Sunflowers are still vibrant and healthy through August and September, into the early days of autumn. As they start to fade, prepare for ways to use the spent flower heads.
Sunflowers are not just beautiful, but they are beneficial, too. Once the beauty of your sunflowers fades, they can be used as future seeds, food and autumn decorations. Here’s how to harvest sunflower seeds, followed by five ways to prepare sunflowers once they have started to die back.
Harvesting the Seeds
If you plan to use the seeds for replanting or preparing for food, you will need to harvest and remove the seeds by cutting them back from the stalk once they have started to dry out. You’ll know it is time when the back of the flowerhead is turning yellow, most petals have dried up and fallen, and the seeds appear loose. If you want to speed the process up, you can cut bunches and hang them to dry.
De-seeding the sunflower is very simple if the flower is dried enough. Most seeds will be loose and ready to easily come away from the stalk. Firmly rub the seed head over a bucket to catch the falling seeds. Small blooms and other debris will also collect in the bucket.
Once you have completed this process with all your sunflowers, collect a colander or strainer to begin separating the debris.
graja/Adobe Stock
Depending on the amount of debris, you will decide if shaking the seeds in the strainer is effective or if you will need to run water over them. If you choose to run water, you will need to make sure they spend adequate time in the drying process so no moisture creates mold and the integrity of the seed is not compromised.
After separation, line a cardboard box or crate with newspaper or paper towels, and spread the seeds evenly in a single layer. They will need to dry a few hours or even overnight depending on how much moisture they have.
Use Your Sunflower Seeds
Now that the seeds have been harvested, cleaned and dried, you can use them for the following purposes.
Replanting
Place the seeds you plan to replant next year in an airtight container. Label the container and store them in a cool, dark place.
Roasting
Many people love to flavor and roast sunflower seeds. The large mammoth varieties are best for eating. Once the seeds are cleaned and dried you will want to:
Boil the seeds in salted water to add flavoring. If you do not like salt, you can move straight to the final step. The ratio should be 1 cup seeds to 1 qt. water to 2 tbsp. salt.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Drain the water from the seeds.
Place the drained seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Cook in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes.
Raw Snacks
Sunflowers aren’t at risk for rapid spoilage. If they are kept in a cool, dark place, they can last two to three months without needing refrigeration. Once they are cleaned of debris, they are ready for raw snacking.
Suet Cakes
Bird suets are valuable food for birds and chickens in the winter months. It is a mixture of fatty foods and proteins, and sustains birds and chickens when a lot of food they forage in warmer months has died. It’s also best for winter months because the cooler temps allow the ingredients to stay solidified and not melt.
Jill/Adobe Stock
Here’s how to make suet cakes:
Gather ingredients: 16 oz. lard, 16 oz. crunchy peanut butter, 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 2 cups sunflower seeds
Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and incorporate well.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer the dough
Create a flat, rectangle shape.
Place the baking sheet in a freezer for four hours.
Once the suet cake is frozen thoroughly, cut the rectangle into appropriate sizes for whatever feeder you will use.
You can freeze the remaining suet cakes for up to six months.
Decorating
Preserving sunflowers createsbeautiful autumn decor both for your home and as gifts for others. You can create mementos for special events or just display your garden longer for special and unique pieces of art. Preserved sunflowers look beautiful with fall decorations, including wreaths or vase arrangements.
To preserve sunflowers, you will need to harvest earlier than you would for collecting seeds. To dry sunflowers for display, select flowers with heads that are mostly open. The back of the flowerhead will still be a vibrant green, and also look for flowers with petals mostly intact.
To speed up the drying process, you will want to remove the pollen heads and petals from the sunflower. Next, bundle a few flowers with rubber bands and hang upside down somewhere in the shade outside and allow them to dry completely. This should take two to four weeks to remove all moisture.
You can use a clear hairspray before using sunflowers as decor inside. Display dried sunflowers in vases, on wreaths, in shadow boxes or tied to your autumn gifts.
Potted trees can be purchased in many sizes. Tiny trees might come in a pot as small as 1 gallon in size. I commonly plant fruit trees from 7- and 10-gallon pots. Much larger sizes are also available, and the larger the tree, the closer you are to having a magnificent specimen in your yard or orchard.
But here’s the problem: While large pots support older and larger trees, they’re also heavy and can be difficult to move around. As pots increase in size, the volume of soil they hold follows suit, and soil can be very, very heavy. Planting trees from large pots can be difficult … but it need not be an insurmountable challenge. In fact, it can be surprisingly simple. And you don’t necessarily need much machinery to help.
Dealing with Large Fruit Trees
This spring, I was shopping at my favorite nursery when a couple of impressive apple trees caught my attention. They were every bit of 12 feet tall, and one was loaded with just-forming apples. They were gorgeous specimens at very reasonable prices given their size, and I decided they had to come home with me.
The problem was, the trees were growing in 25-gallon pots. The soil in a 25-gallon pot probably weighs close to 300 pounds, and when combined with the weight of a tree (with lush leaves and apples) … I knew moving and planting those potted trees wouldn’t be easy.
Shipping the trees home was the easy part. I paid for delivery, and the nursery kindly brought the trees to my front yard, where a strong deliveryman used a dolly to roll the heavy trees down a ramp and drop them off. The tricky part would be getting the trees from the yard to my orchard, about 800 feet away.
I thought about using the hydraulics on a tractor—either by crafting a means for a three-point hitch to lift the pots; by lifting the pots in the bucket of a front-end loader; or by wrestling the trees on to a pallet that could be lifted by a fork lift attachment. I also thought about enlisting the help of several strong people to simply lift the pots into a tractor-pulled trailer.
But in the end, none of these approaches were necessary. Instead, I kept things simple with a garden tractor, a small utility trailer, a few blocks of wood, and a long wooden plank.
