Homesteading
A Free Choice Salt Lick is Vital for Livestock Health
Add to Favorites Don’t laugh, I’m sure I’m not the only farm kid who’s done this. When I was a girl I remember licking the salt lick block in the …
Read More
Poultry, Goat, Sheep, Swine, and Cow Gestation Calculator
Where can you find an all-in-one lambing calculator that also works to factor a pig’s gestation period and a cow’s pregnancy length? Here!
Read More
Home Heating Options for the Homestead
With the weather cooling down, it is time to review our home heating options. You probably already have a heating system in place for your home, but is it actually heating your home to the extent that you need?
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
Farm Estate Planning
Farm estate planning is essential to the process of passing a farm on to the next generation as smoothly and successfully as possible. The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Startups Service reports that family-owned farms account for 97% of the 2.1 million farms in the United States.
Read More
Using a 2-Acre Farm Layout to Raise Your Own Meat
Add to Favorites Although the idea of using a two-acre farm layout to raise your own meat is both bewitching and bewildering, by the end of this article, you’ll have …
Read More
Making Biodiesel: A Lengthy Process
When James began looking into the process of making biodiesel as opposed to buying petrodiesel (what we buy at the gas station), he was hoping for a cheaper alternative to the $4 per gallon that he was spending at the pump. While he did not find that cheaper alternative, biodiesel is much better for the environment.
Read More
Creating An Evergreen Christmas Wreath
An old-fashioned Christmas tradition is to hang an evergreen wreath on your door to welcome family and friends.
Wreath making is quick and very inexpensive.
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.
Read More
Natural Ways to Get Rid of Mice
For the safest, most natural ways to get rid of mice, start with the most minimum impact and work up from there. I have a friend who insists on using only the level of protection necessary in a situation.
Read More
How Zombie Culture Shaped Homesteading Today
We can thank apocalyptic fiction and zombie mania for a giant surge in self-reliance and homesteading today. It’s amazing how people grow when they question, “What if?”
Read More
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.
Read More
Silvopasture Explained
Silvopasture, also known as agroforestry, is a farming method that includes the use of timber, livestock, and forage together in the same section of land. It is used to expand the use of unconventional farm land and diversify income.
Read More
How to Build Your Own Rabbit Hutch (Diagrams)
I recently saw a letter in Countryside and Small Stock Journal from a lady who was seeking plans for a rabbit hutch. After sending her the plans for my design, I realized that some of the other readers out there may find it useful as well.
Read More