It is always a bit of a shock when someone asks me if something — apples, pigs, turkeys, you-name-it — can be grown organically. I’ve heard the questions so many times over the years that it really should not be … Read More
In modern agriculture, pigs are fed a diet of mainly grains, but heritage pigs love grass, and our American Guinea Hogs are no exception. In winter, we used to feed them hay, but they wasted it terribly! If you think … Read More
Although many people say that goats are the most challenging animals to keep fenced in, I find pigs much more challenging. It only took us a couple of years to figure out how to keep goats in their pastures. However, … Read More
Every winter I see articles like this about a barn fire or other structure that burns down because of a heat lamp. In fact, we almost had two fires here because of heat lamps. Yeah, not just one, but two! … Read More
One of the biggest challenges for anyone raising livestock is preventing predator attacks. This is true whether you have 300 head of sheep in Wyoming or 3 hens in Chicago. Predators are not simply big scary animals like lions and … Read More
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you’ve ever wished you could read your animal’s minds, then Temple Grandin is the person who can get you closer to that goal. Before reading her books, I never thought … 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
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
You’ve decided you want your own fresh eggs or goat cheese, so you find a few chickens or goats, bring ’em home and start enjoying the bounty, right? Wrong! Buying livestock is a big responsibility, and it’s different from having … Read More
A couple of weeks ago I visited a poisonous plant garden. No, it wasn’t at Hogwarts. It was at the University of Illinois. Don’t go looking for it. You won’t find it. It is hidden away behind the school of … 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....
