Categories
Animals

Pick The Best Herding Dog For Your Farm

Farm Worker With Flock Of Sheep
Monkey Business/Flickr

Keeping livestock on a small farm can be a very rewarding experience. Raising sheep, cattle, goats or poultry provides a sense of closeness to the earth and a true feeling of accomplishment in your farm.

But on the other hand, raising livestock is hard work. Moving the animals around the property, separating individuals for veterinary care and keeping them in one area of the farm can be challenging. That is, unless you have the help of a farm dog suited for herding livestock.

A herding dog can do wonders to lighten your livestock-handling load. With a herding dog at your side, you’ll be amazed at how much easier your job can be. Combine all that with the great companionship you’ll get, and it makes owning one of these amazing canines worth considering.

How Herding Dogs Help

The chores that a good herding dog can help you achieve are many, according to small farmers who are currently using canine helpers to manage their livestock. Small farms throughout the world use herding dogs to get livestock chores done quickly and efficiently, and have done so for thousands of years.

“Ever had to wrestle an unwilling sheep or goat down to deworm, trim feet or shear?” asks Marie Koebke of Alamar Kennels in Van Alstyne, Texas, a breeder of Border Collies and Australian Shepherds. “Ever had your cows get out in the middle of the night, or try to get a steer into a chute that doesn’t want to be doctored or vaccinated? It isn’t easy and can be dangerous. A well-trained dog can make all these jobs go much smoother and easier. When it is time to get the livestock out of the upper pastures or move them to another pasture, a dog can save the work, time and expense of three people. A dog has more livestock sense than most humans and can anticipate the stock’s next move long before you can. The maneuverability of a dog’s four legs to your two saves many steps.”

Koebke notes that daily jobs can also be made a lot easier with the help of a herding dog.

“I use mine to keep the sheep off the feed pans and out of the way while feeding grain,” she says. “I also use the dogs to hold one group while I push others out of the pen, in our case llamas. We also use them to hold sheep in a corner while we catch them to deworm, trim feet, doctor or just generally look them over. Any time we move stock from one place to another, we use a dog. Loading a trailer becomes a simple task with a dog behind the stock. Moving from one pasture to another, sorting, any task now takes just me and a good dog to make it easy.”

Koebke reports that she has a cousin who works on a dairy farm in a milking parlor and uses a dog to help her with her chores.

“She has a Border Collie that lays at the door to keep the other cows from sneaking in for grain,” she says. “When she is done with one group, the dog takes those cows out of the parlor, goes through a couple of fences and brings eight more in and puts them in the stanchion to be milked. It only takes one girl and one dog to accomplish the milking of several hundred cows.”

Herding Dog Breeds

Although herding comes naturally to many dogs, not all breeds have the instinct to work livestock. Dogs bred specifically to herd are the ones with the strongest instinct and the most trainability for this job.

Humans have been using dogs for herding for thousands of years, and consequently, a great many herding breeds have been developed over time.

Some of the most common herding breeds seen working on farms today include:

The American Kennel Club, the largest dog breed registry in the United States, currently recognizes 18 herding breeds, including the Collie, Shetland Sheepdog, Old English Sheepdog and Welsh Corgi breeds, to name just a few. Other non-AKC herding breeds also exist, such as the Australian Kelpie and the English Shepherd.

Styles of Herding

Some of these AKC and non-AKC breeds retain more herding instinct than others, and some were bred to excel at the different styles of herding:

  • Driving
  • Mustering
  • Boundary

Driving is the style most commonly thought of when one thinks about herding dogs. Driving dogs push livestock through gates and pens, and can take animals from one part of the farm to the other without human assistance.

Mustering dogs, on the other hand, retrieve livestock from far away areas of the property and return them to the farmer.

Boundary herding requires that the dog provide an artificial fence line around livestock, keeping the animals from wandering out of a designated area. Boundary dogs can also move livestock to keep them gathered and in the right place.

While certain dogs are bred to specialize in one type of style more than another (German Shepherds excel at boundary herding, while Border Collies are known to be excellent drivers), any herding dog can be trained to perform one or more of these herding styles.

Choosing a Breed

When it comes to choosing a herding breed, it’s important to think about what you need your dog to do, and then study each breed to determine which ones are best suited to your situation. Remember too that while your herding dog will be a working animal, he will also be a companion and family dog.

“It’s a good idea to go to herding trials and talk with people who have the various breeds,” says Cathy Modica, a herding dog trainer in Escondido, Calif. “Ask about the breeds’ strong points and weak points. For example, while Border Collies predominate in the working field, they do require a fair amount of work to keep them happy. Other AKC herding breeds are equally good at doing chores. They may take a little longer to train, but they also know when to settle down and be a family member.”

Many small farmers have a strong interest in Border Collies, since this is the most visible and often used breed in herding. Jimmy Walker, a herding dog trainer in Hillsboro, Texas, notes that Border Collies are popular because of their intelligence and their natural instincts to gather and herd.

“Border Collies are thought by many to be the most intelligent breed of dog,” he says. “Their instincts and intelligence make it easier for one dog to work large numbers of stock. Border Collies are used to work cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, ducks and geese. Some dogs can do it all with correct training to learn which livestock need a little force and which don’t. Some Border Collies are a little more one-sided, being strong and having a tendency to bite more and therefore only work cattle. Others are softer and only work the smaller species that don’t need that kind of force.”

Walker adds that Border Collies are real time savers.

