Countryside & Small Stock Journal March/April 2017 issue is NOW AVAILABLE! Subscribe today.

+ Starting Off Right With Chickens — If you plan on raising chickens on your homestead, there are a few things to know before buying baby chicks. Regardless of whether you are a suburban poultry keeper or a seasoned farmer, chickens are a wonderful addition to any homestead. A healthy and productive flock is directly related to the care that they receive. Learn about chicken breeds, chicken coop designs, waterers, feed, and much more!

+How to Keep Your Hens Happy — It’s not rocket science, but knowing a few tricks can help your chickens stay happy and productive. Keeping your hens happy is easy once you know what motivates their behavior. Nearly all of a chicken’s activities are motivated by three basic needs: to get enough to eat, to avoid being eaten, and to make more chickens. Confined chickens often develop a fourth need—to alleviate boredom—that may result when one or more of the three basic needs is not adequately met.

In this Issue:

+ Don’t Wait on Winter Waning— There are several crops you can start today in your garden or field.

+ pH: What’s the Big Deal? — Knowing your soil’s pH level will help you determine what to grow.

+ A Guide to Using Steam Canners — This century-old practice is still effective if you know the fundamentals.

+ Building a Portable Chicken Coop — Step-by-step instructions for building your own chicken tractor.

+ Adding a Metal Roof — When it’s time to replace your roof, metal can often be the most affordable and effective option.

+ Property Site Planning Around the Sun — Knowing which way to build your home or buildings can save you big on energy costs.

+ Surviving Spring Power Outages — It’s all fun and games until the power goes out and you need emergency essentials and procedures. What you need to know to stay safe.

+ Tips For Buying a Dairy Goat — A few rules to know before you invest in your first dairy goat.

+ Let’s Talk About Losing Bees — Beekeepers around the world are experiencing more loss than usual, and it can be hard to talk about.

Don’t Miss These Great Features and More:  

Find a Sweet Spot for Growing Eggplants

Ticked Off

Travel: Tunisia’s Paradise

Homesteading Hack #4: Keeping Flies Away

Basics of Photographing Your Homestead

My Heiland Coos

A Goat Birthing Kit For Your Homestead

Key Words in the Country

We Prepare, But We Are Not Preppers

Book Review: Gardening for Butterflies

Also in This Issue:

Capture Your Countryside — March/April 2017

From Countryside Editor Ryan Slabaugh — March/April 2017

Countryside Conversation & Feedback — March/April 2017

Countryside Cookbook 101/2

Countryside Back Issues Available

Countryside and Small Stock Journal is more than a homesteading magazine, it’s a network where people who are homesteading today share a variety of experiences and ideas about simple homesteading. In every issue, you’ll learn about practical solutions for growing and preserving your own food, raising chickens and small livestock, and managing a thriving homestead in a rural or urban setting.

Never miss another great issue with practical tips on homesteading today! Subscribe to Countryside and Small Stock Journal today.

The post How to Getting Started Raising Chickens appeared first on Countryside Network.

It’s hard to know what to say when you’re writing your first editor’s letter, so I think I’ll start with a simple “hi.” I feel like I know so many of you already since I come to the magazine from the digital side of things where I worked with a great team of writers to bring you daily online posts at countrysidenetwork.com.

Let me take a minute to introduce myself. First and foremost, I have a wonderful husband and two daughters and we live on a beautiful hillside near the Ohio River. I’ve been raising backyard chickens for years. My flock currently consists of two roosters, Buff Brahmas, Speckled Sussex, Easter Eggers, Black Australorps, Brown Leghorns, a New Hampshire and a Buff Orpington.

My flock free ranges daily in a fenced-in area of our property. They roam my gardens and get lots of attention from everyone in the family. We don’t eat our chickens since they all have names and personalities of their own. Instead, we enjoy their delicious eggs.

For a few years, I’ve worked with Ron Kean answering Ask the Expert questions for the magazine. Over that time, I noticed many of the questions had similar origins that aren’t covered in many other places. So, I’m proud to say I’ve written a book called Backyard Chickens: Beyond the Basics (Voyageur Press, 2017). My book covers many of those questions and addresses topics like expanding your flock, chicken behavior, coping with the seasons and more. It’s in pre-sale now and will be out in May.

Enough about me! This issue is chock-full of must-know information about getting baby chickens and raising them properly. From choosing how to get your chicks, proper temperatures, feeding, and vaccinations, we’ve got you covered on the journey from the brooder to the coop.

In this issue, you’ll probably notice ties to our Backyard Poultry social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Our photo album now includes pictures from our online fans. So, make sure to follow us and share your flock photos. You’ll also notice our kid’s section has been upgraded for the whole family to enjoy. Don’t forget to complete the coloring page and send us a picture. We may just print it in the next issue!

All these changes are exciting, but what hasn’t changed is our commitment to bringing you the information you need for a healthy and happy flock. I look forward to getting to know you and your flocks!

The post Saying “Hi” – Editor’s Letter April/May 2017 appeared first on Countryside Network.

Greetings and Salutations!

Hi everyone! It’s certainly nice to meet all of you! I look forward to getting to know you better over the coming issues, but in the meantime, I thought I’d take a minute and introduce myself.

First and foremost, I’m a wife and mother of two girls. We live on more than 12 acres near the Ohio River. My acreage is mostly wooded and I love it. Nature and gardening have been lifelong passions of mine, so the wooded lot affords wildlife and bird watching opportunities galore. We’ve got a mom and her triplet does that hang out on our driveway. Our resident turkeys are loud and hilarious to watch. And, if I’m lucky, sometimes we’ll hear our barred owls calling to each other as I’m getting the girls into the car for school.

In addition to lots of natural habitat, my homestead backyard hosts my flock of chickens. I’ve got two mixed breed roosters along with some Buff Brahmas, Speckled Sussex, Black Australorps, Easter Eggers, Brown Leghorns, a New Hampshire and a Buff Orpington.

I am also a published author with my first book Backyard Chickens: Beyond the Basics (Voyageur Press, 2017) in pre-sale now and officially in stores May 1, 2017. Backyard Chickens: Beyond the Basics explores the realities of raising a flock for eggs. From odd eggs and molting to chicken behavior, feeding and preparing for the seasons, my book focuses on many subjects that aren’t covered in beginner books.

But, enough about me. This issue is jam packed with information and how-to articles for everyone! To name a few, you’ll find a wonderful spread on cheese-making. From easy mozzarella to hard cheeses and the best supplies, you’ll find practical advice for novices and experienced cheesemakers alike. You’ll also find an informative section on how dairy farms operate and alternative dairy farms utilizing goats and sheep. Plus, learn the best tools and procedures for digging holes on the homestead and much more.

I hope you enjoy this issue enough to keep it around for reference in the future. Happy reading!

The post Editor’s Letter – May/June 2017 appeared first on Countryside Network.

What is the best bedding for chickens won’t be the only question you have as you set up your first brooder. As you await the arrival of your new chicks, you will most likely be researching what you will need. Raising chickens for eggs is not that complicated. You will need to provide the chickens with food, water, and shelter. Those are the basics requirements. Buying the equipment to raise chickens for eggs can be confusing. Should you buy the metal or the plastic water fount? How much food do I need the feeder to hold? How big does my brooder and later the coop need to be? Let’s take a look at each stage of development and type of equipment needed.

The beginner’s equipment for raising chickens for eggs can be very simple. There are products on the market that cost a good deal and also do the job, but the main goals are to keep the chicks warm, dry, watered, and fed. The standard water founts and feeders are usually found in both plastic and metal varieties. With the base portion, you can use your own quart mason jar or purchase a plastic bottle attachment. I find the mason jars easier to clean but it really is personal preference. If you start with the quart size feeder and waterer, you will quickly find that your little flock of chicks is eating through the feed amount quickly. Consider buying the water founts and feeders in the gallon size if your brooder has enough room for them.

Speaking of brooders, what is the best brooder for starting to raise chickens for eggs? I like to start with the largest plastic storage bin I can find. Home improvement stores and department stores often have quite a large selection. The storage bin will keep your chicks housed for the first few weeks. I have raised up to a dozen chicks in a storage bin, moving them to a grow out pen as they grew in feathers.

After the chicks are fully feathered the added heat source need should be minimal. Depending on the time of year and the age of the chicks, you may be able to move them to an outside grow out pen in the coop without additional heat. Each case is different and you will need to determine this for your area.

What Type of Litter is Needed When Raising Chickens for Eggs?

Most chicken raisers start with pine shaving as bedding for new chicks. It is kiln dried, clean and dust free. The bedding is soft and absorbent. The chicks will peck at it but the pieces are too large for them to ingest. I recommend that you avoid using any type of paper for the first week. Letting the chick’s legs develop some strength before putting them on a slippery paper surface such as newspaper or paper towel helps avoid splayed leg development. After they chicks have a good start and are strong, newspaper may be a good economical choice especially if you have a messy bunch of chicks. My preference is still pine shavings, though, as it absorbs more moisture and keeps the odors down, too.

What Not to Use for Bedding.

• Cedar shavings – The strong aroma can harm the respiratory tract of chickens.
• Straw- This provides a slippery footing and is messy for chicks.
• Hay – This holds moisture and is too damp.
• Other slippery surfaces, anything damp, anything that the chicks might eat that could be harmful

Should I Add a Chicken Roosting Bar for the Chicks to Stand On?

Yes! Adding a perch is a great way to get the chicks acquainted with what they will find in the big coop. I find a small sturdy branch and place it on the floor of the brooder. It won’t take long for the chicks to hop up on the branch. As they grow, you can raise the branch up off the floor by propping it on two bricks or other sturdy ends.

Time to Move to the Big Coop!

Once the chicks are partially grown, you will be glad to see them move out of your house or garage and into the big coop you have prepared for them. Much the same equipment is needed when caring for the chickens. You still need to provide protection, a dry environment, food, and water. However, at this point, you have another option for feeding. We use open rubber feed bowls for both food and water. I think they are easier to clean, and if the water freezes in the bowl, it will pop right out like an ice cube when the bowl is twisted. Occasionally, a chicken will get some feces into the bowl and this will need to be cleaned as soon as possible. But this does not happen often with our flock. Traditional water founts and feeders are a good option too, but I find that they often are harder to clean and if moisture gets into the food in the feeder, it can mold. The water that freezes in the water fount takes a long time to thaw! Bringing it inside the house may be the option to thaw it and then refill. Heated chicken waterers are available and may be a great investment if you live in a cold climate. With any feeder or water fount, cleanliness is key. Buy the equipment that seems easiest for you to clean, and that will feed and water your flock safely.

Now that the chicks are in the big coop outside, remember that they will need a new chicken roosting bar. A simple finished 2 x 4 piece of lumber is often used for this. Paint the roost bar with a non-toxic paint to prohibit mites from living in the wood. Securely mount the roost in the coop and place a droppings board underneath to collect the droppings for easy removal.

How Big Does the Coop Need to Be?

The usual recommendation for a chicken coop size is 3 to 4 square foot of space for each chicken. This is adequate if they are mostly using the coop for roosting and occasional bad weather. If your chickens need to be cooped up often during the day, up the space requirement to 7 to 8 square foot of space per hen. Chickens that are cooped up for long periods of time may grow bored and have behavior issues such as pecking, cannibalism, egg eating, and other unpleasantness. Some products such as flock blocks, cages that hold fresh greens like a piñata, and other chicken toys may help alleviate boredom in the coop

Now it’s time to sit back and relax while watching the antics of your new backyard pets. Enjoy those delicious fresh eggs which you will find in the coop after the hens are 5 months of age. Nothing beats raising chickens for eggs!

The post Beginner’s Equipment Guide to Raising Chickens for Eggs appeared first on Countryside Network.

By Anita B. Stone, Photographs by S. Tullock – Do you know the basics of farm pond design? If you’re ready to tap into a small backyard pond system on your homesteading land, put nature to work and achieve a sustainable ecosystem while creating a beautiful focal point in the landscape, simply use the following seven steps to plan your water feature.

Step 1: Considerations For Successful Farm Pond Design

There are several things to consider when adding a water feature to the landscape. The first step to a successful farm pond design is to decide what type of pond you desire. Putting your basic farm pond design on paper is a must, so you can see exactly what you are going to construct. Consider the types of aquatic life you want in the pond, whether it is a home for goldfish, a haven for koi, or a combination of plant and aquatic life.

Water circulation is essential and the use of an aeration pump allows you to keep more fish. Liners and shells or stones come in a variety of materials and shapes. Check the pre-fabricated hard shells sold at home improvement centers. A flexible liner can be made to your specifications. No matter what features you choose you have to decide on your approximate cost and overall budget.

The next consideration in creating your farm pond design is to select the proper location. Most ponds are enjoyed when they are installed close to your home, so select an area where you can see the pond. For a small ornamental pond, position it where runoff from rain will not flow into the pond because you may be troubled with chemicals, fertilizers and debris that find its way into the water. Avoid placing a pond too close to trees because falling leaves and limbs will need to be removed from the pond.

Before construction, make sure you check with your county for the proper pond construction permits and with your homeowner’s insurance company for liability and protection from any mishaps.

Step 2: Materials

For any good farm pond design to be successful, you will need a top-notch pond liner that will adapt to any shape or size that you decide to make. Pond liners are sold by the square foot and can be joined to form larger liners. Since liners are priced by the square foot, purchase the exact size you require to save hundreds of dollars.

A flexible butyl rubber liner will last 30 years or more and will not become damaged from the ultra-violet rays and is far less likely to suffer from frost. It is slightly harder to install because it is harder to bend and fold, unlike PVC.

Most people choose PVC because it’s cheaper and will last for about 15 years. PVC is strong and won’t be damaged by frost, but more care is needed to ensure it doesn’t rip or tear.

Pre-formed pond inserts are ideal because they are extremely durable and less susceptible to tears and punctures. An asymmetrical liner is easier to install and needs to be raised off the ground. Once it is high enough, push stakes into the ground to try and map out the shape and contours of the pre-formed liner.

These inserts are very strong, but be sure to support the bottom and all the sides. Do not press down hard when installing them, in case there are sharp objects or protruding stones.

Lily pads provide beautiful flowers while protecting the aquatic life below.

Step 3: Determine the Size and Planting Area

A good farm pond design for a recreational pond should be about 10–15′ deep. A fishpond should have a water depth of at least 15 feet. For a koi pond, make sure you have no less than 1,000 gallons of water in volume. To avoid oxygen depletion and stress on the fish, it is better to maintain a depth of 18–20′ or more.

Planting the area surrounding the pond with shrubs should be done as soon after construction as possible. Shrubs can help with erosion, privacy screening, space definition and climate control. Surface-looming plants such as water lilies require four to six hours of direct sun. Water lilies with surface leaves provide 60 percent shade for fish. Choose plants that optimize natural bacteria to provide the fish with healthy living conditions.

Step 4: Building

There are basically four main ways to construct your farm pond design. Using a flexible liner, a preformed shell, creating your own concrete shape, or simply digging out the desired shape of the pond using tractor bucket attachments and compressing the soil to make it water tight. You will need to add any plumbing prior to installing the liner. Know where any utilities are before digging, to avoid any disasters. When ready to build, mark the area using spray paint, a hose or chalk. You can also place the liner upside down in the desired location and mark around the edge with string or garden hose. Fish are thought to prefer oval or circular shaped pond areas as opposed to square corners.

Once the pond is outlined according to your original farm pond design, remove the liner and excavate to the deepest part of the pond. Dig a hole vertically about 14 inches deep, the size and shape of the pond. Allow about four inches extra width and depth, and keep the dirt close by to use later. It is important to form the sides of the hole level all the way around or the water level won’t be level once the pond is completed. The edge of the pond should have a slight rise to keep out rain run-off.

Reinforce the sides of the pond with 28-gauge roofing flashing. Push PVC stakes six inches into the ground to hold the flashing in place. Smooth the bottom and sides of the pond by clipping all roots and removing rocks, and then cover the bottom and sides with roofing felt.

Once the hole is dug, there is a little plumbing to be done. It is suggested to use 1-1/2″ PVC pipe for ponds up to 1,500 gallons, then graduate to two-inch pipe for ponds over 1,500 gallons. Three- and four-inch pipe should be considered for ponds over 2,500 gallons. When installing PVC, use PVC glue to attach the pipe to the bottom of the pump, allowing debris to be removed. Most of the plumbing will be hidden under the liner and buried in trenches.

If you have an extra $1,700 to install a bead filter, it will trap lots of bacteria and may be added to the system, depending on the size of the pond. You can install an ultraviolet lamp to sterilize free-forming algae so that the water does not turn green. The bead filter will take out the dirt and make the water healthy but the water will not be clear without a UV unit. The UV is a PVC plastic cylinder with two openings so that water can pass from one end to the other. The water passes over a sleeve inside the cylinder where a lamp is encased that emits ultraviolet rays. The UV does not go under water and is most effectively installed after the bead filter. An electrician can assist with the procedure.

Once the extras are installed, place the liner inside the pond. Make sure there will be at least 6″ of extra space around the edges. Once the liner is level, begin to fill with water slowly, and backfill any gaps between the liner and the ground with sand. Keep the bottom and sides smooth by pulling out wrinkles and folding in corners and curves as it fills up. Let the water settle for at least one week. One of the best ways to minimize damage to the liner is to make sure the material is barely visible above the water and that all sides are level.

You can decorate the pond by edging it with stones or bricks; they should overhang the edge by one or two inches. You can also create a six-inch-high shelf around the perimeter of the pond where rocks and boulders hide the liner. Make sure the waterline comes up over the top of this shelf, but not over the top of the liner.

Pull the excess liner over the top of the first layer of stones. Secure them in place with more stones, and keep adding stones until the liner is invisible. Rake the excess dirt back toward the pond to cover any excess liner and secure the rocks in place.

Digging Plant “Shelves”

If keeping plants as part of your farm pond design, dig a shelf around the perimeter of the pond about one foot deep and one or more feet wide—wide enough for the pots. Repeat for all shelves. In small ponds, plant shelves may become an invitation for predators to “climb the steps” and feast on the fish. To counteract this situation, you can place plants along the side of the pond at varying depths without the need for shelves.

Dig the remainder of the pond with a slight slope to the end, opposite the waterfall if one is included in the design.

Pond waterfalls and streams included in your farm pond design can be excavated once an external filter or tank is positioned. This can be placed to spill directly into the pond. A pump is required to run a filter, a fountain or a waterfall in the pond.

If a skimmer is being used to remove debris from the surface of the pond, dig a ditch to the pond pump. Skimmers should be buried beside the pond. If you are using a submersible pump in the skimmer, then the ditch will be from the skimmer to the external pond filter.

Most ponds will benefit from the use of a biological filter. If you keep koi and several goldfish it is recommended to install a biological filter.

It is easier to create and maintain a biological balance in a larger farm pond design. A small pond limits the number of fish and plants. Ponds built in cold areas may need more depth to keep the pond from freezing solid. A finished pond or water garden will probably be smaller than you visualize, so after you lay out your original farm pond design, measure the maximum length and width. Add the depth twice to these measurements plus an extra two feet for overlap, and this will give you the correct pond liner size.

Step 5: Stocking the Pond

Once the pond is filled with water, wait three or four days before adding fish. A good rule of thumb is to purchase only healthy fish from a reputable nursery. They should have erect fins, demonstrate good activity, and a good appetite. How many fish can you stock? Use this as a guide: one inch of fish for every cubic foot of pond surface. You can increase the number of fish if you have a good pond pump and filtration system.

To avoid stress, allow the fish to sit in place inside the contained bag at the edge of the pond for about 20 minutes. Add some of the pond water to their bag to level the pH, and then let the bag sit another 15 minutes. Tip the bag and let the fish swim into the pond.

Never overfeed the fish or the food will pollute your water. If you spot tiny fish, remove them as they may be eaten and keep them in quarantine in another area until they’re larger. During hot spells, the water temperature may get too hot and the oxygen level too low. To increase the level of oxygen, pump the water through a waterfall or fountain, as the droplets of water will contain oxygen when returned to the pond.

Provide places for the fish to hide in the pond by inserting a series of plastic piping into the water. This will enable the fish to hide from birds, cats, and other dangers. An ideal pond will require about five hours of sunlight a day. Sunlight keeps oxygenating plants working, which keeps the water from turning stagnant. Try to cover half the surface with water lilies to achieve some shade across the water.

Step 6: Care and Maintenance

Farm pond maintenance is essential, but simple to do. Check the water quality of your pond on a monthly basis, because water quality will determine the health of the fish and plants. High ammonia levels stress the fish, making them susceptible to disease. A mistake is to think that clear water equals healthy water.

The pH of the water measures acidity, with a range from 0 to 14. If the pH is below 7, the water is acidic, above 7, it is alkaline and equal to 7 it is neutral. The carbon dioxide levels come from fish metabolism, plant respiration, pollution and organic acids in the water. Because impurities also lower the pH level, it is advisable not to use city tap water. Try to stick with a pH level between 6.8 and 9.0. These levels are ideal for both goldfish and koi.

Nitrates are highly toxic to fish. Control nitrates by changing water and filtration. Ammonia is converted into nitrate and is an important part of the nitrogen cycle. Algae in the water consume nitrates as well as plants. To encourage the plants to send out roots and consume waterborne nitrates and phosphates, limit the amount of soil you use. The amount of food you give your fish also influences the concentration of nitrates present. Only feed an amount of food that is eaten within a couple of minutes. Never overstock your pond, as this increases nitrates and the possibility of ill fish.

If alkalinity is less than 50 parts per million, then wide pH swings are common and a filter problem is imminent.

To remove any chlorine, add dechlorinator to the pond and aquatic plants as soon as possible to serve as nutrients.

Remove any dead and dying growth, seed heads and leaves, clearing the pond of all rotting vegetation. Some effective plants recommended are Water Hyacinth, Parrot’s Feather and Bacopa.

You may need a pond skimmer if leaves are a problem.

Step 7: Seasonal Plant and Pond Requirements

During spring, feed fish only with pellets and only enough that they can consume in five minutes. Decaying vegetation and plant growth may make the water black and cloudy, especially in a small pond. Remove any decaying material and perform a partial water change. Trickle in water from a hose, and allow the pond to overflow.

Next, examine your pond plants. Baskets can be raised and the plants divided and replanted. Replace weak plants with new plants. Examine the pond liner for any signs of cracks or rips. Examine everything for wear including electrical cables, and replace if necessary. Clean filters and test underwater lighting/submerged UV filters. Clean the pump filter and run the pump for an hour to ensure that it is fully functional.

Cover pond-side plants that are not hardy with straw, or bring them inside for the winter. Fit or check any pond netting that you have placed over the pond. In autumn the pond may freeze and seal off the water surface, preventing oxygen from reaching the unfrozen water. This stops the toxic gasses from escaping and the ice can cause damage when it expands. If the pond has sloping sides, the ice will be forced upwards. If it is particularly cold, then you can use a pond heater that will heat a tiny fraction of the surface, enough to allow oxygen to reach the surface. Never break the ice with a heavy blow, as this sends shockwaves through the water that can stun or kill the fish. The best method is to place hot water in a metal can that will gradually melt a small part of the surface. You can also drain some water under the ice, as this will act as a form of insulation and still keep some oxygen in touch with the water.

For small spaces, pre-formed pond liners and waterfalls are available at most home improvement and gardening stores, and they’re relatively easy to install.

There is relatively little to do for winter maintenance, besides servicing any pond components. The biggest worry for small ponds in cold areas is the danger of prolonged spells of ice. Simply allow oxygen to reach the surface.

If you wish to achieve an ecosystem pond, line the area with rock and gravel, and then combine fish, plants and beneficial bacteria to create a water garden that practically takes care of itself.

Plant tall plants like reeds, cattails, and cannas in clusters in the background of the water garden. Then, snuggle medium height plants close to the taller ones. You can choose water willow, blue pickerel, and bog arum. Add copperleaf plants in front of the cluster.

To create a stable system, use biological and mechanical filtration, bacteria, fish, plants and plenty of rocks and pebbles. Make sure there are no visible pumps, plumbing or liner material. Simply empty a skimmer basket of twigs and leaves. This type of water pond depends on active bacteria. Though a 6′ x 4′ pond can achieve a natural balance, larger ponds such as 8′ x 11′, for example, achieve the same balance quicker and more effectively, establishing a more stable ecosystem.

Whatever type of pond you build, maintenance is of primary importance. With proper care, your completed farm pond design will offer years of enjoyment, peace, and beauty.

Originally published in the March/April 2010 issue of Countryside & Small Stock Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.

The post Tips For Farm Pond Design In Your Backyard appeared first on Countryside Network.

There are endless compost bin plans available online. A basic understanding of what components a compost bin must have is essential. Composting is among the easiest, environmentally friendly things to do. Organic composting is an inexpensive way to produce organic fertilizer for your plants and conditioner for your soil.

Learning how to compost at home makes providing fertile, healthy soil for your garden possible. There are numerous commercial garden compost bins available on the market. However, making your own compost bin plans from materials you have around the homestead is a cheap and easy way to create your own garden gold.

Upcycling for Compost Bin Plans

My favorite composting bin involves using worms for a fast and complete way to turn organic material into healthy, garden fertilizer. This is commonly known as vermiposting. As a gardener, you know worms in the garden are a sign of healthy soil.

For worm bins, you’re going to need red wigglers and a large bin. Anything you have on hand will work. A local farmer gave us his used cattle feed tubs. We drilled holes in the bottom to allow for drainage.

You don’t want many or holes that are too large. You need just enough to let the water drain slowly. Too much drainage will make it hard to keep the compost damp and hard for the worms to thrive. Too much water held in the soil will drown the worms.

A few red wigglers quickly become a large population in the right environment. I have learned they love a mixture of horse manure and cardboard mixed in with your organic material. When I’m asked about how to compost chicken manure, I share how we do it with vermicomposting.

After running manure through the worms, it’ll be ready to add to your garden without any danger to your plant roots. Be careful not to use cardboard treated with harmful chemicals.

We’ve used an old boat and an old bathtub, which had been used as a feed trough, as a compost bin for red wigglers. You’ll want to put screen or bird netting over the top to keep the birds and other animals from eating your worms. Yep, it happens.

When you add new food to the pile, give it a light turning. You’ll see worm eggs and worms of all sizes. I always make sure the worms are covered with earth before I replace the screen cover. They’ll burrow themselves, but I like to help them in any way I can.

Using Wood Pallets

When starting a compost pile we scrape off the top soil and lay down a tarp or some other barrier. This keeps the compost from combining with the subsoil. Not everyone does this. I know several people who just place the compost pile on the ground. They don’t mind enriching the soil there and losing some of the compost to the spot.

We then will build a three-sided fence from old pallets to hide the bin and keep the pile contained. You can build a few of these side by side. When you have one filled and you begin to see decomposition, you can start on another pile. This will keep compost piles going in different stages. Once a week, turn the compost over on itself.

It’s important to us to not use wood pallets treated with chemicals. To know how your pallet was treated look for the letters HS either branded or printed on it. This indicates the pallet was heat sealed and not sealed with chemicals.

Most of the fall leaves get mixed in with other organic materials for the compost pile. In six to 10 months, your compost will be ready for use. Vermicomposting cuts down on the time. Compost from your worm bin will be ready in three to six months depending on your worm population.

No Bin Composting

Like we said, some people select a spot and start a compost pile. I’ve done this myself. It was on accident the first time. We piled some leaves intending to come back and split them between the compost bins and deep mulching the garden. They were in an out-of-the-way place and we overlooked them.

When I came upon them, they had started decomposing and were full of critter life. I just added to the pile for a few weeks longer. Then I let it sit with an occasional turning. After several months, I used it in the garden to plant new seedlings.

This type of composting only requires a little attention for turning. You will lose some to the subsoil, but I don’t mind that. Soil enriching is our goal, not matter where it is.

What to Add to Your Compost Bin

Animal manure
Cardboard rolls (We don’t unless we know they are not chemically treated.)
Clean paper (We don’t because of chemicals involved in making the paper.)
Coffee grounds and filters (Not chemically treated filters.)
Cotton rags
Eggshells
Fireplace ashes
Fruit and vegetable scraps
Grass clippings, plants pulled from the garden, green leaves from trimmed limbs.
Hair and fur
Hay and straw
Leaves
Nut shells
Sawdust
Shredded newspaper (We don’t because…you know.)
Tea bags
Wood chips
Wool rags
Yard trimmings

Composting in Small Spaces

Did you know there are even compost bin plans for indoor worm composting? I didn’t either, but how perfect is this for those who have limited space? Most of them say to add the necessary bacteria to speed up the composting process.

There are tumblers designed for patio and balcony spaces. They take up little space and require a simple turning of the handle to rotate the drum. In a few weeks, you’ll have healthy, composted soil.

Ingredients for Success With All Compost Bin Plans

1) Air – Is necessary for decomposing without rotting.
2) Moisture – Not wet, just moist.
3) Green Matter – Is considered the accelerant because of its nitrogen content.
4) Dry Material – Adds carbon to the mix.
5) Heat – Decomposition produces heat; up to 140 degrees F/60 C. Some people use black plastic to increase the heat.

Composting can be made as simple or as complex as you want it to be. We choose the simple approach. Provide the basics and let nature take its course.

Whatever material you choose for your compost bin plan, you’ve made a great start toward improving the soil on your homestead. Having a kitchen compost pail will make it easy to collect your kitchen refuse for composting and for feeding chickens scraps.

I can’t tell you how many people have told me they want to compost, but are afraid it’s too much work and expensive. It can be confusing because there’s so much information out there. We keep things simple.

If I can give you one tip on compost bin plans, I would say simple is always better. Get ideas by looking at the variety available and then inventory what materials you have on hand. Then make your own bin.

If nothing else, just start making a pile. One trip to the local farm supply will shock you at how much healthy, composted soil costs. You’ll quickly realize you can make better compost at home almost free.

Be sure you provide variety in your pile. Too much of either green or dry material won’t allow for the right ingredients to create balanced compost. After all, variety is the spice of life.

Do you have favorite compost bin plans? Will you share your composting tips with us?

Safe and Happy Journey,
Rhonda

Originally published in 2016 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

The post Recycling Materials On Hand For Compost Bin Plans appeared first on Countryside Network.

By Bob Greenwood and Judi Stevens – Did you ever need a rope to tie a gate, make a halter, tie down a load or make a lead rope? Why not make your own? With a few simple tools and supplies, you can make just about any size or color rope you want. Anyone with livestock usually has to feed hay and as a result will have an abundance of used twine that is usually tangled around the feet, draped over a fence or a problem to dispose of. If used twine is not available, new twine can be purchased for a small charge and in a variety of colors. The machinery for making rope can vary from the simplest to the very complex. I will deal with the basics and anyone wanting to make rope can design these rope-making machine plans to fit their purpose.

Rope-Making Machine Plans

The basic tools needed will be a drill and 3/8″ bit, hammer, adjustable wrench, hacksaw, and a torch would be helpful but not necessary. The supplies needed to execute basic rope-making machine plans are four feet of 1/4″ redi rod, 14-1/4″ nuts, 14-1/4″ washers, about 14″ of 3/8″ OD tubing, a small bolt that will fit into the bearing, leaving enough to bend a hook. A piece of 1/2″ plywood 1′ square and a board about a foot wide. The board could be a fence board or just a board that could be fastened to something. You will also need a small Y-shaped, peeled limb about 2″ x 2″ x 6″. The forks should be between 1/2″ and 3/4″ in diameter.

Now that we have the supplies, let’s get started. If you want a permanent location for the rope-making machine, plan enough room to make the length of rope that you want. A rope will usually shrink about 10 percent in the making. Clamp the plywood to the board and drill three holes in a triangle pattern about 4″ on a side. It is very important that the holes are drilled at right angles to the board. Mark the plywood and board so that the holes are always matched. The next step is to cut and bend the rods, see Figure 1. It is important to have the rods bent at exactly 90 degrees and the offsets be the same length. The torch can be helpful in this. The offsets should be about 1″ less than the distance of the holes in the plywood. The third rod is cut longer so as to make the crank. The tubing is cut into seven pieces, three pieces 1/4″ longer than the thickness of the board, three pieces 1/4″ longer than the thickness of the plywood and the last about 6″ long. The rods are assembled as shown in Figure 2 making sure that the mark on the plywood and the mark on the board are in line. It would probably be best if the holes were reamed a bit before the assembly to prevent binding due to a slight difference in length of the rod offsets and a slight difference in the hole angle. After assembly, a hook is bent on each rod. For the crank handle, you can bore a hole in a large dowel or even use a large corn cob. This takes care of one end of the rope, now for the other end.

The movable portion of the rope machine will creep towards the fixed end as you twist the twines. Make sure you have enough weight on the platform to keep your rope taut, but not so much that the rope crimps.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Once you start to twist the three strands together the end of the rope must be allowed to turn. To do this insert the small bolt into the bearing and bend a hook on the hook. The large tube is flattened on one end and a hole is made in the flattened part. The bearing is then inserted into the tube so that the hook extends. The tube is then crimped so that the bearing cannot be pulled out. See Figure 3. This takes care of the equipment, now let’s set it up.

The main assembly can be tied to homestead fencing, nailed to a tree, fastened across a doorway or most any place that is about waist high and solid. The device at the other end of the rope has to be movable due to the shortening of the rope when the strands are twisted. This can be accomplished by tying it to a movable object.

The movable portion of the rope-making machine is comprised of a hook inserted into a crimped tube. As the rope shortens, this portion will edge closer to the crank. You can control the rate of twist with the forked limb.

The twine is placed on the bolt hooks and twists as the handle is turned. Make sure you have 90-degree angles on your assembly. For the crank handle, you can bore a hole in a large dowel or even a large corn cob.

You can also use two pulleys and a rope fastened to an adjustable weight, possibly a bucket of sand, Figure 4. My wife and I have made rope in a variety of places and needed something that was portable. I made a triangle device with two wheels and a drag where weight can be added. Now it’s time to make rope.

Once you determine how long you want your rope to be, set up the movable end that distance from the fixed end plus about 10 percent. Start your rope by tying one end of the twine to one of the three hooks then taking the twine around the moveable hook then back to another of the three hooks. Repeat this process until you have the number of twines in each strand that you desire. If you want to mix the colors of twine of a different size, the size of the strand is more important than the number of twines. When you have the size that you want, secure the bearing at the movable end so that it cannot turn. This can be done with a piece of wire.

Begin twisting the strands. As you twist the twines, the movable end will begin to move closer to the fixed end. The larger the rope the more weight you will need on the moveable end and experience will tell you how much. There must be enough weight to prevent the twisted strand from kinking but not too much as it will prevent the strands from twisting enough. Twist the strands until they feel tight while twisting with your fingers, and again, experience will tell you how tight to twist the strands.

