by Ruby Burks | Jan 7, 2016
There’s a misperception shared by some that farmers have it pretty easy, relatively speaking, in the winter months compared to the high production summer months. This isn’t exactly true. Summertime means longer daylight hours and more time spent working outside, but...
by Tess Pennington | May 25, 2016
Chickens can withstand a lot of weather extremes, but heat is not one of them. Did you know that a sudden increase in temperature is more dangerous for a chicken’s health than a gradual temperature climb? Chickens can become very stressed with sudden increases...
by Tess Pennington | Feb 11, 2016
Food freedom – now that’s a loaded statement. Is there such a thing? How many of you go to the store every week to get produce and meat? I would venture to guess almost all of us. Over the last several years, a substantial amount of our wealth has...
by Tess Pennington | May 26, 2011
As our move to the new homestead draws near, I have talked with the children about the idea of caring for livestock, the responsibilities we will each have for these animals, and what the animal’s purpose will be for our family. We have discussed how these...
by Tess Pennington | Feb 25, 2010
Just like humans, animals tend to get ailments, and without proper care, those ailments can turn into serious infections. As the price of pet/livestock medicine continues to rise, some are falling back on natural remedies to alleviate symptoms in their animals. Look...
by Ruby Burks | Jan 12, 2016
We’re on Kid Watch here- goat kid, that is. Several of our does are bagging up and we’re hoping the rest won’t be far behind. All of our does were exposed to bucks over the summer and gestation lasts about 150 days (about five months) for standard sized breeds. We...
by Tess Pennington | Jan 10, 2013
What if we’re doing it wrong? What if the monocrop method we have familiarized ourselves with isn’t cutting it? It’s time to look outside of the garden box and really begin to examine and apply new farming strategies that are more symbiotic and...
by Ruby Burks | Feb 9, 2016
When people think of bees, they imagine warm, sunny days and lots of blooms, but the dead of winter is the best time to get your equipment ready so you won’t be caught short when the bloom comes roaring in at the beginning of spring. Bees, like any other livestock,...
by Contributing Author | May 2, 2014
If you want to get a good yield on more plants, you need to fertilize – but what do you do when everything collapses? When you can’t run down to the store and pick up a bag of 10-10-10 or bloodmeal? Read on. Here are 5 fertilizers you can grow yourself: Nitrogen The...
by Pamela Bofferding | Jul 24, 2016
Black gold is a nitrogen and potassium-rich product that improves soil structure, increases plant yield, and has even been known to improve the taste of fruits and vegetables grown with it. It doesn’t require wasteful packaging and it’s made without chemicals or other...
by Contributing Author | Oct 24, 2017
There are many different types of emergencies that can have long-term repercussions on our way of life. One of those impacts is on our food system. Due to our aging infrastructure and roadways, emergencies can stall the delivery of goods, leaving a community without...
by Contributing Author | Jan 13, 2018
All of the snow accumulation from the extreme temperatures occurring through the country could be doing your garden some good. That right, folks snow is great for the garden! Snow insulates plants and trees Snow cover protects plants from harsh, drying winter winds...
