🚀 The No-Turn Compost Method + My Wake-Up Call on Self-Sabotage

IN TODAY'S EDITION

1. Homestead Tip 🌱

2. Poll Results From Last Sunday 📊

3. All Things Homestead: Turning Scraps into Soil 🤓

4. Personal Development: How to Stop Self-Sabotaging Your Happiness 😉

5. Today's Top Picks 🛍️

6. Let’s Keep It Reel 🤣

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POLL RESULTS FROM LAST SUNDAY

What’s your approach to homestead projects?

🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ I DIY everything! It’s the homesteader way!

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 I try DIY, but buy when needed.

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ I buy tools & supplies but hire out the big jobs.

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ I prefer to buy high-quality finished products.

🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ I wish I had more time for DIY projects!

via @beehiiv polls

Feel free to participate in fun polls in our next newsletters! 😉

Also, follow us on our FB page and Pinterest for daily homesteading inspiration and updates.

ALL THINGS HOMESTEAD

Turning Scraps into Soil 🤓

Healthy soil is the foundation of a thriving homestead garden. Without it, plants struggle, harvests disappoint, and all that hard work feels wasted. That’s where composting comes in!

But if composting has felt overwhelming or confusing, don’t worry! Here’s a simple, step-by-step guide to making compost that will enrich gardens and reduce waste.

1. Pick the Right Composting Spot

Composting works best in a spot that is convenient but out of the way.

• Choose a level area with good drainage to prevent soggy compost.

• Place it near the garden for easy access when spreading finished compost.

• If possible, pick a spot with some shade to prevent it from drying out too fast.

A simple compost pile works fine, but using a bin or tumbler helps keep things tidy and speeds up the process.

2. Know What to Compost (and What to Avoid)

Not everything belongs in a compost pile. Adding the right materials ensures the compost breaks down properly.

✔ Good for Compost:

• Fruit and vegetable scraps

• Coffee grounds and eggshells

• Grass clippings and dried leaves

• Shredded paper and cardboard (uncoated)

• Livestock manure (chicken, cow, goat, but NOT dog or cat)

✖ Avoid These:

• Meat, dairy, and oily foods (attract pests)

• Diseased plants or weeds with seeds

• Anything treated with pesticides or chemicals

• Pet waste from cats and dogs

3. Balance Greens and Browns

A good compost pile needs a balance of green (nitrogen-rich) and brown (carbon-rich) materials.

• Greens include kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, and fresh grass clippings. These speed up decomposition.

• Browns include dried leaves, straw, cardboard, and wood chips. These keep the compost from getting too wet and smelly.

• Aim for about a 2:1 ratio of browns to greens. Too much green creates a slimy, smelly pile, while too many browns slow down decomposition.

4. Keep It Moist (But Not Too Wet)

Compost should be damp, like a wrung-out sponge.

• If it’s too dry, materials won’t break down quickly.

• If it’s too wet, it will start to smell.

A quick test: grab a handful of compost and squeeze it. If it crumbles, add water. If water drips out, mix in more dry materials like straw or shredded paper.

5. Turn the Pile for Faster Results

Oxygen is key to breaking down compost efficiently. Turning the pile every week or two helps speed up the process.

• Use a pitchfork or shovel to mix everything from the outside toward the center.

• If using a compost tumbler, just give it a few spins.

• If the compost starts smelling bad, turning it usually solves the problem.

A well-turned compost pile can be ready in as little as two to three months!

6. Know When It’s Ready

Finished compost looks like dark, crumbly soil and smells fresh, like earth after rain.

• It should be cool to the touch, not hot.

• No large chunks of food or leaves should be visible.

• It should have a rich, pleasant scent—not sour or rotten.

If the compost still looks unfinished, let it sit a little longer and keep turning it.

7. Use Compost in the Garden

Once the compost is ready, it’s time to put it to work!

• Mix it into garden beds before planting to improve soil quality.

• Use it as mulch around plants to help retain moisture.

• Add it to potted plants for extra nutrients.

Compost helps grow healthier plants, improves soil structure, and reduces the need for store-bought fertilizers.

Pro Tip: The Homestead Movement is diving deeper into gardening this month, so check it out for more tips and strategies!

