is More Absorbent

There’s literally nothing like planting a smooch on that deliciously squishy baby skin. But did you know that it’s not nearly as thick as adult skin. In fact it’s 3 to 5 times thinner! That means it absorbs things like water – and allergens, irritants and chemicals – at a much faster rate. On top of that, the surface area of the skin in relation to their size is much much greater than an adult. So when chemicals are put onto their skin, they are absorbed quickly, and they are more highly concentrated. Which is why its so important to be cautious of what products we use. Read more from Sarah Kolman RN, MA, CHPN, INHC here about the properties of baby skin.

The Yuck in Common Baby Products

Chemicals live inside our favorite baby products, often without our knowledge. Formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane for example are both probable carcinogens and in a study done by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, 61% of the products tested contained both!! And a whopping 81% contained just formaldehyde. These chemicals aren’t listed in the ingredients because they are a toxic byproduct of chemical manufacturing. You can read more about the study here from the EWG.

If that wasn’t enough, according to this article from the New York Times, Johnson & Johnson lost a case against women who got ovarian cancer after using their baby powder. Johnson & Johnson admitted they knowingly sold product that was contaminated with asbestos. They must pay over $2 million in damages and still face thousands of lawsuits from other women developing cancer from the product as well.

It can be scary and overwhelming trying to navigate through the world of toxic products, but keeping my family healthy and safe is more than worth it. I’ve been making swaps in my home for the past few years to eliminate toxins one by one. And with three littles, baby products were for sure one of my first on the list. You can read more about what got me started here.

My Most favorite Natural Baby Products from Primally Pure

Baby Oil:

This organic baby oil is my absolute fave! It’s calming and healing properties are so wonderful for that soft fresh skin.

It can be used to moisturize baby’s skin after bath time, leaving those squishy cheeks soft and supple.

My favorite way to use it though is during diaper changes. with the easy squirt bottle, I don’t have to worry about getting my fingers messy with sticky creams. I can simply use a few squirts a couple times a day to keep baby’s sensitive diaper area moisturized and healthy. It helps protect and nourish the skin to prevent rashes from happening. All while keeping your hands completely clean.

Organic sunflower oil, apricot kernel oil and jojoba oil are gentle, deeply nourishing and non-greasy. Organic calendula flower is superior in soothing irritated/inflamed skin

Baby Balm:

I can’t say enough good things about this balm. This is what I use when I want to bring out the big guns. I use this on pretty much everyone in the family for skin issues.

• Diaper rash
• Cradle cap
• Eczema
• Dry chapped winter cheeks
• Growing Pregnancy Belly (helps with stretch marks)
• Cracked nipples
• Cracked heels
• Severely dry hands

Tallow from grass-fed cows deeply moisturizes, pure emu oil is highly anti-inflammatory, olive oil soothes chapped skin, and organic marshmallow root helps prevent stretch marks for mom.

Baby Bar:

This bar of soap has become a staple in our home, not only for baby, but for myself. It is made of goat milk which is rich in Vitamin A. This repairs damage and helps to maintain healthy skin.

I love that it keeps my baby’s skin hydrated and soft without covering him in things like parabens and sulfates.

I also use this bar on my face as part of the double cleansing method. with ingredients like shea butter calendula, chamomile and lavender, it gently washes away dirt without over drying my skin. Follow with the fancy face serum for best results.

Baby Powder:

With questionable ingredients in most baby powders like talc, it was so important to me to find one I could trust. With organic arrowroot powder and kaolin clay to absorb moisture, I feel totally confident in this product.

Beyond the moisture control, Primally Pure has added powdered herbs like lavender, chamomile and calendula to soothe skin and it smells great as well.

We don’t use this one too often, so it lasts forever. It’s great after diaper changes to help baby’s bottom dry. As well as in his pudgy little rolls that sometimes accumulate sweat which can cause irritation.

The Baby Kit:

Looking to get all your must-haves bundled together? This kit has everything you’d need for a pampered baby.

