Castrating Goats and Sheep with a Burdizzo
The first year we had goat kids I took them to the vet to be castrated surgically because I read that it was the most humane method. It was the first and last time I ever did that. The vet … Read More
3 Surprising Facts About Soap
Because I make my own soap and teach soapmaking classes, I clear up a lot of misconceptions about soap. Through the years, there are three ideas that keep coming back again and again. Can you teach me to make … Read More
Want to go pro as a sustainable farmer? Meet Joel Salatin
When people think about sustainable or organic agriculture, many simply think that we are trying to replicate what our grandparents or great grandparents did. In fact, I remember visiting an organic farm years ago whose motto was “Grandpa knew best,” … Read More
How many acres does a homesteader need — or not?
“I’d love to do what you do, except I live in town.” “I wish we could grow our own food, but we only have half an acre.” These are a couple of comments that I hear frequently. But they are … Read More
Natural Spa Recipes for Herb Lovers
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Even though homesteaders tend to be really good at working hard, most of us need to get better at relaxing and pampering ourselves sometimes. That’s exactly what The Herb Lover’s Spa … Read More
When Children Leave the Homestead
When The Great American Farm Tour stopped by our farm a couple of months ago, I mentioned in the video how we are forming partnerships with other individuals now that our children have grown up and left the homestead. … Read More
Feeding Alfalfa Pellets to Goats
We started using alfalfa pellets years ago when we had goats that could finish all their grain faster than we could milk them. If goats get too much grain, they’ll get diarrhea and a host of other health problems. And … Read More
Learning to Make Soap
There are lots of reasons to make your own soap. You can create a safer product than what’s available commercially, and you can save money when compared to products with similar, natural ingredients. It can also be fun! As an … Read More
Maple Syrup: Can you produce your own?
If you’ve ever wanted to produce your own homegrown sweetener, maple syrup is a great choice. Although sap runs in late February and March, now is the time to start planning because it’s easier to recognize the trees when they … Read More
Avoiding Copper Toxicity in Goats
A lot of people have goats with classic symptoms of copper deficiency, but they’re afraid to supplement their goats with copper because they’ve been told that it could be toxic. I can understand their concern. We thought our goats were … Read More