Insert the forked limb between the strands at the movable end. Hold the limb and release the bearing so that it will turn freely. Have someone continue twisting the strand while you control the rate of twist with the limb keeping the twist in the individual strands constant. This will become easier with practice. When all three strands have been completely twisted together wrap the ends of the rope with twine or wire, then cut it free of the machine.

When your rope is complete, wrap the ends with twine or wire, and slowly melt the fibers together.

If you used plastic twine and wrapped it with wire, melt the end and slowly twist the wire off before the plastic becomes hard. Caution! Do not let the hot plastic touch your skin, it is hot and it sticks.

My wife and I enjoy experimenting with different colors of twine, you never know what you will get until you begin the final twist. Using twines of a different size can cause problems due to the difference in shrink as they twist. With experience, you will learn what twines will work together and what ones won’t.

To determine the approximate strength of your rope, multiply the number of twines in your rope by the tensile strength of the twine that you are using. Most bale twines for large round bales are about 100-pound tensile. A rope with 30 strands would have a tensile of about 3,000 pounds.

To make your rope even more useful loops can be woven into the ends. Tie a twine around the rope about 6″ from the end. Each strand is allowed to unwind but the twines are not allowed to separate. Melting can again be used. The rope is then folded back giving the size of loop desired. The separated strands are then worked under one strand and over the next in the opposite direction that the rope is twisted until completed. Ropes may be spliced in a similar manner.

I hope these rope-making machine plans suit your needs. You might also like to learn about DIY fence installation and other ideas for low-cost construction techniques from Countryside Network.

Originally published in Countryside March / April 2003 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

The post Rope-Making Machine Plans appeared first on Countryside Network.

We’ve got exciting news for all you Backyard Poultry readers out there! If you have a Web-Only or All-Access Backyard Poultry subscription, you now get six EXTRA e-editions a year, in addition to the six issues you receive every other month. Yup, that’s a new issue every month!

Our first-ever Early Spring 2017 e-edition is NOW AVAILABLE! The cover story takes a deep dive into chicken anatomy and biology, covering everything from reproduction to circulation and more! Plus, you’ll get coop inspiration, fun flock photos, and answers to common flock challenges from our poultry experts. Subscribe today and look forward to five more e-editions this year as well as every issue online with a new flip book style!

In this Issue:

+ A Digital Hello — Backyard Poultry editor, Pam Freeman, welcomes you along on the journey as we launch or first e-edition.

+ Flock Photos — Reader-submitted photos. Learn how you can share your poultry photos too!

+ Poultry Talk — Gapeworm troubles, helping with a bleeding comb, and more poultry health questions answered.

Never miss another great issue like this one! Get a wealth of homesteading knowledge delivered to your doorstep, desktop and even tablet! Subscribe today to Backyard Poultry, Countryside, Dairy Goat Journal or sheep!

 Learn About Chicken Anatomy and Biology:

• The Digestive System — Explore how this marvelous system is put together and how it works to keep chickens healthy.

•  A Hen’s Reproductive System — See the fascinating process of how a hen lays an egg.

• A Rooster’s Reproduction System — Many people are surprised to learn a rooster has nothing to do with egg production.

• The Skeletal System — See the special features of the avian skeleton and how a rooster and hen differ.

• The Muscular System — Did you know roughly 175 different muscles comprise about 75 percent of the weight of the chicken?

• The Circulatory System — One important role of a chicken’s circulatory system is to maintain the bird’s body temperature of more than 104°F.

• The Nervous System — Not unlike our own bodies, a chicken’s body needs a control center with a communication network.

• The Endocrine System — The Endocrine System is made up of a number of organs and major glands located throughout the bird.

+ Coop Inspiration Hawaiian Style — A Hawaiian home for Barred Rocks and Silkie chickens.

+ Backyard Poultry Bookstore

And more!

Backyard Poultry magazine is your best source for information on how to raise healthier, more productive backyard chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese and even keeping guinea fowl. Whether you live on a farm, call a suburban neighborhood home, or are mastering poultry farming in an urban environment, we have the how-to guides and tips.

Never miss another great issue! Subscribe to Backyard Poultry today and gain access to the Early Spring 2017 e-edition, and many more to come.

What do you like best about our first e-edition on chicken anatomy and biology? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Examining Chicken Anatomy and Biology — Our First e-edition appeared first on Countryside Network.

We have exciting news for Countryside! If you have a Web-Only or All-Access Countryside subscription, you now get six EXTRA e-editions a year, in addition to the six issues you receive every other month. Yup, that’s a new issue every month!

Our first-ever Early Spring 2017 e-edition is NOW AVAILABLE! You will find the best of beekeeping articles all in one place. This guide to how to start beekeeping covers everything from buying your first bees to making beeswax candles. Subscribe today and look forward to five more e-editions this year as well as every issue online with a new flip book style.

Learn how to start beekeeping with our first e-edition:

+ Beekeeping Journey Photo Essay — Get up close and personal with the bees at the Axe & Root Homestead.

+ Country Conversation & Feedback — Letters from Countryside readers.

In this Issue:

+ Package Bees — Starting beekeeping is easy with package bees.

+ What’s a Nuc? — In a nutshell, a nuc is a small colony to get you started.

+ Catching Swarms Means Free Bees — Start with swarms that are organized and proven survivors.

Photo by Laura Tyler.

+ Preparing For the Queen — How to get your hive and your queen settled.

+ Spring Cleaning — Spring is a time to do cleanups and count dead-outs.

+ What to Know as Spring Unfolds Into Summer — Each season brings a new challenge and opportunity in beekeeping.

+ Supering Up For a Honey Of a Summer — How to maximize your honey harvest.

+ Bee Patient — How angry honey bees taught me to take a deep breath.

+ How to Move the Hive — Safely getting your bees from Point A to Point B.

+ Time to Winterize Your Beekeeping Gear — A few tips to best store your beekeeping equipment for winter.

+ Natural Comb Building: Boon or Bust? — The pros & cons of foundation-free comb building.

A natural comb being built in process. Note how the bees interlock their legs.

+ How to Make Beeswax Candles — Got beeswax? Learn how to make your own candles!

Candles and the dipping vats.

+ Propolis: Bee Glue That Heals — The resin bees leave behind just might keep that cold away.

+ How to Talk to Vegans About Honey — How to have a productive conversation with a honey-curious vegan.

+ Countryside Bookstore

JOIN THE BUZZ ON OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
Backyard beekeepers have two great ways to connect and share ideas about raising bees:

• Facebook.com/iamabeekeeper
• Instagram.com/backyardbeekeeping

Include #iamabeekeeper for a chance to have your pics shared on our feed

Countryside and Small Stock Journal is more than a homesteading magazine, it’s a network where people who are homesteading today share a variety of experiences and ideas about simple homesteading. In every issue, you’ll learn about practical solutions for growing and preserving your own food, raising chickens and small livestock, and managing a thriving homestead in a rural or urban setting.

Never miss another great issue with practical tips on homesteading today! Subscribe to Countryside and Small Stock Journal today.

The post Our First e-edition: How to Start Beekeeping appeared first on Countryside Network.

Our April/May 2017 Issue is NOW AVAILABLE, featuring great tips on how to care for baby chicks. Subscribe today!

Learn how to care for baby chickens on their journey from the brooder to coop! This issue is full of must-know information about buying baby chicks and raising them properly, including choosing your chicks, proper brooder temperatures, feeding, and whether or not to vaccinate.

Find all this and more in your April/May 2017 issue of Backyard Poultry magazine! Also, with this issue, you can view it as a new flip book style!

 
In this Issue:

+ It’s All About the Heat! — Learn the proper temperature for baby chicks and when to get them outdoors.

+ A Guide to Getting New Baby Chicks — Plan ahead to get the chicks you want, when you’re ready. Whether you’re starting a new flock or expanding one, it’s good to do some planning and figuring out just what you need ahead of time. This guide will help your chick raising experience go smoothly.

+ Chick Nutrition — Start to Finish — Feeding the right feed at the right time makes the difference.

+ Medicated Chick Starters — Is a medicated chick starter right for your poultry flock?

Never miss another great issue like this one! Get a wealth of homesteading knowledge delivered to your doorstep, desktop and even tablet! Subscribe today to Backyard Poultry, Countryside, Dairy Goat Journal or sheep!

+ Breeding for Egg and Meat Production — Learn how genetics plays a role in quality and quantity.

+ Raise a Basket Full of Colored Chicken Eggs — Breeds that are Easter-ready all year long. No dyes required!

+ The Pros and Cons of Giving Living Easter Gifts — Those babies in the store at Easter are cute, but buyer beware.

+ Heavenly Sweetness: Easy Angel Food Cake Recipe — Make an easy angel food cake with your extra eggs. Yum!

+ Top 7 Questions About Vaccinating Your Flock — Know your options to keep your poultry healthy.

+ 5 Quail Breeds — Diversify and add value to your flock with these dual-purpose birds.

+ Make a Weed Salad with Apple Cider Vinegar — Humans aren’t the only ones that can benefit from a healthy salad!

More Great Resources, Stories, and Tips in Each Issue:

Photo Essay: The Flock at Ward Hill Farm
From The Editor 12/2: Saying “Hi”
Backyard Poultry Bookstore
Poultry Talk: Ask Our Experts
Coming Events
Book Review: Gardening with Chickens
Just For Fun
Breeder’s Directory & Classifieds
And much more!

Backyard Poultry magazine is your best source for information on how to raise healthier, more productive backyard chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese and even keeping guinea fowl. Whether you live on a farm, call a suburban neighborhood home, or are mastering poultry farming in an urban environment, we have the how-to guides and tips.

Never miss another great issue! Subscribe to Backyard Poultry today and get the April/May 2017 issue and many more to come.

What’s your biggest challenge/accomplishment when adding chicks to your flock? Share in the comments below!

The post Spring Issue: How to Care for Baby Chicks appeared first on Countryside Network.

Not only is this my first gardening season in a new growing zone, it’s my first season to be growing seedlings indoors without a power source. Living off the grid has its own set of challenges, I hadn’t considered how it would affect the way we garden. At least the basics of gardening are the same no matter where you. Plants need healthy soil, adequate moisture, plenty of light, and toasty warmth to grow.

If you’re like me, you’ve spent the last few months looking over catalogs arriving in the mail. You open the mailbox and there they are. All those wish books filled with vivid colors, perfect looking fruits, and handy gadgets. Every day is like getting the old Sears Christmas catalog in the mail. You mark the pages by folding them down or you make a list including the page number of everything you want to try. We save our own seeds, but we do like to add something new to the garden every year, especially rare or endangered plants. Some become mainstays in our garden. Even though we save our seeds, looking and dreaming are still fun.

Depending on what growing zone you are in, you may have already started your seedlings. In my new zone, Zone 5 bordering zone 6, I’m told by the local old-timers now is the time to start seedlings. They tell me to be prepared for frosts and even snow at our elevation until June! Coming from the deep south this is a real change for us. In growing zone 8, we would already have potatoes in the ground and sweet potato slips ready and waiting.

So what’s the big deal? Well, we’re staying in the guest cabin of dear friends of ours. This cabin has no phones, no electric and no plumbing. When I say we’re off grid, I don’t mean we have solar, hydro or wind power. I mean we have no power. Our friends have solar panels for home use so we get our water from them. We carry it down to the cabin in 5 gallon buckets a couple of times a week.

Many people use grow lights, heat mats and/or at least some sort of artificial heat and light to get their seedlings started. These can be expensive and frankly I’ve never used them. I have used a well heated room with light bulbs set close to the trays, but now I don’t have light bulbs to stay on for hours at a time to help force the young seeds to grow. Some people say using these helps to have better germination rates and more predictable growth.

Growing seedlings indoors for people who have solar, wind or hydro power with off grid battery banks may even be a challenge because of the many gray days we experience in the winter. My on grid friends down south have been without power for weeks now because of flooding and storm damage. They’ve lost eggs they were incubating because of it and have not been able to start growing seeds indoors using their grow lights. Growing seedlings indoors without power isn’t something only done by those who live off grid, it just has it’s challenges.

I’ve gardened all my life in the south. I was gardening with my grandparents when I could barely walk. Now, we’re making a journey of putting those skills to use in an off-grid world.

How To Start Growing Seedlings Indoors Without Any Power at All

I don’t have my usual potting mix because we made our own on the farm from chicken yard dirt, vermiposted dirt, and sand. Now, I’ll have to purchase organic compost and mix it with top soil from the woods around us. I’ll have to add lime, the old-timers tell me, because of the types of trees here. The various pines and spruces make the soil acidic.

After I’ve prepared my growing trays by adding the soil, the exciting part begins! Adding those tiny little treasures of life, the seeds. I moisten the soil before adding the seeds. This keeps the top from compacting and the seed from washing to a section of the growing tray I don’t want it in.

The seeds are in the soil and now they need heat and light. For us, this is where the challenge begins. We live in a one room cabin so we are limited on space. We heat and cook with a wood stove so we are able to maintain the heat during the day. It’s the night time schedule that has to be altered. We usually get the house warm and then go to bed. We like to sleep cooler so we let the fire die out over night and start fresh in the morning.

Our nighttime temperatures are still in the 20’s and 30’s in late winter and early spring. This is too cool for seeds trying to live and sprout because they need warm soil. Temperature changes from the cool to the warmth can cause fungus to grow on the soil, so maintaining a pretty even temperature is important to the overall health of the seedling. To meet this challenge, we have to get up during the night and keep a low fire going to keep the inside temperature around 60. You could use a wood burning cook stove to do this too. Simply bank it at night and set the trays close to it in chairs or on a table.

Now for the light! The cabin we stay in is nestled in amongst the trees so we don’t have a window through which the sun pours directly. We do have three windows and two of them are very large so a great deal of light gets in. Placing the seed trays in front of the windows allows enough light to coax the little treasures from their slumber. Once you see germination, remember to rotate the trays so you get even growth and the seedling will be strong as it grows toward the light.

On days when the outside temperature is 50 or above, the seedlings can be set outside in the direct sun. We have a weatherproof fold out table which is perfect for this job. Covering them with clear plastic helps to keep the moisture and heat in so they can soak up the warmth and light without drying out. Since it’s still so cool, I cover them when outside. If it ever gets above 60 (surely it will) they won’t have to be covered when outside.

Different seeds do have different germination requirements. Cool weather crops don’t require as much attention to warmth, but you don’t want them to be too cold or exposed to freezing temps. If you use plastic coverings or tops on your trays, be sure to remove them once you see germination.

Once the ground temperature is warm enough for each crop, they can be hardened-off. Do this by placing the plants outside for longer and longer periods of time each day until they are hardy and ready to go in the ground. Depending on the crop, it can take a couple of days to a week for this process.

Knowing about growing seedlings indoors without power is a skill worth having. You never know when you may find yourself in a situation where you will be without power and need to get the garden going.

Do you start your seeds with power or without? Share your tips for growing seedlings indoors with us in the comments below.

Safe and Happy Journey,

Rhonda and The Pack

The post Growing Seedlings Indoors Without Power appeared first on Countryside Network.

Countryside & Small Stock Journal May/June 2017 issue is NOW AVAILABLE! Subscribe today.

Say cheese! From soft to hard varieties, learning how to make cheese at home is a rewarding experience. In Countryside’s May / June 2017 issue, Marissa Ames shows you how to get started with several popular cheese recipes and thorough step-by-step instructions. 

+ How to Make Cheese at Home — Cheese can be made right in your home for custom flavor and quality. Sure, there’s a learning curve and you need specific equipment, but if you start at the simplest recipes and work up, you’ll soon have amazing selections, made with your own two hands. Learn how to make mozzarella cheese in seven easy steps; recipes and uses for feta cheese; a traditional paneer cheese recipe; and much more!

+ How to Start Dairy Farming with Goats and Sheep — There are more options than only the traditional dairy cow. Delicious milk, high in nutrients, is a good reason for choosing dairy goats and sheep. Careful thought and preparation are necessary if you plan on adding a dairy goat farming business plan to your homestead goals. We will show you some ideas that will get you on a successful path.

+ No Spring Chicken — There are many reasons to keep older hens around your homestead. Lisa Steele talks about alternatives to culling chickens, and how to put an older hen to work in your coop. From making good broody hens to producing larger eggs, you can find a use for an older hen other than chicken soup.

NEW! Read this issue as a flip book!

In this Issue:

+ Heirloom Tomatoes Withstand the Test of Time — Top quality taste and freshness passed through generations.

+ Coriander/Cilantro: Herb and Spice All in One — This plant provides bang for the buck with dual uses.

+ Buzz Off! — Plants that naturally repel insects.

+ How to Make Cheese at Home — From soft to hard, cheese can be made right in your home for custom flavor and quality.

+ Managing Pests in the Beehive — Ants and Varroa Mites can be controlled using these natural techniques.

+ How to Start Dairy Farming with Goats and Sheep — Cows aren’t the only path to dairy success.

+ It’s Time to Milk the Cows! — Tips and advice from active dairy farmers.

+ No Spring Chicken — Older hens don’t have to end up in the stew pot, they can have value on the homestead.

Don’t Miss These Great Features and More:  

An Easy Carrot Cake Recipe Evokes Sweet Memories

RX From Mother Nature

Digging Fence Holes 101

Book Preview: Homegrown Herbs

Also in This Issue:

I Am Countryside Reader Submitted Photos — May/June 2017

From Countryside’s NEW! Editor, Pam Freeman — May/June 2017

Countryside Conversation & Feedback — May/June 2017

Countryside Bookstore

Almanack 101/3

Countryside Back Issues Available

Countryside and Small Stock Journal is more than a homesteading magazine, it’s a network where people who are homesteading today share a variety of experiences and ideas about simple homesteading. In every issue, you’ll learn about practical solutions for growing and preserving your own food, raising chickens and small livestock, and managing a thriving homestead in a rural or urban setting.

Never miss another great issue with practical tips on homesteading today! Subscribe to Countryside and Small Stock Journal today.

The post Learn How to Make Cheese at Home appeared first on Countryside Network.

When chicken keepers get their birds, they often wonder what to feed chickens. It’s probably the first question most newcomers ask. They naturally concentrate on commercial feed rations, fresh water, and nutritious treats. But what about prebiotics and probiotics for chickens?

This is a topic we’re all familiar with as humans since we see lots of commercials for foods that have probiotics right in them. Big celebrities endorse the regularity and gut health that probiotics can bring. But does this work with backyard chickens?

First, let’s get back to the basics and explore what are prebiotics and probiotics. Probiotics are live organisms that live in your intestinal tract and, to put it delicately, keep things cleaned out and flowing well. They also help to strengthen your immune system. They can be found in foods that have live cultures, like sauerkraut, apple cider vinegar, cheese, sour cream and, famously, yogurt. Prebiotics set the stage for probiotics because they are the food for probiotics. Prebiotics are a non-digestible type of plant fiber. Many high-fiber foods are also high in prebiotics.

At Bluebonnet Feeds^® we love your chickens as much as you do. Each and every bag is hand-crafted with an open label, locked formula, and wholesome natural ingredients. We even include prebiotics and probiotics for unmatched support of the digestive and immune systems. Healthy birds are happy birds! Visit www.bluebonnetfeeds.com to find a dealer near you.  

Probiotics for Chickens — What Do They Help?

These tiny organisms can be helpful to chickens just as they are in humans. Remember, that if you have a sick chicken, prebiotics and probiotics should not be considered as medicine. These are meant to support a chicken’s health and help prevent future illnesses.

• Probiotics for chickens can help to prevent and clear up diarrhea. If you have an adult chicken with a chronically “poopy” butt, try probiotics. If you have a baby chick with a poopy butt, that’s an entirely different matter. Usually, that’s a case of pasty butt and should not be treated with prebiotics and probiotics.
• Probiotics for chickens can mean fewer flying insects. If you have chickens with clean butts, that attracts fewer flies. This is good for everyone around a chicken coop, and especially your chickens. Flies carry disease. A “poopy” matted butt attracts flies and this can lead to fly strike, an especially awful situation where the flies lay their eggs in your chicken. This is painful as the eggs hatch and maggots eat your chicken. It can lead to death if not treated properly and promptly.
• Probiotics for chickens can lead to less smelly feces with less ammonia.
• Probiotics for chickens can lead to a better feed conversion ratio.
• With a healthy digestive tract, hens that consume probiotics can maintain a healthy weight and keep quality egg production high.
• The instances of salmonella in chickens that consume probiotics drop significantly.
• Probiotics for chickens can aid in composting.

So, how can you make sure your chickens are consuming probiotics? First, pick a high-quality commercial feed that contains prebiotics and probiotics. You’ll find lots of choices at the feed store. Just be sure to read the label. Most companies are proud to say they’ve included these digestive additives.

Second, many foods that are on the list of what chickens can eat also contain prebiotics and probiotics. If you’re giving your chickens treats, why not make sure they contain these nutritional powerhouses! Just remember to keep treats at 10 percent of a healthy diet. Also, remember that dairy in small quantities is not bad for chickens. Chickens are not lactose intolerant. They can digest small amounts of dairy products. But, the effectiveness of probiotics can be reversed if you give your chickens too much milk. Small quantities equal big happiness!

Prebiotics are a little easier to give chickens since they come from high-fiber foods. These are more easily found. We usually have some scraps from the kitchen or leftovers from dinner that fit the bill! Plus, the added bonus is they make great, healthy treats that your chickens will love.

Overall, the key to healthy chickens is a rich and varied diet that contains lots of nutrient-rich foods, along with clean water, a clean coop and plenty of fresh air and exercise. Prebiotics and probiotics for chickens can help chickens stay healthy and productive as part of your backyard farm. They are easy to give your chickens whether through commercial feed and/or yummy treats. Your chickens will thank you for it with lots of fresh eggs. And, they’ll have nice clean fluffy butts for all your Fluffy Butt Friday pictures!

Do you use prebiotics and probiotics for your chicken’s health? Do you give your chickens prebiotics and probiotics solely through their commercial feed or do you supplement with natural treats? Please let us know in the comments below.

The post The Scoop on Using Prebiotics and Probiotics for Chickens appeared first on Countryside Network.

By Cheryl K. Smith – When you’re learning goat farming basics, it pays to ask yourself if you want to raise your dairy goats for organic goat milk. It’s a question asked more frequently, as people in the U.S. get more interested in growing and eating organic foods. People are looking to change their diets to include not only organic fruits and vegetables, but organic dairy products and meat as well.

The Organic Trade Association, a North American trade organization for the organic industry, polled Baby Boomers in 2010 and found that about three-quarters of them had purchased organic or natural foods. The market for such foods is growing by about 20% a year, so dairy goat farmers who sell their milk or dairy products need to give serious consideration to changing their methods if they want to be part of that trend. Switching to certified organically raised goats can mean a higher price for dairy products, as people grow more concerned about GMO crops, exposure to pesticides, out-of-control use of antibiotics, and other chemicals in food animals as well as the perception that organic is better for health.

Besides providing organic goat milk and other dairy products to meet growing market demand, learning organic goat farming basics also promotes sustainability. Organic manure produced by the goats can be used as fertilizer (and become another product to sell); less soil is lost to erosion with organic processes; raising goats organically causes less pollution (particularly to groundwater); and less fossil fuel is used because chemical fertilizers have been eliminated.

This article covers organic goat farming basics, as well as the requirements for raising goats that can be organically certified, some of the difficulties in meeting these requirements, and some alternatives that may meet the needs of dairy goat farmers who want to make a change for the better.

So, what is the definition of organic when it comes to goat farming basics? Organic goat milk or meat is from goats that were raised according to the standards of the National Organic Program and certified by an accredited state or private agency.

Organic is not the same as natural, which refers to products that are minimally processed with no artificial ingredients, coloring agents or chemicals. Organic is also not the same as pasture-raised or grass-fed, although this is a requirement for the organic certification. In 2010, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) further restricted the definition of organic milk and meat to require that it come from livestock that graze on pasture for at least one-third of the year, getting 30% of their feed from grazing. Previously they only had to have “access to pasture.”

Making the switch to raising goats organically may not be easy, and for some farmers, it may be impossible. Some farmers may find the requirements for organic certification difficult to meet, depending on their farm and the local conditions, but they can at least begin moving in that direction.

In addition to federal organic standards, some states have even more restrictive requirements. Dairy goat farmers need to check with their state Agriculture Departments to find out what, if any, requirements the state will impose before getting too far into development of a plan to go organic with their goats.

Organic Goat Milk Requirements:

• Produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations
• From goats that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones
• Produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation
• Farm where organic goat milk is produced is inspected and certified by a government agent to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards
• Companies that handle or process organic goat milk before it gets to the local supermarket or restaurant must be certified organic
• Source: USDA Consumer Brochure: Organic Food Standards and Labels: The Facts

Living Conditions

The requirement that goats be on pasture at least one-third of each year entails more than just putting them in just any outdoor or indoor area for the required amount of time. The Standard also requires that they have shade, shelter, exercise space, fresh air and direct sunlight.

The shelter provided must promote the healthy and natural behaviors and maintenance of the goats. This includes ensuring that they are safe (minimize hazards to prevent injury), have an opportunity to exercise, are protected from severe temperatures, have adequate ventilation and have appropriate bedding (clean and dry).

A few exceptions to the Standard allows temporary total confinement at times. These include inclement weather, health and safety issues and risk to soil or water quality. Nevertheless, to be certified organic, dairy goats cannot be totally confined for all or even a majority of their lives.

The Organic Standards also address pasture fencing. They prohibit the use of treated wood, where it may come into contact with soil crops or the goats. While most older fencing may be grandfathered in, farmers who are starting with a new farm or replacing old fencing need to be aware of this prohibition and avoid using treated wood in fence construction.

Pasture Requirements 

In order to be certified organic, goats must be raised on pasture that is certified organic. This requires that no pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers or any other restricted materials be used. Unless the pasture land to be used for goats is already certified, obtaining initial certification will take time.

In order to get initial certification for pasture land, a farmer must be able to show that no prohibited substance has been applied for 36 months prior to full certification. Dairy goat farmers who recently purchased property may have a harder time getting certified unless the prior owner is willing to assist with proving that no prohibited substances were applied. This is something to keep in mind when purchasing new property with plans to raise organic dairy goats.

Another important aspect of raising organic dairy goats is the need to avoid overstocking—which will lead to overgrazed pasture land. Overgrazed pasture, or pasture otherwise lacking vegetation, is not considered pasture under the certification standards anymore than a feedlot.

To ensure that the requirement for no spraying is met, if a pasture abuts a roadway where a county or other municipality may spray the roadside for weeds, put up signs indicating that the property is an organic farm and spraying is prohibited. Contact the municipality as well, to ensure that you meet their needs for any other required documentation. In organic management of goats, pasture rotation is extremely important because using most chemical dewormers is prohibited. Pasture rotation discourages parasite overpopulation, especially in warm, wet regions, as well as discouraging overgrazing and allowing time for vegetation to rest and regrow.

ATTRA—National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service has a helpful publication for educating farmers regarding organic pastures, Pastures: Going Organic. It can be obtained free of charge. This publication discusses all issues relevant to organic pasture for goats and other livestock to be certified organic, including fence construction.

Feed and Supplements

Organic livestock may be fed only hay, grain, milk replacer, minerals and any other supplement such as kelp or beet pulp that is certified organic. This means that it may not be genetically modified and may not contain synthetic hormones, antibiotics, coccidiostats or other restricted materials. Goats may not be given any of those additives directly, either. The bedding used for goats must also be certified organic, whether it is straw, wood chips or wood pellets, because goats may eat the bedding.

Restricted materials for organic livestock include:

• Animal drugs and synthetic hormones
• Plastic pellets
• Urea
• Manure (including poultry litter)
• Slaughter by-products
• Excessive amounts of feed supplements or additives
• Synthetic amino acids

An exception to the 100% organic requirement is for a dairy goat herd that is being converted to organic management. The products from these goats may be marketed as transitional while the farmer is working toward organic certification. The goats may be fed up to 20% conventional feeds for the first nine months of the transition, but then they must receive 100% organic feeds.

One major change that some dairy goat farmers who are switching to organic production will have to face is how they handle raising baby goats, or kids. Kids may be bottle-fed with milk replacer only on an emergency basis. This is because dam-raising is more natural and sustainable, and no organic goat milk replacer currently exists for goat kids, although in the UK one was introduced in 2008 for calves. Kids may still be bottle-fed, but some of the milk that would otherwise be sold now must be given to the kids for several months, or kids have to be left on their dams for the first few months.

Another potential impediment is meeting the feeding requirements for their dairy goats. The area of the country, as well as the amount of land a goat farmer has available, may make 100% organic feed impossible. Farmers with a small acreage, and in the desert, for instance, will be unable to grow their own hay, alfalfa, and grain and will need to rely on what is available commercially. In some areas, finding organic feeds is next to impossible. In many cases, despite availability, the cost is prohibitive. Each farmer needs to determine what these costs will be, along with the market rate for organic goat milk or other dairy products, to determine whether raising organic goats is economically feasible. Those with small dairy goat herds who want to go organic for purely personal reasons may find it worthwhile to search out organic feeds, despite the high prices.

Feed mills are often willing to work with a nutritionist and create a custom feed mix using organic products, if they are available. Ideally, the feed mill will be local so that shipping costs can be limited. One way to provide custom organic goat feed for less cost is to find a group of people who are interested in purchasing as a cooperative and having large quantities made at one time. It may take some coordination and time to get the bugs worked out of a distribution system, but once a group of local, like-minded farmers have signed on and prepaid, you are ready to go.

Health Care

Caring for goats and health care can be one of the most challenging aspects of organic goat farming basics. A goat cannot be certified organic if it has been treated with antibiotics, or a synthetic or non-synthetic substance that is prohibited by the law. Yet goats do get sick with diseases that require the use of such substances. In fact, producers must treat sick animals, even if doing so will cause them to lose their status as “organic.” So the challenge is, whenever possible, to find treatment methods that are organic and that are effective.

The Livestock Healthcare Standard requires producers to use preventive health care practices (vaccination is allowed), not treat goats that are not sick (e.g., giving antibiotics or dewormers routinely), and make sure the goats’ living conditions and feed ration promote good health.

One of the most difficult health care problems encountered with organic goat farming basics is controlling parasites. Ivermectin is the only chemical dewormer that is allowed for use on organic goats. However, it may only be used if the goat is determined to have a parasite overload based on fecal egg counts. Even though it is allowed under those circumstances, farmers may not administer Ivermectin to breeding stock during the last third of gestation or when they are nursing kids that are to be sold, labeled or represented as organically produced. When used in dairy stock, the dewormer may not be given to goats for at least 90 days before milk production or the production of organic goat milk products.

Besides prohibitions on when dewormers may be administered, another problem exists: In some areas, parasites have become resistant to Ivermectin, so goats that are treated with this allowable dewormer may still have problems. Some farmers use herbal dewormers, but they have not been shown in controlled studies to be as effective, so may not be the best choice. Fortunately, a lot of research is being done on alternatives to chemical dewormers. Alternative parasite control methods that are being studied include tannin-containing plants, such as oak leaves or sericea lespedeza; copper-oxide wire particles; biological controls such as earthworms, dung beetles and fungi; and pasture rotation, which was mentioned earlier. Dairy goat farmers who are interested in organic goat farming basics and keep good records can also learn which of their goats seem to be more resistant to parasites and other diseases and cull those that aren’t.

The Organic Health Standard also requires that physical alterations—such as tattooing or other identification, disbudding and castration—be done only in a way that promotes the welfare of the goat and minimizes pain and stress. Although there are no hard and fast rules, these are areas that must be addressed in an Organic System Plan and farmers need to be able to show that the way they perform these procedures meets the criteria.

Organic goat farmers need to educate themselves and make sure that their veterinarian is aware of organic standards in regard to medications that are often recommended or prescribed for goats. Consider giving them a copy of the regulations or the Livestock Workbook if they are not already familiar with the program. That way you can work together to determine how best to treat your goats when they do get sick and not mistakenly give a prohibited drug.

Other Considerations for Organic Goat Farming Basics

The National Organic Standard contains other requirements that farmers need to take into consideration. Manure management may or may not be a problem, depending on the acreage and number of goats being kept. One major intent of this provision is to keep manure out of waterways—a problem for larger farms and less so for small farms.

Recordkeeping is critical to raising goats for organic goat milk and dairy goat farmers need to set up a recordkeeping system prior to applying for organic certification. Required records include “all records of the operation,” and they must be understandable and available for inspection. Some of these records include identification for each goat including whether it was born on the farm or purchased, all veterinary and other health records for each goat, and feed information, which includes keeping all feed tags from feed that is purchased. These records can also serve a secondary purpose of tracking health issues to determine whether a certain goat or a certain line should be culled.

The standard also addresses the requirement for processing of goat products. For example, organic meat may not come in contact with non-organic meat and no synthetic materials may be used during its processing. Farmers need to review the standard to determine whether other requirements for food processing will affect their operation and whether they can be met.

Certification Process for Raising Organic Goats

Obtaining an initial certification requires the following steps:

• Find a certifier in your state. (A list can be found at the USDA Agricultural Marketing Site, www.ams.usda.gov.
• Complete an application form. (Note: Some federal funds are available through states to reimburse applicants for obtaining organic certification.)
• Describe, in writing, practices and procedures to be used.
• Make a list of each substance you will use in production, noting its composition, source, and where/how it will be used.
• Describe how the plan will be implemented and monitored.
• Describe the record keeping system(s) that will be used to comply with requirements.
• Describe practices and procedures to be used to ensure that organic and nonorganic products are not mixed.
• Schedule an on-site inspection by a certifier.

Initial certification is granted in perpetuity, but farmers must pay a certification fee and update their initial Organic System Plan every year—it isn’t a one-time deal. Small farmers who market less than $5,000 of organic products annually are not required to apply for organic certification, although they must still comply with production and handling requirements. While the milk from such a small goat farm may be marked “organic,” farmers who rely on this exemption may not use the organic seal on their products.

Conclusion

Dairy goat farmers who think they may want to get into organic goat production should first learn everything they can about organic certification under the federal and their state laws. A good resource is the National Center for Appropriate Technology’s (NCAT) Livestock Workbook: A Guide to Sustainable and Allowed Practices. This book not only includes much information on organic livestock practices and organic goat farming basics, but also contains a checklist that farmers can use to prepare to switch to organic systems. It can be used to determine what steps to take to begin working toward certified organic production.

The first step in organic goat farming basics is to begin transitioning pasture and cropland. Remember that this step may take as long as 36 months if the land is not already certified organic. While implementing this step, farmers have time to think through and create their required Organic System Plan, talk with a someone who can help you get organic certification, start thinking through policies and procedures to be implemented, and develop a good recordkeeping system.