Wooden Ramp to the Rescue
It couldn’t have gone better. I used the garden tractor to back up the utility trailer to within about 12 feet of the first 25-gallon pot. Then I took a sturdy 12-foot wooden plank and laid it down so one end was in the utility trailer and the other end was right up at the base of the heavy pot, turning the plank into a ramp for the trees. Underneath the plank, I stacked a few blocks of wood to provide support.
Then I called in a couple of people to help me slide the pot up the plank. With very little effort, all 300 pounds of soil and however many pounds of tree glided up into the trailer. After driving the trailer to my orchard, I parked 12 feet from the pre-dug planting hole, set the plank and blocks of wood back up, slid the tree easily down the plank, and gently rolled it into the hole.
There you have it. With minimal equipment and a couple of helpers, I managed to move a potted tree weighing hundreds of pounds without ever lifting the pot. It was fast, it was easy, and it was gentle on the tree.
So what are you waiting for? Even if you don’t have fancy equipment like a tractor with a front-end loader, you can still plant large, beautiful trees. And, as I did, you can even get a head start on enjoying homegrown apples!
For the independent homesteader, Katahdins have everything! The breed was developed in Maine during the 1950s by sheep farmer and amateur geneticist Michael Piel, who named his new breed after the tallest mountain in his state: Mount Katahdin. The hardy Katahdin combines excellent meat production and a rapid growth rate with vigorous reproduction, a self-shedding hair coat and the overall hardiness expected of an American production. Katahdins are also a naturally parasite-resistant sheep breed and produce abundant meat and milk on pasture.
In the 10 years since I began raising Katahdins, I have fallen in love with these fluffy, stubborn, sweet-tempered sheep. Their hardiness and pasture-wisdom are just the qualities to recommend them to beginners as well as experienced shepherds. Smart, tough sheep that thrive on whatever happens to be growing—what’s not to like?
An Extraordinary Ovine
Katahdins have some great things to offer. They thrive on forage alone and make outstanding use of even very rough pasture and unimproved grazing land. They’re the best tool we know for reclaiming overgrown hillsides and waste fields or cleaning the understory of a forest.
They also love weeds. Goldenrod, Queen Anne’s lace and blackberry briars are all favorite forages of the Katahdin—the more fibrous, the better. Even shrubs and bushes are food for this tough breed. So if you have pastures you want to improve naturally, bring on Katahdins.
This preference for wild foods is a great quality. In spring and fall, I graze my Katahdins in the woods, where the sheep find and eat a wide variety of plants, nuts and fruits. I find the more places I let my sheep forage, the better. Maybe it just follows that Katahdins are also ideal for reducing invasive plant species.
Japanese knotweed, for example, an aggressive invasive in the northeastern United States, is a favorite meal for my flock.
When it’s young and tender, they eat it right down to the ground, letting in sunlight to encourage new and more desirable ground covers. If they graze it later in the year, when it can be as much as 8 feet in height, my determined Katahdins will still strip all the leaves, stunting or killing the unwanted plants. This breed helps with farm work!
Masha Dougherty
Natural Management
As hair sheep, Katahdins certainly fit shepherds who practice holistic grazing. Their short hair means they ground an electrical charge more easily than their thick-fleeced cousins do. This is a great advantage for sheep farmers. Why? Most folks who manage sheep with electric fencing—a necessity for holistic rotational grazing—must use bulky netting panels to contain their animals.
I prefer to avoid electric netting for sheep. First, lambs can get entangled, and an animal subjected to repeated shock can die. Secondly, electric netting is a pain to move. It tangles easily. A roll of fence is bulky, heavy and awkward to carry and set up. And panels make the logistics of paddock moves difficult and complicated.
I’m glad my sheep can be kept in with polytwine: two strands for adult animals, three when the flock includes lambs. There isn’t a need to buy a high-powered charger, either. I often use a small solar energizer of only 0.75 joules. The advantages of simple equipment go beyond making the chores easier. With the flexibility of light-weight reels and twine and a solar charger, I can take my sheep to more places on the farm, utilizing out-of-the-way forages and grooming hard-to-reach areas.
The increased efficiency saves me time and money.
Holistic grazing saves money in more ways than one, especially for breeds such as the Katahdin. Because they’re naturally parasite-
resistant and easy to control, it’s easy to keep these sheep healthy. Frequent moves mean they leave grazed areas before these become infested with worms, something that can be difficult to accomplish with breeds not as well adapted to temporary fence systems.
No plan for holistic grazing is complete without water and minerals. Fortunately, Katahdins are easy sheep to provide for.
On pasture, sheep typically drink very little water. A 5-gallon bucket refilled daily may be sufficient for 10 or more sheep. I also keep a copper-free salt block constantly available. (It’s important to avoid mineral blocks that include copper, which can cause toxic buildup in a sheep’s liver.)
Katahdins’ mixed forage diet provides the bulk of their mineral needs. Some dried kelp offered as an occasional treat takes care of the rest.
Katahdins are hardy animals, and except at times when the weather is extreme or the lambs are very small, the sheep don’t require shelter. Their hair coats are waterproof and provide good insulation.
Here in northern Appalachia where I live, temperatures may drop below zero on many winter nights. But the cold isn’t a problem for my adult animals.
During the hottest summer months, I do make sure they have access to shade. Other than that, the infrastructure necessary for Katahdin sheep is minimal.
Breeding & Culling
As with any livestock, it makes a big difference to start with strong breeding stock. I learned this the hard way! My first Katahdins were cull animals from a neighboring farm. That was a big mistake. Although they were strong and healthy, they had mothering problems.
It took three years of uncompromising culling to establish the sound, reliable genetic pool I enjoy now. Don’t be afraid to enact draconian selection practices. The most reliable and effective way to avoid problems is to eliminate problem individuals.
Katahdins are friendly and tractable, making for ease of management and milking. This breed rewards the regular handling inherent in intensive grass management. Even rams are typically gentle, but don’t let them get too familiar. Any animal may behave aggressively if it sees you as its equal. Never hesitate to replace an aggressive animal. You want to avoid injury and aggressive characteristics reproduced in your flock.