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

How to Stop Self-Sabotaging Your Happiness 😉

Most of the time, happiness isn’t stolen from the outside, it’s blocked from within.

Self-sabotage sneaks in quietly, showing up as doubt, procrastination, and negative thoughts. It convinces people they don’t deserve joy, success, or even simple peace. For homesteaders and homemakers, this looks like never taking a break, feeling guilty for resting, or constantly putting others first while neglecting their own needs.

If happiness always seems just out of reach, these habits might be the reason. Here’s how to recognize and break free from self-sabotage.

1. Stop the Negative Self-Talk

What’s said inside the mind matters as much as what’s said out loud.

• Many people tell themselves they aren’t good enough, smart enough, or deserving of happiness. This inner dialogue shapes reality more than anything else.

• Every time a negative thought pops up, challenge it. Instead of saying, “I’ll never get it right,” reframe it: “I’m learning, and progress takes time.”

• Speak to yourself like you would to a friend. You wouldn’t tell a friend they’re failing, so don’t say it to yourself.

2. Stop Overcommitting and Learn to Say No

Overwhelm is one of the biggest ways people sabotage their own joy.

• Taking on too much leads to exhaustion, resentment, and burnout. This is especially true for homemakers and homesteaders who already juggle endless tasks.

• Saying yes to everything might feel necessary, but it often comes at the cost of personal peace. Learn to pause before committing and ask, “Do I really have the time and energy for this?”

• Setting boundaries isn’t selfish. It’s the only way to ensure there’s time for the things that truly matter.

A rested, happy person is far more productive than a burnt-out one.

3. Stop Fear from Controlling Decisions

Fear of failure, fear of judgment, or even fear of success keeps people stuck.

• Many never start their dream garden, business, or homestead project because they worry it won’t work. But staying in the same place out of fear is worse than trying and failing.

• Take small, manageable steps forward. Start the project, write the blog, sell the homemade goods. Whatever the goal, action is the antidote to fear.

• Everyone fails at some point, but failure is just a step toward growth. The real failure is never trying at all.

Homesteading teaches this lesson every day. Plants don’t always grow, animals don’t always cooperate, but learning and adjusting leads to success.

4. Stop Comparing Your Life to Others

Comparison is one of the fastest ways to feel like nothing is ever good enough.

• Social media makes it easy to believe everyone else is thriving while you’re struggling. But those perfect photos don’t show the full story.

• Instead of focusing on what others have, focus on what’s working in your own life. Celebrate progress, no matter how small.

• Unfollow or take breaks from accounts that trigger self-doubt. Surround yourself with people who inspire and uplift, not ones that make you feel like you’re falling behind.

5. Stop Waiting for the "Right Time"

There will never be a perfect moment to start something new.

• Waiting until the house is cleaner, the kids are older, or the schedule is lighter only delays happiness.

• If something brings joy like a new hobby, a side business, or a personal goal, make time for it now. Even 10 minutes a day adds up.

• Life is busy, but happiness isn’t found in a “someday” that never comes. It’s built in the everyday moments.

6. Stop Avoiding Rest and Self-Care

Rest is not a reward. It’s a necessity.

• Many homesteaders and homemakers believe they need to be productive 24/7. But running on empty doesn’t help anyone—it just leads to exhaustion.

• Schedule rest the same way tasks are scheduled. Set aside time for a book, a walk, or just a quiet moment with tea.

• Taking care of yourself isn’t lazy. It’s how you refill your energy so you can take care of everything else.

THE STEADY HOME’S GIGGLE CHAMBER

How do you know March has arrived on the farm?

The mud starts growing faster than the crops!

TODAY'S TOP PICKS

LET’S KEEP IT REEL!

I've put together some fantastic farm videos that are sure to make you laugh. Take a look and enjoy the fun!

1. If you’re a homesteading girl with big plans, this is probably exactly what’s going through your husband’s head:

@theshipstead

sound on 🤣🤣 #backyardhomesteading #homesteading #humor #fyp

2. If you've never met a talkative, attitude-filled goat before, this video is for you:

@bert.thegoat

Very chatty #goat #fyp #goats #fypシ #cuteanimals #fy #babyanimals #foryou #cute #funny #goatlife #funnyanimals #happygoat #animals #babyg... See more

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