Farmers who don’t have the acreage, or the right locale to grow feed, need to start looking for feeds that are grown organically or made with organic ingredients. Although this may be an insurmountable barrier for some, one alternative is to use as many certified organic ingredients as possible, and then find “no spray” ingredients to make up the rest of the feed. Although this will prevent organic certification, it will still be a good marketing point for sales and can possibly help a farmer obtain a higher price for milk and dairy products. It also can be a positive first step for future certified organic production, because we can expect more feed producers to switch to organic.

Originally published in 2011 and regularly vetted for accuracy. 

The post How to Raise Dairy Goats for Organic Goat Milk appeared first on Countryside Network.

In case you haven’t heard, we’ve got exciting news for all you Backyard Poultry readers out there! If you have a Web-Only or All-Access Backyard Poultry subscription, you now get six EXTRA e-editions a year, in addition to the six issues you receive every other month. Yup, that’s a new issue every month!

Our Spring 2017 e-edition is NOW AVAILABLE. Join us as we explore cherished chicken breeds, discover some of the world’s most unique chickens, explain bantam chicken breeds and much more! Plus, you’ll get chicken coop inspiration, fun flock photos, and answers to common flock challenges from our poultry experts. Subscribe today and look forward to four more e-editions this year as well as every issue online with a new flip book style!

In this Issue:

•  From the Editor: Selecting a Chicken Breed — Backyard Poultry editor, Pam Freeman, addresses choosing the perfect chicken breed for your homestead.

•  Flock Photos — Reader-submitted photos, featuring photos from our Instagram #backyardpoultryfelfiecontest. Learn how you can share your poultry photos too!

•  Something to Crow About — Readers write in about their experience in raising poultry, from a special needs chicken to double yolk eggs, join us as we learn more about our poultry readers.

• Poultry Talk — Feeding picky chickens, increasing egg production, and more poultry health questions answered.

Never miss another great issue like this one! Get a wealth of homesteading knowledge delivered to your doorstep, desktop, and even your tablet! Subscribe today to Backyard Poultry, Countryside, Dairy Goat Journal or sheep!

 Learn About Poultry Breeds:

• Poultry Breeds … What Are They Anyway? — What is the true definition of a poultry breed and why does it matter?

• Unique Among Chickens — Distinctions that separate some breeds from all others.

• Are Bantams Real Chickens? — Yes! And for some, they are even ideal chickens.

• Small & Useful Bantam Chickens — Bantam chicken breeds that prove good things come in small packages.

• Wyandottes, An American Tradition — Fall in love with one of the most prominent chicken breeds in America.

• A Storybook Life of a Polish Chicken — Jan Brett, author and illustrator, travels the world and raises world-class chickens.

• Delawares — A few poultry enthusiasts are passionately trying to recreate this entirely American bird.

• Garfield Farm and the Java Chicken — A second chance for one of America’s oldest chicken breeds.

• The Long Line of Brown Leghorns — Explore the legacy of the most commonly kept breed.

• The Fighting Story Behind Hawaii’s Feral Chickens — Stray chicken-corralling is proving a costly venture in Hawaii.

• Coop Inspiration — A Rustic Coop — An upcycled design that blends with its surroundings.

• Backyard Poultry Bookstore

And more!

Backyard Poultry magazine is your best source for information on how to raise healthier, more productive backyard chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese and even keeping guinea fowl. Whether you live on a farm, call a suburban neighborhood home, or are mastering poultry farming in an urban environment, we have the how-to guides and tips.

Never miss another great issue! Subscribe to Backyard Poultry today and gain access to the Spring 2017 e-edition, and many more to come.

What is your favorite chicken breed? Why? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Exploring Cherished Chicken Breeds appeared first on Countryside Network.

Our May/June 2017 issue of sheep! is NOW AVAILABLE. Learn why this magazine is the leading source for sheep information for the modern flockmaster seeking to raise sheep for profit or personal use.

Some of our readers have two or three wool sheep that they shear so they can spin the wool and use it themselves. Others own large commercial flocks whose meat and milk they sell all over the world. And still others are somewhere in between. The one thing they have in common is that they all need help solving the inevitable problems that arise when sheep farming. And so we give it to them critical sheep information every issue! You’ll quickly discover that sheep! makes your life better no matter what your interests are, no matter how many sheep you own, and no matter how long you’ve been raising them.

In this issue of sheep!:

Prepare Livestock Guardian Dogs For Summer by Brenda M. Negri
Longer and warmer days are often a time to rejoice in many parts of the USA where winter is a snowbound affair of many months. Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGDs), like other creatures, need some pre-summer preparation, care, and maintenance. Just like winter, summer can bring its own challenges for working dogs. Learn some recommendations for keeping your guardian dogs comfortable and healthy when the temperatures begin to rise.

Sheep are stupendous! sheep! is the leading source for the sheep information you need to keep your flock healthy and profitable. Subscribe Now!

Challenge Ram, Can Lost Respect Be Regained Via Conquest, Reason Or Trust? By Nancy Jurek
Working with rams can be a challenge, but you can regain respect. Nancy shares her story of dealing with a challenging ram.

A Real Flock Shop By Jacqueline Harp
“Waterford Market, a small, sheep-focused, retail establishment located in Waterford, Virginia is known locally for quality lamb cuts, extraordinary whole-lamb sausage, and farm-to-shop wool products tucked around an eclectic, yet tasteful assortment of candies, ice cream, canned goods, and snacks. For more than three decades, the Waterford Market has been an anchor for the retail business district of a small town and a beloved tourist destination.”

Making Pasture & Forages Work for Sheep By Dean Oswald, Animal Systems Educator, Universty of Illinois
Set annual goals for the forage and pasture grazing system. Under most farm circumstances a forage grazing plan will require several years to implement selected goals. Fencing is a key factor in controlling sheep, which is necessary for animal control and predator reduction. And makes a managed grazing system work. Start fencing plans early. Make problem weed control an early goal, to reduce competition with grazing plants and before adding legumes or forbs to the pasture mix. Grazers should try to optimize pasture yield, quality, and persistence of the forage.

The Raising of Klutzee Marie, Diligence Pays Off By Niki Stevens
Deligence pays off when helping a lamb that was born the smaller of a set of twins. Her mother had dropped her into the dirtiest spot in the barnyard and hadn’t cleaned her off very well. There was a  point when this lamb seemed it couldn’t make it. But she had already shown that she was a very determined lamb. Between tube feeding, enemas and antibiotics learn how this lamb was nursed back to good health.

More Than Words By Denice Rackley
Dogs take sights, sounds, and smells into consideration. They know by smell if people and animals are confident or nervous, content or angry and so forth. Being aware of how dogs process their environment, you can begin to understand how to communicate effectively with them.

More Sheep Farming Information in the May/June 2017 issue of sheep!:

DEPARTMENTS

• Scribblings: “De-Nestoring” the Sheep Bix, A Modest Proposal
• sheep! Photo Contest
• Meeting of Minds
~ “Red Wolves” Not a Species?
~ Hay Unroller Cuts Labor
~ Fighting Ruinous Jumbo Flukes
~ How Ear Tags Can Help You
~ How They Sheared On a Table
~ Trademark Protection Awarded Pure U.S. Shetland Products
~ A New Sale for a New Approach
~ Monitoring “Slacker” Ewes Using Electronic Devices
~ Federal or State Lands, Part 4
~ View from Down Under
~ Hair Sheep Reports
• Wool Gatherings
• Sheep May Safely Graze: Coyotes, The Basics
• Shearing Notes
• Price Reports
• sheep! Bookstore
• Sheep Dairying, There’s No Place Better for Sheep Dairying than America
• Poor Will’s sheep! Almanack
• Vet Check
• News Bleat
~ Winter Exercise Helps Lambing Success
~ Show Sheep & “Tag Swapping”: DNA Verification In Store?
~ U. of Tennessee: “New Johnes Test Detects Antibodies”
~ U.S. Sheep Inventory Down Again In 2016
~ 30 Year Search Reveals How Melatonin Signals Sheep Estral Hormones
~ Global Study Shows Sheep Milk Needs More Good Press
~ Measurable Antibodies For Worms:  “Bred In Resistance”
~ Straight-Wool Sheep Appearing In N.Z. A Valuable “Mutant?”
• sheep! Breeders & Classifieds

ON THE COVER:
Untitled, by Sophie Sprague in northwest Florida. She noted “This little ewe is the first animal born on our farm!” Happy with the small size and gentle nature of sheep, she added, “We’re excited to expose our daughter (Anna, shown in the photo) to things she’d have missed out on had we not made the move to the farm.”

sheep! magazine delivers thoughtful feature articles and the latest sheep information to make every shepherd more knowledgeable and better able to raise healthy, productive flocks for profit and satisfaction.

Never miss another great issue filled with actionable sheep information for today’s flockmaster. With just a few issues of sheep!, you’ll be well on your way to mastering how to raise sheep.

Subscribe to sheep! magazine today.

The post Prepare Livestock Guardian Dogs for Summer and More! appeared first on Countryside Network.

What is driving the recent trend in raising miniature goats, cows, chickens and other livestock? As more people move toward a simpler way of life, and are living in a more self-sustainable way, they may be interested in having a family milk provider. Families may choose to raise their own meat but not have enough room for raising traditional full-size livestock breeds. Both goats and cows produce delicious milk, but the miniature goat is more suited to a small plot of land and a smaller family. Small breed livestock needs less pastured, fenced land, less grain, and leave less waste to clean. In many cases, raising miniature goats and other livestock of smaller stature makes a lot of sense for the modern homesteader.

Today, many families want to return to their agrarian roots, but don’t have the money to buy a large ranch and raise full-size cattle, goats, pigs or other livestock. A smaller homestead, of a few acres, allows these families the room to grow vegetables, and also keep some livestock for the family’s needs.  Choosing to raise miniature goats or cows and other livestock allows the family to fit more production into the family homestead. Lesa Wilke, author of Nigerian Goats 101: Background & Basics (2015) and creator of the popular Better Hens and Gardens blog (www.betterhensandgardens.com) states “Nigerian Dwarf goats are becoming quite popular because they’re small, cute, low maintenance, and very productive for their size. They don’t require pastures, are easy to handle and house, and can provide milk, meat, brush control, and fertilizer. They are the size of a medium to large dog, so they’re an easy homestead addition — regardless of whether the homestead is large, small, rural, suburban, or urban. For us, it was the small size, brush control, and incredible tasting milk that caused us to choose them for our farm.“- Lesa Wilke.

Most breeds of miniatures have decent dispositions, along with the smaller size. These qualities allow them almost pet status in the family. Along with the smaller size comes less waste produced and less feed intake. The feed conversion for most miniature livestock is very good.

Points to Consider

Miniature livestock are still larger than many family dogs. If you don’t have the strength and fortitude to handle a large dog, you may not be able to handle raising miniature goats and other miniature livestock. Be realistic about your personal strength and abilities before acquiring any size livestock.  Because the miniature goats, cows, and sheep usually have sweet, docile dispositions, they may not bite but kicks can be dangerous!

Caring for the Animals

The same care needs to be performed on miniature livestock as it does on the full-size versions. Hoof trimming, worming, milking, shearing and health checkups all need to be done. Check to see if there is a livestock veterinarian in your area. While some forms of care could be performed by any licensed veterinarian, these animals are still livestock with the specialized needs of livestock. Finding an urban veterinarian willing to come out to your farm and trod through mud to help an ailing cow, miniature or not, is unlikely.

Fencing, Housing, Equipment

Unless you want to go collect your livestock from the neighbor’s garden, make sure you have the correct fencing for the animals you choose to raise on your farm.  Even though the animals are shorter, pygmy goats, for example, are very good at jumping over fences. Raising miniature goats, cows, or pigs means you still must supply the animals with the correct fencing, housing, and equipment. A milk stand will forever change your life and keep your back from hurting too. Consider placement of the run in a shed or mini barn. The best setting for the shed or barn is with the closed back side of the shed facing the wind.

What are the benefits to raising miniature goats and other livestock?

Miniature Goats

Nigerian Dwarf, Pygmy, and Dwarf Nubian goats are a few of the breeds of miniature goats. Lesa Wilke, in her book, “Nigerian Goats 101” has a chart showing the different breeds of goats and the milk yield. Nubian goats produce more than other commonly raised breeds but the Nigerian Dwarf is a solid performer in milk production. At a fraction of the size of a full grown Nubian doe, the feed savings and space requirements are much less.

“Nigerian Dwarves produce milk that has an average butterfat and protein content that’s higher than any other dairy goat breed, making it taste milder, sweeter, and creamier. It tastes as good as the best cow’s milk (many think it’s better).” – Lesa Wilke

There are miniature versions of the Nubian breed available, too, although the Nigerian Dwarf breed is more easily found. When seeking a breed for raising miniature goats, checking with your local breeders for their feedback is a good place to start.

Miniature Cattle, Highlands, Dexters, and Lowlines

Raising miniature cattle for both meat and milk can be accomplished on small homesteads. It is important to keep in mind that the same challenges that pertain to full-size cattle will still be in play but on a lesser scale. Cattle are mostly grazing animals. Your full-size cattle will need grazing area or to be fed good quality hay until market size is reached. Miniature breeds of cattle are often browsers as much as grazers. This means they will be happy to do some land clearing for you, eating weeds, and brush as well as the grass. The amount of feed needed will be less with the miniatures and the Highlands will thrive on low-quality brush, because of their heritage as mountain cattle.

Cyndi Aspey, a breeder of miniature Highland cattle on Crazy Lady Farm in Michigan, guides people looking for miniature cattle.  “After much research and thought I selected the miniature Highland breed when we changed farms and operations about 5 years ago. I was looking for a hardy, easy to care for and lean meat breed. This brought me to the Highland breed time and time again.”

“The meat is very lean, very sweet tasting and due to the smaller size of the animal, I believe cuts are more of a healthier portion (size). They have small calves and we have had no calving issues here.  The calves are born with a full coat of hair and most of ours are born in the winter, early spring months, at times a cold miserable time of the year but I believe a better suited time of the year for this breed. The calves are up fast, nursing right away and frolicked joyfully in no time.”

In addition, you can’t argue with the cute factor of the miniature Highland breed! Be prepared if you are squeamish about raising your own meat source.  These miniature cows have a very high cuteness factor.

Dexter Cattle, Lowlines, miniature Jersey and Miniature Zebu are other popular breeds of miniature cattle, recognized by the International Miniature Cattle Breeder Society and Registry. The Dexter breed is an ancient breed from the mountains in Ireland. Dexters were not developed from miniaturizing a standard breed.

Lowlines are short, smaller versions of the standard Black Angus. The meat quality and high yield are present in the smaller, shorter version of the Black Angus breed too.

Just as when raising miniature goats, raising a small herd of miniature cattle can be a dual purpose venture in both food production and land clearing.  Also, keep in mind that goats, sheep, and cattle are herd animals and will not do as well when you only keep one. Prepare to take on two or more of the species you choose to raise.

Pigs, sheep, ducks and chickens all have miniature versions of breeds. Some breeds of pigs are smaller than the standard market hogs we commonly see on farms. KuneKune pigs are becoming more popular. A note of caution is in order. KuneKune pigs grow to be sizable animals. Even the smaller breeds will grow rather large and this should be taken into consideration before attempting to raise “smaller” breeds of pigs. Miniature pigs also include the small pot belly breeds, although those are not commonly raised for meat but are kept as pets.

Miniature Southdown sheep, often referred to as Babydolls, are much smaller than the full sized sheep breeds. They are good foragers and grazers and not very needy in terms of extra care. The standard run in shed and a good low fence, plenty of available water and a vet familiar with sheep, should get you off to a good start with this smaller breed of sheep.

Miniature Poultry

Call Ducks are one variety of miniature ducks. While they can be rather pricey to get started with, bantam chickens are usually more of a bargain.

Bantam chickens are much smaller than a standard size chicken. Coop space, and feed and water consumption are less than the standard chickens also. As with other minis, production is somewhat based on size. Three bantam eggs equal one large egg from a standard breed of chicken. The bantams are prone to broodiness and make very good mother hens. Usually fairly docile, bantam chickens are a good choice for children starting to raise chickens on the homestead. In neighborhoods with limits on the number of chickens you can possess, bantams often count as half or a third of a chicken. This can enable the homesteader to raise more chickens than they would with full-size breeds.

If you are planning on raising miniature goats, or any other miniature breed of livestock, prepare your land as you would for any livestock. You can get by with less land and fewer costs associated with feed. The end result will be a more self-reliant homestead for your family.

Do you raise miniature goats and/or other miniature livestock? If so, let us know in the comments below.

The post Raising Miniature Goats, Cows, Chicken and Sheep appeared first on Countryside Network.

Springtime brings a lot of wonderful things, not the least of which is the return of gardening season. As soon as the weather turns warmer, I head outside to see what plants are starting to sprout. In my perennial gardens it’s always fun to see what survived the winter. Inside my kids love to start seeds. I admit, it’s fascinating to watch the soil and see sprouts start to unfurl from their seeds and take shape as little plants. This year we’re growing a wide variety of basil plants with lots of fun flavors like lemon and lime. I see a lot of pesto in my future!

As you’re planning and planting, enjoy this digital edition full of basics and ideas for inspiration. Have you ever grown kohlrabi? Do you want plants quickly? What’s fast and easy to grow? Find out how to plan ahead for fall harvests of pumpkins and gourds. Learn how to make your soil a powerhouse of nutrients for your growing plants and much more.

Here’s to a fun start to the season and a bounty of harvest when it’s all done.

Happy Gardening!

The post From the Editor, CYS Spring e-edition Gardening appeared first on Countryside Network.

I grew up in an urban part of northern New Jersey where homesteading basics weren’t something that most people were concerned about. Aside from the beautiful gardens, my grandmother grew in her backyard just outside of Newark, homesteading basics were for the “country folk” that lived hours away from us. It never occurred to me that as an adult, my husband and I would be living “in the middle of nowhere” (as my family and friends from downstate refer to our little part of the Adirondack mountains) and find ourselves creating a sweet little homestead.

Part of what attracted us to this property and this land was the potential for learning and implementing homesteading basics. Situated on a few acres, conveniently located twenty miles from the nearest grocery store, and with plenty of space for outdoor gardens and a chicken coop. We also discovered that by leaving an acre of land growing wild in the “backyard”, we created a place where we could grow and sustainably harvest herbs growing outdoors. Not long after we moved in, my husband purchased some small apple trees (we jokingly referred to them as “apple twigs”) and planted them along the property border between us and our neighbors down the hill. We thought of them originally as a privacy screen, but after a few years, we found that we enjoyed growing and harvesting apples from these trees every summer and fall.

Through our journey to learning and practicing homestead basics, we certainly could have used a book like Backyard Homesteading: A Back-to-Basics Guide to Self-Sufficiency by David Toht. This is a big book, full of everything you need to know to learn homesteading basics, beginning with the earliest stages of planning for your homestead, all the way through acquiring and caring for small livestock and harvesting, canning, and preserving all kinds of fruits and vegetables.

Growing Vegetables and Herbs

Backyard Homesteading will provide you with a handy reference book for getting started growing vegetables and herbs. Starting from the ground up (pun intended), we learn about how to evaluate our soil, how to improve soil health before we start planting, how to make basic compost, saving and planting seeds, how to figure out what planting zone we’re in, and treating and preventing weeds, pests, and plant diseases.

Once you have the basics of growing veggies and herbs down, Backyard Homesteading provides us with a great list of commonly grown backyard vegetables. This list provides everything you need to know about when to plant, where to plant, how close together to plant, and when and how to harvest. Even though my husband and I have been gardening at our little homestead for over 13 years, we still found this to be an excellent quick reference guide when planning out our new gardens.

Growing Fruits, Berries, and Nuts

We didn’t plan on growing blackberries in our yard, but we were delighted to discover that they grew wild around our garage, chicken coop, and at the edge of the woods near the back of the property. We spent hours every day during the peak days of summer picking and freezing the plentiful crop of blackberries that our bushes produced. When we decided that we wanted even more berries, we used some of the tips and techniques in Backyard Homesteading to propagate our wild berry bushes.

When we first moved into our home, we planted a row of apple trees along the property line to provide a privacy screen. Our little “apple twigs” as we affectionately referred to them quickly grew into big, beautiful trees. Later on, my husband added a half a dozen cherry trees to our little homestead layout as a birthday gift to me. And while my husband has plenty of knowledge and experience of other types of trees, he found the pruning information in Backyard Homesteading to be very helpful when we were working on creating our own little orchards.

Last but not least, since my husband loves to make his own wine, we obtained 24 cold-hardy grape vines from a supplier that specializes in breeding grapes for the harsh northern climates. Our knowledge of growing and caring for trees didn’t get us too far with these grape vines, but we found everything we needed to know to keep them alive in the pages of Backyard Homesteading. Once we had enough grapes to make a few bottles of our own wine every year, we were also thrilled to discover that our healthy grape leaves could be used for fermenting other foods, too!

Chickens, Goats, and Bees

Of course, our little homestead wouldn’t be complete without the beehives that we brought with us from northern New Jersey. With much more space to spread out, we started our own little apiary to supply us with honey. Drawing on our experience with beekeeping, we learned some new tricks and ideas – we even built a top-bar beehive from the instructions in Backyard Homesteading.

We’ve also been raising our own chickens on our little homestead since 2007, and we were happy to read more about how to raise chickens for eggs in Backyard Homesteading. If we had known then what we do now about raising chickens, things might have gone a little smoother. Getting started with  backyard chickens doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, in can be a great learning experience for anyone, especially if you live in a more suburban or urban area. If you’re unsure about where to begin, Backyard Homesteading lays it all out for you, including information about how to find out whether or not chickens are allowed in your town, ideas for housing them, choosing a breed (and a purpose) for your flock, and the basics of caring for a happy, healthy flock of chickens.

Next up for our micro-homestead? Goats. After reading through the section about choosing, acquiring, and caring for goats, we’re ready to add another species to our backyard homestead this year! The information in Backyard Homesteading is a wonderful reference for getting started raising goats, with everything I wanted to know about caring for goats once we find a reputable breeder in our area.

For anyone who is interested in simple homesteading with a little time, a little land, and a lot of interest, Backyard Homesteading by David Toht should be the first book you get. We’ve made it an essential addition to our collection of DIY homesteading reference guides.

The post Homesteading Basics – Backyard Homesteading by David Toht appeared first on Countryside Network.

We have exciting news for Countryside readers! If you have a Web-Only or All-Access Countryside subscription, you now get six EXTRA e-editions a year, in addition to the six issues you receive every other month in the mail and/or online. Yup, that’s a new issue every month, including our new Spring 2017 e-edition that will teach you all about planting vegetables at home.

Our Spring 2017 e-edition is NOW AVAILABLE! Inside you’ll discover more than a dozen stories about the best practices for planting vegetables at home. Learn how to get an early start with carrots; six steps to starting and saving heirloom tomatoes; and much more! Subscribe today and look forward to more e-editions as well as every issue online with a new flip book style.

Now is the best time to learn about planting vegetables at home to reap the benefits of a homegrown harvest! Take a look at what’s inside our Spring 2017 e-edition.

+ I Am Countryside — Reader-submitted photos showing different aspects of what homesteading means. Show us what homesteading means to you!

+ Country Conversation & Feedback — Letters from Countryside readers.

In this Issue:

+ Fast-Growing Plants — Perfect plants for impatient gardeners.

+  Get An Early Start With Carrots – Carrots offer versatility and a rainbow of colors.

+  Six Steps to Starting and Saving Heirloom Tomatoes — Summer tastebuds crave tomatoes.

+ Anyone for Okra? — Add this southern staple to your garden.

+ Make Room in Your Garden with Climbers & Crawlers — Space issue? Try climbers and crawlers.

+ Cauliflower in the Garden — Turn to cauliflower as a sidekick or the centerpiece.

+ Kohlrabi: I Grow an Oddball — Neither turnip nor cabbage.

+ Have Eggplant Your Way — How do you like your eggplant?

+ DIY Water Rings — Make watering your plants a snap.

+ You Can’t Beat a Beet — Grow beets in your garden.

+ Time for Summer Squash — Why we love summer squash.

+ Potatoes Offer Healthy Sustainability — Potatoes are easy to grow.

+ Gourds for Farmers and Homesteaders — Decorative, edible … or both?

+ Plant Pumpkins Now for Fall Faces Later —  Give pumpkins plenty of space.

+ Steamed Pumpkin Bread Recipe

+ Countryside Bookstore

JOIN US ON OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS

Connect and share ideas with Countrysiders like you and watch for new stories on our social channels!

• Facebook.com/iamcountryside
• Instagram.com/iamcountryside
• Pinterest.com/iamcountryside

Include #iamcountryside for a chance to have your pics shared on our feed.

Countryside and Small Stock Journal is more than a homesteading magazine, it’s a network where people who are homesteading today share a variety of experiences and ideas about simple homesteading. In every issue, you’ll learn about practical solutions for growing and preserving your own food, raising chickens and small livestock, and managing a thriving homestead in a rural or urban setting.

Never miss another great issue with practical tips on homesteading today! Subscribe to Countryside and Small Stock Journal today.

The post Spring e-edition: Planting Vegetables at Home appeared first on Countryside Network.

Pigeons are remarkable for so many reasons. A true cosmopolitan, long after humans have left this Earth, only cockroaches, rats, and pigeons will remain. Humans and pigeons have been sharing living space as far back as 3000 BC, in Mesopotamia, modern Iraq.

Did you know that pigeons mate for life and both sexes care for the young? They have the ability to fly at altitudes up to 6,000 feet, and at speeds between 50 and 70 miles per hour. The fastest recorded speed is 92.5 miles per hour. These are just a few of many amazing pigeon facts!

Countless park goers across the world feed thousands of feral pigeons daily. Many members of different religions including Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs feed pigeons for spiritual reasons. Some older Sikhs will ritualistically feed pigeons to honor Guru Gobind Singh, a high priest who was renowned as a friend to pigeons. I know I couldn’t resist sitting down in the middle of Venice’s historic St. Mark’s Square to befriend a flock of pigeons. Covering myself with seed, I couldn’t stop smiling, as the pigeons transformed me into a human perch.

With so many types of pigeons to choose from, adding a flock to your backyard can add a fun source of entertainment, income, or food to any homestead.

In addition to a range of colors, pigeons have been bred for shows, racing and as a source of protein.

Pigeon Basics

How Long Do Pigeons Live?
Domestic pigeons can live between 10 and 15 years. Although pigeons can become sexually mature as early as five months, many breeders recommended waiting for the birds to reach one year of age.

What Do Pigeons Eat? 
If considering keeping pigeons you may be wondering, what do pigeons eat? Pigeons are granivores, eating seeds and cereals. Many pigeon feeds include cereals, corn, wheat, dried peas, barley, and rye. Depending on the actively level of your bird, different protein percentages are commercially available. Pigeons will also benefit from fresh greens, berries, fruit, and an occasional insect.

How Do Pigeons Breed?
The coupling ritual starts with the male characteristically cooing and puffing out his neck. The female will fly or walk short distances to entice the male to follow her. Once she is satisfied she will accept offerings of food and position herself to be mounted.

Eight to 12 days after mating and accepting food gifts from her mate, the hen will usually lay two white eggs. Pigeons will breed year-round and will lay more eggs before the first clutch has left the nest.

“Keeping the number of birds under control is key to health and quality and successful racing,” says Deone Roberts, Sport Development Manager of the American Racing Pigeon Union. “To have the desired results in racing, the flyer/breeder needs to set down his/her goals.”

Those goals will influence the type of stock selected and the kinds of pairings you will make. Controlling the times of mating is also important if you plan on racing or showing birds.

Managing pigeon breeding will allow your birds to be ready for a show.

Organizations such as the American Racing Pigeon Union are for people who love animals, fellowship, and friendly competition.

“We have a staffed national office to serve member needs such as leg bands and diplomas, race figuring software, educational materials, beginner mentor program, zoning assistance for ordinance changes, and promotion assistance,” says Roberts.

In addition to racing pigeons, Roberts says that there are hundreds of breeds of pigeons and it seems more are created through selection for specific traits. Most are for show. Some are for performance, such as the roller or tumbler breeds.

Budapest pigeon, with their comical eyes, were developed around 1907.

Growing up I had a small flock of rollers and tumblers. After a few years or raising them, and enjoying their aerial acrobatics, I attended a pigeon show to expand my collection. I purchased a pair of runt pigeons. These ironically named pigeons can weigh up to 3.5 pounds! They are mostly raised for show or squab meat. The seller said I could let them free range in the yard like chickens. After a week of keeping them in the coop to get their bearings, I let them out to explore the lawn. As soon as the door opened, the birds took off straight toward the horizon. That was a sad day. Lesson learned. Not all pigeons should be expected to return if they are released from their coop.

In ancient Mesopotamia, sailors would release pigeons — and ravens — from their ships. They would track the birds to orient themselves toward land. A thousand years later, you have the story of Noah in the Old Testament. Around this time you also start seeing pigeons featured in sculptures, jewelry, and hair needles.

The Phoenicians distributed white pigeons throughout the Mediterranean around 1000 BC. The Greeks gave pigeons to children as toys, used the squabs as a food source, and used their manure to fertilize crops.

Some pigeon lofts, situated next to Roman houses, could maintain 5,000 birds. The Romans created tube feeding and watering systems for their birds and started selectively breeding for desirable traits. They bred birds that flew strange patterns, could find their way home, were large enough to eat, and had ornamental plumage.

Today, schools raise pigeons to connect kids with history, nature and to empower them with life skills. “These projects are developing increased interest in science, math, computer technologies, health, and nutrition,” says Roberts. “When children have pigeons, they connect with nature. They are outside and away from computers, iPads, and the television.”

Keeping pigeons is an ageless hobby. Photo by Gary Weir

Roberts reminds us that raising pigeons is not just a youth activity. “Likewise, the hobby provides enjoyment for retirees in their golden years.”

“Our members come from a variety of backgrounds with regard to education, income, and ethnicity. It is not unusual for individuals to combine two hobbies that include more animals, such as a hobby farmer, that may also have poultry.”

“What we have is an organization of members that gives to the community and gives to their own. Combine that with the love of a bird. There’s not much better than that,” says Roberts.

The post Get to Know Pigeons appeared first on Countryside Network.

Backyard Chickens Beyond the Basics explores the realities of raising a flock for eggs — and entertainment, of course! From odd eggs and molting to chicken behavior, feeding and preparing for the seasons, poultry expert and editor of Backyard Poultry magazine and Countryside Small Stock & Journal, Pam Freeman takes on many subjects that aren’t covered in beginner books. Her practical advice makes the complicated easy to understand, and Pam’s experiences give deeper insight into the workings of a backyard flock.

Chapter 1: Expanding Your Flock
Chapter 2: Flock Behavior
Chapter 3: Life with a Rooster
Chapter 4: All About Eggs
Chapter 5: Chicken (and Egg) Health
Chapter 6: Predators
Chapter 7: Feeding Your Chickens
Chapter 8: Chicken-Keeping Through the Seasons
Chapter 9: Coop Truth

“In my 30 years as a poultry veterinarian, I have not seen a more practical, well-written and easy-to-read book for backyard poultry owners. This book is an essential resource.” – Dr. Sherrill Davison, Director of the Laboratory of Avian Medicine and Pathology, Penn Vet

Excerpt From Chapter 1

Buying chicks from a feed store couldn’t be easier. Each spring they’re readily available in local stores across the country. I find it’s best to get the chicks as early in their lifespan as possible. By doing this, you get more time to bond with them. I’ve found this results in adult backyard chickens that are much more likely to be friendly and ready to interact with humans. (This is especially important for families with children.) It’s good to stay in contact with your local feed store in the spring so you know when they’ll be getting their chick deliveries. That way you can swoop in and buy the chicks at the earliest possible time.

People often ask me what to look for in feed store chicks. I advise looking for chicks that are active and alert. I check to see that they’re eating and drinking. I look for down feathers that are clean and well groomed. I look to see that their rumps are clean and free of poop. I also check their extremities. Are their legs straight? Can they walk well? Are their beaks straight and not scissored (crossed)? Do they have clear eyes?

A sick chick will be hunched over, or sometimes they’ll stand still and sway with their eyes closed. However, be careful about this as healthy chicks need to sleep as well, and they like to get comfortable when they nap. So you may see a chick that’s perfectly healthy but curled up, sleeping or for that matter, all spread out dozing. Don’t confuse natural sleeping with being sick! Here are a few additional tips from a feed store chick-buying veteran.

• If the feed store is putting your chicks in a box, have them line the bottom with some clean shavings. Normally there’s an open bag nearby your box. This makes the slippery box surface a lot less slippery and messy — and it gives your chicks a comfortable ride home.
• Although the bins at the feed store are marked pullets (girls) and straight run (boys and girls), this does not always hold true. First, hatcheries are not 100 percent accurate in their sexing. So there could be some roosters in there from the start. Also, a well-meaning employee or customer may set a chick back in the wrong brooder after looking at it. So you may end up with a surprise or two in a few months!
• Make sure to double-check your chicks once they’re in your box. Most feed stores don’t allow returns. So, if there’s a problem with your birds, the time to address it is right then. Once you walk out fo the store, you have to live with what you’ve got.

The Pecking Order from Chapter 2

Besides pecking, there are other ways chickens work out their order and show dominance. Once chicken might challenge another by puffing up her chest, standing tall, and flapping her wings. The challenged bird can then either choose to show its dominance or back down.

Egg Size and Grading from Chapter 4

Egg scales didn’t gain popularity until World Wars I and II. Until then, egg weighing was done as a way to select eggs for hatching. But during the wars, the U.S. War Department bought eggs to feed the troops and paid for them based on their size. Egg weight equaled cash and created the need for scales. During that time, egg scale advances and production were at a high.

The post Book Preview: Backyard Chickens Beyond the Basics appeared first on Countryside Network.

By Angela Hammer – I’ve always liked making things with my hands. I learned how to crochet years ago, so spinning became the next logical step for me to take. Why buy yarn when you can make it yourself? I found a booklet for the Michigan Fiber Festival which described several classes. I paid my money, attended spinning for beginners class, and I was hooked. I knew I had to get my hands on a drop spindle.

The only problem was that I was a college student with no extra cash, and couldn’t afford a $300 – $400 spinning wheel. So I put my dreams away for about a year. The following summer I met a lady who ran a spinning shop. About $20 later, I owned a drop spindle and some fiber. Now I was able to spin to my heart’s content. Since that time I have become a member of the Michigan Fiber Festival and work with a group of younger volunteers that coordinates and leads the children’s activities at the Festival.

By all means, I am not the final authority on spinning. I’m still learning new things every day, just like anyone who first approaches spinning for beginners. This article is an effort to teach the basics as a way of encouraging further study into the world of fiber arts.

Fiber

We need to take a brief look at fiber before we tackle the basics of spinning for beginners. Fiber comes from many different sources. For spinning, we often think of sheep’s wool. Other fiber sources include alpaca, llama, cotton, and even dog. For now, we will just look at sheep’s wool.

