To boost your flower farm sales, you’ll need to come up with some business ideas beyond growing beautiful flowers. Once you have buckets and buckets of flowers, you need to figure out how on earth to sell them. You’ve been trying to put yourself out there, and get people interested, but you just can’t seem to sell all those flowers.
The truth is that it can be challenging. It’s a competitive market. It’s a fast-growing agricultural sector, and your little flower farm is competing with massive flower importers that have had decades to perfect the craft of growing cheap and beautiful flowers.
Don’t get discouraged. Plenty of opportunities exist to turn a profit on a flower farm; it just might require a bit of innovation, so I have compiled some tips and tricks that could help elevate your flower farm to the next level.
Leverage and Build Your Network
This might seem like a no-brainer, but it often seems to get overlooked. A critical part of any business venture is to leverage and build a network. Odds are that your network will be family and friends starting out, and those will make up your first few buyers. That’s great! You’re making a few sales now, but let’s take it a step further.
It’s way easier to meet 10 people that each have a network of 10 people than it is to develop a relationship of 100 people. Take free flowers to local businesses, just set them out, share with business owners what you’re doing, win them over. This way has no strings attached, but it begins building advocates with large networks in your community. Watch your orders start rolling in quickly!
Extend Your Growing Season
Perhaps one of the best ways to up your sales as a flower farmer is to simply beat the competition to market. During summer months you will notice market gardeners and vegetable farmers also typically have an influx of blooms at the farmers market. More flower farmers show up in summer when the easier varieties such as zinnias and sunflowers begin to bloom.
By planting heavily for spring flowers, using season extension methods, biennial flowers and even forcing tulip blooms, you’ll be able to beat a large number of flower farmers to market and capitalize on strong spring sales that can help carry you through a slower summer.
Start a Flower CSA or Subscription
Flower community-supported-agriculture programs, aka CSAs, and subscription models are great ways to help ensure your flowers aren’t going to waste. Begin selling them in winter. I like to offer them as holiday gifts available for purchase.
I find folks don’t hesitate to spend a little extra on bringing joy to a loved one, and these subscriptions do just that. Yes, you must manage the fund up front and fulfill each order, but if you do a good job, you’ll also likely begin earning more custom orders and opportunities.
Hotel Florist and Gift Shop Contracts
While not widely known, many hotels regularly have fresh flower installations provided every week. This is a contract that must be secured, but complimentary samples could go a long way, particularly in boutique hotels. Simply grow, design and deliver. These contracts offer a dependable source of income and can also help gain additional exposure for more orders.
If you have a major hospital nearby, consider consulting their gift shop. Many gift shops have florist contracts for a few fresh bouquets of flowers to be in their shops. A flower farm could easily win these contracts, and again garner some more consistent and stable income.
Begin U-Pick or Host Events
While this one is a lot of work and requires an ideal set-up and lots of infrastructure, and perhaps additional insurance and legal requirements, hosting u-pick flower picking or events on the farm can be great sources of revenue. Many u-picks cater to bridal-showers and “mommy and me” days that seem very popular.
You can also easily host floral design workshops, and other educational classes that utilize your blooms and pay you for your time and knowledge. This also builds a rapport and connection for individuals with your farm and brand hopefully increasing intent to purchase your flowers in the future.
Follow these tips to boost flower farm sales, and your business will be blooming.
A pastor’s wife, Kiki welcomed her first two Sicilian donkeys in December 2020. “I got them because they’re so cute,” Kiki says. “My husband helped a family with numerous issues, and they raised Sicilian donkeys. At one point, the family had to get rid of the donkeys, and they brought us two. A few months later, they asked if we wanted four more, which we took. And four months later, our first baby donkey, Magnolia, was born. Three months later our second baby, Daisy, was born.”
As small donkeys that aren’t aggressive, Kiki says her Sicilians are family friendly, very hardy and low maintenance. But the donkeys can be spooked. So visitors, especially children, need to remain calm and talk softly when around them.
Sicilian Donkey
Kiki does very little donkey grooming. In fact, her donkeys groom each other. The donkeys attract livestock flies, and she gives them dewormer. They also require hoof care. But for the most part, the donkeys are self-sufficient.
“You can’t own just one because they’re very social,” Kiki says. “They have to be with another hoofed animal. And they can’t be boxed into a stall. To protect them from cold and rain, they need a shelter with a roof and at least one open side.”
But Kiki’s concerns include Texas storms. Her donkeys find shelter under big trees instead of their farm structure. A few years back, lightning struck a tree and killed one of her donkeys. As well, one of the family horses kicked one of the donkeys, which led to the donkey’s demise.
“Sicilians are born with crosses on their backs,” Kiki says. “As babies, they’re all ears. They’re the best thing anybody who has property, who wants livestock to love on, can have.”
Sicilian Donkey
About 15 years ago, Kiki owned a horse. But that was the extent of her agricultural experiences. She and her husband now live on 30 acres. Besides the donkeys, they own three miniature horses, chickens and a zebu bull. The donkeys have access to 15 acres.
The donkeys enjoy a necessary and constant water supply with a tank that refills itself. As for mealtime, Sicilians thrive in grasslands and brush lands. Because they are miniatures, they need less forage and space. During summer months, when there’s grass, Kiki’s donkeys graze all day, and she gives them hay at day’s end. But when there is no pasture grass, she feeds them twice daily.
