Download or read book Hobby Farm written by Carol Ekarius and published by Fox Chapel Publishing. This book was released on 2012-01-03 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This beautiful book offers an intimate look at life on a hobby farm. From finding a farm to creating a business, to choosing what to plant to canning fruits, Hobby Farm will teach readers how to reap the benefits of rustic life with sound guidance.

Download or read book The Essential Guide to Hobby Farming written by Carol Ekarius and published by Fox Chapel Publishing. This book was released on 2015-04-21 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Six containers of heirloom tomatoes, miniature squashes, and herbs on your back patio or six acres of beets, cabbages, and strawberries? Five chickens and a honey bee hive or a small farm with three dozen sheep and a couple of quarter horses? Regardless of the size of your ‘field of dreams’, Essential Guide to Hobby Farming is your best first step to making that hobby-farm aspiration a pleasurable and profitable reality. A hobby farmer for the past thirty years, Carol Ekarius shares the joys, challenges, and rewards of living the rural life. Hobby farming is as much a state of mind as it is an address in the country, and this instructive, beautifully photographed manual addresses every topic beginning hobby farmers need to know, from purchasing the right land and equipment to choosing and maintaining crops and livestock to marketing and selling your hobby farm’s yield. TOPICS DISCUSSED INSIDE: -Assessing finances and resources - land, water, tools of the trade (trucks, tractors, various implements) -Choosing the best crops for your land, climate, hardiness, and profitability -Selecting and caring for the livestock - chickens, goats, cows, sheep, etc - that best fits your hobby farm -Protecting crops and livestock against predators, pests, and disease -Business and marketing options for selling your local food directly to restaurants and farmers’ markets and through CSA programs -Preserving the harvest, through canning, drying, and freezing, plus over two dozen original recipes for your homegrown produce NEW FOR THE SECOND EDITION: Expanded section on chickens, including urban and suburban accommodations; honey bee keeping; adding a barn or annex building to the farm; trends in planting, including miniature vegetables, heirloom varieties, and ‘hot’ new vegetables and hybrids; adding flower beds to the property; getting involved with a CSA

Download or read book Hobby Farms written by Kristen Hampshire and published by Creative Publishing International. This book was released on 2009 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Provides information and instructions for those who own, or dream of owning, a hobby farm or a large estate of 2 to 40 acres"--