Wool can be purchased in two basic forms: unprocessed and processed. The fleece that is sheared from a sheep is unprocessed wool. Unprocessed basically means in its raw form. There are three types of processed wools: raving, batts, and top. Roving, sometimes called a sliver, is a long continuous strand of carded wool. Batts are thick rectangles made of layers of carded wool. Top is like roving but the short and broken fibers have been removed leaving the long fibers lying parallel to each other. When giving tips on spinning for beginners, I recommend starting with roving.

Now that we have talked about the forms of wool, we need to move onto the types of wool. Forget the common misconception that all wool is scratchy because it isn’t. Some breeds such as Lincoln, Cotswold, and Suffolk sheep do produce coarse fibers but the fleeces from Merino, Rambouillet, and Shetland are soft. A medium wool, such as Targhee, Jacob, Corriedale, and Dorset, is ideal for spinning for beginners. At the end of this spinning for beginners’ article are some resources that have wool for sale and some resources that will process your fiber into roving for you to use.

How to Make a Drop Spindle

The following directions are for two types of drop spindles: top whorl and bottom whorl. They are not beautiful, but they are practical. Here’s a tip: Don’t invest a lot of money until you are sure this is the thing for you. The one you make is up to you.

Drop Spindle Materials

1” wooden toy wheel

12” dowel

Sharpen one end of the dowel into a blunt point. Sand it smooth. Sand and slightly round the other end of the dowel.

Put the sharp end of the dowel through the hole in the wheel, leaving about two inches of dowel below the wheel. Glue into place and let dry.

This is a completed bottom whorl spindle. (Fig. 1)

The following instructions are for making a top whorl spindle:

Sharpen one end of the 12” dowel. Don’t sharpen to a point. Sand it for a smooth, rounded, blunt end. Sand and slightly round the edges to the flat end.

Put the flat end of the dowel through the hole in the wheel, leaving about one inch of dowel above the wheel. Glue into place and let dry.

After the glue has sufficiently dried, using a drill or nail, make a pilot hole in the middle of the flat end of the dowel. This is to prevent the wood from splitting when the cup hook is put in. Take the small cup hook and screw it into place.

If you want to, you can sand the part of the dowel above the whorl so it tapers to the edges of the cup hook.

This is a completed top whorl spindle. (Fig. 2)

Important Construction Tips

The most important things to consider when making or buying a drop spindle are balance and weight. Always check for these when buying or making spindles.

When checking for balance, ask yourself these questions: Does the spindle wobble a lot? Does it spin well or is it sluggish? Does it spin freely? Weight is the other important element to look for in a drop spindle. Heavy spindles (over four ounces) work best to create thick, bulky yarn while light weight spindles (less than one ounce) work best to create thin, fine yarns. A medium weight spindle (around two ounces) is a good all-purpose spindle, enabling you to create a full spectrum of yarn from fine, lace-weight to thick, bulky-weight.

Spinning for beginners tip: The most important thing to remember when choosing a drop spindle is – do you like it?

Spinning for Beginners: How to Spin

Before one actually begins putting twist into the fiber, drafting should be practiced. Drafting is the process of pulling the fibers of the fiber supply out to get them ready to be twisted. To learn this process, we will use the “inch-worm technique.” To do this, remember these three words: pinch, pull and release. These words, in a nutshell, are the basic drafting process.

The following directions are written specifying certain hands to be used. You can interchange the directions so the right hand means left and left hand means right if you find it easier to do it that way.

To get started, throw the roving over your shoulder so it lies on your shoulder with one end in your hand and the other behind your back.

Take the end of roving that is in your hands and “pinch” the end of it with your right hand. (Fig. 4)

After you have drafted, keep your left hand holding the fiber. Now with your right hand “release” the fibers. You have just completed the “inch-worm technique.” (Figure. 5)

To keep drafting, continue to “pinch” the fiber at the point of twist, “pull: back with the opposite hand, drafting the fibers to the thickness desired; and “release” the yarn with the first hand, allowing the twist to enter the drafted fibers.

Practice this technique a couple of times until you are comfortable with it. Now it’s time to put it into real practice.

To Spin With a Bottom Whorl Spindle

Take a two-foot piece of yarn and tie it around the shaft above the whorl. This is called your leader. Turn the spindle clockwise a couple of times to wind the leader around the base of the shaft.

Continue turning the spindle but barber pole the yarn up the shaft towards the top. Secure the yarn about one inch from the top of the shaft with a half hitch. (Fig. 6 & Fig. 7)

The easiest way to attach the leader and the fiber together is to knot them.

To begin the twist, hold on to the knot that was just made with your let hand. Grasp the shaft towards the top with the right hand and twist it clockwise. Be sure to give it a good twist.

Once there is a good amount of twist in the yarn, set the spindle down on a table or chair or the ground. This will stop the spindle from spinning the opposite direction.

Now begin to “pinch, pull, release.” Pinch the knot with your right hand, pull back on the fibers with your left hand, and release with the right hand. (Figure. 3, 4, & 5)

You should see the twist enter the drafted fibers. You have just made yarn. Congratulations!

Continue the “pinch, pull, release” process until you notice that the yarn isn’t twisting very well during the “release” part of the process.

Pinch the yarn at this point with the left hand and twist the spindle clockwise with the right hand.

Repeat steps 6 to 10 as often as needed.

You have probably noticed that your arms are only so long and they haven’t grown any longer. Now you need to wind the yarn you have made onto the spindle. Unhook the half hitch and unwind the barber pole effect. Turning the spindle clockwise, wind the yarn onto the shaft creating a cone (wide bottom, small top). Leave enough yarn to barber pole up the shaft and make a half hitch at the top with at least three inches to spare.

Continue with steps 6 through 12 until the spindle is full or you run out of fiber.

(I suggest the process of putting a lot of twist into the yarn and setting down the spindle for a good reason When you are just starting to spin it takes enough concentration to remember “pinch, pull release” without having to figure out how to add “twist” to the equation. When you feel that you are ready, go ahead and add “twist” and don’t worry about setting the spindle down unless it’s needed.)

Spinning With a Top Whorl Spindle

Many of the processes are similar with a top whorl as with a bottom whorl, while some others require a slightly different explanation. In the beginning, spinning with this type of spindle works better sitting down.

Tie a two-foot piece of yarn onto the shaft under the whorl. This is your leader.

Repeat step 2 in the Bottom Whorl instructions. (Hereafter referred to as BW)

Bring the leader yarn up over the edge of the whorl and up to the hook. Pull the yarn through the hook so that when the spindle is turned in a clockwise direction the yarn stays caught in the hook and doesn’t come undone.

Repeat step 4 in BW.
To begin the twist hold the know in the left hand and roll the shaft of the spindle with the right hand rapidly up the right leg from knee to upper thigh and let it dangle in front of you until the spindle stops spinning.

Repeat step 6 in BW.

Repeat step 7 in BW.

Repeat step 8 in BW.

Repeat step 9 in BW.

Pinch the yarn at the point of twist with the let hand and roll the shaft of the spindle rapidly up the right leg from knee to upper thigh, letting it dangle until the spindle stops spinning.*

Repeat steps 6 through 10 as often as needed.

When you run out of arm length, it’s time to wind on the yarn. Unhook the yarn from the hook and rotate the spindle in a clockwise direction winding the yarn as the shaft rotates. Wind the yarn on the shaft in a cone form (wide at the top, small at the bottom). Leave enough length to wrap the yarn up over the whorl and through the hook.

Continue steps 6 through 12 until the spindle is full or you run out of fiber.

Joining More Fibers

If you have a break in the yarn or you need to add new fiber, the process is basically the same for both. It works best to set the spindle down so the spindle doesn’t untwist.

Be sure the fiber you are adding to doesn’t have any twist in it. If it does have twist, you need to tease the end of the fiber open for about two inches of length.

Take the new fiber that is being added and overlap the new and the old. (Fig. 8) Hold the end of the new fiber and the point of twist of the old fiber in the right hand. Pull back on the fibers with the left hand. This blends the fibers together.

Three Truths of Spinning for Beginners

After you have been spinning a little while, the “Three truths of spinning for beginners” should be very evident.

1. If you don’t twist the drafted fibers enough, your yarn will drift apart and break.
2. If you twist the drafted fibers too much, the twist will travel into the fiber supply, engulfing the whole mass and preventing further drafting.
3. The fewer number of fibers you draft, and thus the smaller the diameter of the yarn, the more twist you will need to hold it together.

Plying The Yarn

The first yarn that you have spun is called a single because it is a single ply. Most of the yarn you buy in the stores are three-ply or four-ply, meaning that these are three or four singles plied together into its present yarn form. You, too, can ply your singles into a plied yarn. Please note that you do not have to ply the yarn to use it. If you choose to ply, this section will help you do so.

Most hand spinners create two-ply yarns. To do this you need to spin two spindles full of yarn. When you get ready to take the cones of yarn off the spindles, you can do it at least tow different ways. One way is to slide the cones off onto knitting needles. Using a shoebox, poke holes in the sides and put the knitting needles through the holes with the cones of singles inside the shoebox. This is a simple form of a “Lazy Kate.” (Fig. 9) The other way is to wind each spindle of singles off into balls. When you get ready to ply, put each ball of yarn into a jar or bowl. The balls will roll all over the place and get tangled if you don’t try to confine them.

Now we are ready to ply. Prepare the drop spindle the same as before but instead of fiber you will have to strands of yarn to attach to the leader. Knot as before. The important thing to remember is that the spindle, when plying, will spin in the opposite direction. If you spun the singles clockwise, when plied they must be plied counterclockwise. With the bottom whorl spindle twist it counterclockwise with your fingers. Top whorl spindles are rolled down the outside of the right leg form upper thigh to knew to get a counterclockwise spin.” Give the spindle a good twist and begin pinching, pulling, and releasing. You will notice that you can pull back further when plying. Continue plying and winding onto the spindle until the spindle fills or you run out of yarn.

Finishing The Yarn

Whether you have created a single or a plied yarn, finishing the yarn is still necessary.

Winding off is when you take the yarn off the spindle to get it ready to set the twist. You can use your leg to wind the yarn off the spindle. Bend your leg and wrap the yarn from knee to foot and back to knee again. Do this until the spindle is empty. Then take four pieces of contrasting yarn and tie them loosely in four different places around the yarn. Tie them with a figure-8 tie like the figures shown. (Fig. 10)

To set the twist, take the skein of yarn and put it into warm water. You can do this in a five-gallon bucket, sink, or wash basin. Always run the water into the container first and then set the skein gently into the water. Running the water onto the skein can cause it to felt and if you want to use the yarn to knit or crochet, you don’t want it to do this.

Place the skein on top of the water and gently push it into the water. Let it soak for about 10 minutes. Take it out of the water and gently squeeze the water out. Do not wring the skein. Then put the skein inside a towel and squeeze some more water out. The skein will need to be hung up to air dry completely. Hang the skein over the doorknob, a drying rack, or a shady part of an outdoor clothesline.

When the yarn is completely dry, twist it into a skein for storage. Grab an end of this big hank of yarn with each hand and twist the skein until it is firm. (Fig. 11) Fold it in the middle and watch the skein twist back on itself. (Fig. 12) Take one end and tuck it through the loop on the other end. (Fig. 13) The skein is ready for storage. (Fig. 14)

To Use The Skein

To use the yarn in the skein, unhook the loops and let the twist out of the skein. Find the ends of the yarn and untie them. Using either end, wind the yarn into a ball, and you are ready to go.

A Few Parting Words

By learning the basics of spinning for beginners, you have embarked on a unique journey. It is a journey I hope you will enjoy. The first yarn you create will be bumpy with thick and thin spots. But it will be beautiful because you made it. Practice does make perfect and with time the yarn you create will be almost flawless. So take a deep breath and start the journey into the world of spinning. I’m so glad you can join in this exciting journey.

* A top whorl spindle can be rolled on either leg but in different directions. Use Figure 15 to help you figure out which direction to roll the spindle depending on which let you choose.

Originally published in Countryside May / June 2001 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

The post Drop Spindle Spinning: Making and Using Your First Spindle appeared first on Countryside Network.

Our June/July 2017 issue is NOW AVAILABLE, featuring everything about eggs — from selling eggs to finding the perfect chicken breed for maximum egg production to understanding duck egg color. Subscribe today!

In this issue, Erin Phillips helps you formulate a plan for selling eggs as a business with specifics on marketing, storage, and labeling. Which chicken breeds are best to maximize egg production? This issue has the answer and more must-know information about raising chickens for eggs. Also, tips on how to get started on the poultry show circuit, pigeons 101, high-tech gadgets for the hen house and much more! Looking for a summertime treat? Your chickens will love Lisa Steele’s watermelon soup with mint, and you won’t want to miss Rita Heikenfeld’s recipe for picnic chicken prepared two ways.

Find all this and more in your June/July 2017 issue of Backyard Poultry magazine! Also, with this issue, you can view it as a new flip book style!

In this Issue:

+ A Business Lesson Learned Raising Chickens for Meat — An inspiring story of childhood entrepreneurs.

+ Eggs as a Business — Your backyard eggs can be yummy and profitable!

+ Top 10 Chicken Breeds for an Egg Business — A guide to the best layers.

+ Tips for Buying and Selling at a Poultry Swap Meet — Make the day a success

Never miss another great issue like this one! Get a wealth of homesteading knowledge delivered to your doorstep, desktop, and even tablet! Subscribe today to Backyard Poultry, Countryside, Dairy Goat Journal or sheep!

+ Get to Know Pigeons — Part one in our series on these useful birds.

+ Recipes: Picnic Chicken — Make perfect fried chicken from your stovetop or oven.

+ Showing Poultry 101 — Learn how to get into the poultry show circuit.

+ Want Colored Duck Eggs? Think Genetics! — Achieve an array of colored eggs with ducks.

+ Add High Tech to the Henhouse — Bring your coop into the computer age.

+ Watermelon Soup with Mint — A cool treat your flock will love.

+ Why Are My Chickens Laying Soft Eggs? — Answers to this common summer problem.

More Great Resources, Stories, and Tips in Each Issue:

Photo Essay 12/3: Chickens Bring Peace of Mind After a Long Day
From The Editor 12/3: Chilling With My Flock
Backyard Poultry Bookstore
Poultry Talk: Ask Our Experts
Coming Events
Book Preview — Backyard Chickens: Beyond the Basics
And much more!

Backyard Poultry magazine is your best source for information on how to raise healthier, more productive backyard chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese and even keeping guinea fowl. Whether you live on a farm, call a suburban neighborhood home, or are mastering poultry farming in an urban environment, we have the how-to guides and tips.

Never miss another great issue! Subscribe to Backyard Poultry today and get the June/July 2017 issue and many more to come.

Are you interested in selling eggs? Share your questions and comments below!

The post Selling Eggs as a Business and More! appeared first on Countryside Network.

By Holly Fuller – Cayuga ducks are a threatened breed. These beautiful, iridescent, green feathered ducks are great for their flavorful meat, egg production, show quality, and their ability to make great pets. Their medium size (6-8 lbs.) and quiet quack make them an excellent choice for a backyard duck.

Cayugas appear black until the light hits them, then they show their beautiful green color. Their bills, shanks and feet are usually black. As Cayugas age they start to get white feathers, which can eventually take the place of most of their colored feathers, and their shanks and feet may take on an orange hue.

The biggest challenge in Cayuga duck care is thwarting the efforts of their predators, and every backyard has a few. Cats, mink, weasels, raccoons, and owls will all eat ducks if they are given the chance. Cayugas must be brought inside a building or enclosed in a tightly covered pen at night. A raccoon can kill and eat a duck through 1″chicken wire, so the bottom 30″ of fence must be ½” wire to protect them.

Ready for Ducks in your Backyard?

Learn how to raise ducks in this FREE Special Report, How to Raise Ducks: Best Ducks for Eggs, What Ducks Eat, Duck Diseases and Other Facts About Ducks. YES! I want this Free Report »  

Cayugas also need protection from hot sun; shade must be provided when temperatures reach 70° Fahrenheit. They love to swim, so a wading pool is nice as long as the water is kept clean and the surrounding areas are not allowed to get muddy. Ducks can, however, live well when provided with nothing but fresh drinking water; it must be deep enough to cover their bills so they can use it to clear their nostrils. Water needs to be replaced at least twice a week. Cayugas can forage for their own food when given enough space (1/4 acre for five ducks). Where space is limited a commercial duck feed is needed. Ducks need small gravel or coarse sand to help them digest their food.

Well-kept Cayugas produce between 100 and 150 eggs per year. The first eggs of the season are black and lighten to gray, blue, green and even white as the season goes on. Cayugas are hardy and can produce a large quantity of offspring despite cold temperatures. Unlike most duck breeds, Cayugas will brood their own eggs which hatch in 28 days.

Cayugas have a quiet, docile temperament. When they are hand raised, they make wonderful, tame pets. With quality care, they live 8 to 12 years. Cayugas are a welcome, colorful addition to any backyard flock.

Cayuga Article References

Books

• Back to Basics 1981 published by The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc.
• Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks by Dave Holderread
• Storey’s Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds by Carol Ekarius

Websites

• http://www.livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/cayuga

Cayuga ducks have an almost iridescent greenish hue in the feathers but this coloring fades with age to a nearly gray-white color. Photo courtesy of American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC).

Photo by Samantha Durfee

Cayuga ducklings look nearly black, with black bills, shanks, and feet. Photo by Angela Szidik

Cayuga duck eggs are a deep brown, nearly black color. The gestational period for ducks is 28 days (except Muscovy ducks, which is 35), while chickens hatch in 21 days. Photo by Angela Szidik

The History of the Cayuga Duck

Another accounting of the source of the Cayuga duck breed is told by Mr. R. Teebay of Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, UK in the 1885 publication The Book of Poultry by Lewis Wright. Teebay states that the Cayuga duck resembles (if it was not identical) to an English black duck breed commonly found in Lancashire in the 1860s. He believed that the Cayuga breed may have originated from this stock. He notes that the English black duck had since disappeared in Lancashire as it was replaced in popularity by the Aylesbury duck by the 1880s. His view on the Cayuga’s origin was supported by an unnamed source Teebay references in the book. The source was an acquaintance who hunted and trapped extensively the Cayuga region and was familiar with both domestic breeds. The hunter, having extensive knowledge of the local wild ducks, supported the theory that the Cayuga was derived from the Black duck of Lancashire as opposed to originating from a local wild duck population.

What is certain about the history of the breed is that John S. Clark introduced the ducks he attained in Orange County to Cayuga County in the Finger Lakes region of New York circa 1840. Clark noted at the time that occasionally ducks would develop a “top knot” on their heads. This is further substantiated by Luther Tucker, editor of The Cultivator, in 1851. In the Finger Lakes region Clark’s ducks soon became popular as a table bird and were noted for their ability as layers of numerous eggs. The ducks were named “Cayuga” after the native people of that area. By 1874 the Cayuga duck was accepted into the American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection. The breed was raised in large numbers on duck farms in New York until the 1890s when the Pekin duck came to dominate the duckling market in the big cities.

While ducks do not need a pond, they do need a water source deep enough to submerge their heads to clean their nostrils and eyes. Photo courtesy of ALBC.

On the Farm

The meat of the Cayuga is reputed to be of excellent taste and fine quality but the carcass can be difficult to clean because of their dark feathering. Some resolve this problem by skinning the ducks rather than plucking. Their eggs, which can number up to 150 per breeding season, can be used for general eating and baking purposes. Here’s an interesting egg fact: The whites of duck eggs are usually firmer than the whites of chicken eggs and make delicious rich desserts.

When choosing stock for your farm, a fault to avoid with this breed is small size. These medium class ducks should have males that reach eight pounds and females seven pounds as mature adults. The beetle green color is most striking in young birds and as the bird’s age, white feathers typically begin to appear on the body after they go through their first breeding season. Overall, the Cayuga is an easy keeping docile breed that will be a beautiful addition to any farm.

A special thanks to Jonathan Thompson of Great Britain for helping ALBC bring to light some of the historical inaccuracies surrounding the origin of the Cayuga duck. For more information on the Cayuga contact American Livestock Breeds Conservancy: albc@albc-usa.org or visit www.albc-usa.org.

Originally published in Backyard Poultry April / May 2010 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

The post Cayuga Duck Breed Spotlight appeared first on Countryside Network.

By Cathy Myers Bullard – “Chain four, join, and turn.” What artful activity relieves stress, inspires creativity, and promotes well-being all while being fun and functional? The answer: crochet. Discover the benefits of learning how to crochet.

Let’s start with the basics. What does “crochet” mean? Crochet is defined as the process of hooking thread or yarn to create fabric. Crochet is the French word for hook. In its infancy, crochet was most likely made using fingers. The exact origin of the art of crochet is sketchy, but many archeologists believe the practice to have started as long ago as 1500 B.C. as a type of nun’s work. Early crochet hooks were made from anything at hand including sticks, bone, or bent iron shoved into cork handles.

There are three main theories for the origin of crochet. Some believe that its beginnings can be traced to the Arab trade route, originating in Arabia and spreading to Tibet and then Spain as well as other Mediterranean countries. The second theory places crochet in South America where it was used as adornment in a primitive tribe’s puberty ritual. The third notes the use of crochet in China where early examples of dolls were worked entirely in crochet.

Solid evidence to support the exact beginnings of crochet, however, is elusive. There are references to a type of “chained trimming” made around 1580. This trim was then sewn onto fabric as an ornamental braid and women joined braided strands producing a lace fabric. During the Renaissance, women crocheted several strands of thread producing fabrics similar to lace.

The main theory behind the origin of crochet seems to be that it began when women realized that chains worked in a pattern would hang together without background fabric. French tambour evolved into what was referred to as “crochet in the air.” The lace was fine, worked with small sewing needles formed into hooks.

Crochet began turning up in Europe in the early 1800s. The work was given a great boost when Mlle. Riego do la Branchardiere published patterns, which could be easily duplicated. She published many pattern books giving millions of women

During the Great Irish Potato Famine in the mid-1800s, Ursuline sisters there began teaching local women and children thread crochet using bent needles in corked handles. The Irish lace these locals created was then shipped to and sold in America and Europe. The sold items were probably instrumental in help- ing many Irish families survive the famine.

Crochet became elevated to an art form when Queen Victoria learned to crochet and continues to evolve and develop today. Thread work gave way to crochet yarn in the mid-twentieth century and the art of crochet exploded into afghans, shawls, sweaters, booties, potholders, dolls, and into almost anything the crafter could conceive.

Beautiful crocheted afghans are also practical.

The Benefits of Learning How to Crochet

1. The calming repetitive movement, along with the beautiful yarn colors and textures work together to produce a soothing effect.

2. Working through the various stitches keeps the fingers nimble which is especially important to arthritis sufferers.

3. Crochet can be worked while watching television, traveling, or carrying on a conversation.

4. Crochet is portable and can be taken anywhere.

5. The hobby is cost effective.

6. Crochet, because of the constant varying in focus, keeps the eye muscles toned.

7. Crochet is a great outlet for creativity and helps stave off Alzheimer’s.

8. Crochet is an inexpensive way to produce clothing and décor as well as gifts. Learn how to crochet a scarf, hat, gloves… the possibilities are endless.

9. The hobby provides a sense of accomplishment when a project is completed.

10. Crochet adds a sense of balance to the stress of a high-tech, fast- paced lifestyle.

11. The rhythmic repetitive acts involved in crochet help prevent and manage stress, pain, and depression, which in turn strengthens the body’s immune system.

12. Learning how to knit, how to crochet and how to create needle-work have proven effective in long-term pain management.

In a four-year study ending in 2009, physiotherapist Betsan Corkhill collected evidence and launched a collaborative study with scientists at several universities on the role of crochet in health. According to pain specialist Monica Baird, the action of repetitive motion in crochet changes brain chemistry, decreasing stress hormones and increasing feel-good hormones, serotonin, and dopamine.

Many scientists further believe the steady, rhythmic movements activate the same areas in the brain as meditation and yoga. Dr. Herbert Bendon, Director of the Institute for Mind, Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School noted that crochet and knitting is one method to create a “relaxation response” in the body. Relaxation has been shown to lower blood pressure, heart rate, and help prevent illness. Crochet and knitting have a calming effect useful in the treatment of anxiety, asthma, and panic attacks. The repetitive movements have also been effective in the management of disruptive behavior and ADHD in children.

“Chain four, join, and turn.”

Crocheted doiles and dishcloths

The words signal the beginning of a new project, and the shiny hook moves in and out, twisting and pulling the thread into a smooth design. Whether following instructions from a pattern or creating original fiber art, the crafter anticipates the beauty of the finished product. Satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment arrive with the project’s completion. Crochet is an easy, inexpensive way to enrich one’s life and enjoy better health in the process. Good luck learning how to crochet!

Originally published in Countryside July / August 2011 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

The post 12 Benefits of Learning How to Crochet appeared first on Countryside Network.

By Caroline Owens

What do you get when you combine summer, kids, and Coopworth sheep? Sheep Camp!

The 1st of February is a critically important day for Owens Farm in Sunbury, Pennsylvania. That’s when Sheep Camp registration opens up for the general public, previous campers having had an Earlybird Registration in late January. All available spots will be snapped up before lunch, and another season of Sheep Camp will be underway. In fact, my husband David and I have been offering this program since 2004, and every week has been full with a waiting list.

Sheep Camp is a week-long day camp for children ages seven to 12, held on a working Katahdin and Coopworth sheep farm. Each camper has his or her own lamb for the week with which to learn about animal science, fiber arts, and sustainable farming. Sessions run Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. during selected weeks in June and July. The number of campers is limited to 15 to assure a high level of personal attention.

Program & Activities

The curriculum balances hands-on lessons and games with lecture and demonstration. Fundamental concepts and favorite activities form the backbone of the program, with new topics rotated through to keep things fresh for returning campers.

The first and most important day is when the kids meet each other and their lambs. The lambs are freshly weaned and must be taught to lead. Many of the campers have never touched a sheep before, let alone had to train it. This simple skill encompasses many others, from approaching and restraining the lamb to putting on the halter correctly.

The lambs are three to four-month-old Coopworth sheep: Big enough to work with, but small enough for a child to handle.

With patient coaching and enough experienced help, it all works out. By Wednesday, the kids will be taking their lambs around the Obstacle Course. The shy ones will have overcome their fear and bonded with their lamb. The assertive kids will have learned the value of a gentle touch and calm attitude. The daydreamer will be listening more carefully after being warned, “Don’t lean over your lamb: It might jump up and hit your chin.”

The basics are taught in a logical progression throughout the week. The second day focuses on ruminant digestion, feeds and nutrition, and managed grazing of Coopworth sheep. At first blush, this may seem boring or too advanced for middle school kids. Not so! The subject comes to life as the kids handle scale models and visual aids, watch actual rumen bacteria dancing under a microscope, and quietly observe their lambs making forage selections.

Keeping Coopworth sheep healthy occupies an entire morning. The campers learn that a shepherd must handle most of his own routine veterinary tasks. Key topics such as parasite control, common ailments, hoof care and first aid are covered. The kids give shots to oranges, install ear tags on simulated ears, stomach-tube a stuffed animal, and splint a sheep’s leg for an imaginary broken bone. They check their lambs for vital signs and learn to set them on their rump. Manure, blood, maggots, and other “yucky topics” are discussed with complete ease.

Wool and fiber arts are included in each day’s activities. On Monday, the kids are introduced to wool and its special properties. A sheep is sheared, and the fleece carefully washed. As the week progresses, the campers try their hand at dyeing, weaving, felting, and spinning.  Local spinners, 4-H clubs and fiber artists participate as guest speakers.

Summer is a time for fun. And games are a part of Sheep Camp. But that doesn’t mean the learning stops: A rousing round of Hide-n-Go Sheep brings home the point of how flock animals think. Nothing will give away your hiding place like a solo sheep baaing for its buddies. After participating in the Lamb Races, a child knows exactly how to train a sheep to come running to a bucket of grain.

The Obstacle Course challenges those new skills in leading and handling sheep.

Nature’s Classroom

Even though it is an educational experience, Sheep Camp does not look like a conventional school setting. The main meeting space is the 19th Century Pennsylvania bank barn, where diagrams and easels are hung from hay bales and hand-hewn beams. The lambs live in the barn next door, with space for impromptu seating and discussion. Hay bales become seats, pastures turn into living labs, and the Coopworth sheep serve as teachers. Animal Science concepts are the launch pad for myriad related topics. Strands of history, math, anthropology, biology, psychology, economics and other subjects weave seamlessly through the week’s program and discussions.

Even the social dynamics are not the same as school. The kids come from different towns, states, sometimes different countries! They range from 2nd to 7th grade. Some are experienced returning campers; others, brand new to the scene. Sheep Camp is a welcoming and safe place for all. Social cliques from school become irrelevant. The kids come together with a shared love of animals and a keen sense of adventure. Boys learn to knit; girls learn to wrestle an animal that matches their weight. No question is considered stupid. Teamwork doesn’t mean kicking a soccer ball: It means one kid catches the loose Coopworth sheep while the other runs to close the gate.

Just as in farming, one topic leads smoothly into another. The discussion of grazing behavior morphs into a pasture walk, shovel in hand, to learn about pasture biology, how the electric fence works and the indispensable role of the border collie. Weighing the lambs inevitably leads to the kids going through the handling system for a sheep’s-eye view. If camp coincides with haymaking, the kids follow every step in the process—including wishing away thunderstorms. Our family also raises pastured pigs, chickens, horses, bees, fruits, and vegetables. Diversity and sustainable farming methods become a natural part of the conversation.

Trying out a spinning wheel is a highlight of Sheep Camp week.

Evolution Of Sheep Camp

The concept for Sheep Camp arose from our homeschooling days with our three children. Being the only sheep farm in town, we found ourselves hosting farm tours and co-op activities centered on Coopworth sheep and wool for our fellow homeschoolers. The days were always too short, the list of meaningful topics too long. “There’s enough we could teach about sheep to fill an entire week,” I had observed to my husband after one such field trip. In the blink of an eye, a plan was hatched. My first career had been teaching Vocational Agriculture, so writing lesson plans and organizing a program was familiar territory. Sheep Camp, originally advertised to local homeschool and church families, was an instant hit and became the farm’s signature program.

Felt making is one of the fiber arts on the weekly program.

Pros And Cons

As with any of our farm enterprises, David and I recognize that there are both positives and negatives to Sheep Camp. At $275 per camper, the program is an important contributor to farm income. However, the gross profit is offset by direct costs and a significant time commitment.

There are only two months of the year when I’m not actually working on or thinking about Sheep Camp in some capacity.

Earlybird Registration opens in January. That means the dates and agenda need to be nailed down and posted on the farm website by late fall.

January and February bring the rush of deposits, registrations, health forms, and customer communications.

Lambing takes over the month of March—and those are the Coopworth sheep lambs to be used in camp.

Just as David and I are “coming up for air” after lambing, April and May must be dedicated to camp preparations—on top of the normal spring workload. It can be a bit overwhelming.

Each single week of camp actually dominates three calendar weeks: Preparation the week before, the actual week of camp, and catching up on things the following week. There is a brief respite in late summer and early fall after the last camp ends, then the cycle begins again.

For David and I, the pros far outweigh the cons. We do find it highly satisfying to work with young people and their families. There’s also a great deal of synergy between Sheep Camp and the farm business as a whole: Owens Farm markets lamb, pork, and chicken directly to consumers, a model referred to as “relationship marketing.” Families who come to know and trust the farm through Sheep Camp become enthusiastic customers for other products and programs.

The kids really bond with their lambs during their Sheep Camp experience.

For many years, I always gave the kids a simple survey at the end of camp. When they came to the question, “What was your favorite part of sheep camp?” the answers were surprisingly similar. “Hanging out with my sheep,” the kids said, “Playing with my sheep.” For me as shepherdess and manager, feedback like that crystallizes the real reason Sheep Camp is so rewarding. David and I have the opportunity to offer children a unique experience increasingly hard to find in today’s fast-paced, highly-connected world. That brings us a deep sense of purpose, which is well worth the effort.

Have you experienced the joys of teaching kids about Coopworth sheep? Have you tried Sheep Camp? Tell us about it!

Caroline and David Owens raise  Katahdin and Coopworth sheep in Sunbury, Pennsylvania. Their sheep support the farm through traditional means such as freezer lambs, breeding stock and fleeces, but also through educational programs like Sheep Camp, Adopt-A-Sheep, and Lambing-Time Slumber Parties. For more information about Owens Farm, visit www.owensfarm.com.

Originally published in the November/December 2016 issue of sheep!.

The post Kids and Coopworths: Sheep Camp at Owens Farm appeared first on Countryside Network.

Countryside & Small Stock Journal July/August 2017 issue is NOW AVAILABLE! Subscribe today.

Using livestock guardian dogs dates back more than 2,000 years ago. In Countryside’s July/August 2017 issue, learn how guardian dogs can be beneficial to farms; how to keep your canines healthy and safe from deadly viruses like Parvo, and how to give them a special treat like our recipe for blueberry cinnamon baked dog treats!

+ A Guide to Dogs on the Farm — Dogs bred for the purpose of protecting livestock from predators and thieves were necessary when nomadic people roamed thousands of acres while raising sheep and cattle. The livestock guardian dog would be placed among a herd or flock and left to stay with the animals. Particular breeds were developed that showed this strong instinct to guard and protect. Not all dogs exhibit these character traits. Some individuals in other breeds may show some intensive protective instinct over your farm animals but they won’t react the same way as a true livestock guardian dog will, when left to do his job.

+ A Guide to Parvo in Dogs — What is parvo in dogs? Should you be concerned about this disease if you are raising a farm dog? Prevention is key to happy, healthy canines.

+ Blueberry Cinnamon Baked Dog Treats — Your pooch will love this special treat! An all-natural baked dog treat recipe packed with antioxidant-rich ingredients, including flaxseed, cinnamon, and blueberries. Antioxidants can be especially beneficial for dogs with eye and skin problems, allergies, illnesses like cancer or just old achy joints.

NEW! Read this issue as a flip book!

In this Issue:

+ Calendula: Nature’s Sunshine Herb & More — An easy-to-grow garden must have.

+ Explore Four Hydroponic Grow Systems for Beginners — Growing in water isn’t just for windowsill plant starts.

+ How to Successfully Use a Pressure Canner — A comprehensive how-to-guide to ensure your canning methods are safe and effective.

+ How to Bee a Good Note Taker! — Keeping good hive inspection notes leads to better beekeeping.

+ A Guide to Welding Basics — From the tools to their uses, what you need to get started welding.

+ An Overview of Grass-Fed Beef Production — Learn why this method can produce superior meat, flavor, and texture.