“I love, love, love my donkeys,” Kiki says. “They’re great for a mini farm. I just come out here and spend time with them. This is my happy place. They come running to me like puppy dogs. They’re very smart, they don’t forget, and they’re very healthy.”
History of Sicilian Donkeys
Historians differ, with some claiming Sicilian donkeys were native to North Africa before arriving on the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia. They thrive in hot, dry conditions, rather than wet and cold environments. In Italy, they hauled produce for thousands of years. Owners often want them for their working abilities. Sicilians may pull a cart, may carry up to 100 pounds, and small children may ride on their backs. But overloading a Sicilian can cause injury to its back.
However, Sicilians are also popular as companion animals, including as pets. But experts recommend that Sicilians not live inside homes because they need to graze freely, and they are active which makes for needed exercise. Two miniature donkeys need at least one acre of land, plus appropriate shelter.
Carol Mowdy Bond
Traits, Size & Appearance
Known as tame, gentle, loving and friendly, Sicilians can be playful and entertaining. They’re one of the most affectionate and friendliest of all donkey breeds, and they seek attention from human companions. They bond well with family members and most visitors. In captivity, they may live up to 40 years. So, owning Sicilians requires a long-term commitment, as well as responsibility for their daily needs, which may take hours of daily time.
They may weigh up to 450 pounds and grow to be 36 inches tall. Coat colors fall into the gray, black, white and brown families.
A docile breed, Sicilians are easy to manage due to their size. They usually get along well with other farm animals, as well as dogs and cats, and they sometimes form close bonds with other animals.
Known as the miniature Mediterranean donkey and Sardinian donkey, Sicilians carry the nickname of “The Holy Cross Donkey” because of the distinct cross on the donkeys’ backs. Legends claim the donkey breed carried Jesus of Nazareth into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The donkey loved Jesus, and later followed him to Calvary. Grief stricken at Calvary, the donkey turned away but didn’t leave. The shadow of the cross fell on the donkey’s shoulders and back, and it remains there today.
“I grew up with animals and have a lot of animal experience from dogs and horses and chickens to exotic animals through my career as a zookeeper,” says Marina Karastamatis, who’s turned her animal-focussed background into raising Babydoll Sheep at The Little Homestead By The Sea in Southern California.
With Karastamatis’s husband bringing a technical interest in areas including solar panels, rainwater collection and firewood harvesting, the duo have combined their expertise into successfully establishing a venture that stars Babydoll sheep alongside an organic vineyard.
Taking time out from hobby farming duties, we spoke to Karastamatis about maintaining the vineyard and chicken coop sizing. We also got into the lawn mowing abilities of Babydoll sheep.
Little Homestead By The Sea was formed out of circumstance. After Karastamatis’s stepdad passed away, it left the family unsure what to do with their farm (which already included a nascent vineyard).
“Since my husband and I were renting at the time, and were hoping to move somewhere we could have a small farm, we figured it made the most sense for us to move onto the property,” explains Karastamatis. “So we built a second house on the property and began our small farm journey.”
It’s a journey Karastamatis admits has sometimes seemed bittersweet though: “It’s a complicated feeling as I’m grateful for the opportunity to follow our homestead dreams, and I know we’re very lucky to have that opportunity (especially living in a high cost of living area), but I wish it had come under better circumstances.”
The Little Homestead By The Sea’s social media presence includes a bio that contains the line, “I don’t actually know what I’m doing.” Building on that earnest sentiment, Karastamatis says that a key early lesson in starting a homestead or hobby farm is to ” plan for what you want not what you have—and be mindful about the choices you’re making.”
Karastamatis adds that she’s spent “so much time and effort arranging and re-arranging things that could have been avoided if I planned ahead.”
For instance, after first deciding that the homestead would benefit from only “a handful of chickens” and erecting a “modest size coop,” the size of the flock inevitably bloomed and required modifying the coop and building a bigger run.
Babydoll sheep are a crucial part of the Little Homestead By The Sea. Karastamatis says that they settled on the breed due to a reputation for being “good lawnmowers!”
Tending to an organic vineyard, Karastamatis says they avoid the use of herbicides. “We have a variety of plants that grow between the rows of vines and serve as a cover crop but they need to be cut back,” she explains. “Doing this by hand with a weed-wacker was time intensive or costly to hire out. We wanted to come up with a more sustainable, regenerative method of vegetation control.”
Having heard about Babydoll sheep being used for vegetation management by vineyards in Northern California, Karastamatis learned that the breed’s short stature successfully “allows them to graze in the vineyard without reaching the vines”—although she adds that “some of the youngest sheep will stand up on their hind legs to try and eat the leaves!”
When it comes to the personality of the Babydoll sheep at the Little Homestead By The Sea, Karastamatis says that they’re a “really fun and sweet” breed.
“Like most sheep they can be skittish at first and take some time to get used to you,” she says. “I spent a lot of time sitting with them and feeding them grain. Once they trust you, they’re just the sweetest. They’ll follow you around, come up to you for pets and are just generally very chill and easygoing. Sometimes I like to just go sit with them—they’re very calming animals.”
