Are you considering meat rabbits?

Raising livestock in an urban area is often a difficult task, not necessarily due to environment or space requirements but due to restrictions in the form of local laws.

We encourage each of you to choose your own path and raise and grow what suits your families needs.  We also do not judge those who choose the path of eating meat or being a vegetarian, all of which are your own personal choices.

For those who might be thinking of raising chickens for both eggs and meat you might also be considering rabbits for meat as well, you need to be aware potential issues that might arise.

Rabbits raised for meat are one that often spurs emotional and spirited debates, and the health benefits of rabbit meat as a lean source of protein are well known, versus wild rabbit that is so lean that it could be dangerous to rely on it as a long term food source.  There are pitfalls to raising meat rabbits and today we want to share from "They are not our goats" blog why they quit raising meat rabbits.

Read on and see why meat rabbits may not be a good fit for your family.

http://www.theyrenotourgoats.com/homestead/quit-raising-meat-rabbits/

Cooking with Squirrel - A Fall homestead traditional meal

Braised Squirrel With Bacon, Mushrooms, and Pinot Noir

By Jonathan Miles September 12, 2013

Photo by Johnny Miller

“I love the sweet aroma of squirrel, and I’m surprised at most folks’ inexperience with serving the little guys,” says chef Levon Wallace, who heads up the kitchen at Proof on Main in Louisville, Ky. Wallace developed this recipe after bagging a few grays on a recent outing. “It’s a riff on coq au vin,” he explains, referring to the classic French dish of a rooster stewed in wine, “and works well for rabbit, or duck, too.”

Ingredients

- 4 squirrels, cleaned
- 1 bottle of Pinot Noir or other dry, light-bodied red wine
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp. juniper berries, cracked
- 1 tsp. black peppercorns, cracked
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 slices good-quality country bacon, cut into 1-inch dice
- 1 cup pearl onions, peeled
- 2 cups forest mushrooms (shiitake, morel, chanterelle, oyster, or your favorite variety)
- 2 small carrots, diced
- 1 large stalk celery, diced
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- About 1⁄4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1: Remove the hind and forelegs from each squirrel with shears. Trim the ribs away from the saddle and discard ribs. Cut the saddle in half.

2: In a large nonreactive bowl, combine half the bottle of wine with the thyme, rosemary, two bay leaves, juniper berries, peppercorns, and brown sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the squirrel pieces and marinate for 6 to 8 hours or overnight, refrigerated.

3: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Remove the squirrel pieces from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the marinade. Season the pieces with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour, shaking off any excess. Transfer the floured pieces to a wire rack or plate. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon, and cook until just crisp and golden brown. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate. Add the squirrel pieces (in batches if necessary) and brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to the plate with the bacon. Add the pearl onions and cook for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown, then add the mushrooms, carrots, celery, garlic, and remaining bay leaves. Cook for another 3 minutes, stirring. Add the reserved half bottle of wine and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pot to dislodge any tasty browned bits.

4: Return the squirrel and bacon to the mixture, stir to incorporate, and place the pot in the oven, covered. Cook for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the squirrel meat is tender but not falling off the bone. Serve immediately, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkled with parsley. Serves 4

Pinot Two Ways

The same grape varietal you cooked with is the one to drink with this dish. So pick up two bottles at the store. Pinot Noir can get pricey, so for the stew, try an inexpensive bottle from New Zealand. If you want to upgrade for the drinking, look for an Oregon vintage like the 2010 St. Innocent Zenith Vineyard Pinot Noir.

From the October 2013 issue of Field & Stream magazine

Our first attempt at fermentation

Over the weekend between some gleaning of the gardens and coop cleaning and building a raku kiln for my wife's pottery, I collected up some of our smaller heads of green cabbage that had split open or were just too small to do with much with and decided to use them to make some kimchi.

