Can you believe it? We’ve reached the beginning of January! While each season brings its own good and bad points, the cold weather can be a challenge for me. When I’m cold, it’s hard for me to get motivated and get to work. But when I’ve made smart choices and prepared myself ahead of time for the job at hand, whether that be caring for cattle or performing other farm chores, I function better in winter.
While our cattle might be more suited for the outdoor winter temperatures than we are, the bitter temperatures, biting wind and blinding snow (although that doesn’t happen too often here) can still be unpleasant for them. Depending on what breed of cattle you have and where they originate from, some can be more tolerant of nasty conditions than others. But with some proper care and preparation done ahead of time, you can make your animals much more comfortable throughout the harsh winter days.
Here are some things to keep in mind and mistakes to avoid as you consider caring for your own cattle during the winter months.
Weather
Although you can’t do much to change the weather conditions themselves, you can work extra hard to protect your herd from the elements. Days that vary greatly in temperature with too-hot daytime hours and too-cold nights can be some of the hardest for cattle to manage.
Wet conditions can also be a challenge, especially if there’s no dry place for them to lie down. If you find that it’s especially wet and cold outside, some ways to help them cope include:
Having them out on grass or pasture rather than in a dry lot.
If in a dry lot, offer a mound of dirt that the water can run off of and where they will have a dry spot to lay on.
If needed, use equipment to go into the pen or lot and manually clear away a large space that will give them solid ground to rest on.
Water
While cattle desperately need water during the summer as they battle through the toasty months, it’s also extremely important to keep a close eye on the water supply during the winter as well. Even though there might be water in the tank, it might be stuck under several inches of ice. Ponds can freeze over, water fountains can malfunction, and stock tanks can become blocks of ice.
For frozen ponds, it’s helpful to keep an axe or other tool handy to chop accessible drinking holes through the ice. For water fountains, check them regularly to ensure that the heating elements are doing their jobs and keep any necessary spare parts on hand for quick repairs.
If putting water in a stock tank, it can be good to avoid filling it completely full so that it won’t freeze solid at the top.
Feed
Cattle “burn” through a lot of feed when it’s really cold outside as they essentially eat to stay warm. Feed rations can be adjusted as needed to help meet their nutritional requirements during the colder months.
Keep well stocked with good quality hay and grain, and avoid waiting until it’s getting cold to go buy feed.
Bedding
At times if it is quite cold out, straw bales can be rolled out on the ground for the cattle to lay down in. The straw acts as insulation and can even be used out in a calving pasture if calves are being born and need a place to lay.
When it comes to wind, offer a wind-block or some protected place where animals can get a break from the wind.
Calving
Speaking of calving, if your cow herd has early “spring calves” toward the beginning of the year, not only will you need to be regularly keeping on top of their normal needs such as feed, water and protection from the elements, but you’ll want to watch out for any other potential threats to the new calves as well.
These threats can be in the form of anything from a physical hazard in the pasture (like a ditch with frozen water that a calf could become trapped in), to an inexperienced heifer that doesn’t get the calf cleaned off and nursing in time, or even a hungry predator that is hoping to catch its next meal in your calving pasture. Regularly check in to make sure that all babies are accounted for and hopefully warmly nursing right under mama.
As you raise and care for your cattle year after year, you’ll become more accustomed to what their needs will be, where your most common problems often arise, and what you can do to become better prepared for them.
So grab an extra pair of long johns and wrap that scarf a little tighter. You’ve got cattle to feed!
Another principle is wild ecosystems that they build potential. When you have a field of corn, you start with a certain number of seeds. If you fertilize the field and have a successful year, you will get a good yield of corn cobs with much more seed than when you started. This is agriculture.
But, if you don’t dry the seed, save it over the winter, then prepare the land and seed the corn again, then the landscape will yield nothing the next year. Yes, nothing will grow that is of use to the farmer or the community that eats the corn, aside from some random weeds.
On the other hand, an ecosystem builds potential with time. If you plant a diversified field—or in our case a yard with fruits, nuts, berries and herbs—and you leave it, it will continue to produce. In five years, there will be more fruits than previously. The soil will be richer from fallen and composted leaves, and the soil will host new habitat for soil organisms to help fix nitrogen and access deeper nutrients in the soil.
This is not just a difference between an annual and a perennial agriculture, either. An orchard with only apples will be less resilient if there is a major pest outbreak than a diversified fruit forest with many different varieties. Yes, perhaps some varieties in the fruit forest will fail due to pests, but others will fill in the gaps and the ecosystem continues to build potential as a whole.
A community built from ecosystem landscapes using sustainable gardening principles will in, say, 15 years present many benefits and opportunities. Community members can harvest fruits, nuts or herbs. They can graft scion wood and sell fruit trees. They can chip pruning for edible mushrooms and so on.
The community will also have increased wellness from the beautiful and bountiful landscapes through local, nutrient-dense food. And these ecosystems also provode the health benefits of “forest bathing,” which has proven that rich colors, scents and textures of natural landscapes have beneficial effects on human mental, emotional and physical health. Wow, it really is a pharmacy!
Holistic Soil
Finally, all terrestrial ecosystems are deeply connected to their soil. And this soil is alive!
The term “holistic soil” refers to a soil that has a balance of mineral material, organic matter and pore space for air and water. Indeed, an ideal soil composition is about 45 percent mineral, 5 percent organic matter, 25 percent air and 25 percent water. This means 50 percent of the soil is actually openings in the soil aggregates for air and water (otherwise known as pore space). These macro pores and micro pores (as they can be classified) help to keep the soil hydrated and aerated, which help plants survive.
This provides good drainage in major storms and provides oxygen for decomposition of organic matter.
However, and of the utmost importance, is the fact that a well-balanced soil also helps sustain soil life. Within the soil there is a micro ecosystem of organisms: from bacteria that fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, to mycorrhizal fungi that share resources with plants and arthropods that help shred and decompose organic leaf litter into more soluble and plant-available nutrients. Soil is like a city with pathways of transport, communication, plumbing and electricity. Soil even holds houses and places of work!