Katahdin lambs mature young, resulting in early availability for breeding. Ewes can be bred at 6 months. They conceive readily, and the rams are typically fertile throughout the year. It follows that you could have as many as three lambings in two years, while the Katahdin’s tough grazing genetics make it a good mother.
Lambing problems ceased to be an issue as selection improved my flock genetics. Just a hint, though: Be sure to remove male lambs from the breeding flock by 4 months of age to avoid undesirable conceptions.
Although I like ewes to lamb in the barn between December and February (a period of unpredictable weather for my region), the rest of the year my flock lambs in the field. Katahdins seldom need assistance.
britaseifert/Adobe Stock
Natural Health
Katahdins are one the most labor-free flocks you could have. They are less prone to common diseases, and when they are grazed on diverse pasture, they instinctively self-medicate with native plants. This, with Katahdins’ natural parasite-resistance, eliminates the need for toxic dewormers. On the rare occasions when I have seen signs of parasite infestation (a manurey tail or distended belly), the issues have rectified themselves without intervention.
Although much of their resistance is attributable to breed, management is a factor, too. When animals are moved to fresh native pasture on a frequent basis, as in intensive rotational grazing systems, few problems arise.
I owe my experience with sheep diseases almost exclusively to my conventional neighbors, whose constantly grazed pastures build up soil-borne pathogens. Holistic grazing repays the work involved. I’m reminded of the saying: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Paying Their Way
Katahdins’ growth rate and carcass quality make them a hot commodity on the meat and breeding markets. First, losses are drastically reduced by their parasite-resistance. This breed’s fertility results in flock increases of an average of almost 200 percent per year. The fact that they’re hair sheep eliminates the need to pay for shearing, and their ability to survive on forage alone does away with the No. 1 cost in most sheep operations: grain.
For the homesteader, Katahdins’ size makes these sheep great candidates for home processing. Two people can butcher a medium-sized ram in less than two hours. And for folks that live off-grid, the smaller carcass, consumable in a short time, eliminates the need for refrigeration. Plus, Katahdin meat has a rich tenderness and very mild lamb flavor, making it popular even among lamb critics.
Milk is another reason to raise Katahdins. Ewes can produce up to 2 quarts of rich, nutrient-dense milk per day, perfect for making rich, fragrant cheeses. Milk from forage has the highest levels of phytochemicals, making it especially healthful. And the tractable nature of this breed means they’re naturals for dairying. Of course, if they are used for milk, it needs to be taken into account that the lambs will need to be raised on artificial means.
Financially, you can start a Katahdin flock very economically. Aside from the cost of the initial fence and breeding stock, raising Katahdins won’t break the bank. In fact, they’re going to save you money, because they reduce lawn care time and costs. Grazed year round, Katahdins utilize forage almost as well as cows, with the added benefit that they can graze the same paddocks multiple times in winter, since their impact is light.
I’m grateful for that flock of cull Katahdins of 10 years ago. They taught me so much. Today, Katahdins fill such an important role on our farm that I can’t imagine the place without them. From low maintenance to lamb chops, pasture improvement to parasite resistance, this American breed stands out. They are truly a homestead winner.
More Information
Lamb Formula Recipe
I rarely see bottle lambs today, but when I do, I mix my own lamb formula: two cups of cow’s milk, an egg and a sprinkle of sugar. That’s it!
The sugar adds energy and palatability, while the egg provides extra protein and aids digestion. Before I got my flock’s genetics worked out, I had a couple bottle lambs per year, and this formula always pulled them through.
This article originally appeared in the July/August 2023 issue of Hobby Farms magazine.
Masha Dougherty lives on a small farm in Toronto, Ohio. She enjoys reading philosophy and baking bread, as well as all aspects of farming, especially caring for her flock of Katahdin sheep.
If you’re a seasoned sheep owner (or even if you are new), you’re probably no stranger to the issue of worms.Worm infestations are a common concern among sheep farmers, often leading to health problems for the flock. One particularly troublesome parasite is the barber pole worm, notorious for its ability to attach to the stomach wall, causing bleeding and feeding off the blood. Consequently, long-term and severe infestations with this worm can result in anemia in your sheep. Sometimes you’ll see with barber’s pole worm infection a state that is called “bottle jaw,” which is a fluid swelling beneath the jaw.
This is where the FAMACHA score comes into play as a valuable tool in managing worms in your sheep and your overall flock health. Developed in South Africa and introduced to the United States by the American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control (ACSRP), the FAMACHA score involves assessing the mucosal tissue, primarily the lower eyelid, to gauge the level of anemia in your sheep. The scoring system ranges from 1 to 5, with 1 representing the healthiest, pinkest eyelids and 5 indicating severe paleness, signaling anemia.
So, why is understanding and utilizing the FAMACHA score crucial in managing infestations of worms in your sheep? Let’s delve into the details.
The Logic Behind FAMACHA Score-Based Treatment
The ACSRP recommends treating only those sheep falling within the 3 to 5 range on the FAMACHA scale. Surprisingly, this means that you shouldn’t treat the sheep with pink lower eyelids. But why? The answer lies in the potential for drug resistance to worming medications.
Some worms can develop resistance to certain types of wormers. If you administer wormer medication to all your sheep indiscriminately, you may kill the worms that aren’t resistant while leaving the drug-resistant ones unaffected. Consequently, these drug-resistant worms can continue to reproduce, potentially leading to the creation of “super worms,” a situation you definitely want to avoid.
However, by selectively treating only the sheep that genuinely require deworming, you allow the coexistence of both resistant and non-resistant worms in your flock. Over time, these worms interbreed, diluting the gene pool with worms that are more susceptible to the worm medicine. The ACSRP refers to this concept as “parasite refugia,” and it substantially increases your chances of effectively managing worm infestations in the future.
Reducing Medication Usage
One of the most significant advantages of monitoring your flock’s FAMACHA score is the potential to reduce your reliance on wormer medications.
