Keeping honey bees and chickens together is something that many chicken keepers wonder about since both endeavors support a farm and household. The good news is that honey bees and chickens can and do harmoniously coexist. Keep them in the homestead, the backyard or garden and they’ll do just fine with a few precautions and some preparation.
Here are a few reasons why keeping honey bees and chickens is worth it and what you can do to get started.
Get Closer To Your Food
Keeping honey bees and chickens gives you a better picture of your food system. Many millennials and retiring back-to-the-landers (the two largest demographics taking on the keeping of bees and chickens) are either trying to get closer to their food or they’re trying to teach the next generation about the food system. Or both. Keeping chickens gives you instant, daily gratification, with virtually immediate compost ready for a garden.
Good Things Take Time
Honey bees are slightly longer term when you consider harvesting the products of the hive, but that’s another valuable lesson: Good things take time, lots of work and depend on the season. Any beekeepers worth their salt will tell you that harvesting honey at the end of the season is never a given. Some years are better “honey years” than others; some years are too dry, others too wet, and sometimes hives die. Chickens don’t require us to look at the longer-term effects of weather, but honey bees do. And that’s a valuable skill to hone.
Water Is Needed
A few points of concern are worth considering when keeping honey bees and chickens together. One is the water source for both species. Honeybees need access to a clean water source, and if one isn’t naturally occurring nearby (a shallow, slow stream; a pond; a clean bird bath; or water you provide for them), they’ll seek the chickens’ water in no time. It won’t take you more than a few days of keeping chickens to know they’re not very clean animals, particularly when it comes to water. If there’s no naturally occurring clean water source near your apiary, consider creating one. I love to put clean pebbles in a shallow planter filled with water. The pebbles give the bees places to land, and it’s easy enough to refill and move around.
Add a Garden for Food For All
Keeping these two productive homesteading creatures together is a wonderful step toward sustainability—and it’s a well-rounded approach, too. Add a garden for additional food sources for bees and chickens (and yourself), and you’ll be kept squawking like a hen and busy as a bee all season long.
This article about keeping honey bees and chickens was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
Brown Dutch Booted Bantam chicken standing on a tree trunk. Adobe Stock/KathrinSchmadicke/Wirestock Creators
Heritage chickens are one of the surest bets chicken keepers have to keep a healthy and successful flock if they will take the time to research and find chickens bred to succeed in their area. Heritage chickens often have disease-resistant characteristics and are weather-hardy in certain climates.
According to the Livestock Conservancy, “The American Poultry Association began defining breeds in 1873 and publishing the definitions in the Standard of Perfection. They were hearty, long-lived, and reproductively vital birds that provided an important source of protein to the growing population of the country until the mid-20th century.”
There are over three dozen breeds of heritage chickens nearing extinction. Preserving them is a way to connect our country’s heritage to modern day, but also preserving some of the best-developed genetic factors based on survival. Traditional historic breeds retain essential attributes for survival and self-sufficiency – fertility, foraging ability, longevity, maternal instincts, ability to mate naturally, and resistance to diseases and parasites.
The Livestock Conservancy is a nonprofit membership organization with the mission to, “protect endangered livestock and poultry breeds from extinction.” To be named a “Heritage Chicken” by the Livestock Conservancy, the chickens must meet the following criteria:
APA Standard Breed
Heritage Chicken must be from parent and grandparent stock of breeds recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA) prior to the mid-20th century; whose genetic line can be traced back multiple generations; and with traits that meet the APA Standard of Perfection guidelines for the breed. Heritage Chicken must be produced and sired by an APA Standard breed. Heritage eggs must be laid by an APA Standard breed.
Naturally mating
Heritage Chicken must be reproduced and genetically maintained through natural mating. Chickens marketed as Heritage must be the result of naturally mating pairs of both grandparent and parent stock.
Long, productive outdoor lifespan
Heritage Chicken must have the genetic ability to live a long, vigorous life and thrive in the rigors of pasture-based, outdoor production systems. Breeding hens should be productive for 5-7 years and roosters for 3-5 years.
Slow growth rate
Heritage Chicken must have a moderate to slow rate of growth, reaching the appropriate market weight for the breed in no less than 16 weeks. This gives the chicken time to develop a strong skeletal structure and healthy organs before building muscle mass.