While we have made sauerkraut in the past this was a little different in the sense we used a 1-1 brine (1 Tbsp. salt - 1 cup of water) solution and submerged the cabbage, carrots and diakon.  Traditionally salted cabbage is all that is used to make the sauerkraut to draw out its own water and when it is warm out it usually goes bad for us.
I ran into problems in that no two recipes for kimchi were the same, some where more of a pickle using vinegar, to me that is not conducive to fermentation.  Some didn't even provide measurements, an assumption that the authors made that could lead to failure.  After reading up in some of my fermentation guides I came to the conclusion that as long as the brine is correct to the amount of vegetables we would be good.


With four heads of cabbage in hand I removed all the damaged leaves and sent those off to the chickens, since cabbage and kale are two of their favorite things.  Loosely chopped the cabbage in to larger chunks and diced the carrots, about 1 cup, and shredded about 1 cup of diakon, placed them in an 8 cup fermentation crock and proceeded to mix 8 Tbsp. of kosher salt to 8 cups of water and cover the vegetables with the brine.  The key now is to keep the vegetable submerged in the brine so I placed a plate that was about the same diameter as the crocks opening the pressure of the brine on the surface of the plate kept it submerged.   Covered it all with a clean towel to allow it to breath and set it in the corner of the kitchen out of the sunlight but warm (around 70 degrees), this is where I have mixed information and we will update the post on the overall out come.  Some recipes call for 24-72 hours to let soak, others say 24 hours and I found several that called for 4 weeks.  We welcome any recommendation any of you might have on what you do for fermentation.  I opted for a wait and see, since I like my kimchi to have a crunch with heat ( that part is coming in a minute).

After 24 hours, and another day of garden work and some squirrel hunting I checked the vegetables and the cabbage and carrots where soft but snapped when bit so I decided now is the time to process the paste.  The paste is the part where the additional flavors are added, I opted to go with an onion, six cloves of some spicy red garlic and 8 dragon chili peppers along with a good chunk of ginger with a Tbsp of fish sauce.

Some recipes called for hand mashing, grating or food processor, I chose the food process and again this should be a paste but the onions left so much liquid it was impossible to make a paste, but the smell was wonderful.

Now we took the cabbage, diakon and carrots out of the brine using a metal colander to separate the liquid from the vegetables, make sure to set the brine to the side, you are going to need it.  Place all the vegetables in a glass bowl or metal pot, do not use plastic bowels or utensils for processing due to inviting bacteria into your mix.

Dump the paste mix into vegetables and mix thoroughly with clean utensils so that all of the vegetables are coated.  Grab yourself some of your canning jars or 1/2 gallon glass jar and pack the vegetables into the jars.

Now the key is to only pack to the fill line of the jar(s) so that there is about 1/2 inch of head space. Ladle the brine into the jar(s) to cover the vegetable, cover and shake to get the air to rise to the top and add more brine to cover if needed.  The key is to keep the vegetables submerged so you do several things, you can place a stone, (make sure it has been washed and boiled for 10 minutes) on top of the mixture to keep it packed, this is good for small pints or quart large mouth jars or if you use a 1/2 gallon pack it only half full with vegetable cover with brine and take a second jar pint size will work, fill with extra brine or water, tie a string around it and lower it into the container so that it compresses the vegetables, the sting will help you remove it later.  You can loosely close the jars or cover with a paper towel and use the ring to hold in place.  Place the jars in a container to catch any brine that leaks out during the fermentation, this should also force any air out of the containers, and place in a cool dark location for fermentation to continue.

We will continue to update this post as we progress on the fermentation and let you know of any adjustments we have to make in the mean time here are some fermentation troubleshooting tips at Makesauerkraut.com

How to save heirloom tomato seeds

1.      Cut one or two of the best tomatoes in half (not end to end but around the middle) and squeeze out the seeds and gel into a small container. We recommend a small canning jar with the ring.

2.      Label the jar with the type of seed and variety.

3.      Add 1/2 cup of water and swirl it around.

4.      Cover the jar with a cloth or paper towel to keep out fruit flies.  Be sure to secure with either a ring if a jelly jar or rubber band to keep it in place.

5.      Store the container out of the sun, for 3 to 5 days.

6.      There will be an odor as the fermenting takes place.

7.      A mold film may form on top, which is normal.

To separate the seeds

Film of mold sealing the jars

If you covered the jar with a paper towel, carefully remove the film that has grown on top of the seed and water. There will not be a film if you used a fermenting lid.