When we support a healthy structure to the soil in our garden, by avoiding compaction, and providing protection over the winter through cover cropping, and regular additions of organic matter, then our “soil society” thrives and provides support for the plants we want to grow. Natural ecosystems have thriving soil life, and our garden should too!
When we use these sustainable garden practices in our gardens and yards, we maximize the benefits of wild ecosystems, such as the improved soil health and its ability to fix, store, cycle and release nutrients and water to our garden plants. This creates gardens that are more drought resistant and self-regulating for fertility.
Good ecosystem design also creates plants that are healthier and more resistant to pests! A plant that is healthy can easily acquire the nutrients it needs to grow vigorously and will more quickly develop strong shields made of lipids in their leaves to defend against the chewing insects like flea beetles.
Ecosystems are biodiverse, full of site-suitable plants, with layered form and many functions, as well as constantly building overall potential such as dynamic holistic soil rich in organic matter and teaming with life. Ecosystem design, and all the benefits it provides now and into the future, can start with simply integrating layered diversity into our yards and protecting and enhancing the soil.
In my WECK Small-Batch Preserving cookbook, I share a recipe for a savory leek paste that my friend Holly Howe contributed. Holly is the author of Mouthwatering Sauerkraut and developed this delicious, fermented recipe.
This leek paste is used to enhance soups, stews, sauteed greens and pasta dishes. It also makes a great spread for cheese and crackers or a savory spread for sandwiches.
Wash and prepare leeks by removing the outer leaves and cutting off the darkest portion of each stalk. Slice lengthwise into uniform-sized pieces. Rinse under cold water, removing any dirt and grit.
In a food processor, pulse the garlic until finely chopped, then add leeks and pulse again until roughly chopped. Add remaining ingredients.
Pack mixture into a clean pint canning jar, leaving 1 to 2 inches of headspace. Push the paste down well so that there are no air bubbles within the mixture. Apply the jar lid and tightly screw on the ring.
Fermentation
This is a 3-to-5-day ferment. Ferment at room temperature and keep out of direct sunlight.
Open the jar once daily, and (with a clean utensil) stir the mixture. Pat it back down to remove any air pockets. Taste test the paste on day 4 to determine if it’s finished fermenting. It should have a slightly sour taste, and the flavors should have melded together. An indication that the paste is finished and ready to enjoy is when the bright green color of the leeks has dulled and the leeks have softened.
Once complete, store in an airtight container and transfer to the refrigerator.
Every day of farming is filled with its own joys and challenges. Perhaps you’re new to farming and need some additional financial resources. Or maybe you’ve been farming for years and have an idea you wish you could pursue in growing production, adding a new stream of income or researching a specific crop or product.
A farm grant is a way to add needed financial resources to your efforts of growth or expansion. One way to launch into something new—whether it’s learning to farm as a beginner or gaining project momentum—is tapping into a grant opportunity.
Research, Research, Research
An internet search may appear to have tons of farm grant opportunities available to you. Looking deeply, though, you may discover that not all are a fit for your needs. For example, many posts are titled as grants but represent loan programs. Some suggest “free money” but aren’t free.
If you’re considering finding a farmgrant opportunity, be prepared to apply careful research skills to your efforts. Keep an eye out for fact sheets about specific grants. Just like weeding in gardens, you’ll need to weed out those that appear to offer some of what you need but aren’t a very close match.
While it’s tempting to pursue the “close enough” fit, this can be detrimental overall. Pursue grants that are the very best match possible. Choosing the right farm grant (or grants) to apply for is essential to your success.
Field Notes
There are many resources for grant funding. From the state level to corporate grants to federal opportunities. Here are just a few locations to begin your search:
You may also explore farm grant funding available through your state’s soil and water conservation district, land grant universities, farm bureaus and departments of natural resources to name a few.
Once you have narrowed your search, become a student of the grant you think you’d like to pursue. Read carefully and thoroughly through the request for proposal (aka RFP). Be sure you’re clear on what the grantor will fund and whether it’s a strong fit for the project for which you desire funding.
This is essential. Grant funding is a very competitive process, so pay close attention to projects that will be funded by the grantor.
Field Notes
If you’re seeking a way to start a farm or purchase land, grants are generally not an option. Instead, understand that grants may enable you to expand a specific part of your farming business or provide funds for a new venture on your existing farm.
The Grant Cycle
Just like farming, grants are generally available on a cyclical basis. As you research and identify a grant you want to pursue, you’ll need to be mindful of the proposal deadline. Meeting deadlines is a critical part of the process. If the deadline is months away, break the grant development into doable steps so that you aren’t waiting until the last minute to develop your proposal.
While planting and harvesting may be weather dependent, grant writing isn’t. If there is more than one farm grant you would like to pursue, create a writing calendar so you can prepare proposals over time.
Field Notes
Grants often ask similar questions. As you develop answers to one grant’s questions, you’re also developing content that can be recycled and tweaked for another proposal. Nothing is wasted when it comes to writing the narrative of your farm.
Courtesy USDA/Preston Keres
Tell Your Story!
Grant writing is really a story-telling process. Whether you’re part of generational farming or you’re new to the business, it’s important to put your story into words. Being able to describe yourself, your purpose and intention and what it is you’re seeking is challenging and fun. It can also be time-consuming.
Here’s where understanding the exact parameters of the grant will enable you to write and then fine-tune your proposal.
Pay close attention to the directions for the grant. Word or character counts matter if they are described with each question. If you make changes in what you’ve written, go back and be sure you’re still within the word count. Carefully read each question and answer it with close attention to exactly what is being asked. If the question is multilayered, include in the answer all aspects of the question.
A key aspect of your proposal is the budget. First, request an amount aligned with the funder’s giving. It may seem like a good idea to ask for more than they traditionally give, but this can simply get your proposal thrown out.
Be very careful with your request. Following the parameters of how the budget is to be presented to the letter. If the amount you seek needs to be outlined in detail, break it down according to what the grantor asks for. Use caution in your request. It’s recommended that you not exceed the amount the funder gives in your proposal.
