Homesteading

Caring for chickens in the winter is pretty similar to caring for them during any other season: It doesn't have to be that difficult. With just a handful of modifications to their enclosure, your chickens can be perfectly happy and comfortable in the winter months. Here are the most important...

Homesteading can mean a lot of different things. For some, it’s having a vegetable garden or a stocked pantry. For others it means being completely self-sufficient. In any case, having and planning a homestead is a lot of work. To me, homesteading is not only growing your own food, it’s also...

Farm fresh eggs are one of the greatest joys in life. Eggs are such a versatile food with amazing health benefits. But getting your chickens to lay them is not quite as simple as it might seem. To cover the basics, every hen lays eggs, no rooster needed. However, if there's a rooster present and...

To understand how not to overgraze your homestead, you must first understand what rotational grazing is. Managing your pasture is an art and rotating your animals on pasture consistently and effectively makes a huge difference in the health of your livestock and the health of your land. Rotational...

Raising chickens is enriching work. They’re often one of the first farm animals people consider when starting to homestead. They're a true dual-purpose animal, providing you with both meat and eggs. It’s economical to start raising chickens due to the low up cost of feed and housing. They are also...

I love raising sheep. I was a shepherd for Halloween as a child, but who knew I’d actually become one. Sheep aren’t dumb. They’re actually quite friendly, docile, obedient, and trainable. Yes, our sheep are trained to come when we call. Raising sheep on our ranch has become one of our favorite...

The best thing about owning laying hens is getting farm-fresh eggs. There is nothing better than going out to the nesting box to see how many eggs have been laid, collecting them, and bringing them inside. Hens start laying eggs once they reach approximately six months of age. Don't worry about...

With folks taking such interest in becoming more self-sufficient and getting in touch with where their food comes from, raising chickens has become a popular hobby. Whether for meat, eggs, or both, chickens provide an excellent source of protein—and never mind the fact that befriending the little...

If you think that a hive or two of honeybees could be a wonderful addition to your home or garden, you’re right. But, if you think a beehive is a lawn ornament that’ll function as your personal honey fountain, you’re in for a surprise. Keeping bees is a magical thing, and they really are low...

Chickens were the first animals we got when we moved out of suburbia and into the country. They don't call them the "gateway" farm animal for no reason; they're addictive. Once you get one chicken, you'll want more—it's a fierce cycle that inspired us to start our regenerative ranch. If you've ever...