Add more water to the jar and swish it around. The best seeds and those you want to keep will sink. If you are using a fresh tomato from the garden almost every seed will be viable.

Carefully pour off water, discard floating seeds, and the bits of pulp suspended in the liquid. Repeat this process, adding more fresh water, until all the pulp is gone and you have clean seeds.

Drain them as well as you can and spread them in a single layer on a screen or a paper plate to dry. We don’t use paper towels at our house so I patted the seed dry with a muslin kitchen towel. You can use paper towels, but I’ve heard that the seeds tend to stick to them. Plastic or ceramic plates do not work well to dry your seeds. The tomato seeds need to have the water wicked away from them and that won’t happen with plastic or ceramic. If you’re saving more than one variety, be sure to label the plates.

Let the seeds dry for five to six days at room temperature in a well-ventilated place. You may want to stir the seeds with your fingers daily to break up any that are clumped together. This will help them dry quicker.

In just a few days the seed will be completely dry and ready to go into storage. Tomato seed has a very long shelf life and once dry it doesn’t need any special care. Place the dried seed in small manila envelopes or zip lock bags.  I use old yogurt containers with lids. Be sure to label the container with the date packaged.

How to Make “Willow Water” root hormone

Here is the procedure for making willow water:

1. Collect young first-year twigs and stems of any of willow (Salix spp.) species, these have green or yellow bark. Don’t use the older growth that has brown or gray bark.
2. Remove all the leaves, these are not used. Don’t waste good green material though, compost the leaves or throw them in the garden as mulch.
3. Take the twigs and cut them up into short pieces around 1" (2.5cm) long.
4. The next step is to add the water. there are several techniques to extract the natural plant rooting hormones:
   a) Place the chopped willow twigs in a container and cover with boiling water, just like making tea, and allow the “tea” to stand overnight.
   b) Place the chopped willow twigs in a container and cover with tap water (unheated), and let it soak for several days.
5. When finished, separate the liquid from the twigs by carefully pouring out the liquid, or pouring it through a strainer or sieve. The liquid is now ready to use for rooting cuttings. You can keep the liquid for up to two months if you put it in a jar with a tight fitting lid and keep the liquid in the refrigerator. Remember to label the jar so you remember what it is, and write down the date you brewed it up, and to aid the memory, write down the date that it should be used by, which is two months from the date it was made!  
6. To use, just pour some willow water into a small jar, and place the cuttings in there like flowers in a vase, and leave them there to soak overnight for several hours so that they take up the plant rooting hormone. Then prepare them as you would when propagating any other cuttings.
   The second way to use willow water is to use it to water the propagating medium in which you have placed cuttings. Watering your cuttings twice with willow water should be enough to help them root.

Reprinted from https://deepgreenpermaculture.com/diy-instructions/home-made-plant-rooting-hormone-willow-water/

Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies

Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies

Prep time

1 hour

Cook time

14 mins

Total time

1 hour 14 mins

Author: MaryAnn Dwyer

Servings: About 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. culinary lavender
• 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• pure cane sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, sift together flour and salt. Set aside.
2. Place 1 Tbsp. of the granulated sugar, lavender, and lemon zest in a mortar and grind lightly with the pestle.
3. Place lavender mixture in large bowl with remaining sugar and butter. Cream together until smooth. Add vanilla. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture until it forms dough. Shape into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into shapes (I used a 1 3/4 inch cutter) and place on prepared sheet. Sprinkle with some pure cane sugar, then place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
6. Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned around the edges. Cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Can be store in an airtight container for 5 days.

Time to start planting for the fall. But consider this

What to consider when planting crops in August: how fast they grow, and how frost-tolerant they are. Here are a few good crops to plant in August.

Fast-Growing Crops

These fast-growing crops can be planted early enough to avoid a frost:

1. Baby carrots – Harvest in 30 days.
2. Leaf lettuce – Harvest in 30 days.
3. Radishes – Harvest in 30 days.
4. Spinach – Harvest in 45 days.
5. Bush beans – Harvest in 40-65 days.