+ Separating Fowl Fallacies From Fact — Chicken myths abound. Know your facts.

Don’t Miss These Great Features and More:  

Migratory Insects Fly Above Us in Stunning Numbers

How to Turn One Acre Into a Productive Homestead

How to Raise Crickets for Food

Top Nine Favorite Backyard Farmer Hacks

Also in This Issue:

My sweetheart (in the driver’s seat) surprised me a few years ago with
this 1952 Chevy farm truck. We are the same model! My hubby and Matt truck … both keepers!

I Am Countryside Reader Photo Essay with Denise George  — July/August 2017

From Countryside’s Editor, Pam Freeman — July/August 2017

Countryside Conversation & Feedback — July/August 2017

Countryside Bookstore

Almanack 101/4

Countryside Back Issues Available

Countryside and Small Stock Journal is more than a homesteading magazine, it’s a network where people who are homesteading today share a variety of experiences and ideas about simple homesteading. In every issue, you’ll learn about practical solutions for growing and preserving your own food, raising chickens and small livestock, and managing a thriving homestead in a rural or urban setting.

Never miss another great issue with practical tips on homesteading today! Subscribe to Countryside and Small Stock Journal today.

The post How to Raise Livestock Guardian Dogs appeared first on Countryside Network.

By Thomas Sciacca – Arguably, the most important thing to store for a SHTF (Stuff Hits The Fan) or complete TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It) scenario is knowledge. Without it, you won’t survive.

Beyond that, what physical things should you be storing for TEOTWAWKI? Check your survival items list against ours to see what you might be forgetting or need more of.

Our Top 50 TEOTWAWKI Survival Items List

Rubbing alcohol: Not only is rubbing alcohol good for disinfect­ing, it can also be used as a great ice pack when combined 1:2 with water. Rubbing alcohol also works as a fire starter, cleaning and disinfecting tools and more. Just don’t use it for mixed drinks!

Yarn: Having wool-yielding animals,  processing wool, and spinning yarn is laborious, and unless you’re already an expert your future learn­ing curve will thank you for having a supply of yarns on hand for knitting warm clothing and making repairs.

First aid ointment: A simple cut can result in serious infection if not treated properly. And because tubes of first aid ointment usually only contain an ounce, make sure you have plenty on your survival items list.

Anti-diarrhea medications: Diar­rhea is also something that people can regularly die from without proper in­tervention. Expect cholera, a disease whose main symptoms are profuse, painless diarrhea and vomiting of clear fluid. Dehydration can occur a few hours after the onset of cholera. This disease regularly killed folks in pioneer times and there’s no reason it couldn’t return.

Arnica: This homeopathic remedy (Arnica montana) has been used for medicinal purposes since the 1500s and is still popular today. Applied to the skin as a cream, ointment, liniment, salve, or tincture, arnica has been used to soothe muscle aches, reduce inflammation, and heal wounds. It is commonly used as a home remedy for bruises and sprains. As an herb, arnica is generally used only topically (on the skin) because it can cause serious side effects when taken by mouth.

Toiletries, deodorant, beauty products: Just because the world might go to heck in a handbasket doesn’t mean you have to look and smell bad. Taking care of your ap­pearance is good for both your physi­cal and mental well-being.

Bleach: The importance of clean­liness and disinfection of cooking utensils, the home, garden tools, animal holdings, and more will in­crease as diseases increase in a TEOTWAWKI scenario. You should have lots of this on hand.

Books of all sorts, in print: A good library will be important for reference, but also entertainment. Long, dark winters will be a misery for those who don’t attend to a decent library. Without electricity, solar power is a good way to recharge de­vices for digital books, but once the device breaks (and you know it will) that power is useless.

Brewing/alcohol making sup­plies: Storing alcohol for trade or personal use is one thing, but being able to make your own will be more valuable than currency. Tastes better than currency too! (Just don’t con­sume all your profits.)

Ammunition reloading equip­ment: A lot of people have a stored supply of ammunition, but once that runs out, will more be available at stores? Don’t bet on it. Save your brass and anything lead, and learn how to reload ammo. It’s a talent that requires extreme precision and attention to detail (an incorrectly loaded cartridge could destroy your gun or cause serious injury), so don’t take this task lightly. If you’re up for it, though, you could save a lot of money by investing in a reloading press.

Citric acid: It comes in canisters large or small, and is important for food preservation, cleaning, and as an additive for nutritious seed sprout­ing. It also acts as a meat tenderizer for the inevitable tough meats you’ll be eating and can be used to flavor beverages. You can buy it in bulk online for your survival items list.

Cocoa nibs: The health benefits of quality, unsweetened cocoa are well documented, and it will be worth its weight in gold as a cherished ingredient for sweets and treats. It can be used as a valuable barter item, but because of its storage abilities and ability to bring joy to a dreary existence, we recommend keeping it for yourself. And store more. Nibs can be used in themselves or ground into powder, so having nibs on hand is more versatile.

Paracord: You’ll need to tie things up and genuine Mil-spec Paracord is stronger, lighter and more versa­tile than rope. Plus, the seven inner strands of Paracord can also be sepa­rated and utilized for another variety of uses only adds to its handiness and the importance of always keeping it with you. (We’ve used Paracord to lace up our hiking boots. Heck, you can even floss with one of the inner threads of Paracord! Can you tell we love this stuff?)

Dates: Dried dates are a very nourishing, and very storable, food. They are very sweet, which will be welcome when sweeteners become scarce.

MRE (Meals Ready to Eat): Grow­ing vegetables and hunting game are essential skills, but on the slow days, it’s good to have some back-up. High-quality MRE have an extremely long shelf life and come in a variety of tasty flavors, so you’ll have a variety on your survival items list.

Epsom salt: Epsom salts contain important magnesium, which is use­ful for soaking sore muscles, soothing sprains, and more. Epsom salt is also useful in the garden to help increase vegetable yields.

Fabric: Chances are you’re forgetting some key, long-term items in your holdings, like fabric and the skills to make new clothing as your current stock wears out. In a bad sce­nario, your clothing will take much more of a beating than it currently does now, and you’ll wish you had denim, cotton, and more available for repairs or making new clothes.

Feminine supplies: If you’re a woman or have women in the household, feminine supplies will be essential to have on hand, how­ever, we don’t recommend tampons. Why? One average female in the U.S. will use between 10,000 and 15,000 disposable tampons or pads in a lifetime, meaning there is no way to stock enough. Instead, stock reus­able sea sponges and reusable pads, which can be cleaned, disinfected and reused.

Nail files and nail clippers: Poor foot and nail maintenance and health can cause serious problems and in­fections later. Don’t underestimate the importance of caring for your feet and hands, arguably the most important tools you’ll have.

Water filtration and water puri­fication: Water is essential for life so you’ll need several gallons a day per person. So even if you store enough for a year, what about year two? It’s a good idea to have a good filtration system, as well as water purification tablets as backup.

Medicinal houseplants: Aloe vera’s medicinal uses are wonderful, so we recommend having a renewable resource of medicinal houseplants like aloe vera and citronella. Can’t grow houseplants? Now is the time to learn. Collect medicinal houseplants and make sure you know how to grow them effectively for the home medicine arsenal.

Games: Along with good books, games are more important than you think to keep the family sane. TVs and DVD players break down in time, but Uno, poker, chess, and checkers never wear down and are always available to you and your family when it’s too dark and cold outside to do anything else. Winters will be longer than you think without entertainment.

Garlic: As a valuable flavor en­hancer and for its medicinal and healing properties, there is no way you can have enough. We also recom­mend storing and regularly rotating bulbs for growing garlic of your own when stored supplies run low.

Ichthammol ointment: This sticky, dark, slightly stinky goop is also known as drawing salve and it works incredibly well for extracting splin­ters. Just a dab will do ya, so a one-ounce tube of it will last years. Every medicine cabinet should have this.

Hand tools: Repairs to your shel­ter and anything else will be neces­sary. There are many antique and new hand tools that will drill, dovetail, saw, and plane wood for shelter maintenance. Invest in the basics.

Hemp seeds: Hemp is good for fiber for nets and rope, can be woven into an excellent fabric and can be used to make a good milk product. No, it won’t make you high.

Honey: It has an indefinite shelf life (honey has been found in Egyp­tian tombs and is still perfectly ed­ible) and is important as a sweetener. You’ll also need honey’s antibacterial properties to heal wounds. Make sure it’s 100% pure honey.

Potassium iodate (KIO3): Potas­sium iodate is a critical item to have in the event of a nuclear disaster. Ra­dioactive fallout can travel thousands of miles and if you’re in the zone where it occurs, you can be sickened and die in short order. KIO3 protects your sensitive thyroid gland from the effects of radioactive iodine, meaning you don’t want to be without this important precaution.

Compost pile: Composting is environmentally friendly and will enrich your soil to help plants grow. You can throw any vegetable waste in your compost pile (and even coffee grounds and egg shells), but abso­lutely no meat, fat or sweet things that might attract rodents or bugs. Locate your compost pile well away from the house, keep it moist and turn it over regularly.

Loom: Storing fabric is impor­tant, but having a loom available for weaving blankets, clothing, and more will be important. A large loom is not necessary; even small woven squares can be stitched together into larger items.

Lye: Lye is used in soap making and to preserve or prepare certain types of food, like hominy, curing olives, or making century eggs. It will also be impossible to make soap without lye. Historically, lye was made using wood ashes, but this process takes time to learn to do cor­rectly, and some woods work better than others.

Needles/thread: Don’t underesti­mate the amount of thread that will be necessary for clothing repair, and how easily needles can break when being used regularly. During the Revolutionary War, sewing needles were a trade item among women. It’s a good idea to stock different thicknesses of thread making sure not to neglect heavy-duty thread for repairing jeans or leather items. And knitting needles will enable you to make sweaters, mittens, and blankets to a host of other items. Sewing and knitting are essential skills.

Oil press: Oil is not only for cook­ing, it is also for soap making, food preservation, and health and skin care. The problem is that oil doesn’t store well. An oil press will allow you to extract oils from nuts or seeds.

Old medical books: While treat­ments can be found in old medical books, their most important use is to diagnose disease symptoms. Many diseases have been near eradicated and medical books no longer teach students what they look like. These diseases will likely reemerge in a TEOTWAWKI scenario.

Pencils/pens/paper: We hardly use them anymore, but they will become more desirable and more valuable later. Make sure you have enough.

Reading glasses: We age and along with that comes reading diffi­culties once we hit middle age. Keep several pairs, in case you lose or break them … which you will.

Salt: No, you’re not storing enough for eating or food preserva­tion. It never goes bad. Store more.

Shoes for children: Children grow and they will need shoes that keep up with them. Cheap shoes that will last six months are fine as a child is growing quickly, but once their feet stop growing, make sure you have high-quality shoewear available for them.

Slingshot: Silent, deadly, and accurate with practice, the sling-shot is a way to defend yourself and hunt small game, even when ammo runs out. Rocks can be used effectively if you have some practice under your belt. Make sure everyone in your group has at least one.

Soap: Cleanliness will be para­mount as basic societal conditions decline. While you can make your own bar soap, make sure you have enough soap of all kinds, like soap flakes for laundry, or ammonia, to keep up with the cleaning demands. Cleanliness is one of the most impor­tant things to pay attention to.

Socks: Foot health is important, and making sure you have plenty of sturdy, high-quality socks for the entire family will keep you comfort­able when you are on your feet all day. And make sure you learn how to darn them.

Sundried tomatoes: Sundried tomatoes are an all-around kitchen staple that can provide flavor and nutrition to soups and stews, along with many important vitamins and minerals. It’s easy to take sun-dried tomatoes and soak them in oil to add flavor or grind them into a powder as a thickener. They are so versatile in the kitchen and for nutrition that we’re sure you’re not storing enough until you get your own tomato crops growing.

Stainless steel buckets, milk pails, etc.: Stainless steel will almost last forever. Buckets and milk pails are easy to disinfect and clean, too. Forget plastic in the home—it de­grades and becomes increasingly difficult to keep sterile and clean.

Tea tree oil: Due to its long shelf life (indefinite) and ability to assist with wound healing and disinfec­tion, tea tree oil is an essential item to have in your medicine cabinet. It can be used alone or added to other skin preparations.

Heirloom seeds: Why heirloom seeds? Because you’ll be able to save the seed year-after-year for continued harvests. GMO and hybridized seeds won’t produce viable offspring, and many times the resulting seed won’t even germinate. A good heirloom-based seed bank is paramount.

Tobacco seeds: Growing tobacco for trade will give you an edge, and it has uses as a plant for making re­pellants in the garden for problems such as aphids, borers, rodents, and more.

Seed-starting supplies: Don’t as­sume you can just throw some seeds in the ground and have them grow. With many plants, like grains, this is the way to go, but your seed stor­age will go further if you start seeds then transplant viable vegetables into the garden. Invest in reusable seed-starting supplies.

Vitamin C: Scurvy is a pretty horrific disease, both to have and ob­serve. It doesn’t take much vitamin C to ward it off, but the lack of it is just not an option. People underestimate the value of vitamin C in the diet, and how quickly you can get into real trouble without it. Citric acid (#11) provides vitamin C, but we prefer to save that for food preparation and preservation and stick with vitamin C tablets for scurvy prevention.

Alternate energy sources: Elec­tricity and natural gas may not be available from the utility company during a bad situation. Think about how else to heat the house (such as a wood stove) and provide electrical power (e.g. windmill, solar panels).

Animals: The amount of wild game available will likely dwindle with time. Having livestock such as sheep and goats will enable you to sustain yourself with meat, milk, and fiber. Not everyone has the room for animals on their property, but if you can, do it.

You may have more ideas to add to this TEOTWAWKI survival items list (clear plastic totes, zip lock bags, generator), but I wanted to keep this already large survival items list to a manageable (yet not overwhelming) length. And isn’t 50 a nice round number for a survival items list? On a serious note, though, you may find that you’re not in a location that en­ables you to keep goats, chickens, and sheep, but this is where you need to be creative and think about creative partnerships you might make with close friends or family members who can stock the items you can’t.

Remember, the more you prep now, the better you’ll be able to take care of your family during times when others are panicking. Use this survival items list as a starting point to being capable and equipped in an emergency. And that’s key, whether you’re talking about a typical tough situation or an all out TEOTWAWKI scenario.

Be safe and stay prepared.

Originally published in Countryside September / October 2014 and regularly vetted for accuracy. 

The post 50 Must-Haves for TEOTWAWKI appeared first on Countryside Network.

Hatching duck eggs is an awe-inspiring experience. Since domestic duck breeds rarely go broody (i.e. sit on fertile eggs until they hatch), using an incubator is generally your best bet. Various types of incubators work slightly differently, so it’s important to read the instruction manual for your particular model, but I wanted to share some general tips for a successful hatch to get you started raising baby ducklings. I much prefer hatching my own ducklings to buying ducks because I find the ducks I hatch are far more friendly as adults.

Choosing and Handling Fertile Eggs

Using your own fertile eggs is best when you’re considering hatching duck eggs since you know that the ducks are healthy and the eggs are fresh. If you don’t have a drake, or want to hatch some breeds you don’t currently raise, be sure to order your hatching eggs from a reputable breeder or hatchery – or pick them up at a local farm. Shipped eggs are often jostled or subjected to temperature fluctuations and often have a far lower hatch rate than other eggs.

Ready for Ducks in your Backyard?

Learn how to raise ducks in this FREE Special Report, How to Raise Ducks: Best Ducks for Eggs, What Ducks Eat, Duck Diseases and Other Facts About Ducks. YES! I want this Free Report »  

If you are using your own eggs, pick some of average size that are perfectly shaped, preferably not covered with mud or manure. Don’t wash them, instead carefully scrape off any muck with your fingernail or a rough sponge.

Store the eggs pointed end down at a 45-degree angle in a cool location – around 60 degrees is optimal – until you’ve collected enough to fill your incubator. Rotate the eggs side to side several times a day to keep the yolk centered in the white.

Most problems with eggs not hatching can be attributed to old eggs with low fertility, rough handling, eggs stored at an improper temperature, improper turning, uneven incubator temperature or humidity, or nutritional deficiencies in the breeding stock. Hatchability declines each day after an egg is laid. Fertile eggs will stay viable for about seven days after being laid. After that, fertility starts to decline, so try not to delay too long.

Setting Your Eggs

When you are ready to put the eggs in the incubator, whether using your own eggs or shipped eggs, “candle” each egg to check for hairline cracks. You can use a regular flashlight and just cup your hand around the beam to shine it through the shell. Discard any cracked eggs. You can seal minor cracks with softened beeswax to prevent bacteria and air from entering the egg through the crack and killing the embryo. If you see a reddish ring inside the egg, that ‘blood ring’ indicates bacteria has gotten inside the egg and it should be discarded. Contaminated eggs can explode and contaminate other eggs.

It’s very important to wash your hands both prior to and after handling the eggs. Eggshells are extremely porous and bacteria is easily transmitted from your hands through the pores to the developing embryo throughout the incubation. Note: At this point, a fertile hatching duck egg looks exactly like a non-fertile egg, so there’s no way to tell which might hatch. You’re simply making sure the eggs aren’t cracked or contaminated.

Hatching Duck Eggs

Duck eggs should be incubated at a temperature between 99.3 and 99.6 (but again, check the setting for your particular model) for 28 days. The humidity level in the incubator is extremely important as well and needs to be monitored. Depending on the type of incubator you are using, the humidity can be controlled by filling small water reservoirs, or wetting a clean kitchen sponge and setting it inside the incubator. Humidity should be checked using a hygrometer, available from your feed store or online if your incubator doesn’t come equipped with one, and kept constant according to your incubator instruction manual.

As the embryo develops, moisture is lost through the pores in the eggshell, and the air sac in the egg gets larger. It’s crucial that the air sac be the correct size to allow the embryo room to grow and air to breathe before it hatches. If the humidity is too high in the incubator, the air sac will be too small and the duckling will have trouble breathing and breaking out of the shell. Conversely, low humidity will result in a larger air space, a smaller, weaker duckling and hatching problems.

Weighing each egg throughout the incubation process is the most accurate way to achieve the proper humidity levels for a successful hatch. Optimally you want each egg to lose 13% of its weight from hatch to day 25 of the incubation period. More detailed explanations of relative humidity and egg weight loss is beyond the scope of this article, but fairly detailed explanations can be found both on the Brinsea website and Metzer Farms.

If you are manually turning your eggs, you will want to turn them a minimum of five times a day – and always an odd number of times – turning 180 degrees side to side each time – so the egg spends every other night on the opposite side. This prevents the developing embryo from sticking to the shell and membrane.

Five days into the incubation, you should be able to see some veins when you candle the eggs. The air sac at the blunt end of each egg should have started to expand as well. By day 10, candling will show significant expansion of the air sac in the blunt end of the egg with more veins and dark spots. Any eggs not showing any development by day 10 can usually be safely removed as they are most likely infertile or otherwise not going to hatch.

Starting on day 10, the eggs will benefit from daily misting and cooling. Once a day, remove the lid of the incubator and leave it off for 30-60 minutes. The eggs should be left so they feel neither warm nor cold to the touch. Then mist each egg with lukewarm water and replace the incubator lid. The misting helps keep the humidity levels high and the membrane moist which assists the duckling in hatching. The misting also cools the egg surface temperature slightly as the water evaporates. Studies have shown this can greatly improve hatching duck egg rates, as it mimics a mother duck leaving the nest each day to find something to eat and maybe take a short swim, returning wet to her nest.

Continue turning, cooling and misting the eggs as described until three days before the eggs are due to hatch. At that point, one last candling should be done and any eggs not showing development should be discarded so only viable embryos remain. The incubator shouldn’t be opened from this point on. Opening the incubator causes the humidity level to drop drastically which can hamper the hatching duck eggs and inadvertently turning the eggs can cause them not the hatch. The ducklings are in ‘hatch position’ and disorienting them at this point can cause them to be unable to successfully break the shell and hatch.

Hopefully, if all goes well, on day 28 you will begin to see ‘pips’ (small holes or cracks) appear in the eggshells. After making that initial hole, the duckling will often take a lengthy break to rest up for the final breakout. This break can last for hours – up to 12 hours is quite common – and you shouldn’t be tempted to help a duckling at this stage. The duckling will then begin to make its way out of the shell, ‘zipping’ off the top of the egg and emerging from the shell.

The entire process of hatching duck eggs can take 48 hours or longer, so resist the urge to assist unless the duckling is nearly out but seems twisted or wrapped up in the membrane or is ‘shrink wrapped’ in a dried membrane. In that case, a bit of assistance in moistening the membrane with some warm water can be beneficial. Leave the ducklings in the incubator until they are rested, dried and active.

What to Feed Baby Ducks

You may wonder what to feed baby ducks. Like baby chicks, baby ducklings don’t need to eat or drink for the first 48 hours. They survive on the nutrients in the egg yolk they absorb just prior to hatching. Once they are dried off and rested and have been moved to their heated brooder, baby ducklings can eat unmedicated chick feed with a bit of Brewer’s Yeast sprinkled over the top for the niacin they need for strong legs and bones.

So now that you know the basics of hatching duck eggs, why not give it a try yourself?

For more tips and tricks to help you raise happy, healthy chickens and ducks naturally, visit me on Facebook or my blog at Fresh Eggs Daily.

The post Hatching Duck Eggs appeared first on Countryside Network.

By Michelle Miller – A new CDC Salmonella outbreak report warns that illness from Salmonella is on the rise in 2017.  Hundreds of people, over a third being children under the age of five, have become ill within one week of contact with live birds, suggesting that backyard poultry is a major source of Salmonella infection. These statistics can be frightening but they are meant as warnings. Keeping backyard poultry comes with a list of diseases that your human family could be exposed to from Salmonella to Avian Influenza. However, understanding the best way to house/handle birds can keep everyone healthy and ensures that the benefits of backyard birds far outweigh the risks! Here is what you need to know about the CDC Salmonella outbreak and what it means for you.

What is Salmonella?

Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can cause severe illness in humans when ingested. Common sources of salmonella infection include foods such as undercooked meat and raw milk. Salmonella can infect the intestinal tract of birds without causing disease and a bird can carry the bacteria for a lifetime.

What are the Signs of Salmonella Infection?

Know the signs of illness that are associated with Salmonella infection in humans. Symptoms can start within 12 hours of exposure and include the following.

• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal Cramping
• Fever

Most people recover within a week without treatment but children and elderly persons may experience more serious illness. The CDC Salmonella outbreak information page advises anyone with severe symptoms to seek medical care.

How is Salmonella Spread from Birds to Humans?

Birds can carry Salmonella without showing any signs of illness so you may not know if your birds are infected. This means anything that your birds come into contact with could be contaminated. Touching birds, cages, bedding, eggs, or any other items in the area leads to contamination of your hands or clothing. Putting your hands in or near your mouth then transfers the Salmonella to you. It’s important to remember that even chicks and ducklings can carry Salmonella.

Can Eggs Carry Salmonella?

Yes, if your birds are infected, then the eggs from your birds can be contaminated. This can happen during egg laying or can occur through contact with dirty litter. Eggs from infected birds could have been one of several sources causing the CDC Salmonella outbreak. Here are a few basics for proper handling and treatment of eggs to reduce the risk of contamination.

• Wash your hands, not the eggs. Washing eggs has been shown to increase chances of bacteria penetrating the eggshell.
• Keep nesting boxes clean. Clean litter means clean eggs.
• Collect eggs as often as possible.
• Store eggs in a refrigerator immediately after collection.
• Cook your eggs thoroughly before eating.

What Can You do to Prevent Getting Infected?

It is difficult to determine the exact cause of the CDC Salmonella outbreak but these types of Salmonella infection are usually attributed to poor poultry handling practices. Many of the same day-to-day behaviors that help ensure your birds keep Salmonella to themselves apply to other poultry germs as well, so making these practices a permanent part of your daily routine can go a long way to giving you peace of mind about the safety of keeping birds.

• WASH YOUR HANDS after any contact with the birds or the area where they are kept.
• Supervise contact time between younger children and birds. Make sure that children wash their hands properly afterward.
• Do not put your mouth or face near your birds (no kissing).
• Keep birds in their own area. Having a house-chicken might make for great Instagram photos but live birds in or near places where food is prepared is never a good idea.
• Have a designated pair of coop-boots that stay outside. Bringing dirty shoes into your home is often overlooked as a source of contamination.
• Wash feed and water containers outside.

Keeping poultry can be an extremely rewarding and entertaining activity. However, as the CDC Salmonella outbreak highlights, there are clear health consequences when precautions are not taken to protect yourself from potential disease transmission. Although Salmonella infection is something every bird owner should consider, it’s relatively easy to prevent. Taking the extra time to understand these risks and to follow safe poultry-rearing practices as outlined here will only add to the positive experience of having your own backyard flock!

Are you concerned about the CDC Salmonella outbreak? Do you take precautions to prevent this illness? Join in the conversation below.

The post CDC: Salmonella Outbreak – Should You be Worried About Your Backyard Birds? appeared first on Countryside Network.

Learning how to shear a sheep takes practice and time. Before you head out to buy sheep shearing supplies try to observe a professional sheep shearer and ask questions. The first few times are going to be a little frustrating unless you learn the basics of handling the sheep, what shearing supplies to purchase, and how to use them. Skilled sheep shearers make flipping a sheep look easy because they do hundreds of sheep a week during peak shearing season. Shearing is something that cannot be avoided when you raise sheep unless you are raising the hair breeds such as Barbados Blackbelly, or Katahdin sheep. Even those who raise Suffolk sheep, primarily for market lambs, still need to shear sheep yearly for the health and well-being of the flock.

Most sheep are shorn in the early spring before the heat builds and the flies hatch. There are reasons why early spring shearing is the time most shepherds choose.

1. Wool continues to grow if not shorn, making the sheep uncomfortable. The heavy wool begins to pull on the skin and can lead to skin sores. Those sores can attract flies, leading to possible fly strike.
2. Unshorn sheep become itchy in the heat and begin rubbing on hay racks, fences and each other. This can lead to fence damage and damaged fleece. Rubbing the wool causes the fleece to felt on the sheep’s body.
3. Flystrike. The dirty unshorn wool invites flies. Shearing the wool before the flies hatch, gets rid of the dirty soiled fleece. Any cuts or abrasions that occur during shearing will heal quickly before fly season.
4. Early shearing gives the shepherd a chance to assess the animal’s condition after the winter. Condition refers to the animal’s weight, and also health. Check eyes, ears, body mass, feet, and tail area. Check for redness or irritation in the genital and urethra area.

Unless you are trained, sheep shearing is better when performed by a skilled professional. This does not mean you can’t learn! There is much that can be learned by shearing with a skilled shearer by your side to guide you. Observing would be the first step in learning how to shear a sheep. Remember that the skilled shearer will make the job look rather easy. The job is quite taxing physically. If you don’t feel able to handle the physical requirement of the job, it might be better to hire a professional.

Having Supplies Ready will Make Shearing Day More Pleasant

Whether you hire a professional or choose to do the job yourself, get all your shearing supplies ready before you start. Have a favorite treat for your animals nearby too. Lay out a large tarp to work on. You can learn how to shear a sheep with a shearing machine, or with manual sheep shears. Learning how to shear a sheep using different equipment will make you an even better shearer.

Equipment and Supplies to Gather

• Large tarp to cover the ground  and catch the fleece as it falls
• Plastic bags for temporary clean storage
• Animal treats
• Water for you
• Broom for sweeping between animals
• Extension cord for the shearing clippers
• Blue-Kote, Swat, Cornstarch in case of accidental cuts or scratches
• Scissors for cleaning up around ears, tail other small areas

The Shearing Clippers

It is important to note and discuss that the clippers used to shear wool-yielding animals are not the same as clippers used on dogs, horses or other pets. Sheep shearing equipment is expensive and care should be taken of the clippers during shearing day and after. The clippers require a cutting blade and a shearing comb. Often the combs are designed for particular types of fleece. Before purchasing, learn which fleece type you have and then purchase the combs that most closely match your animal’s fleece.

Young farmer shearing sheep for wool in barn

How to Shear a Sheep

The optimal result for a fleece that will be sought after by spinners and crafters is one that is removed in one piece. Often referred to as “unzipping” the fleece, the shearer will begin by flipping the sheep onto its backside so it is sitting like a dog, but leaning back onto the shearer’s legs.

The brisket or chest area is sheared first. Stay close to the animal’s body while avoiding going over the same area twice. That is called second cuts and those will reduce the value of your fleece. Hand spinners do not want the short second cuts as they spin and the commercial machines often can’t make a good roving out of fleece with second cuts in it. After the chest, and lower neck area, the shearer will work down one side of the animal, the flank on one side and then part of the back. The fleece is still in one piece as the shearer shifts the sheep to the other side and repeats the process, eventually leading to a release of the full fleece. After removing the fleece from the area the shearer will go back over the lower legs, dock area, and crotch to remove the soiled wool. This is usually discarded.

Sheep shearing jobs are often plentiful in the spring. Learning how to shear a sheep may be a good way to supplement your income.

Now you have your beautiful, homegrown fleece, ready to be further crafted into roving, felted mats, clouds of fiber and a wide variety and styles of yarns. The fleece will need some processing first, however.

Shearing Other Wool-Bearing Animals

Once you understand the basics of shearing and how to shear a sheep, you won’t have any problem learning to shear other fiber animals. Llamas, Alpacas, Angora and Pygora goats also require an annual or twice-yearly shearing. The process can be similar although quite a few professional shearers use a mat system when shearing the goats and alpacas and llamas. This system stretches the animal out on its side for shearing, the animal is flipped to the other side and the process is completed.

Another method uses a stand similar to a milking stand. When shearing this way, the animal is sheared down both sides individually. Since goat fiber is not usually released as a single fleece anyway, this works out well if you are not able to flip the animal and handle the animal while shearing.

Steps for Cleaning The Fleece

If you are having the fleece commercially processed by a fiber mill, you only need to remove large pieces of debris from the fleece before rolling it up and storing it.

Selling the fleece yourself will require a few more steps to make it attractive to the hand spinning community. Washing the fleece is done in a really large tub. You need room for the fleece to soak in the water without it being agitated which leads to felting. I recommend a 40 gallon or larger tub. Use hot water for the first wash with your choice of wool detergent. When rinsing and draining the fleece be careful to not twist or scrub the fleece.  Gently press the water out. Refill the tub with slightly warm water and repeat the process. Repeat the process until the water is clear. Using a cup of white vinegar during one of the final rinses will help remove some soap residue. Lay the fleece out on a screened table to dry. Occasionally fluff the fleece to help the air circulate. When the fleece is completely dry it is ready to be sold or stored for further processing. Storing in a cloth bag is better than a plastic bag. Adding some fresh lavender in a mesh bag while storing will help repel pests and rodents.

What Can You do with the Wool Fleece?

Many craft styles are possible from this point. Learning to spin, felt, knit, crochet and weave are a few skills to try. At some point, you may want to try your hand at using natural dyes for wool. So many colors can be found in nature. Perhaps you will want to start a garden specifically as a dyers garden and harvest beautiful colors for your yarns. The journey from sheep to yarn has been extremely enjoyable for us. There are unlimited directions and paths to take when starting the journey of raising sheep and learning how to shear a sheep for your fiber needs.

Originally published in 2016 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

The post How to Shear a Sheep and Other Fiber Animals appeared first on Countryside Network.

By Doug Ottinger, Minnesota

Academia, I learned, is not all about laptops and college football games these days. In a few corners around the country, some of the best agriculture schools are training their students in the science of getting their hands dirty and making food.

Beyond the traditional college pillars and wood-paneled libraries, there are students who work every day under greenhouse skies along a path into agriculture. They are, like hundreds of their peers around the country, learning to build bridges between the science of agriculture and the ethics of natural resource management. And some are going a step further and focusing on food deserts, and how agriculture practices can help solve world hunger.

We have selected 10 schools that offer something traditional agriculture courses, while also sewing in curriculums related to sustainability and responsibility. In our list, we have included both public and private colleges, and of the 10 best agriculture schools selected, all were unique. So, to be clear, this is not a ranking. Just a list of best agriculture schools around the country.

All of the schools had to meet very high standards and actually deliver on their educational promises. All had gone above and beyond when it came to teaching methods of sustainable farming and stewardship of our fragile ecosystems. All had to be making positive contributions to real needs in our world. Some are members and grant recipients of the Sustainable Agriculture Research Education program (SARE), an act passed by Congress in 1988 to further sustainability in American agriculture, and others are not.

Here are the 10 best agriculture schools… all are outstanding.

California State University at Chico (CSUC)
Visit www.csuchico.edu/ag, or mail 400 W. 1ST Ave., Chico, CA 95929.  Call (530) 898-4636.

At Chico State, students manage an 85-head herd of cattle as part of their curriculum.

It was Sunday morning, June 19. The research had been done. With Chico State (CSUC) being one of the best agriculture schools, we knew that they had two programs we wanted to include in this article. However, Chico State is one of those larger schools, and faculty at larger schools can be managing hundreds of students, and often be difficult to contact.

Knowing this, I sent emails to two of the professors: Dr. Lee Altier, of the organic vegetable production unit, and Dr. Cynthia Daley, of Chico State’s certified organic dairy. I figured they might pick them up the next morning, possibly respond, and eventually we would make contact. Then I went outside to work on other projects.

When I came back inside the house, my wife told me that somebody from Chico State had called. She didn’t get to the phone in time. The call was very broken-up. I tried to listen to the voice mail, but it was not very clear.

Not expecting much, I checked my incoming emails. To my surprise, I had emails from not only one, but both of these faculty members! I was also surprised to learn that Dr. Altier had responded from Nepal, and was very interested in sharing information with us.

When Dr. Daley answered the phone, I could hear the sounds of dairy equipment humming in the background. She had just finished milking and changing the water at her own dairy.

The University Dairy, meanwhile, was being taken care of by Darby Heffner, the manager of the organic dairy unit. Chico State has a certified organic dairy consisting of 85 milking head of Jersey-cross cows and produces its own feed and fodder. Being at a research university, the dairy experiments with both open and closed fodder systems. The dairy also raises its own replacement heifers.

Those involved with the dairy realize that if it is to be an actual model for the rest of California agriculture, it has to be self-supporting and financially viable.

As Dr. Daley said, “We’ve been in ivory-towered academia for too long. If these programs are going to go mainstream, they have to be financially feasible. Otherwise, what is the point in doing them?”

Another of CSUC’s viable operations is an organic vegetable production unit, headed by Dr. Lee Altier. Again, the program has been designed to be financially sustainable, and usable as a model for other growers in the state. What really amazed me was the close working relationship that the organic dairy and the organic vegetable unit have with each other. Both of these instructors seem to realize the importance of the symbiotic relationships necessary, not only in the biological world, but in the business and interpersonal world as well.

