How To Drain Sprinkler System

It's one thing for the lowland fields to be muddy at a time of year when they're not in use; it's another thing for every path and driveway to be flooded with water. In theory, the project is simple: Wafter will always flow downhill, so if you can dig...

Fly predators, aka parasitoids, are smaller than their foes and resemble ants with wings. The problem with residual sprays is they're actually more toxic to fly predators than they are to house or stable flies.

Wild farming, aka wilderness farming, is gaining momentum as an alternative to industrial farming. When getting to know your unique site, be sure to consult as many local sources and field guides that are at your disposal.

You have options of how you want to sell your trees: directly from your farm as already-cut or cut-your-own trees, through a farmers market or similar local retail setups, or to a distributor or wholesaler.

Rick Gordon/Flickr The main reason to join a farming cooperative is to pool your power and/or influence with other farmers to get better results in purchasing power, sales or marketing expenditures.

Granted, building up soil structure through adding organic matter via crop residues, cover crops and topically applied materials is not a fast process, but farmers worldwide are finding that as they pursue this course, soil structure improves, diversity...

They're designed to be fed whole, in the field, with or without a hay ring (a cage designed to prevent livestock from lying in or pulling down hay and wasting it). It's also a potential source of fire, putting your barn in jeopardy should it ignite.

A good first step is to meet with a local naturalist or forester to walk through your woods. If you understand the character of your woods—both the plants that grow there and noteworthy features such as streams, cliffs and springs—you can creatively...

Reseeding Your Pasture An intensive rotation schedule is ideal for both soil and pig health, but space and time constraints can often beset best-laid plans. A used pig pasture will likely need some considerable soil aeration, and few plants are better...

Get an intro to aquaculture farming and see if raising fish is the farming venture for you. There are different categories: tropical, warm, cool and cold water and climate dictates the species it's appropriate and possible to raise.Cold snaps and hot...

Then pick up the November/December 2011 issue of Hobby Farms for more complete information on starting an aquaculture operation with catfish or prawns. To wrap your head around the construction of an aquaculture pond, use the diagram below to jog the...

Here are three of common forest forages we've noticed our hogs enjoying. We pay special attention to what our pigs like to forage and make sure they have access to their favorite foods.

After the first cultivation, once the corn is 2 inches or more, sow your bean seed. Here are a few crops we always turn to when we have a little extra garden space to fill. We like to sow a thick band down the middle of our leeks to produce one or two...

It's still a good idea to keep notes about how each crop performed in your garden for future reference. Here's his outline that you can put to work on your own farm. You can be really fancy and put together a whole spreadsheet of your crop, variety, planting...

“Since it begins with developing a personal relationship to all of your garden and farm, one can do it anywhere. The farm is not separate from us, rather we live and work as one.

This is, of course, is much more expensive than just letting your animals hang out in a small section of pasture all winter. Protect your pastures, as well as your animals' hooves, with these six simple steps to creating a sacrifice area on your farm.

Silvopasturing can be used to manage invasive species and reduce livestock heat stress, and in some areas, it's used to reduce the risk of wildfires. Forestry Management It's equally important that landowners are well versed in forestry management .

In a world where the chain of supply has grown ever longer, this seal assures customers that you've been inspected by a third-party certifier and that your growing methods comply with the organic standards outlined in the USDA's National Organic Program.

Removing Manure If your livestock produces more manure nutrients than you can use on your farm, removal is an option. The stockpiling area needs to have a slope of 1 to 3 percent so runoff from the roof and any leaching can be directed through a grass...

Birds and small seed-eating rodents are also designed to make the most of the fall harvest. With the use of cover crops, this hands-off approach allows autumn-sown seeds to help you prepare beds for the spring by revitalizing the soil.

Mow Rotationally To reduce grassland-bird mortality, mow fields and pastures outside of nesting season, which runs from April to August for most species. Grassland birds contribute to biodiversity, and their habitat aids in improving water quality and...

I also try to keep my troughs away from any trees that may be dropping debris and out of direct sunlight. I've found the easiest and most effective way is with a hard-bristled brush, some dish soap and a hose.

Here's a quick primer on what grasses go where in your cool- and warm-weather pasture arrangement. So when my family of five moved to a central Kentucky farm with two empty horse pastures, the next step felt obvious: We drove a few hours south to pick...

Unlike ruminants, horses cannot regurgitate or burp, so they're often unable to relieve the pressure built up from intestinal issues. Even for small-acreage horse farms, there are a lot of details to keep track of—horse vaccination schedules, pasture-seeding...

Vertical gardening—an excellent way to take advantage of limited garden space—is often more identified with urban locales where residents have no choice but to grow up, not out.

Appearing like large Clydesdales, their feathering make them good for transport and carting, but not as good for field work. Draft horses can also be spooked by loud equipment, noises or stings, sending them momentarily running off with you or the equipment.

“It's also important to record any vaccinations and supplements given and the dates they were given.” Keeping up with livestock inventory, breeding dates, and health information can be a challenge if you're using the old pen-and-paper method.