Survives Light Frost

If you generally experience light frosting early on, these crops are capable of surviving:

6. Kohlrabi – 50-60 days to maturity.
7. Leaf Lettuce – 30 days to maturity.

Frost-Tolerant Crops (Survives High 20s Fahrenheit)
These three crops can really extend your growing season past the first frost:

8. Beets – 50-60 days to maturity.
9. Green onions – 60-70 days to maturity.
10. Peas – 70-80 days to maturity.

Frost Tolerant Crops (Survives Low 20’s)
These crops are the hardiest of the hardiest. They will survive after everything else has died and is in your canning jars.

11. Cabbage – 50-90 days to maturity.
12. Collard Greens – 40-65 days to maturity.
13. Kale – 40-65 days to maturity.
14. Radishes – 30-60 days to maturity.
Again, depending on where you live, August doesn’t have to necessarily spell the end of your gardening season. By getting out of the old habit of planting only after the last frost, we can really extend our growing season.

Sad news on the homestead

Yesterday we experienced a sudden death of one of our wyandotte hens and as surprised as we were
this is often quite common with chickens.  I wondered was there things we could have done but even after a full inspection of the carcass there were no  signs of mites, infections or even trauma, though the night before I did close up the coop because the temp dropped to almost freezing.  In the morning she was her usual noisy self and fighting the other hens over sunflower seeds and when I got home from work I was only greeted by five hens and there she was in the dusting area half buried in the dirt.

I let the rest of the hens out so I could remove her and clean out any feathers or debris where she was.  Still puzzled I did some research and found this was not uncommon and though we did not process the carcass for consumption, due to not being able to tell how long she had been dead and it was a rather warm day, I did inspect her wings, vent, neck and head area because after the very first cold spell at the start of the winter she was not looking well.  She was disoriented and shaking her head a lot.  So we brought her in to warm up and let her rest in a dog carrier.  After two days she went back out and seemed fine, but as winter set in we started only getting 5 eggs on average, so one of them was not laying (we never forced laying and let the girls do their thing) but on occasion we would get one extremely large egg, jumbo +, often it was wrinkled shell and extremely think walled.  Just over the past week we had four occasions to find rubber shelled eggs, so we watched and egg production returned to normal.  Then poof day after six normal eggs she died.

There could have been other signs, like she never roosted with the other hens, she would go to a higher spot in the coop and not share body warmth from the others.  She often was last to eat but had a bit of a temper with the other chickens.  She was not a runner and barely followed the flock when they all saw one of the others getting something good to eat, or so they thought.  She hated worms, while the other girls would relish at the opportunity to get into the compost bin to get the worms, she did not.  She hated to be picked up and would go to great lengths to get away.

In the end we still have no idea how she died but are a bit concerned and will watch the other girls for the next week or so to make sure they are fine.  I did run across this article from Mother Earth News on sudden chicken death, all seem plausible based on what we observed.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/sudden-chicken-death-zbcz1404

Stackable Potato Bin

Spring is here and it is time to start to think about building raised beds and planning your garden. Why not add potatoes to your yard.  Americans consume about 34,980,000,000 lbs of potatoes per year, that is a staggering $20,988,000,000 spent nationally, an average of 88 5 lb. bags per person for a family of four or $264 per year on potatoes.

So why not grow your own?  A bag of seed potatoes cost about $5 and will yield about 50 lbs. of potatoes.  You can even save a few of those store spuds and replant them, saving even more.  We are not going to cover growing the potatoes just yet because we wanted to focus on ways to plant them.

Of course you can plant the directly in the ground, though the preparation of the soil to keep it loose and good quality can be a daunting task.  Then there is the bucket, a five gallon bucket works well for fingerlings and small spaces and early season potatoes, same is true for planter potatoes.  Then there is the trash can potatoes, an excellent choice if growing late season potatoes but often difficult to harvest without dumping the whole thing out.  Paper bag and general bag potatoes are also an option. The one we like the most is the stackable bin.  For a cost of lumber or even scrap lumber you can build two for about $50 and they will last up to 10 years.