Surprisingly, it’s estimated that approximately 70 to 80 percent of infections occur in just 20 to 30 percent of the animals. This information can inform your future breeding decisions, allowing you to selectively breed animals with greater resistance to worm infestations.
Special Considerations for Lambs and Nursing Ewes
It’s essential to note that recently weaned lambs and nursing ewes are particularly susceptible to worm infestations. Given their vulnerability, it’s advisable to err on the side of caution when in doubt. If you have any reservations about a lamb’s health, it’s best to go ahead and deworm it to prevent potential complications.
FAMACHA Certification & Resources
If you are really interested in using the FAMACHA score, the University of Rhode Island offers anonline FAMACHA certification class. While the course is free, it does require some effort on your part, such as creating a video demonstrating the proper techniques for testing one or more animals. This certification can be a valuable asset in managing your flock’s health effectively.
Additionally, the ACSRP’s website is a fantastic resource for sheep owners, covering a wide range of topics related to parasite control and flock health. It’s a valuable resource to bookmark and return to whenever you have questions or concerns about your sheep’s well-being.
The FAMACHA score is a powerful tool in your arsenal for managing your flock’s health and combating worms in your sheep. My plan is to work on this course over the fall and become certified by November or December.
By using this scoring system wisely, you can reduce the need for medication, prevent the proliferation of drug-resistant worms, and make informed breeding decisions for a healthier and more resilient flock.
Being rural, especially when your farm is remote, can make access to just about anything challenging. Recipe calls for exotic ingredients? Search the Internet for a more accessible substitution. Need an appliance part ASAP? Order online and wait for it to ship. Need a certain color dresser for your bedroom refresh? You could order online, or you could refinish something that you already own or picked up secondhand.
Some furniture pieces are easy to identify for a paint refresh, but others—such as antiques and vintage pieces—can be a little daunting and might even come with a degree of heat from your peers.
Honestly, any furniture you choose to paint is just that: your choice. No one else’s opinion really matters, but I know that mind doesn’t always manage to trump matter, especially when that matter involves family and friends. So, to secure your peace of mind and help quiet the naysayers, you should consider a few factors before wielding a paint brush: age, condition, value and material.
Age
Start by determining the age of the furniture piece you have in mind. According to Deidre Mundorf at Bob Vila, items that are 100 years or older fall into the antique category, items that are more than 300 years old are antiquities or artifacts, and vintage items fall between the ages of 20 to 99 years. The sneakiest label is that of “retro,” which includes newer items made to mimic older ones.
Finding the age can be as simple as looking on the back, underside or in the drawers for the stamped date or a label. You can also search brands and patent numbers online.
Condition
Next, evaluate the condition of the piece. Is there damage and to what degree? Faded, cracked and even chipped paint is minor. The more damage, the less desirable a piece will be.
For instance, my dog chewed so far into the leg of my antique dresser that I worried the stability might be compromised. It also had suffered water damage prior to purchase and has countless dings and scratches. All in all, it had a lot of damage.
Value
The age and condition of your furniture will have a huge impact on its market value. Unless you know a professional in the antiques or vintage market, your best options for determining the current value are to search comparable pieces online or to get an appraisal.
For my Drexel dresser, I found a company who offers 24- and 48-hour turnarounds on appraisals. I uploaded several pictures of the dresser, including labels, serial numbers, an overall shot and close-ups of the damage. Two days later, I got my response: $50 to $60.
Material
For the sake of space in this article (and mental capacity in my brain), I’m focusing on painting wood furniture. Know now, there are purists out there who believe no wood should ever be painted. I’m not one of them, but I do believe in taking a measured approach.
I prefer not to paint items that are solid wood unless the condition and/or cost to get it back to stain grade is prohibitive.
Exotic or expensive hardwoods are considered stain-grade for a reason, but condition may overrule this guideline. An inexpensive, soft wood such as pine that is a recent production (channel your inner IKEA hacks here) is an excellent candidate for paint in my humble opinion. Plus, wood can absorb smells, which can be difficult to eliminate without resorting to a paint or sealant to lock in odors.
Painting Your Old Furniture
Well, you’ve made it this far, so painting your furniture isn’t out of the question. Don’t run off to the paint store just yet. Consider what type of paint will work best for your project:
Oil-Based
Wood is a porous surface and can easily absorb oils, which can damage its fibers. Avoid using oil-based paints on wood. These are better served for metal refinishing. However, if you’re painting over another paint and aren’t sure if it’s oil- or water-based, you might consider using oil-based for your project.
Water-based paints won’t adhere well to oil-based, whereas, oil-based will adhere to both types. Be sure to paint in an open-air space for maximum ventilation. These paints have high volatile organic compounds that aren’t good to breathe.
Water-Based
Water-based paints are often easier to come by, have lower VOCs (and therefore odors), and are easier to work with and clean up. The finish isn’t quite as durable as an oil-based, but the ease of use and access often win out.
There are plenty of water-based paints with an even greater variety of finishes. Here are four of the most common types used for furniture:
latex paint
chalky paint
milk paint
acrylic paint
Let’s Get To Work
Here’s how to paint wood furniture.
Prep
Take drawers out and doors off, then remove hardware. The last thing you want to do is inadvertently paint the drawers and/or doors shut. Wipe away any sticky or gummy residues with a degreaser. The residue could affect the adhesion of fillers and trying to sand them would only make a bigger mess.
Use wood filler to patch deep gouges and other major damage, applying the filler in layers, sanding in between, and following the product instructions for dry time.
Once you achieve smooth coverage, lightly sand the whole piece. Be careful not to go too deep with the sanding. We just want to rough up the surface.
“Start with 80- to 100-grit sandpaper, switch to 150-grit or higher sandpaper to remove any remaining finish, and then smooth out the surface,” says Rachel Brougham at Bob Vila.