When it comes to the organic vineyard at Karastamatis’s homestead, she says that last year’s harvest was only “okay” due to the abundance of rainfall.
Looking on the bright side, Karastamatis says that while they didn’t accumulate “enough to be worth selling,” they instead decided to make their own personal wine with the year’s humble bounty.
“I never expected to be a farmer or had any yearning to become one,” admits Charlie Maurisa, who raises Latvian Garlic and Donkeys at Derryherbert Farm in County Mayo, Ireland. However, after relocating from London to a property brimming with possibility, the urge to farm set in and Maurisa established Derryherbert Farm alongside their partner.
Specializing in garlic, the venture has since instilled in Maurisa a deep appreciation of the land, which is situated just a few miles in from the Atlantic Ocean. “The most rewarding aspect of running the farm is seeing the combination of my efforts and nature resulting in the creation of produce and life, be it the free-range hen’s eggs, the bees thriving and producing honey, lambs being born or a successful crop,” explains Maurisa. “Seeing that life being created gives me the most reward.”
Taking a moment out from farming duties, we spoke to Maurisa about the roots of Derryherbert and the farm’s resident donkeys. We also got into the enduring nature of Latvian garlic.
Growing up in Latvia, Maurisa benefitted from having a close relationship with a grandmother who enjoying growing her own vegetables, especially garlic.
“She passed onto me a wealth of knowledge that I thought I had completely forgotten over the years,” says Maurisa. “Once I arrived in Ireland, this forgotten knowledge came back to me and a passion grew to recreate my grandmother’s smallholding here in County Mayo.”
In terms of the venture’s setup, polytunnels form a key part of Derryherbert Farm. “They’re still in their early stages of development,” says Maurisa. “I’ve had some failures and some successes and learnt a lot from both experiences.”
Specifically, Maurisa pinpoints garlic as a great success on the farm. “I’ve grown this from seeds passed from my grandmother to my mother and now onto me,” says Maurisa. “The Latvian garlic seems to enjoy the conditions here and the initial crop saw me harvest about 5,000 bulbs of excellent quality.”
Getting spcific, Maurisa says that Latvian garlic bulbs are larger and sweeter than usual.
Looking back over last year’s farming bounty, Maurisa says that tomatoes, chilies, beets, spinach, cucumbers and leeks all prospered.
“A lot of my produce supplies the kitchens at a local hunting lodge,” explains Maurisa. “The summer surplus I’ve used at home to make salads plus relishes and chutneys from the excess tomatoes and chillies. The surplus cucumbers have been pickled. Later in the year I use the root vegetables for stews.”
Overlooking Derryherbert Farm are a couple of sister donkeys named Lilly and Priscilla. “Their official duties are grass cutting and acting as fox deterrents during the lambing season,” says Maurisa. “They love life here: They have a warm dry shed, plenty of space to graze and are thoroughly spoilt by both myself and anyone that visits.”
Delving into each donkey’s personality, Mauirisa says that Priscilla is confident and enjoys cuddles and neck scratches, while Lilly can be more wary of humans but loves to eat from the hand once a person has gained her trust.
When it comes to farm plans for 2024, Maurisa says Derryherbert will be experimenting with new varieties of tomatoes and chillies. Additionally, the number of garlic beds on the farm will be increased to accommodate new types of the allium.
“I planted a few dozen trial Aronia plants (also known as chokeberries) back in 2020 and they seem to be happy enough with the conditions here,” adds Maurisa. “So I’m particularly excited about developing the Aronia berry side of the farm’s business—it is a great antioxidant and reputably the planet’s healthiest berry.”
Finding the correct ATV and UTV tire types can be tricky. For the most part, choosing the right tires for a tractor is straightforward. Three main types—R1 agricultural tires, R3 turf tires, and R4 industrial tires—offer varying pros and cons when it comes to traction, strength, and suitability for lawns.
But if you’re a hobby farmer using an ATV or UTV, you’ll find a wider variety of ATV and UTV tire types to consider. What type of tire is best for your machine? It depends on the ground conditions your ATV or UTV will be asked to handle.
Tire Type to Start With
Start with general-purpose, all-terrain tires. There’s a strong chance your machine came equipped with these tires. While they’re not specifically geared to handle any particular type of terrain (like mud, sand, or snow), all-terrain tires —much like R4 industrial tires for tractors—can be the perfect choice for hobby farmers who need their machine to traverse gravel driveways, grassy lawns, bumpy fields, and a little mud. In other words, a bit of everything.
Speaking of mud, hopefully your farming needs don’t require driving an ATV or UTV through deep mud. But if that’s on your agenda, consider mud tires, which features deep and widely spaced lugs designed to stay clean and power through the sloppiest conditions. Just keep in mind that mud tires can make for a bumpy ride on dry ground; like the R2 tractor tires designed for use in extremely wet conditions, ATV and UTV mud tires are great when mud is deep and less suitable anywhere else. The lugs can even be damaged on hard ground.
The same goes for sand tires, which are largely smooth, but with paddle-like lugs designed to scoop through the sand and not get bogged down. They’re great in deep sand, but the paddles will take a beating on hard ground, so you’re probably not interested in sand tires unless your farm has a lot of loose, sandy terrain.