Here are the top eleven nearing extinction and considered critical:
1. Aseel
Origin: India/Pakistan Purpose: Meat Eggs/Year: 40-60 Temperament: Aggressive Climate: Best in warm climates; can tolerate some cold but needs to be kept dry. Notes: Breed makes excellent crosses for the production of broilers; very hardy and predator savvy; exceedingly protective mothers
Asil or Aseel is an Indian breed or group of breeds of game chicken. It is distributed in much of India, particularly in the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. Adobe Stock/Ali Hanif Sumbul
2. Booted Bantam
Origin: Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Burma Purpose: Ornamental/Exhibition Eggs/Year: 100-120 Temperament: Active but calm Climate: Not cold-tolerant Notes: Pet and exhibition fowl, insect control in the garden
3. Catalana
Origin: Mediterranean Purpose: Eggs, Meat Eggs/Year: 150+ Temperament: Active Climate: Best in hot/moderate Notes: Meat is succulent; cockerels often used for capon in Spain; can be flighty
4. Cubalaya
Origin: Cuba Purpose: Eggs, Meat Eggs/Year: 125-175 Temperament: Active, but calm Climate: Best in hot to moderate climates, highly tolerant of humidity Notes: Known for fine meat qualities; can be aggressive to other birds, but mild-mannered compared to other game birds; can be noisy
Pure Bred Black Breasted Red Cubalaya Rooster cockerel. Adobe Stock/The Nature Guy
5. Holland
Origin: United States Purpose: Eggs, Meat Eggs/Year: 200-240 Temperament: Docile Climate: Does well in both hot and cold climates Notes: Top-notch foragers; good homestead fowl; comb can be prone to frostbite
6. Java
Origin: United States Purpose: Eggs, Meat Eggs/Year: 150+ Temperament: Docile, but Active Climate: Does well in both hot and cold climates Notes: Premier homestead fowl; excellent forager; slower growth equating to excellent meat flavor; combs may be prone to frostbite
7. La Fléche
Origin: France Purpose: Eggs/Meat Eggs/Year: 200+ Temperament: Docile but active Climate: Can handle hot and cold but not extremes of either Notes: Highly regarded for the flavor of the meat; large breasts for their size
8. Malay
Origin: India Purpose: Meat Eggs/Year: Poor Temperament: Active Climate: Best in Hot to Moderate Notes: Tallest of all chickens; meat is very lean with little fat; adults are hardy but chicks can be delicate; can be quarrelsome in confinement – will feather pick each other in close quarters; cannot cover many eggs due to tight feathering, males can be aggressive to chicks
9. Redcap
Origin: England Purpose: Eggs Eggs/Year: 180-220 Temperament: Active Climate: Best in Hot to Moderate Notes: Huge rose comb; adult color not fully developed until the second or third year
10. Shamo
Origin: Japan Purpose: Meat, Ornamental Eggs/Year: 60-100 Temperament: Can be aggressive to other birds, but friendly to people Climate: Best in Hot to Moderate Notes: Meat is known to be firm and almost tough; meat often used in Sumo wrestlers’ diet
11. White-Faced Black Spanish
Origin: Spain Purpose: Eggs Eggs/Year: 160-180 Temperament: Flighty, active Climate: Best in Cold climates Notes: Known as the clown-faced chicken due to the big white face patches of the roosters; noisy; chicks can be flighty, but adults tend to be more calm and curious
Are You Interested in Raising Heritage Chickens?
Heritage livestock farming comes with many enthusiasts. If you choose to take on a breed there are several organizations and individuals passionate to help you in your journey. Start at the Livestock Conservancy and glean from their plethora of resources. Raising Heritage breeds, particularly those considered critical is vital and fulfilling.
This article about endangered heritage chickens was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.
Speckled Sussex chickens are gaining popularity in small backyard flocks across America. These speckled beauties are perfect for people desiring a cold-or heat-hardy chicken that excels at egg laying. With these traits, it’s easy to see why the speckled Sussex is gaining popularity.
But what else is making the speckled Sussex breed a popular choice for backyard flocks?
Even though the Sussex’s original purpose was to be a meat bird, they are not prone to the health issues often occurring with Cornish Rocks.
Color
The Sussex comes in a variety of colors: speckled, red, light, Columbian buff and white. The striking speckled—a mahogany color with each feather ending in a black bar and white speckle—is the most popular color in the U.S. With each passing molt, the speckles become more numerous.
Meat & Egg Production
Sussex chickens make an excellent choice for the table. They are known to have incredibly tender meat, especially when butchered at a young age. Each chicken should average a dressed weight of 6 to 7 pounds. However, speckled Sussex are slower to mature than Cornish Rock crosses (averaging 20 weeks to reach butchering age).
