What You Can, and Can’t, Can
Just about anything you would grow in your garden may be preserved by canning. Only a few foods cannot be safely canned at all, some may be canned in one form but not another, and still others don’t hold up well under the prolonged heat of processing.
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Dealing with Diphtheria in Calves
Diphtheria in calves is generally more serious — and more noticeable — than in adult cattle. Diphtheria is an upper respiratory disease and is an infection and/ or inflammation of the vocal folds of the larynx (voice box) at the back of the throat.
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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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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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Fire Evacuation Procedures for Your Livestock
The year 2013 was an informative and challenging year for Half Creek Farm in Bickleton, Washington. In late July and early August, we got our first “opportunity” to give farm fire evacuation procedures a try.
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Cedar Apple Rust: A Disturbing Discovery
My family and I returned home from church on a rainy Sunday in May. It had been pouring for hours, but just as I pulled into the driveway, the rain stopped, and the sun shone brightly through a break in the clouds.
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12 Plants That Keep Away Mosquitoes
Growing dual-purpose edible plants that keep away mosquitoes is beneficial and practical. From the annoyance of buzzing in your ears to the threat of Zika and West Nile, mosquitos are troublesome.
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Much Ado About Mulch
From flower gardens to homestead veggie gardens, mulching is an integral part of bed cultivation. But are you mulching the right way?
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DIY Wood-Fired Pizza Oven
The kids and I had a wood-fired pizza at a restaurant and we liked it so much that we decided to build a pizza oven, not only for making pizzas. If done properly, it can bake bread, chicken, and for up to 72 hours after the fire goes out, it can be used as a grill.
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DIY Yellow Jacket Trap
Imagine it’s noontime on the farm and your family is ready to enjoy a great lunch outside. The plates are full and the view is postcard gorgeous. But, oh no! They are back!
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