Caring Critters Hobby Farm

04/23/2026

04/15/2026

Save money on expensive store bought spices and keep your home smelling like a summer garden by turning an empty shed into a professional herb drying room.

Leaving your fresh herbs and flowers in the garden means they will just turn brown and die as soon as the weather gets cold. Most people throw away half of what they grow because they cannot eat it all before it wilts in the fridge. Buying dried lavender or rosemary at the grocery store costs a lot of money for very small jars that often lose their flavor on the shelf.

You will have a huge supply of natural seasonings and beautiful dried flowers to use for cooking or making your own gifts. This setup keeps your harvest organized and stops your kitchen from getting cluttered with messy bundles of plants. Drying your own herbs ensures you have the strongest flavor and the brightest colors for your tea and home decor.

Start by cleaning out your wooden shed and making sure the air inside stays very dry and dark. Screw long wooden beams or metal rods across the ceiling rafters to create plenty of space for hanging your harvest. Tie small bundles of plants together with simple garden twine and hang them upside down so the oils stay in the leaves.

Build flat wooden frames with metal window screens to hold loose flower petals and small leaves while they dry. Hang large bunches of Munstead Lavender and upright Rosemary because they hold their wonderful scent for a very long time. Spread bright Red Rose petals and orange Marigolds on your screen racks to create colorful mixes for your home.

Keep the shed windows mostly shaded to block out direct sunlight which can make your colorful flowers fade and turn gray. You can place a small electric fan on the floor to keep the air moving so your plants dry fast without getting any mold.

Squeeze a leaf between your fingers every few days and move the plants into glass jars only when they feel crisp and snap easily.

04/15/2026

04/15/2026

Make a seed bouquet 💐 super cute gift idea!

04/08/2026

We put up a ton of violet-green swallow birdhouses to keep these cuties here. They are the best for natural pest control, consuming thousands of flying insects like flies, beetles, and mosquitoes over lakes, streams, and forests.

04/08/2026

Farm fresh eggs for Easter.

04/04/2026

03/29/2026

You don’t need acres of land to start homesteading.
A few garden beds.
A couple of chickens.
A willingness to learn. 🌾

That’s how it begins.
Small steps, curiosity, and a desire to live closer to the land can grow into a life full of purpose and peace.

03/29/2026

Building a series of terraced retaining walls on a steep slope stops soil erosion and turns a dangerous hill into a lush garden with easy walking paths.

Steep hillsides are a constant headache for homeowners because they are impossible to mow and heavy rain constantly washes the dirt and grass down the hill. Carving flat levels into the slope solves this problem by creating stable zones that catch and hold water for your plants instead of letting it run off. This transformation gives you a way to walk across the hill safely and turns a patch of useless weeds into a beautiful destination.

Terracing also increases the value of your property by adding more usable square footage for gardening and outdoor living. These levels allow you to plant different varieties of flowers in neat rows that would otherwise slide down the hill during a storm. The wooden walls provide a strong structural boundary that keeps your walking paths clear of dirt and mulch year round.

You should start by marking out long and winding paths across the hill with stakes and string to find the most natural route. Dig into the hillside to create flat benches and use heavy cedar timbers to build the front of each retaining wall. Drive thick wooden posts two feet into the ground behind the timbers to lock the walls in place and prevent them from leaning forward over time.

Fill the area behind each wall with a mix of topsoil and organic compost to provide a rich home for your new plants. Lay down a layer of crushed limestone gravel on the walking paths between the levels to create a firm and dry surface for your feet. Install a French drain pipe behind the bottom wall to give excess water a clear path to exit the garden without pushing on the wood.

Plant purple Walker's Low catmint and pink Autumn Joy sedum in the front rows to spill over the edge of the wooden beams. Add tall Karl Foerster ornamental grasses and yellow Black Eyed Susans in the back sections to create height and hide the dirt of the next level. These specific plants are safe for dogs to explore around and they are tough enough to handle the extra wind and sun on a hillside.

Check the level of your wooden timbers once a year and add a few extra screws to the support posts if you see any shifting from the winter frost.