Download or read book Organic Hobby Farming written by Andy Tomolonis and published by Fox Chapel Publishing. This book was released on 2014-04-29 with total page 319 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Organic Hobby Farming, Andy Tomolonis, a longtime organic gardener, part-time hobby farmer, and award-winning Boston-area journalist, strips down the concept of "organic" and explains why natural farming has emerged as the healthiest and most viable method of growing for hobby farms and other small-scale operations. In addition to the improved taste and the appeal of excluding toxic materials, organic farming benefits farmers, their families, and the environment. It offers economic plusses as well. The current consumer demand for "local" and "organic" food underscores the need for small hobby farms that offer unique high-end goods. Tomolonis explains the basic principles of organic farming and describes how hobby farmers and their families can eat healthier, save money, help preserve the environment, and even turn their passion into a small-scale side business.Chapter 1 will help you assess the land you live on to determine whether it's suited for organic vegetables, fruit, berries, or livestock. Farmers who are looking to lease or buy land will find practical advice on how to evaluate properties and find their best use, taking climate, soil, water and geography into consideration. In Chapter 2, Tomolonis continues with practical advice on how to choose the right tools without overspending;starting slowly with quality hand implements and then expanding as you determine the need for costlier power equipment.Chapter 3 moves on to the heart of any successful organic farm;building the soil. "The Good Earth" brings readers down to earth, i.e., the soil. You'll learn how to evaluate and improve your soil with compost and cover crops and protect it from erosion, chemical contamination and other harm. The author also stresses the importance of understanding the complex relationship between underground soil organisms that play such a crucial role in natural plant health. The best soil, with the right balance of nutrients and a healthy population of microbes, will help your plants survive hardship, resist diseases and produce healthier more bountiful harvests, the author explains.Chapter 4 walks you through the steps needed to develop an organized farm plan. The chapter presents a convenient month-by-month overview of the farmer's year, offering a timeline and detailed instructions for sowing seeds indoors, transplanting seedlings, guarding against insects and weeds, harvesting, planting cover crops extending the season and developing a schedule for successive food crops. Whether you want to feed your growing family all summer long or produce enough food for a small-scale agribusiness, the information here is invaluable. This chapter also covers organic methods for harnessing the power of nature by luring beneficial insects that will help control farm and garden pests.Learn about heirlooms, hybrids, and eclectic vegetable varieties in the comprehensive directory of vegetable crops and herbs introduced in Chapter 5. Tomolonis reveals his favorite varieties, including many alluring heirlooms that have grown in popularity. Each crop description offers detailed information on soil preparation, sowing, companion planting, and battling weeds and insects without harmful chemicals. The author, a former produce manager for a national grocery chain, also includes tips for harvesting crops, prepping them for display, and bringing the goods to market.If you're looking for advice on fruits and berries, Organic Hobby Farms introduces new options in Chapter 6, where the author suggests ways to branch out with Asian pears, peaches, and apples, as well as nutritious blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries. As he does in other chapters, Tomolonis explains in common terms, how to choose the best varieties for your region, prepare the soil for maximum production, and deal with pests and diseases organically.Organic Hobby Farming also describes the basics of adding chickens to your farm;for wholesome organic eggs or pastured meat. Select the right breeds, raise a flock from day-old chicks and protect the birds from predators and pests the natural way. Tomolonis also delves into the fascinating world of apiculture in Chapter 8. He and his wife, Valerie, are avid beekeepers with hives that produce gallons of healthy unpasteurized local honey. In addition to bees, the book provides insight into keeping such small livestock as meat rabbits and dairy goats.Hobby farmers who want to turn their agricultural skills into a money-making operation will find practical advice in Chapter 9, which discusses commercial options. Learn how to sell your goods to local restaurants, at farmers' markets, or as part of a community-supported-agriculture (CSA) program. And, once you make a decision to turn commercial, you'll find advice in developing a business plan, crafting a mission statement, setting goals, and creating farm budgets. You'll also learn the myriad benefits;and challenges;of becoming USDA certified organic.Finally, Organic Hobby Farming steers you to multiple sources of additional information with an extensive listing of resources, broken down by subject and chapter. With Organic Hobby Farming, creative-thinking readers will learn ways to increase the profitability of their organic ventures. The reader can decide to transform his hobby farm into a specialty destination for heirloom varieties, organic raw honey, preserves, dried herbs, or a particularly desirable breed of heritage livestock.As Tomolonis states in the book's introduction, "eat safer, more nutritious food, learn about your soil and plants, support the local food movement and help save the planet;one acre at a time."

Download or read book Beef Cattle written by Ann Larkin Hansen and published by Fox Chapel Publishing. This book was released on 2011-08-23 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hobby Farms Beef Cattle: Keeping a Small-Scale Herd for Pleasure and Profit, written by Ann Larkin Hansen, serves as an excellent introduction to raising cows for food or simply to graze while mowing and fertilizing the pasture. This colorful guide offers experienced hobby farmers and beginners all of the essential information necessary to purchase and maintain a small herd of beef cattle. While managing her own hobby farm in Wisconsin, Hansen shares her expertise in all things farm and has authored numerous books such as Making Hay, The Organic Farming Manual, and Finding Good Farmland. In this comprehensive book Beef Cattle, Hansen corrals the hobby farmer into the world of cowboys and cowgirls: she begins, "Beef cattle are as much at home on the hobby farm as they are on the range." This colorful primer begins with the basics, from biological traits and breeds to behavior and life cycle, and describes exactly what's required for a hobby farmer to maintain a herd of cattle;the four F's;fencing, feed, fields, and facilities. Given the expense involved in the purchase and maintenance of beef cattle, all hobby farmers will welcome Hansen's sound and sensible advice on buying the right cattle, whether steer calves for meat or breeding stock for building up a herd. The buying chapter helps farmers focus on what to look for when selecting cattle; how cows, heifers, and bulls are priced; where to purchase; and how to get cattle to your farm. The feeding and nutrition of cattle is a complicated topic, and Hansen breaks it down into the three basic components that every keeper needs to understand: pasture, hay, and grain. With directness and clarity, she explains the ins and outs of grazing, selecting ideal foodstuffs, using salt and minerals, and maintaining good weight on the herd. The reader can rely on her expert advice to learn the fundamentals of handling cattle, including herding, loading, and transporting cattle, as well as keeping beef cattle healthy through preventive methods, vaccinations, parasite control and veterinary assistance. For hobby farmers planning to breed their livestock, Beef Cattle includes a chapter on pairing cows and heifers, the actual breeding, artificial insemination, the care of pregnant cows, calving, caring for the young, and weaning calves. The final chapter of the book "Marketing and Processing Your Cattle" is geared toward hobby farmers looking to get beef processed, grade meat, and sell the final product. Sidebars of fun trivia, stories from farmers, and useful advice appear throughout the handbook. A glossary of over 100 terms; an appendix of health issues; a resource section of useful websites, books, and periodicals; and a detailed index complete the book.