This trait puts them at a disadvantage to faster-growing breeds, who reach butchering age in 9 weeks.
Speckled Sussex are excellent egg producers who will lay eggs without declining for several years. Each hen averages four to five light brown eggs per week for the first four to five years of her life.
Personality
If you are looking for a pet chicken, you don’t have to look any further than the speckled Sussex. These hens crave human interaction and will do anything to get attention. Sussex are chatty, curious, friendly, intelligent and energetic.
They love being the center of attention. They also love to be held and will carry on animated conversations with their owners.
Hens of this breed are very energetic and benefit from directly supervised free-ranging. Even so, they still tolerate confinement well if allowed to stretch their legs. If bored, they often will find ways to entertain themselves. Sussex can bully other flock members when bored, so provide lots of mental stimulation.
Providing Entertainment
The Border Collies of the chicken world, Sussex are intelligent and energetic hens who require physical and mental stimulation. Providing your hens with fun activities will keep these chickens healthy and happy.
If you have a bored Sussex, try one of the ideas below.
Fresh Straw
Putting clean straw in your coop or run will provide chickens with endless entertainment. Even when your other breeds have tired of the game, your Sussex will continue to scratch happily through the straw.
Because if there is anything a Sussex likes to do, it’s scratch.
Chicken Swings & Perches
Speckled Sussex chickens like to know what is happening in the world around them. Having perches and swings for them to sit on and watch the world go by is another way to enrich their lives.
Teach Your Chickens Tricks
Speckled Sussex are intelligent chickens and can learn commands and tricks. You can teach your hen or rooster to come when called, follow you around, and hop up on your lap. Some Sussex will even stroll around their yard with their favorite human.
Health Concerns & Lifespan
Speckled Sussex are very healthy and hardy chickens so long as they maintain a healthy weight. They are, however, prone to overeating and obesity.
To help prevent obesity in your chickens, feed them a proper diet and allow plenty of exercise. Feed Sussex twice daily versus unlimited free choice feedings. This practice will keep your girls from doing unnecessary “snacking” (yes, chickens do snack). Provide feed to chicks, growing pullets and cockerels at all times.
When allowed to become obese, Sussex hens are more prone to oviduct prolapse and egg binding.
Speckled Sussex lives an average of six to eight years, providing you with lots of fresh eggs, love and entertainment. So, what are you waiting for? Give these friendly, energetic chickens a try. You’ll be so glad you did.
This article about the Speckled Sussex heritage chicken breed was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.
How to roast sunflower seeds with the shell on is similar to roasting pumpkin seeds and pretty simple.
This recipe begins after you’ve harvested your sunflower head, removed the flower heads on each seed (the disc florets), removed the seeds from the sunflower and rinsed your seeds.
Yield: 1 cup
Ingredients
1 cup raw, fully matured sunflower seeds with the shell on
Water, as needed (about 3 to 4 cups)
2 tbsp kosher salt (or more if desired)
Instructions
In a medium-sized saucepan, add rinsed and prepared sunflower seeds. Fill with water to cover the seeds 2 inches. Any seeds that float to the top are likely empty seeds that did not mature and can be scooped out and discarded.
Stir salt into water. Once the salt is dissolved, sample it and see if it’s salty enough for your liking. Add more salt if needed.
Bring the seeds to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes.
Strain seeds and allow them to sit in the strainer for 10 minutes to allow them to dry. You can also spread them out on a lint-free towel briefly to absorb excess moisture.
Meanwhile, pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread out the sunflower seeds into a single layer on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven and stir them around with a spatula. Return them to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes. If not done, return to the oven in 5-minute increments until they are lightly browned and dried.
They tend to quickly go from undercooked to overcooked, so set a timer.
How to Roast Sunflower Seeds: Notes
If you don’t want to salt the seeds, do not add salt to the water before simmering.
Do not cook any seeds that are moldy.
After you simmer and strain the seeds, feel free to add any seasonings you’d like before roasting. Garlic powder and Cajun seasoning are two of our favorites to add to roasted seeds.
This story about how to roast sunflower seeds was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
Cambodian agroecology educator Panha Suon talks with Hobby Farms Presents: Growing Good podcast host Lisa Munniksma about farming in Cambodia, from climate to crops and the challenges that farmers are facing there. Listen to how Panha became involved in agroecology and why he’s dedicated to educating others about the impact human activities have on the environment, particularly in a less-industrialized country like Cambodia.