Here’s what comes in The Baby Kit:

• 1 oz. Baby Balm
• 1 oz. Baby Oil
• 1 oz. Baby Powder
• 4 oz. Baby Bar

I hope you love these luxurious products as much as I do! Let me know if you give them a shot! Don’t forget to use code LUCIE10 to save 10%. And check out my favorite Primally Pure products for mom here.

The post 4 Amazing Natural Baby Products from Primally Pure appeared first on The Little Green Wagon.

I’ve made this recipe for many years now. I love how simple and delicious it is. The most time consuming part is prepping your stalks.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Combine rhubarb, sugar, flour, and cinnamon and put into an 11 x 7 glass baking dish (I usually use my 9 x 13)
3. Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle over the top of the rhubarb mixture.
4. Bake for 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown

Recipe courtesy of Old World Garden Farms.

We just love to eat this each spring as is, or with whipped cream or vanilla bean ice cream. You can also substitute in some strawberries if you prefer. What’s your favorite way to enjoy rhubarb crisp?

If you’re local, check out our rhubarb availability at the Farm Stand. We sell 2 pound bundles which are perfect for this recipe.

The post Rhubarb Crisp Recipe appeared first on The Little Green Wagon.

One of my favorite ways to spark excitement and to encourage learning is through reading. I chose these books based on their ability to explain, inspire wonder, and sow the seeds of curiosity about gardening and the critters that help them to grow.

Get your kids excited about gardening with some of our favorite books! These are sure to get your kids asking questions and planning their own gardens.

This article contains affiliate links. This means if you click through and make a purchase I may receive a commission, at no additional cost to you. For more information see my disclosures here.

Grandpa’s Garden

Join Billy and his Grandpa from spring through fall as they prep, plant, care for, and harvest their veggie garden. The beautiful illustrations and excitement of watching things grow will keep your little ones captivated.

The final pages of the book share garden plots, tips for growing your vegetables, and what you can work on in each season. I love how Barefoot Books combine their beautiful stories with relevant information! It sparks long conversations and lots of questions from my little ones.

Ages 3-7

Who’s in the Garden

This darling book is so bright and colorful, it keeps younger kiddos entertained! My youngest gets big eyes and squeals in delight when we read this book. The peek-a-boo pages add excitement and curiosity for young readers as they guess who’s coming to see the garden.

This is a great board book to add to your collection.

Ages 1-4

Millie’s Chickens

This ADORABLE rhyming book shows life with suburban chickens. Millie looks after her chickens and shares their unique personalities. At the end of the book there are 7 informative pages going over the anatomy of a chicken, different breeds, and even some recipes to try with eggs.

Henry loves reading this book with his own chickens, and gives it a A+.

Ages 5-9

The Beeman

Learn about honey and beekeeping from The Beeman. This rhyming story is a fun read, and covers the basics of honey bees.

Then dive into the final pages that goes over the anatomy of a bee, and the different jobs they have within the colony. Learn about hives, tools needed to be a bee keeper, honey, pollination, and Grandma’s Apple and Honey Muffin recipe.

Ages 5-9

We Are the Gardeners

This darling book written by Joanna Gaines and her children is such a cute story about planting your very first vegetable garden. There will be obstacles and failures, but hard work will pay off.

The Big Book of Bugs

The illustrations in this book are so pretty, you almost forget you’re looking at a bunch of creepy crawlies. I love this book as part of your child’s gardening collection, because it talks about all the bugs that are a huge part of growing things.

From pollinators to earth worms and everything in between, this book is chalk full of fun information for your little planters.

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt

This beautiful book explores all the hidden parts of our gardens. Up in the garden things are bright and green and buzzing, while down in the dirty the worms are digging and skunks are burrowing.

Every part of the garden is full of life and wonder

A Butterfly is Patient

This gorgeous book gives children an introduction into the world of butterflies. I just love the illustrations on every page, and the descriptive language to help kids learn. There’s a lot of opportunity to discuss things further with your little reader, and spark their imagination.

Secrets of the Vegetable Garden

We absolutely love the Shine-A-Light books by Carron Brown and Giordano Poloni. If you’ve never seen these books, you must check them out! Using a flashlight you can shine your light through certain pages to reveal secret images! my kids have so much fun with these books at bedtime.

