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Are you looking to embark on a journey towards sustainable gardening practices? Want to create a flourishing garden using organic techniques? Look no further! In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the realm of organic gardening and explore various techniques that will not only benefit your garden but also contribute to a healthier environment. From natural pest control to homemade fertilizers, we've got you covered with everything you need to know to kickstart your organic gardening journey. Companion Planting for Natural Pest Control One of the key principles of organic gardening is companion planting, a technique that involves growing complementary plants together to deter pests naturally. By strategically pairing plants that benefit each other, you can create a harmonious ecosystem that reduces the need for chemical pesticides. For instance, planting marigolds alongside tomatoes can help repel nematodes, while basil planted near tomatoes can improve their flavor and repel insects. Creating Homemade Organic Fertilizers Ditch the synthetic fertilizers and opt for homemade organic fertilizers that are not only cost-effective but also beneficial for your garden and the environment. Kitchen scraps, compost, manure, and bone meal are excellent sources of nutrients that can be used to nourish your plants naturally. These homemade fertilizers enrich the soil, promote plant growth, and enhance soil structure, ensuring a sustainable and productive garden. Implementing Water-Saving Techniques in Gardening Water is a precious resource, and conserving it is essential for sustainable gardening practices. Implementing water-saving techniques such as mulching, drip irrigation, and rainwater harvesting can help reduce water waste and ensure that your garden stays hydrated without excessive water usage. By utilizing these practices, you can create a water-efficient garden that thrives while minimizing water consumption. Understanding the Benefits of Crop Rotation Crop rotation is a fundamental technique in organic gardening that involves planting different crops in a specific sequence to prevent soil depletion, control pests, and diseases, and improve overall soil health. By rotating crops seasonally, you can maintain soil fertility, break pest cycles, and promote biodiversity in your garden. This proactive approach not only benefits your current harvest but also sets the stage for future plantings to flourish naturally. Tips for Maintaining Soil Health Organically Healthy soil is the foundation of a successful garden, and maintaining soil health organically is crucial for long-term sustainability. Practices such as composting, cover cropping, and avoiding synthetic chemicals help preserve soil structure, enhance nutrient availability, and foster beneficial soil microorganisms. By prioritizing soil health, you can create a thriving garden ecosystem that is resilient, productive, and environmentally friendly. In conclusion, organic gardening offers a holistic approach to cultivating a vibrant garden while promoting environmental stewardship and sustainability. By incorporating companion planting, homemade fertilizers, water-saving techniques, crop rotation, and soil health maintenance into your gardening practices, you can create a thriving garden that benefits both you and the planet. Embrace the principles of organic gardening, and watch your garden bloom with vitality and abundance! Remember, the key to successful organic gardening lies in patience, observation, and a deep respect for the interconnectedness of all living organisms. Start small, experiment with different techniques, and enjoy the journey towards a greener, more sustainable garden! Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, embracing organic gardening techniques is a rewarding and fulfilling experience that will not only enrich your garden but also contribute to a healthier planet for generations to come. Happy gardening! SEO Keywords: organic gardening, sustainable gardening tips

Welcome, fellow gardeners and nature enthusiasts! If you've envisioned a thriving herb garden right in your homestead's backyard, you've come to the right place. Today, we will embark on a journey through the aromatic world of herbs, uncovering the secrets to fostering abundant growth, combating pesky pests, and creating your very own all-natural cleaners. Let's dig in and unearth the wonders of homestead herb gardening! Starting Your Herb Haven Creating a homestead herb garden is a fulfilling venture that beckons you to harness the earth's offerings. Before planting your seeds or sprouts, consider the ideal location for your garden. Herbs flourish best in areas that receive ample sunlight, ensuring their essential oils develop robustly. Prepare well-drained soil rich in organic matter to provide your herbs with a nurturing foundation to grow and thrive. Selecting Herbs for Homestead Gardening Dive into a diverse selection of herbs to enrich your homestead garden's tapestry of scents and tastes. From the zesty kick of basil to the soothing fragrance of lavender, each herb brings its unique essence to your garden oasis. Consider herbs like rosemary, thyme, mint, and sage for a well-rounded herb collection that caters to both culinary and medicinal pursuits. Make sure that the herbs you select have purpose to you and your homestead. You don't want anything to go to waste. Seasoning Your Dishes with Homegrown Herbs One of the greatest joys of homestead herb gardening is savoring the fruits of your labor in the kitchen. Elevate your culinary creations with the vibrant flavors of freshly picked