“Because of their natural instincts to gather, they can be taught to go out and bring stock to you,” he says. “Most small farmers need tasks to be completed as quickly as possible. Border Collies help with this because they save steps that the farmer doesn’t have to take.”

Puppies vs. Adult Dogs

Whether or not to start with a young puppy or purchase an older dog that has already been trained is another question small farmers make when considering adding a herding dog to the family.

“Some people like the idea of training and learning along with the puppy,” says Koebke. “However, the drawback is that you have at least a year before the dog is useful to you. There is also that big question as to whether or not the dog will be able to do what you need. By the time you discover that, you are two years down the road and have wasted a lot of time and money finding out that the dog can’t do what you want. If you are inexperienced, it is also possible to take a really good puppy and ruin it with one mistimed correction on stock or a bad experience at a critical point in the puppy’s development.”

Koebke adds that a puppy can still be a good choice under the right circumstances.

“This is not to say you shouldn’t start with a puppy,” she says. “I personally want a dog to grow up with me, learning me and my nuances and moods. You just need to exercise common sense and seek out help to start things off right.”

Modica notes that whether you start with a puppy or an adult also depends on how much work needs to be done and when.

“Realistically, a pup won’t be ready for real training until six months of age at the absolute earliest, and even more realistically, about 12 months. Once started in training, it will take several months before the dog can do simple chores. One thing to remember is that a pup will probably work, but there’s no guarantee that it will. It’s sort of an unknown, which is why the pup should be bought from someone who is breeding for herding. A dog that is already trained is a known entity, will cost more, but you can start working with it immediately.”

Small farmers who opt for an adult dog that is already trained can expect to pay $1,000 and upward, depending on the level of training the dog has been given. Conversely, a puppy from herding lines can cost anywhere from $600 to $1,200, depending on the breed.

Getting Started with Herding-dog Ownership

Before embarking on herding-dog ownership, it’s a good idea to learn about herding training and how to work a herding dog, according to experts.

“The most difficult part of herding is usually acquiring a basic knowledge of livestock, but most farmers already have this,” says Koebke.

“The most important thing is knowing how a dog affects the livestock, and how the human can help or hinder the dog. I strongly recommend finding someone nearby to help you learn the basics, whether you buy a trained dog or start on your own.

“It is very easy to ruin a good dog, especially a puppy, through sheer ignorance. Then, once you feel comfortable, go back occasionally to keep from developing bad habits.

“A dog is only as good as his handler allows him to be. If something is not working, don’t take it out on the dog, it is usually your fault. Dogs are kind of like computers—if you input the wrong information, they output the wrong answers.”

Modica recommends attending herding trials and talking to people who are breeding dogs for herding.

“Most people at trials and breeders who breed for herding can help direct someone who is looking for a dog to help with chores,” she says. “I would caution that you be wary of someone who is a breeder but doesn’t have much herding experience, yet says ‘I have the perfect dog for herding in this litter.’ Way too many times, herding ability is erroneously linked to hyperactivity, or to dogs that are ‘high.’ It is unfortunate that people link this to herding. A good herding dog to help out with chores on a small farm should be stable and easy to train, not a dog that is bouncing off the walls.”

If you are going to make the investment in a herding dog, it pays to get formal training so you can learn the ropes. “Find someone to help you,” says Modica.

“If you start with a puppy, do not think this pup will learn by just following you or another dog. Pups left on their own develop bad habits. Keep him on a line if you take him to stock, and do not let him get into trouble with stock. If you correct him when he gets into trouble, he may think he is being corrected for working. When you are not able to be with him, kennel him or keep him confined in some way. Many a good dog has been ruined before he ever got started by having too much freedom.”

If you’ll be getting a puppy, Modica recommends communicating with a trainer as soon as you get your pup so you know how to raise it. “When the dog is old enough, send him off to someone for the training. This will run you anywhere from $300 to $500 a month, and will take two to four months. For a busy farmer, this may be the best and most economical option.”

In the meantime, learn as much about herding as you can, and consider taking lessons from a trainer or herding instructor. Before long, you and your herding dog will be an efficient team, and you’ll be wondering how you ever managed without him.

This article first appeared in the August/September 2003 issue of Hobby Farms magazine.

Categories
Animals

Randall Linebacks: New England’s Own Heritage Cattle

By Sue Weaver

Have you ever gazed upon a Randall Lineback cow? Probably not. The Randall Lineback is America’s most critically endangered bovine breed.

Rare Randall Cow
© Chapel Hill Randall Linebacks/
Ron & Diane Salmon

Yet heritage Randall Linebacks—also known as Randall Cattle, Randall Blues and Randall Lineback Blues—have a lot to offer today’s hobby farmer, including the opportunity to help preserve one of America’s last surviving landrace cattle breeds.

“Landrace” refers to a race of plant or animal developed in a specific locale and ideally suited for the environment where it lives.

To fine-tune the definition, landrace livestock breeds are those that adapted to regional environments and to the demands of their work requirements with minimal human intervention, or that developed at the hands of humans using traditional, rather than modern, breeding techniques.

Most landrace horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and goats are multi-purpose heritage breeds, and many are now extinct or endangered.

Individual animals within a landrace breed are similar enough in phenotype (how they look) to be recognizable as members of a bona fide breed, yet they show considerable variation in type. This is because as landrace breeds evolved, function was more important than form. Consider the Border Collie, a landrace breed of working dogs developed in Scotland to herd sheep. Purebred Border Collies vary in size, type and coat length because they’ve been selected for practical herding ability, not to meet a set of show-ring criteria.