Paint
Wipe the surface with tack cloth or a damp rag—don’t use paper towels or rags that shed to avoid further debris. Apply a thin layer of primer or paint/primer all in one. Let dry fully.
Check paint label for dry times, and add extra for high humidity environments.
Sand (optional)
This step will help give you the smoothest final finish. Lightly sand the paint, wipe the surface to remove dust and apply another thin coat of paint and let dry fully. Repeat this step until desired coverage is achieved.
I did three coats on the frame and drawers and four coats on the top.
Seal (optional)
If this piece will endure heavy use or be outside, consider adding a protective finish.
“If you are painting a piece of furniture that will not be heavily used, you may be able to skip the sealer,” says Carrie Spalding at Lovely Etc., a popular DIY website. “If you do, be sure to be extra gentle with your furniture for the first month of use. Even though the paint may feel dry to the touch, it can take up to 30 days for it to fully harden.
Be sure to select the finish based on your needs and the paint you used. (Note: Some topcoats can yellow the finish. Be sure to select a nonyellowing sealant.) Let the topcoat cure for the recommended time before moving.
Finish
Put on hardware and reassemble. Place your furniture, decorate and enjoy!
Painting a piece of furniture, regardless of its age, all comes down to personal preference. If you aren’t looking to grow a piece’s historic value or if you think refinishing/painting it could potentially increase its value (even if it’s just in your eyes), then I say go for it. You’re ultimately the client in this situation, and your happiness is what matters most.
More Information
Resources
There are plenty of opinions out there when it comes to painting furniture pieces. Here are a few that helped me.
This article appeared in Hobby Farm Home, a 2024 specialty publication produced by the editors and writers of Hobby Farms magazine. In addition to this piece, Hobby Farm Home includes recipes, crafting projects, preservation tips and more. You can purchase this volume, Hobby Farms back issues as well as special editions such as Healing Herbs and Goats 101 by following this link.
The editors of Hobby Farms magazine are always on the hunt for great photos of livestock looking good while they say cheese.
In a recent print issue, we ran the best photos submitted by readers. Each one includes the name and city of residence of the person who submitted it.
Upload the very best digital images of your small- farm livestock toHobbyFarms.com/say_cheeseor email them directly tohobbyfarms@hobbyfarms.com, with “Say Cheese!” in the subject line. Include your name and address in the body of the email.
We hope to see your photos in an upcoming issue and on our Instagram account!
Barbara Ilijic| Canton, North Carolina
Lydia Sims | St. Cloud, Florida
Nicole Maki | Ashland, Wisconsin
Suzy Sarna | Durham, Maine
Shad Arnold | Valley Mills, Texas
Jillian Shuttleworth | Roberta Georgia
Brandie Denard/Suni-Bear Farms | Pinson, Alabama
Nate Stoltzfus | Spring Glen, Pennsylvania
Brianna Kannon | Hitchcock, Oklahoma
Devon Ballard-Hudson | Shepherdsville, Kentucky
This “Say Cheese” gallery originally appeared in the July/August 2023 issue of Hobby Farms magazine.
Before I started writing for Hobby Farms and Chickens, before I focused my journalism on agricultural topics, I was known as the Chelsea Chicken Lady—one of the two individuals responsible for getting the city of Chelsea, Michigan, to legalize backyard flocks. But even before that, I was a longtime chicken owner, helping friends, family, neighbors and perfect strangers choose chicken breeds and navigate poultry issues. I was called on for help during Chick Days by local feed and farm-supply stores and folks knew I exhibited my birds at poultry shows around the Midwest. And long before that, I was a kid who helped take care of her grandmother’s rooster and hens.
It’s safe to say that chickens have been part of my life for most of my existence. It’s also safe to say that, over the years, I’ve gotten to know numerous different breeds of chickens. My close association with poultry has given me insight into these chicken breeds, insight that many microflock owners have counted on to help guide their breed choices with questions like, “I’m thinking about [insert breed of interest here], and I read that they are docile/flighty/aggressive/poor layers/great mothers/etc. What’s the honest truth?”
The honest truth is that I can only go by my decades of experience. I do know that what I’ve encountered with a few chicken breeds completely contradicts the general information found online. So … get out your salt shaker, because those grains of salt may come in handy as you read my honest truth about the 18 chicken breeds we’ve raised over the years. Here are the first five.
Ameraucana
We added White, Blue and Black Ameraucanas (pictured above) to our farm because of their beautiful baby-blue eggs, the same kind laid by their rarer Araucana cousins. We had read that, like Araucanas, Ameraucanas had reproductive issues due to genetics. To our delight and relief, this was never evidenced in our flock.
The Ameraucana girls laid an average of three to four eggs each per week, and every Ameraucana egg we incubated hatched. And we didn’t have to incubate many. The Ameraucana girls surprised us again by being almost as broody as our Orps … not necessarily a good thing when we had customers waiting for blue-egg dozens.
Our Ameraucana hens were fabulous mothers, guiding their chicks well into adulthood. Pullets actually stayed with their mothers as adults, creating little multigenerational girl groups in our flock. We made another unexpected discovery about Ameraucanas, too. They turned out to be our longest-producing layers, with our girls regularly laying at least one egg per week well into their sixth year—and some beyond.
These Ameraucanas also turned out to be our longest-lived chickens. Our Black Ameraucana, Dolly, turned 11 this past June. Our Ameraucana boys were also nothing to sneeze at. After our Orpingtons, our Ameraucana roosters were our best guardians, always watching for predators or anything unusual in their runs or in our yard. Our Blue Ameraucana rooster, Jefferson, was one of my all-time favorite roosters. He wasn’t as cuddly as my Orpington boys—our Ameraucanas basically tolerate our presence—but he protected his flock, fathered many chicks, and never failed to make his hens his priority.
Old English Game Bantam
pimmimemom/Adobe Stock
We never intended to raise Old English Game Bantams, or any kind of bantam for that matter. Bantams would not produce eggs of a marketable size, and integrating them with a large-fowl flock would be almost impossible. We had already made accommodations—figuratively and literally—for our Silkies. We were set … until I made a run to our farm-supply store and heard the cheeping from the Chick Days stock tanks.