Racing tires are another option; they’re designed to maximize traction over hard ground, particular when traveling at high speeds. But there not necessarily as durable as all-terrain tires, and they won’t be as effective in mud or sand as specialized tires (or even all-terrain tires), so racing tires have some shortcomings when viewed through the eyes of a hobby farmer. After all, you probably won’t be tearing around your farm at racing speeds.
Other Types of ATV/UTV Tires
Now, it’s worth investigating whether you can acquire other types of tires for your ATV or UTV. For example, snow tires with treads designed for optimal performance on snowy ground, or turf tires with wide treads and closely spaced lugs that will inflict minimal damage on lawns. A typical hobby farmer is more likely to drive an ATV or UTV through snow or grass than deep mud or sand, so seeking out snow and turf tires compatible with your machine may be worth the time and investment.
Chances are an all-terrain tire will serve you well as a hobby farmer. But it’s helpful to know all your options in case snow tires, turf tires, mud tires, racing tires, or even sand tires prove perfect or complementary for your specific needs.
Winter livestock chores can’t be neglected. Naturally, hobby farmers spend less time outdoors over the winter. While fall is a great time to prepare your feeding systems and structures to be a little more self-sustaining, it doesn’t mean you can coast through winter without chores. Even with topnotch preparation, winter is difficult on animals, and you must maintain daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal chores.
Animals struggle during the winter because their bodies go into stress keeping themselves warm. Many females have bred during the fall and are pulled down with the burden of pregnancies.
Observation is always the most important daily chore for every aspect of farming. Getting outdoors daily doesn’t have to take a long time, but it’ll remain necessary. Invest in some tough winter gear including boots, gloves, hats, coats to make your time outdoors safer and more bearable. To help you get the bases covered quickly, know exactly what needs to be done and move through the following checklist to keep the animals on your farm safe and healthy.
Daily Livestock Chores
Here are the livestock chores you should do daily in the winter.
Check waterers. Break ice, if necessary. Consider water heaters to prevent water from freezing.
Check the food supply. Make sure your animals always have adequate portions, and monitor that they’re eating enough. Even if your feeding systems are automated, make sure they’re working properly every day.
Check any heat lamps. Make sure they’re working properly and aren’t overheating. Also check that the surroundings aren’t getting too hot, which could lead to fires.
Collect any eggs before they freeze.
Rachel Porter
Weekly Livestock Chores
Do these livestock chores each week during winter.
Check roofing structures for leaks.
Check shelters for drafts, and board up, if necessary.
Add new bedding using the “deep litter method” for chickens and animals.
Top up the coop and nesting boxes with hay or mulch.
Give chickens a supplement, such as mealworms, oyster grit, pumpkin seeds, etc. to beef up their calorie intake.
Supplement your livestock with loose minerals, protein blocks or necessary nutrients.
Check for any signs of mice. They’re always seeking warm places stockpiled with food, but you want to make sure they aren’t taking the feed from your animals.
Check feed storage for any dampness which leads to mold.
Observe power supply and backup generators for facilities.
Monthly Livestock Chores
Each month in winter, follow this livestock chore checklist.
Inventory supplies and medications.
Deep clean stalls and coops.
Refill dust baths systems for chickens if they aren’t still free-ranging.
Add some diatomaceous earth bedding to control lice, fleas, mites, ticks and other bugs. The closer the herds huddle, the more often outbreaks can occur.
Rachel Porter
Seasonal Checklist
At least once this season, check off these items on your to-do list.
Schedule a seasonal vet check. Have your veterinarian do a wellness check during the winter to make sure they’re healthy and prepared to go into Spring.
Catch up on paperwork. Make sure registrations are up to date.
Culling lists. If you’re planning to sell livestock, make sure to plan now.
Check your selling platforms. What information needs updated? What waitlists can you start now for spring animal sales?
Plan financially to increase profits.
Price shop your local market to set your annual fee structure.
Find ways to cut expenses on your farm i.e.,
Price shop your normal go-to products.
Order in bulk to save money.
Consider waste. Are your feeding systems creating waste? Are you composting food scraps, animal bedding? If not, ways to reuse waste on the farm that save money.
Evaluate vaccine schedules.
Evaluate supplement schedules.
Winter Livestock Health
Winter chores should not take long but as we spend more time indoors, use that time to be more intentional about planning the full year. Intentional planning will serve your farm well for the entire year.
Reflecting about the health of your animals can allow you to put systems in place to prevent future problems. Be thankful for a winter season that beckons you indoors and gives you the opportunity to make improvements for a new successful year.
Growing under the cover of a low tunnel is an easy way to get a jump start with your spring vegetable garden. These temporary structures are miniature versions of greenhouses. The domed plastic is great at trapping and holding heat in the soil. Quick, easy and inexpensive to build, low tunnels can be popped up anywhere, so they also work well with crop rotation. These extend the growing season in the spring to warm soil for earlier planting and in the fall to keep cold hearty crops in the garden longer.
Crop Selection
You’ll also need to start with cold hardy crops. Some of the best choices are brassicas (aka cole crops) such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages and kale, plus beets, radishes and spring greens.
The listed plants will start germinating at temperatures around 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Another good list is here.
Temperature Control
But we need to make as important distinction between air and soil temperatures. It’s soil temperature that you need to pay attention to for germinating the earliest plants. Luckily for seedlings and plant roots, soil temperatures are more consistent than air temperatures.