Pasture-raised 8-month-old Randall steer

© Chapel Hill Randall Linebacks/
Ron & Diane Salmon

America has her share of landrace livestock breeds, such as Hog Island and Navajo-Churro sheep; Rocky Mountain and Spanish Colonial horses; Mulefoot hogs; and Tennessee Fainting Goats. But of the scores of landrace cattle breeds developed during her early history, only a few remain: Pineywoods and Florida Cracker cattle descended from colonial Spanish stock, and New England’s hardy Randall Lineback.

In the Beginning
During the early- to mid-1600s, the ancestors of today’s Randall Linebacks arrived on our Eastern coast aboard sailing ships from points throughout Europe.

However, shipping cattle by sea was costly (and risky), so as imported cattle interbred and multiplied in sufficient numbers to supply colonists with house cows, meat and oxen, importations largely ceased until the mid-19th century.

During the interim, landrace populations developed everywhere cattle were kept.

Meanwhile, specialized, purebred beef and dairy cattle were being developed in Great Britain and Europe.

Randall Lineback

© Chapel Hill Randall Linebacks/
Ron & Diane Salmon

The golden age of North American landrace cattle lasted until the mid-1800s, when purebred cattle were imported in sizeable numbers.

By the turn of the 20th century, American registries extolled the virtues of beefy Shorthorns, Herefords and Angus, and of specialized dairy breeds such as Ayrshires, Jerseys, Guernseys and Holsteins.

Farmers responded by switching to the new wundercows or upgrading their landrace herds with registered bulls. Gradually, specialized beef and dairy breeds usurped New England’s landrace cattle—the Creampots, the Columbias and Canadienne cattle from nearby Quebec—but through the efforts of one family, a single landrace breed survived.

In 1912, Samuel Randall, his wife May and his 7-year-old son, Everett, took up residence on a farm near Sunderland, Vt. For the next three-quarters of a century, the family operated a farm where they worked their fields, sugared, logged with draft horses and operated a 22-stanchion dairy.

Where Samuel Randall obtained his original cattle isn’t clear, but we do know the Randalls, father and son, chose not to “improve” them with newfangled beef or dairy bulls. The Randalls maintained a closed herd of tried-and-true, multipurpose landrace cattle they developed on their Sunderland farm. “Our Linebacks” the Randalls called them. They were the prototypes of today’s Randall Lineback cattle.

Resources

American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
(919) 542-5704
www.albc-usa.org/

Randall Cattle Registry and Breed Association
www.randallcattleregistry.org/
phil@randallcattleregistry.org

Randall Lineback Breed Association
www.randalllineback.com/
info@randallineback.com

Cynthia’s Randall Cattle Pages
www.cynthiasrandallcattle.com/

Randall Linebacks at the Chapel Hill Farm
www.randalllineback.org/

Randall Lineback Cattle
www.randall-linebacks.org/
www.hamiltonrarebreeds.org/
www.merckforest.org/

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As continued out-crossing laid waste to other landrace cattle breeds, Samuel and Everett Randall continued breeding their cattle in genetic isolation. Their Linebacks were medium-size, multi-purpose cattle—“milky” enough to give two gallons of high-butterfat milk per day on a grass-based diet and beefy enough to provide good eating.

They were docile cattle, intelligent and easy to work with when handled on a daily basis. Cows gave birth to calves without assistance and illness was rare.

According to George Randall, Everett’s son and Randall Lineback Breed Association Board member, the elder Randalls selected for Lineback color as much as anything else.

Then, as now, the Randalls’ Linebacks were marked with brockled (roan-like) patches of color on a white background. The amount of brockling varied; colors included black, blue or occasionally red. Color occurred on the Linebacks’ sides, muzzles, ears, eye rings and sometimes their feet. 

When Everett Randall died in 1985, the herd he and his father created was comprised of the last surviving landrace cattle in New England. And the herd was imperiled.

Everett’s wife was unable to care for the animals, so part of the cattle went to slaughter. A portion went to other herds, including a small group to a couple in western Massachusetts who planned to help conserve them. When they lost interest, they put the remaining animals up for sale. At that point the Randall Lineback’s future was bleak.

Cynthia Saves the Randalls
Then fortune smiled upon the breed. Cynthia Creech, now President of the Randall Cattle Registry and Breed Association and then of Artemis Farm in Jefferson City, Tenn., purchased those last nine cows and six bulls.

With the help of Dr. D. Phillip Sponenberg of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy and the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, who developed a breeding protocol for her cattle, Creech threw her heart and soul into conserving the remnants of the Randalls’ decimated herd, which she dubbed Randall cattle.

Randall Cattle vs. Randall Linebacks

Randall Cattle 
Members of the Randall Cattle Registry and Breed Association refer to their animals as Randall cattle or Randalls.
According to the Randall Cattle FAQ page at their Web site (www.randallcattleregistry.org/): “Since the rescue of the Randalls from the Randall farm in 1985, and the re-rescue by Cynthia Creech in 1987, several names have been applied to the cattle, ‘Randall Lineback’, ‘Randall Blue’, ‘Randall Blue Lineback’, and ‘Randall’. In the early days there was no Randall ‘authority’, just Cynthia, who owned most of the animals, and ALBC represented by Phil Sponenberg who was supplying breeding advice for her fledgling herd.  Several names were tried out during that period but none was applied to the breed by any sort of organized process involving the interested parties.

