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Here you will find my most recent blog posts. Tough Kraut guides you from city apartments to homesteads. Explore our categories:

Homestead Chronicles: Follow our journey. Read “A Starter’s Guide” for basics or “Life on the Land” for real stories.

Cultivate & Thrive: Grow food anywhere. Try “Homegrown Harvests” for balcony tips or “Building Soil” for yards.

Self-Sufficient Living: Learn off-grid skills. Check “Water Conservation” or “Homesteading & DIY” for practical projects.

Farm Companions: Use animals and plants smartly. Explore “Natural Pest Control” or “Foraging” for free resources.

Permie Pantry: Cook and preserve. Start with “Garden-To-Table Recipes” or “Pickle & Preserve” for easy ideas.

Homestead Chronicles

Join our adventure transforming a Mediterranean hillside into an off-grid homestead. Explore permaculture design, daily homesteading tips, and the grit of restoring a granite stone ruin in Homestead Chronicles.

Rhinoceros beetle on a human hand inside a greenhouse, surrounded by leafy vegetable beds and vertical plant supports.

Wild Neighbors: European Rhinoceros Beetle (Oryctes nasicornis) On Our Portuguese Homestead

We met our first European rhinoceros beetle in a very glamorous setting: perched like a tiny armored tank on one of the wooden logs that edge the raised beds inside our greenhouse. It was June, the air was still warm from the day, and this beetle sat absolutely still, as if it had paid rent for that log and was not planning to move. In three and a half years on the land, we have only seen this species once, so on our Quinta it is very much an occasional visitor. Still, for

4 days ago

Structural restoration underway inside a stone building, showing newly installed concrete beams and scattered debris.

Granite Stone Wall Demolition: How to Safely Open Up Your Space

Opening up a granite stone house looks simple in your head. You tap a wall, imagine sunlight pouring through a new archway, and think, “How hard can it be?”Then you chisel off the first patch of plaster and discover a world of surprises: oversized granite blocks sitting exactly where you hoped for a clean line, corner stones holding three directions together, and mortar that stayed strong for a century but crumbles the moment you breathe on it. When we began our renovation in

7 days ago

European Robin balancing on a worn fence post, its feathers catching sunlight, with a background of blurred trees and wire fencing.

Wild Neighbors: European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) On Our Portuguese Homestead

We first noticed the European Robin on our land during our earliest garden chores. One particular robin made quite an entrance. It hopped from fence to pole, then took a few aerial laps around us as if inspecting our technique. Since then, we’ve seen them frequently around the veggie terraces, perched on the sticks and posts we deliberately placed across the homestead to invite birds to rest and, hopefully, provide a little fertilizer from above.

Dec 1

Earlier phase of flooring work showing battens installed over the subfloor, ready for insulation or further layering.

Timber Floor Construction and Natural Insulation Solutions

Standing inside our old granite stone house for the first time felt like stepping into three different lifetimes. One room had rotten wooden boards that sagged under each step. Another had a tired, uneven concrete patch that someone had once called a floor. The last section had been a stable for sheep and goats, still layered with straw and old manure. Not exactly the warm and welcoming base you dream of for an off-grid home. But this is where transformation begins. With a so

Nov 27

Layered hillside terraces and red-roofed houses in Sistelo nestled in a lush valley, with wind turbines visible in the distance.

Permaculture Homesteading Tips for Portugal

Starting a homestead in Portugal is an exciting adventure. The Mediterranean climate, rich soil, and vibrant culture make it a fantastic place to embrace sustainable living. But how do you make the most of your land while respecting nature? That’s where permaculture principles come in. I’ve been down this road, and I’m here to share practical tips and insights to help you create a thriving, self-sufficient homestead using permaculture techniques tailored for Portugal. Traditi

Nov 21

Open-roof room under renovation, featuring wall-to-wall rebar mesh for upcoming concrete work and exposed stone walls.

Granite House Renovation: Slab Preparation, Ring Beams, and Off-Grid Utilities

When we first stepped into our old granite house, the floors felt like a mountain range and the ceilings more like cave roofs. Leveling it wasn’t just about comfort — it was about making the structure safe, efficient, and ready for decades of off-grid living. So, we rolled up our sleeves, dug down about 85 cm (33 inches) inside the stone shell, and built a reinforced concrete slab that now hides every pipe, wire, and water line our future home will need. Along the way, we p

Nov 9

Perimeter trench dug around a Portuguese granite stone house with wood cladding above the foundation, ready for the next phase of drainage installation.

French Drains for Stone Homes: Our In-Progress Installation

Every old granite house has its secret — ours just happened to be trapped water. When I started leveling the floor inside our stone ruin, I dug nearly 85 cm (33 inches) down through compacted soil and veins of granite. What began as a quest for a few extra centimeters of ceiling height quickly turned into a lesson in geology, patience, and sweat equity. Underneath the rubble, I found what every off-grid renovator eventually faces: moisture paths leading straight into the wall

Oct 31

Narrow garden bed outlined by cinder blocks, containing Opuntia pads and mixed plants, with a dirt path running alongside.