Having a dedicated thermometer to track soil temps will help you keep a handle on things. I actually have a few thermometers so I can keep them in the soil (which gives more accurate readings) in different places, this helps me track my soil temperatures in different garden beds.
The most effective way to warm the soil is to cover it. Coverage on the surface will help a little but bringing that covering up off the ground so the sun’s rays get trapped inside helps even more.
Michelle Brugh
Let’s Build a Low Tunnel
Gather the following needed materials. (Use what you have on hand, but this will get you going.)
18- to 24-inch sections of ¼-inch rebar (I use six total for my 4-by-8 beds.)
8- to 10-foot sticks of ½-inch PVC (I use 4 total for my 4-by-8 beds.)
2- to 8- millimeter plastic sheeting (I use roughly 10-by-16-foot sheets for my 4-by-8 beds.)
clips or blocks to secure plastic snug to ground
Start by finding the dimensions of what you want to cover, and pound in ¼-inch rebar every 2 to 3 feet along the perimeter, so it sticks out a few inches above the ground.
Then slide ½-inch PVC over the rebar, arching from one side of the bed to the other.
Secure an extra piece of PVC along the length of the top to stabilize the low tunnel and help keep it from collapsing after heavy snow.
Cover with 2- to 8-millimeter thick plastic. Rolls of plastic typically come in 10-foot-wide rolls. How tall you want the tunnel, and the width of your bed will determine the width of the plastic you need. For our 4-foot wide beds, the 10-foot-wide works great as we make our low tunnels pretty tall.
Michelle Brugh
You can use clips to keep plastic in place, dig it into soil or use anything handy such as landscape bricks to hold it down. This does bring plastic into your garden but is reusable for many seasons to come, as we’ve been using the same materials for six years now.
Michelle Bruhn
Cheers to growing more food in the same space, getting in an earlier succession and harvests just by growing under a low tunnel!
Do you want to learn to make your own nut mylks (plant-based milk alternatives such as oat, almond, soy, rice), such as homemade coconut mylk? Whether you are living a vegan lifestyle or perhaps just a bit vegan-curious, you’ll want to grab a copy of the newly released, The Vegan Dairy Cookbook: Make Your Own Plant-Based Mylks, Cheezes, and Kitchen Staples, by Marleen Visser.
This cookbook is chock full of vegan dairy alternative recipes that you can easily make from home. Visser’s recipes are simple to follow and also creative and delicious. Her book includes recipes for various nut mylks, butters, yogurts, cream cheezes, desserts and more.
I don’t live in vegan household. However, over the years, family members of my family have gone vegan due to health issues and dietary restrictions. We do occasionally opt for vegan alternatives to get around many of the food allergies we have within our extended family.
One recipe in the cookbook that stood out was for coconut mylk. We normally buy it canned, and it never occurred to me to make my own homemade coconut mylk before, so I was excited to give it a try.
optional flavorings: maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, dates
Preparation
Combine the coconut with water and salt in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Place a piece of cheesecloth in a strainer over a bowl, and strain the mixture through the cheesecloth. Squeeze out any excess moisture. Taste the mylk, and strain again as needed.
Add any desired flavorings at this point, such as maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and/or dates.
Pour the mylk into sterilized bottles, and store in the refrigerator. Enjoy within 4 days.
Notes
If you want to put the leftover pulp to use, consider mixing it with yogurt, oats, nuts and fruit for a delicious no-waste breakfast.
With The Vegan Dairy Cookbook, learn how to make all kinds of vegan dairy products at home that taste just as good as the real thing (if not better)! This helpful guide includes 50 homemade vegan dairy recipes.
Several years ago, I noticed that while my healthy hens were robust during the growing season, their health declined a little during winter when they weren’t regularly consuming herbs or other greens. So, I started supplementing my flock’s diet with herbal tea in winter.
Since introducing wintertime teas, my chickens have been as vigorous and healthy in the winter as they are the rest of the year. I have also noticed fewer winter deaths. So, if you want healthy hens this winter, look no further than wintertime teas.
Brewing Tea
Winter can be difficult for chickens as the snowy conditions make accessing fresh greens and herbs impossible. Not only does foraging for these nutritious plants act as fun mental stimulations, but they also provide chickens with essential vitamins, minerals and other health benefits. And tea is one of the best ways to incorporate herbs into your flock’s winter diet!
Brewing tea for your chickens is as easy as brewing a cup of tea for yourself. Start by boiling 1½ cups of water. Add 1 teaspoon of dried herbs to boiling water. Cover the tea and remove from heat. Let steep for 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Serve to your flock by mixing 1 cup of herbal tea into 1 gallon of water.
Winter Herbs for Healthy Hens
While many culinary herbs benefit chickens, the herbs below are some of the best to boost chickens’ health during the colder months.
CINNAMON/OREGANO: While cinnamon and oregano tea may sound like something other than the tastiest combination, this tea is an herbal powerhouse. This tea is my go-to for treating minor respiratory problems. Cinnamon is also one of the best herbs to aid digestion and positively affects the G.I. tract, helping with digestion and absorption. At the same time, oregano works as a natural antibiotic and helps ward off viruses (including the avian flu) and bacteria found in many chicken runs. Both of these herbs are also considered immune boosters and anti-inflammatories.
