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Life on the farm brings many joys, but it also presents unique challenges—like keeping our beloved pets free from pests. For those of us with dogs, fleas and ticks can become persistent problems, especially during the warmer months.
In my own quest to protect our dogs without compromising the safety of my children, I've discovered a natural, non-toxic flea and tick repellent that aligns with our values and lifestyle.
The Need for a Safe Solution
Living in a rural setting, ticks are a constant concern. Until now, I relied on products like Bravecto or Frontline. But when my daughter was young, I embraced a more natural approach that’s safer for everyone—including my children, who love spending time with our dogs.
Our Non-Toxic Approach
After some research, I found a way to combat these pests using natural methods. I use the natural predator of ticks, guineas, to hunt them down one the outside yard area. In addition, I keep the grass shorter in the areas where the kids and dogs hang out the most. This makes those areas less attractive to the ticks.
For the constant problem of flies on the farm, I implement the use of fly predators and free ranging chickens to attack the flies. Regularly cleaning up the animal poop and composting it helps to control the habitat hatching areas too. My chickens have been trained to dig through the windrows of poop and find the bugs, thus turning my compost pile for me.
I also found a essential oil repellent recipe that offers a safe alternative to traditional chemical treatments, ensuring my kids can safely play with the dogs without exposure to harmful substances. When buying essential oils, make sure you are purchasing oils that are truly pure. There is a lot of mislabeling in the oil industry. I have linked the oils in the recipe to my favorite oils.
The Essential Oil Recipes
Spray (4 oz Bottle):
- 4 drops Purification
- 4 drops Citronella
- 1 drop Cedarwood
- 2 drops Palo Santo
- 1 drop Thyme
Fill the rest with water and shake gently before use. Spray as needed for fly issues.
Dropper (2 oz Bottle):
- 9 drops Palo Santo
- 6 drops Peppermint
- 6 drops Citronella
Fill the rest with water and shake gently before use.
Apply the dropper along your dog's back, starting at the end of April. Begin with applications every couple of days, then transition to weekly, and finally monthly as summer progresses. For continual replant of fleas, continue monthly through the winter.
Benefits of Essential Oils
Essential oils, when used correctly, can deter pests without the need for synthetic chemicals. Here are some of the benefits:
- Safety: Non-toxic for both pets and children.
- Efficacy: Proven to repel pests effectively.
- Peace of Mind: You can rest easy knowing your family is safe from harsh chemicals.
Empowering Choices for Farm Wives
As farm wives, we juggle many responsibilities and strive to make informed decisions that benefit our family and farm. This natural pest control method is just one example of how we can use simple, accessible tools to improve our lives.
By making these small, thoughtful changes, we nurture an environment that reflects our values and supports our goals—a thriving farm and a happy, healthy family.
Join Our Journey
If you're looking for more ways to live authentically and balance the demands of farm life, I invite you to join our community. Together, we can share solutions and support each other on this incredible, challenging journey.
Remember, every small step towards positive change is a victory. Here's to a pest-free and harmonious home for you and your loved ones.
Feel free to reach out with your stories, thoughts, or questions. Let's grow and thrive together!
Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Thriving Through Farm Distress: Wife’s Support Network! In our community, we embrace the challenges of farm life and provide a supportive space for wives facing the complexities of managing a family farm. Whether you're navigating financial pressures, day-to-day operations, or seeking ways to create a thriving home, we're here for you. Explore gardening tips for cultivating your own oasis, share insights on animal care, and discover practical family budgeting strategies. Together, let's grow through challenges, flourish authentically, and sow the seeds for a resilient and thriving farm life. Join us on this journey of resilience and abundance!
As I've grown in my journey as an entrepreneur, mom, gardener, and livestock owner, I struggled to find a planner that met my needs and kept me organized. So, I MADE MY OWN. You can look at it on the link below and buy it on amazon below.
Don't want the whole calendar part? I got you! I pulled the gardening and animal care pages out and put them in a book all their own.
Starting to garden doesn't have to be hard! I gathered all the tips I've learned over my gardening learning curve and made them into a simple course to jump start your gardening your life.
Supporting Your Family Naturally from the Inside Out community!! This community is for Mommas, looking to Support Your Family from Nature for Wellness. Tips range from nutrition, herbals, detoxing, natural cleaning, and essential oils. Basically, all the things I’ve learned slowly over the past 5+ years of my journey. We have moved off Facebook, to better serve our community and be able to discuss openly options for providing for your family in the best way possible.