Hear about Dassatek—meaning to awaken in Khmer—the project that Panha is developing to train Cambodian youth in agroecology. He talks about what motivates young people in his country and how he sees Dassatek appealing to them, including through an apprenticeship and a small seed fund to start their own agroecology project. Panha also talks about the social business enterprise model, as opposed to structuring Dassotek as a nonprofit or for-profit entity.
Learn about Panha’s 3-year homestead-building plan using natural building methods and how this suits Cambodia’s climate. He offers his advice for building your own earthen structure, focusing on using what you have on hand.
Listen to the very end to hear about Panha’s favorite traditional Cambodian farm meal!
Heritage breed chickens are traditional breeds developed through many years of selection and passed down through generations. The exact definition varies with who’s talking. The Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities defines a heritage breed as being old and rare and defines “old” as existing before 1940.
A more specific definition for heritage breed chickens comes from The Livestock Conservancy, which offers and suggests that such terms as heirloom, antique, old-fashioned and old-timey should be considered synonymous with heritage.
According to this definition, heritage breed chickens must:
have been recognized by the American Poultry Association before 1950;
reproduce through natural mating;
have the genetic ability to live a long and vigorous life;
thrive outdoors under pasture-based management;
and have a moderate to slow growth rate
Compared to chickens developed for industrial purposes, heritage breed chickens generally have calmer dispositions, are more disease-resistant, are better able to adapt to variable climates and environments, and are more likely to brood (hatch their own eggs). The trade-off is that the heritage laying breeds don’t lay quite as well, and the meat breeds don’t grow as fast, as industrial-strength chickens.
In selecting heritage breed chickens for your own flock, consider first your purpose in keeping chickens. If your goal is to harvest lots of eggs, choose a breed known to lay well. If your goal is to produce healthful meat, select a heavy breed. For the best of both, choose a dual-purpose breed. If your desire is to have pretty chickens gracing your yard, take a look at some of the ornamental or exhibition breeds. Here are just a few of the many possibilities.
Great Egg Layers
The top layer by far is the Leghorn, the breed selected by the egg industry to develop into laying machines. Production White Leghorn hens lay more than 25 dozen medium to large white-shell eggs per year. Heritage Leghorns, on the other hand, average just 20 dozen eggs per year, but the hens come in several plumage colors that are less conspicuous to predators than pure white. This small-bodied breed has a reputation for being noisy and nervous, but is also early maturing, hardy and heat-tolerant.
The most popular brown-egg heritage breed is the Rhode Island Red (pictured below), averaging about 16 dozen large eggs per year. As with Leghorns, some strains of Rhode Island Red have been developed purely for production purposes. This breed comes in one color pattern—dark red with a black tail. Rhode Island Reds, like layer breeds in general, tend to be lightweight and rangy, and therefore less suitable than heavier breeds to raise for meat.
Shutterstock
Best for Meat
The large breasted Cornish chicken, with its compact body, is an ideal meat bird. The white Cornish is in fact, one of the breeds selected by industry to hybridize for efficient meat production. Heritage Cornish don’t grow as fast as industrial strains—taking 16 to 20 weeks to reach market weight, compared to 6 to 8 weeks for industrial Cornish hybrids—but they don’t develop the same bone ailments and heart failure resulting from excessively rapid growth. Additionally, heritage strains come in plumage colors other than white.
Cornish chickens are unusual in that hens are identical in conformation to males, although somewhat smaller; market weights for heritage hens are 61⁄2 pounds compared to 81⁄2 for roosters. Cornish hens average only about six dozen eggs a year, making them uneconomical as layers. Other large heritage breeds suitable for meat production, that lay somewhat better than Cor–nish, include Cochins and Jersey Giants.
Dual-Purpose Breeds
Dual-purpose breeds appeal to people interested in sustainability—keeping hens for eggs and roosters for fertility, hatching future replacement hens, and butchering young surplus roosters for meat. Dual-purpose breeds lack the blocky body of meat breeds, and they don’t lay quite as well as the layer breeds. Expect only about 15 dozen eggs per year from a dual-purpose hen.
The New Hampshire is a dual-purpose breed created through selective breeding of Rhode Island Reds to improve growth rate and meatiness. Like Rhode Island Reds, New Hamps come in a single color—a light reddish bay, more golden than the Rhode Island’s rich mahogany. The hens lay large eggs with brown shells.
The Plymouth Rock (pictured below) is another large, meaty dual-purpose breed. It comes in a few color varieties, the original and still most popular of which is black and white barred. The hens lay large brown-shell eggs. Other dual-purpose breeds to consider include Orpington and Sussex.
