We were naively ecstatic when our first chicks were hatched in 2003. Not only were the chicks adorable, but it also meant that we were self-sufficient when it came to providing eggs for ourselves. Our hens were providing us with eggs, and they were providing us with their replacements so that when they slowed down and eventually stopped laying, there would be younger hens to … [Read more...]
Book Review: The Holistic Orchard
I’ll soon be moving to a new home where I’m planning to begin an orchard as part of my homestead. I understand that many types of fruit trees won’t start producing for at least a couple of years so I’m eager to get them in the ground as soon as possible. I was interested in reading “The Holistic Orchard” by Michael Phillips to find out what makes his methods “holistic” and how … [Read more...]
Book Review: Keeping a Family Cow
I’ve written previously about how I recently returned from two months traveling across the U.S. working on farms. On a farm I visited in Kentucky, the family had a family cow, and their teenage son was typically responsible for milking. I was really struck by how adept he was at milking the cow for his family as well as his confidence in helping me to learn how to milk too. … [Read more...]
Book review: Pig Tales
Pig Tales: An Omnivore's Quest for Sustainable Meat by Barry Estabrook gives you the inside scoop on all things porcine, from wild hogs to pastured domesticated hogs, and hogs that spend their entire life in a building. I won an advance reading copy in a drawing but ultimately wound up purchasing the audiobook and listening to it on a recent trip. The book starts out telling … [Read more...]
Book review: Soil Sisters
The holidays are coming up and Soil Sisters by Lisa Kivirist would be a perfect gift for any aspiring or experienced female farmer. One of the greatest features of this book is valuable stories and tips from the author as well as over 50 women involved in different aspects of sustainable agriculture. As Kivirist says (of women in the food system) “some farm, some cook, some … [Read more...]
Book review: The Year-Round Solar Greenhouse
This time of year, many vegetable growers are still trying to extend their growing season and others are gearing up to continue growing straight through the winter. In planning for my own vegetable production, I wanted to learn more about season extension and year-round growing techniques. I discovered The Year-Round Solar Greenhouse by Lindsey Schiller and Mark Plinke and … [Read more...]
Starting a Farmstead Creamery
When I started making cheese in 2002, my friends immediately started asking if they could buy it. When I called my state department of agriculture to learn the requirements, I was quickly overwhelmed and gave up on the idea as soon as the woman on the phone mentioned $15,000 as the starting price for a pasteurizer. Because I was only milking one goat at the time, there was no … [Read more...]
Book review: The Market Gardener
The Market Gardener is such a thorough guide to commercial market gardening that at first I wondered why Jean-Martin Fortier would want to reveal all of his secrets to potential competitors. However, it becomes clear that Fortier simply wants this information to be as accessible as possible to as many people as possible. I think this reflects Fortier’s desire for small-scale … [Read more...]
Book review: Pastured Poultry Profit$
“I think few things would be as gratifying as seeing neighborhoods all over the country run a chicken pen in their yard to mow it, fertilize it, and produce their own chickens. How exciting.” – Joel Salatin Pastured Poultry Profit$ provides the perfect companion to Harvey Ussery's The Small-Scale Poultry Flock, which I reviewed last week here. I purchased both books for a … [Read more...]
Book review: The Small-Scale Poultry Flock
Whether you are just getting started with chickens or have had them for awhile, Harvey Ussery's The Small-Scale Poultry Flock provides an informative and entertaining read. I originally purchased the book when taking a Pastured Poultry class through UMass Amherst Stockbridge School of Agriculture, and I know it will be invaluable to me as I start raising my own chickens. The … [Read more...]