Small Property Living
Section №07 ·Field dispatches

Blog

Seasonal tips, project ideas, and backyard updates for small properties.

10 dispatches

Are Metal Raised Garden Beds Safe? Do They Get Too Hot?
№ 01 ·Tips

Are Metal Raised Garden Beds Safe? Do They Get Too Hot?

Whether galvanized and metal raised beds are safe for food, and whether they overheat your plants, with the actual science and simple mitigations.

Jun 16 →

How to Keep Chickens Warm in Winter Without Electricity
№ 02 ·Seasonal

How to Keep Chickens Warm in Winter Without Electricity

How to winter backyard chickens without electricity or a heat lamp, using deep litter, ventilation, roost design, and freeze-proof watering tricks.

Jun 16 →

How Much Does a Small Greenhouse Cost? Kit vs. DIY
№ 03 ·Planning

How Much Does a Small Greenhouse Cost? Kit vs. DIY

What drives small greenhouse cost, how kit vs DIY compares, and the hidden costs to budget for before you buy.

Jun 16 →

Do Compost Bins Smell or Attract Rats? The Honest Answer (and How to Prevent Both)
№ 04 ·Tips

Do Compost Bins Smell or Attract Rats? The Honest Answer (and How to Prevent Both)

The straight answer on compost and rodents: what actually attracts rats, why a bin smells, the six prevention steps, and which bin designs are effectively rodent-proof.

Jun 12 →

Best Foods to Stockpile for a Power Outage: A Normal Family's 3-Day List
№ 05 ·Planning

Best Foods to Stockpile for a Power Outage: A Normal Family's 3-Day List

The grocery-store 3-day outage list: no-cook, no-fridge foods a real family eats, the fridge and freezer safety timeline, and when a shelf-stable kit earns its spot.

Jun 12 →

What Can a Portable Power Station Actually Run? Fridge, Furnace, CPAP, Well Pump
№ 06 ·Planning

What Can a Portable Power Station Actually Run? Fridge, Furnace, CPAP, Well Pump

Appliance-by-appliance answers with realistic runtimes: fridge, furnace blower, CPAP, well and sump pumps, plus the loads no battery should be asked to carry.

Jun 12 →

Are Backyard Chickens Worth It? The Real Cost of a Small Suburban Flock
№ 07 ·Planning

Are Backyard Chickens Worth It? The Real Cost of a Small Suburban Flock

Startup vs ongoing vs eggs-saved for a 4-hen flock, plus the hidden costs and time nobody mentions before they buy chicks.

Jun 3 →

Are Raised Garden Beds Worth It? An Honest Look for Small Yards
№ 08 ·Planning

Are Raised Garden Beds Worth It? An Honest Look for Small Yards

Honest ROI on raised beds for a normal suburban yard, not a homestead. When they pay off and when in-ground wins.

Jun 3 →

How Deep Should a Raised Garden Bed Be? A Depth Guide by Vegetable
№ 09 ·Tips

How Deep Should a Raised Garden Bed Be? A Depth Guide by Vegetable

Most vegetables need 10-12 inches of soil, but herbs want less and root crops want more. Here is the depth-by-crop chart, plus how to fill less.

Jun 3 →

How to Fill a Raised Garden Bed Cheaply (What to Put in the Bottom)
№ 10 ·Tips

How to Fill a Raised Garden Bed Cheaply (What to Put in the Bottom)

Fill the bottom of a deep raised bed with free organic material and buy quality soil only for the top growing zone. Here is exactly how.

Jun 3 →