One of the big pushes that CSUC is making is working on building soil health through organic and microbial means, instead of using synthetic chemicals. Faculty members at Chico State are realizing that something has to change in our current system. A number of them are working intensely in “carbon sequestering,” as well as developing agricultural methods that leave little, to nothing, in the way of carbon footprints. The university is already hosting seminars and workshops for growers in the state.

As Dr. Daley also pointed out, “Where we are with climate change, means we have to do something. These programs have to be real and be economically viable for the growers using them.”

If these programs can be used successfully in a large, commercial, high-cost and heavily regulated agricultural state like California, the reality is that they can probably be made to work, any other place in the world.

Sterling College
Visit www.sterlingcollege.edu, or write to them at Sterling College, PO Box 72, Craftsbury Common, VT 05827. Call (800) 648-3591.

Students at Sterling College in Vermont attend to the fields. Photos courtesy Sterling College.

Located in Craftsbury Common, Vermont, Sterling College is dedicated entirely to environmental stewardship and sustainable agriculture. The school offers five majors, plus an option for a self-directed interdisciplinary major. These include Ecology, Environmental Humanities, Sustainable Agriculture, Sustainable Food Systems and Outdoor Education.

As one of eight federally recognized work colleges in the United States, and the only one in the Northeast, all students at Sterling, regardless of financial aid or privilege, must work at least seven hours per week in some sort of campus industry. With a student-faculty ratio of 7:1, Sterling has one of the lowest and best ratios in the nation. The school is known for close faculty-student interaction and guidance which is why they are one of the best agriculture schools included in this list.

The learning curriculum is designed for maximum hands-on experience in the real world, as well as classroom knowledge and theory. Many of the cognate and general education classes give much more than basic knowledge; writing and speech classes teach students how to be persuasive and influential in presentations in real-life situations. When a student leaves Sterling, he or she not only has a sound education in environmental and sustainable agricultural issues, but is also prepared to be a leader.

Sean Poynter, class of 2016, had this to say about his experience at the school: “Sustainable agriculture is integrated into so much of what we do. Whether or not you study agriculture, or work on the farm, every student at least does farm chores, gets to know the animals, and sees how the farm functions. Everyone here has a hand in growing the food that we eat.”

Another student, Amyah Cazares said, “To me, sustainable agriculture means intentionally working hard for a world where animals, vegetables, and the soil are treated with dignity and respect. At Sterling, this plays out in soil tests, spending quality time with our animals, and continual planning made to improve our school farm.”

According to Christian Feuerstein, Director of Communications at the school, a full 20 percent of food served on campus comes from their own fields, and the school is working to significantly increase that amount. Seventy-five percent also comes from sustainable, humane and environmentally responsible sources.

A student at Sterling College in Vermont attends to the cattle. Photos courtesy Sterling College.

This best agriculture school teaches students to work with, and care for draft animals, in the daily agricultural and environmental tasks. In fact, the school offers a minor in draft horse management. I made the remark to Ms. Feuerstein that it certainly appeared that the rubber really meets the road in the curriculum, to which she replied, “Or in our case, the hooves meet the turf!”

University of Hawaii—Hilo
Visit https://hilo.hawaii.edu/academics, or write to them at 200 W. Kawili St., Hilo, HI 96720-4091. Call (808) 932-7038.

At the University of Hawaii, students manage forestry and agriculture programs. Photos courtesy Dr. Norman Arancon.

Students at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management (CAFNRM), learn about tropical horticulture, with a heavy emphasis in organic and sustainable methods of production. Not only is it one of the best agriculture schools, it is also one of the most affordable sustainable agriculture schools.

At slightly more than $10,000 per academic year, it ranks as one of the best-priced schools in the nation. A low student-faculty ratio of 13:1 also means that students have the opportunity to connect more closely with the faculty during the education process.

And there, food is truly a local issue. According to Dr. Norman Arancon, associate professor at the Hilo Campus, 87 percent of all food and fuel consumed in Hawaii is imported. Not only is the lack of current local production in basic food supplies of grave concern to the state, but waste management on the islands is also of very real concern.

Because of these concerns, the University of Hawaii campus, at Hilo, is involved in intense, hands-on research in sustainable and organic food production methods. Dr. Arancon’s area of specialty is the handling and disposal of agricultural waste. An expert in vermiculture (earthworms), Dr. Arancon is a leading researcher in ways to convert waste into nutrient-rich compost that can be put directly back into the soils for crop production in the island chain.

Organic and sustainable production is a very large part of the campus’ horticulture and agriculture programs. Because of the climatic nature of tropical production, battling insect pests and plant disease without the use of sprays and toxic chemicals can be a very big challenge. Faculty at the school, including Dr. Arancon, realize that a long-term, sustainable, organic approach has many benefits over the short-term use of sprays and chemicals. Some of the methods currently in use include enclosed systems of production, as in greenhouses and screen houses. According to Dr. Arancon, one of the biggest secrets to successful organic production, however, is to develop stronger plants with better immune systems. Plants with healthier immune systems have an innate ability to resist disease and insect attacks much better. This is being done largely by the use of the organic fertilizers and composts that are produced from the organic breakdown of the waste products.

The Big Island, where the campus is located, has 10 distinct climatic zones, so the entire island is used as a laboratory for learning. Not only can students become knowledgeable and proficient in the basics of tropical production, they can become knowledgeable in farming and horticultural production in other climates.

University of Vermont
Visit asci.uvm.edu/cream, or write them at University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405. Call (802) 5656-3131.

The University of Vermont established a Cooperative for Real Education in Agricultural Management (CREAM), where small teams of students manage dairy herds. Photos courtesy Jane Kennedy O’Neil.

Long known for being at the forefront of environmental stewardship, the state university is also a leader in areas of ecological farming and sustainable natural resource management. The Department of Plant and Soil Sciences has offered an undergraduate degree in Ecological Agriculture for well over 10 years, and the Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences offers an outstanding number of courses and degrees.

One of the flagship offerings is the CREAM program: Cooperative for Real Education in Agricultural Management. This is an eight-unit, hands-on agricultural curriculum in which small teams of students actively manage a dairy herd, and are responsible for all decisions and results, good or bad.

Amber Davis, a junior, who is majoring in animal science and pre-veterinary studies, is a participant. “I think it is the most valuable, hands-on program available,” Davis said. “It gives students an opportunity to be in charge and make actual decisions, that most students only get to learn about in the classroom.”

Amber, who grew up around animals on her grandfather’s New Hampshire farm, knew she wanted to spend a career working with animals. When she got ready to go to college, she and her mother looked at several programs, including another CREAM program in another state. After a thorough review, she chose Vermont’s program because of its unique opportunities and the school’s ties with graduate schools.

She told me, “Being in charge allows you to learn in a way that no other program would. We actually make the breeding decisions and have to decide what traits we want to enhance. For example, it may be udder conformation or hoof health. We also get to work directly with a veterinarian. We actually get to administer IVs, something many students don’t do until they get into a veterinary program.” Students also do all of the milking and day-to-day operations. They may be there any hour of the day or night for calving or veterinary emergencies.

Not all students who apply are accepted. Grades are only one of the selection criteria. There are four basic skills tests, and a skills test may require a student to show up at 3 a.m., ready, to do the milking, help with calving or finish other chores. The student does not need to know how to milk, for example, but they must show up prepared and be ready and willing to learn. The skills testing portrays real-life issues, that those in animal care may deal with, every day of the year. Being prepared, and showing initiative, is one of the biggest things that helps get students into the program.

The program currently has 15 students, but usually runs about 18. Another reason why they made our list of best agriculture schools is that all University of Vermont Veterinary School applicants who completed the CREAM program were accepted into the University’s Veterinary Science Program, a notoriously hard program in which to gain admittance.

University of Maine
Visit https://go.umaine.edu, or mail University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469. Call (207) 581-1865.

Having the longest-running accredited forestry program qualifies the University of Maine as a standout school. The University’s College of Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture, has a very impressive education program in sustainable agriculture and environmental horticulture. Both of these programs rely heavily on organics and natural soil building. The college donates an impressive amount of produce to local food banks, every year.

However, one thing that impressed us was the programs they offer in sustainable forest management. The school currently manages more than 13,00 acres of mixed North American forests, with some 6,200 acres being close-by University-owned land. Students in the forestry programs get weekly, year-round experience in all aspects of forest management. When students leave the school, they are well-qualified to enter into a fairly large number of environmental careers, including forestry.

University of Missouri
Visit https://cafnr.missouri.edu/academics/ or https://online.missouri.edu/degreeprograms/agroforestry/, or mail University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211. Call (573) 882-2121.

The University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources offers undergraduate degrees in various agriculture fields, including ones that emphasize sustainable agriculture. The standout offering from this fully accredited school is a master’s degree in Natural Resources, with an emphasis in agroforestry, a farming system that incorporates crop and livestock production with native plant and forest stewardship. The entire post-graduate degree can be completed online. For those who already have a four-year degree, but would like to continue learning, this best agriculture school offers a very appealing option.

Andrews University
Visit www.andrews.edu/cas or contact Associate Professor, Garth Woodruff, at woodrufg@andres.edu. Mail 8975 US-31, Berrien Springs, MI 49401. Call (269) 47107771.

Students at Andrews University focus on international agriculture and are active helping an orphanage in Swaziland become sustainable. Photos courtesy of Andrews University.

Students from conservative backgrounds who are interested in sustainable agriculture and helping others may find Andrews University, in Michigan, a fitting choice. Besides degrees in horticulture and animal sciences, Andrews offers a degree in International Agricultural Development. Well known for sustainable, international agriculture development, Andrews’ policy is to respect the local cultures and use systems already in place. Organics and sustainability are integral to Andrews’ focus.

The department is also active in helping develop clean, non-polluted sources of drinking water. One fairly recent project was a sustainable farming and clean water project, for an orphanage or “Welcome Center” in Swaziland (“Welcome Center” is used because the term “orphanage” has a bad connotation in Swazi culture).

Andrews has many opportunities for students to actively work abroad and be a part of making a difference. One current project is agricultural development in Jordan. Native food crops that use less water are being located and reintroduced. At current rates of usage, Jordan could run out of water within 30 years. Andrews is working to help the country avoid potential disaster.

University of Kentucky
Visit www.uky.edu/hort. Professor Krista Jacobsen invites prospective students to contact her personally at krista.jacobsen@uky.edu. Mail University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506. Call (859) 257-9000.

The University of Kentucky offers programs in sustainable growing practices, and students can study abroad on small farms in Indonesia. Photos courtesy of Dr. Krista Jacobsen.

The University of Kentucky, Department of Horticulture, offers an impressive curriculum in sustainable growing practices. The department has a recurring, study-abroad program in Indonesia, where students can learn how small farms in Indonesia make a living. Just a few areas of learning are traditional rice production in Java, management of tropical forests in Sumatra, where the forest is left intact and coffee is grown in the under-canopy (often by women’s agricultural coops), and tea production in Bali. Students can then take this knowledge and apply it to their own experience.

The university has a large, certified organic farm at its Lexington Campus. Seniors also have the opportunity to work closely with a faculty adviser in their senior year’s capstone course in an area of their choice.

Unity College
Visit www.unity.edu, or mail 90 Quaker Hill Rd., Unity, ME 04988. Call (207) 509-7100.

Unity College professors and students pushed the administrators to divest from fossil fuels and invest in sustainable agriculture programs.

Hailing itself as “America’s Environmental College,” Unity College, in Unity, Maine, quite literally followed the old saying, “Put your money where your mouth is.” By unanimous decision of the board of regents in 2008, the school made the decision to divest entirely out of fossil fuels.

The College offers 16 impressive environmental majors, including sustainable agriculture. Students at Unity gain hands-on experience at the College’s McKay Farm, as well as the Unity College Barn. Both are living, working laboratories. The Farm embraces horticulture and soil sciences, while the Barn embraces hands-on education in the animal sciences.

McKay Farm and Research Station (bottom) is a multi-faceted greenhouse operation that serves as an extension of a 225-acre campus farm.

With a student-faculty ratio of 11:1, students at Unity have the chance to work closely with their instructors. The school has not only impressive training in sustainable agriculture but a strong emphasis in environmental biology as well, which is why it made the list of best agriculture schools.

Michigan State University
Visit www.msuorganicfarm.org, or mail 220 Trwobridge Rd., East Lansing, MI 48824. Call (517) 355-1855.

We chose to include this educational program after it was spoken very highly about by other faculty from other states. The Organic Farmer Training Program is a nine-month, intensive education program that teaches the hands-on, actual operations of running your own small, organic horticulture-based operation.

The program normally has only 16 to 18 students, is a not-for-credit program, and designed to help those who want to enter directly into organic farming but need more experience and education before taking the full financial plunge. The cost is comparable to a year’s tuition at many state colleges, but a number of educators, from other colleges, say that the program can easily pay for itself by helping new farmers avoid a number of common mistakes and pitfalls.

Do you know of others to add to our list of best agriculture schools?

Doug Ottinger lives in northwest Minnesota with his wife, Connie. They raise chickens, ducks, and geese on their small hobby farm. Doug’s educational background is in agriculture, with an emphasis in poultry and avian genetics.

Originally published in the Nov/Dec 2016 issue of Countryside & Small Stock Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.

The post 10 Best Agriculture Schools appeared first on Countryside Network.

In case you haven’t heard, we’ve got exciting news for all you Backyard Poultry readers out there! If you have a Web-Only or All-Access Backyard Poultry subscription, you now get six EXTRA e-editions a year, in addition to the six issues you receive every other month. Yup, that’s a new issue every month to learn all about chicken care, breeds, eggs and more!

Our Summer 2017 e-edition is NOW AVAILABLE and covers the ins and outs of summertime chicken care. Join us as we explain how to keep chickens cool and hydrated in the heat, and much more! Plus, you’ll get chicken coop inspiration, fun flock photos, and answers to common flock challenges from our poultry experts. Subscribe today and look forward to four more e-editions this year as well as every issue online with a new flip book style!

In this Issue:

• From the Editor — Backyard Poultry editor, Pam Freeman, addresses summer fun with your poultry while keeping them cool and relaxed in the heat.

• Flock Photos — Reader-submitted photos. Learn how you can share your poultry photos too!

• Something to Crow About  — Readers write in about their experience in raising poultry, join us as we learn more about our poultry readers.

• Poultry Talk — Apple cider vinegar uses, molting concerns, and more poultry health questions answered.

Never miss another great issue like this one! Get a wealth of homesteading knowledge delivered to your doorstep, desktop, and even your tablet! Subscribe today to Backyard Poultry, Countryside, Dairy Goat Journal, or sheep!

Summertime Chicken Care 101:

• Help Chickens Keep Their Cool — 7 tips for helping a flock beat the heat.

• It’s Hot Out There — Caring for your poultry in hot weather.

• Backyard Poultry Bookstore

• Ah! There’s Nothing Like a Good Dust Bath in the Afternoon — Dust bathing is important for a flock’s health and wellbeing.

• Keep Biofilm Out of Your Poultry Flock’s Drinking Water — How to eliminate the smelly scum that develops in waterers.

• How to Build a Poultry Water Stand — Dirty, soiled water can cause illness in your birds.

• Homemade Poultry Waterer — Make a waterer using a cat litter jug.

• Permaculture: Gardening With Chickens — Using a chicken tractor to garden with chickens.

• 3 Tips for Gardening with Poultry — Raising chickens and gardening in a shared environment.

• Poultry & Produce — Tips and tricks for keeping poultry in your garden.

• Test Your Soil to Keep Your Poultry Safe — It’s better to know what metals and minerals your flock is digesting.

• Toxins in the Environment — The environment contains plenty of potential poisons.

• 4 Ways Backyard Chickens Help Gardens — Backyard chickens fertilize, reduce weeds, and provide natural pest control.

• Book Excerpt: The Small-Scale Poultry Flock — Excerpt from the book The Small-Scale Poultry Flock by Harvey Ussery.

• Spanish Breeds — The Penedesenca and Empordanesa are perfect for hot climates.

• Coop Inspiration: Rural Colorado Coop — A life-changing move becomes an inspiration for their new chicken coop.

And more!

Backyard Poultry magazine is your best source for information on how to raise healthier, more productive backyard chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, and even keeping guinea fowl. Whether you live on a farm, call a suburban neighborhood home, or are mastering poultry farming in an urban environment, we have the how-to guides and tips.

Never miss another great issue! Subscribe to Backyard Poultry today and gain access to the Summer 2017 e-edition, and many more to come.

How do you keep your poultry cool in the heat? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Summertime Chicken Care 101 appeared first on Countryside Network.

By Christine Kocourek – I have been involved with goats for more than 20 years, starting with grade dairy goats. My farm currently has more than 40 head of registered fullblood, purebred, and percentage Boer goats. Our herd began with one fullblood buck and two very pregnant grade Boer does. It rapidly grew from three goats to nine when the does kidded. You too can start meat goat farming with your own small herd.

Numerous articles have been written extolling the virtues of using goats as weed-control and their kids as meat, but how does one economically begin to meat goat farming? Boer goats, bred for meat, can be costly with percentage does usually starting at $100 and purebred and fullblood does starting at $400 and climbing from there. Registered dairy does can also be in the $200 range. How does one make sure that every dollar is spent wisely when pursuing meat goat farming?

There are a few things to consider before jumping into meat goat farming for the homestead. Number one being the condition of the land. Goats prefer brush and scrub over pasture. They will chew the bark off their favorite trees until the trees ultimately die. On limited pasture, an animal’s worm load goes up, necessitating medicating the animals on a regular basis. Many wormers have a 60- to 90-day hold, meaning slaughter animals cannot be butchered for 60 to 90 days after worming them. Wormer is not something I would like to have to eat with my meat. However, by making sure the wormload is low on the land the goats are pastured on and by butchering the kids while young, you may circumvent commercial wormers. You can also utilize natural dewormers such as pumpkin seeds or diatomaceous earth. Goats do not thrive well in a feed lot situation, where they live on dirt and are fed grain.

Hand-in-hand with pasture is fencing. Goats are the escape artists of the domesticated animal world. Heavier breeds of goats like Boers and lactating does who have udders have a tendency to stay where they are put. Kids, however, are another story. We use five-foot tall mesh fencing. Goats’ horns can get caught in this type of fencing, but very rarely do we find a goat with her horns caught. Electric fencing is also used quite successfully and is more economical than mesh fencing. However, the first wire has to be about four inches from the ground and each subsequent wire needs to be spaced so agile goatlings cannot slip their bodies between the cracks. Seven strands of electric fencing evenly spaced work well. Then again, wire fencing, like electric and high tensile, cuts deeply when an animal is caught in it and fights the wire. Chain link fencing is another option. A savvy buyer can often get chain link fence for a deep discount when scavenging it from demolition sites. I recommend placing a want ad in the newspapers of a bigger town.

In the event that the land is not conducive to fencing, goats can be staked out. That said, keep in mind that a goat tied is defenseless to predators, can potentially strangle herself if she jumps over an object and hangs, and still needs the basic requirements of food, shelter, and water. Tying involves a collar, a nylon dog or calf-type collar or a plastic chain collar, not a loop of chain around the animal’s horns. A plastic chain collar, made out of the decorative chain fencing found in hardware stores, is strong enough to hold a tethered goat, but weak enough to break if the animal is in danger. Tied goats should not be left unattended.

Speaking of predators, consider the threats where you live. In our area, our biggest predators are coyotes and neighborhood dogs, the dogs being the greater threat. People may be another threat, especially if you live close to a highly traveled road and have motorists who like to throw objects out their windows. Dogs like to chase and will run a goat down, potentially causing abortion in pregnant does. When a dog catches a goat, it will chew on it and sometimes kill it. We chose to purchase a guardian dog to run with our goats. Our Anatolian Shepherd was born on a goat farm and lived with goats since her birth. She does not bark unless to warn, is generally found lying lazily somewhere in her pasture, and for her size, does not consume massive quantities of food. Of course, a dog does become another mouth to feed and care for.

Another option might be to run two sets of fencing, the inner pasture containing the goats and the outer pasture ringing in the goats containing donkeys, mules or llamas. Mules and donkeys have a tendency to pursue small furry creatures relentlessly. I owned a horse that stalked and then picked up a full-grown Rottweiler off the ground with his teeth and shook it. I have also heard of several mules that destroyed a band of Pitbulls by stomping and tossing them. Keep predators in mind when you design your fencing arrangements.

Goats require some sort of shelter out of the weather. This may be as simple as a densely woven group of trees they can take shelter underneath and out of the wind, to a calf hut or barn. Whatever shelter is used, good ventilation and cleanliness go far to ensure the health of an animal and her young. We have used straw, old hay, wood shavings and dead leaves (raked by friends in town who are happy to give them to their country friends) as bedding. We rank wood shavings as the best in terms of containing odor and absorbing urine.

With the basics taken care of or at least thought about, it is time to pursue assembling the herd. Think about how much goat meat you intend to eat a year. We prefer to butcher 100-pound goats, which yields about 50 pounds of meat, which we then grind up. Many people prefer young kids, in the 50-60-pound range. One doe can yield one to four, and in rare cases five kids, with twins being the most common. Boer goats cycle year ’round and it is possible to get three kiddings in two years, provided the doe is kept in good shape, which is tough to do on pasture alone. So, if you plan on eating eight kids a year, you will need three or four does.

Now we move on to our search for the ideal homestead meat doe. The ideal doe is generally not a registered animal, although it may be if it is a cull from another herd. Place an ad, watch the classifieds for people getting rid of goats, or contact any large goat dairies in your area. Often a doe that is being culled from a large dairy because it is not producing a lot of milk can be a perfect addition to a meat herd. Some people are happy to give away their goats for free knowing they are going to a good home. Steer clear of older does who have never kidded unless you want to run the risk that they may be sterile. If the animal is older than three years old, has never kidded, and you do not have much experience with goats, you should probably avoid acquiring her. If the doe has kidded before, inquire as to whether she had multiple kids. Twins are great; quads require some thought before purchasing unless you have no problem with helping out the doe with supplemental feeding. Was birthing easy for her? A doe that had one hard kidding, such as breech or tangled kids, won’t necessarily repeat this scenario, but you should be aware of it. Does she have good mothering instincts? This is my primary consideration before purchasing a doe. Does that I have bottle-fed still turned out to be competent mothers and dairy herds bottle feed their kids all the time, but does that are just bad moms are consistently Bad moms and pass that “skill” on to their daughters. If you manage to latch onto a doe that will nurse anyone’s kids, she is a prize. Has she ever had mastitis? Avoid does that have had mastitis before. They tend to be more susceptible to it in the future. Also, studies have shown in cows that calves which were fed milk from cows with mild mastitis have a tendency to freshen with mastitis. Any strange tendencies like freshening with a hard udder, blood in her milk, or attempting to nurse off her own teats? Freshening with a hard or swollen udder may be a result of too much potassium in the feed and could be “curable;” then again, it may be a recurring issue. Blood occurs in the milk when a blood vessel breaks, due to an injury to the udder, and turns the milk pink. Was she easy to breed and did she settle quickly, or did she need to be rebred repeatedly? Does that do not rebreed easily may be cystic. Is she an easy keeper? Does that keep their body weight even while nursing kids are an asset. Less food costs equal less expense raising your meat. How is her udder hung? Is it tightly attached to her frame or does it look like it is hanging on a shoestring? If the goat is to spend its time in brush and foraging, make sure she has a tight udder attachment so the teats do not drag on the ground when her udder is full or pose the risk of getting hung up in brush. I also prefer darkly pigmented udders. Pink udders have a tendency to sunburn and I prefer not to apply sunscreen to my girls every day before they go out to pasture. A sale yard is probably not the best place to pick up a doe unless you know her history or the breeder selling her. Generally, does that show up at auctions show up there for a reason, due to fertility or health problems.

Wherever you get your animals, make sure they are healthy. And even if she appears healthy, isolate your doe from the rest of the herd for at least four weeks. Some people isolate their animals for upwards of six months, but for a small farm this may be impractical. By keeping the doe separated from the herd for a period of time, you can watch for problems like pinkeye, sore mouth, ringworm, and make sure she is free of external and internal parasites through worming before introducing her and any of their little stowaways to your herd.

I have a ragtag bunch of meat does. Our large-boned Nubian/LaMancha goat has a lopsided udder and a propensity for drying up after milking for only four months. However, she is an excellent mother, her doe kids are excellent mothers, she throws triplets for me repeatedly, and I picked her up from a dairy farm for only $75. I am not planning on showing her so the lopsided udder doesn’t matter. I have two Saanen-cross does that I picked up for $35 each. I found them staked out in someone’s yard without shelter. They are extremely easy keepers, excellent mothers, produce copious amounts of milk, and each threw twins for me last year. What a great find! I also picked up two 3/8 Boer does, experienced moms, both bred, from a breeder who had been breeding Boer goats but had decided to downsize. These girls cost me $175 each, but they each had triplets, and then had triplets the following year. They were excellent mothers and very hardy. I consider them a good investment. If you are willing to take a chance, you may be able to pick up orphaned kids a day or two old from goat breeders. I acquired triplet registered Boer kids from just such a breeder. However, I also had a person who didn’t work outside the home take care of them for me as they required 24/7 care and additional support because they were so young and got off to a bad start. This may not be an investment you wish to jump into if you are not experienced with goats.

One last point about meat goat farming: You need access to a buck to breed your does to. For meat goat farming, I recommend Kiko or Boer buck. The higher percentage Boer or Kiko buck you use, the better chance you have of attaining a meaty kid. For instance, if you use a 50 percent Boer buck on your does there is a chance that the kids will take after the dairy side of the buck and not the Boer part. On the plus side, having your own buck makes it easier to tell when the doe is in heat, you can breed whenever you want to, and you do not have to pay someone to have your doe serviced. On the downside, a buck requires special fencing arrangements, is another mouth to feed during non-breeding season, and can be quite stinky at certain times of the year. When deciding whether to purchase your own buck, it is best to ask around at the stockyards or place an ad in the paper to see if anyone lives near you and would be willing to breed their buck to your does. Don’t be offended if someone you ask says no. The buck owner is accepting a level of risk when allowing an outside animal onto his or her farm, the risk being exposure to disease or parasites. I have found my Boer bucks to be very gentle and easy to handle. I also spend the time to make sure they remain so some bucks continually test the master/slave relationship. If you are not assertive, owning a buck may not be for you. Meat bucks can get up to 300-plus pounds. They can be damaging, and we found that siding their shelters in tin prevents them from beating their horns on buildings.

Getting started with meat goat farming and raising your own meat kids can be an economical and enjoyable experience, provided you take the time to properly prepare for goat ownership and selectively choose your does. Knowing what has gone into your meat in terms of chemicals and byproducts provides a certain peace of mind. When people ask us if we have any kids, we answer, “Yes. They’re all four-legged and when they get sassy, we eat them.”

Good luck with meat goat farming!

Originally published in Countryside January/February 2004 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

The post How to Get Started with Meat Goat Farming appeared first on Countryside Network.

My experience may be unusual, but when I grew up, I never tasted store-bought jam or tomatoes from a supermarket can. In fact, our pantry just didn’t have many store-bought items. My mom canned everything from tomatoes to green beans to blackberry jam. You name it, she canned it. And we loved it. I especially loved that paraffin wax seal she’d put on everything. It was tough not to touch it with your fingers!

Today techniques have changed but not the reason behind canning and preserving your own produce. In our culture of over-processed and quick food, we want to know where our food comes from. We want to know what we’re eating has the highest nutritional value. We want to know our food doesn’t have unnecessary added chemicals.

Whether you’re new to canning and preserving or a seasoned veteran, you’re sure to find something in this e-edition that fits your needs. Grab some new recipes to expand your repertoire. Learn how to put away pie fillings for yummy desserts throughout the year. Learn how to work with Mother Nature to fill your pantry. Get the secret to the best pickles and more.

Whatever you’re canning this season, I think we can all agree, canning and preserving your own food is worth the effort!

The post Hello From Pam Freeman, Countryside Editor appeared first on Countryside Network.

All Photos By Shelley Dedauw

The best mulch to prevent weeds depends on where the mulch lies, what else you need it to do…and, of course, cost.

What is the most important factor for a successful garden? I asked my friend, Kathy, a master gardener through the local university in Reno around the time I planned my first Nevada garden. I’d grown food under my mother’s tutelage before I turned 18, but this was the first time I depended on the soil to feed my own children.

Her answer was one simple, strong word: “Mulch.”

She didn’t tell me to wait until last frost or to avoid beefsteak tomatoes within our erratic growing seasons. Nor did she tell me to amend my soil yearly, adding copious amounts of organic material. These are also crucial factors. But her knowledge gleaned through the Cooperative Extension and her own experience, told me to cover my dirt.

Mulching is the simple act of covering soil with a protective layer. Materials can be organic or manmade, compostable or semi-permanent. Whether it’s applied to avoid drought, discourage weeds, or keep bulbs warm, the focus is on what lies beneath.

If you need more convincing, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service says mulching is one of the easiest and most beneficial things you can do for your soil, and the Arbor Day Foundation says mulching is a newly planted tree’s “best friend.”

Mulching Lessons Learned

Even after Kathy’s admonition, it didn’t immediately sink in. I never learned how to lay mulch in Mom’s garden. We pulled weeds both morning and early evening, and then rested when midday sweltered. Perhaps that was Mom’s way of keeping three teenagers busy during summer vacation. Mulching could have reduced that weeding tenfold. And mom didn’t worry about watering; we had a well, weren’t in a drought, and she had trained her kids how to efficiently move a sprinkler.

That year I grew jack-o-lantern pumpkins. Did I mention this was my first year cultivating in Nevada? Jack-o-lanterns are fun to grow, but they don’t have much culinary value. And I can purchase three jack-o-lanterns at the supermarket for how much I paid the water authority to grow a single plant.

Pumpkin leaves spread out full and green within June, fed by an intermittent sprinkler beneath the vines. But July was cruel. Plump and smooth in the morning, the leaves shriveled by midday.

I’m not proud of what I did. I watered more. That’s not the right answer when you garden in a desert. Sure, it plumps those leaves back up super-fast. But then you receive the water bill.

Kathy’s single word returned to me during the second week of wilting-and-watering. Dipping deep into the mower bin, I retrieved grass clippings and laid them on a tarp overnight. In the morning, I packed them tight around the stems. Leaves didn’t shrivel that afternoon and I didn’t turn the hose on until the next day. I could go two to three days between watering sessions instead of running out in panic to feed my failing pumpkins.

Why We Mulch the Way We Do

Moisture retention keeps plants alive, allows you to work elsewhere instead of answering to your garden’s every need, and promotes healthy fruit.

Did you know two factors for tasty heirloom tomatoes are variety and water control? The first is simple: some tomato varieties just taste better than others. But a second and newly discovered factor is how much water the plant receives when fruit forms. Well-irrigated tomato plants result in watery fruit. That’s why hydroponically grown produce is so tasteless. The secret is to give the tomato only the water it needs and not a drop more. But if you’re unsure of the amount, or have a busy lifestyle, “just enough” can easily become “holy cow, my plants are dying!” And compensating by overwatering after a dry stretch causes cracking.

“Just enough” water is made simpler by using drip lines and mulch. Run the drip line along the soil with emitters near each plant. Cover soil and hose with mulch. Then watch your plants for a few days to see how they fare. If they wilt in the heat, it’s more effective to add more mulch than increase water flow.

Summer heat upsets crops like carrots, which like warm tops and cool roots. Winter frost kills bulbs or pushes them out of the ground. A thick layer of organic material regulates soil temperature.

Weed suppression is a third reason to mulch, especially in gardens that get enough moisture. More water means more weeds. And the reason mulching suppresses them follows the basics of photosynthesis: plants need sunlight for growth. Vegetables above the mulch already stretch tall in the light but recently germinated seeds have to fight their way through. The best mulch to prevent weeds is whatever keeps back the light. If the layer is thick enough, weeds don’t stand a chance.

Clockwise: A mulched raspberry bush, mulched garlic, and mulched carrots.

The Cheapest Methods

It’s not necessary to purchase expensive mulch unless you have aesthetic requirements. Homeowner associations may require you surround perennials with attractive bark or rocks. Vegetable gardening is different, especially if you’re growing food to save money.

The best mulch to prevent weeds is also the cheapest. Free materials that also benefit soil include compost, leaves, sawdust or wood chips, straw or grass clippings. Search online classifieds or get to know local farmers, offering to buy hay bales that have gotten wet. Collect leaves in the fall and store in plastic garbage bags to use in the next year’s garden. Contact tree care companies about receiving the chipped results of their labors.

Never use herbicide-treated grass clippings. A good friend accepted lawn trimmings from her church and used them as garden mulch. When her vegetables died, she realized the church had applied a weeding/feeding solution to the lawn but had failed to tell her. Though she disposed of the clippings, some remained in her soil. Those herbicides mean she can only plant bladed grasses, such as corn, within those spots for a couple years.

If you’re using straw, look for bales that don’t have seed heads still attached…unless you want to grow wheat. I didn’t mind so much when grains sprouted beside my garlic. I let them ripen then pulled them for the chickens. But the next year’s bales had even more seeds and wheatgrass became the first crop of spring. Also, find organic bales if possible, because some wheat is sprayed with glyphosate herbicide right before harvest so spikelets mature at the same rate. Glyphosate will kill your broadleaf crops.

Those Manmade Mulches

Weed cloth, tomato plastic, and rubber mulch promise weed suppression or increased growth, but do they really work?

I’ve used weed cloth once and was not happy with the results. If I’d spread it beneath perennials, out of walkways, I’d have been happier. But the black fabric heated up my soil in the summer and tore beneath my gardening shoes. I only used it once. But a tear-resistant weed cloth can help northern gardens with shorter growing seasons.

The same with paper weed layers. Advertising claims were promising: it would warm the soil to increase growth and could be tilled in after harvest. But it crackled and tore. Soon the soil heated up too much. Tilling was more of a hassle than just ripping the paper up and throwing it away. I didn’t purchase it again.

Layers made from recycled tires or plastics must be removed at the end of the season, or they can pollute the ground. To some gardeners, this is worth the work. Others would rather be organic with material that can eventually become more soil.

The only plastic mulch I’ve ever used is that red tomato film, which promises increased yield because it reflects the right kind of light onto the plants. And though I’ve used it for five years, I can’t testify whether it truly increases yields. More important factors came into play each year such as soil amendment and blossom drop due to high temperatures. Whether or not it actually works, I do like it for two reasons: It’s easy to unfold, pin into place, and plant the seedlings into holes cut within the film. And it suppresses weeds everywhere except where light shines through the holes. If you do use plastic mulch, poke holes in it so water can pass through.

The Good, the Ugly and the Just Plain Bad

Every mulch material has its flaws. Straw can harbor insects that crawl into the little tubes. Grass clippings may mold and compact. Peat moss may be unsustainable and wood chips may turn sour or attract termites.

