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Countryside Contributor
Articles by Countryside Contributor
Lambing Problems Can Arise From Abnormal Birth Positions
Add to Favorites By Lyn Brown, Shear Perfection Ranch – Lambing is always an exciting time on the ranch, but it can also be a scary time for the first-time shepherd. …
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Sheep Giving Birth: Tips for Successful Lambing
Over the past 12 lambing seasons, the main thing the sheep giving birth has taught me is that every season will bring a new lesson. I’ll never forget meeting a seasoned shepherd with 50 years of lambing behind him who told me that he still learns something new every year.
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Growing Hemp on the Homestead
Recent interest in growing hemp as an agricultural crop isn’t as recent as you might think. Hemp is an ancient plant. Evidence points to the plant’s use 10,000 years ago where it has been used for centuries as a form of textile fiber.
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Beginning Blacksmithing
Some of the best advice on self-reliance I’ve received was given to me by my grandfather while we worked in his blacksmith shop. “Never buy something that you can make,” he told me.
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A Sulute to the Mighty Come-Along Tool
Thanks to the fabulous come-along tool, an endless variety of monumental pulling tasks can be performed by one individual. In countless sheds and barns across this nation is one of the greatest tools known to man.
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The Beautiful Black Welsh Mountain Sheep
A remarkable characteristic the Black Welsh Mountain sheep, at least within our flock, is that they are happy to cooperate and very glad to do what we’d like them to do.
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Tips for Successfully Raising Bottle Calves
When raising cattle, you may encounter the challenge of a young calf orphaned or rejected by mama, needing a bottle from you.
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Dexter Cattle – The Ideal Family Cow
Homesteading is about simplicity, self reliance, and doing as much as you can with as little as possible, always with an eye on the bottom line.
So when it comes to considering large livestock, selecting an animal species or specific breed that provides multiple benefits should be the goal.
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Manna Pro® Extends Its 4-H Partnership
As part of the partnership, Manna Pro will donate $1 to National 4-H Council for every $1 coupon used on select Manna Pro products from Feb. 1 through Aug. 31, with a minimum $50,000 match donation guaranteed in 2021.
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Artisanal Sheep Cheese: Shepherds Manor Creamery Part 1 of 2
The artisanal sheep cheese from Shepherds Manor Creamery is what makes this creamery stand out with its award-winning, product — 100% sheep milk cheese.
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Rowdy the Buffalo
After driving down the long driveway past two large pastures and a small herd of bison, we arrived. We walked through a large expanse of fresh-cut green grass in front of the house and onto a large and sturdy, welcoming porch.
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Diagnosing and Treating Hardware Disease in Cattle
Cattle occasionally swallow foreign material such as pieces of wire chopped up by a baler. Hardware disease in cattle occurs when a sharp object penetrates the gut lining and damages some other organ or creates peritonitis (infection within the abdomen).
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Using Natural Fertilizers on the Homestead
Gardens are hungry creatures, demanding endless applications of fertilizer to keep vegetables, fruits, and flowers growing throughout the season. Unfortunately, many find their plot’s needs increase each passing year despite frequent feedings.
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When Limping is Not a Sign of Sheep Foot Rot
Don’t you just love how sheep keep teaching us what we never knew we needed to know? The past lambing season was one in which I got an advanced education in “Sheep Feet 101.”
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Is Your Livestock Barn at Risk for Fire?
No one wants to see their barn wrapped in flames. But that’s exactly what occurred at one of the oldest dairy farms in New York, when firefighters from 15 departments responded to the scene.
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