I instantly fell in love with the teeny baby chicks with the chipmunk stripe down their backs. I could fit three of them on the palm of my hand! They were so dainty. I couldn’t resist.
I had absolutely no idea what breed these babies were. They were listed as “Assorted Bantams.” Dedicated research determined that these chicks were Old English Game Bantams. I was horrified to read that this bird was originally bred to game fight, was aggressive, highly active, and would not interact well with other chicken breeds.
Uh oh
I soon discovered that these write-ups were completely wrong. Not only were our Old English Game Bantams friendly with us, they endeared themselves to the other chicks in our brooder. Everybody wanted to be their friends, and the nightly chick-carpet snoozefest had the Old English Game Bantams smack in the center. When it was time to move our juveniles to their coops, the Old English Game Bantams went along, happily settling in with our Easter Eggers.
The star of the trio was Belle, named so because she was a pretty little princess. While all three of our Old English Game Bantams eagerly rushed over to greet us, Belle would wait for me to put out my palm. She’d then hop onto my hand and, from there, to my shoulder.
Belle was my pseudo parrot. She adored perching up there while I completed my outdoor chores. She was the epitome of affectionate.
In fact, Belle was the little chicken that attended all the organizational meetings that led to the city of Chelsea approving backyard-flock ownership. The council members were enchanted by the charming little Belle, who happily let anyone who so desired hold her. Never did we witness any aggression towards us or any humans or any combative tendencies towards the other birds.
The Old English Game Bantams were indeed highly active. They behaved like kids in a candy shop, running all over the yard, investigating everything. We chose to discontinue breeding the Old English Game Bantams to focus on the standard breeds, but I would definitely recommend this chicken to anyone seeking a cute poultry pet.
Orpington
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One of my top three chicken breeds, my husband, Jae, and I started raising Orpingtons because they were on the Livestock Conservancy’s Priority List of endangered poultry species. In addition, Orpingtons were supposed to be docile and affectionate.
Over the years, we have raised Buff, White, Black, Blue, Lavender and Jubilee Orpingtons. With only one exception—Angel, the first Buff Orpington cockerel we hatched—every single one of our Orpingtons has been gentle, friendly and sweet in disposition. All of our roosters (except Angel) have been carefully attentive of their hens, calling them for treats, alerting them to possible predators, and firmly shepherding them as they roam our acreage.
They were also excellent fathers. In fact, two of our boys—Arnold and Claude—set eggs briefly so the broody of the moment could stretch her legs. Our Orpington hens were excellent layers, producing an average of four to five large brown eggs weekly.
I estimate about half of the girls would go broody at the drop of a hat. One of our Black Orpington hens, Fitz, was so enamored with motherhood that she hid 18 of her eggs under a shrub, then led us on a frantic search one night when she wasn’t present for lock-up. We transferred Madame Broody and her enormous clutch to a brooder, and of course all 18 successfully hatched.
Orpingtons are excellent foragers; swift demolishers of stray toads, mice and snakes; and incredibly intelligent. Observation taught them where their humans emerged with those tasty kitchen scraps, and for years we’d find a mob of Orps waiting for us outside our kitchen sliding-glass door. The bolder ones would rap on the door with their beaks to call us.
Orpingtons were one of the chicken breeds that launched our poultry farm and, years later, they are still our main breed.
Silkie
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It’s hard not to love a Silkie. This living fluffball is so gentle and endearing that you’ll want to own them all.
That’s pretty much what happened to us. We started with a quartet of Buff Silkies. The next thing we knew, we had Blue Silkies, Black Silkies, White Silkies and Splash Silkies. We kept bearded and beardless, and all of them were adorable, though we soon phased out our beardless bunc. (They just weren’t “poofy” enough for us.)
Everything I’d read about this lovable breed’s disposition was true. Silkies are amazingly tolerant. My sons carried them in fair parades, tucked them under an arm to search for Easter eggs with them, sat on the couch—inside!—and read with them on their laps. Silkies are the perfect pet chicken.
They’re also amazing setters and mothers. If Orpingtons go broody at the drop of a hat, Silkies go broody at the blink of an eye, even on golf balls and rocks. Our Silkie hens weren’t great layers—each averaged about two to three eggs per week—but they happily hatched and raised other poultry’s young and continued to mother them even when the chicks were fully adult.
There are some drawbacks to these beautiful bantams, however. They are terrible foragers, even in their own enclosed run, possibly because their vision can be obscured by head fluff. Silkies are also short on brains. I’ve lost count how many times we’ve had to show our Silkies the entrance to their coop, the location of their nestboxes, how to perch, how to drink from their waterer, etc. The term “birdbrain” was probably coined after an encounter with a Silkie.
They also do poorly in cold weather due to their feather structure. Still, Silkies are ideal for exhibition, their striking looks winning them many prizes. They’re also perfect microflock poultry, especially for small urban and suburban yards. Of all the chicken breeds we’ve raised over the years, Silkies—chicks and hatching eggs—have always been our best sellers. Silkies join Orpingtons as one of our original breeds and one of our top three favorites.
Wyandotte
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Like the Orpington, the Wyandotte was one of the first chicken breeds we raised on our poultry farm, and for the same reasons: They were on the Livestock Conservancy’s Priority List and were described as friendly, docile and great for families with children.
We began with six Silver-Laced Wyandotte chicks, which we raised the exact same way as our half-dozen Orpington babies. The birds received lots of cuddles, TLC and hand-fed mealworm treats to train them to recognize and trust us. While this method—which we still use—worked wonderfully with the Orpingtons, the Wyandottes grew less and less affectionate as they grew up.
Stunning birds, the Wyandottes were a very cohesive flock. The hens always stayed within a few feet of their rooster. The hens produced an average of four large brown eggs per week, but showed absolutely no tendency towards broodiness. In all honesty, they were an excellent backyard breed: reliable layers, excellent foragers and beautiful to behold.