Some gardeners use old carpet, leaving it in the garden year after year instead of removing it as it drops fibers. Carpet can disintegrate with frequent watering. Recycled paper may be used as a weed barrier but it’s necessary to use newsprint with soy-based black ink. Decomposing paper can raise soil acidity as well.

A highly debated form of mulch is cocoa shells. This may be the best mulch to prevent weeds if you don’t have pets…but avoid it if you do. Cocoa shells retain a little theobromine, the ingredient in chocolate that’s toxic to pets. Some companies treat their cocoa shells, removing the fat that carries the theobromine, which also diminishes the sweet smell. If you use cocoa mulch, be sure it’s treated so it’s nontoxic.

And though some gardeners will tell you to never use hay because it contains weed seeds, others prefer it because it adds more nutrients to the soil when it decomposes.

In my experience, the best mulch to prevent weeds is whatever improves soil after harvest. This includes compost, straw, and leaves. The worst are those that must be removed because it can be difficult to get every piece. Removing mulch after harvest adds unnecessary labor if compostable material can be used instead.

What you use for mulch depends on where you’re using it, your budget, if you intend to remove it or till it in, and whether you want organic or manmade products. Research the pros and cons to each type before choosing the right one for your garden.

Lazy Desert Mulching

After reading article after article and trying product after product, I learned to keep it simple. I work hard on my garden to attain maximum yield, but I don’t have time to waste. I don’t need to create more work.

Seeds sown into bare ground grow a couple inches before they meet the mulch. Grass clippings land around tiny carrots while leaves pack against tall, slender onion greens. Transplants sink into the soil and, within minutes, straw packs against the stems. Potatoes grow six inches, are hilled up and grow again. When I cannot hill any more, I apply straw to reduce watering and allow even more growth. And deep mulch gardening doesn’t end there. When summer heat reaches triple digits, soaker hoses point downward and more straw lays atop to keep every precious drop where it belongs.

By harvest, I’m exhausted. I’ve spent hours each day cultivating, weeding, watering and preserving the vegetables. With sagging shoulders, I scan the tired and frost-damaged plot while chickens pace behind me, eager to reach fallen tomatoes. Autumn cleanup is simple: Remove the plants chickens can’t eat. And open the gate. Poultry claws dig deep into that organic layer, separating it so my hens can find pests hoping to overwinter.

Then cold weather hits. I’m not worried. I used to be embarrassed by my lazy cleanup techniques until I read an article about how keeping a cover is crucial for soil health. The entire land gets a rest.

And in the spring, the shovel digs deep, mixing chicken droppings with decomposed leaves, straw and grass. It all rests beneath the surface to feed beneficial microbes and create nitrogen for the next round of crops.

What have you found to be the best mulch to prevent weeds? Let us know in the comments section.

Originally published in Countryside July/August 2016 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

The post What is the Best Mulch to Prevent Weeds? appeared first on Countryside Network.

Our Summer 2017 e-edition is now available! Learn how to can, store, and preserve the homestead harvest you have worked so hard to grow — from canning tomatoes to pickling beats, this issue has all the tips you need.

If you have a Web-Only or All-Access Countryside subscription, you now get six EXTRA e-editions a year, in addition to the six issues you receive every other month in the mail and/or online. Our Summer 2017 e-edition is one of those EXTRAS!

In our Summer 2017 e-edition, get the secret to good pickles; learn all about canning tomatoes; find tips for making scrumptious sauces, jams, and jellies; learn how to hunt, gather, and forage for your next meal, and much more! Subscribe today and look forward to many more convenient and informative e-editions as well as every issue online with a new flip book style. That’s 12 issues a year!

Take a look at some tips and tricks for making the most of your harvest inside our Summer 2017 e-edition:

+ I Am Countryside — Reader-submitted photos showing different aspects of what homesteading means.

+ Country Conversation & Feedback — Letters from Countryside readers.

Feature Stories

+ Beat the Heat with These Super Cool Foods — Nutritionist offers insight on summer heat waves.

+ Store Salad Greens for Later Use – An easy way to preserve your garden greens.

+ Homemade Pickled Beets — It’s like eating candy from a jar. Yum!

+ Beyond Kraut & Kimchi — Gail Damerow reviews Fermented Vegetables by Kirsten and Christopher Shockey.

+ Delicious Eggplant Recipes and More — Recipes that make good use of your homegrown harvest.

+ The Secret to Good Pickles — How to make dill pickles and relishes. Plus, what’s the secret to good pickles? Find out!

+ There’s No End to Zucchini Recipes! — This versatile veggie does it all — from cakes to casseroles.

+ A Guide to Preserving Tomatoes — Enjoy the taste of vine-ripened tomatoes all year long. Learn all about canning tomatoes from an experienced homesteader.

+ In a Jam? — Jam makes a great gift, so turn your homegrown fruit into a tasty treat your friends and neighbors will love.

+ Canned Apple Pie Filling — This works well with peaches, too! Anyone for pie?

+ Crabapples — Crabapples are often a forgotten fruit, but there are tons of great (and delicious!) uses of the sour crabapple.

+ Storing Your Harvest — A successful gardening season means you’ll probably drown in produce. Learn how to properly store it to make it last.

+ Fill Your Pantry with Help From Mother Nature — Save money on your food bill by learning to hunt, fish, and gather.

+ Countryside Bookstore

JOIN US ON OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS

Connect and share ideas with Countrysiders like you and watch for new stories on our social channels!

• Facebook.com/iamcountryside
• Instagram.com/iamcountryside
• Pinterest.com/iamcountryside

Include #iamcountryside for a chance to have your pics shared on our feed.

Countryside and Small Stock Journal is more than a homesteading magazine, it’s a network where people who are homesteading today share a variety of experiences and ideas about simple homesteading. In every issue, you’ll learn about practical solutions for growing and preserving your own food, raising chickens and small livestock, and managing a thriving homestead in a rural or urban setting.

Never miss another great issue with practical tips on homesteading today! Subscribe to Countryside and Small Stock Journal today.

The post From Canning Tomatoes to Pickling Beets, Savor Your Homegrown Harvest! appeared first on Countryside Network.

Our July/August 2017 issue of sheep! is NOW AVAILABLE, featuring stories that answer questions like, what is your livestock guardian dog’s bark trying to tell you? Learn why this magazine is the leading source for sheep information for the modern flockmaster seeking to raise sheep for profit or personal use.

Some of our readers have two or three wool sheep that they shear so they can spin the wool and use it themselves. Others own large commercial flocks whose meat and milk they sell all over the world. And still others are somewhere in between. The one thing they have in common is that they all need help solving the inevitable problems that arise when sheep farming. And so we give it to them critical sheep information every issue! You’ll quickly discover that sheep! makes your life better no matter what your interests are, no matter how many sheep you own, and no matter how long you’ve been raising them.

In this issue of sheep!:

Livestock Guardian Dogs & Barking, Understanding What Your LGD is Telling You by Brenda M. Negri
“When a dog barks it is trying to do one of five things: communicate; guard; warn; feeling happy or sad or lonely; frustrated, fearful, or stressed. Learning to logically distinguish those barks is an important part of being a good livestock guardian dog owner and can help you help your livestock guardian dog do a better job. One of the common complaints about livestock guardian dogs has to do with what their owner calls “excessive barking.”.  Novice and first-time LGD owners sometimes claim their LGDs bark excessively. Usually it isn’t that the barking is necessarily excessive, but more of a problem of the owner’s inability to understand the reason behind the barking.  That’s a problem that can be cured with education of the owner.”

Sheep are stupendous! sheep! is the leading source for the sheep information you need to keep your flock healthy and profitable. Subscribe Now!

Shetland Wool’s “Extra Fine” Legacy, Protected by Official Trademark By Tim King
Although wool quality is an important part of evaluating a proper Shetland Sheep, other aspects such as general character and appearance—head, back, and the tail—are also important elements of the 1927 Breed Standard.

History Rewrites Future, Genetic Study to Offer Useful Future Traits By Alan Harman
The history of sheep breeding and trading along China’s legendary Silk Road is being rewritten using advanced genetic sequencing technology.

Unusual Triplets, An Unassisted, Prolonged (5-Day) Lambing By Laurie Ball-Gisch
Lambing can be an exciting, and nerve-racking experience. Learn about a five-day lambing adventure.

Springrock Jacobs Earn Their Keep By Tim King
Jacob sheep have horns that aren’t just spectacular, they’re a valuable commodity to turn into many useful and in-demand products. A Tennessee farm finds a product in every piece of the useful Jacob breed. Learn how they utilize everything from the wool to the horns.

More Sheep Farming Information in the July/August 2017 issue of sheep!:

DEPARTMENTS

• Scribblings: Mob Grazing, Right for You?
• sheep! Photo Contest
• Meeting of Minds
~ “The Narrative” Affects Public’s Take On Sheep & Predators
~ Animal & Human Remorse
~ Proud New Sheep Breeds Record Keeping Service
~ Pipestone’s “Sheep For Profit” School, July 5 to 8, 2017
~ Summer a Bummer?  Four Simple Steps Help Lambs Beat the Heat
~ Rams That Don’t Butt
~ Before You Buy Or Build A Fence
~ New NSIP Certification Program
~ Federal or State Lands, Part 5
~ Old-Time Summertime Homemade Wormer Recipes
~ Hair Sheep Reports
• Wool Gatherings
• Sheep May Safely Graze: Red Foxes, General Characteristics & Call-to-Shoot Instructions
• Price Reports
• sheep! Bookstore
• Shearing Notes
• Book Review: Don Shymaker’s Journals of a Coyotero
• Poor Will’s sheep! Almanack
• News Bleat
~ Flavor Study To Oust Growers Where Aussies Send Lamb
~ Big Dorper Investments In Russia
~ Brits’ “Brief” Procedure To Detect Soil Health
~ Consumers Demand:  “Fix Gamy Lamb;” Aussies Acting On It
~ Farm Parents: Be More Careful!
~ Get Paid To Graze Others’ Land
~ How Machines Analyze Sheep Faces To Detect Pain
~ Stolen Sheep’s Hefting Instinct Brings Them Home
~ USDA’s Only Sheep Research Station Again Faces Closure
~ Portable Machine Shortens Wool Analysis Time
• sheep! Breeders & Classifieds

ON THE COVER:
Photo taken by Marlene Bell, of Ewephoric! Texas Horned Dorsets in Big Sandy, Texas.

sheep! magazine delivers thoughtful feature articles and the latest sheep information to make every shepherd more knowledgeable and better able to raise healthy, productive flocks for profit and satisfaction.

Never miss another great issue filled with actionable sheep information for today’s flockmaster. With just a few issues of sheep!, you’ll be well on your way to mastering how to raise sheep.

Subscribe to sheep! magazine today.

The post What is Your Livestock Guardian Dog’s Bark Trying to Tell You? appeared first on Countryside Network.

When I learned to make frittatas, I knew I had a dish simple enough for a family supper yet fancy enough for entertaining.

Frittata, which translates to “fried” in Italian, is an egg-based classic dish. Yes, eggs are the main ingredient in any basic frittata recipe, and that’s good news for us who have a daily supply of healthful, fresh eggs. Think of a basic frittata as a blank canvas. Even with just eggs and seasonal herbs, it’s a winner. Take my best frittata recipe, for example. All it takes are eggs, cheese, and fresh herbs to make this delicious savory meal in a pan. Frittatas take just minutes to make, a boon for busy folks.

Along with my best frittata recipe, I’m sharing two more. One is a spinach and bacon frittata suitable for Paleo guidelines. The other has a Southwestern flair and uses fresh or frozen corn.

Best Eggs for Frittatas

I use eggs from my chickens, but I have used Pekin duck eggs in place of chicken eggs. Since Pekin duck eggs are larger, for every two chicken eggs called for, use one duck egg.

Folding Yolks into Whites

If a recipe calls for beaten egg whites, beat until stiff but not dry, then pour the yolks over the beaten whites and fold them in with a spatula.

Yolks over whipped whites

Filling Possibilities

Herbs, meat, greens, cheese, vegetables, potatoes or pasta. Check to see what’s leftover in the refrigerator!

Use the Right Pan

Although you can use any ovenproof pan, a nonstick ovenproof omelet pan with sloping sides or my trusty well-seasoned cast iron skillet is my preference. For these recipes, a 10-inch pan works well.

Measure top of the skillet for accurate dimension. This is a 10-inch skillet.

Don’t Overbake

Frittatas typically don’t get brown on the top since they’re in the oven such a short time. Overbaking results in a spongy texture. If you insist on a golden brown top, run the almost cooked frittata under the broiler for a few minutes.

My Best Frittata Recipe: Frittata with Tarragon, Parsley, and Onion Chives

This recipe is lovely for brunch, lunch, or light supper.

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 oz. shredded Gruyere, white cheddar or Fontina cheese
• Romano for sprinkling on top
• 2 tablespoons each: fresh tarragon, onion chives, and parsley plus extra for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Separate eggs. Whisk yolks with a little salt and pepper, until thick and fairly light.
3. Beat whites with a dash of salt until stiff but not dry.
4. Pour yolks over whites and gently fold them into whites.
5. Melt butter in a 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet and heat just until starting to foam but not brown. Pour egg mixture into skillet, spread evenly and smooth top.
6. Cover pan with a lid whose underside has been sprayed to prevent sticking. (You can also use sprayed foil).
7. Cook over low heat for about five minutes. Remove cover and sprinkle omelet with both cheeses and herbs.
8. Put the pan in oven until top is set, about 10 minutes.
9. Remove from oven, using mitt since the handle is hot.
10. Use a spatula to loosen edges and bottom.
11. Place on a plate, sprinkle with Romano and extra herbs. Cut into wedges to serve.

Change It Up

If you don’t have the herbs on hand from my best frittata recipe, you can certainly substitute with what you have on hand. Substitute parsley, basil, and garlic chives for the tarragon, parsley, and onion chives.

Parsley, basil, and garlic chives.

Paleo Chard and Bacon Frittata

My daughter-in-law feeds her family a modified Paleo diet, rich in protein. She would like this recipe. Leafy greens fit the Paleo profile, too, so I can use my garden chard.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound pork or turkey bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup leeks or onions, diced or to taste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2-3 cups Swiss chard chopped
• 5-6 large eggs, beaten or whisked until light and somewhat fluffy
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Tomatoes for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Cook bacon over medium heat in a 10-inch nonstick, ovenproof omelet pan. Remove and leave the drippings in the skillet. Put leeks in skillet and when they start to get soft, add garlic and chard. Cook until chard wilts. Add the bacon back into the pan and mix. Pour in the eggs and cook just until the eggs start to set around the edges.
3. Place in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until middle is set. Remove from oven, using mitt since the handle is hot.
4. Loosen edges and bottom with a spatula, and turn over upside down onto a plate.
5. Cut into wedges to serve.

Tips from Rita’s Kitchen

• Serve shredded cheddar cheese on the side for those who like it. That addition makes it a modified Paleo dish.
• Substitute spinach for the chard.
• Use bottom part of leeks only. Leaves are too tough to eat but are flavorful additions to stocks.
• Wash leeks after dicing. It’s easier that way!

Diced leeks after washing

Bacon and chard frittata

Tex-Mex Frittata with Corn and Bell Pepper

One of my students shared this recipe with me. “My family likes anything Southwestern, and it’s a kid-friendly dish, too,” she told me. Since corn is still in season, this is a must have on our table. I’ve adapted her recipe only slightly.

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• Salt and a dash of cayenne pepper
• Olive oil
• 3/4 cup onion, diced
• 1 small red, orange or yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup corn, fresh from cob or frozen, thawed
• 8 oz. Mexican blend shredded cheese

Garnishes: Your Choice!

• Salsa
• Avocado
• Sour cream
• Cilantro
• Diced tomatoes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Beat or whisk eggs, milk, salt and cayenne pepper until light and somewhat fluffy.
3. Film the bottom of a 10-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet with olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, peppers, and corn. Cook until tender. Pour in eggs, stir to mix and cook until edges start to set. Remove from heat and sprinkle with cheese.
4. Place in the oven and bake 10 minutes or until middle is set.
5. Remove from oven, using mitt since the handle is hot.
6. Loosen edges and bottom with a spatula, and place onto a plate.
7. Cut into wedges to serve. Pass sides.

Cut Corn From The Cob Easily

Put corn in the center of an angel food pan for easy cutting from the cob. No flyaway kernels!

An easy way to remove corn from the cob.

Change It Up

Substitute sauteed zucchini and tomatoes for the bell pepper and corn. Instead of Mexican blend cheese, use Italian blend cheese. For garnish, serve warm marinara sauce on the side.

Zucchini, tomatoes, and onions.

The post Frittatas 101 – Start Basic Then Make it Fancy appeared first on Countryside Network.

Over the last few years, keeping backyard chickens has become all the rage. Whether it’s wanting to know where their food is coming from, a desire to be more self-sufficient or merely wanting to go back to the basics, chicken coops are popping up in suburban backyards of families all across the country. But might keeping ducks actually be the better choice? These facts about ducks may convince you.

I have been keeping ducks alongside our chickens for nearly five years. That has given me ample opportunity to compare chickens and ducks, and I have to admit that if I had to choose between them, I would pick the ducks.

Ready for Ducks in your Backyard?

Learn how to raise ducks in this FREE Special Report, How to Raise Ducks: Best Ducks for Eggs, What Ducks Eat, Duck Diseases and Other Facts About Ducks. YES! I want this Free Report »  

Here are 10 facts about ducks that show keeping ducks is easier than raising chickens:

1. Ducks are healthier

Because they spend so much of their time in the water, ducks are less apt to get mites, lice, and other external parasites. Ducks also have hardier immune systems, tend to stay in better general health and are less likely to contract illnesses than chickens. There are just a few common duck diseases.

2. Ducks are more cold-hardy

Ducks have an added layer of fat and a thick down ‘undercoat’ that chickens don’t have. They also have waterproofing on their feathers to protect against the elements and keep them warm and dry in the rain and snow.

3. Ducks are more heat-tolerant

Ducks handle heat quite well by floating around in their pool all day. During the hot southern summers we endure, while our chickens stand around panting, crowded in front of the fans we have set up in our run, the ducks paddle about quite contentedly in their pool.

4. Ducks are quieter

Maybe hard to believe, but our chickens actually make more noise than our ducks. Chickens cackle and carry on after they lay an egg, before they lay an egg, when there’s another hen in the nesting box they want, and for no apparent reason at all. Female ducks on the other hand, although can quack loudly when agitated or excited, normally just quietly chitter-chatter.

Roosters, contrary to popular belief, don’t just crow in the morning. They crow all day long. In contrast, drakes (male ducks) don’t quack at all. They make only a soft raspy wheezing sound. On the whole, ducks are much quieter.

Duck eggs can be white, cream, green, blue or even gray!

5. Duck eggs are larger and better for baking 

Duck eggs are larger and richer in flavor than chicken eggs.  They are excellent for baking due to their higher fat and lower water content. Duck eggs are also slightly more nutritious than chicken eggs. Due to their thicker shells and membranes, they also have a longer shelf life and are less likely to break than chicken eggs.

6. Ducks lay more regularly

Our ducks consistently outlay our chickens – even through the winter without any supplemental light in their house. Most domestic duck breeds are also very unlikely to go broody (broodies don’t lay eggs, so they are detrimental to your egg production).

7. Ducks adhere to a far less aggressive pecking order

Ducks welcome newcomers far more quickly than chickens do, so it’s easier when buying ducks to add to your existing flock. Whether the newcomers are chickens or ducks, our ducks seem unperturbed and seldom bother new additions to the flock. Chickens, however, take any new additions to the flock as an affront to their rigid pecking order. The result is squabbling and confrontations that can get quite serious until the new order is established and tranquility returns.

8. Ducks are easier on your lawn

While it’s true that ducks can, and will, eat anything green within their reach, as long as you plant bushes and trees that are tall enough so they can’t reach the tops, you can successfully landscape your run or backyard, even with ducks inhabiting it. Chickens, on the other hand, within days of being introduced to a new lawn will have it scratched down to bare dirt. Chickens will continue to not only eat every bit of green that tries to grow, but also dig deep depressions in the earth in which to take their dust baths or cool off in the summer. Ducks may trample your lawn a bit, but they won’t create a barren wasteland of your backyard like chickens will.

9. Ducks are wonderful for pest control

Ducks will eat every slug, worm, spider, grasshopper, cricket, fly, beetle and grub they can find. They are wonderful for natural pest control. Given the opportunity, they will also eat small snakes, toads, and even mice. Chickens are more picky about the fare of bugs. Some of our hens won’t even look twice at a worm.

10. Ducklings are adorable!

Okay, this is my personal preference, but baby ducklings are irresistible. I have loved learning how to raise ducklings through the years.

On the whole, I’ve found through keeping ducks that my ducks are far more easy-going and less likely to get their feathers ruffled than chickens. They are generally calm, smart, alert and downright funny at times. Keeping ducks wins out as my top choice for a backyard flock and they will always be an important part of ours.

Visit my blog Fresh Eggs Daily for more information on raising chickens and facts about ducks as well as incorporating herbs into your chicken and duck keeping.

Originally published in 2013 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

The post 10 Facts About Ducks: Are Ducks the New Chickens? appeared first on Countryside Network.

The common answer from chicken keepers when you ask them “what do roosters eat” is that they feed their roosters the same thing as the rest of the flock. This makes sense in backyard settings where the flock members typically vary in breed and size. A backyard flock can have standard size and bantam roosters along with any number of different-sized hens. Feeding all those different birds separately is a task that’s not for the faint of heart. But this one-size-fits-all approach can leave chicken keepers wondering if they’re really feeding the right food to their birds.

Regardless of whether your bird is a hen or rooster, all chickens need basic nutrients to grow and maintain good health. Access to clean water is top of the list. Without water, a chicken can’t live long and even a small lack of water can have consequences such as reduced egg production. In their food rations, chickens need five basic components: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals. These components are the backbone of a healthy bird and they provide everything from energy to supporting healthy bodily process along with feather and egg production.

The Basics of Feeding Chickens

There are cornerstones of feeding chickens correctly. Chickens are omnivores so they enjoy a varied diet. This can be achieved by feeding a good quality, fresh commercial feed and then supplementing for variety which can come in many different ways. Feeding chickens kitchen scraps is fun for both you and your chickens plus it helps to reduce kitchen waste and put it to good use. Scratch grains are also a popular chicken treat. When feeding chickens scraps from the kitchen and scratch grains, remember that they are treats so they should be limited to no more than 10 percent of a chicken’s overall diet. Free ranging allows birds exercise, mental stimulation and access to forage plus insects and small animals. Free ranging does not have limits, in fact, the more the merrier!

When your birds are young and not yet sexually mature, what to feed chickens is easy, there’s no need to worry about feeding different food to roosters and hens. Their nutritional requirements at that age are the same. Once pullets reach egg laying age, they need to switch to a diet that’s higher in calcium to promote strong eggshells and healthy bones. This usually means flock owners will switch from starter/grower type feed to a layer feed.

An Unclear Direction for What Do Roosters Eat

Once your roosters are mature and hopefully being good flock protectors and good citizens with no rooster attacks taking place, then you have a choice to make: to feed your roosters a separate feed or not. Science and research about what do roosters eat and what should roosters eat is unclear and recommendations vary. Sadly, for the noble rooster, this is probably because most roosters end up in the stew pot at a young age and more value is put on the life and longevity of a laying hen, so that’s where all the studies are done.

Here’s what we do know. Too much calcium in young pullets can cause kidney damage. From this fact, it’s often extrapolated that too much calcium in roosters causes kidney damage. There have been studies about the effect of calcium on rooster fertility. Typical layer rations did not affect fertility but the study did not address health concerns. There have been studies on stone formation in the semen ducts of roosters. The stones contained high amounts of calcium but this was not directly linked to diet, in fact, it was associated with viral diseases. In commercial operations, they will feed their roosters separately, but that is done because they are tracking and limiting the food roosters get.

So what are the options for a backyard chicken owner?

• The first and most popular option is to feed every bird in the flock layer feed.
• If you have a rooster bachelor pad or the ability to feed your roosters separately, then you may want to consider not feeding them a layer feed but choosing an all flock/flock raiser type of feed. These feeds are designed for a flock with roosters and other types of poultry. This gives roosters a lower calcium level and higher protein level.
• Last but not least, you can feed your combined flock of roosters and laying hens an all flock/flock raiser feed and then offer calcium free choice. Many people observe that when offering free choice calcium, they’ll see the hens taking what they need but never see the roosters express interest in the calcium.

The unclear science in this area makes it hard to give a firm feed recommendation for what do roosters eat. It’s really a personal choice that each flock owner must make individually. The science is clear on one point, whatever you choose to feed your roosters, make sure it’s a fresh commercial feed supplemented with nutritional, but limited treats and some good free range time along with plenty of fresh water. Those are the keys to a healthy chicken no matter the sex.

In your mixed flock, what do roosters eat? Do you feed them separately? Do you feed them a different commercial ration? Let us know in the comments below.

The post Are You Wondering What Do Roosters Eat? appeared first on Countryside Network.

Our August/September 2017 issue is NOW AVAILABLE! Learn how therapy chickens are gaining in popularity, check out cool chicken coops from readers, including our three Coolest Coops contest winners, and see pictures and facts about the tallest chicken breed in the world. Subscribe today!

In this issue, take a peek inside the world of therapy chickens. The therapeutic value of taking dogs to visit hospitals, special needs centers, schools, and nursing homes is well known. Providing companionship, confidence, and a feeling of well-being to people in need. But therapy chickens? Yes! See how therapy chickens are helping in many ways. Also, check out some cool coop ideas as we announce our 2017 Coolest Coops winners. From small details to extravagant ideas, you are sure to find something you love! Looking for a good frittata recipe? Look no further, we have some recipes that are sure to be a hit. Plus, keep your show chickens healthy, meet the Malay chicken, discover the six basics for chicken coop design, and much more!

Find all this and more in your August/September 2017 issue of Backyard Poultry magazine! Also, with this issue, you can view it as a new flip book style!

In this Issue:

+ Celebrating the Cool Chicken Coops Across America — Winner: Editors’ Choice, Winners: Voters’ Choice, Honorable Mentions

+ My Journey with Chickens— Starting young, and with inspiration from Grandpa, a passion for chicken keeping is born.

+ Therapy Chickens Gaining Popularity — A look at the growing use for chickens in therapy in the United States and abroad.

+ Bethel Home Helping Hens — A Project to help a sick grandmother helps an entire community.

Never miss another great issue like this one! Get a wealth of homesteading knowledge delivered to your doorstep, desktop, and even tablet! Subscribe today to Backyard Poultry, Countryside, Dairy Goat Journal or sheep!

+ From Rollers to Racers: Explore Pigeon Types and Breeds — Meet the colorful and unique pigeon breeds available for fanciers.

+ Frittatas 101 — Start Basic Then Make it Fancy — A quick and easy weeknight dinner that’s delicious and nutritious.

+ Keeping Show Chickens Healthy — Tips to make sure your flock stays healthy at home and away.

+ Tall & Proud — Meet the Malay Chicken — A unique addition to a backyard flock.

+ Six Basics for Chicken Coop Design — The coolest coops offer the basics!

+ Breeding to Establish Traits You Want in a Backyard Flock — You don’t have to rely on a commercial breeder to meet your needs.

+ Chickens in a Minute: Molting 101 — Molting 101: Know why chickens lose and replace feathers.

+ Protein-Packed Smoothies for Molting Chickens — Extra nutrition for a healthy molt.

More Great Resources, Stories, and Tips in Each Issue:
From The Editor: Coop Inspiration
Backyard Poultry Bookstore
Poultry Talk
Coming Events
Flock Photos
And much more!

Backyard Poultry magazine is your best source for information on how to raise healthier, more productive backyard chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese and even keeping guinea fowl. Whether you live on a farm, call a suburban neighborhood home, or are mastering poultry farming in an urban environment, we have the how-to guides and tips.

Never miss another great issue! Subscribe to Backyard Poultry today and get the August/July 2017 issue and many more to come.

Do you have a custom-build cool chicken coop to share? We’d love to see it! Link to your photos in the comments.

The post Cool Chicken Coops, Therapy Chickens and More! appeared first on Countryside Network.

 Countryside & Small Stock Journal September/October 2017 issue is NOW AVAILABLE! Subscribe today and learn how to get rid of rats and mice naturally.

Ahhhh! Fall! It’s such a welcome relief from the heat of summer. It’s a time of plenty and a time of preparation. It’s a busy time and a hopeful time as food for winter is stored and gardens are planted to sleep before the new growing season.

This issue is packed with everything you need during this transitional time of year. For preserving the garden’s bounty, learn the best heat sources for canning in this last segment of our canning series. Also, learn how to keep your food and family safe by knowing the signs and symptoms of botulism and how to avoid this disease altogether.

Whether you’re busy taking the kids to sports practices and games or working around the homestead, our easy and delicious soup and bread recipes will make sure everyone has a hearty meal to keep them going.

Before winter sets in, make sure your driveway and farm roads are in tip-top shape by using the proper tools and techniques for the job. And, stay warm as cooler air moves in by exploring the best wood stoves for off-grid living.

As you’re cleaning up your gardens from summer crops, why not save a spot to plant some saffron bulbs so you have access to this expensive and rare spice. It may even add some unique zest to your farm goods for sale!

Keep your livestock and their barns protected by learning the health threat posed by mice and how to get rid of rats naturally by using rat-hunting dogs.

As fall calves are being born, know when to intervene and not to intervene so that mom and calf are safe. And, if you’re considering starting beekeeping, learn how to find a mentor and benefit from their advice and experience.

Whew! That’s quite a list!

Last, but certainly not least, take some time to rejuvenate yourself and enjoy the beauty of fall.

-Pam Freeman, Editor

 

__________________________________________________________________

In this Issue:

Feature Stories on How to Get Rid of Rats and Mice:

+ Rat-Hunting Dogs: An Organic Pest Control Option —  Remove pesky rats without chemicals.

+ Understanding Hantavirus — Understand Hantavirus to better protect yourself.

+ Natural Ways to Get Rid of Mice — Keep rats and mice out of your home and barn without poisons.

NEW! Read this issue as a flip book!

In this Issue:

+ Don’t Be Fooled: Growing Saffron is Easy! — Learn to grow this expensive and rare spice.

+ Phytoremediation Plants Clean Contaminated Soil — Using plants to make soil healthy is an option for big companies and homesteaders alike.

+ Heat Source Options for Canning — Make sure you’ve got the right heat source for your end product.

+ Ladle & Loaf — Harvest Soups and Breads for Autumn — Easy and yummy recipes for fall meals.

+ How to Find a Beekeeping Mentor — A little help and guidance can mean success!

+ Popular Meat Chicken Breeds — Explore the pros and cons of two popular meat chicken breeds — Cornish Cross and Red Ranger.

Don’t Miss These Great Features and More:  

Understanding How Botulism Causes Illness

Making a Smooth Ride

Exploring Wood-Burning Stoves for Off-Grid Living

How to Assist a Cow Giving Birth

Also in This Issue:

I Am Countryside Reader Photo Essay with Alisha Galbraith — September/October 2017

From Countryside’s Editor, Pam Freeman — September/October 2017

Countryside Conversation & Feedback — September/October 2017

Countryside Bookstore

Almanack 101/5

Countryside Back Issues Available

Countryside and Small Stock Journal is more than a homesteading magazine, it’s a network where people who are homesteading today share a variety of experiences and ideas about simple homesteading. In every issue, you’ll learn about practical solutions for growing and preserving your own food, raising chickens and small livestock, and managing a thriving homestead in a rural or urban setting.

Never miss another great issue with practical tips on homesteading today! Subscribe to Countryside and Small Stock Journal today.

The post How to Get Rid of Rats and Mice appeared first on Countryside Network.

By Mary Jane Toth – Goat milk soap is gentle to the skin. When used in soap, one delightful goat milk benefit is that it delivers calcium to the skin, making it smoother and healthier. Homemade glycerin soap also helps the skin retain its natural moisture. In this article, I’ll tell you how to make soap using one basic goat milk soap recipe and five variations.

Glycerin is created naturally during the process of soap making. Commercial soap manufacturers remove this by-product by means of steam extraction. It is used to make ointments and lotions. While the cleansing action of homemade soap and commercial soap are the same, the homemade soaps do not bubble as well. If you need the bubbles to make you feel clean, you can try adding coconut oil to any goat milk soap recipe or other homemade soap recipes.

Coconut oil is used to replace some of the fat called for in a soap recipe. If you add 2 cups of oil, then you must reduce an equal amount of the fat. Coconut oil melts easily, by placing a container full of oil in warm water. Add 1 ounce of oatmeal, ground almonds, or cornmeal to create a natural and gentle scrubbing soap.

Natural homemade soap varies in color from pale yellow to dark tan, depending on the ingredients and type of fat used. Artificial color may be added using natural vegetable dyes, such as beet, spinach or carrots; or food coloring.

Experiment with colors. Add just before the soap is poured into the molds. Wavy strips of color can be achieved by stirring less or in different directions. If a lighter colored soap is desired, add the lye to the proper water amount for the recipe. Allow the lye mixture to cool to about 85ºF before adding the milk. Essential oils are powerful aromatic substances extracted from flowers, herbs, and animals. They may be purchased from the drug store or a specialty shop. Add the oil to the soap mixture in small amounts, at the end of the stirring procedure, just before pouring into the molds. Do not add the scent too soon, or the aroma will weaken from the heat of the lye. Popular fragrances are bayberry, rosemary, jasmine, carnation, or musk. Do not add perfumes or toilet waters. The alcohol content may interfere with the saponification process.

Soap molds can be plain or fancy. Experiment with shapes. We have used plastic-lined boxes and plastic storage trays for making square bars. Recycle old shampoo bottles and margarine tubs for round palm-sized bath bars. Place a piece of rope in the mold before pouring and create soap on a rope. I often use a cardboard box. Just be sure to line it with plastic wrap before pouring in the soap. Then you can get the whole block out and cut it into nice rectangular bars.

You can use a potato peeler to smooth and bevel the edges of your bars. Polish with a terry cloth towel to give the soap a glossy shine. Save your soap shavings. They make a great milk bath. We have even used them to wash clothes in. It dissolves best in very hot water.

Plan on making soap with lye, fat, and water. Those are the basics. The addition of milk or honey adds nutrients for the skin and produces soap with many variations in color. Beef tallow will produce the hardest soap. Combining beef fat and lard will require a different temperature than pure lard. Goat tallow can be rendered and also used for soap making.