Download or read book Compact Farms written by Josh Volk and published by Storey Publishing. This book was released on 2017-02-07 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Small is beautiful, and these 15 real farm plans show that small-scale farmers can have big-time success. Compact Farms is an illustrated guide for anyone dreaming of starting, expanding, or perfecting a profitable farming enterprise on five acres or less. The farm plans explain how to harness an area’s water supply, orientation, and geography in order to maximize efficiency and productivity while minimizing effort. Profiles of well-known farmers such as Eliot Coleman and Jean-Martin Fortier show that farming on a small scale in any region, in both urban and rural settings, can provide enough income to turn the endeavor from hobby to career. These real-life plans and down-and-dirty advice will equip you with everything you need to actually realize your farm dreams.

Download or read book A Small Farm Future written by Chris Smaje and published by Chelsea Green Publishing. This book was released on 2020-10-21 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A modern classic of the new agrarianism "Chris Smaje...shows that the choice is clear. Either we have a small farm future, or we face collapse and extinction."—Vandana Shiva "Every young person should read this book."—Richard Heinberg In a groundbreaking debut, farmer and social scientist Chris Smaje argues that organizing society around small-scale farming offers the soundest, sanest and most reasonable response to climate change and other crises of civilisation—and will yield humanity’s best chance at survival. Drawing on a vast range of sources from across a multitude of disciplines, A Small Farm Future analyses the complex forces that make societal change inevitable; explains how low-carbon, locally self-reliant agrarian communities can empower us to successfully confront these changes head on; and explores the pathways for delivering this vision politically. Challenging both conventional wisdom and utopian blueprints, A Small Farm Future offers rigorous original analysis of wicked problems and hidden opportunities in a way that illuminates the path toward functional local economies, effective self-provisioning, agricultural diversity and a shared earth. Perfect for readers of both Wendell Berry and Thomas Piketty, A Small Farm Future is a refreshing, new outlook on a way forward for society—and a vital resource for activists, students, policy makers, and anyone looking to enact change.

Download or read book Ultimate Guide to Hobby Farm Animals written by Sue Weaver and published by Fox Chapel Publishing. This book was released on 2023-07-17 with total page 786 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: · Extensive sections devoted to the seven major farm animals, including profiles of the most popular breeds and varieties · Detailed how-to chapters on the care, handling, feeding, health, and safety of each animal · Special chapters devoted to the breeding and raising of young animals · Recommendations for ways of capitalizing on your livestock's output, from selling eggs, milk, fiber, and so forth · Tips for troubleshooting potential problems and warding off diseases, parasites, and predators · New edition vetted and updated by Dr. Mark McConnon DVM, hobby farm professionals and veterinarians for the most up-to-date information available on the market for shelter, care, health, medicine, nutrition, behavior, marketing, and profit

Download or read book Small Cattle for Small Farms written by Margo Hayes and published by CSIRO PUBLISHING. This book was released on 2016-01-21 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Small cattle breeds are manageable to control and care for and perfect for lifestyle blocks and small farms. They can be bred commercially for beef but their docile temperaments and small size also make them especially suitable for hobby farms. As more people have turned to the country for a 'tree change', interest in these breeds has grown tremendously. In this new edition of her popular book Small Cattle for Small Farms, award-winning cattle breeder Margo Hayes provides practical and easy-to-understand information for people interested in keeping small cattle for a range of reasons. The book assumes no prior experience with cattle and covers all the basics to help you set up an enjoyable and viable small farm, including: types of cattle and production systems available, how to select your stock, explanations of equipment required and basic cattle husbandry. It contains simple explanatory diagrams and photographs to make new concepts clear. With new and expanded sections on small cattle breeds, genetics and breeding systems, this second edition competently addresses questions asked by those entering small farming for the first time while providing a solid reference for those already in the industry. Detailed guidelines for raising healthy cattle through good nutrition, land management and herd monitoring are provided, in addition to tips for showing and marketing your cattle and up-to-date government requirements for land and stockowners.

Download or read book Making Your Small Farm Profitable written by Ron Macher and published by Storey Publishing, LLC. This book was released on 2010-11-18 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Turn your farm into a cash cow! Ron Macher offers a host of simple strategies for increasing your farm earnings, from purchasing durable equipment to growing economically viable crops. A seasoned expert in farm efficiency, Macher shows you how to locate a lucrative niche market for your products, optimize sales, and minimize costs. Whether you’re buying a new farm or jump-starting an old one, Macher’s savvy tips will help you turn your enterprise into a profitable business.