Field Notes
Know your strong suit. If you’re great at telling the story of your farming business but numbers aren’t really your thing, seek help. A business partner, friend, colleague or experienced financial person can help you provide the correct numbers for your proposal.
In the end, you don’t want any mathematical errors in your budget! Triple check every detail before submissions.
Learn More
Perhaps you’ve found what seems like the perfect grant for our farming operation. Take steps to learn more! On the grantor’s website can you find a listing of previous recipients? It’s worth carefully studying their projects, funding amounts and process.
You may reach out to someone who received the grant and ask more questions. How did they go about applying? Did they apply more than once before winning an award? What did they learn from the process? Do they have any tips? Do they know a grant manager for the program they can refer you to?
If the grant manager is identified on the grant’s website, reach out to that individual. Introduce yourself and schedule an exploratory conversation. This conversation is the place to float your idea. Prepare in advance so that you’re respectful of the individual’s time.
Have your questions ready. Be as specific as possible. Remember, you’re also making a first impression. This person is likely taking a few notes about you—so you could consider it an interview of sorts. Most of all you’re seeking to build a connection that will help your proposal rise to the surface during the review process.
Whether you’re interviewing a recipient or the grants manager, be curious, respectful and appreciative! If you discover your project isn’t the right fit for this funder, stay the course, you’re one step closer to submitting a proposal in the best possible circumstances to win an award.
Field Notes
Careful review and understanding of the funds available from a grantor will remain essential through the entire process. Know that some grantors desire that you have matching funds available from your existing resources. You’ll need to be prepared to verify this in the application process.
Other funders will inquire about your track record. They want to know if you’ve received and managed awards before. Small grant awards can help you work your way toward larger awards.
Winning an Award
It can be thrilling to win your first grant award. Congratulations if that is you! Now comes another level of the process. Once you’ve been notified of your award, pay close attention to instructions that arrive with your notification. They’ll make clear the expectation of reporting on how you spent this generous gift.
Depending upon the organization, you may be required to provide receipts, detailed notes or standard accounting practices based on the size and scope of your award. You may need to solicit expertise in that case to be sure you fulfill the responsibilities related to your award.
This is another critical part of the process. Winning more awards to fund your efforts may hinge on your success in acquiring grants—no matter how small—as well as recordkeeping and management of grant funds. Ultimately, you want to be able to demonstrate your capacity for handling funds provided through
a granting organization.
Details, Details, Details
Just like farming, grant submission is all about attention to details. Whether it’s seeds and fertilizer or weather or record keeping, you already know a lot about paying attention to details. When it comes to grants, seasons with application deadlines exist. As you research grant opportunities and explore your options, look closely at submission deadlines, be observant of projects which received awards in the last three years and take time to speak to past recipients.
Another way to support your grant writing knowledge and expertise is to volunteer to be a grant reviewer with a local agency. This is an excellent way to learn more about what grant funders and administrators are looking for when reviewing an application.
Learn all you can even as you begin to make notes about your own project or idea. Successful grant proposals hinge on your attention to detail. Answer all of the questions clearly and concisely within the word or character count. Turn your grant proposal in early or on time. These details can determine whether your proposal makes it past an initial review.
Finally, try not to be discouraged if you don’t receive an award. Follow up by visiting with a grant writer to learn how you can do better next time. Perhaps find someone who will coach you through the process.
Or, better yet, reach out to the granting organization to ask questions about your proposal or the process. Find out where you fell short. Be curious about how your grant did or did not measure up compared to the competition. This is useful information, and it lets the granting agency know that you have a desire to improve your application in the future.
Grant writing is a process of relationship building. Approach the process with that in mind, stay curious and ask questions so that you can submit the best possible proposal.
What Projects Are Eligible?
If you’re wondering what farm projects grants can cover, here are some examples of topical areas that Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grants can address.
cover crops
crop rotations
high tunnels and season extension
integrated systems
local and regional food systems
marketing
no-till and conservation tillage
on-farm renewable energy
pastured livestock and rotational grazing
pest and weed management
pollinators
small ruminants
sustainable communities
This article originally appeared in the Nov./Dec. 2023 issue of Hobby Farms magazine.
A fire crackles in the woodstove that’s nestled in the corner of the dining room. The smell of a wood fire drifts through the house, along with the scent of freshly cut pine boughs and drying orange slices. A small stack of firewood split logs sits neatly beside the stove, waiting to be added once the fire begins to die down.
Whether it’s for the radiating heat that can warm any cold body or the extra sense of security that a back-up heat source offers, investing in firewood heat for your home can be beneficial and enjoyable.
Before you dive right in and begin chopping down the shade tree in the backyard for firewood, you need to be aware of a few basic things, not only about the type of firewood you use to heat with but also how to safely cut it down and store it.
Wood Basics
The type of firewood you choose to burn might vary from region to region and depend on what trees are plentiful nearby. Around my area in central Kansas, Osage orange (hedge) seems to be a popular choice. Considered a hard wood, when burned after curing (drying), it produces an excellent, long-lasting heat.
Retired fish and wildlife expert Clarke Dirks has been cutting and heating with firewood for years.He also burns hedge but prefers to let it dry and cure about two years before use. Hedge wood can withstand this long curing period. It’s an extremely dense wood and resistant to bugs and rot.
Dirks points out that other types of firewood wouldn’t need to cure (and wouldn’t last) as long as hedge wood before burning, though. For example, species such as cottonwood, elm and hackberry could be dried in less time (probably six to eight months), while oak should be left to dry for a full year.
A general tip Dirks shares is that lighter woods should be cured for at least eight months, while hard firewoods should spend at least 12 months drying. For more information on how to choose which type of wood would work best for you, study the BTU ratings for the different types. This will tell you how much heat a cord of wood would produce. Check out the Utah State Forestry Extension chart online.
Chainsaw Basics
While an axe will never run low on gas, chainsaws offer a great way to cut wood much more quickly and efficiently. When well maintained and used safely, you’ll have a stack of firewood piled up before you know it.
