Today, garden seeds can be confusing - there are GE (genetically engineered), GMO (genetically modified organism), and Heirloom (old varieties) seed varieties available as well as open-pollinated (OP), hybrid, organic, pelleted, and treated seed! I can remember when you went to your local feed & seed supply store to buy garden seeds; and your choices were limited to a few – how things have changed! Today there are numerous seed catalogs available with hundreds of ... continue reading...
Free Garden Seed Catalogs Links for 2020
The snow started falling here today, so to me that means it's time for this post on Free Garden Seed Catalogs Links. I don't want most of the catalogs we get in the mail, but the yearly free garden seed catalogs are different. I love looking through them; and spend hours studying and plotting the perfect garden (well, it is in my imagination). Unfortunately, many companies are choosing to put their catalogs on the Internet instead of making print ... continue reading...
Garden Crop Rotation – A Simple System
Garden crop rotation is one of the most basic techniques gardeners, homesteaders, and farmers can use to assure plant crop success. Everyone should consider rotating their crops, because it helps maximize productivity while minimizing pests and disease. But, the practice of rotating crops can be simple or complex - I like this system because it's simple and easy to follow year after year. What Is Garden Crop Rotation? Farmers have been rotating crops since farming ... continue reading...
Making 2020’s Seed Starting & Planting Schedule (w/downloadable template)
It's time to start thinking about the garden and starting seedlings (or at least getting seeds ordered); so I’ve created our annual making 2020's seed starting & planting schedule again (see below) to keep us on track. It helps me keep focused on buying seeds, starting transplants, getting supplies, and making sure the garden beds are prepared on time. I start with my schedule from the previous year, copy it to a new spreadsheet tab, consult my notes ... continue reading...
Annual CD/T & BoSe Injections for Goats
CD/T & BoSe injections (shots) for goats are the three typically needed annually for adults. The CD/T injections are usually combined into one shot and are given to prevent enterotoxemia (the CD part) and tetanus (the T part). BoSe shots are administered to prevent selenium deficiency for goats living in selenium-deficient areas of the country. Here are the basics to know about these vaccinations for goats (skip to the last paragraph if you don’t want to know all the details ... continue reading...
Top Ten Most-Read Blog Posts of 2019
I wanted to take a look at the top ten most-read blog posts because it's the beginning of the year and I thought it would be worthwhile to go back and take a look at your favorite posts from my blog for last year. I wanted to get a better idea of what YOU, the reader, are interested in, and give me a better direction for the coming year. Last year, the most popular posts were an interesting mix of topics, so I thought I would share the top ten most-read blog posts with you, in case you missed ... continue reading...
Getting Dairy Goats – Dam or Bottle Raised?
If you have decided to purchase some young dairy goats, still another decision to make is whether to purchase kids that have been dam or bottle-raised. In the goat world, most kids are removed from their dams immediately after birth and bottle raised. Why Bottle Raised? The main reason for this is to prevent the transmission of deadly diseases (you can read more about them HERE) from the dams to the kids through the milk. However, these bottle-raised kids (aka bottle babies) still need to ... continue reading...
Getting Dairy Goats – Disbudded, Horned, or Polled?
Another important decision when starting with dairy goats is whether to choose disbudded, horned, or polled (see What Are Polled Goats) goats. Many people are surprised to learn that most goats are born naturally horned (both males and females), but that most dairy goat owners consider horns a detriment. They’re frequently removed when the goat kids are only a few days old using a process called disbudding. It’s not uncommon for owners of meat and fiber goats to let the horns remain; however, ... continue reading...