Download or read book Hobby Farms Rabbits written by Chris McLaughlin and published by Fox Chapel Publishing. This book was released on 2012-01-10 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rabbit raisers will keep their rabbitries hopping and happy with the advice found in Rabbits, a Hobby Farm book. Rabbit breeder and exhibitor Chris McLaughlin offers years of experience and guidance on the many aspects of raising rabbits on a hobby farm, a livestock choice she considers perfect due to the limited space rabbits need to thrive. Whether the reader is raising rabbits for pets, fiber, or meat, there is much solid information and useful advice to be found in the pages of Rabbits. From the natural and cultural history of rabbits to selecting and purchasing of the right rabbits for a small farm, this book is both practical and enlightening. Individual chapters focusing on housing and feeding, behavior and handling, health care, and breeding and raising young make this an indispensable choice for all rabbit keepers. Handsomely designed with color photographs throughout, Rabbits also offers sidebars of helpful tips, fun anecdotes, and quotes from hobby farmers that prove entertaining and edifying. The final chapter of the book, "Making Money with Rabbits" discusses how to turn the rabbit-raising business profitable through producing show and pet rabbits, wool/fiber rabbits, rabbit manure, and rabbit meat. Resources include a glossary of terms and a catalog of associations, books, periodicals, and websites. Fully indexed.

Download or read book Chickens 2nd Edition written by Sue Weaver and published by Fox Chapel Publishing. This book was released on 2011-08-23 with total page 279 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hobby Farms Chickens: Tending a Small-Scale Flock for Pleasure and Profit is geared toward the hobby farmer looking to begin his or her own flock of chickens on a small farm or even backyard. Author Sue Weaver, who keeps various exotic breeds and countless barnies on her farm, is an expert on all things livestock and an avowed chicken fanatic. This photo-filled guide begins with "Chickens 101" and details the physiology of chickens, members of the Phasianidea family, providing beginning hobby farmers with a basic education in the chicken's unique physical makeup (from wings and feathers to beaks and digestive tracts), behavior, mating, and its unexpected high intelligence. The author offers advice on choosing the right types of chickens to get started: meat, egg, or dual purpose, or maybe even "just for pets." The book is an excellent resource for selecting which breed of chicken is best for the hobby farmer, based on the birds' traits, such as aggression, personality, noise factor, tolerance for heat, confinement, cold, etc. Chickens also provides information on selecting or building a suitable chicken coop for the hobby farmer's brood, outlining the basic requirements (lighting, ventilation, flooring, waterers, insulation, safety, and so forth). A detailed chapter on feeding chickens offers essential guidance on nutrition, commercial feeds, supplements, and water requirements. For the chicken hobby farmer looking to start with a clutch of baby chicks (from his own hen or an outside source), the author provides excellent info on incubators and hatching as well as all of the accommodations and preparation required for hens in the nest box. A chapter on selling eggs and broilers provides timetables, requirements, and dos and don'ts to get a hobby farmer's business off on the right foot. All chicken keepers will find the chapter on health of particular value, with expert advice on preventing common problems and dealing various maladies and diseases. Much detailed information about all of the topics in the book is encapsulated in sidebars. A glossary of over 125 terms plus a detailed resource section of chicken and poultry associations, books, and websites complete the volume. Fully indexed.

Download or read book Beef AgSkills written by Jennifer Laffan and published by NSW Agriculture. This book was released on 2011-10-05 with total page 80 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Beef AgSkills provides a basic guide to some of the skills and practices of beef production. The book contains step-by-step instructions, diagrams, and full-colour pictures. Some of the skills included are: · Drafting and counting cattle · Vaccinating · Heat detection · Problems with calving · Dehorning calves

Download or read book The Suburban Micro farm written by Amy Stross and published by . This book was released on 2018-03-19 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reduce your lawn and your grocery budget. Take gardening to the next level! Would you like to grow healthy food for your table? Do you want to learn the secrets of farming even though you live in a neighborhood? Author Amy Stross talks straight about why the suburbs might be the ideal place for a small farm. In these pages you'll learn: How to make your landscape as productive as it is beautiful Why the suburbs are primed with food-growing potential How to choose the best crops for success Why you don't need the perfect yard to have a micro-farm How to use easy permaculture techniques for abundant harvests If you're ready to create a beautiful, edible yard, this book is for you. The Suburban Micro-Farm will show you how to grow your own fruits, herbs, and vegetables even on a limited schedule. From seed to harvest, this book will keep you on track so you feel a sense of accomplishment for your efforts. You'll learn gardening tricks that are essential to success, like how to deal with a 'brown thumb', how to develop and nurture healthy soil, and how to manage garden pests. Although this book has everything a new gardener needs to get started, experienced gardeners will not be disappointed. With helpful tips throughout, you will love the in-depth chapters about permaculture and making money on the micro-farm.