Secrets of the Vegetable Garden teaches about what seeds are, how to plant them, different parts of the plant, and different parts of the flower.

Peek Inside the Garden

We love this adorable peek inside book. Look closely at different parts of the garden, from the bugs in the wood pile, to the birds in the trees. This book gives an exciting peek into the tiniest details of the garden. With multiple flaps there’s always something new to discover.

I hope you enjoy these books as much as we do! Tell me what your favorite gardening book for kids are in the comments below.

The post Best Gardening Books for Kids appeared first on The Little Green Wagon.

They are easy to grow, easy to store, and can be used in so many meals.

Planting Your Potatoes

Potatoes are a root vegetable that likes loose soil with good drainage, lots of sun, and plenty of water.

Prepping Your Soil

Since some pretty major growth happens underground with potatoes, it’s really important to have soil that is nice and loose.

Our favorite method for creating the optimal growing conditions for potatoes is to dig our holes using an ice auger! We’re able to get nice and deep and loosen everything up below ground.

Potatoes also prefer soil that is slightly acidic, with a pH of 5.0-7.0. Fortunately though, they aren’t too picky about this and will grow well in most areas.

Cutting Your Potatoes

It’s totally acceptable to cut your larger seed potatoes before planting. You should leave them roughly 2 inches large, and make sure to leave 1-2 eyes on each piece. Smaller potatoes can be left whole.

It’s best to cut with a sharp blade and let them sit for a day or two to callous over before planting to prevent rot. I personally don’t know how necessary this is though as we’ve never had issues just plopping them in the dirt right away. Shh…

Planting

We grow our potatoes in rows roughly 2 feet apart, and space them 18-24 inches apart within the rows. You want to make sure they have plenty of room for growth underground, and to be able to pull enough nutrients from the soil.

We dig our holes with an ice auger a few feet deep, which you might be thinking is overkill….and you might be right. But gosh it works so well to get everything nice and loose, and it gives the roots ample room to grow with ease. We produce so many potatoes off of one hill using this method. If you have an auger and the space, I highly recommend it. Leave the majority of the soil in your hole, as you only want your potatoes to be 2-4 inches deep.

If you don’t have an ice auger, fear not! The other option is to dig holes or a trench with a spade. You want to dig your holes deeper than you need them to be (6-8 inches should do the trick) to help loosen the soil. (Same concept as the auger, just not as intense).

When you place your potatoes in the soil, make sure one of the eyes is facing up. This is where your potato will start to sprout from.

You can leave some of the dirt to the side and only cover your potatoes about 2 inches. Once they start to sprout from the dirt you can push the rest of the dirt over top of them as they continue to grow and create a bit of a mound. This will make sure there is plenty of growth below ground and you’ll produce more potatoes.

Caring For Your Potatoes

We like to cover our potato bed in mulch to prevent weed growth. Straw or grass clippings are great choices, just make sure that what you are using is weed free.

This year we decided to try pine shavings as mulch because we had it on hand. Since potatoes like slightly acidic soil, we are hoping it’s a good fit. I wouldn’t cover my whole garden in this though as not all plants like the acidity that pine shavings will bring. I’ll let you know how it works out!

Keep your potatoes well watered to encourage root growth, especially during the flowering stage and immediately after. When the plants are flowering, that is when they are forming tubers below ground. That is why this stage is so important to maintain water. They should get 1-2 inches of water or rainfall per week.

This also means that you should be pinching off your potato blossoms as soon as they appear. Since tubers are forming at the same time, they serve as competition for nutrients and energy. Removing the blossoms will increase your yields.

When the foliage starts to die and turn yellow, you no longer need to water. This will help the potatoes start to cure before you harvest.

Harvesting and Storing

If you’re planning to store your potatoes, wait to harvest until 2-3 weeks after the foliage has died back. The potatoes will cure underground and they will last much longer.

Gently dig potatoes with a sturdy fork. Wiggling the fork around on the outer edges will help loosen the soil and make it easier to get the potatoes out without damaging them. Your fork will still probably go through a few, just eat those ones first.