For this project you will need the following:
(One bin)
4 - 2x2x8 pine boards
4 - 1x6x8 pine boards
1 cardboard box for weed barrier
4-8 bags of garden soil (make sure each bag is 2 cu ft. for each layer)
1 bags of late season seed potatoes
36x36 inch piece of chicken fence to cover bin and keep squirrels out from stealing the seed potatoes.
Box of 2" deck screws

You can use cedar, maple, oak or hickory for the lumber, all will last different lengths of time but all have a higher cost.  DO NOT USE PRESSURE TREATED LUMBER. We have also used pallets for this project, just make sure they are stamped HT (Heat treated) anything else usually contains pesticides or preservatives that can be toxic if ingested.

Step one - Cut that wood
1. Take the 1x6x8 and cut into 24 inch lengths (4 per 8 foot board)
2. Take the 2x2 and cut those into 6 inch lengths

That is it for cutting now lets assemble

Step two - Assemble
1. Take four 1x6x24 and four 2x2x6's for the base.

2. With one 2x2 and two 1x6 set your first corner.  Using the deck screws attach the 1x6 to the 2x2. If using Pine it is advised to pre-drill your holes to prevent splitting.  Be sure to offset the 2x2 2" above the top of the base.  This will create the pegs for the second layer to sit on top of the first and subsequent layers.  Follow this process until all four sides are assembled.

3.  Follow the same process for the second layer except build it assembled on top of the base.  This will help keep the corner 2x2's at the correct height for the next level.  Continue this process for the remaining layers.  When completed you will have one bin 24" deep.  Remove each layer and leave just the base.

Step three - Planting
1.  Put the base on level ground where the planter will get full sun.

2.  Line the bottom with cardboard to keep the weeds under control.

3.  Fill the base with soil, just to the top.  Install the second layer but do not fill with anymore soil.

4.  Plant your seed potatoes per the planting instructions.  Late season potatoes take up to 90 days to grow and this method works best for those.  Early season should be planted using another method such as the 5 gallon pail.

5.  Water and place the chicken wire over the top.  We secure ours with roofing nails and stretch the fence tight so the bushy tails can't get under or pull off.  We have also used bricks at the corner to hold it down.  Use whatever method works best for you.

6.  When the plants get to about a foot high, add more dirt. cover all the leaving about four inches of the plants about the soil.  What this will do is allow those buried leaves convert to roots for additional potatoes to grow.  Do this right up to the last level.  At that point the chicken fence can be removed, the squirrels tend to avoid areas with dense vegetation.  Once the leaves turn brown, the potatoes can be harvested.

We recommend only harvesting what you need, because the bin, if not saturated with water will store the potatoes for some time.  We have left them and periodically harvested through out the winter, by covering the bin with boards to keep water out so the soil does not freeze.  Each bin usually will work well for about 50-100 lbs of potatoes.

Dried bean, today, tomorrow and forever

If we could encourage every person to grow one thing it would be beans. Dried beans that is. Most
are low maintenance, low water needs, and while pole or climbing beans might be hard to control they take up very little space. Most can be planted 6 to 12 inches apart in rows 12" apart. This makes them one of the easiest to grow in small spaces, square foot gardens or containers.

Cranberry Bean

Sister bean (adebakwal)

We grow a heirloom black bean similar to Black Turtle Beans as well as a cranberry bean type, Abenaki Beans, they tend to tower anywhere from 5 to 7 feet tall and continue to produce through out the season and do not need to be harvested until the pod dries. Tolerant to light frost and high heat, if watered daily, they seem to love heavily fertilized soil (we use chicken waste and wood chip compost), they also control ground weeds well. The biggest asset is they store well in sealed quart jars, which is about three cups of dried beans or almost 6 cups of cooked beans that is four to five meals per jar, not to mention save the beans and replant some next year. Talk about a return on an investment!


The largest issue is how to use those dried beans and well we are still learning how to use them, because unlike canned beans or even bagged dried beans, these can remain quit hard and unpalatable for some time. Today we share a piece from Joybilee Farm on how to cook dried beans
Read more here:
http://joybileefarm.com/how-to-cook-dried-beans/

Get ready now for spring!

