Regular removal of the pile should be part of your farm-management routine. Read the labels of the products you buy to ensure they are not counterproductive to your goal. Various suppliers sell fly predators, but because several species are available,...
Trees and shrubs can be selected for potential lumber harvest, animal habitat or to attract beneficial insects . This is because most diseases and pests are unable to attack all species of plants.
It doesn't have a strong pine scent and holds onto its needles pretty well, but it isn't recommended for heavy ornaments. If you're thinking about starting your own Christmas tree farm, find your state association of Christmas tree growers and use their...
(That's just good manners, but it's in our rules anyway.) Items in our library include a post-hole digger and a seed spreader, which not all of our members can justify buying outright for their small farms.
Building Soil Structure Clay, sandy and silty soils all benefit from no-till farming. The good news is that finely textured soils, like clay, actually have the ability to contain much more organic matter than sandy soils due to the electrochemical bonds...
Hay is a generic term for grass or legume plants that have been cut, dried and stored for use as animal feed, particularly for grazing species, such as cattle , equines , llamas , alpacas , goats and sheep .
Whether pressing plants for window decorations, including woodland edibles in your family's meals or crafting wreaths with materials gathered from the forest floor, the woods offer possibilities for all interests and skill levels.
Research your area. While you can technically sample soil anytime the ground is not frozen, it is best to sample in early spring or late fall so you have time to develop and act on a nutrient-management plan before the growing season.
Everything that comes out of the farm cycles back into it, one way or another. Jim Fullmer, director of the Demeter Association, Inc. They believe that our interconnectedness with nature plays a major role in its vital functions.
As a hobby farmer, should you jump aboard the certified organic wagon? You have to keep a list of what you buy and put on your crops, and know where your compost comes from. “Educated people know and understand that foods grown in the outdoors and on...
Facing the Challenges of Aquaculture Compared to other more traditional crops, the investment returns can be much higher on a per acre basis. Yet here in North America aquaculture is a relatively young industry.
To wrap your head around the construction of an aquaculture pond, use the diagram below to jog the pond-construction thought process. Use this visual diagram of an aquaculture pond to consider the best way to build your operation.
In a few years, we hope to notice our pigs a bit fatter, a touch sweeter and much less expensive to raise. We pay special attention to what our pigs like to forage and make sure they have access to their favorite foods.
An attorney who specializes in estate planning can guide you in determining arrangements that are appropriate for your family's needs, such as a deed with lifetime rights for the current farm owner, a revocable living trust or a traditional business structure...
These three lines are the three steps in forging a set of tong bits to hold flat metal. Now you can adjust the rivet tightness so that they open and close easily but don't wobble. If you already have tongs for holding the rod, 3 to 4 inches is enough.)...
If the saw gets hung up, remove it from the bar and put on the spare. If you cross the logs at the end, you can create a good, solid end for the pile, though some people use steel fence posts to hold the ends.
Some communities have particular days for HHW drop-off, whereas others have permanent locations open during specific hours. Late winter and early spring are good times to shop for storage needs since many stores offer specials around this time of year.
There are a lot of advantages to rural living: the peace and quiet, the room to fulfill your dreams and the privacy from neighbors. Mound systems have the drainfield portion built above the ground.
Whatever is happening on your farm, insurance is an unfortunate necessity. For some hobby farms, a homeowner's insurance policy will cover farming activities, but this is not always the case.
Erica Frenay, manager of the Northeast Beginning Farmer Project at Cornell University and owner of Shelter Belt Farm outside of Ithaca, N.Y., felt anxious about leaving her family's 28 acres for the first time.
Pennsylvania clearly recognizes this in its program and many other states do, as well. Easements don't eliminate the management of land in the majority of circumstances but simply protect land from being parceled or developed.
Do you have any natural options for fighting poison ivy? Poison ivy is a nuisance plant that can take over an area of your land—but you can get rid of it without chemicals. Goats love to eat poison ivy, but you'll need to be able to fence them or stake...
Decades or more? Shutterstock Fruticose lichens are the most sensitive and the rarest. Shutterstock Foliose lichens stand out in more of a two-dimensional shape and connect to the substrate at one or more points.
You dry your tears, scoop up the rejected lambs or motherless kids and take them to the house to bottle raise; the mare will foal a champion next year. Long hours of pouring over pedigrees and plotting hypothetical matings, effort spent hauling those...
In fact, maybe they should be. Mise en place also represents preparedness. But that's for another time! If your operation is large enough to have a couple or few employees, consider giving everyone a responsibility of their own.
These plants tend to have a short lifespan and aren't suitable for going vertical. Pick ripe fruit often to encourage continuous flower formation and a much longer growing season. Structure Choices Vertical gardening relies on a variety of structures...
This will allow the corn to outcompete the beans and not get overtaken. The goal is a dried bean, though you can harvest beans green. You can sow turnips with other crops, too, but keep in mind that at around 55 days to maturity, they take longer than...
