Best Lawn Irrigation System

This is certainly more involved—for example, you might have to dig a trench big enough for a downhill pipe, and then bury the pipe while keeping the ends free of obstructions and debris—but this can be a more long-term solution for eliminating troublesome...

Allowing hordes of flies to infest your property will cost you money in decreased output from dairy animals, reduced weight on young feeder stock, considerable expenditures for spray repellents, and expensive vet bills from eye and wound infections.

Wetlands Wetlands serve a vital function in the ecosystem and wild farms need to learn how best to take full advantage of their potential. This doesn't mean that season-extension facilities, such as cold frames or hoop houses, cannot be used, but it means...

A drip-irrigation system is the wisest choice here. Other Uses For Evergreens You also should overlook the uses for your evergreens that go beyond Christmas trees. It doesn't have a strong pine scent and holds onto its needles pretty well, but it isn't...

It is also a way mitigate or share risk when large investments are necessary. We've recently formed one with a few other small-scale farmers in our area. Additionally, members get voting interest in future decisions of the co-op.

Combining no-till farming with cover crops to increase organic matter is another effective way to build soil structure. Consider going no-till. The good news is that finely textured soils, like clay, actually have the ability to contain much more organic...

Twine should be snug and spaced 6 to 10 inches apart. Choose a building on an elevated, well-drained site. It's also a potential source of fire, putting your barn in jeopardy should it ignite.

Ask lots of questions! As you learn, record the important biological and landscape features of your forest in your farm journal to help you organize and plan for woodland uses. As you learn about and use interesting plants and features of your forest,...

Though the boundary between sprinklers and drip irrigation has blurred with advancements in micro-irrigation to include spray stakes, most irrigation systems are easy to install and modify.

In short, if you raise hogs, at some point you're probably going remedy a pasture that's been beyond natural repair . It should be noted that alfalfa performs best when planted via a seed drill.

So the number one factor in raising them is temperature. As far back as a thousand years, the Hawaiian people were practicing aquaculture by constructing fish ponds. Author's Note: My sincere thanks to Nat Henton and Dr Jim Tidwell of Kentucky State,...

Then pick up the November/December 2011 issue of Hobby Farms for more complete information on starting an aquaculture operation with catfish or prawns. Use this visual diagram of an aquaculture pond to consider the best way to build your operation.

Acorn finishing is an ancient technique for producing superior-flavored pork—perhaps you've heard Iberian acorn-finished ham is the most expensive, and purportedly tastiest, pork available.

Personally, I like sowing them with slow brassicas and tomatoes. Planting a drying bush bean between (or within) your corn rows can be an excellent way to feed your corn crop as it grows, shade out weeds, and make the most out of that space.

Take advantage of Google for this task. Group those crops by family and season of planting and harvest. You need enough plots to be able to rotate through each crop family that you are working with.

To them, the farm is a living, breathing organism that both nourishes and completes us. “The Biodynamic approach is a continuing journey; it never ends,” says Steffen Schneider of Hawthorne Valley Farm, a certified Biodynamic farm in Ghent, N.Y. “I...

According to Washington State University Extension, you should ask four questions when considering footing for a sacrifice area: Is it a suitable surface for my animals and property?

While working for the Florida Department of Agriculture, he learned about silvopasturing, a technique that combines the production of trees, forage and livestock on one parcel of land.

Are they truly better for consumers, for the environment and for small farmers? Wandering inside Terry Ann Carkner's farm store, I find a big bowl brimming with mixed greens fresh from the field for about $7 a pound.

Farmers without access to this machinery can still set up a small-scale composting system that can be managed by manpower. Check with the nutrient- or manure-management specialist in your state and county cooperative extension, your county planning and...

Here is a list of some common crops that you can allow to bolt and self-seed, so you can enjoy their tender greens early next year: arugula broccoli cabbage endive kale legumes lettuce mache (corn salad) radicchio Remember, specific varieties that are...

Forty-two species call American grasslands home, from smaller birds, like the Eastern meadowlark and Henslow's sparrow, to larger ones, including the ring-necked pheasant and the sharptail grouse.

I also try to keep my troughs away from any trees that may be dropping debris and out of direct sunlight. Keep Water Away From Feeders Sloppy animals getting feed in the water just creates more work for you.

The idea of having different pastures for different weather conditions is meant to keep cows eating grass as long as possible and minimize the need for hay, which, if you're buying, can pose a considerable cost increase (maintaining heavy-use haying equipment...

Tools to manage mud differ based on facilities available, your climate and your budget. In nature, horses spend 13 to 18 hours per day grazing, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service's “ Missouri Pasture Management Guide for Horse Owners...

Beans & Peas Some of the best plants adapted for vertical gardening are pole beans , such as lima or snap beans. Summer squashes, such as green zucchini, yellow crookneck and spaghetti squash, may or may not require slings, depending on their weight.

Percheron : Not quite as large as the Belgian but perhaps slightly larger than the Clydesdale on average, the Percheron breed is known for its ability to move well. Draft animals are a bit like plants in that they do better in the area they are adapted...