“In the mid 1990’s, when for several years the only Randall breeders were Cynthia Creech and Phil and Dianne Lang, serious talk began about the breed name. Around 1997 the consensus was that the breed would be called ‘Randall’, and this was what they were called in a 1999 article in the Small Farmer’s Journal called “Randall Cattle.”

This was further codified in the writing of bylaws for a breed Registry in 2000, and its subsequent incorporation in early 2001.

“It was apparent very early on that the use of the words ‘Blue’ or ‘Lineback’ in the breed name was a source of great confusion. Very few of the Randalls were actually blue, (and the word ‘blue’ evoked unintended connections to the unrelated Belgian Blue breed), and the word lineback created almost universal associations with the American Lineback and other lineback patterned breeds. Also clouding the issue was the inference that “Lineback” was a “definition” of the Randall breed when in fact their color pattern was only one characteristic of an otherwise distinct and unique breed.”

Randall Linebacks 
Randall Lineback Breed Association breeders call their cattle Linebacks because that’s what the Randall family called them. Says Randall Lineback Breed Association President, Joe Henderson, “It’s a name that has served the breed well for a century.”

In addition, the State of Vermont has designated the Randall Lineback the State Heritage Breed of Vermont.

Randall/Randall Linebacks
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy calls them Randall/Randall Linebacks on the ALBC Watch List.

So which is correct? Either … or both.

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The herd grew. In 1994, Creech sold two heifers—the first she felt ready to part with—to Dianne and Phil Lang of South Kent, Conn., who already owned three Randalls and dreamed of establishing an organic dairy operation with the breed (which they have now done).

Over the next few years, 11 more herds were founded with bulls and heifers from Creech’s herd. In 2000, Cynthia Creech was named The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy’s “Conservationist of the Year.”

However, developed as they were for New England’s cooler climate, Creech’s Randalls suffered through Tennessee’s six-month, sweltering summers. She vowed to return the cattle to their natural environment, and in 2002 she and her herd headed north. Their first stop was Chapel Hill Farm in Berryville, Va. The herd stayed there for two years before Creech and some of the cattle moved on to South Kent, Conn., where she manages Rock Cobble Farm, now home to more than 100 head of purebred Randall Cattle.

Through Cynthia Creech’s sacrifice and effort, this living piece of history survived. When asked for her take on the cattle she’s devoted her life to saving, Creech replies, “Randall cattle are one of the few breeds that retain their natural instincts and characteristics. They exemplify the innate traits of cattle raised on native New England subsistence farms. Calving ease, mothering ability, grazing efficiency, milk production and good health for many years are part of their package. Randalls have not been diminished through the single trait selection of typical modern agribusinesses. These cattle still know how to be cows in an efficient, functional and effective way. They are perfectly suited for—are in fact made to be–family cows or milk cows on small, grass-based dairy farms.”

And what, we ask, can we do to help this rarest of heritage breeds survive? “The Randall breed,” she says, “needs dedicated, long-term breeders who believe that the characteristics of these cattle are to be valued and preserved just as they are. These cattle, as all heritage breeds, should not be changed to fit into an individual breeder’s mold, but rather celebrated and saved for the marvelous survivors that they are.”

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Randall Linebacks at Chapel Hill Farm
Joe Henderson, President of the Randall Lineback Breed Association and proprietor of Chapel Hill Farm, is one such breeder. He purchased part of Creech’s cattle during her sojourn in Virginia and through aggressively working to increase their numbers, has established the largest herd of purebred Randall Linebacks in the world.

Like Creech, he hopes responsible farmers investigate the breed because he believes that increasing their population and establishing herds in other parts of North America is of vital importance. “Randall Linebacks,” he says, explaining this view, “will be ensured survival when their numbers have reached 1,000 in at least five geographically separated herds. At that point, by definition, the Randall Linebacks will be beyond harm’s way from any individual calamity, human or otherwise.

“The Gordian knot of the Randall Linebacks, and of all extremely rare breeds,” he continues, “is that no one has known what they were good for in today’s world because there were so few around. In my opinion, and in the opinion of others in the Randall Lineback Breed Association, the only way out of this dilemma is to produce enough Randall Linebacks so that two things can occur: a purpose sufficient to require a thousand breeding Randall Linebacks can be found and that enough Randall Linebacks can be produced initially to supply substantial demand.”

He goes on to say, “This fall, Randall Linebacks are getting the proverbial ‘job’ so necessary to a rare breed’s survival. Randall Linebacks from Chapel Hill Farm—with menu attribution no less—will appear as special seasonal foods at 10 of Washington D.C.’s finest restaurants. The acceptance of Randall Lineback rose-veal by a chosen number of great chefs, which will grow by selection each year, is critical to the Randall Lineback’s survival. My hope is that, once a viable market has been pioneered, large and geographically separate new herds owned by others can then be created and supported by the marketplace.”

Chapel Hill Farm’s rose-veal is the lean, fine-grained, tender and tasty, pink flesh of 200- to 250-pound, 8-month-old Randall Lineback steers, pasture-raised without growth hormones or medicated feed. To produce it—and to decide which calves to slaughter and which to retain for breeding stock—Chapel Hill Farm maintains extensive records on their cattle. Monitoring weight gains is only part of the picture; every Chapel Hill Randall Lineback is given a qualitative conformation rating of one to five. The best bull calves are kept for breeding; the highest-rated cows are flushed and bred to several bulls. While all of the bloodlines represented in the Chapel Hill Farm herd are preserved through ongoing breeding, the crème de la crème of the animals are used to increase the breed’s overall population at a faster rate.