herbs. Whether sprinkled over salads, infused into oils, or steeped in teas, your homegrown herbs will invigorate your dishes with unparalleled freshness and taste. You can dryout herbs to use to season cooked dishes. Depending on what you select to grow, you can make your own italian seasoning, homemade ranch powder seasoning and more. Floral herbs like lavender and rosemary can be steeped in coffee or tea to flavor drinks. Don't overlook to the use of fresh herbs. Fresh basil can be used for pesto, margharita pizza, and delicious caprese salad. Warding off Garden Pests Naturally As caretakers of the land, it's essential to protect your herb garden from unwanted visitors. Embrace natural pest control methods to safeguard your herbs without harmful chemicals. Introduce beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings to combat aphids, or concoct homemade herbal sprays using ingredients like neem oil and garlic to deter pests effectively. Each herb can ward off or attract different insects, so make sure to research what your herb will do for pests in and around your homestead. Harnessing the Power of All-Natural Cleaners Herbs not only enhance our culinary and gardening experiences but also serve as potent allies in household cleanliness. Embrace the art of creating all-natural cleaners using herbs like lavender, lemon balm, and rosemary. Infuse vinegar with herbs to concoct DIY surface sprays that not only disinfect but also imbue your living spaces with refreshing scents. The Gastronomic and Medicinal Treasures of Homestead Herbs Delve into the medicinal properties of herbs like chamomile for relaxation, echinacea for immune support, and peppermint for digestion. Merge the realms of culinary delight and holistic wellness by incorporating homegrown herbs into teas, tinctures, and salves. Unlock the potent healing potential of nature's pharmacy right in your backyard. Conclusion: Grow, Savor, and Heal In your homestead herb garden, embark on a sensory journey that transcends the ordinary. From enriching your dishes with tantalizing flavors to creating all-natural remedies for your well-being, herbs offer a cornucopia of delights waiting to be explored. Embrace the art of herb gardening, and watch as nature's bounty unfolds before your eyes, enriching your life and spirit with its boundless gifts. Let's sow the seeds of a vibrant herb garden together, crafting a sanctuary of scent, taste, and healing in the heart of our homesteads. Happy gardening, fellow herbalists, and may your herb garden flourish abundantly! Remember, the earth's bounty is vast and generous—let's nurture it with care and gratitude.

We are about to enter into baby chick season, and I for one, am very excited to pick out our first chicks. Are you considering raising chickens in your backyard? We are looking forward to this experience. Did you know that aside from fresh eggs, chickens also provide natural pest control? In this blog post, we will cover the basic topics you need to know about raising chickens, from choosing the right breed to providing proper care and housing. Let's get cluckin'! 1. Choosing the Right Breed: There are many different chicken breeds to choose from, each with its own unique characteristics. Some breeds are known for their egg-laying abilities, while others are more suited for meat production. Consider factors such as climate, space availability, and personal preferences when selecting a breed. Popular choices for backyard flocks include Rhode Island Reds, Sussex, and Plymouth Rocks. 2. Housing and Coop Design: A well-designed chicken coop is essential for the health and safety of your flock. It should protect from predators, have adequate ventilation, and have enough space for the chickens to move around comfortably. The coop should also have nesting boxes for egg-laying and perches for roosting. Remember to clean the coop regularly to prevent the buildup of waste and bacteria. 3. Feeding and Nutrition: Chickens require a balanced diet to stay healthy and lay quality eggs. A combination of commercial chicken feed and kitchen scraps can provide the necessary nutrients. Additionally, chickens need access to fresh water at all times. Consider supplementing their diet with calcium-rich oyster shells to promote strong eggshells. 4. Health and Disease Prevention: Regular health checks are crucial to ensure the well-being of your flock. Look out for signs of illness such as lethargy, loss of appetite, or abnormal feather loss. Provide a clean and dry environment to prevent common diseases like coccidiosis and respiratory infections. Vaccinations and deworming may also be necessary, so consult with a veterinarian for proper care. 5. Egg Production and Collection: If you're raising chickens for eggs, it's important to understand their egg-laying patterns. Most hens start laying eggs around 5-6 months of age, and their productivity will vary depending on breed and environmental factors. Collect eggs daily to ensure freshness and cleanliness. Remember to handle them gently and store them properly in a cool place. 6. Chicken Behavior and Socialization: Chickens are social animals and thrive in a flock environment. They enjoy scratching the ground, dust bathing, and exploring their surroundings. Provide them with enough space to roam and engage in natural behaviors. Spending time with your chickens can also help establish a bond and make them more comfortable around you. Over the next 6 weeks or so, we'll be sharing our chicken coop build, and also revealing what chicks we got to start our flock. I love rainbow color eggs so we will have a few different breeds of ladies. Stay tuned and happy homesteading!