Five Important Things You Should Do On Your Homestead During The Last Weeks Of Winter Are:

1. Preparing for seeds.

Make sure you have the seeds, pots and area is ready to start seeds. Check schedules for starting indoors.  Items like celery and hot peppers should already be started indoors for all zones below 6.  Make sure your seed stock is fresh.  Many store bought seed packets are only viable for one to two years if not placed in cold storage.

2. Implement maintenance.

Now is the time to be sure your tools, mechanical and otherwise, are in sound, working condition. For hand tools, sharpen the edges, oil the blades and repair or replace splintered or broken handles. Sharpening the blades of mower decks, tillers, plows and other implements now will allow spring ground-breaking to get off to a smooth start.





3. Stocking up on the essentials.
If you produce your own soaps, detergents and other household products, stocking up now will ensure you make it through the busy spring and summer months without setting aside precious time to whip up more.  This also includes any homemade insecticides or inoculates you make or purchase such as neem oil or other essential oils you need.


4. Preparing soil amendments.
Not all of the prep work can be done indoors, so take advantage of those warmer days in the last
weeks of winter to work outside. Enrich garden soils by adding a top layer of compost to the rows.  Great time to start sifting soil, compost to get ready for seed pots.  If you purchase garden soil or compost, now may be a good time to get your order in for delivery in the next few weeks.

How to make Natural Ginger Ale

Natural Ginger Ale

A naturally fermented old-fashioned ginger ale (also once called Ginger Beer) that contains beneficial

probiotics and enzymes.
Author: Wellness Mama

Recipe type: Cultured - Beverage

Ingredients
• A 1-2 inch piece of fresh ginger root, minced. Adjust this to taste. I use 2 inches as I prefer a stronger ginger taste.
• ½ cup of organic sugar or rapadura sugar. If using plain sugar, add 1 tablespoon molasses for flavor and minerals.
• ½ cup fresh lemon or lime juice
• ½ tsp sea salt or Himalayan salt
• 8 cups of filtered (chlorine free) water (Here is the water filter we use)
• ½ cup homemade ginger bug (or can use ¼ cup whey for a faster recipe though the flavor won't be quite as good. Here is a tutorial for how to make whey)

Instructions
1. Make a "wort" for your ginger ale by placing 3 cups of the water, minced ginger root, sugar (and molasses if needed), and salt in a saucepan and bringing to a boil.
2. Simmer the mixture for about five minutes until sugar is dissolved and mixture starts to smell like ginger.
3. Remove from heat and add additional water. This should cool it but if not, allow to cool to room temperature before moving to the next step.
4. Add fresh lemon or lime juice and ginger bug (or whey).
5. Transfer to a 2 quart glass mason jar with a tight fitting (air-tight) lid. Stir well and put lid on.
6. Leave on the counter for 2-3 days until carbonated and transfer to the fridge where it will last indefinitely.
7. Watch this step carefully. Using whey will cause it to ferment more quickly and it will take less time. It should be bubble and should "hiss" like a soda when the lid is removed. This is very temperature dependent and the mixture may need to be burped or stirred during this fermentation time on the counter.
8. As with any traditional fermented drink, it is more of an art than a science as it depends on the strength of your culture, the temperature of your house and the sugar used. The final mixture should smell of ginger and slightly of yeast/fermentation and should be fizzy. Watch carefully that it doesn't become too carbonated as this will cause too much pressure and may result in an exploding jar!
9. The mixture can be strained and transferred to Grolsch style bottles before putting in the fridge (we like these bottles).
10. Strain before drinking.
11. Enjoy!

Reprinted from Wellness Mama, vist their site for more wonderful homestead ideas at wellnessmama.com/

Can woodland grazing work?

Chicken Forest Pasture Project

Recently we shared a Mother Earth News article on sheep and that got us thinking about agriculture
in the Adirondacks and other heavily wooded areas or urban lots that may be heavily wooded.  If you are like me cutting down a tree takes some consideration on what will be the overall value to the homestead?  Do I need firewood, lumber for a project or is this for pasture, then we started thinking there is far more diversity in the forest than in an open field planted for grazing cows, goats or ducks.