“Using every advanced reproductive technique,” Henderson tells us, “including embryo transfer, as well as the finest methods of traditional animal husbandry, including grazing hundreds of acres of open pasture and offering the purest limestone-spring water, we’ve bred, calved and raised more Randall Linebacks in the past two years alone than occurred in the previous 10-year history of the breed.”

Henderson credits much of this success to Chapel Hill herd manager, Noah Travers, “a man who truly knows cattle” and to the Randall Linebacks themselves. “Randall Linebacks are beautiful creatures,” he tells us, smiling. “When I look upon the Randall Linebacks in my fields, I’m looking at a scene that could be three hundred years old.”

Wouldn’t you appreciate that view from your back yard? There are fewer than 300 Randalls/Randall Linebacks in existence. This is the most critically endangered breed of cattle on the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy’s Watch List. Responsible conservator-breeders are badly needed. One of them could be you.

About the Author: Sue Weaver is an HF contributing editor who raises a variety of livestock—some rare—on her farm in the Ozarks. 

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This article first appeared in the January/February 2007 issue of Hobby Farms magazine. Pick up a copy at your local bookstore or tack and feed store or subscribe online>>

Categories
Crops & Gardening

Pest Patrol: Integrated Pest Management

By Jessica Walliser

Until recently, for many farmers and gardeners, the sight of an insect feeding on a plant conveyed a feeling of dread and panic—followed by a prompt trip to the garage for the sprayer.

With all the information available today about the dangers of synthetic chemical pesticides and their effects on the environment, the “Nuke ‘em and leave” philosophy is thankfully on the wane.

Biological Pest Control Option -- the Praying Mantis

In this article …

Read More

The practice of IPM, Integrated Pest Management, was developed to help growers deal with insects, diseases and weeds in a more reasonable manner.

Gone are the days when reaching for the spray bottle was thought to be the best solution.

Organic farmers and gardeners have now discovered that by wedding IPM techniques with organic principles, they can manage pests and still maintain the integrity of the soil, the population of beneficial insects, and the health and vigor of crops.

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Defining IPM
Integrated Pest Management uses preventative, surveillance and corrective measures to reduce the number of pests without high pesticide use; understanding the principles of IPM is an integral part of organic pest management.
 
IPM begins by making use of preventative methods like row-covers, pheromone traps, and mulching to prevent diseases and weeds. If the pest is never allowed to establish itself, there will be no pest problems.

If preventative methods fail, IPM then leads the grower to examine his or her own actions in the field.

Pest Prevention Tips
Some helpful tips for keeping pests at bay:

  • Pheromone traps hung in the orchard lure and trap codling moths before they mate.
  • Red spheres coated in non-drying glue and hung in fruit trees capture apple maggot flies.
  • Floating row covers (a lightweight, translucent fabric) placed over crops like cabbage, broccoli, cucumbers, carrots and melons, will keep egg-laying pests off the foliage. They also prevent cabbage loopers, carrot root maggots, flea beetles, cucumber beetles, squash bugs and many more. Be sure to remove the fabric when plants are in bloom to allow access to those precious pollinators.
  • Paperboard collars placed just below the soil level around new transplants will prevent stem-munching cut worms.
  • Place squares of corrugated cardboard in the lettuce patch. Earwigs will nestle in the tunnels at night and you can collect them in the morning.
  • To deter slugs, surround entire raised beds, or individual plants, with copper strips.  Slugs and snails sizzle when they contact copper because of a chemical reaction between something in their slime and the copper.
  • If raccoons and deer always seem to strip your corn the night before you’re prepared to harvest, place a radio playing an all-hours talk station in the garden each evening. It won’t work for more than a couple of days, so use it only for a few nights before harvest.
  • A single strand of electrified wire placed about four inches above soil surface will keep groundhogs out of the garden. Plug-in chargers work better than solar-powered ones, but either is effective.
  • For prevention of soil-borne diseases, mulch well immediately after planting. Straw, hay, compost and even newspaper help prevent spores from splashing up on leaves. This is a great technique to control blight on tomatoes.
  • Powdery mildew, rust, anthracnose, blight, black spot and other diseases are readily spread by working in wet conditions and not cleaning pruning equipment properly. Sterilize clippers, loppers and saws with rubbing alcohol between plants.

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The practice of identifying and reducing the factors causing the problem in the first place is a key element.

  • Were proper cultural practices followed?
  • Were plants fertilized and pruned properly?
  • Was equipment cleaned between uses?

If the grower changes some method of maintenance, a subsequent reduction in pests may result.

Examples include the increase in pests that often accompanies an over-application of nitrogen fertilizer; such an application can cause excessive tender growth that is extremely appealing to pest insects.

String trimmers may damage tree bark, creating an entrance for fungal and bacterial issues; allowing debris to linger in between crop rows attracts pests like slugs and earwigs.

Keep the garden clean, locate plants in conditions in which they are known to thrive and employ good maintenance practices: These are easy ways to design the pest out of the garden.

After the grower determines if the injury is somehow a result of human error, any necessary changes in maintenance techniques are made and the damage is closely monitored.

Often this simple change is all that’s necessary to alleviate a pest problem. If further damage is noted, it then becomes essential to determine if pest levels are causing enough damage to warrant a response.