Hey y'all! If you are looking to source meat locally, and not raise and harvest it yourself, you have a few options; find a local meat market/butcher, buy direct from a farm, or hunt for your meat. Each option can have different pros and cons, and there isn't a right or wrong option, but this post will focus on the benefits of hunting, or "harvesting", wild game. Any avid hunter can give you a ten-page dissertation on why you should hunt, or why they enjoy it so much - just ask my husband. As a hobby, there are many different avenues you can take but we're not going to focus so much on the hobby aspect and try to look at this as strictly a method for a food source. So - what are the benefits of choosing wild game for your food source? 1. FRESHNESS: Aside from raising animals for meat, you won't get anything fresher than harvesting wild game and eating it for dinner. For many, you can hunt wild game right in your community. 2. No added chemicals: When processing wild game you can choose to process it yourself, or take it to a local processor. Either way, there aren't going to be any added preservatives or mystery chemicals added to the meat. 3. Lean Meat: Deer meat, or venison, is a very lean source of red meat. This is our primary meat source, which substitutes any use of beef. We swap venison in our meatloaf, spaghetti, hamburgers - literally everything that you would normally use for beef. 4. Survival Skills: Not to sound like a doomsday prepper or anything, but there is a sense of satisfaction knowing that you can hunt for your food, and are responsible for providing for the meat on your family's table. Should the world go topsy-turvy, at least we have that going for us. 5. Taste: I know many people say that certain wild game, tastes, well - gamey; but I have found it's because they are just used to the taste of meat from animals that have been fed a primary diet of corn or other high-calorie grain. Meat that has had a wild diet based on its surroundings really does taste so much better. It's sorta of the same idea as grass-fed cows, and free-range chickens. 6. Variety: The types of animals that you can harvest will vary depending on your location, and state/county rules and regulations. In our area, we can source white-tailed deer, wild hogs, and various fowl like quail. 7. Cost Saving: The cost can vary here from if you are choosing to process the deer yourself, or taking it to a business. Overall, the average cost is $40 to have a deer processed, and we get about 50 pounds of meat depending on the size of the deer. As a family, we have enjoyed this lifestyle for many years. We have also saved a TON of money by not having to buy meat at the grocery store every week. While I might occasionally supplement for specialty meats or cuts, we live off the game we harvest all year long. And this doesn't even include when we go fishing!!

