How To Sprinkler System

In theory, the project is simple: Wafter will always flow downhill, so if you can dig a slightly downhill ditch leading to a low area away from a puddle, the puddle will drain on its own with no further effort on your part.

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.

Wildlife Corridors Wildlife corridors need to be maintained on wild farms. In all cases, wild farm plans should account for the myriad topographic features of their site, and if they can't be utilized without being altered, then they shouldn't be included...

This fast-growing tree is native to the northern third of the U.S., extending as far south as the mountains in Georgia. Be on the lookout for gall midges, balsam twig aphids, bagworms, various scales, eriophyid mites and white pine weevils.

Additionally, members get voting interest in future decisions of the co-op. When starting a new organization, you should ideally begin with farmers you know and trust and whose operations are similar to yours.

In addition, UNL's study showed that with a bare sand and silt loam soil, “surface soil water evaporation can be as much as 30 percent of the total evapotranspiration (ET) during the irrigation season.” They found that the amount of evaporation from...

Densely packed bales are also more stable when stacked. It's possible to remove individual feedings by gradually unwinding the bale and forking them off, but it's hard work and often results in a lot of waste.

If you have gnarly old maple or walnut trees, you could explore woodturning; Toby Fulwiler learned to use an old lathe after moving to 92 wooded acres in Fairfield, Vt., and now produces wooden bowls as gifts for family and friends and to sell at craft...

A used pig pasture will likely need some considerable soil aeration, and few plants are better suited to this task than alfalfa, a popular forage crop in the pea family. Applying hog rings to the animals' noses can help subdue rooting behaviors, but many...

Lack of oxygen and a poor ph balance can cause a whole pond of fish to die. 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 spells can have...

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.

But pigs will gorge themselves on any acorn they can find, so it makes sense to know where the oaks are and make sure the pigs are there in autumn, too. We pay special attention to what our pigs like to forage and make sure they have access to their favorite...

What I have had better results with is using just two of the three, especially dent or sweet corn and dry beans together. 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...

That all sounds nice, but if you don't understand how to put a crop rotation into practice, it won't do you any good. It's still a good idea to keep notes about how each crop performed in your garden for future reference.

Really, careful observation is the basis; it's about using all of your senses to farm.” Biodynamic Preparations: How it Compares to Organic Since Biodynamic agriculture views the farm as a self-contained living organism, an essential component of this...

Go one step further and prevent rainwater from washing off of buildings and into the sacrifice area. Adequate feed, forage and water are important. Can I easily pick manure from the footing material?

Livestock Cattle or meat goats are most often grazed in a silvopasture, but horses, sheep and even geese have been used in some settings. The system maximizes the use of the land while helping conserve the natural resources and is a widely practiced agroforestry...

This article first appeared in the Jan/Feb 2007 issue of Hobby Farms magazine. By Cherie Langlois At Terry's Berries organic community-supported agriculture (CSA) farm in Tacoma, Wash., diversity rules.

It is typically pH-neutral,” according to Bradley's Manure Management for Small and Hobby Farms. “Best-management practices on small farms are practical, cost-effective and easy to implement.” There are several manure-management system options on...

Provide nesting areas for mason bees and carpenter bees in hollow stems or logs, and they may leave your garden shed alone. The result of allowing nature to run its course in your fields, to some extent, cycles into even less work needed as generations...

Grassland birds are a cornerstone of Great Plains ecology. Plant Native, Warm-Season Grasses The initial cost of planting warm-season grasses, such as Indian grass, switchgrass and big bluestem, is higher than that of their cool-season counterparts, but...

I also try to keep my troughs away from any trees that may be dropping debris and out of direct sunlight. Add Fish Some people keep fish in their water buckets and troughs. Trough Management Basics Of course, the easiest way to keep your animals water...

My uncle raises cattle, and it's a family joke that, when he can't be found, he's probably out talking to the cows. And as summer offers you a great opportunity to treat and inspect the cool-weather pasture for bare or damaged spots that need attention,...

This can give you some idea of what you can expect to make if you were to open your own horse farm. It's not the horses that pay you (monetarily, anyway) but the people. Tools to manage mud differ based on facilities available, your climate and your budget.

Some plants need minimal support while others need heavy duty structures; the amount of support matches the weight of what you're growing. Additionally, it wouldn't hurt to test your soil and take note of any areas that require frost or wind protection...

Because whole books could be written on which tool to use for which job, we will stick to the basics. Like tractors, draft horses can mow, rake, bale hay or simply mow the lawn. This all-in-one equipment may be the ideal place for beginners to start.

“The program allows you to upload photos of each individual animal in the herd [and] document birth and vaccination dates and all herd-health records,” Benjamin says. Nonetheless, as any successful farmer knows, it's just as important to keep accurate...