Things We Love
Some links on this page are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
For the Animals
FURminator Undercoat deShedding Tool
With this many animals, the hair is nonstop. This is the best tool I’ve found for pulling out all that loose undercoat before it ends up all over the house — and our English Mastiff, Brutus, absolutely loves it.
Dog Ear Care
These drops are something I always keep on hand for the dogs. They’re the best I’ve found for helping relieve itching and ear irritation, and I usually reach for them as soon as I notice one of their ears starting to seem off.
Stainless Steel Cat Water Fountain
Cats tend to prefer moving water, and this fountain helps encourage them to drink more. I also love that it’s stainless steel, easy to clean, and keeps the water circulating.
Orthopedic Dog Bed
Brutus needs a bed that actually gives him support, and this one has held up really well. It’s genuinely comfortable, the cover comes off, and it’s machine washable — which is a huge plus with a giant dog.
Livestock Scratch Brush
We mounted these to a couple of trees for the goats and donkeys, and they use them constantly for scratching and rubbing. Simple, sturdy, and one of those little things that’s just nice to have around.
Garden Favorites
Worm Castings
One of my favorite ways to feed the soil naturally. Worm castings are a gentle, organic soil amendment that adds nutrients and organic matter while helping support healthy soil. I use these throughout the garden — mixed into beds, added around established plants, and worked into the soil when planting. It’s an easy way to give the soil a boost without reaching for synthetic fertilizer.
Neem Oil
I use neem oil when I’m dealing with pests directly on the plants, especially on leaves and stems. It’s one of my go-to options when I want to manage pest pressure without jumping straight to conventional insecticides.
Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth
This is what I use when ants become a problem in the garden. It’s a great organic option for crawling pests, and I use it sparingly since it can also harm beneficial insects that come into contact with it.
Reusable Garden Clips
I’ve tried tape, ties, and just about every other way to support climbing plants, and these are what I prefer. They’re quick to clip on and off, easy to reposition as plants grow, and reusable season after season.
Kitchen Favorites
Stainless Steel Percolator
I switched to this because I didn’t want hot water running through a plastic coffee maker anymore. It makes amazing freaking coffee, and it’s all stainless steel, so no microplastics from plastic parts.
Mason Jar Sprouting Lids
These are what I use to grow sprouts right in a mason jar. They make rinsing and draining really easy, and I love that they’re rust-proof and work with jars I already have instead of needing a separate sprouting system.
Broccoli Sprouting Seeds
These are what I use for broccoli sprouts at home. They’re super easy to grow, packed with nutrients, and ready to eat in less than a week.
Mason Jar Vacuum Sealer
The main reason I bought this was to help my food stay fresh longer, and I use it way more than I expected. It’s simple, quick, and has been really handy to have around.
Resealable Mylar Bags
I love that they’re resealable, so I can use them again and again, but you can also heat seal them if you’re putting food away for long-term storage
Around the House
Vacuum + Mop All-in-One
This one is pricey, but absolutely worth it for us. With animals inside and mud getting tracked in and out, being able to vacuum and mop at the same time saves me a ton of time. It also converts into a hand vac, so I use it for way more than just the floors. Worth every penny in this house.
Pet Hair Remover
This works ridiculously well on couches, carpet, and furniture. You just roll it back and forth, it grabs the hair, and then you empty it out. Super simple and way more effective than I expected.
Good Books to Have Around
We have a lot of books around here, but only a handful make this list. I’m a big believer in learning practical skills — and in having the information somewhere other than a screen. These are the books I’ve found genuinely useful, worth keeping close, and worth recommending. Whether I’m preserving food, learning a new skill, or just want the answer without having to Google it, these are the ones I reach for.
A great all-around reference for practical, self-reliant living. It covers everything from gardening and food preservation to homemade basics, traditional skills, and simple DIY projects. I like it because it gives you a little bit of everything in one place without making it feel overwhelming.
A solid go-to for canning and preserving, with clear instructions and a huge range of recipes for jams, pickles, salsas, sauces, fruits, vegetables, and more. I like it because it’s both a learning resource and a recipe book, so it’s useful whether you’re brand new to preserving or just looking for something new to make.
A great follow-up to the Complete Book of Home Preserving, with more than 350 recipes covering canning, jams, pickles, sauces, and other preserved foods. I like this one for the variety — it gives you plenty of ideas beyond the basics and is especially useful when you want to try something a little different with what you’ve grown or stocked up on.