Spring has not quite sprung, but we are already busy updating things around the homestead. We plan to add many new animals to the homestead this spring, so we needed to get a jump on our DIY to-do list to ensure we are prepared. The first item on our agenda was replacing the roof over the pig stall. When we bought the house last August, we knew there would be a few things we needed to do around the property over time. The stall where we now keep the pigs was well-built - aside from the roof. The main issue was that it was covered in a tarp that was starting to have visible signs of wear (and also just a huge eye-sore for me). But hey, when you're a homesteader, you have to make do with what you have. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is this homestead. I was pretty excited when we decided to tackle the roof. Not only will it look better, but this will solve the leaks and help keep the bedding dry for the pigs, which is important while we still are experiencing colder weather. After looking at what needed to be replaced under the tarp, and taking measurements, we went to get our supplies. We bought 1x4x8 to replace some of the old or broken runners, corrugated Galvanized Steel 31-gauge Roof Panels, and roofing screws. Cody and his dad, Mark, are quite handy men, so they already had all of the necessary tools to get the job done. They started by of course detaching the old tarp and taking it down. It was secured in a hodge podge of ways, from roofing tacks to boards that were stacked on top of each other and screwed down. Once the tarp was out of the way, they began removing any old and broken runners. The runners will be what the new roof will be secured to, so you mustn't have rotting wood up there. They were also able to resecure any loose wood. Next, it was time to put up the paneling. These sheets aren't incredibly heavy, but they wobble and have sharp edges - so handle with care. Unfortunately, Cody and Mark did not and ended up slicing their fingers pretty well on the tin. I had my trusty dusty gloves on to help protect my hands, so I am happy to report I left the scene unscathed. If you're wondering if I actually did any work on this, I will have you know that I had the important jobs of bracing and moving ladders, handing hammers and screwdrivers up the ladders, and handing off supplies like screws and the roof panels. Our pig foreman, Benelli, trotted off to eat acorns, so there is a chance that some OSHA rules were broken. The guys were able to get the new roof on by lunchtime, so overall this was a relatively quick job to complete. We are very happy with how it turned out and now the stall is ready for more future improvements! Stay tuned!

The Benefits of Organic Gardening Organic gardening has gained popularity in recent years, and for good reason. Not only does it allow you to grow your food, but it also promotes sustainability and environmental friendliness. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of organic gardening and why you should consider starting your organic garden. 1. Healthier Food: One of the main benefits of organic gardening is the production of healthier and more nutritious food. By avoiding the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, organic gardens produce fruits and vegetables that are free from harmful chemicals. This means that you and your family can enjoy fresh, wholesome produce that is packed with essential vitamins and minerals. 2. Environmental Sustainability: Organic gardening is a sustainable practice that helps protect the environment. By using natural methods to control pests and diseases, organic gardeners avoid the use of harmful chemicals that can pollute the soil, water, and air. Additionally, organic gardening promotes biodiversity by creating a habitat for beneficial insects, birds, and other wildlife. 3. Cost Savings: Growing your food can save you money in the long run. Organic produce can be expensive to buy, but by growing it yourself, you can significantly reduce your grocery bill. With a little bit of planning and effort, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables without breaking the bank. 4. Improved Soil Health: Organic gardening focuses on building and maintaining healthy soil. By using compost, organic matter, and natural fertilizers, organic gardeners enrich the soil with essential nutrients and beneficial microorganisms. This leads to improved soil structure, better water retention, and increased nutrient availability for plants. As a result, your plants will thrive and produce higher yields. 5. Taste and Flavor: There is no denying that organic fruits and vegetables taste better. The natural growing methods used in organic gardening enhance the flavor and aroma of the produce. Whether it's a juicy tomato or a crisp cucumber, you will notice the difference in taste when you bite into an organically grown vegetable. 6. Educational and Therapeutic: Organic gardening can be a great educational and therapeutic activity for individuals of all ages. It provides an opportunity to learn about nature, biology, and the importance of sustainable practices. Gardening also offers a sense of accomplishment and relaxation, allowing you to connect with nature and reduce stress. Starting your organic garden may seem daunting at first, but the benefits far outweigh the challenges. Whether you have a small backyard or a few pots on a balcony, you can create a thriving organic garden that will provide you with fresh, healthy food and a deeper connection to the natural world. So why not give organic gardening a try? Not only will you enjoy the numerous benefits, but you will also contribute to a healthier and more sustainable future for yourself and the planet. Happy gardening!