Gail Damerow
Awesome Ornamentals
Not all heritage breeds are ideal for egg or meat production. Some are bantams, or scaled-down chickens, that make a good choice for people with limited chicken-keeping space. Bantams lay eggs, just like the bigger chickens, and although the eggs are small they may be used for all the same purposes. Raising bantams (other than bantam Cornish) for meat would be akin to raising pigeons—small, but tasty.
Silkies, with their furlike feathers, are by far the most popular heritage bantam breed. They come in a several color varieties, most commonly black or white. They are friendly, docile chickens that don’t fly well. (Some won’t even perch.) The hens are decent layers of ivory-colored eggs and are such excellent setters they are often kept solely for incubating the eggs of other poultry.
One of the most important reasons to keep a heritage breed is to help preserve genetic diversity. The Livestock Conservancy lists heritage breeds according to conservation priorities. Review the many options and select one that most appeals to you. When it comes to heritage chickens, you can’t go far wrong.
This story about heritage breed chickens originally appeared in Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) in vegetable garden. Adobe Stock/Nailotl
Fall gardening is a great time to try something new. Combining hybrids and heirlooms can yield more productive, flavorful fall produce. With cooler temperatures and shorter growing seasons, fall gardens may be a little more limited than their summertime counterparts, but they actually have a lot to offer. The soil’s already warm enough for rapid seed-starting, and there are fewer insect pests with which to contend.
In fact, when it comes to herbs like cilantro, fall can provide the perfect do-over. If yours bolted early this summer, you can always reseed in the fall. What’s more, many of the roots and leafy greens you can grow right about now are real superfoods.
And, with new varieties being released every year, the fall garden doesn’t have to be boring.
Fall Gardening Essentials
Diane Blazek is the executive director of both All-America Selections and the National Garden Bureau. While each group highlights new garden varieties each year, All-America Selections, in particular, is a plant-trialing organization.
Blazek explains, “For edibles, we have 35 different judges all across the U.S. and Canada and we divide it out by region. The judges are sent the entry, which is anonymous, and they’re sent two comparisons.”
Judges grow the different varieties, taking note of criteria such as growing habit, productivity, yield, taste and texture. If the tested variety performs better than its comparison varieties, it merits All-America Selections recognition.
Among 2020’s All-America Selection Award winners, Blazek recommends Snak Hero Peas for fall gardeners. “It’s 65 days to maturity and it looks a little bit more like a green bean, because it’s long and slender,” she says. “But it really is a stringless, snap pea. I grew it this spring, and I was just amazed at how sweet and tender it was.”
As for the National Garden Bureau? “Our membership covers pretty much every single breeder that’s doing work in North America,” Blazek says. “They submit varieties to us that they want to feature—it’s the newest of the new.”
If you’re looking for a striking new lettuce, you might like Lettuce Marciano. Vitalis Organic Seeds developed this butterhead variety for 2020, and it’s available via Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Along with improved resistance to downy mildew, lettuce mosaic virus and lettuce leaf aphids, Marciano features a bright burgundy exterior and splashes of green on its interior leaves.
Renee Shepherd, founder of Renee’s Garden, offered two new and notable kale varieties in 2020—Mars Landing and Purple Moon. “They’re both gorgeous,” she says. “They’re unique for their color and very, very good flavor and really pretty form.”
“The Mars Landing has a lot of mauve in it and it has these interesting ruffled tips,” she says. “And, if you look at Purple Moon, those purple colors come up really strong—especially in cool weather.”
“If you plant them in fall, they just get sweeter and sweeter,” Shepherd adds. These kale types also hold their own well in cold temperatures, and they pack an extra nutritional punch. “They have a lot of purple in them, and purple is one of the colors that is most healthy. Color means more antioxidants and flavonoids.”
Shepherd also suggests trying Five Color Rainbow Gourmet Beets rather than your usual Detroit dark reds. Similarly, there are myriad Swiss chard varieties worth your time, too. Swiss chard’s large leaves can be stuffed like grape leaves or cabbage.
“There’s a huge array out there with more colors that many people don’t grow,” she notes. “The virtue of it is the more color, the more nutrition.”
For fall gardening variety, Shepherd also suggests gardeners consider growing stir-fry greens, braising mixes and Japanese baby turnips.
Adding new hybrids or new heirloom varieties to your fall gardening is another good way to shake things up—particularly if you’re partial to just one or the other. “Some heirlooms are wonderful, and some new varieties are wonderful, too,” Shepherd says.