Cure your potatoes by allowing them to sit unwashed for 2-3 days. You can do this by leaving in the field if it’s dry, or in a covered area like a porch or garage if it’s rainy. This step is crucial for storing your potatoes as it allows the skins to mature a bit more before you wash them.

To store your potatoes, find an area that is dark, cool, and dry. Some airflow and ventilation are best to prevent rot. And ideally they’d be kept around 40 degrees. We store ours in our basement which stays around 60 degrees and has humidity so they don’t last as long as they could. We’ve had potatoes through December though in these conditions.

Companion Plants

Utilizing companion plants is a great way to deter bugs, inhibit weeds, and provide vital nutrients back into the soil by planting things near each other or interspersed together for the benefit of both plants.

Improve growth and flavor by planting: beans, corn, yarrow, thyme, basil, cabbage, and parsley.

Deter bugs by planting: Sage, catmint, nasturtium, marigolds, coriander, and green beans (which also add nitrogen to the soil, and benefit from the potato because it deters the Mexican beetle from eating the beans).

Attract beneficial bugs by planting: Petunias, alyssum, chamomile, and basil.

Avoid

Keep potatoes away from the following:

Tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and raspberries become more susceptible to blight when they are planted near potatoes

Sunflowers, carrots, turnips, and onions can actually inhibit the growth of potato tubers.

Tools You Might Need

This article contains affiliate links. This means if you click through and make a purchase I may receive a commission, at no additional cost to you. For more information see my disclosures here.

I hope this helps you get started on your veggie garden! Let me know if you have any questions or more tips to grow potatoes, or what you’d like help with next.

If you’re local in Southern MN check out our Farm Stand to see what’s growing.

The post Potatoes For Beginners appeared first on The Little Green Wagon.

They also pair well with other produce in your garden. Use them in sauces, salsas, and salads. (Say that five times fast). Or if you’re like me, a throw thick slice on the grill to pile onto your burger.

Being a root vegetable, they can be planted early in the season, which helps satisfy my need to get my hands in the dirt before the soil is ready for things like tomatoes.

The first question you need to answer before you start, is what type of onion you want to grow. I usually do mostly yellow onions for their versatility in recipes, and a handful of red onions for some of my favorite summer time dishes.

Make sure to take note of the “storing time” of specific varieties. Some are better for eating fresh and can only be stored for about a month, whereas others can be stored for 4-5 months!

Here’s a good list of some different varieties, but your local garden center should have good information for you as well. Click here for an article from Gardener’s Path.

Onion Seeds, Onion Sets, or Onion Plants? What’s The Difference?

Apart from variety, you also should note there are three ways you can buy your onions: seeds, sets, and plants.

Onion Seeds

This one is the most obvious. You can buy your onions in a seed packet to sow into the dirt. This is the most cost effective way to grow your onions.

It’s a bit more work doing it this way because once your onions sprout you will have to thin them out. And they will take longer to form bulbs than the other options.

Seeds are also a good option to start indoors or in a greenhouse before the ground thaws.

Onion Sets

This is probably the most common way to grow your onions. Onion sets have been grown from seeds the previous season, and were harvested as immature bulbs. They sit dormant over winter and can be planted the following spring to be grown into full sized onions.

The nice thing about onion sets is that they are easy to plant and space out so you don’t have to worry about thinning later on.

Sets are typically sold by the pound, or in bags.

You can also grow your own sets each year to be used for the following year. This can save some money. I like this article from Harvest to Table on how to do it yourself.

Onion Plants

Plants are my favorite way to grow onions. They are plants that have been started this season. You can buy them by the bunch and will have green sprouts shooting out the top.

Plants are sown exactly the same as onion sets, and also won’t need to be thinned out.

The reason they are my favorite is that they tend to be more successful. I’ve struggled with my onion sets forming mature bulbs in the past, but haven’t had that problem with plants. We grow beautiful, full onions every time when we start with plants.

Planting Your Onions

Onions are relatively easy to grow. They don’t require a large amount of space or anything special to get them going. Just good drainage, plenty of water, and full sun.