To serve, dilute one-half cup (4 fl.oz.) of tea into one gallon of water.
THYME: During the winter months, our hens spend more time in the coop. While staying indoors during snowy days is vital for your flock’s survival, it can cause extra moisture to build up in the coop. In extreme cases, this moisture can cause respiratory issues in the flock. Thyme is excellent at boosting respiratory health and is also high in antioxidants, supporting a healthy immune system. One of the best antiparasitics in the herb world, thyme is a natural insect repellant and antihelminthic.
While thyme has many health benefits, it is also a potent herb. When brewing thyme tea for your flock, steep one-half teaspoon of dried thyme in one and a half cups of water. Dilute one cup in a gallon of water.
BASIL: If you are looking for a “one herb wonder” to treat all your poultry health problems, basil may be that herb. This herb has many beneficial flavonoids, vitamins and minerals to boost your flock’s immune systems. Basil also works as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anticancer, antifungal and antiviral.
DILL: While dill is often overlooked when brewing tea for poultry, this tender herb offers many year-round benefits for chickens. Dill is excellent in aiding in digestive health, including stimulating the appetite. This quality is essential in winter, as chickens that aren’t consuming enough food could quickly grow weak and die. Ensuring your flock’s appetite is in peak condition during the cold winter is vital to keep hens thriving through winter and ensure their bodies are healthy enough to resume laying in the spring.
Dill also aids in respiratory health and is considered an antioxidant, anticancer and natural anti-inflammatory.
An Herb to Avoid in Winter
While many culinary herbs are beneficial in winter, some members of the mint family are best to avoid when temperatures dip below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the herbs listed below are safe to feed fresh or steeped in tea during the warmer months.
MINT:Everyone loves mint, including chickens, so why should you avoid mint tea during the winter months? Some experts suggest that peppermint naturally helps lower body temperatures in chickens (and humans). Drinking a hot cup of peppermint tea in winter doesn’t negatively affect humans, but our chickens out in the cold and wind may not fare well. While more studies are needed to conclude this suggestion, I am always cautious and avoid feeding peppermint or other mint varieties during the colder months.
Erin Synder
A Word on Lemon Balm
Even though lemon balm is a member of the mint family, this tea has long been known as an antitumor. Due to the high risk of domestic chickens being diagnosed with reproductive tumors, I serve lemon balm tea year-round to my flock. Because lemon balm does have the same cooling properties found in other mint, adding lemon balm tea to your flock’s drinking water in the winter shouldn’t have any ill effects.
Supplementing your flock’s diet in winter will help keep healthy hens happy year-round. And resume laying those spring eggs every flock owner is eagerly anticipating.
Whether your farm receives 10 inches or 10 feet of snow per winter, your most important farm machines (like your ATV, UTV, tractor, etc.) should be ready to handle the conditions. When winter weather gets tough, your farm machines need to keep going.
The key is to be prepared before the first snowstorm strikes. You don’t want to be scrambling to find tire chains and trade out a mower deck for a snow blower attachment when (surprise!) you get 8 inches of snow overnight and it’s difficult to walk to your barn. Nor do you want your tractor struggling to start on a cold morning when there’s much work to be done.
Let’s walk through the steps to prepare your farm machines for maximum winter performance.
Prep From the Inside Out
It’s tempting to focus on outer accoutrements that make machines visibly winter-worthy, but you shouldn’t overlook the basics: the inner adjustments that can’t be seen at a glance but are important at a foundational level.
Even before you turn your attention to winter prep, your farm machines should be up to date on regular maintenance. Do air filters need to be cleaned or replaced? Do any fluids need to be replenished? Even if you’re on top of engine maintenance, your farm machines might appreciate a deep cleaning of accumulated dirt and debris before winter strikes.
Once you’re finished, you can dive into the following winter adjustments.
Winter-Worthy Oil
Modern engine oil is remarkable. Multigrade oils such as 5W-30 stay thin enough in cold temperatures to facilitate engine starting, but thicken up sufficiently to keep the engine running safely at high temperatures. The range of temperatures they can handle is impressive compared to single-grade oils.
Oil grades (also known as weights) are measured by the SAE J300 standard. If a number is followed by a “W,” it’s measuring cold-weather performance; the lower the number, the better the oil can handle cold temperatures. Unmarked numbers measure oil viscosity at 212 degrees Fahrenheit; the higher the number, the better the oil can handle hot ambient temperatures.
In many cases, a multigrade oil works well all year, especially for farm machines kept in a heated garage where they aren’t exposed to extremely cold winter temperatures when starting. But if your workhorse plow tractor lives outside under a lean-to all winter, you may want to switch out its summer oil for one offering better cold-weather performance. Consult the machine’s manual for advice. Chances are there will be recommendations for the type of oil to use based on the ambient temperature.
Engine Heaters
If your machine lives outdoors and starting in cold weather is problematic even with a winter-grade oil, consider adding a heater to the engine. An engine block heater, an oil pan heater, a heater installed in place of the dipstick, etc. will keep the engine (and the oil) warm and improve cold-weather starting, provided you park close enough to an electrical outlet for the heater to operate.