Make sure the saw you choose to use for the job is adequately sized for you and the tree. Avoid something that is so large and heavy that you will tire quickly just holding it.
If looking to purchase a used saw, check on the following before handing over the money.
Observe overall signs of wear.
Notice how faded and scratched up the plastic is.
Look for any signs of oil leaks.
Check for strong compression when pulling the pull rope like you were going to start it.
If removing the muffler, notice if the pistons look scored or the inside of muffler looks burned.
Check the edges of bar for wear.
Notice if the chain is loose on the bar.
Listen to how it runs. Is it running too “rich?”
Check the air filter, as you won’t want a saw that has sucked dirt into the engine.
Look at the underside of the saw to see how much paint is worn off from wood chips.
MoiraM/Adobe Stock
Chainsaw Maintenance
Before you head out to start cutting, check your saw over and make sure it’s in good working condition. The air filter should be clean, and the chain should be sharp and have enough oil in the chain lubricant case to keep it well-oiled as you cut. As you consider the chain, make sure it’s the correct length for the saw blade and tight enough on the bar to cut well.
When it comes to fuel for your saw, avoid using straight gasoline in a two-stroke engine. Use good quality fuel, and mix it with two-stroke oil before adding to your saw. Another thing to keep a close eye on is the carburetor, which should be adjusted correctly or else it could cause damage to your engine.
(If you’re unsure of how to do this yourself, find someone that is reputable and understands chainsaws and carburetors to work on it for you.)
Cutting the Wood
Once you have any necessary safety gear and your saw is serviced and ready to go, it’s time to choose a tree that needs cleaned up.
Ideally, look for at least 6 to 8 feet of open space in all directions around the tree you select and have a path of escape chosen in case of emergency. Dirks encourages that if there is more than one person working in the area, keep a safe distance from each other and alert them if you’re working on a situation that could potentially turn dangerous for others.
Be alert! Have a plan ready in case something begins to fall in the wrong direction.
Use the right size saw for the job that you’re tackling. If it’s too small of a saw, it might not reach all the way through a large tree. Be aware also of the wind direction before you cut, and, if needed, a wedge can be cut away at the base of the tree to help direct it as it falls. Be careful, though, because cutting away a wedge doesn’t guarantee the tree will fall in that direction. Likewise, caution should be used in how you cut, to avoid the chainsaw bar and chain getting pinched inside the tree if the weight of the tree shifts. This can cause an issue when trying to get the saw back out of the tree.
If cutting up a fallen tree on the ground, begin by removing all the smaller, outer limbs and work your way back to the main trunk of the tree. Limbs can either be discarded later, or, as Dirks suggests, left in a brush pile which will allow songbirds a place to roost, woodpeckers a place to feed, and rabbits, mice and ground birds (including pheasants and quail) a place to shelter.
Once the smaller limbs have been removed, the main trunk can be cut up piece by piece, making sure that the logs are short enough that you can pick them up and fit them in your stove. Depending on the width of the tree, consider splitting them before burning. Splitting can be dangerous, so use caution when doing it, whether by hand or with one of the various types of splitters.
As you process the tree, it can be helpful to have extra people to carefully remove the logs after cutting. They can be piled up in a trailer for later transportation to wherever you intend to store them or taken to a splitter for the next step of processing.
If you’re looking to use as much of the tree as you can, send someone to gather up small twigs and sticks around the place where you’re cutting. These can be placed neatly in boxes or containers and stored away in a dry place for later use as kindling when you want to start the stove.
Clear an Area Properly
It’s good to know your objectives before you begin cutting. Dirks says that if your main goal is simply to cut firewood, choose a site that offers the easiest wood to reach and is the closest to home.
If working with a section of more heavily wooded land, he shares that there are two methods to go about removal:
thinning out specific trees just for firewood and allowing the remaining trees room to grow
spot clear-outs, where you choose an area and remove everything in that space, which allows you to come back and establish a new or different type of habitat with selected species intended to fulfill a specific purpose.
If tackling a smaller job that consists of simply removing some existing trees in a shelter belt, Dirks notes that you could go back and replace them with a variety of different options. This could be a taller tree (such as hedge), a shrub which can offer cover closer to the ground, or something such as a plum or choke cherry that can become an extra source of food.
If you have other goals in mind such as creating a wildlife habitat, look for and first remove damaged or sick trees, as this will allow the healthy trees to grow better and provide more of a habitat. If hunting is something you enjoy and you’re looking to curate a clearing that the turkey and deer will frequent, open a clearing and replant it with “plant species that will attract the wildlife species you are managing for,” Dirks says.
On his own land, the whole creek bottom piece is filled with hedge trees, offering little more than cover to wildlife. Dirks continues to work from one end to another, clearing out and replacing them with suitable tree species that provide more benefits to native wildlife. In several areas, he removed the hedge trees, allowing native grasses and forbs to grow up unhindered. Now, he finds there are deer and turkeys continually enjoying the space.
Evangelos/Adobe Stock
Stacking Wood
Once your logs have been cut for firewood, split (if desired) and hauled to their destination, begin stacking. There is a bit of an art to stacking a neat pile of wood. While some people crisscross logs through the entire pile, others simply stack them up neatly lengthwise.
Lay them in such a way that the pile doesn’t begin to lean and eventually topple. Check as you stack that the logs fit together well and the pile feels sturdy.
If you want to measure the amount of firewood you have cut, there are two common measurements: a “cord” (which is 128 cubic feet, or 8 feet long, 4 feet high and 4 feet wide) and a “rick” (which is, as Dirks put it, “1⁄3 of a cord and 16 inches by 4-by-8 feet”).
If possible, have a place inside and under a roof to store your firewood. Keeping it out of the elements will allow it to dry quicker and keep it from rotting as fast.
Insects are practically unavoidable when wood is stacked outdoors. Dirks says that like a food pantry, continue to rotate and work through the wood pile, starting first with the oldest wood. For example, pests can consist of boring beetles (that produce small mounds of sawdust next to their holes) to termites, which can destroy a whole woodpile.