Prepping Your Soil

As with anything, soil prep is important. Onions like loose soil with good drainage, high in organic matter, with a slightly acidic pH.

We are constantly adding organic material and manure from our chicken coop to our soil to continue to build it up. You can also add compost directly to the area you intend to plant your onions for a nutrient boost.

Sow Your Seeds (or sets…or plants)

Seeds

You can sow your seeds early in the spring, as soon as the soil is workable.

• Sow seeds in a 2 inch wide band
• 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep
• Rows should be spaced 12 to 18 inches apart
• Once sprouted, thin to 3 – 4 inches apart

Always check your seed packets for variety specific variations to this.

Sets and Plants

Onion sets and transplants can be treated basically the same when planting. They can tolerate a mild frost and can put put in the ground when soil temperature reaches 50 degrees (F). In Minnesota (zone 4b), that is typically some time in April or early May.

You’ll want to trim the roots of your plants to roughly 2 inches, and the tops to roughly 4 inches.

Your sets should be planted with the pointy tip up.

• Create a furrow in your soil with a hoe
• Place onions 2 inches deep
• 3 to 4 inches apart
• In rows 12 to 16 inches apart

Harvesting and Storing

You can start harvesting your onions when the tops start falling over or turning brown. This means the plant is mature and has stopped growing, which usually happens in late summer or early fall.

We usually pull some earlier that look like they have a good bulb on them for use as needed through the summer, but wait to do a mass harvest until the majority of them show they are ready.

It’s okay to leave them in the ground for a while after they have matured, but pay attention to rain. You don’t want them sitting in wet dirt for too long after they are done growing.

To harvest, wait for a dry sunny day. You can often just gently tug on the bulb (don’t yank on the leaves) and they’ll come right out. If they’re a bit tough, use a garden fork or shovel to wiggle around the outside (careful not to touch or damage the onion). This should loosen the soil enough to make pulling them much easier. Leave the tops on – cutting will leave the onion vulnerable to bacteria during the curing process.

Curing Your Onions

Once you’ve pulled them all out, let them lay on top of the soil, or any other sunny spot of your choice for a day or two. This will let the roots dry out.

The next step of the curing process is to find a shady spot (to avoid sunburn) outdoors, or a garage or basement if it rains a lot and you can’t keep them covered. You want to lay them out without crowding them so they get plenty of air flow. You want your onions to dry, dry, dry. Moisture will cause them to rot quicker and they won’t store nearly as long over winter.

This process should take two to three weeks to fully dry your onions.

Once cured, the roots and tops should be very dry and wiry. The skins should be papery and the outer layer should flake off easily.

To store them, you can decide if you’d like to cut the tops off at this point and remove the outermost layer leaving a nice clean looking onion for storage. Otherwise you can leave the stems intact and braid them together. With this method you can hang them in your cellar or pantry for storage. Braiding is going to give you continued airflow and might increase their shelf life, but both options are good.

Properly curing your onions can make them last for many months. We’ve never had our onions last us until Spring, but only because we eat them up way too quickly. The longest we’ve had onions in our basement is February, but they were still very fresh and no signs of rot.

Companion Plants For Onions

Onions do a good job of repelling a lot of insects due to its potent smell. They are great companions of anything in the cabbage family like broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, and brussel sprouts because they deter cabbage worms.

They also repel aphids and Japanese beetles making them a good friend to your veggies typically hit by those such as lettuce, tomatoes and strawberries.

Other good companion plants: carrots, dill, beets, peppers

Avoid

You want to keep them away from peas, beans and asparagus for possible flavor contamination. And avoid planting with others in the onion family like shallots or leeks because of the potential to spread onion maggot.

I hope this helps you get started on your veggie garden! Let me know if you have any questions or more tips to grow onions, or what you’d like help with next.

If you’re local in Southern MN check out our Farm Stand to see what’s growing.

The post Onions For Beginners appeared first on The Little Green Wagon.

This article contains affiliate links. This means if you click through and make a purchase I may receive a commission, at no additional cost to you. For more information see my disclosures here.