Diesel Fuel Gelling
At temperatures below 32 degrees, diesel fuel starts to gel. As the temperature drops even lower, the gelled fuel can clog the fuel filter, preventing your engine from running. The critical temperature is known as the cold filter plugging point.
Fuel gelling is less likely to be a concern if your diesel machine parks in a heated garage when not in use; out and about on cold days, the running of the engine will discourage the fuel from gelling. But if you plan on leaving a diesel engine outside when temperatures are below 32 degrees, you’ll want to take steps to prevent fuel gelling.
Mixing diesel No. 1 fuel (which contains kerosene) with diesel No. 2 fuel can lower the temperature at which the mixture starts to gel. The appropriate ratio of diesel No. 1 to diesel No. 2depends on how cold the weather is expected to be; as a general rule of thumb, every 10 percent addition of diesel No. 1 lowers the cold filter plugging point by approximately 5 degrees, maybe a little less.
Fuel additives can similarly discourage gelling and lower the cold filter plugging point. When cold weather is in the forecast, follow the instructions to mix an appropriate amount of additive into your diesel fuel.
If this all sounds complicated, the good news is, your local gas station likely sells premixed winter-ready diesel fuel suitable for your area. So long as you switch to the winter-ready fuel shortly before problematic temperatures strikes, you should be good to go.
Fuel Stabilizers
Not every farm machine needs to be prepped for winter duty, because some will spend the winter slumbering away until spring. But it doesn’t take long for gasoline and diesel fuel to start degrading inside farm machines unused during winter, which can hurt the engines.
What’s the solution? You could drain the fuel tanks, but that takes time and allows water to condensate inside the fuel tank, which can corrode the fuel system. Instead, use a fuel stabilizer to slow down the degrading of fuel. Follow the instructions to mix the right amount of stabilizer into the fuel system, and your farm machines can be safely stored—fuel and all—during the winter off season.
Batteries
Batteries don’t like cold weather. To make sure a battery is ready to fire up an engine in cold weather, take good care of them. If a machine is going to be stored in the cold and used infrequently, considering disconnecting and even removing the battery when not in use. Store the battery in a warmer location for best results.
Aim to keep the battery fully charged as well. Starting a cold engine requires a lot of power, so letting the battery run down (whether from lack of use or too many starts in short order) can be problematic in winter.
J. Keeler Johnson
Properly Inflated Tires
Cold weather can mess with the air pressure inside your tires, causing the psi (pound-force per square inch) to drop lower than ideal. Before winter strikes, make sure the tires on your vehicles are inflated to the proper psi, and don’t forget to check them again when temperatures drop.
Maintaining the proper psi is important. While some folks subscribe to the theory that mildly underinflated tires offer better winter traction (because more of the tread comes in contact with the ground), this can damage tires and wheels, negatively affect steering and reduce driving safety. There are better ways to improve traction, which is an important point, because when conditions get tough, peak performance is all about traction.
Traction
When the ground is snowy and/or icy, maintaining suitable traction between tires and the ground can be difficult, especially for lightweight machines and those without four-wheel drive or aggressive tire treads. Those turf tires that are so kind on your lawn aren’t designed for getting a good grip in slushy snow.
There are several ways to improve tire traction. If you’re preparing a vehicle for clearing snow or navigating particularly challenging winter terrain, you may want to combine two or more of the following add-ons to boost traction and performance.
Snow Tires
Suitable snow tires might not be available for every farm machine you own, but for certain farm machines (such as a farm truck equipped with a snowplow), you may want to switch out your regular tires for snow tires during winter.
Snow tires are designed to improve traction on snow and ice. They feature deep, aggressive treads, and they’re better able to handle cold temperatures. If you opt for snow tires, install them on every wheel; don’t mix and match them with regular tires.
Tire Chains
An effective traction boost can be gained by installing tire chains, which wrap around tires to firmly grip snow and ice. While not infallible, they’re pretty much a must-have accessory if you’re going to use an ATV, UTV or even a tractor to clear snow. If your vehicle has four-wheel drive, you’ll want chains for all four tires. If you’re working with two-wheel drive, chains on the drive wheels should be sufficient. Follow the instructions to install the chains, tightening them as best you can. You may have to drive forward a short distance to check if any more slack develops; if so, tighten the chains again.
Tire chains are awesome in many winter situations, but they shouldn’t be used at speeds over 30 miles per hour. Nor should tire chains be used on dry roads; if there isn’t a cushion of snow and ice, you’ll wear out the chains and possibly damage the road as well.
To purchase the right size chains for your vehicle, you’ll need to know the width of each tire from sidewall to sidewall, the diameter of the tire and the tire height aspect ratio—all of which are likely inscribed on the sides of your tires. Many chains fit more than one size of tire, so you have a bit of wiggle room. In addition, the manufacturer may provide instructions for purchasing the right size.
Ballast
Ballast comes in many forms and has a couple of purposes. For lightweight vehicles, ballast improves traction by increasing the weight pressing down on the tires. For vehicles operating with heavy attachments on the front or rear end (such as a snow blower or snowplow), ballast carried at the opposite end counterbalances the implement weight to prevent vehicle damage and maintain proper traction for steering and drive power.