With the right saw and a careful dose of caution and preplanning, you could have a nice stack of firewood right outside your back door. Use any safety gear needed, and do your best to get the job done safely.
More than Just Firewood
From songbirds flittering amongst the branches to squirrels running up and down the limbs, trees have much to provide for the wildlife that lives all around us. As retired fish and wildlife expert Clarke Dirks shares, wildlife has three basic needs: food, cover and water.
Some trees provide two of those needs: shelter and food. Whenever a tree is removed, Dirks suggests replacing it with a species of tree that will offer at least shelter, if not shelter and food.
While species of trees will vary from area to area across the country, around central Kansas, where I live, people typically cut hedge trees (also known as Osage orange). While this tree does provide cover for wildlife, Dirks says it doesn’t offer much in the way of food, except for squirrels that’ll munch through the knobby, green hedge apples in search of seeds.
On his own homestead, Dirks has cleared out hundreds of hedge trees and planted in their place a selection of hard woods, varying from black walnut and oak to pecan and persimmon. He has also added smaller, more shrublike varieties such as plum and choke cherry.
How you choose to replace the trees you remove will vary depending on your desired outcome for the plot. If you desire to return it to a habitat-state, choose your species of trees accordingly. Dirks points out that shrublike trees and bushes planted near grasslands are beneficial for small games species.
He prefers to plant shrub species that’ll have a two-fold benefit, flowering in the early spring and offering a food source of pollen and nectar for his bees yet producing fruit later in the summer for the birds. Examples of flowering shrubs that he has planted include plum, dogwood, chokecherry, blackberry, elderberry and hazelnut.
When looking to replace trees that have been cut down, Dirks tries to plant five or six trees for each one that he removes. While it might seem like a large quantity at first, he points out that they won’t all survive until maturity unless time is specifically dedicated to nurturing and watering them. Fifty years from now, he hopes that the original tree that was removed should have at least one replacement.
For advice on choosing trees for yourself (and possibly even a chance to purchase them), look to your state’s forestry commission. Most states have one.
Heating with Wood
The feeling of walking inside from the bitter cold to a warm house with the smell of burning wood is something special. Heating your home (or shop) with wood can be inexpensive once you get past the initial installation of the stove, hearth, pipe, etc.
Follow these basic tips for when heating with wood.
Use a chimney brush to clean your chimney pipe regularly and remove any build-up of creosote or soot. This can help reduce the risk of fires in the pipe when the stove is in use.
Watch for any live coals or embers when removing ashes during the season of use. Use a metal bucket in case of anything hot, and set it in a safe place.
Keep the size of your stove in mind as you cut wood. Avoid cutting logs that are too large to fit inside the stove.
Avoid burning green wood, as it often produces more creosote and can cause your chimney pipe to plug up more quickly.
Burning your stove at a higher temperature can help keep your chimney clean, but do this with caution and seek out an expert if needed.
If you haven’t already put in your stove, install high-quality pipe as it can help avoid catching your house on fire.
Check local restrictions or regulations as needed before installation.
This article originally appeared in the Nov./Dec. 2023 issue of Hobby Farms magazine.
Chyka Okarter talks about farming an Extension work in Nigeria, putting the lean farming concept into practice, and finding creative financing from within the food system.
Hear about what agriculture looks like in Nigeria—a pursuit with huge potential that Chyka feels is not being met in this country that’s slightly larger than Texas. He talks about growing up in a farming family and wanting to go into agriculture to help farmers work more efficiently.
Learn about the Feed the Future Program, USAID, and Winrock International’s work in bridging the gap between Extension and small-scale farmers where there is one Extension agent to 10,000 farmers. Chyka’s work is to train the trainers working with micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) cohorts to implement the lean principles in farm business approach. They wanted to try using the lean approach rather than the traditional Good Agronomic Practices approach, which can lead to information overload. Hear two examples—in aquaculture and in crop production—of how the six steps of the lean approach have led to big wins for farmers and the whole food chain. (Spoiler alert: One discovery changed the catfish mortality rate from 50%+ to 0% with this approach, and another is leading farmers to more precise organic fertilizer use.)
Finally, listen in on how farmers in Nigeria—a country in economic crisis—are working within the food system for an innovative financing model involving input credits.
Growing mushrooms can be a great way to diversify your wares at your local farmers market and be an additional food source for your family. But raising them does come with special considerations.
John Lawton and his wife, Susan, raise mushrooms at their Possum Bottom Farms in Whitwell, Tennessee. Lawton, a former electrical engineer, feels that it’s his analytical background that allows him to make a success of his business. He was first introduced to mushroom cultivation by a business partner in Charleston, South Carolina, who had started growing mushrooms for restaurants. The idea of raising them on his 70-acre farm quickly took root.
“We tried selling hay. But if I’ve got hay, everybody has hay,” Lawton says. “It was the same way with corn and tomatoes. But I looked around, and nobody was growing mushrooms.”
A Complex Process
It didn’t take long for Lawton to realize that a certain level of difficulty is involved. “It is complex,” Lawton says. “You have to wear many different hats. It is not just the cultivation. It is the lab work and the systems.” But it’s the level of difficulty that Lawton finds attractive.
Lawton says that one aspect of many that set his farm apart is his methods of cultivation. “We grow in climate-controlled conditions,” he says. “Most everyone else is growing at room temperature.”
Lawton describes his climate-controlled conditions as a temperature of between 55 and 60 degrees with 90 percent humidity. “We also control the CO2,” he says. “Some of the mushrooms are sensitive to CO2 because they breathe oxygen and exhale CO2 just like we do. You have to constantly flush the rooms when they are in the fruiting cycle, and you have to constantly flush the rooms to keep the CO2 from building up.”
The benefit of growing in climate-controlled conditions is that he can set the timetable for harvesting, adding that he and Susan set their harvest time for Thursdays and Fridays to be prepared for their Saturday market. Although this process is a more expensive method, it’s well worth the investment in terms of product consistency.
