Miniature cows are a popular livestock option for small farms and homesteads. They are smaller in size than traditional breeds, making them easier to handle and requiring less space and feed. Despite their smaller stature, miniature cows still provide milk, … Read More
By Kassie Dwyer When you raise dairy goats, you will soon find that even if you have a large family and you are consuming all of the delicious milk, cheese, and yogurt you possibly can (and so are all of … Read More
Episode 11Sustainability Book Chat As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Today’s episode is for anyone who has ever thought about adding cattle to their homestead. I’m talking to Callene Rapp, co-author of Homestead Cows: The Complete Guide … Read More
When we first moved to the country, I didn’t give much thought to goat vs cow. I thought we needed a goat to make “goat cheese” and a cow for all of our other dairy products, such as milk, cream, … Read More
When I got started with goats I barely knew the difference between hay and straw. Although I quickly learned that hay is food and straw is bedding, I just assumed that all hay was the same. That is definitely not … Read More
Opinions on kelp for livestock vary about as much as they do on politics and religion. While one person says it’s a savior, others say it’s dangerous. The truth is somewhere in the middle. And as always, keep in mind … Read More
At The Livestock Conservancy conference in November, mother-daughter duo Winifred and Martha Hoffman (BestYet A.I. Sires) gave an excellent presentation about Dutch Belted Cattle, which I wrote about in this post: 5 Reasons to Add Dutch Belted Cattle to your Homestead. … Read More
After reading Keeping a Family Cow, I’ve been considering adding a cow or two to our homestead. So I was easily hooked when I learned about a beautiful heritage breed of milk cow – Dutch Belteds. At The Livestock Conservancy … Read More
If you are raising any type of animal for dairy, it’s a good idea to know their tuberculosis status. TB is a zoonotic disease, which means animals can transmit it to humans. Although most states are TB-free, the disease does … Read More
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
Thrifty Homesteader was created in 2012 after the publication of my second book, Ecothrifty. The name was coined by one of my followers because I said that I didn’t want anyone to think that they had to be rich to homestead or live a greener life....