Join the FREE Community
Join the FREE Community
I've had 3 very different pregnancies. After the first traumatic birth, I learned better and how to care for my body naturally and prevent common pregnancy and birth problems before they arise. This quick course will get you the tools you need to have a naturally healthy pregnancy, labor, and delivery. My first pregnancy I had a normal western medicine all the things pregnancy. My second? I flipped to completely natural, no medicine. Bonus: Preventing Preeclampsia Without the Aspirin & Healing from Birth Trauma
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you.
Summer fun can quickly be ruined by bugs, and no one wants that. Especially with little ones eager to be outside more than inside, finding a safe and effective bug repellent is essential. The good news? You don't need to rely on store-bought sprays that might not be safe for children. Below, you'll find a fantastic bug repellent recipe that's kid-safe and easy to make at home.
Why Choose DIY Bug Repellent?
Many commercial insect repellents, including popular brands like OFF, are not recommended for young children due to their harsh chemicals. However, it's still crucial to protect your family from the annoying and potentially harmful bites of mosquitoes, flies, and gnats.
I discovered a great bug spray that was effective, even against those pesky no-see-um bugs, and safe for all ages. Unfortunately, it went out of stock right in the middle of summer, and I was almost out after using the same bottle for a year! That’s when I turned to DIY recipes for a solution that I could trust.
The Perfect DIY Kid-Safe Bug Repellent
This DIY bug spray has become a staple in our home. We use it every time my little girl goes outside. Just a quick spray on her arms and legs before stepping out, and she’s good to go. The results? Whenever she goes outside without it, she comes back with at least one bite. But with the spray, no more mosquito, fly, or gnat bites! It's a win for all of us, including our pets.
I've even started using this spray on our two dogs' ears to keep the flies away. My poor Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix has ears that flies love to burrow into, but this spray has worked wonders for them too!
DIY Insect Spray Recipe
To make your own kid-safe bug repellent, you'll need a 4 oz glass spray bottle and the following ingredients:
Keep Off Me Bug Spray Ingredients
- 5 drops each of:
- 2 oz Witch Hazel
- 2 oz Water
Instructions:
- Combine the essential oils in the glass spray bottle.
- Add the Witch Hazel and water.
- Shake well before each use.
Now, you and your family can enjoy bug-free fun days ahead without worrying about toxic chemicals. This DIY insect spray is not only safe and non-toxic, but it’s also affordable and effective.
Creating your own bug repellent doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. With just a few simple ingredients, you can protect your family and pets from annoying bug bites. Enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing exactly what’s in your bug spray and rest easy knowing it’s safe for everyone.
Embrace the joys of summer with your loved ones, free from the hassle of bugs, and enjoy every moment outdoors!
Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Thriving Through Farm Distress: Wife’s Support Network! In our community, we embrace the challenges of farm life and provide a supportive space for wives facing the complexities of managing a family farm. Whether you're navigating financial pressures, day-to-day operations, or seeking ways to create a thriving home, we're here for you. Explore gardening tips for cultivating your own oasis, share insights on animal care, and discover practical family budgeting strategies. Together, let's grow through challenges, flourish authentically, and sow the seeds for a resilient and thriving farm life. Join us on this journey of resilience and abundance!
As I've grown in my journey as an entrepreneur, mom, gardener, and livestock owner, I struggled to find a planner that met my needs and kept me organized. So, I MADE MY OWN. You can look at it on the link below and buy it on amazon below.
Don't want the whole calendar part? I got you! I pulled the gardening and animal care pages out and put them in a book all their own.
Starting to garden doesn't have to be hard! I gathered all the tips I've learned over my gardening learning curve and made them into a simple course to jump start your gardening your life.
Supporting Your Family Naturally from the Inside Out community!! This community is for Mommas, looking to Support Your Family from Nature for Wellness. Tips range from nutrition, herbals, detoxing, natural cleaning, and essential oils. Basically, all the things I’ve learned slowly over the past 5+ years of my journey. We have moved off Facebook, to better serve our community and be able to discuss openly options for providing for your family in the best way possible.
