• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Homestead on the Range

Abundant Living in Flyover Country

  • The Lifestyle
  • The Farm
  • The Garden
  • The Skills
  • The Business
  • The Sunflower State

The Skills

The Poet’s Toolbox: Form

November 16, 2020 by hsotr

The Poet's Toolbox: Form

Form may cover such aspects as the rhyme scheme or the number of syllables per line.

Filed Under: The Skills Tagged With: Glossary, Poetry, Writing

Two Books on Making Harness

November 4, 2020 by hsotr

Harness Making

These books may pique your interest and give you some insight into the old-fashioned art of making harness.

Filed Under: The Skills Tagged With: Books, DIY Projects, Dogs, Draft Animals, Goats, Horses, Livestock

The Poet’s Toolbox: Introduction

October 5, 2020 by hsotr

The Poet's Toolbox: Introduction

Understanding the technical side of poetry can help us when we’re stuck in a rut or need to revise a verse for greater impact.

Filed Under: The Skills Tagged With: Poetry, Writing

Did Old-Time Cowboys Really Yodel?

August 24, 2020 by hsotr

Did Old-Time Cowboys Really Yodel?

There seems to be an idea that yodeling had little history in cowboy tradition. However, this sentiment does not line up with the observations of John Lomax.

Filed Under: The Skills Tagged With: Cattle, History, Music, The West

Old-Fashioned Knitting Rhymes

March 2, 2020 by hsotr

Old-Fashioned Knitting Rhymes

One of our favorite knitting books, Kids Knitting by Melanie Falick (read our full review), teaches children to knit through the use of rhyme: Under the fenceCatch the sheepBack we comeOff we leap. Each of the four lines represents one step in the process of making a knit stitch: Inserting the tip of the right […]

Filed Under: The Skills Tagged With: Crafts, Family, History, Poetry

Western Swing Guitar Style

September 9, 2019 by hsotr

Western Swing Guitar Style

Here’s a superb introduction to the unique chord progressions of this toe-tapping sound, geared toward the rhythm guitarist.

Filed Under: The Skills Tagged With: Books, Music, The West

The Beginner’s Guide to Microphones

April 3, 2019 by hsotr

The Beginner's Guide to Microphones

Are you a musician shopping for that first microphone to get your home studio off to a good start? Before you spend any money on a mic, spend just a couple of dollars on some great information—The Beginner’s Guide to Microphones by Brendan Krueger. This book is exactly what it claims to be. It is […]

Filed Under: The Skills Tagged With: Books, Music, Supplies

Choosing a Flat Pick for Guitar or Mandolin

March 7, 2019 by hsotr

Choosing a Flat Pick for Guitar or Mandolin

Getting into guitar or mandolin picking? One of the first things you will need (besides your instrument) is a good collection of picks. It’s never a bad idea to start out with an assortment—over time some picks will definitely come to the forefront as favorites. Furthermore, until you have a handle on basic flatpicking technique, […]

Filed Under: The Skills Tagged With: Music, Supplies

A Rainbow of Natural Dyes

February 11, 2019 by hsotr

A Rainbow of Natural Dyes

Craftsy folks frequently share a do-it-yourself ethic. While it’s always easier just to buy cheap, pretty yarn at the craft store, some (particularly homesteaders) prefer to create their own dyes. In fact, if you own sheep or other fiber animals, this may be a logical next step to adding value to your products. You can […]

Filed Under: The Skills Tagged With: Crafts, Fiber, Fruit, Herbs, Nature, Nuts, Ornamental Plants, Vegetables

7 Guitar String Care Tips

January 23, 2019 by hsotr

7 Guitar String Care Tips

If you play your guitar often, you will find that your strings wear out quickly. Is there a way to extend their life so that you don’t have to replace them quite so often? Yes! Allow us to share a few tips for keeping your strings clean and at their best for as long as […]

Filed Under: The Skills Tagged With: Music

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 6
  • Go to Next Page »

Before Footer

Footer

Stay Posted

Enter your email address to receive new posts via email.

Topics

Animal Health Birdwatching Books Breeding Cattle Dairy Dogs Draft Animals Enterprises Faith Family Field Crops Food Fruit Goats Health & Fitness History Horses Insect Pests Links Livestock Marketing Music Native Americans Nature Nutrition Ornamental Plants Outdoors Pastures Pets Planning Plant Health Poultry Quotes Scripture Passages Sheep Small-Scale Farming Soil Stewardship Supplies The West Travel Vegetables Water Weather

More Resources

  • Our Books
  • Our Guides
  • Our Newsletters
  • Quick Start Pages
  • The Gallery
  • The Homestead Bookshelf
  • Your Path to Abundant Living in Flyover Country

Affiliate Disclosure

Throughout this site you will find affiliate links to items that we have read or used and highly recommend. If you decide to use the links to make a purchase, please be aware that we will receive a small compensation. For more information, please read our affiliate disclosure. Thank you!

  • About
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms of Use
  • Updates

Copyright © 2013–2021 All rights reserved. No content on this site may be reproduced in any way without prior written permission. By using this site you are agreeing to our terms of use.