Skin and Beauty Products

Primally Pure

This is my absolute favorite non-toxic skincare brand, made with the best ingredients nature has to offer. You can read more about Primally Pure here, or check out my top five fave products here. You can use code LUCIE20 to save 20% all weekend! 11/29-12/2 (This is up from my usual 10% code)

• Black Friday: Get a free 1.7 oz deodorant of choice for every $50 you spend.
• Small Business Saturday + Sunday: Free Shipping on all US orders.
• Cyber Monday: BOGO on ALL kits. This includes The Starter Kit, The Spa Kit, and The Baby Kit.

Wild Nettle Apothecary

DeAnna makes such a wide array of amazing products from completely natural products – mostly harvested from her homestead: botanical makeup, elderberry syrup, tea, rose water serums, immune boosting tinctures, shampoo bars, goat milk and hemp lotions, and my favorite – magnesium oil. Rubbing this on my kiddos before bed helps them have a more restful night’s sleep and reduces teeth grinding.

20% off her entire shop, plus free shipping on orders over $35.

Health and Home

The Holistic Home eBook

Kelsey Jorissen, author of The Holistic Home eBook has been living this green lifestyle for many years, She has compiled a complete guide on how to slowly transform your home into a toxin free, eco friendly space.

By going room to room, she shares her favorite products, hidden toxins, and ways to be more a more conscious consumer.

40% Off Black Friday through Monday December 2.

Equal Exchange

Equal Exchange is a Fair Trade company that values its employees and farmers, paying fair wages and giving a voice to all with their worker-owned business model.

Friday Tea Sale: Save on wholesale cases of organic, fair trade teas. Each case contains 6 boxes of tea.

Saturday + Sunday Chocolate and Cocoa Sale: Save on wholesale cases of organic, fair trade chocolate and cocoa. Cases of chocolate contain 10-12 bars, depending on variety. Cases of cocoa contain six cans.

Cyber Monday Coffee Sale: Save on wholesale cases of fair trade bulk and packaged coffee. Cases of bulk coffee contain two 5-lb bags. Cases of packaged coffee contain five or six bags, depending on variety.

Grove Collaborative

Grove is your one stop shop for all natural home cleaning products and supplies. They carry vitamins, sunscreen, castille soap, bamboo toilet paper and so much more.

Get Your FREE Mrs. Meyers & Grove Set ($40 Value)!

• Mrs. Meyer’s Hand Soap
• Mrs. Meyer’s Dish Soap
• Mrs. Meyer’s Multi-Surface Spray
• Grove Cleaning Caddy
• Grove Walnut Scrubber Sponges
• Free Shipping & VIP Trial

The Little Green Wagon Shop

Yep, this is my Etsy Shop. It’s full of vintage finds and upcycled farmhouse holiday decor, like my popular mason jar snowglobes and chicken feather ornaments. All items are packaged as eco-friendly as possible, using recycled and reused packing materials whenever applicable.

20% off entire shop, now through Monday December 2.

Young Living

Essential Oils have become a vital part of our daily routine. They help us relax our emotions and wind down after a long day. They’ve helped my toddler to sleep much better, kept my acid reflux at bay, and keep our immune systems fighting off those pesky germs. I only trust the best with my family, which is why I trust Young Living.

By becoming a member today, you can take advantage of their phenomenal Black Friday deals including deeply discounted bundles of our favorite oils and diffusers.

Who Gives a Crap

Toilet paper sustainably made from either recycled paper or bamboo so you can feel good every time you wipe your bottom.

$10 OFF when you bundle bamboo products

Clothing

WearPact

Pact makes quality, sustainably made, Fair Trade clothing for Men, Women, Kids, and Baby. They also have an awesome selection of bedding and towels to fill your home with the best linens around.

And hello!? High waisted leggings with POCKETS for $20 this weekend. Sign me up for a pair – or three!

Up to 70% Off Sitewide now through November 30.

Public Market Goods

These adorable farm tees are made sustainably and ethically sourced. Public Market Goods is a wonderful company that supports and is involved in so many organizations such as 1% For The Planet, The Female Farmer Project, and The Bee Girl Organization.

Up to 30% OFF on full price organic cotton tees.