“It’s more expensive to grow this way and, consequently, we have to sell more mushrooms,” he says. “We operate more on a volume level where we sell a little bit cheaper, but we go for a bigger haul.”
Lawton adds that consistency in product quality and amount is what his customers seek. This practice allows him to target the largest markets in Tennessee. “The smaller markets don’t work for us,” he says.
Marketing Mushrooms
In addition to being raised in climate-controlled conditions, the Lawtons raise their mushroom on blocks. “All of the mushrooms we take to market are farmed,” he says. “We do not do any wild cultivation or wild harvest.”
The Lawtons primarily use social media, mostly Facebook and Instagram, to market their product. They also have a presence on Google and their website, PossumBottomFarms.com.
Initially, the Lawtons wanted to sell their mushrooms to restaurants because they felt this would provide a steady demand as opposed to setting up at local farmer’s markets. But what they soon discovered was exactly the opposite.
“It was much easier to sell large quantities at a farmers market,” he says. But there is a caveat. “The smaller markets don’t work,” he says. “You have to be in a large market.”
He gives examples of the markets he frequents in the Franklin, Murfreesboro and Knoxville, Tennessee, areas, he says, that cater to foodies. Lawton says that the difficulty with selling to restaurants comes mainly from staff changes and the financial stability of the restaurants themselves, which translates to a fluctuating demand.
Learning the Ropes
Raising mushrooms is a tricky business. “It took me about two and a half years to learn,” Lawton says. “That was trial and error and learning on my own,” Lawton, who now also offers consultation services, explains. The industry has a high dropout rate of about 85 percent, so Lawton tailors his consultation services only to those already past the basic mushroom cultivation stage. He cites the high failure rate in raising the mushrooms themselves, which often drives people away.
As well, mushrooms, Lawton says, are a limited market. He advises identifying your market before making your first purchases.
“Make sure you have enough of a market to justify the expense,” he says. It also helps to have a solid business plan. To that end, Lawton has developed a system that he calls full-circle farming.
“When you produce mushrooms at the volume that we do, we produce a lot of compost,” Lawton says. “We get to use that compost. It’s free fertilizer.” Lawton takes agricultural waste products such as sawdust, logs and straw that he then uses to cultivate mushrooms. “We use worms to break that back down into compost that we use to grow vegetables, so it completes the circle,” he says.
For those seeking to learn by experimentation, Lawton advises starting with shiitake logs. “They are the cheapest and easiest because they are done outdoors,” he says. “All you need is a shady spot, some logs, a drill and an inoculation tool.
Lawton explains that the purpose of starting at this level is to learn the mushroom cycle. “Learn how to manipulate the logs,” he says. “There are things that you can do to force it to produce mushrooms.”
Another thing you can do, Lawton says, is to purchase logs from another producer. “The hardest part is producing your blocks in the lab because of all of the blue mold,” Lawton says. “It’s the bane of the mushroom farmer’s existence.” Lawton adds that once the mold gets established it’s incredibly hard to get rid of.
“You have to be clean, clean, clean.”
In countries that grow more mushrooms than the United States, the model is to have a lab that produces the cultures, another that produces the growing medium and another that grows the mushrooms. “We’re getting to that stage where you can buy your blocks and not have to produce them yourself,” he says, “which will save you a lot of time and frustration because your contamination rates can be pretty high if you do not have the right setup.” But a noteworthy drawback of purchasing blocks is their expense. “You would have to sell a significant quantity of mushroom, about 100 to 150 pounds per week, to break even,” he says.
For those seeking to purchase blocks yet learn about raising mushrooms on them on a smaller scale, Lawton recommends using a small hobby-framed greenhouse kit. By adding a little humidity, he says, you can learn the process and raise mushrooms in your garage or basement.
A Scalable Product
Expenses notwithstanding, growing mushrooms on blocks are what Lawton feels makes his system very scalable. Prepared blocks are stored in a cooler at a temperature of 40 degrees. In this manner, they are held for up to two months before they are exposed to oxygen, which starts the fruiting cycle. Ten days to two weeks later, they produce mushrooms.
The process allows the Lawtons to adjust their harvest according to need and to target certain prime market periods like Memorial Day weekend, the Fourth of July, Father’s Day, etc. “It’s a little bit more sophisticated system, but it works pretty well,” he says. But, he adds, for this system, it’s critical to keep backups of important components such as exhaust fans, misting system pumps and air conditioners. Losing even one of these, at this level, could cause losses upwards of $15,000 at a time.
Another option is raising oyster mushrooms on straw. While your selection will be limited, oyster mushrooms do offer the opportunity to raise your product on several different substrates, including wheat straw, cardboard, wood chips and various types of soybean hull pellets.
“They are very healthy for you,” Lawton says. “And they are delicious.”
Additional Products
The Lawtons raise a variety of mushrooms including black pearl king oyster, lion’s mane, golden oyster and shiitake, along with mushroom powders. “Anything we don’t sell fresh gets dried and powered for our culinary products,” John Lawton says. To preserve the nutrition of the fresh mushrooms, the Lawtons dry their product at 104 degrees F.
“If you dry over 120 degrees, the chemistry starts to change and you lose flavor,” he says. One of his favorite aspects of raising mushrooms is educating the public about the nutritional aspects, recipes and flavor pairings of culinary mushrooms.
Before COVID-19, the Lawtons also sold pre-inoculated mushroom-producing logs. “They are a pretty easy way to grow mushrooms in your backyard,” he says. However, the pandemic led to an increased demand for firewood, making the hardwood logs that he sought to create these logs increasingly unavailable. He hopes to begin offering the product again this year.
Lawton says that regardless of the reason for your interest in raising mushrooms, they can be a fun learning opportunity and a profitable enterprise if you’re willing to put in the time and research.
Once you have identified your market and learned about the fruiting cycle and how it can be manipulated, Lawton advises that you’re now ready to do some research and identify someone to study under who teaches mushroom cultivation. Attending seminars on the topic is a great option while at the same time advising against watching YouTube videos.