But I just couldn’t get past their aloof attitude, especially when they were described as friendly.
I bought four baby pullets—also Silver Laced—from a different breeder just in case our Wyandottes’ disposition stemmed from inbreeding. Unfortunately, these new girls showed the exact same attitude towards us … and towards our older Wyandottes. Our existing flock completely ignored the younger quartet, even though the pullets joined the original flock outdoors once they were old enough to leave the brooder. There were no pecking-order squabbles or hen fights between the two groups. They simply acted as if the other birds were invisible.
I was mystified and perturbed and, ultimately, decided that Wyandottes weren’t for us. Despite their beauty, their excellent laying and foraging, and their tight-knit devotion to their group, that detached, cold composure simply didn’t click with me. Wyandottes were the first breed we discontinued.
Stayed tuned for future installments of this honest look at popular chicken breeds!
It seems like every few days I’m harvesting handfuls of beans from my garden. We love to eat them fresh off the vine, but one can only eat so many beans. A great way to preserve beans, besides freezing them, is make some fermented green beans.
As with most recipes I write, the process is super simple. Feel free to add additional herbs, such as dill, as you desire to transform the flavor.
Enjoy these fermented green beans as a quick, healthy snack or chop them up and add them to a salad. They make a delicious cucumber pickle substitute and garnish a Bloody Mary perfectly.
Yield: 1 quart jar
Ingredients
Main
1/2 pound green beans (tender ones)
1 clove garlic, crushed
Optional for spice: 1 jalapeno (or hotter pepper of choice), sliced into quarters
Brine
1 tbsp. coarse kosher salt, dissolved in 2 cups water
Instructions
Wash beans and trim off both ends to fit your canning jar (about 5 1/2 inches long).
Place the garlic at the bottom of the jar and pack in the beans vertically. Try to fit the beans as snug as possible, without bruising or damaging them. During fermentation they will shrink and begin to float. If adding hot peppers, pack them within the beans.
Once the jar is packed, pour in the brine until the beans are completely submerged and covered by at least 1/2 inch of brine, but be sure to leave 1 to 2 inches of headspace in the jar (space from the top of the beans to the rim of the jar). Leaving some space will help keep the ferment from bubbling over during fermentation.
If you have a small fermentation jar weight, add it to the jar to hold down the produce under the brine. Remove any small pieces of food that float up to the top of the brine, as anything above the brine will increase the risk of mold and, ultimately, spoilage.
Wipe off the rim of the jar with a clean, dampened towel. Add the canning jar lid and tightly screw on the ring.
Fermentation
These fermented green beans are a 10 to 14 day ferment. Ferment at room temperature, ideally between 60 to 75 degrees F, and keep out of direct sunlight.
Check on the ferment daily to make sure that the brine is covering all the produce. If any produce has floated above the brine level, use a clean utensil to push it back below the brine.
Burp the jar daily—unscrew the lid briefly and tighten it back on to allow any built-up gas to release (and avoid possible jar breakage or the ferment from overflowing).
After 10 days, taste the beans and see if they taste garlicky, tangy and a bit sour. If they still taste too much like raw beans, allow them to ferment another couple days and taste them again. Once fermentation is complete, transfer the jar into the refrigerator, with the brine and all.
Fermentation does not stop once the ferment is transferred to the refrigerator. However, it does slow the process way down. The taste and texture will continue to change, therefore this ferment is best enjoyed within 12 months.
Side Notes
If you do not have a glass jar weight, you can improvise by using an easily removable small food-grade glass dish that fits inside the jar. Or, if you have a smaller glass canning jar that can fit into the mouth of the jar you are fermenting with, you can use that to keep the produce pushed under the brine.
If you are unsure if your water is safe for fermentation, you can boil it and allow it to cool to room temperature before stirring in the salt to make your brine.
You may substitute fine sea salt instead of coarse kosher salt if you prefer. The measurement will remain the same for this recipe.
It is completely normal for the brine to turn cloudy during fermentation or to see sediment on the beans. This is a sign that fermentation is taking place, just as it should.
This recipe has been adapted from Stephanie Thurow’s Can It & Ferment It, with permission from Skyhorse Publishing Inc.
Ohio farmer Stephen Mackell talks with podcast host Lisa Munniksma about microgreens, actually sustainable (profitable!) small-scale farming and food access.
Hear about how Stephen found his passion for farming through the magic of starting seeds. Learn about the Mission of Mary Cooperative Farm in Dayton, Ohio, where Stephen started out as a volunteer farm manager and went on to build their community programs for nine years. Stephen explains how the farm came to financially sustain itself with a two-tier CSA being grown on six empty housing lots and eight homemade caterpillar tunnels and greenhouses. He also talks about other food-access programs, including an after-school program that eventually led to food production for the school salad bar and a program to help 100 neighbors start their own gardens.
Get to know Stephen’s 1/2-acre Greentable Gardens in Xenia, Ohio, where he and one part-time employee serve a 90-member microgreens, salad and full-vegetable CSA. Learn how Stephen got his garden beds established from lawn to permanent raised beds, including the installation of drainage tiles. Stephen talks about his farming and business efficiencies—hint: microgreens are a year-round, stable source of income—and his farm’s niche as a USDA Certified Organic home-delivery CSA. Get Stephen’s advice for growing microgreens yourself, too.
Hear about how Stephen, as a college student, was inspired to start a curbside-collection compost subscription company, which he then sold. It’s still in business today!
Livestock care requires many daily chores regarding the basics of feeding, watering and shelter. But certain other chores are performed less frequently, and for that reason, may be a little more challenging for the beginner. Hoof care falls into this category.
If you’re going to raise goats, sooner or later you’ll need to know how to trim a goat hoof. At first you might be tempted to delegate this task to a knowledgeable neighbor or friend. But learning the skill yourself will save time and maybe some money and, most importantly, help you feel more independent and confident with your livestock and homesteading lifestyle. To help you out, let’s look at some of the tools and techniques needed to perform this important task.