For some growers, a few holes in their cabbage are no cause for concern. These farmers would rather see this minor aesthetic damage than spray their crops with anything. For other growers with a lower tolerance level, even a minor amount of damage warrants a response.

No farmer wants to see their hard work destroyed by insects or diseases, so discovering your own tolerance level is important.

In organic production, contrary to popular belief, you do not need to sacrifice flawless crops for the elimination of pesticides; it’s quite possible to grow perfect produce organically.

And you do not need to raise your tolerance threshold, though it may make life on the organic farm a little less stressful.

Most growers realize that “organic” produce is beginning to be more valuable than “flawless” produce in today’s market, so raising the tolerance threshold is an easy task.

The principles of IPM state that once unacceptable damage begins and pest levels are continuing to rise, appropriate actions should be taken.

Remember, IPM does allow for the use of conventional chemical pesticides, it just aims to reduce the amounts used.

Here’s where organic farming takes a divergent path.

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Organic Pest Control
In organics, pest control begins with healthy soil. Quality soil results in vigorous plants that are unattractive to pests and that can withstand moderate amounts of pest activity with no ill effects. In essence, healthy soil equals healthy plants.

Crop Yield and Organics

Organic farming produces the same yields of corn and soybeans as does conventional farming, but uses 30 percent less energy, less water and no pesticides,” says David Pimentil, a professor from Cornell University.

Based on the review of a 22-year farming trial study, this research compares the outputs of organic versus conventional farming in the United States. Plus, the organic fields utilized no chemical fertilizers and managed to maintain prime soil quality and reduced soil erosion.

The same study noted that during drought conditions, the yields from organic plots surpassed those grown with conventional methods.

Another study of note, from Johns Hopkins University, states that organic crops contain significantly more vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorus, and significantly less nitrates than conventional crops. Additionally, the protein contained in organic crops was of higher quality. The content of certain heavy metals was significantly lower in organic crops as well.

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Sometimes, however, despite everything an organic farmer has done to ensure strong, happy plants, pest problems occur. After examining the failure of any preventative methods, the farmer is then left to determine ways to control the pest without synthetic chemical inputs.
 
Biological Pest Control Options
Thankfully, the food chain is alive and well in most farms and gardens—especially organic ones. There is a natural cycle of predator and prey in every existing eco-system—the farm is no exception.

“Good” bugs, heralded as beneficial insects, are great allies in organic production. Beneficial insects consume copious amounts of “bad” insects (they aren’t really “bad,” of course, because they do serve a purpose—as a pollinator, a decomposer or a food source for larger critters). 

One of the easiest ways to maintain a healthy farm is to understand this natural cycle of predator and prey, and to encourage it to prosper. Lure plenty of beneficial insects to crops that are frequently plagued with pests. Ladybugs, lacewings, hoverflies, pirate bugs, tachinid flies and parasitic wasps (don’t worry, they are very tiny and have no stinger) are just a few of the predatory insects that will make a home on the organic farm.

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Attracting and Keeping Good Bugs
Here’s what you need to do to attract, and keep, plenty of the “good” guys: 

– Plant nectar sources. In many cases (but not all), it’s the larvae of beneficial insects that consume the “bad” bugs, while the adults feed on nectar. If they don’t have ample nectar, they’ll either leave to find it or they won’t lay as many eggs. Most adult beneficials prefer plants with clusters of many small flowers: Herbs like dill, parsley, fennel, oregano, cilantro, chervil and thyme, and annuals like sunflowers, cosmos, amaranth, alyssum and statice.  Also, perennials like yarrow, daisies, tansy and angelica are preferred. Interplant crops with these flowers and watch them “buzz” with beneficial activity!

– Create habitat. Many beneficial insects need a safe place to lay eggs.  Some lay them right on the backs of the “bad” insects (parasitic wasps lay eggs on tomato hornworms and Aphidius wasps lay eggs on aphids), while others deposit eggs on nearby grasses and shrubs. Allow an area adjacent to the garden or field to be slightly unkempt. Lacewings lay their eggs along blades of grass, while praying mantids place egg cases on twigs or woody perennial stems to over-winter.

– Don’t eliminate pests completely. If there are no pests at all, there will be no food source for hatching beneficials. The goal is to keep pest populations at tolerable levels while allowing enough of them to make the “good” guys want to stick around. Predator and prey population levels are in natural proportion with each other. The more prey present, the more the beneficials will reproduce. If you totally eliminate the “bad” guys, the beneficial insects will be unable to maintain a robust population.

– Quit spraying. Many pesticides (most conventional, but a few organic, too) will not only kill pest insects, but beneficials as well. Read product labels carefully and be sure not to apply anything when beneficials are present. If the “good” guys are already working, they will take care of the pests quite fine on their own. Spraying will send nature’s balance off kilter and you’ll end up doing more harm than good. Watch pest levels for a few days; note the quick increase in beneficial activity followed by the rapid decrease in pest numbers.

Besides utilizing the natural cycle of predator and prey, growers can rely on microscopic biological controls as well. Many pests are susceptible to specific strains of bacteria; these living bacteria can be applied to crops being consumed by that pest.

One of the most common biological pesticides available for use in organic farming is Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis). It targets foliar feeding caterpillars (like cabbage loopers and gypsy moths, among others) by disrupting their gut. Bt is safe for humans and the environment when used on targeted plants; it will not affect beneficials or soil life.
 
Different strains of Bt exist, with some targeting beetles, mosquito larvae and fungus gnats. Be sure to choose the appropriate type.