“You only get about 80 percent of what you need to know from those,” he says. Self-taught learning experiences on a small scale coupled with more formal education, when you are ready for it, lead to lower failure rates.
This article originally appeared in the Nov./Dec. 2023 issue of Hobby Farms magazine.
2024 is upon us, and another busy year awaits. Hobby farmers are doubtlessly shopping seed catalogs and planning projects for spring and summer, but overall January can be a (relatively) quiet time of year.
So why not spend some time catching up on cleaning and organizing your barn, garage and/or tool shed? It can be easy to let organization slip during the busiest times of year, when there’s so much to get done and so little time to do it all. That’s why I like to take January to organize my tools and get everything back in order. A clean and organized farm is a productive one.
Tools & Equipment
Let’s focus on tools and equipment. Will your livestock fences need an annual spring checkup for maintenance and repairs? Get a head start by organizing a tool box specifically for fence repair projects. Stuff it full of screws, nails, bolts, zip ties, electric wire insulators, pliers, wire cutters—anything you might need.
Maybe you don’t want to keep your electric drill and hammer permanently in your fence repair tool box, but if you have all the other supplies in one place, it’s easy to add a couple bulkier tools when you’re ready to work on fences.
Having an organized tool box saves you time when you’re ready to get started in the spring.
Manual Labor
Here’s another organizing tip: keep your farm machinery instruction manuals in a single location. Don’t throw them away, and don’t let them scatter into various drawers or cupboards. Because guess what? When it’s time for spring machinery maintenance and you’re trying to figure out what type of spark plugs you need to buy, or what kind of oil your garden tractor uses, it’s faster to grab the manual than to search online for a very specific answer.
Definitely focus on making things tidy and accessible as you organize your tools. Use shelves to get items off the ground and better utilize vertical space. Don’t bury important machines (like the portable gasoline generator you use during power outages) behind items you won’t be using any time soon (like boxes of garden cloches that won’t see action until spring).
Are you struggling to squeeze your garden tractor with a snow blower attachment into a corner of your garage between the rototiller and the string trimmer? Move the rototiller and string trimmer to a toolshed, or the attic, until spring comes and you’re ready to use them. At that time, you can remove the snow blower from your tractor and there will be more room for everything.
Reducing clutter and garbage is important too. If machinery maintenance has left you with nearly empty bottles of oil, coolant or hydraulic fluid, dispose of them properly. And January is a great time of year to address any damaged tools or machines you have. If you can repair any yourself, go for it—maybe your post hole diggers just need a replacement wooden handle. If machines need to be professionally repaired, arrange to have it done.
But if a piece of equipment is at the end of its life, don’t keep it around to clutter up your farm. Whether you’re throwing it away, recycling it, or turning it into scrap, send it on its way.
And don’t forget the small things. If you’re like me and have a lot of extra screws, nails, washers and bolts around for any project that happens to require them, consider organizing them into small transparent drawers so you can easily see what you have. The photo accompanying this article demonstrates what I mean.
Obviously your own organizing needs will vary widely depending on your specific circumstances. But hopefully these examples will spark your determination to organize your tools this January as the start of a productive 2024 farming year.
Well, with eight videos behind us on this farm garden shed build, we’ve now reached the final step before I can call this outbuilding “done.” All that’s left for me to do is put the roof on, and I think this step should go pretty quickly, as I’ve got everything lined up and ready.
First, though, I’m going to put a 2-inch of drip edge on. This step is a matter of personal preference, but I like to add it. For one thing, it dresses up the edge nicely, hiding any minor imperfections on the fascia that might otherwise bother over time. When I install a drop edge, though, I really like to think about how it will look. Check out the video to see how I handle the corners to ensure a clean, gapless edge.
With this step, as with the previous ones, I try to make sure any imperfections that arise occur on the back, where I’m least likely to see them on a daily basis.
Roof Panels
Then it’s time for roof installation, which is both the best and worst part of this garden shed build. It’s the best because the metal roof sheets are going to go up very fast. And it’s the worst part because it will involve cutting metal, which is something I don’t enjoy doing. I prefer using a circular saw with a metal-cutting blade for this, as it’s quicker and easier than some other options. But it’s also noisy and kind of a pain.
Check out the video to see how I cut the metal roofing sheets and some important things to keep in mind while performing this task.
As I install this first piece of metal, it’s crucial to line things up just right so that, as I interlock and install the remaining roofing sheets, things remain true. This step is very important, so take your time getting it right!
Check out the video to watch the roof go on my farm garden shed. At this point, this shed is dried in. I still have to add the trim and build the door—and I’m sure I’ll continue tinkering with the structure over time—but I’m excited to have this building up and ready to go!
Igrew up without any livestock experience. A family dog and some hamsters were the limit of my hands-on animal involvement. As a young adult, though, I became a serious gardener. And when my husband and I read that chickens were good for the garden, eating bugs and scratching up soil while fertilizing, we purchased five chicks. They were the gateway animal to a lifestyle change.
In addition to fantastic eggs and improved garden health, the chickens were entertaining and taught our kids responsibility. The following year, we got more chickens, followed by Pygora goats, because I am a lifelong fan of fiber arts.
I come from a family of quilters and sewers and caught the fiber arts bug early. I learned to spin when on maternity leave, and I thought that by choosing Pygoras, I was getting fiber to spin and weed-eating machines. While goats work very well for some people, they didn’t fit well with us.
While we were working off-farm jobs, the goats would figure out new and exciting ways to make things difficult. They butted downspouts closed, tore up the chicken run and moved everything not incredibly heavy or permanently mounted somewhere. Every time we solved one problem, they came up with a new idea. Because we were juggling two full-time jobs and two active kids, we decided to sell the goats.
However, I missed the daily routine of caring for animals. I wanted Shetland sheep because I love Shetland wool, but I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep them alive. I didn’t have any sheep experience and had heard that it was difficult to keep sheep alive.