How to Start Your Homestead Whether you have 10 acres or a 4x4 patio - homesteading is more attainable than you might think. Homesteading is simply relying on your home and what you produce and make to live on. Starting your homestead can be a fulfilling and rewarding journey. It allows you to connect with nature, grow your food, and live sustainably. If you're ready to embark on this adventure, here are some tips to help you get started. 1. Make a decision: The first step in starting your homestead is deciding what you want to do, and if you have the space to do it. While there are plenty of things you can do with as little space as an apartment balcony, having 50 chickens is not one of them. If you just want to grow fruits and vegetables or just make bread and butter - then you likely already have what you need (believe it or not). Once you bring animals into the picture, you'll likely need at least a large patio area for small birds like quail, or a backyard for larger birds like chickens. 2. Save and Recycle: Unless you already have all the supplies you need to garden or cook from scratch, there will be some costs involved with starting up your operation. Whether big or small, using what you have around you will help you significantly cut costs, and hey, you're helping out the planet, too! Anything from glass jars, milk jugs, egg cartons, and cardboard can be used in a variety of ways. Kinda like, "If you build it, they will come", if you save it, it will get used. Plus, this fosters a more sustainable way of living, than just buying everything you need new. 3. Start Small: Starting a homestead can be overwhelming, especially if you're new to gardening and animal care. It's important to start small and gradually expand as you gain experience and confidence. Focus on a few crops and a couple of animals in the beginning, and then gradually add more over time. Make sure you've mastered that task before moving on to another. 4. Learn About Sustainable Farming Practices: Homesteading is all about sustainable living. Educate yourself about organic gardening, permaculture, and other sustainable farming practices. Use natural fertilizers and pest control methods to minimize the use of chemicals. Compost your kitchen scraps and animal waste to enrich the soil. 5. Raise Animals for Food and Companionship: One of the joys of homesteading is raising animals. Chickens are a great starting point, as they provide eggs and can help control pests in your garden. Pigs are also a popular choice for meat production, though our piggies are friends, not food. Some other beginner-friendly ideas could be quail for eggs and meat (which are great for city/urban areas), and rabbits for meat and plant fertilizers. Whatever you choose, make sure to provide them with a comfortable and safe living environment. 6. Preserve Your Harvest: Homesteading is not just about growing food, but also about preserving it for the future. Learn how to can, freeze, and dehydrate your fruits and vegetables to enjoy them throughout the year. Invest in a good quality pressure canner and stock up on canning jars and other preservation supplies. (This is where the "save everything" comes into play) 7. Embrace the Homesteading Community: Homesteading can be a solitary journey, but it's important to connect with like-minded individuals. Join local homesteading groups, co-ops, and farmer's markets. Even if you aren't producing enough to sell, it is still great to meet other people who can help and inspire you on your journey. Supporting your local community by supplementing their products with what you aren't producing yourself is also a great aspect of the homesteading community. Starting your homestead is a wonderful way to live a more sustainable and self-sufficient life. It may require hard work and dedication, but the rewards are well worth it. So, roll up your sleeves, put on your gardening gloves (or don't), and embark on this exciting journey of homesteading. Your future self will thank you for it.

Hey y'all! Today is an overview of a recent trip I went on. A small group of friends and I took a trip to the lovely Dahlonega, GA; a mountain in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains - about an hour north(ish) of Atlanta. It was mid-January so the temperatures were quite chilly, but it led to a relaxed vibe for the places we visited that weren't overcrowded. We all arrived pretty late on night one - each of us having driven about 6 hours to reach the cabin. We still decided to go try a local spot that night, so we donned our warm clothes and ventured out. Aside from my husband Cody, the only other person I knew from the group was my best friend, Becky. The other three individuals were all new to me, and each other. Of course, in these instances, you want to make a good first impression. Well, I accomplished that by offering