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homesteading

E13: Why Homesteading? A Candid Chat About the Homestead Tsunami | Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms

We fondly refer to Joel as the grandfather of the homesteading community.  With decades of experience in the farming and homesteading world, he brings incredible insight to this discussion of the current state of homesteading.  Joel’s upcoming book, Homestead Tsunami, serves as a source of inspiration and aspiration for those who desire to articulate a solid “why” behind their decision to live a homesteading lifestyle.  No matter where you are on the homesteading spectrum, may you find encouragement that this way of life is worth it.

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10 Best Dual-Purpose Chicken Breeds

Have you decided what chicken breeds to bring onto your homestead this year? Do you want meat, eggs, or both out of your flock? Cornish Cross and Rangers are good meat options and productive breeds like Leghorns are great for eggs, but did you know that you can raise dual-purpose chicken breeds that will give […]

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Chick Days! | Tom Watkins of Murray McMurray Hatchery

With springtime fast approaching, homesteaders and backyard chicken keepers are planning ahead for their next round of chicks.  In this conversation with Tom of Murray McMurray Hatchery, we discuss everything a brand new chicken owner needs to know to get started.  Tom also shares about some of the rare breeds being raised at McMurray; you don’t want to miss it!

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Maintaining the Family Milk Cow Naturally | Joshua Fuhrmann

Now that we have discussed how to choose a family milk cow, we are diving into how to keep your cow healthy the natural way.  If approaching natural livestock care seems overwhelming to you, you will definitely want to join us for this episode because Joshua does an amazing job of explaining his holistic approach in simple terms.  We address the most common fears cow owners have: mastitis, parasites, antibiotics, supporting the overall immune system, and more.  As a farmer raising grass-fed A2A2 dairy cows in a holistic way, Joshua is a wealth of knowledge on raising the healthiest cows possible.

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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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