As luck would have it, a friend who sheared my goats had two Jacob/Shetland-cross ewes she wanted to sell, and she promised to help me if I encountered problems. The sheep arrived in early spring. Within two months, I was hooked. They didn’t have any signs of illness, limping and ornery problems like the goats we had previously.
That July, I contacted a Shetland breeder a few hours away and purchased three pedigreed ewes. Once I got my hands on pure Shetlands and saw and felt how much softer their wool was than the crossbreeds, I knew the direction our farm was headed. I’ve never looked back.
Super Sheep
Shetland sheep appealed to me as a hand-spinner because of the softness of their wool, and as the person who does most of the work on the farm, at the time accompanied by two small kids, their small size. I love the hardiness and small stature of the breed. They don’t demand constant care to thrive, and middle-school-aged kids can easily handle, flip and take care of them.
Their tails don’t need to be docked, and they’re excellent mothers and fairly parasite resistant. I can haul individual animals, including rams, in a large dog crate or easily lift animals into a transport cage on the back of the truck.
Shetland sheep come in 11 colors and 30 marking patterns, so our sheep can be quickly recognized as individuals. I can look out the kitchen window, see a sheep grazing and instantly know what its name is.
While we each have our favorite sheep, we approach the sheep as a business, not pets. I tell people I work cheap, but not free. And the sheep must pay their own way.
Our main product is wool. We sell hand-spinning fleeces locally and over the internet. Fleeces that don’t sell quickly are processed into roving or yarn which is then sold at craft fairs and online. We also sell breeding stock to new shepherds wanting to raise Shetlands or established breeders looking for new bloodlines. Extra ram lambs or any animal unsuitable for breeding is sold directly to consumers for meat or as a fiber “pet.”
While the small stature of frame of Shetlands doesn’t compare to more highly muscled breeds such as Hampshires and Texels, there are two positives.
First, consumers are willing to pay more for a heritage breed that isn’t commonly available.
Secondly, the small hanging weight is less of a commitment when someone buys a half or whole lamb. There is more demand for our extra ram lambs than we can fill.
We are fortunate enough to have a local processor from whom we retrieve the pelt and any horns, which we use as value-added products. We salt the pelts for about a month, and then send them off to be turned into washable sheepskins. The cost of the final product covers all postage and processing and, depending on fiber length, color and size, may give us more profit than the meat itself.
Horns can be sawed, sanded and drilled to give unique buttons, which knitters love to use with items knitted from 100% Shetland wool. If you look at the whole picture, our Shetland sheep provide my family with quality meat and excellent wool and yarn, and they add income beyond their expenses to the farm account.
Lambing highlights the ease of raising Shetlands. We lamb on pasture, and they almost always proceed with minimal intervention. It’s always exciting to see how the ram/ewe combinations we select produce, not just in terms of conformation and breed characteristics, but consistent soft, crimpy fine fleece colors and markings. We sometimes lease out a ram or breed ewes for other folks as well.
To Get Started
So how do you start if I’ve convinced you that Shetlands would be a wonderful addition to your farm or homestead? What infrastructure do you need in place?
1. Fencing
Good fences keep sheep in and predators out. You can use woven wire or high tensile, although you need more strands and some lower to the ground, compared to typical cattle fencing. Due to Shetlands’ small size, their stocking rate is higher than large breeds so you don’t need huge acreage to keep a healthy flock. You can also use electronet fencing to subdivide pastures for rotational grazing for ewes and lambs.
2. Grass
Shetlands do best on grass and hay. My sheep get very little grain unless pregnant or nursing lambs. If you’ve never kept sheep on your pasture, ask an extension agent to walk it with you looking for noxious plants.
In the summer, stock up on some hay. I used to feed square bales but have switched to round bales because they’re so much cheaper. I think a lot about how to feed hay to my Shetlands to avoid contaminating their fleece with vegetable matter, which decreases the value of their fleece to hand spinners. I feed hay low to the ground but not on the ground, and I position hay racks so that I don’t carry hay over sheep to fill the rack.
3. Feed & Mineral
Sheep are sensitive to copper, so don’t feed sheep any rations mixed for other livestock. They should have free-choice sheep minerals available, and some shepherds offer free-choice baking soda and plain salt as well. If you can feed out of the rain, or offer minerals out of the rain, it’ll last longer. Don’t forget clean fresh water! A 5-gallon bucket will get you through a day.
4. Shelter
Shetlands are hardy, and wool is insulating. Shetland fleece will shed water in the rain. As a result, Shetlands need little shelter. My rams never spend a night in the barn, and my ewes get two nights after lambing. That is for my convenience, not necessity. They prefer to be outside.
They always have access to a shelter to get out of bad storms and for shade in the summer, but it doesn’t need to be a big barn. Use what you have. I’ve seen good shelters made by bending livestock panels and putting a tarp over the arch. I do use lambing pens inside the barn and move each ewe in a few days after lambing. We made them out of livestock panels we cut to size and stapled to the wooden inside bar wall.
5. Halter/Lead Rope
Some would say this is optional, but it isn’t just for the show ring. Being able to lead sheep around easily or have them lined up ready to hand over to a shearer makes things easy in the long run.
6. Health Maintenance
I do almost all sheep vet care myself. I vaccinate, trim hooves, deworm and take temperatures myself. To do that, you’ll need some supplies that are available at most local feed-supply stores. I do maintain a relationship with a mobile large animal veterinarian in case of emergencies.
7. Shearing Plan
Shetland sheep need sheared each year. Most breeders do it in the spring. Some do it themselves, and others pay a shearer to come. Regardless of which path you choose, the wool is valuable, and you should formulate a plan in advance for getting it off the sheep!
Shetland sheep are easy to handle, hardy and thrifty. Their track record at lambing and mothering is outstanding, and they produce wool and meat that can be used by the producer or sold to offset other costs. Breeders also find great support through the North American Shetland Sheepbreeders Association and fellow breeders, which helps set new shepherds up for success.
This article originally appeared in the Nov./Dec. 2023 issue of Hobby Farms magazine.
