Using common kitchen products for the barn yard residents can not only save you money, it can also work better than the retail product you paid a lot more to obtain. Let's face it, we can spend a lot of money on retail products aimed at barnyard animal care. Some of these are dollars well spent. There are also many common kitchen products for the barn and coop that can do the job well. And many times using kitchen products for the barn is a more natural and healing path than the … [Read more...]
Grow Sorrel for Chickens, Goats, Sheep and You!
I grow sorrel in my herb garden and usually give the leaves to the rabbits, or add to the dried herb mixtures. This year our sorrel pots are overflowing with the lush leaves. I have been adding it to salads, stir fry, and sauces. The French cook in me is coming out! But, in reality, I knew very little about this plant that was doing so well for us. I had to know more. Why Grow Sorrel in Your Garden? Sorrel, Rumex-acetosella, is part of the buckwheat family. People grow … [Read more...]
How to Clean Chicken Water Tubs
Clean chicken water tubs must be a priority as the heat rises. As the heat of summer continues, nothing is as important to our chickens and livestock as clean drinking water. I mention chickens, but this task is extremely important for all animals. Think about your own thirst. You go to take a drink but your glass of water was left in the sun since yesterday. You take a swig. Ewww! That isn't what I expected at all. So I only drink a small amount and put the glass down. This is what your animals … [Read more...]
5 Steps to Make Canning Day Easier
Canning day can be a daunting concept for people who haven't canned food before. There is the question about what equipment to buy, where to buy it, and how much to spend. What can be reused from year to year is another question to understand before canning day. Preparing step by step, before the actual work begins, can make canning day much simpler and more enjoyable. Step 1 (Before Canning Day Arrives) Shop for equipment. Yard sales are a good place to start if you are on a budget. … [Read more...]
3 Small Livestock Preparedness Tips
Raising small livestock is a good way to feed your family quality protein. Rabbits, chickens, ducks, and turkeys are some common additions to homestead operations. Meat goats might be another addition or possibly sheep. All of these animals require a small amount of routine maintenance and care daily but the labor and land required is still less than beef cattle, pigs or dairy cows. Although day to day life might not be a problem, there may be some occasions where you cannot care for your … [Read more...]