For example? “If you’re going to grow broccoli, you as a home gardener will do infinitely better with hybrid broccoli, because it’s a thousand times more disease-resistant, it grows more side shoots, and it’s more compact,” she says. “Heirlooms are important for some things, but not all things.”
To further boost your fall gardening productivity, you might also want to top certain crops with a floating row cover. Not only will it protect sensitive crops like broccoli from flea beetles and other pests, but it also can prolong the growing season.
“If it’s going to be colder, and you want to extend your harvest, a floating row cover will give you three to five degrees,” Shepherd says.
This article about fall gardening was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
Yarrow look-alikes can be abundant in the summer and early fall landscape. Beware! There are three wildflowers – Queen Anne’s lace, yarrow and poison hemlock – that look similar, each with a white umbel blossom. While two of them can be eaten or used medicinally, one is extremely poisonous. Here’s how to know what’s what.
1. Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota)
Queen Anne’s lace (pictured above) is one of the first flowers I learned to identify as a child. I’ve always remembered it thanks to the legend surrounding one of its identifying features. As the legend goes, Queen Anne was sewing a piece of lace, when she pricked her finger, and a drop of blood fell in the center. Thus, a good way to tell Queen Anne’s lace wildflowers from the list of yarrow look-alikes is to look for a small purple flower in the center of the umbel—the drop of blood.
Queen Anne’s lace grows to be about 2 to 4 feet tall. It has finely dissected leaves, white umbel blossoms that emerge in a flat cluster and hairy stems. (Think: “Queen Anne has hairy legs.”) Flowers emerge from April through October. You’ll find them in disturbed areas such as roadsides.
Queen Anne’s lace is also known as wild carrot, and, as you might suspect, it belongs to the carrot family. In fact, the root is a favorite wild food among foragers, and you can eat it just as you would a carrot. As the plant is a biennial, harvest roots only in the first year. Second-year roots can be woody. The rest of the plant is edible, as well. Throw the flowers in a tea or use them to flavor pickles. Chop up the greens for a stir-fry or salad. You can use the seeds in tea as a diuretic or to relieve gas. You can also use them as a seasoning, similar in flavor to caraway. However, avoid using the seeds if you’re pregnant, as they have a history of use as a contraceptive.
2. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Meredith Leigh Collins/Flickr
Yarrow and Queen Anne’s lace can be easily mistaken for one another. The two wildflowers grow about the same height, in the same areas, at about the same time of year. Yarrow grows about 1 to 3 feet tall and can be found in disturbed areas. It also produces a white (and, on rare occasions, pink) umbel flower head. The blossoms appear to me to be a little more hardy than that of Queen Anne’s lace, which looks more loose and lacy. Yarrow also has finely dissected leaves but with a more feather-like appearance. You’ll see its flowers popping out between May and October.
Yarrow is best known as a wound healer—you can literally pluck the flowers out of the field, give them a little chew to macerate them, and then stick them on a bleeding wound to make the blood flow stop. The legend goes that during the Civil War, people used these wildflowers as a poultice to stop the bleeding of wounded soldiers.
You can also use the aerial parts (flowers, stem and leaves) internally—dried, fresh or tinctured—in many ways. Yarrow can help regulate menstrual cycles in women. In combination with other herbs, it can treat colds and flu. It also helps treat hay fever, high blood pressure and circulation issues.
3. Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum)
TJ Gehling/Flickr
Of the wildflowers on this yarrow look-alikes list, properly identifying this one is most important because the name doesn’t lie—eating it can be fatal. Unfortunately, as a member of the carrot family, it looks like many other edible plants, including Queen Anne’s lace, cultivated carrots and parsley. A farmer friend told me of a friend who raved about “parsley” that “suddenly appeared” in her garden that she’d been nibbling. Knowing that parsley doesn’t tend to “suddenly appear” where it wasn’t planted, my farmer friend asked whether she could see it. Turns out it wasn’t parsley at all, but poison hemlock. Thankfully, the person and her family hadn’t fallen sick from the bits they’d ingested, but this is a perfect illustration of the need to follow the golden rule of foraging: If you can’t definitively identify the plant, don’t eat it.
Poison hemlock can grow between 2 and 6 feet tall. It has a hollow, grooved stem, nearly as thick as an index finger, with distinctive purple spots. The leaves have a finely dissected appearance typical of those in the carrot family, though the general shape is that of an equilateral triangle. Like Queen Anne’s lace and yarrow, it has white umbel flowers. However, the stalk is highly branched, so you’ll see more umbels per plant on poison hemlock than you will on the other two species mentioned here. Like the other two plants, though, it grows in disturbed areas—I often see it in our area along creek beds or old cattle grazing areas.