to drive us all into town in the "mom car" - and then getting pulled over by a sheriff's deputy. Allegedly - there was a stop sign in the town square that I may or may not have overlooked in the confusion of trying to follow the GPS in the dark in a completely unfamiliar town. The officer let us go, only after telling us that the place we were trying to go to was directly across the street from where she had pulled us over. Onlookers were murmuring about us getting arrested, and we in the vehicle all quickly agreed we would NOT be going inside for the sake of avoiding further embarrassment. So, yeah, it was a great first impression. Thankfully, these were all awesome people, and they reassured me that they all trusted me to get us back to the cabin safely. This was saying a lot since that cabin had a driveway incline that had us all white-knuckling anything we could grab onto. Plus of course, navigating unfamiliar mountain roads that had some serious twists and turns. At least this cabin had some impeccable views. Day 2 started much better with a yummy breakfast I whipped up. The basics of bacon, sausage, biscuits - and fruit that I forgot to set out! We would need the fuel for the day we had ahead of us. Dahlonega provides a place for day drinking in its purest form. Wineries abound in this area, with several new vineyards being planted for future attractions to open up in the coming years. Our first stop for our wine tour was Wolf Mountain Vineyards. This place is always one of the busiest stops for wine lovers, so we got there when they opened up to ensure we had space in the tasting room, which is first come first serve. We sampled their Sparkling flight, for a bubbly start to our day. The next stop was Kaya Vineyard & Winery. Kaya had a spacious tasting room area, where we sat at a table to nosh on a grazing board. Kaya also had a cute shop for different wine and accessories, and lots of cute home goods. We received our flight of wines on a flight tray, and we all got to try the different glasses and share what we thought about each one. We had also met another group at Wolf Mountain, who were at Kaya as well. We ended up seeing this group at each of the wineries we went to. They were such a fun bunch! After Kaya, we went over to The Cottage Vineyard & Winery. There are lots of photo ops at the Cottage. First, is a cute water feature with the sign sitting at the top of the winery (probably the most adorable sign from any winery). We stopped and snapped a few pictures in front of it. Then, as you turn the corner, there is a mural with a giant bottle of wine pouring out. We had to be silly and pose in front of it! Lastly, the scenery itself - it overlooks some rolling hills where horses are grazing in the distance. The wine in our system had us contemplating how badly we might hurt ourselves if we were to roll down the steep hills. We still had enough sense to not *actually* do it, but had some good laughs picturing ourselves rolling down at a high rate of speed. I'm sure by now you are wondering how many more wineries we could possibly go to in one day. Don't worry, we're close to the end. Our last wine stop of the day was Cavender Creek Vineyards. This is my second time to this winery, and it projects good time vibes. There is typically live music going on, and it's easy to see why it is always full of people. When you do a wine tasting here, they have gorgeous specially crafted wine boards that the glasses sit on. You of course have to return them or pay a hefty fee. I also love that they have a chicken run on the property! As you drive in, you'll pass the chicken coop and likely the chickens walking around outside. For our last stop of the day, we went to Big Creek Distilling Co. This place had only been open for a few months, but it had a great atmosphere. We played some cornhole outside while waiting for our food from the food truck that was parked outside. I have to shout out the food truck, Draztic Aztec Food Truck. I am a sucker for good Mexican food, so I was excited to discover the Draztic Aztec. Big Creek had a tasting of bourbon, gin, and moonshine available. I opted for one of their specialty drinks - Maple and Thyme Whiskey Sour. A whiskey sour is a bit of a fail-safe, but the maple and thyme together was an interesting flavor combination. I enjoyed slow sippin' on this one. They had a varied selection of specialty drinks, I can't wait for my next visit to try something new. Yay! You've made it to the end. I hope this gives you plenty of options for places to add to your list if you plan a trip to Dahlonega. Which I HIGHLY recommend. We stopped at only a fraction of the wineries that are in the area, and there is so much to see and do for a couple's getaway, bachelorette, or just a group of friends. If you're still around feel free to peruse some silly goofy pics from the trip.