Join the FREE Community
Join the FREE Community
I've had 3 very different pregnancies. After the first traumatic birth, I learned better and how to care for my body naturally and prevent common pregnancy and birth problems before they arise. This quick course will get you the tools you need to have a naturally healthy pregnancy, labor, and delivery. My first pregnancy I had a normal western medicine all the things pregnancy. My second? I flipped to completely natural, no medicine. Bonus: Preventing Preeclampsia Without the Aspirin & Healing from Birth Trauma
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with no additional cost to you. This blog was updated August 15, 2024. You can read that here.
Let's talk about the nasties with pets, fleas and ticks. Typically I have given our dogs bravecto or frontline. The ticks are nasty around our house, and the flies eat the dog’s ears raw every summer. The dogs try to hide from the flies and are constantly scratching at their ears. I’ve tried baby oil on their ears in the past and even sprayed them with the horse’s fly spray to give them some relief. The baby oil worked the best, as long as it was wet, but as soon as it was dry the flies were back. My daughter loves to hang out with the dogs and loves them, but I realized I don’t want to apply anything to dogs that I don’t want her to get on her. Which meant I needed a new dog pest control plan.
We already use fly predators for the stable flies, which helps immensely for the horses. I also plan on getting guineas and other birds this summer to further take care of bugs around our house, without having to apply chemicals. My kids love to be outside, so I don’t want to have to worry about what has been applied to the yard that they will be running barefoot through.
This year I decided to try something different. Something that would hopefully prevent the problem from ever starting. I went searching and found spray for the pesky flies, that like to eat the dog’s ears, and a dropper for the fleas and ticks. The dropper I applied it like you would frontline, down their back, starting at the end of April. I did a slow jumpstart of sorts for both dogs, applying it every couple days for a week, then once a week, then once a month (I’ll adjust if needed as the summer progresses). So far the dropper has been working to keep the ticks at bay and I really haven’t noticed the flies yet. The best part is it doesn’t matter if my two little kids are climbing and petting the dogs right after, because any of these oils are safe for my kids when they are pure.
Spray Dropper
4 oz Bottle 2 oz Dropper bottle
4 drops Purification 9 drops Palo Santo
4 drops Citronella 6 drops Peppermint
1 drops Cedarwood 6 drops Citronella
2 drops Palo Santo
1 drop Thyme
Top with water and gently shake before each use.
Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Courageous + Purposeful Mommas group! This community is for the Mommas, mommas to be, in the midst of raising, and kids grown, looking for tips on building your family up and providing for them through natural methods. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious, and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision.
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This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with no additional cost to you.
Summer fun is quickly ruined by bugs and no one wants that. Read all the way to the bottom for a fantastic bug repelling recipe. But with little ones who want to be outside more than inside, what do you use? The OFF says not for children. How do you keep having fun without the bug bits? I found a great one that worked, even on the pesky no-see-um bugs, that was safe for all ages! If you're not much for DIYs you can purchase that bug spray here.
The insect repellant was perfect, then in the middle of the summer it went out of stock! To make it worse, I was almost out after using the same bottle for a year! NOOOOO, now what?!? So I started looking for recipes I could make that were kid safe and I could make myself.
We started using the new spray whenever my little girl would go outside, just a quick spray down her arms and legs as she went out the door. The results? Whenever she would slip out without the spray, she would come back with at least one bite. She then started asking for it whenever we went outside. No more mosquitos, or flies, or gnats! Win! The next spring she was swinging with Grandma and informed me she needed to be sprayed because the flies were bothering her.
I also started using this on our 2 dogs ears to keep the flies from eating on them. My poor Australian Shepherd/Border Collie has ears the flies love to burrow into. It worked on them too! You will need a 4 oz glass spray bottle for this recipe.
Keep off Me Bug Spray
- 5 drops of each
- Purification
- Peppermint
- Citronella
- Lemongrass
- Eucalyptus Radiata
- Thieves
- 2 oz Witch Hazel
- 2 oz Water
- Shake before each use
Now off to enjoy the bug FREE fun days ahead!
Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Courageous + Purposeful Mommas group! This community is for the Mommas, mommas to be, in the midst of raising, and kids grown, looking for tips on building your family up and providing for them through natural methods. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious, and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision.
Click here to get the stories straight to your email:
For more on wellness tips click here:
For more on homesteading on your budget click here:
For more simple DIY updates click here:
