About the Author
Janet Garman
Articles by Janet Garman
Homesteading After Retirement: Part 2
Buying land or an established farm property is one of the first decisions facing you after deciding to homestead after retirement. First, research the area where you would like to settle.
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Hampshire Pig for Meat and Breeding
The Hampshire pig is recognized easily by the wide white belt that continues down the front legs on a black hog. The Hampshire pig is the fourth most recorded breed in registries, and a common hog found in many pig farm operations.
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How Much Hay Does a Cow Eat?
After you unload the first cattle onto your property, your next biggest concern will be how to keep up with the demand for food. Knowing a
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Becoming a Shepherd
Shepherding has been part of humanity for thousands of years. And I was drawn to this lifestyle. I do not come from a background of shepherding. My family roots are deep …
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10 Pig Breeds for the Homestead
Has the time come to add pig breeds to your list of homestead goals? With the proper homestead fencing and pig shelter, the quick grow out time for most pig breeds makes them an ideal protein to raise on a small farm. If you are ready to take on the project of raising pigs, learn which of the pig breeds is right for your family.
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Choosing the Best Farm Dogs for Your Farm
Size, temperament, and training ability are a few criteria that go into choosing one of the best farm dogs.
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American Guinea Hogs
American Guinea hogs could be the best choice for homesteading families. The all-black, small-sized hog is a champion at foraging for food and requires little to no additional grain feeding.
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Best Dairy Sheep Breeds for a Farm
There are a few dairy sheep breeds you could add to your farm. The East Friesian sheep is considered the best breed of dairy sheep by researchers.
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8 Pig Diseases the Small Producer Should Know
While pigs are generally a hardy livestock to raise, you should be aware of certain pig diseases and how to proceed, should your pig become ill. Pigs raised with good hygiene, appropriate shelter and nutritious food will have few problems but can still become infected.
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Wool-Yielding Animals for Yarn and Fiber
Yarn weights are considerations when deciding which fiber breed or species to raise for your yarn. Wool, fleece, and fiber can be harvested from a number of wool-yielding animals, including sheep, goats, rabbits, camels, llamas, alpaca, bison, and yak!
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Homesteading After Retirement: Part 1
Is it your dream to retire from your career or day job and begin to live a homesteading life? The romantic idea of retiring business casual clothes for a daily wardrobe of muck boots and Carhartt overalls can appear to be a dream come true.
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Best Barns, Chicken Coops, and Hutches for Homesteads
Building the best barns, chicken coops, hutches, and other shelters adds value to your homesteading land. How do you know what to pick for housing your animals?
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Sheep Breeds for Fiber, Meat, or Dairy
There are numerous breeds in the world and raising sheep serves many purposes. Some sheep breeds lend themselves to provide the whole range of products, Rambouillet sheep, Dorset sheep, and some other sheep breeds are good providers of wool fiber, lambs, milk, and eventually, meat.
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Is a Livestock Guardian Dog the Right Choice?
Using a livestock guardian dog dates back more than 2,000 years. Dogs bred for the purpose of protecting livestock from predators and thieves were necessary when nomadic people roamed thousands of acres while raising sheep and cattle.
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Raising Miniature Goats, Cows, Chickens, and Sheep
What is driving the recent trend in raising miniature goats, cows, chickens, and other livestock? As more people move toward a simpler way of life, and are living in a more self-sustainable way, they may be interested in having a family milk provider.
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