Common types of ballast include:
suitcase weights:Square or rectangular weights with handles, designed to be quickly and conveniently installed at the front or rear of a vehicle. They come in varying sizes and can be perfect for counterbalancing heavy implements.
ballast box: A ballast box installs on the three-point hitch of a tractor and can be filled with heavy items (dirt, rocks, concrete blocks, etc.)to counterbalance a heavy load on the front end.
tube sandbags: Stacking sandbags in the back of a farm truck puts weight over the drive wheels (assuming it has rear-wheel drive), increasing traction for plowing snow and gripping slippery terrain.
concrete block or cylinder: If you want to take a DIY approach, some people fuse three-point hitch pins inside a large concrete block or cylinder, which can then be picked up by the three-point hitch and used as an effective counterweight.
wheel weights: Installing weights directly on wheel rims or axles places a focus on increasing traction rather than counterbalancing a load (though they can help with that, too). As an added benefit, this approach takes weight off the frame of the tractor.
liquid tire ballast: By filling your tires with a heavy liquid, you can increase traction without straining other tractor components. You’ll need a liquid that can tolerate subfreezing temperatures, so plain water is out.
Calcium chloride has long been an option, but it’s corrosive and known for damaging wheel rims. Windshield washer fluid and antifreeze (the latter when mixed with water) are other possibilities, but both are toxic. Beet juice is more expensive, but it’s nontoxic and resists freezing to negative 35 degrees.
Snow-Clearing Attachments
Of course, improving traction won’t get you very far if your farm is buried under 3 feet of snow. Removing snow from your driveway and major pathways is critical to keep your farm in action when heavy snowstorms strike.
Fortunately, your tractor, farm truck, UTV and even your ATV can assist in clearing snow using one of three common attachments.
Daniel Johnson
Front-End Loader
A front-end loader is an effective means of shifting snow around to clear a driveway or regain walking/driving access to farm buildings. The advantages are compelling: there’s a good chance you already own a front-end loader, and it’s easy to take it off road compared to maneuvering a 7-foot snow blower attachment.
There are some downsides, however. Clearing snow with a front-end loader can be time-consuming and a bit messy. A typical bucket is oriented straight ahead and can’t be angled, which isn’t the best for plowing snow. You may have to frequently raise the bucket, turn and dump snow off the path you’re clearing.
If you don’t receive more than a few inches of snow in any given snowstorm, and if you need to clear only a short driveway and a couple of walking paths, a front-end loader can be a great choice. But for handling larger volumes of snow, a snowplow or snow blower may prove more suitable.
Snowplow
Snowplows come in many styles and sizes. Gaining control over the blade angle makes them fast and effective for clearing long driveways and pathways. They’re good at scraping snow down close to the ground, and they’re less expensive than snow blowers of similar size.
Where snowplows can struggle is in deep snow. If you get 2 feet of wet, heavy snow, your vehicle may struggle to push the plow through the snow, especially if you’re using a lightweight machine such as an ATV or UTV. Tight spaces can also be tricky for snowplows, and care must be taken to ensure that the snow piles you create are positioned where they won’t become problematic as winter drags on (and the piles get bigger).
Snow Blower
A snow blower attachment is highly effective in areas where snowstorms regularly produce a foot or more of snow. They’re not as fast to operate as a snowplow, but they can cleanly and methodically remove large volumes of snow. And because a snow blower discharges snow in a user-controlled direction as it operates, you won’t accumulate the large snow piles that can result from snowplow usage.
The main downside to a snow blower is the cost; they’re more complex than snowplows and pricier as a result. And in some cases, they’re less suitable for scraping snow all the way down to the ground; even if your snow blower features a scraping blade, you’ll have to be careful over some surfaces (such as gravel) to avoid scraping down and picking up debris that could damage the blades or discharge chute.
Snow blowers come in many sizes. A 7-foot snow blower will clear more snow in a single pass than a 4-foot snow blower, but narrower snow blowers are more maneuverable. You should also consider the number of stages; a single-stage snow blower handles a foot or less of light snow, while a two-stage snow blower is well-suited to most jobs and a three-stage snow blower aims to clear as much as 2 feet of heavy snow and ice.
Consider a Cab
Clearing snow on cold winter days can be unpleasant, especially if it’s windy and snow is blowing back in your face. Installing a cab on your vehicle can help protect you from the elements. It doesn’t have to be a full-fledged hard cab with a heater, though you’ll certainly enjoy that setup.
Soft cabs provide helpful protection from snow and wind and can be a relatively inexpensive choice for small, lightweight vehicles. See if there are cab options available from your machine’s manufacturer; if not, there may be suitable third-party cabs available.
Once your machines are decked out for winter, you may feel invincible, like there’s no task you can’t handle. But that feeling quickly goes away when your tractor-mounted snow blower is buried in a snowdrift and your tractor is helplessly spinning its wheels (chains and all) in slushy, muddy snow.
Common sense goes a long way when dealing with winter conditions. Start slow, and don’t push your machines beyond their means. Stay on top of snow clearing, and don’t let too much accumulate before you dig in. Keep up with regular maintenance and remember, the coming of spring is inevitable, and before you know it you’ll be performing all these steps in reverse to celebrate the end of winter.
This article originally appeared in the Nov./Dec. 2023 issue of Hobby Farms magazine.