Nature Supply Co

I love this brand because they use eco friendly materials, are part of 1% for the Planet, and all of their adorable shirts, sweatshirts and onesies have cute nature and farm inspired graphics.

Thursday: 20% Off all tees, totes, stickers and aprons.

United by Blue

Clothing and accessories that are responsibly made. For every product purchased, United by Blue removes one pound of trash from the oceans and waterways.

Up to 60% off sitewide.

Baby and Kid Items

Kyte Baby

Kyte Baby makes the softest baby sleepers and bags made from sustainable bamboo. So breathable and so cute.

On Friday the entire site will be 25% off!

Lulu and Louise Baby

Handmade with love and attention to detail, this heirloom quality quilts are unique and made to be cherished and used for years to come. Many quilts and lovies use organic fabrics.

20% OFF your entire purchase through Monday December 2.

Poppet Slings

Slings are a fantastic baby item, because they can be used in place of a bulky plastic filled stroller. Poppet slings are made from linen, a natural fiber, and metal rings. They have the added bonus of being made by a socially responsible and charitable female business owner.

Friday November 29 – Monday December 2 all slings are 30% with code BLACKFRIDAY30

Happy Baby Carriers

For more of a structured carrier, Happy Baby Carriers are another beautiful and functional item to keep your baby close to you and give you free hands. Happy Baby Carriers come in regular and toddler sizes for your growing babes, and are crafted in linen.

15% off your order with code HOHOHAPPY

Friday morning at 8AM MT and will run through Monday evening at 10PM MT

Finch Designs

Wooden teethers from this local MN momma

30% OFF orders of $30 or more

Bannor Toys

Adorable wooden baby toys.

Friday: Get this adorable little racecar FREE with $25 purchase, while supplies last.

Saturday: $10 select Dream items. $2 shipping.

Sunday: BOGO Grasping toys. $2 shipping.

Monday: Throwback toys out of retirement. $2 shipping.

Cuddle And Kind

Not only are these handmade heirloom quality dolls ADORABLE, but they also make a big impact! With every doll purchased, 10 meals are donated to hungry children. And that is worth supporting.

15% OFF plus DOUBLE your impact, 1 doll = 20 meals. Use code: KIND15

Misc.

Paper Culture

Get your Holiday Cards this year (and all your other paper needs) from this eco-friendly company!

All products are made from 100% sustainable materials from recycled paper to bamboo. They have been recognized by the EPA as a Top 10 Climate Leader, and they plant a tree with every purchase.

Save 50% on Holiday Cards

Rakuten

I don’t make a single online purchase without first checking Rakuten (formerly eBates). With over 2,500 stores in their database, you can find deals on almost anything you need. Clothing for the family, Health and Beauty, Home Decor, Restaurants and so much more are at your fingertips with cash back on every purchase. They send you a check quarterly (or deposit directly into a PayPal account) with all of your earnings. I have gotten hundreds back.

Black Friday weekend deals are often as high as 10-15% cash back. I definitely recommend giving this app a look before making any online purchases.

The post Black Friday DEALS for the Eco-Conscious Consumer 2019! appeared first on The Little Green Wagon.

Here are the exact methods we have used in successfully training our guineas to return to our coop each and every night.

It’s Much Easier to Coop Train Keets

Starting off with guinea keets is one of the best ways to ensure they stick around. Adult birds have just been moved from their previous home and will have no attachment to their new digs. It takes a long time for them to feel at home in a new place. Plan to keep them cooped up for 6 weeks to acclimate themselves to their new surroundings.

When you start with keets they don’t know anything different than your farm or homestead. They have an easier time making themselves at home. Not to mention that they should spend the first few weeks of life in a brooder box anyway. They need to stay under a heat lamp until they are fully feathered. And once they do have access to the whole coop and the great outdoors, they are too small to fly. This naturally keeps them close to home. By the time they are able to spread those wings, they have already formed their attachment to the area.

Raise Guinea Fowl with Chickens

If you plan to keep your guinea fowl with your flock of chickens, it’s a good idea to raise them together. Keep your brooder box in the coop with them if you can. This will greatly help them get used to the space and the sounds of your flock.

