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How to Get Started with Your Family Milk Cow | Shawn & Beth Dougherty

The family milk cow is quickly becoming the new backyard flock of chickens.  More and more people are realizing the amazing benefits of adding a dairy cow to their homestead.

This month on the podcast, we are focusing on all things dairy cow.  Shawn and Beth Dougherty are the perfect couple to lend their voice to this conversation as they have over four decades of experience farming and perfecting the art of grass conversion through dairy ruminants.

If you are considering adding a family milk cow to your homestead or are new to the world of home dairy, this discussion is for you.  We dive into the most commonly asked questions when it comes to getting started with dairy cows: breed, acreage, feed, health, and more.  If a dairy cow is in your future, start here!

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The Cost of Raising Meat Chickens

Is raising meat chickens a money-saver?  There are so many opinions out there!  The truth is, like nearly everything to do with farming, it depends. There are lots of ways and reasons for raising chickens for meat, and the economics of doing so vary just as widely.  Let’s take a look at the cost of […]

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11 Tips for Homesteading on a Budget

One of the comments that I hear often is that you have to be wealthy to homestead. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Yes, land and infrastructure do require an investment, however, you can start homesteading without acres of land and without breaking the bank. If you want to start a homestead, but can’t […]

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How to Control the Cost of Raising Chickens

Whether the goal is eggs or meat, folks starting out their country journey seem to go straight for chickens.  Managed well, chickens can fit right into the farm ecosystem, providing nutrient cleanup, pest control, and light tillage almost anywhere those services are needed – along with some eggs and drumsticks. But when these benefits are […]

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Fall Harvest Recipes Roundup

The fall harvest has wrapped up and now it is time to make use of the bounty that you grew throughout the season! Take a look through this curated list of fall harvest recipes that utilize vegetables and meats that you may have ready to use during this time of year.  Homestead Fall Harvest Recipes […]

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How to Raise a Dairy Cow on Pasture

Raising a dairy cow on pasture is one of the best decisions you could make for your homestead… So, you’re beginning to get this homesteading thing down. You grew bushels of tomatoes this year, you’ve got chickens in a tractor, and, filled with inspiration, you’ve almost decided to take the plunge and buy a family […]

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The Different Colors of Honey

Honey comes in an array of colors. Today we are discussing where the different colors of honey come from and what they mean for the honey in your jar. Have you ever noticed that honey from different sources is often found in varying colors? The beekeeper at the Farmer’s Market might have lighter honey than […]

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12 Heritage Meat Chicken Breeds

When you think of meat chicken breeds, your mind probably goes straight to the Cornish Cross broilers. This breed is most commonly used for meat. The very fast growth rate of this breed is appealing, but there are plenty of heritage meat chicken breeds that can give you a good amount of meat without the […]

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