Jake and I have been busy with many projects around the farm. However, we recently found some time to complete a Hugelkultur bed. A Hugelkultur, for those of you who are unfamiliar with one, are raised garden beds that are made of logs, stacked on top of each other, and then covered with dirt. You then …
“The Encyclopedia of Country Living” by Carla Emery is a monster of a book, at 950 pages. In its 10th edition, this book is the go-to source for Homesteaders. Farmers/Ranchers could also learn a thing or two from this book. The amount of topics covered are incredible, and if your living in the country I …
Greg Judy has written a wonderful book titled “No Risk Ranching: Custom Grazing on Leased Land”. It’s full of wonderful information on how to get started custom grazing on leased land. There is some risk, but not much! Today, I’d like to cover a few of the key points in the book. I would highly …
The Basics of Grazing Cattle In this post we’ll be covering: Why you need to rotate cattle How to check for gut fill What manure is telling you about the condition of your cattle Determine and implement an adequate recovery period for your grass Today I’d like to talk about grazing cattle. Many of us …
If you are grazing cattle, no matter how many you have, it’s a good idea to provide them with minerals. How many different minerals should you feed? Well, that depends on a lot of things. How big is your herd? How much money do you feel comfortable spending on mineral a month? Are you in …
I recently wrote a post on determining if you cattle were being limited by the amount of forage you’ve given them. It was titled “Gut Fill and How to Tell if Your Cattle Are Performing” and you can find that post here, but I made a mistake, so read this post first and then that …
Join me today for a book review of “The Unsettling of America” by Wendell Berry. This book has many profound philosophical observations and arguments. The book is worth reading even if you have no interest in agriculture, and if you do, well, it’s spectacular! You can buy it HERE If you like this post, please …
If you have sheep or goats, one of the best ways you can protect them is with a Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD). These dogs were bred to do just that, bond with the livestock and protect them. Today, I won’t go into the breeds of good LGDs, but I will address one of the most …
Last week, I gave a brief introduction to what Permaculture is, and why you should care. You can find that post here. Today, I’d like to talk about one of the techniques that Permaculture has given us. That tool is called swales. Swales are ditches that run on contour. Think of them as ditches that …
Creating a farm road with geotextile will provide you with a long lasting road that is easy to maintain and cheaper than putting down concrete or asphalt. When designing a road, you want to insure that you have adequate drainage. I like to see a hump in the middle of the road, so water can …