I cannot overemphasize: This plant is extremely poisonous. Merely touching the poison hemlock can cause dermatitis. If taken internally, its toxic alkaloids can affect the nervous or respiratory systems. Even small amounts can result in death. If you find poison hemlock growing in an area where pets or children roam, remove it promptly and carefully. Wear long sleeves, pants and gloves. Dispose of the plant in plastic garbage bags, and do not let the plant touch your skin. Be sure to clean off any tools, such as clippers, you use so that you don’t inadvertently come in contact with the toxic juices. For more on poison hemlock control, visit the website of the University of California’s Integrated Pest Management Program.
Yarrow Look-Alikes: Foraging Advice
Foraging can be fun, but some yarrow look-alikes make it tricky. As you observe what grows in your area, find a guidebook and/or a plant identification app and learn more about what you see or, better yet, follow an experienced forager. Again, never eat something if you can’t identify it with 100 percent certainty.
This article about yarrow look-alikes was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
Goat shelter and housing options are critical, as finding suitable housing can prove tricky due to goats’ destructive behaviors. This guide offers several goat housing options, from sheds and barns to calf hutches and more, to fit your needs.
Goat Shelter Requirements
Whether raised in the city or on a farm, goats require shelter from the elements. Housing should have at least three sides and a roof to protect them from wind and precipitation.
Three-sided goat housing should have a window on the north side and another on the south side (change window locations to east and west if you live in a particularly hot climate). Add a door to keep out the elements and potential predators whenever possible.
Goat housing should be spacious to prevent overcrowding, with each goat requiring a minimum of twenty square feet.
Other housing requirements include straw or hay for bedding, a feeding area (equipped with feed buckets and a hay manger), and a water trough or water buckets.
Goat Shelter: Barns
If you live in a rural area, you may already have an unused barn on your property. Using existing barns and other outbuildings is an excellent way to shelter your goats without stretching the budget.
Barns have another advantage: they are usually spacious, making it convenient if you are looking to expand your herd to a small business or hobby farm.
Also, many barns have stalls already built in and are move-in ready for goats.
Barn Disadvantages
If you don’t have an existing barn on the property, a barn is probably not the best option for many hobby farmers, as building even a small barn can prove costly.
If housing goats in an old barn, look for safety issues, such as rusty nails, old paint (old paint may contain lead, causing lead poisoning and death if ingested), or unsafe living conditions due to deterioration. Goats are strong, and even gentle Pygmy goats can damage outer walls if housed in a deteriorating barn.
Adobe Stock/Aaron & Wera
Goat Shelter: Sheds
Sheds are the best goat housing option if you live in a suburban or urban area, as they are generally more eye-pleasing than other shelters. If you don’t already have an outbuilding, sheds are a great option, as they are more affordable than building a barn.
Sheds are another excellent option for those who keep several goats as pets, as they do not require as much upkeep as a large barn.
Another advantage of housing goats in a new shed is that there is no need to worry about toxic paint.
If goats are being housed in a shed, test the shed structure to ensure it can withstand goats like a barn. Look for loose or rotting boards, weak spots, and other structural damage.
Shed Disadvantages
While sheds aren’t as expensive to build as barns, they may not be affordable for those with tight budgets.
Sheds will only accommodate several goats, so if you want to expand your herd, you will need multiple sheds.
Goat Shelter: Calf Hutches
If you live on a dairy or beef farm, you may have some unused calf hutches. These hutches work well for housing goats and are an excellent low-cost option.
Built to hold up to calves, these hutches can support the weight and abuse goats inflict on their housing.
Chain the goat to the hutch when housing goats in calf hutches to prevent them from jumping out. The chain should be long enough that the goat can freely move around the hutch but not so long that it can leap out. Attach the chain to the goat’s collar for easy on/off.
Calf Hutch Disadvantages
Calf hutches are usually three-sided, so they are not the best option for keeping out the elements. They also offer little protection against predators such as coyotes.
Calf hutches have a rural look, so if you have neighbors nearby, you may want to choose a more eye-pleasing goat house.
Goat Shelter: Three-Sided Out Buildings
Three-sided outbuildings are the most popular goat housing as they are more affordable than other options, allow plenty of airflow, and protect goats from the elements.
This affordable goat housing option is excellent for those in climates with mild winters. However, the roof must be sloped to prevent rain or melting snow from dripping on the goats.