Repurposing Construction Materials: Sustainable Ideas from Floors to Raised Beds

Every renovation leaves behind a pile of “leftovers.” Wood, stone, concrete — most people see rubble. On our land in Central Portugal, we see resources waiting for a second life. When we pulled up the old wooden floors of our granite house, those boards didn’t head for the dump. They turned into raised beds in the greenhouse. The cinder blocks from demolished walls now edge garden beds. Even the heavy precast concrete T-beams? A quick cut with the angle grinder, and they’re

Oct 22

Close-up of a metal hammer head separated from its splintered wooden handle on a rough masonry surface.

Safe Demolition Techniques for Stone Walls and Clay Brick Interiors

The first swing of a sledgehammer teaches you two things fast: stone doesn’t forgive, and dust gets everywhere. When we began removing...

Oct 13

Low dry-stone wall in a grassy field, piles of pruned branches and mixed evergreens and oaks in the background.

Historical Context and Climate Challenges in Central Portugal

Every piece of land tells a story. Here in Central Portugal, ours begins with granite — stone terraces stacked by hand generations ago,...

Oct 7

Side view of a Remodelado Lisbon trams with overhead wires and Martini advertising along the carriage.

The Homesteading Land-Buying Checklist for Portugal: 15 Critical Factors Before You Purchase

When my wife and I first started looking for land in Portugal, I pictured orange trees, stone walls, and enough space to finally grow...

Sep 22

Interior airtightness work: taped membrane fitted between roof beams and sealed around a multi-pane window.

Planning an Energy Class A+ Renovation for Long-Term Durability

Renovating an old granite house to meet modern energy standards is no small feat. Granite keeps cool in summer and stores heat, but on...

Sep 16

Close-up of deteriorated roof showing broken tiles and warped battens against a clear sky.

Granite Stone House Renovation: Why We’re Restoring Off-Grid in Portugal

Ever stood inside a crumbling granite house in rural Portugal and wondered, “Is this even worth saving?” We did. The granite walls still...

Sep 13

Variegated agave with yellow-edged, arching leaves growing among rocks and logs in a dry garden bed; small prickly-pear pads and a tall yucca-like clump nearby, with a water tank visible in the distance.

Designing with Texture: Succulents and Perennials for Striking Dry Gardens

A lot of dry gardens look… well, dry. Rows of gravel, a few spiky plants, and not much else to keep the eye interested. But texture...

Aug 20

Close-up of coriander seed heads, with clusters of ribbed brown seeds and some green developing seeds on slender stems against a blurred background.

Permaculture Principles in Seed Stewardship: Embracing Nature’s Patterns

Saving seeds isn’t just about next year’s harvest. It’s about carrying forward the stories, resilience, and abundance that nature offers...

Aug 14

Close-up of a sunlit herb bed where glossy green rosemary, leafy pineapple sage, and prickly pear cactus pads intermingle among pinecones for mulch on rich soil.

The Science of Drought Tolerance: How Plants Survive and Thrive with Less Water

In a world where every drop counts, understanding how plants survive without it is no longer optional—it’s essential. You might think...

Aug 2

A colorful swallowtail caterpillar with black, yellow, and orange markings crawls up a fennel stem in a wild garden under a partly cloudy sky.

Pollinator Paradise: Drought-Tolerant Plants That Attract Bees & Butterflies

You step outside on a July morning and find your garden humming with life, not wilting under the sun. Wild cistus blooms in crisp white...

Jul 18

A vivid green praying mantis clings to the edge of a dark, perforated metal surface, its forelegs raised and eyes focused alertly.

From Wild to Wonderful: Underutilized Drought-Tolerant Plants for Biodiversity

Most people reach for the usual suspects when planting a drought-hardy garden — lavender, rosemary, maybe a few succulents. But beneath the radar, there’s a world of wild drought-tolerant plants doing remarkable work. Some fix nitrogen. Some feed bees when nothing else is flowering. Others survive on cracked soil, thriving where others wilt.

Jul 17

Back view of bifacial solar panels mounted on an aluminum ground rack, with dry grass and olive trees in the background.

Homesteading on Any Budget: Start Your Self-Sufficient Life with $500, $5,000, or $50,000

Homesteading isn’t about big land or big money. It’s about vision, grit, and using what you have. I’m Herman Kraut, founder of Tough...

Jul 14

An upright casuarina sapling along a field edge with young mimosa tree line, their airy, pine-like leaves contrasting with sun-browned undergrowth and bright, cloudless sky.

Drought-Resistant Windbreaks: Your Homestead's Shield & Sanctuary

The sun beats down, relentless. It’s 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), a heat that presses in on you. But then, a hot,...

Jul 7

Guides, tips, stories or recipes directly from our off-grid homestead. From newbie tips to pro hacks, our posts help you grow smarter, not harder.