Hey y’all! I’m so glad you’re here! Welcome to the inaugural post for the Peaches and Pigs Homestead blog. I wanted to introduce myself and the blog before we start into the normal content for PPH. I decided to start this blog primarily as a creative outlet for myself, to detail our homesteading journey and because so many people ask about our pigs. I mean, who can blame them? So even if only one person reads this, (thanks, Mom!) that is a-ok! But honestly, the Pigs have quite the fan club going on already. So, a little more about me: I’m a wife and mom of three kids (four if you include the husband, which there are some days I do). I’ve been working my 9-5 job remotely from home for over two years now and recently moved to a rural South Georgian town. Hello, solitude. Driving the highway around here means passing endless rows of cotton fields and pecan orchards and lots of cows. It is the perfect farm town for homesteading. The driver behind this move was to have a piece of land where we could enjoy nature and give the kids plenty of room to explore and play. We are looking forward to working the land to provide some sources of food and sustainability for our family. One of our first plant purchases after moving here was a peach tree, which is fitting for a new Georgian family. Hopefully, by now, the name of the blog is making sense to you. So, if you’re still here, what can you expect? Be ready for stories of my successes, and inevitable failures around the homestead, as I learn how to garden, make canned goods, and raise some chickens and goats and pigs, and anything else I can convince my husband to let me bring onto the “farm”. As a mom of three kids, there will be stories of shenanigans, proud moments, and them being involved around the homestead. Close to my heart will be sharing tips and tricks that help me get by daily. Whether it is hacks around the kitchen or different tips I've learned along the way - we all get by with a little help from our friends. This is a passion project, and I am so excited to get started and share it with whoever may come. Without further ado, welcome to Peaches and Pigs.

Hey y'all, and welcome back to Peaches and Pigs. As you can tell from the title, it has been COLD down here lately, especially for South Georgia. I've lived in Florida for most of my life, so my tolerance for cold weather is already pretty low. Under 65 degrees and I am likely layering up and slipping on thick fuzzy socks. Whether you are a homeowner or renter, or even living in an apartment, there are going to be certain tasks you'll want to do when a hard freeze rolls around. If you are not from below the bible belt area of the country, this post probably won't be anything groundbreaking for you. We don't even salt the roads down here! We do experience more than just mildly cold weather, though. Here are my top five tips to help you prepare for a hard freeze. 1. First and foremost, if you have any outside pets or livestock, make sure they have shelters set up properly to keep them warm and a place to escape the elements. If you can't change the shelter outside, you may need to bring them inside if able. Some animals are more sensitive to cold weather than others, so prepare accordingly for the animals you have. 2. Cover up any exposed pipes and wells. We have a well for water, so we got blankets to wrap around the well to help protect it from the freeze. Eventually, we will build a well house around it to provide better protection from the cold weather and other elements. 3. Most of our plants were already inside once the temperatures started to drop for the season, but we brought in the other plants that were still outside. You will need to research your plants to see which will need to be taken in. I have a lot of tropical houseplants, so they do not tolerate the cold well. 4. You may need to leave a drip running to help reduce the risk of pipes bursting. We typically leave one outside tap and one inside tap running at a slow but steady drip. 5. Lastly, if you haven't run your HVAC system on heat yet, now is a good time to check those filters. If they are really dirty the air flow will be slowed and it will take longer to heat your home - leading to higher electric costs. Nobody wants that! These are just a few key things to help prepare for the weather during the cold months. This can look very different if you are in areas prone to snow, but down here in South Georgia it's more likely we see pigs fly. Let me know in the comments if you found at least one of these helpful. Until next time - bye y'all!

Not Another New Year's Resolution Hey y’all! Welcome back to Peaches and Pigs. I wanted to share my New Year's resolution with ya’. insert eye roll I know I know… we are tired of hearing about everyone's weight loss and diet goals, saving money, not getting Starbucks coffee, and whatever else people may have vowed for the year (and possibly already quit by now). This one is different - I swear!! Let me paint the scene. It was New Year’s Eve and I had a few moments to myself, and I was missing my best friend who wasn’t able to come to our little shindig this year. She has come to every 4th of July and NYE get-together that we have put on for as long as I can remember. So her presence was notably missing from me. At that moment, I kind of had an epiphany for my resolution for the new year. I looked back at everything that brought me joy and happiness for 2023 and decided I wanted MORE. More time with friends, more moments baking with my kids, more celebrations with family… the real things that brought true happiness and contentment. All are relatively simple to achieve, they just require you to set the intention and move forward with it. So this isn’t your normal resolution, where I set a specific goal of how many coffee dates I have with my girlfriends, or how many loaves of bread I am going to bake - but instead being more intentional with my relationships. If they brought me so much joy last year, I want to strive for more of that. So, no matter if you are reading this in January or June, cheers to MORE JOY!