Another advantage of these structures is that if you are handy with tools, plans are available online for building your own.
Three-Sided Building Disadvantages
Three-sided buildings are one of the most popular goat housing choices, but they still have disadvantages. One of the most significant disadvantages is that three-sided buildings do not offer protection from all the elements. Goats are sensitive to wet conditions and cold weather, so having a fourth wall for extra protection may be necessary for cold or damp climates.
Another disadvantage of a three-sided building is the lack of predator protection. Three-sided buildings are accessible to coyotes, as they can easily jump over barn gates and fencing to access the herd. Coyotes can severely hurt or even kill goats, so care should be taken to protect your herd in locations where coyotes are prevalent.
No matter what goat shelter and housing options fit your needs and location, the necessities are identical. So, whether you choose a barn, shed, or calf hutch, select the one that will best protect your herd from the elements and the predators in your area for the best goat-keeping experience.
This article about goat shelter and housing options was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
Limousin beef cows eating hay at a cattle feeder. Adobe Stock/gozzoli
Hay quality is important since it makes up a large percentage of the diet in many domesticated livestock species, including cattle, goats, sheep and rabbits. Large farming outfits often keep hay fields that they harvest for their own animals, saving money by recycling the manure from those animals back into fertilizing the fields. In this way, they keep nutritional levels in the vegetation high and costs down. For the small homesteader, this is often impractical though, and buying hay from nearby farms is more common.
As fertilizer grows more expensive, trusting in providers to keep their hay at top-quality may become harder in certain areas. In areas already prone to poor soil, animals can literally starve to death with full bellies if fed hay that lacks the nutritional make up they need.
What should you look for in a hay provider, and how can you tell if your animals are getting the nutrients they need?
Types of Hay
The first step to getting livestock adequate nutrition is to make certain to buy the correct type of hay for their needs. While it is common to see all dried grasses referred to as hay, there are several varieties, depending on their makeup. Alfalfa, clover, timothy, orchard grass and other labels can make a difference in the nutrients, and how they may affect the diet of your animals.
For instance, most rabbit dietary information will call for rabbits to be fed pellets and a generous amount of “Timothy hay.” This is a type of hay high in fiber and tends to be tougher to chew, which helps to prevent dental issues.
However, if you are feeding them the standard, baled hay from a farm, you may very well be giving them meadow hay. Meadow hay is designed for larger ruminants, softer in texture and with a more varied nutritional content. This is fine as long as you provide the rabbits with wooden toys to chew and adapt their pellet intake.
Alfalfa, however, is a high-nutrient hay and should not be fed to rabbits alongside pellets. Doing so can cause obesity, difficulties with breeding and other health concerns.
Hay Quality
Goats have a reputation for being able to eat anything and they also have a reputation for being wasteful eaters. The reason for this discrepancy is that goats require highly nutritious vegetation and excel at judging and discarding anything that doesn’t meet their needs with just a taste. Trying to save money by feeding them low-quality cheap hay will result in a lot of wasted money on the floor of their stall. The same is true of sheep and other ruminants. A good rule of thumb is that the coarse the hay, the less likely animals are to enjoy it.
Finding high-quality hay can result in healthier animals and less waste. While not all animals will require alfalfa or ultra-fine hays, all livestock still require a certain nutritional quality in their feed. If your hay supplier has their bales tested for nutrient levels, ask if you can have a copy of the results.
Be careful if you don’t have a relationship with the hay supplier though – some can get defensive about these types of questions! However, if they do, this also suggests that perhaps looking elsewhere is best.
Testing Your Hay Quality
If you already have the hay in your barn, you can have it tested as well. While not ideal – since a supplier is unlikely to take low-quality hay back – at least you will know whether you should supplement your animals with other minerals or feed over the winter. Testing can be done with the help of your local feed store, or by yourself.
Developing a solid relationship with your local feed store is good for multiple reasons. In this case, the benefit is that they may have the resources to help you get your hay tested. If so, the representative will make an appointment to come out, take several core samples and you will receive results once they’ve been completed.
If you have access to a core sampler you can also take your own samples. Your local extension office can help you find a lab to have the testing done. The lab will give you directions on how to take the samples, package them, when to expect results and where to mail them. There will be a fee, and you may still need someone to help you understand the results when you get them.
The Importance of Good Hay Quality
Good nutrition is a core part of keeping livestock healthy. Especially in areas of the country where hay nutrition may be poor, suppliers should be expected to provide high-quality hay. Regular testing is the best way to keep these nutritional standards high.
This article about the importance of hay quality was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