Better yet, get a few baby chicks to add to their tank. Growing up together helps them to develop sort of a bond. Not only will they sound the alarm and look out for your chickens, but they also tend to stick close to the flock and sleep with them in the coop.

I’ve heard of some aggression between guineas and chickens, but by raising them together I have never witnessed it firsthand.

Keep Guineas in for 6 Weeks to Coop Train

As stated before, when starting with adult birds it’s best to keep them cooped up for 6 weeks before allowing them to roam free. This helps them to get used to where home is.

When starting with keets, keep their brooder box inside the coop whenever possible. We usually start ours in a galvanized stock tank for a week or two (because it stays a bit warmer) before moving them to a brooder we have built inside the coop. There they are protected from being pecked by the adult chickens, while still being close to them.

Let Your Guineas Out One at a Time

This is probably my favorite and most unique trick! Guineas are a flocking bird, and monogamous to semi-monogamous. Why is this relevant? They develop strong bonds with their flock-mates and don’t want to be alone.

Once fully feathered, you can start to let your guinea keets into the coop. We started by letting one guinea out of the brooder into the large section of the coop. He could still be close to his flock and see and hear them. We let him decide when he was ready to go outside. By day two he ventured out a bit. He didn’t go too far as he wanted to stay close to his family.

Day three, I let one more guinea into the coop. The two of them stayed close to each other as they ventured out to forage. When night fell, they came back inside and slept snuggled with some chicken pullets near the brooder box.

We started with 14 guinea keets, so on day four I let 2 more into the coop to speed it up a bit. As they continued to return each night, I continued to let a few more out of the brooder every morning until all the guineas had joined the coop.

By using these methods, I feel very confident that our guineas know exactly where home is. I’m excited to have them continue to grow and become an integrated part of our homestead.

Not sure if you want guinea fowl or not?? Read my post: 9 Reasons You Need Guinea Fowl

The post How to Coop Train Guinea Fowl appeared first on The Little Green Wagon.

ORANGE AND VINEGAR NATURAL DISINFECTANT

Making your own non toxic and natural disinfectant is so easy and so inexpensive. I’m sure you’ve seen this orange and vinegar spray floating around Pinterest. All you need is:

• an empty quart container (I like a mason jar)
• the peels of 3-5 oranges
• enough plain distilled white vinegar to fill the jar (less than 2 quarts after the oranges are added)

Just peel your oranges, and place the peels in your jar. (You can go ahead and snack on the peeled oranges while you work ) Then fill the jar with vinegar to the top. Cover, and let sit for one month.

Literally that’s it!

I’ve let mine marinate for up to four months, and I think the longer it stews the better. The oils from the oranges mixed with the vinegar are a powerful disinfectant! The citrus also helps deter insects and pests – double win! I pour mine into a spray bottle and keep it in our shed by the coop for easy access.

Next Level Awesome

Okay, so that mix is pretty good as is, but why not take it to the next level, like the boss that you are. Just two more ingredients turns this mix from good, to aaaaamazing.

• cinnamon sticks
• vanilla beans

Sooooo good. Cinnamon kills mosquito larvae, and vanilla repels flies and other insects. As an added bonus, these two ingredients make your orange solution – and therefore your chicken coop – smell amazing! I don’t even mind cleaning the coop anymore!

Whip up a batch now, and it will be ready for you as soon as the starts to warm up….perfect!

Beyond the Coop

I call it coop cleaner, but really it’s everything cleaner! You can use your mix in your entire house to disinfect naturally. I spray it on my counter tops, in my bathroom, to freshen up and disinfect my dishwasher, seriously, anywhere!

What fun natural ingredients have you used to up your farm cleaning game?

This article contains affiliate links. This means if you click through and make a purchase I may receive a commission, at no additional cost to you. For more information see my disclosures here.

Amber Spray Bottle

I love these amber spray bottles to keep my homemade cleaner in. They make me feel classy

Vinegar

Vanilla Bean

Cinnamon Stick

The post All Natural Coop Disinfectant appeared first on The Little Green Wagon.