Why Trim a Goat’s Hooves?
Left untrimmed, the hoof walls (the sides of the hoof) have a tendency to grow long and then fold over on themselves. Eventually this can become uncomfortable for the goat and can even cause lameness or a deformity of the pasterns if left unchecked.
Regular trimming prevents this and keeps the hoof at the correct angle. It’s also a chance to clean the hoof thoroughly and perform a visual inspection for any health issues such as abscesses or hoof rot.
How Often?
Plan on evaluating your goat’s hooves about every two months. Some goats raised on grassy pastures or that spend time in soft stall bedding may need a trim that often. Other goats may naturally wear down the hoof walls if they have access to rocks or sand outdoors.
In these cases it may be possible to stretch out the trimming intervals to several months, but you probably wouldn’t want to trim less than three times a year. The length of time between trims also depends on the breed, as some grow slower than others.
Needed Materials
goat stand
foot-rot shears
hoof pick
blood stop powder (precautionary)
Optional Tools
hoof rasp
electric hoof grinder
Step 1: Position Your Goat
The job of performing the hoof trim will be a lot easier on your back if you raise your goat up on a milking stand or similar structure (some use chutes). The stand also offers a way to secure your animal so they stay in position.
Some goats particularly dislike having their rear legs handled. A restraint along with a tasty snack as a distraction will go a long way towards making the task more enjoyable for both of you.
Step 2: Clean the Hoof
Start by using the hoof pick to clean out any old bedding or dried manure in and around the toes. A pick with a brush on one end can be helpful here. Some people remove the debris with the tip of closed shears.
If the goat hooves are particularly in need of a trim, you might need to pry the hoof walls apart with the shears and trim a bit first to get enough room to access with the hoof pick.
Step 3: Trim the Hoof Walls (Sides)
Next, carefully trim away at the sides of each toe, called the hoof walls. Many goat owners prefer a simple tool known as foot rot shears, which are similar to pruning shears but designed specifically for to give a goat or sheep hoof a trim.
You’re looking to take small pieces, slowly lowering the hoof walls down until they are more or less flush with the sole of the foot (the softer, fleshier portion). You’ll need to take care never to trim too low, as this is where you can accidentally create bleeding (just like trimming a dog’s toenails). You may also need to shorten the tips of the toes.
Step 4: Trim the Heel If Needed
Now examine the heel—the area where the toes connect at the back of the hoof—and trim that as well until the entire hoof is basically flush with the sole. The aim is to create a basically flat surface across the entire bottom of the hoof. Take small pieces, and take your time.
Step 5: Watch the Coronary Band
During the trimming process, you’ll want to try to achieve a proper angle on your goat’s hoof relative to the ground. The hoof’s coronary band is a good guide for this. It’s located right at the top of the hoof, where it starts to transition into fur.
Ideally, this band should be parallel to the ground. So as you’re working, try to match your trims to the band.
Step 6: Finish with the Rasp
Once you have the excess trimmed away and the hoof angle is satisfactorily matching the coronary band, you can finish off the job with a few strokes of the hoof rasp.
Step 7: Don’t Go Too Far
As you trim, you’ll notice the newly-exposed areas of the hoof walls and sole turning from gray to white to pink. White is OK, but if you start reaching any pink that’s a definite warning sign that you’re about to reach blood flow. Stop right there!
If you do ever nick a bit too far, apply your blood stop powder and perhaps some pressure to halt the bleeding.
Step 8: Trim the Dew Claws
Older goats may need the dew claws trimmed a bit. This could be done either with the shears or a rasp. Take small pieces here as well, as you can accidentally cause bleeding with the dew claws too.
Try a Grinder
Particularly tough hooves or those that have gone a while without seeing a trim might benefit from a grinder. The process is essentially the same except that you’ll carefully grind down the hoof walls and heel until they are flush with the sole.
If a goat has gone a long time between trims, you may need to break the hoof trim job into several shorter sessions.
Goat hoof trimming is a job that will become easier with practice. Once you have a few trims under your belt, you’ll have the confidence to keep your entire goat herd looking—and feeling—great!
More Information
Moisture Conditions
It’s beneficial to stay on top of goat hoof trimming when conditions are particularly moist, such as in the spring or fall. When hooves are subjected to prolonged exposure to mud and wet soil, certain issues such as hoof rot or hoof scald are more likely to develop due to the moisture providing bacteria with an opportunity to thrive. The good news is that the hooves will be easier to maintain during these periods, as a hoof with a high moisture exposure is naturally softer and easier to trim.
If you need to trim goat hooves during periods of dry weather, you might find that the hooves can be quite hard, brittle and challenging to cut through. This might be a good time to experiment with a grinder, or you could alternately allow your goats access to wet ground for a couple of hours prior to trimming to help soften the hoof.
When It Rains
The best time to trim hooves is immediately after a rain or a heavy dew, because the hoof wall will be much softer and easier to cut.
Natural Hoof Abrasion Materials
As mentioned, goats raised in naturally rocky or sandy environments may not need to be trimmed as frequently. The abrasive qualities of the ground will help keep the hoof walls worn down. But if your goats enjoy play structures, you can simulate the effects of rocky ground by installing simple asphalt shingles to the steps and surfaces of the playground.
Asphalt shingles provide a nonslip surface for the goats’ safety, and the coarse face of the shingles will help file down hooves. You might be able to extend the time needed between trims this way, but it’s obviously no substitute for regular hoof trimming.
Watch Videos!
A goat-knowledgeable friend or mentor can offer great advice, but not everyone has one nearby! Luckily, there are plenty of YouTube or Extension office videos online that you can watch over and over again to get an even better handle on the process. You can even keep one handy on your phone in the barn to reference while you’re trimming.
This article originally appeared in the July/August 2023 issue of Hobby Farms magazine.