Another effective biological control is spinosad (Saccharopolyspora spinosa). This bacterium offers excellent management of potato beetles, fire ants, cabbage loopers, leafminers, caterpilliars and many others. Again, it has little toxicity to humans and soil life, so it’s an ideal choice for organic growing.
 
Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus are biological fungicides that combat downy and powdery mildews, rust, bacterial spot, blight, botrytis and other mildews on veggies, fruits, ornamentals, trees and shrubs. Because they consist of a living organism, all biological pesticides should be stored and mixed according to label instructions.

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Botanical Pest Control Options
Derived from plant sources, botanical products are a natural way to combat pests. Many of them were discovered by observing the natural defenses of these plants and then unearthing what it is that makes them so unappealing to pests. Below are several botanical pesticides and some information about how they work.
 
– Neem is made from the seeds of the tropical neem tree. It is an all-purpose pesticide. Neem not only repels insects, it suppresses feeding and prevents them from molting. It’s effective against a broad range of insects, including aphids, leafminers, loopers, sawfly larvae, four-lined plant bugs and mites, to name just a few. Neem is not harmful to humans, animals or soil life, but if applied incorrectly, it may be harmful to bees and other beneficials. Neem has fungicidal properties as well.
 
– A sometimes controversial organic pesticide, pyrethrins should be used only when absolutely necessary. They harm beneficials and aquatic life, so care must be taken with their application. Pyrethrin is derived from a species of chrysanthemum and acts against the pest’s nervous system. It is an instant kill and is often used against wasp and yellow jacket nests. Be sure to select only natural pyrethrins and avoid their synthetic cousins the pyrethroids, which are not organic.

Pyrethrins are valued for combating a huge number of pests, including many types of beetles (potato, bean, blister, cucumber, asparagus and flea), loopers, caterpillars, thrips, earwigs, aphids and whiteflies.  

 – Working as a pest repellent, garlic oil should be used as a preventative measure before pest populations begin to expand. It deters ants, aphids, cutworms, earworms, hornworms, leaf miners and others. Avoid spraying garlic oil when vegetables are in bloom—it will also repel pollinators.

 – Botanical essential oils are made from various plant oils, including clove, wintergreen, cinnamon, rosemary and peppermint; some forms of these pesticides control root pests like wireworms and cutworms, while others serve as foliar pesticides, eliminating aphids, potato beetles, loopers, mites, whiteflies and more. Very safe and surprisingly effective, essential oils can also be used as a fungicide to control mildews and rusts.

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Other Organic Control Options
There are several other products considered safe for use in organic production. They include oils, soaps and elemental compounds.

For insect pests, horticultural oil works by suffocating soft-bodied insects like aphids, mealybugs and certain species of scales. Insecticidal soap acts by dehydrating and suffocating pests like aphids, mites, leafhoppers, earwigs, grasshoppers and mealybugs, among others. These two products must come in direct contact with pests to be effective, so thoroughly coating all leaf and stem surfaces is a must.

The elemental compound iron phosphate has been introduced recently as an organic slug and snail bait that is not dangerous to dogs, cats and other mammals. Slugs stop feeding as soon as the bait is consumed and will die within a few days.
  
Another effective class of products are those based on kaolin clay. These products are sprayed onto fruit and foliage to deter pest insects from landing to feed. They surround them with a protective barrier of white powder and are essential to organic fruit production. The powder is easy to wash off and is safe for consumption (it’s a common ingredient in toothpaste and Kaopectate).

Elemental compounds used to combat fungus and disease include lime sulfur, a very effective old-time remedy for most fungal diseases including brown rot, scab, blight, peach leaf curl, powdery mildew, anthracnose, rust and black spot.  It’s a liquid formulation with a limited shelf life, so pay attention to the expiration date.

Another elemental fungicide is copper. Though it can be harmful to aquatic life and some plants if it’s misused, copper is quite effective against leaf curl, leaf spot, anthracnose, rust, fire blight, bacterial blights and others. Use great caution when applying copper-based fungicides.
 
Potassium bicarbonate products (baking soda) are simple, safe solutions for fungal issues of all types. They work on contact, so the organism must already be present for optimum control. It works against fungus on lawns, fruits, veggies, ornamentals and roses; potassium bicarbonate products are easy to find and fairly inexpensive.
  
An important note: For certified organic growers, it’s necessary to check with the certifying agency to ensure any products used are acceptable under their guidelines. Growers can also check with the Organic Materials Review Institute to ensure a material’s compliance with certified organic production. Take care to follow all label instructions and use only products that are labeled for the specific issue being dealt with.
 
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Organic Weed Control
Battling weeds on an organic farm doesn’t necessarily come easy; but with careful planning and a bit of time (not much, really), it’s possible to control weeds effectively and without chemical inputs. As with many things organic, the key is both the strategy and the timing. In the past, regular tilling was the most common option, but research suggests this technique disrupts beneficial soil life and breaks down the good soil structure most farmers work so hard to create. A better plan: fight weeds with forethought and fire.

The forethought involves fighting the weeds before they arrive.

Mulch by applying a 3- to 4-inch layer of organic matter on the soil surface in mid-spring before weed seeds have a chance to germinate. Straw, hay, chopped leaves, grass clippings, mushroom manure, compost and even newspaper (no shiny pages, please) or corrugated cardboard will form a protective barrier over the soil.

Lay mulch between rows and around plants.