Fat to Lye Temperature Chart

Beef tallow = 130ºF Lye = 95ºF
Goat tallow = 95ºF Lye = 85ºF
Pure lard = 85ºF Lye = 75ºF
1/2 beef & 1/2 lard = 110ºF Lye = 85ºF

Soap making requires exact temperatures, constant stirring, and aging or curing that cannot be hurried. Aging takes at least 4-5 weeks. Using homemade soap before it’s properly aged can be harsh on the skin, or cause an allergic reaction.

Use only stainless steel or enamel containers. Chemical reactions will cause aluminum, tin or iron pots to corrode or rust. To stir the soap mixture, use stainless or wooden spoons.

It is a good idea to have a couple of thermometers on hand to test the temperatures of the fat and lye at the same time. The use of pure lye crystals is recommended for our recipes. The chemical compound for lye is sodium hydroxide. Always use pure lye, such as Red Devil Lye® brand. Do not use a crystal drain opener such as Draino®. This type of product will not work. Drain openers have other chemicals added to the lye.

Wear rubber gloves and protective clothing when handling the caustic lye. Be very careful not to splash the lye mixture onto your skin, clothing or work surfaces. If spilled, rinse immediately with cool water. Work in a well-ventilated area. Avoid breathing the fumes from the lye mixture. Always add the lye to the liquid slowly. Never add the liquid to the lye. Serious splash burns may result.

Use soft or distilled water to dissolve the lye crystals, before adding the milk. The water/lye mixture will heat up quickly to a very hot temperature. Let mixture cool before adding milk. When the goat milk is added to the diluted lye, it will turn a bright yellow or orange. Sometimes the milk will curdle in the diluted lye. Don’t be alarmed. This is normal. The mixture will blend back together when the warmed lard or fat is added. Always add the melted fat to the cooled lye mixture. In a thin stream, slowly pour the fat into the lye, while stirring in one direction. Slowly stir in one direction for 15-30 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken. If you stir too fast, the mixture may curdle or refuse to gel. If the mixture does not thicken within a half hour, and there is a greasy film on the top, the mixture is too warm. Set the container in cool water and stir from the sides and bottom. If the mixture is lumpy, it is too cold. Set the container in warm water and stir until the lumps disappear.

When the soap mixture has reached the consistency of honey, pour into molds. Place the filled molds in an out of the way place and allow the soap to cure for 24-48 hours.

Remove from molds and cut into bars or desired shapes. Separate bars and allow the soap to air-dry and cure for 4-5 weeks. Curing lets the lye mellow out, making the soap safe to use on even the most delicate skin. When cutting, use a long knife or fishing line. Try to cut in long firm strokes, not a sawing motion, or the soap may crumble or break. If your soap is crumbly after curing, it can be reclaimed.

Reclaiming Soap

Cut the soap into fine pieces. Add water, approximately 1 cup per bar or just enough to cover the soap pieces. Dissolve over low heat, stirring occasionally.

When the soap lumps disappear, increase the heat and boil until mixture begins to thicken. Pour back into molds and let harden for 24-48 hours. Cut into bars and air dry again.

Basic Goat Milk Soap Recipe

3 cups cool distilled water
12 oz. lye
2 cups goat milk
12 cups lard or rendered fat

Place water into a large stainless steel or enamel container. Carefully, stir the lye into water. Allow the diluted lye to cool to 85ºF. Add milk and stir 5 minutes.

Wear rubber gloves and long sleeves while stirring. The mixture will get very, very hot. Allow lye mixture to cool down to 75ºF. This may take an hour or more.

When the lye mixture has cooled to the proper temperature, warm the lard to 85ºF. In a slow steady stream, pour the warmed lard into the cooled lye. Stir constantly while pouring. Be careful not to add the warm lard too fast. Continue stirring until the soap mixture reaches the consistency of thick honey. This will take 20-30 minutes.

When thick, pour into prepared molds. Cover with plastic wrap. Place several layers of newspapers or old blankets over the top, to insulate. The raw soap needs to retain its own heat so that the saponification process can take place.

Variations of the Basic Goat Milk Soap Recipe

Castile Soap

3¼ cups olive oil
7½ cups beef tallow or fat
3 cups goat milk
12 oz. lye
1 cup cool distilled water

Follow basic soap directions. Cool lye mixture to 85ºF. Warm fat to 110ºF. Add warmed fat to lye mixture. Stir until thickened. Pour into molds. Cure for 4-6 weeks.

Dry Skin Bar

9 oz. castor oil
2¾ cups coconut oil
4 cups lard
12 oz. lye
2¾ cups olive oil
1 cup cool distilled water
3 cups goat milk

Follow basic soap directions. Cool lye mixture to 75ºF. Mix and warm oils to 85ºF. Add oils to lye mixture. Stir until thickened. Pour into molds. Cure 4-6 weeks.

Goat Milk Honey Soap

12 cups lard or rendered fat
4 cups goat milk
½ cup honey
12 oz. lye
1 cups hot water

Follow basic soap directions. Dissolve honey in 1 cup hot water. Add milk. Stir well to mix. Slowly add lye crystals. Stir well to mix. Cool lye mixture to 75ºF. Warm the lard to 85ºF. Add oil to lye mixture. Stir until thickened. Pour into molds. Cure for 4-6 weeks.

Luxury Soap

2 cups shortening
3 tablespoons scented oil
1 cup olive oil
1 cup goat milk
1 cup peanut oil
1/3 cup cool distilled water
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons lye

Follow basic soap directions. Cool lye mixture to 90ºF. Mix and warm oils to 90ºF. Add oil to lye mixture. Stir until thickened. Add scented oil just before pouring into molds. Cure for 4-6 weeks.

Oatmeal and Honey Soap

4 cups lard
1 cup cool distilled water
5 cups goat milk
12 oz. lye
½ cup honey
2 cups dry oatmeal, refined

Follow basic goat milk soap recipe directions. Cool lye mixture to 85ºF. Stir in the refined oatmeal and honey, mix well. Warm the lard to 85ºF. Add oil to lye mixture. Stir to mix.

Using an electric mixer, mix on high speed for 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Mix again for 5 minutes. Watch closely, the soap will thicken suddenly. Pour into molds. Cure for 4-6 weeks.

Enjoy these goat milk soap recipes and happy soapmaking!

Originally published in Dairy Goat Journal November / December 2012 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

The post A Wonderful Goat Milk Soap Recipe with 5 Variations appeared first on Countryside Network.

By Jen Pitino – Many people wonder when do chickens molt? Molting, the chicken pundits tell us, is supposed to happen in either spring or at the end of summer as we slip in to fall weather and shorter days. According to the experts, the molting bird will lose and replace its feathers in a matter of a few weeks.

But what should we do when molting does not occur in the “normal” manner? A few days before Christmas, I found my favorite hen, Frida, in the coop suddenly looking quite bedraggled and partially naked. She is a singularly minded hen who routinely chooses not follow conventional wisdom (even chicken wisdom). Frida began her molt approximately seven months earlier in mid-summer.

Unbeknownst to me, back in early June, Frida began her first adult molt. She quietly lost the feathers down both sides of her torso. I hadn’t noticed that she was molting right away because you could not see the missing feathers. You had to pick her up and feel nude chicken skin under your hand to discover that she was shedding plumage. Also at that time, she was enjoying the life of a free-range chicken every day, so the coop was not filled with tell-tale feathers. Consequently, when I did discover Frida’s nude side panels I was shocked and distressed.

Frida continued to lay regularly. She also failed to grow in pin feathers in the appropriate time range according to the experts. It simply did not appear to be a molt to me. I worried that she was diseased or parasite ridden; maybe chicken mites? Much to her chagrin, I checked and rechecked her and the coop for lice and mites. When I failed to discover any I gave her a delousing bath anyway and treated the coop heavily with diatomaceous earth for good measure. I decided to let nature take its course after that.

I was stunned when I found Frida tailless and bare chested one day in the coop on a snowy and cold winter day. I could not understand why Frida would choose such an inopportune season to chuck her feathers in a massive molt. Worried for her well-being, I began a deeper study on molting and looked for ways to help her through the process. The following is what I learned.

Molting Basics

Molting is a natural and necessary process by which chickens lose old, broken, worn out and soiled feathers for new plumage on a regular basis. It is important that a chicken grow new feathers from time to time because the integrity of a bird’s feathers affects how well that bird is able to keep itself warm in cold weather.

Chickens will go through several molts during their lives. The earliest, juvenile molt occurs when a chick is only six to eight days old. The chick loses its downy covering for actual feathers in this first juvenile molt.

The second juvenile molt occurs when the bird is about eight-12 weeks old. The young bird replaces its first “baby” feathers with its second set at this time. This second juvenile molt is when a male chicken’s ornamental feathers begin to grow in (e.g. long sickle tail feathers, long saddle feathers, etc.) The second juvenile molt is where some backyard chicken keepers make the disappointing discovery that the “sexed” chick they bought is a rooster that they will have to rehome.

When do chickens molt? Chickens typically go through their first adult molt at approximately 18 months old. Usually, adult molting occurs in the late summer or fall and the replacement feathers are fully in within eight-12 weeks. As demonstrated by Frida, not all chickens conduct their molts in a conventional manner and will drag out the process upwards of six months.

Additionally, new chicken owners should be aware there are two different styles of molting – soft and hard.  A soft molt is when the bird loses some feathers but the effect is such that the untrained eye might not realize that the chicken is losing and replacing feathers. Conversely, a chicken going through a hard molt will suddenly and dramatically lose a vast quantity of feathers giving it a nude appearance.

Molting Triggers

The most common trigger for molting is a decrease of daylight hours and the end of an egg-laying cycle, which typically coincide with late summer or early fall. However, there are several less innocuous molting causes as well. Physical stress, a lack of water, malnutrition, extreme heat, hatching a clutch of eggs and unusual lighting conditions (e.g. owner has a light bulb in the coop emitting light all night and then suddenly removes the constant light source) can all be at the root of an unexpected or untimely molt.

Sadly, it is common in commercial egg-laying factory farms to force a molt of its flock for efficiency and enhanced egg production. In order to force a unified molt, the farm withholds any feed from the birds for seven-14 days to stress their bodies into molting. It is a cruel practice that is already outlawed in the United Kingdom.

Helping Your Molting Chickens

Feathers are comprised of 80-85 percent protein. A molting chicken’s body simply cannot support both feather and egg production simultaneously. At first you may wonder why have my chickens have stopped laying. Molting causes either a significant reduction in egg productivity or, more commonly, a full hiatus from egg laying until the hen has fully replaced its feathers.

Chicken owners wonder what to feed chickens during a molt that can help them through the process. Providing more protein is key. Typical layers feed is 16 percent protein; during a molt, switch to a broiler blend of feed which is 20-25 percent protein instead. Protein rich treats should also be provided. Some examples of high protein treats that can be easily provided include: sunflower seeds or other nuts (raw and unsalted), peas, soybeans, meat (cooked), cod liver oil, bone meal or even soft cat/dog food (I’m not a fan of this last choice)

For my flock and Frida in particular, I have been baking protein-rich corn bread for them.  I use a basic corn bread recipe found on the back of the corn meal package and supplement it with nuts, flaxseed, dried fruit and yogurt in the batter. The added ingredients boost this snack’s protein levels and will help Frida get her feathers back in quickly. As an added bonus, the flock seems to enjoy that this treat is served to them warm on these snowy, wintery days.

There are a couple other molting issues to keep in mind. It is uncomfortable for a bird with pin feathers to be handled. Additionally, a bird going through a hard molt with bare skin can be more susceptible to pecking and bullying by other flock members, so keep a close eye on the molting bird.

Now that you have an answer to when do chickens molt, learn more about helping your chickens through the process in Episode 037 of the Urban Chicken Podcast.

The post Why and When Do Chickens Molt? appeared first on Countryside Network.

By Marvin R. Gray – So you’ve moved to the country and have been thinking about raising sheep on your five or 10 acres. Perhaps you have only limited livestock experience, but raising sheep is appealing because they represent a relatively cheap investment, are fairly docile, and don’t require elaborate facilities. This article covers only basic tips on buying and managing a small flock; however, there are a number of more informative sources such as Storey’s Guide to Raising Sheep available through the Countryside Book Store, and sheep! Magazine is also useful. Your local library will likely be of assistance and there are a number of websites such as www.pipevet.com and www.midstateswoolgrowers.com that offer product and management information. Now, what should you be keeping in mind as you ponder raising sheep?

Are sheep as dumb and prone to die as I have heard?

The answers are no and no. Any ewe who can find her lambs among hundreds is not dumb. On the “looking for a place to die” notion, the flock instinct among sheep is so strong, they don’t readily exhibit symptoms of common sheep illnesses; therefore, it may be too late by the time the inexperienced observer realizes something is amiss. With experience, you can soon identify an animal that acts differently and needs attention. One final comment: if you are buying sheep just to “clean up the woods” and don’t want to be bothered too much, rethink this idea. Part of raising sheep for profit, or any animal for that matter, will require the need to learn how to provide regular care to keep the livestock healthy and productive.

What sheep breeds should I purchase?

Are you interested in raising sheep for meat, for wool, 4-H projects, or just to have around? Answering that will help you choose from among the various sheep breeds. Visiting a fair where several sheep breeds are exhibited may be useful in narrowing your choices. Those animals may be expensive registered purebreds, but looking them over will help you sort out the breeds you find appealing. Crossbreds (not likely on exhibition at the fair) can be excellent “starter” sheep due to their generic hybrid vigor.

Where should I buy sheep?

Definitely not at a sale barn. While the price may be attractive, most of the animals there are culls (rejects) and you’ll likely be buying another breeder’s problems. And, perhaps not at a sheep auction since you can’t see the flock from which the consigned animals came. Moreover, most of those animals sell as registered purebreds and can be fairly expensive. I recommend locating a trusted local breeder. Check with your county extension educator for names or ask others who have sheep where they bought their ewes. A dispersal sale from a well-cared-for flock is a choice place to buy.

What do I look for?

First of all, check out the seller’s farm. If the place is fairly neat, chances are the sheep are well cared for. Do the animals have a generally healthy appearance? If you see some with chronic coughing, watery eyes, running noses or limping, you may want to look elsewhere. Does the breeder have lambing records that seem to be accurate? Are you able to see the entire flock, including the rams? In what kind of condition are they? If you are unfamiliar with the breeder, consider taking with you an experienced sheep person or veterinarian to evaluate the flock. The veterinarian’s fee may well be worth the money. Are you comfortable with the seller? Should you purchase some animals as you’re learning how to raise sheep, does that person seem likely to be understanding if a problem should arise later? Don’t be pressured into buying if you don’t “feel right” about the situation. Finally, the seller may be responsible for providing health certificates and/or scrapie (a sheep disease) ear tag identification for each animal. It would be wise to inquire about the regulations in your state.

Which animals should I buy?

Don’t expect a breeder to sell the best stock, but most will have some sound animals from which to select. If possible, buy ewes that lambed twins early in the lambing season. Their front teeth should match evenly with the upper gum and they should be otherwise sound and healthy, including having a warm, soft udder. If they are still nursing lambs or have recently had their lambs weaned, they may normally be a bit thin. But, don’t buy ewes that are overly thin or too fat. Look for those animals in good flesh that have been only on pasture and received little or no grain. If you buy lambs, try to select from the older twins that were born and nursed on their own. Pay particular attention to those lambs whose mothers have the desirable traits you are seeking.

How much should I expect to pay?

While this will vary, a younger (two-to-four-year-old) productive commercial (non-registered) ewe can usually be purchased for $200 to $250. Depending on their age, lambs can be bought for $75 to $150. Older ewes (five years and up) are usually less, but they will have fewer productive years left. It would be a good idea to spend more now for sound, healthy animals. Buying bred ewes is another option, and while you can expect to pay more, you won’t have to buy and feed a ram for a year. If the ewes are not bred, the seller may agree to have to return the ewes to the ram during the fall breeding season. Ewes normally lamb around 150 days after they are bred.

Should I buy lambs instead of ewes?

Lambs are less than a year old; yearlings are one to two years old; and after two years, they are considered ewes. While the initial price is lower, I don’t recommend the novice having ewe lambs bred to give birth as yearlings. Yearling ewes can be nervous mothers who may have more birthing difficulties and can be light milkers. If the ewe lambs are bred as yearlings, it will be at least two years before you will have any of their offspring. Furthermore, lambs require regular worming and pasture rotation since they are more susceptible to internal parasites due to their smaller blood capacity. However, buying ewe lambs does allow you to gain experience and find out if you want to have a flock.

How many should I buy?

Your budget and pasture/facility availability will dictate that answer. About four to five ewes per acre is recommended here in the Midwest with a minimum of 25 square feet of indoor space for each animal. Buy at least two animals since one will not do well due to their flocking instinct. Start with a small number of sound ewes as you begin learning the basics of raising sheep, and increase slowly as you gain experience. In the future, it is a good idea to select replacement ewes from the lambs born on your farm. Not only will those lambs tend to have built-in resistance to any diseases on your property, but it is the cheapest way to expand your flock. Select your replacements from among the earlier born twin lambs who lambed and nursed on their own.

What should be done at home to prepare for the animals?

Do you have good fencing which will stop roaming dogs and coyotes? Electric fence is an excellent predator deterrent and there are a number of plans available. A sheep guard dog can also be added security. You should divide your pastures so that the animals can be rotated every three or four weeks to help control internal parasites. Ewes should be wormed about three or four times annually and lambs at least every other rotation. Administering worming medication as prescribed is indispensable in good sheep management. Alternate the brand of worming medication to avoid a parasitic resistance build-up.

Raising sheep doesn’t require investing in indoor facilities. Most farm buildings can be converted quite easily to house sheep and there are a number of plans available. Before you bring your animals home, check your facility carefully for situations that could cause an illness or injury. Is the feed secured? Are there loops of twine or protruding sharp objects such as nails that could cause an injury? Are there places where a ewe might get her head stuck? Are all gates securely latched? Sheep, particularly lambs, are naturally curious and should be checked frequently during the first few days after you bring them home.

What about after I get them home?

Try to continue feeding a similar ration. Any feed changes should be made very gradually over at least a two-week period. If needed, now is a good time to worm your animals and trim their hooves. Before they set foot on your place, trim the hooves carefully and, as a precaution, apply a footrot disinfectant.

Sheep footrot is a common health problem and can be very frustrating to eliminate, particularly during wet weather. If the sheep have not been on grass, fence off a small area and allow them to graze for an hour or so after the morning dew has dried off. Gradually increase both the grazing time and area for a week or two. During this time, make sure the ewes fill up daily on dry hay before they are turned into the pasture. One of the best ways to cut costs is to use any pasture you have to its fullest extent.

Depending upon the amount of grass you have and the severity of your winters, you will need to have adequate hay and grain available when the bad weather comes. In the Midwest, about 15 bales of hay will feed one ewe and her lambs from around December 1^st until April 15^th. Incidentally, one of the most pleasant sounds to the shepherd is listening to your flock munch contentedly on hay as the cold winter winds swirl outside the barn. Depending on the quality and availability, hay in our area purchased out of the field will run about $7 a bale. Expect to pay more if you buy during the winter.

Feed your best hay when the ewes are nursing lambs and save the poorer to help “dry them up” after their lambs are about 60-90 days old. If you have more than enough pasture, you can reduce your feed costs considerably by having some of it baled.

Not sure what to feed sheep during the winter? You’ll need to feed some form of grain, particularly to your pregnant ewes. The 50-lb. bags of pelleted feed are likely available at your local grain elevator or farm store; however, it’s quite expensive when compared with dried shelled corn purchased from a nearby grain farmer or your local feed mill. After considering all aspects of your flock management program, select a winter feeding plan that best suits your needs.

Your animals should always have unlimited access to both clean, fresh water and loose minerals. Try to use a specifically formulated sheep mineral which contains no copper. Too much copper can be toxic to sheep. Sheep are also vulnerable to tetanus (lock-jaw) which is likely if horses have ever been on your farm. It would be good management to administer a tetanus vaccine.

What about purchasing a ram?

Buying bred ewes or arranging for them to be bred will delay this decision until the following year. If you’re just at the beginning of your adventures in raising sheep, purchasing a ram complicates your flock management system. He will be with the ewes around six to eight weeks, but the rest of the time, he should be penned and cared for separately. You might want to consider some other options. Another breeder might allow you to take your ewes to his ram for breeding, or perhaps you can lease or borrow a neighbor’s ram just for the breeding season. You might purchase a ram lamb and sell him at the local sale barn when the breeding season is over. Sometimes you can buy a modest-priced older ram that the seller can no longer use. When buying a ram, select a sound, healthy one who is an early born twin and unrelated to your ewes. You should be able to find an acceptable ram for $100 to $150. Look for traits in the ram that you need to improve your flock. For example, if your animals are small boned, select a ram with outstanding bone development. At the same time, try to avoid a ram that might introduce an undesirable trait into your flock.

What kind of income can I expect from raising sheep for profit?

If you’re raising sheep for meat, lambs weighing at least 100 pounds from any of the meat sheep breeds are considered market weight and can be consigned for a small fee to a local sale barn. Typically, prices are better in the winter and spring (140-180 cents/lb.) and decline during the summer and early fall. If you live near an urban or university location, selling “freezer” lambs to individual customers may be an option, particularly where there is an ethnic population. Local processing plants can prepare the lambs according to the customer’s wishes. If you find the thought of slaughtering your lambs unpleasant, remember you can’t keep them all, and eventually you will need to find ways to move them.

Sadly, with the development of the various synthetic fibers along with other market factors, wool is now worth very little. Shearers charge $3 or more per head and with wool at $1.50 /pound and one ewe yielding eight to 12 pounds, well, you do the math. If you are interested in raising sheep for wool, check the possibility of selling your fleeces to wool spinners where they can bring more. If you have just three or four animals, a shearer may charge a minimum fee such as $25 to come to your farm. They sometimes prefer to have several owners bring their animals to one location where they will charge less, but this is a hassle and increases the likelihood of picking up (or giving) diseases. In order to cut expenses, consider learning how to shear a sheep. Check around for shearing workshops in your state. It doesn’t require brute strength to get the job done. Used electric shears can be purchased for around $125 and they can soon pay for themselves. Animals can be tied with a rope halter and shorn in a standing position. The author has shorn his flock for years on a trimming stand (you’ve probably seen them in use at fairs) while the animals are held in place with a neck yoke. This is also a good time to trim hooves, administer wormer, give shots, put in ear tags, etc. As you gain experience, learn how to do some of your own vet work.

All in all, owning a farm flock and raising sheep can be an enjoyable experience. They are a remarkable animal that can convert grass and undesirable plants into meat, wool, and milk. Moreover, they provide a pleasant pastoral scene enhancing the beauty of the countryside. The key to having a good experience with raising sheep is to purchase healthy animals and make maximum use of your pastures protected by predator-proof fencing. Sheep do require regular attention, but at the same time, you can learn how to raise sheep by keeping a low-maintenance flock that doesn’t deplete your pocketbook by making it a practice to select your replacement ewe lambs from problem-free mothers.

There will be setbacks. Sometimes they will get sick and some of them will die. But this will happen regardless of the kind of animals you have on your farm. While you should care for your flock, there are times when you must be realistic. Cull any problem animals. Your goal is raising sheep that work for you and not the other way around.

Ed note: Prices from 2002. 

Originally published in sheep! in 2002 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

The post Raising Sheep: Buying and Caring for Your First Flock appeared first on Countryside Network.

When chicken keepers get their birds, they often wonder what to feed chickens. It’s probably the first question most newcomers ask. They naturally concentrate on commercial feed rations, fresh water, and nutritious treats. But what about prebiotics and probiotics for chickens?

This is a topic we’re all familiar with as humans since we see lots of commercials for foods that have probiotics right in them. Big celebrities endorse the regularity and gut health that probiotics can bring. But does this work with backyard chickens?

First, let’s get back to the basics and explore what are prebiotics and probiotics. Probiotics are live organisms that live in your intestinal tract and, to put it delicately, keep things cleaned out and flowing well. They also help to strengthen your immune system. They can be found in foods that have live cultures, like sauerkraut, apple cider vinegar, cheese, sour cream and, famously, yogurt. Prebiotics set the stage for probiotics because they are the food for probiotics. Prebiotics are a non-digestible type of plant fiber. Many high-fiber foods are also high in prebiotics.

Probiotics for Chickens — What Do They Help?

These tiny organisms can be helpful to chickens just as they are in humans. Remember, that if you have a sick chicken, prebiotics and probiotics should not be considered as medicine. These are meant to support a chicken’s health and help prevent future illnesses.

• Probiotics for chickens can help to prevent and clear up diarrhea. If you have an adult chicken with a chronically “poopy” butt, try probiotics. If you have a baby chick with a poopy butt, that’s an entirely different matter. Usually, that’s a case of pasty butt and should not be treated with prebiotics and probiotics.
• Probiotics for chickens can mean fewer flying insects. If you have chickens with clean butts, that attracts fewer flies. This is good for everyone around a chicken coop, and especially your chickens. Flies carry disease. A “poopy” matted butt attracts flies and this can lead to fly strike, an especially awful situation where the flies lay their eggs in your chicken. This is painful as the eggs hatch and maggots eat your chicken. It can lead to death if not treated properly and promptly.
• Probiotics for chickens can lead to less smelly feces with less ammonia.
• Probiotics for chickens can lead to a better feed conversion ratio.
• With a healthy digestive tract, hens that consume probiotics can maintain a healthy weight and keep quality egg production high.
• The instances of salmonella in chickens that consume probiotics drop significantly.
• Probiotics for chickens can aid in composting.

So, how can you make sure your chickens are consuming probiotics? First, pick a high-quality commercial feed that contains prebiotics and probiotics. You’ll find lots of choices at the feed store. Just be sure to read the label. Most companies are proud to say they’ve included these digestive additives.

Second, many foods that are on the list of what chickens can eat also contain prebiotics and probiotics. If you’re giving your chickens treats, why not make sure they contain these nutritional powerhouses! Just remember to keep treats at 10 percent of a healthy diet. Also, remember that dairy in small quantities is not bad for chickens. Chickens are not lactose intolerant. They can digest small amounts of dairy products. But, the effectiveness of probiotics can be reversed if you give your chickens too much milk. Small quantities equal big happiness!

Prebiotics are a little easier to give chickens since they come from high-fiber foods. These are more easily found. We usually have some scraps from the kitchen or leftovers from dinner that fit the bill! Plus, the added bonus is they make great, healthy treats that your chickens will love.

Overall, the key to healthy chickens is a rich and varied diet that contains lots of nutrient-rich foods, along with clean water, a clean coop and plenty of fresh air and exercise. Prebiotics and probiotics for chickens can help chickens stay healthy and productive as part of your backyard farm. They are easy to give your chickens whether through commercial feed and/or yummy treats. Your chickens will thank you for it with lots of fresh eggs. And, they’ll have nice clean fluffy butts for all your Fluffy Butt Friday pictures!

Do you use prebiotics and probiotics for your chicken’s health? Do you give your chickens prebiotics and probiotics solely through their commercial feed or do you supplement with natural treats? Please let us know in the comments below.

The post The Scoop on Using Prebiotics and Probiotics for Chickens appeared first on Countryside Network.

In case you haven’t heard, we’ve got exciting news for all you Backyard Poultry readers out there! If you have a Web-Only or All-Access Backyard Poultry subscription, you now get six EXTRA e-editions a year, in addition to the six issues you receive every other month. Yup, that’s a new issue every month to learn all about chicken care, seasonal concerns like molting, chicken and poultry breeds, egg production and more!

Our Late Summer 2017 e-edition is NOW AVAILABLE and covers how you can prepare your chickens for molting season. Join us as we discuss molting season preparation, prebiotics and probiotics for chickens, free-ranging pros and cons, and much more! Plus, you’ll get eight DIY chicken coop design ideas, fun flock photos, and answers to common flock challenges from our poultry experts. Subscribe today and look forward to more e-editions as well as every issue online with a new flip book style!

In this Issue:

• From the Editor — Backyard Poultry editor, Pam Freeman, discusses the importance of preparing your flock for fall and the winter months.

• Chicken Chat — Our readers chime in on the weirdest questions they have ever been asked.

• Poultry Talk — Ron Kean and Pam Freeman answer reader questions about their flocks.

• Flock Photos — Reader-submitted photos. Learn how you can share your poultry photos too!

Prepare Your Chickens for Molting Season and More:

• How to Prepare for Molt — Learn how to help your chickens have a smooth molt.

• Chicken Feather and Skin Development — From full plumes to naked necks, genetics determine what today’s chickens look like.

• The Scoop on Using Prebiotics and Probiotics for Chickens — Poultry probiotics can help keep your flock healthy.

• Free Radicals vs. Antioxidants — When free radicals induce oxidative stress, antioxidants come to the rescue.

• Lavender, for a Stress-Free Coop — Lisa Steele explains why lavender is one of her favorite chicken-keeping herbs.

• Fungal Infections Found in Poultry — Identifying and treating a fungal infection.

• Are Chickens Lactose Intolerant? — Should your flock have dairy in its diet?

• Get to Know Geese — Personalities and basics of popular geese breeds.

• Free-Range Problems — They want to be free, but that’s not always good for them.

• Coop Inspiration — 8 Awesome Coop Ideas — Get inspiration for your next DIY coop design.

And more!

Backyard Poultry magazine is your best source for information on how to raise healthier, more productive backyard chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, and even keeping guinea fowl. Whether you live on a farm, call a suburban neighborhood home, or are mastering poultry farming in an urban environment, we have the how-to guides and tips.

Never miss another great issue! Subscribe to Backyard Poultry today and gain access to the Late Summer 2017 e-edition, and many more to come.

How do you keep your poultry cool in the heat? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Prepare Your Chickens for Molting Season appeared first on Countryside Network.

Pigeons are remarkable for so many reasons. A true cosmopolitan, long after humans have left this Earth, only cockroaches, rats, and pigeons will remain. Humans and pigeons have been sharing living space as far back as 3000 BC, in Mesopotamia, modern Iraq.

Did you know that pigeons mate for life and both sexes care for the young? They have the ability to fly at altitudes up to 6,000 feet, and at speeds between 50 and 70 miles per hour. The fastest recorded speed is 92.5 miles per hour. These are just a few of many amazing pigeon facts!

Countless park goers across the world feed thousands of feral pigeons daily. Many members of different religions including Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs feed pigeons for spiritual reasons. Some older Sikhs will ritualistically feed pigeons to honor Guru Gobind Singh, a high priest who was renowned as a friend to pigeons. I know I couldn’t resist sitting down in the middle of Venice’s historic St. Mark’s Square to befriend a flock of pigeons. Covering myself with seed, I couldn’t stop smiling, as the pigeons transformed me into a human perch.

With so many types of pigeons to choose from, adding a flock to your backyard can add a fun source of entertainment, income, or food to any homestead.

In addition to a range of colors, pigeons have been bred for shows, racing and as a source of protein.

Pigeon Basics

How Long Do Pigeons Live?
Domestic pigeons can live between 10 and 15 years. Although pigeons can become sexually mature as early as five months, many breeders recommended waiting for the birds to reach one year of age.

What Do Pigeons Eat? 
If considering keeping pigeons you may be wondering, “What do pigeons eat?” Pigeons are granivores, eating seeds and cereals. Many pigeon feeds include cereals, corn, wheat, dried peas, barley, and rye. Depending on the actively level of your bird, different protein percentages are commercially available. Pigeons will also benefit from fresh greens, berries, fruit, and an occasional insect.

How Do Pigeons Mate?
The coupling ritual starts with the male characteristically cooing and puffing out his neck. The female will fly or walk short distances to entice the male to follow her. Once she is satisfied she will accept offerings of food and position herself to be mounted.

Eight to 12 days after mating and accepting food gifts from her mate, the hen will usually lay two white eggs. Pigeons will breed year-round and will lay more eggs before the first clutch has left the nest.

“Keeping the number of birds under control is key to health and quality and successful racing,” says Deone Roberts, Sport Development Manager of the American Racing Pigeon Union. “To have the desired results in racing, the flyer/breeder needs to set down his/her goals.”

Those goals will influence the type of stock selected and the kinds of pairings you will make. Controlling the times of mating is also important if you plan on racing or showing birds.

Managing pigeon breeding will allow your birds to be ready for a show.

Organizations such as the American Racing Pigeon Union are for people who love animals, fellowship, and friendly competition.

“We have a staffed national office to serve member needs such as leg bands and diplomas, race figuring software, educational materials, beginner mentor program, zoning assistance for ordinance changes, and promotion assistance,” says Roberts.

In addition to racing pigeons, Roberts says that there are hundreds of breeds of pigeons and it seems more are created through selection for specific traits. Most are for show. Some are for performance, such as the roller or tumbler breeds.

Budapest pigeon, with their comical eyes, were developed around 1907.

Growing up I had a small flock of rollers and tumblers. After a few years or raising them, and enjoying their aerial acrobatics, I attended a pigeon show to expand my collection. I purchased a pair of runt pigeons. These ironically named pigeons can weigh up to 3.5 pounds! They are mostly raised for show or squab meat. The seller said I could let them free-range in the yard like chickens. After a week of keeping them in the coop to get their bearings, I let them out to explore the lawn. As soon as the door opened, the birds took off straight toward the horizon. That was a sad day. Lesson learned. Not all pigeons should be expected to return if they are released from their coop.

In ancient Mesopotamia, sailors would release pigeons, and ravens, from their ships. They would track the birds to orient themselves toward land. A thousand years later, you have the story of Noah in the Old Testament. Around this time you also start seeing pigeons featured in sculptures, jewelry and hair needles.

The Phoenicians distributed white pigeons throughout the Mediterranean around 1000 B.C. The Greeks gave pigeons to children as toys, used the squabs as a food source, and used their manure to fertilize crops.

Some pigeon lofts, situated next to Roman houses, could maintain 5,000 birds. The Romans created tube feeding and watering systems for their birds and started selectively breeding for desirable traits. They bred birds that flew strange patterns, could find their way home, were large enough to eat, and had ornamental plumage.

Today, schools raise pigeons to connect kids with history, nature and to empower them with life skills. “These projects are developing increased interest in science, math, computer technologies, health, and nutrition,” says Roberts. “When children have pigeons, they connect with nature. They are outside and away from computers, iPads, and the television.”

Keeping pigeons is an ageless hobby. Photo by Gary Weir

Roberts reminds us that raising pigeons is not just a youth activity. “Likewise, the hobby provides enjoyment for retirees in their golden years.”

“Our members come from a variety of backgrounds with regard to education, income, and ethnicity. It is not unusual for individuals to combine two hobbies that include more animals, such as a hobby farmer, that may also have poultry.”

“What we have is an organization of members that gives to the community and gives to their own. Combine that with the love of a bird. There’s not much better than that,” says Roberts.

After knowing more pigeon facts, do you think you’ll be adding them to your backyard?

The post Pigeon Facts: An Introduction and History appeared first on Countryside Network.