Fences, Sheds & Barns
Nominate a Homesteader for the I Am Countryside Feature
Add to Favorites Know a homesteader who inspires others? Want to see them featured in Countryside & Small Stock Journal? Nominate them (or yourself!) and we’ll tell their story in the …
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Selecting Hay for Cattle
During winter, drought or any other times that animals do not have adequate pasture, hay is the mainstay of diet for cattle.
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DIY Fence Installation and Maintenance on the Homestead
When building a new fence, you need to consider whether to go with DIY fence installation or hire it to be done. Probably the most crucial part of fence maintenance is whether the fence was put up well, with quality materials.
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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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5 Homestead Fencing Mistakes to Avoid
No matter what project my husband and I decide to tackle, it nearly always comes down to the same thing: homestead fencing. Garden fencing to keep groundhogs and cottontails away from our vegetables.
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Build an Inexpensive Hay Shed
There are many ways to store hay and protect it from the weather, but some methods are more reliable than others. Some people put hay in their barns, but there is always the risk of fire when feed is stored in a barn, especially if hay is ever baled with too much moisture in it, causing fermentation and heating (which can lead to spontaneous combustion).
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How to Build Durable Pipe Corrals
It’s important to know how to build pipe corrals because of the availability of material and, if done correctly, it will only need to be done once in a lifetime.
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A DIY Mobile Sheep Shelter
Do you really need a barn for small livestock? This was a question I pondered before we acquired sheep.
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Cattle Shed Design for a Small Herd
The lure of the wide open range and the romance of ranching may entice you to search cattle breeds and cattle shed design ideas. You live on the east coast or some other busy area of the world.
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Cheap Fencing Ideas for the Homestead
With the rising costs of fencing materials, we’re always on the lookout for cheap fencing ideas. Fences don’t have to be complex or expensive to do the job.
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Proper Fence Post Depth to Build Strong Fences
Fence post depth, size, and anchoring systems can make or break your fence line. Despite what some people believe, making a long-lasting fence is not always as simple as sinking a post in the ground and moving on to the next post.
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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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7 Things to Consider for Insulated Sheds
Sheds are used for all sorts of things nowadays. Many of these uses would make insulated sheds a necessity. Certain things, like electronics and specialty
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The Shocking Truth About Electric Fencing for Sheep
People have mixed feelings about the use of electric fencing for sheep and other livestock. For people unfamiliar with them, the word “electric fence” conjures up images of a well-done corpse hanging off a prison fence.
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Quick Tips For Fixing Metal and Wooden Gates
Keeping metal and wooden gates in good repair can sometimes be a challenge, but is an important part of homesteading today. A sagging or broken gate can be a chore to open and shut, and may also tempt an animal to jump, lean over or crawl through, possibly injuring itself in the process or getting out on a road or into a neighbor’s place.
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