Better yet, plant a living mulch. White Dutch clover, red clover, cowpeas and other cover crops can be sown around and between new transplants to help drown out weeds and replenish soil organic matter. Simply mow them down when they get high enough to compete with crops.

Black plastic is another organic mulching option for market farmers, but be sure to remove it from fields at the end of the growing season.
  
More forethought: Use an organic pre-emergent herbicide. These products are made from corn gluten, a by-product of the corn processing industry. They work by killing the initial root that emerges from a seed, thereby preventing them from germinating.
 
Ninety percent effective after two years use, corn gluten has become a terrific alternative to conventional weed and feeds for the lawn and perennial border. It works just as well between rows of tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.

Remember, though, that corn gluten will prevent all seeds from germinating, so don’t use it where you plan to grow crops from seed in the following six to eight weeks.

For established weeds, turn to fire. Flame throwers use ignited propane to torch weeds by heating plant tissue to temperatures high enough to blow out cell walls.  The flame they throw can be adjusted to quite a narrow range, so you can use them between crop rows and under fence lines with a little care.

Though they don’t completely kill the root of many of the tougher perennial weeds, they sure do knock them back. “Flaming” the weeds will certainly prevent them from flowering and setting seed, and it works especially great for weeds growing in driveway and sidewalk cracks.

Another alternative for established weeds are the many clove oil-based organic herbicides on today’s market, most of which also include citric or acetic acid. These herbicides are non-selective, meaning they will kill any foliage they contact and, with perennial weeds, a repeat application may be necessary. They readily control plantain, dandelion, morning glory (field bind weed), chickweed, thistles and lots more.

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It’s All Good …
Effective organic pest control results from good planning.

Begin with prevention: Build your soil, choose naturally pest-resistant varieties, and keep your plants happy and healthy with proper maintenance techniques.

Regularly observe your plants, monitor any pests and promote those beneficial insects. 

When problems arise, take the time to research the pest and find an appropriate organic control method; apply it judiciously and evaluate the results.

Keep careful notes on what worked and what did not … and don’t be afraid to learn something new.

About the Author: Jessica Walliser can be heard every Saturday from 12 to 2pm EST on Sirius satellite radio channel 114 where she co-hosts “The Organic Gardeners.”

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Urban Farming Video

The Dervaes Family: Pioneering the Urban Farm

Dervaes Family/Facebook

An Interview with Jordanne Dervaes

In the bustling city of Pasadena, Calif., lives a family of urban-farm pioneers. Jules Dervaes has spent more than 20 years cultivating his 8,700-square-foot urban farm with the help of his three adult children, Anaïs, Justin and Jordanne.

The Dervaes family’s example of sustainability stands out in their quiet suburban neighborhood. The front yard is a lush agricultural oasis yielding 6,000 pounds of produce annually, which is sold to local restaurants and farmers’ markets. Their farm livestock (goats, chickens, ducks and rabbits) replace the typical suburban pets and contribute to garden compost. In addition, the Dervaes family has undertaken other sustainable pursuits such as solar-power paneling, homemade biodiesel fuel and water reclamation projects.

In 2001, the Dervaes family launched Path to Freedom to document their urban-homesteading progress and to encourage others to adopt a sustainable lifestyle. So far, their website has attracted urban farmers from more than 120 countries. The shift in perception toward sustainable living and urban farming emboldens Jules Dervaes in his endeavor to reduce his carbon footprint. “This is a sustainable family,” says Jules. “Our plan is to make a sustainable community.”

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Animals Breeds Large Animals Uncategorized

American Mammoth Jackstock Donkeys

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Photo Credit: Courtesy Birkenholz Stock Farm

 

Use: The Mammoth Jack’s main purpose is to produce mules for various uses. The lighter Jacks are often used to create saddle mules, while heavier boned Jacks are used for draft mules. Mammoth Jacks wholesale nfl jerseys are also ridden and can easily carry a rider. The breed is also shown in a variety of classes at Making donkey shows, including donkey pleasure and harness. They also make good trail mounts.

 

History: The American Mammoth Jackstock was developed in the United States by cross-breeding of large European donkeys with American and Mexican stock. These donkeys were initially bred before the Revolutionary War. They became valuable for their ability to sire mules with size, strength and vitality for use in agriculture and transportation. George Washington received an Andalusian jack and two jennets from the King of Spain in 1785, marking the beginning of good fortune for the Mammoth Jack. These quality donkeys became the foundation stock for the modern cheap mlb jerseys Mammoth Jack breed. Types arose cheap jerseys online within the Mammoth Jack breed as a result wholesale jerseys of the different kinds of mules needed construction in various areas of the country. Other circumstances also influenced regional type when it came to Mammath Jacks. The result is that several different types of Mammoth cheap mlb jerseys Jacks can be seen today.

 

Conformation: In order to be registered with the American Mammoth Jackstock Registry, Mammoth Jacks must stand 14.2 hands or higher at the withers, while jennets can be 14 hands or higher. The tallest known Mammoth stood 17 hands. Mammoth Jacks typically weigh from 1,000 to 2,000 pounds. Mammoth Jacks should be well proportioned and have good Garden bone. They have large heads and well-muscled necks, and a strong loin and full hips. They come in black, sorrel, roan, dun and spotted.

 

Special Considerations/Notes: Mammoth Jacks are listed as “threatened” by w4l3XzY3 the American Livestock Breed Conservancy. A Males are rarely gelded because of the animal’s value as breeding stock.