In particular the homestead we have up north is all forest and only about an acre of growing space, we do not want to clear a forest to make areas that we can not plant on so why not use it for grazing, after a little research and a talk with friends at the Cornell Cooperative Extension we turned to the concept of agroforesty or more specifically silvopasturing.  Then I started thinking about the Eastern woodland bison (went extinct in NY due to hunting around 1799).  Next question what about predators?







There are far more hawks, owls, bears, foxes, fishers and the like found in the woods than in a field.  Anyone out the practice woodland grazing, even for your chickens or ducks?  What are your thoughts?

For more information
Experts suggest grazing cows, sheep, ducks in forests - Cornell Cooperative Extension
Chicken Forest Pasture Project 
Wood Bison

Beekeeping consideration

Is beekeeping for you?
Do you want the benefit of fresh unfiltered honey and pollinators for my garden? Are you afraid of bees or maybe allergic?

There are a number of things you should consider before jumping into the world of beekeeping, and to help you along the way maybe a class or two on beekeeping 101, or even seek out your local or regional beekeepers association, attend a few meetings, ask questions and of course read, read and then read again.

Why Do You Want To Keep Honey Bees?
Can you answer yes to any or all of these questions:

You are on a quest to “Save the Bees”
You want to produce your own honey
You want the homeopathic benefits of natural health remedies
You want an self-sufficiency
You make honey and wax based products
You are looking for pollinators
or looking for a new hobby with benefits

What else should be considered?
Start-up costs, location, local law and time are a few to consider.  We have listed a few areas to think about before adding bees to the homestead.

Start-Up Costs
Beginners can find that a pre-built hive can cost anywhere from $100 to $1000, often with the numerous plans online for free an individual with medium building skills can build one for under $100, plus it add tons of satisfaction in the whole process of developing your colony.  Now add in smokers, clothing, books and miscellaneous equipment needed for the startup and you can add another $200-$500.

Having a budget while planning is a necessity, New England Beekeeping has a page to help you estimate costs.


Water Source
Do you have or can you create a water source? Honey bees need fresh water to do their honey magic. A creek or stream is not necessary. Many beekeepers keep a “garden” of moss that is watered daily so bees will have access to the water they need.

Local Laws
Are there any local laws about keeping bees? Each municipality is different, so contact city hall and find out the rules, this is especially crucial for urban homesteaders and farmsteads.

Talk to your neighbors.  Let them know what you are doing and share with them the benefits of having the bees as well as possibly address their own concerns.  It is possible that you have neighbors that are allergic to bee stings and it might be better to not go forward with your bee plans.  This holds true with any livestock in urban areas.  At one time we had neighbors adamant against chickens but after a year later there has been not a peep on the girls and their occasional squawks.

Is there enough space?
Depending on the hive style used you will need about 10 square feet around it and a clear path for your bees to fly. You don’t want to be constantly walking through their fight path or having obstructions on the way to the gardens.

Food Supply
Do you have something to feed them? Some crops they pollinate include Almonds, apples, cantaloupe, peaches, strawberries, cherries, pears, watermelon, blackberry, cranberry, raspberry, blueberry, cucumber, soybean and all kinds of flowers.  You also have to consider wintertime feeding, sugar water is especially important to help the hive keep warm and strong through the deep freeze of winter, this all depends on your location and seasons.

Support and mentor needed?
It will make your journey as a budding apiarist easier.  Check out and join a local beekeeping association, join and online group or take a workshop. Many local beekeeping chapters have a day-long class, called bee school, that will teach you everything you need to know. See if there is something similar in your area.  In NY check with Cornell Cooperative Extension

Have the Time?
Do you have the time needed to maintain it properly? You need to set aside about 30 minutes a week to tend to the hive needs the first year, once established that will vary.  You will also need to dedicate about 2 hours per hive for each harvest (usually twice a year).

So are you ready?  Already know the benefits of honey and it's products?  Get started, find a local group, check your cooperative extension and start planning to get those bees in your future!