Download or read book Urban Farming written by Thomas Fox and published by Fox Chapel Publishing. This book was released on 2011-06-07 with total page 417 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It doesn't take a farm to have the heart of a farmer. Now, due to a burgeoning sustainable-living movement, you don't have to own acreage to fulfill your dream of raising your own food. Hobby Farms Urban Farming, from Hobby Farm Press and the same people who bring you Hobby Farms and Hobby Farm Home magazine, will walk every city and suburban dweller down the path of self sustainability. Urban Farming will introduce readers to the concepts of gardening and farming from a high-rise apartment, participating in a community garden, vertical farming, and converting terraces and other small city spaces into fruitful, vegetableful real estate. This comprehensive volume will answer every up and coming urban farmer's questions about how, what, where and why;a new green book for the dedicated citizen seeking to reduce his carbon footprint and grocery bill.

Download or read book Sandor Katz s Fermentation Journeys written by Sandor Ellix Katz and published by Chelsea Green Publishing. This book was released on 2021-11-09 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From James Beard Award winner and New York Times–bestselling author of The Art of Fermentation: the recipes, processes, cultural traditions, and stories from around the globe that inspire Sandor Katz and his life’s work—a cookbook destined to become a modern classic essential for every home chef. "Sandor’s life of curiosity-filled travel and exploration elicits a sense of wonder as tastes, sights, and smells leap off the pages to ignite your imagination."—David Zilber, chef, fermenter, food scientist, and coauthor of The Noma Guide to Fermentation "Sandor Katz transposes his obsession with one of mankind’s foundational culinary processes into a cookbook-cum-travelogue."—The New York Times “Fascinating and full of delicious stuff. . . . I’m psyched to cook from this book.”—Francis Lam, The Splendid Table For the past two decades, fermentation expert and bestselling author Sandor Katz has traveled the world, both teaching and learning about the many fascinating and delicious techniques for fermenting foods. Wherever he’s gone, he has gleaned valuable insights into the cultures and traditions of local and indigenous peoples, whether they make familiar ferments like sauerkraut or less common preparations like natto and koji. In his latest book, Sandor Katz’s Fermentation Journeys, Katz takes readers along with him to revisit these special places, people, and foods. This cookbook goes far beyond mere general instructions and explores the transformative process of fermentation through: Detailed descriptions of traditional fermentation techniques Celebrating local customs and ceremonies that surround particular ferments Profiles of the farmers, business owners, and experimenters Katz has met on his journeys It contains over 60 recipes for global ferments, including: Chicha de jora (Ecuador) Misa Ono’s Shio-koji, or salt koji (Japan) Doubanjiang (China) Efo riro spinach stew (Nigeria) Whole sour cabbages (Croatia) Chucula hot chocolate (Colombia) Sandor Katz’s Fermentation Journeys reminds us that the magical power of fermentation belongs to everyone, everywhere. Perfect for adventurous foodies, armchair travelers, and fermentation fanatics who have followed Katz’s work through the years—from Wild Fermentation to The Art of Fermentation to Fermentation as Metaphor—this book reflects the enduring passion and accumulated wisdom of this unique man, who is arguably the world’s most experienced and respected advocate of all things fermented. "This international romp is funky in the best of ways."—Publishers Weekly More Praise for Sandor Katz: “[Katz is the] high priest of fermentation.”—Helen Rosner, The New Yorker "His teachings and writings on fermentation have changed lives around the world."—BBC “The fermentation movement’s guru.”—USA Today “A fermentation master.”—The Wall Street Journal

Download or read book Hobby Farming For Dummies written by Theresa A. Husarik and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2011-04-04 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do you long for the country life? Hobby Farming For Dummies is a practical guide that will show you how to handle all the basics of small-scale farming, from growing healthy crops to raising livestock and managing your property. You'll see how to decide what to farm, provide shelter and utilities, select plants, and protect your investment. It's all you need to dig in and start growing! You’ll get a real idea of what it really means to jump from your current lifestyle to a life farming in the countryside. You’ll get the information you need to decide if the farming lifestyle is right for you and your personality. You’ll learn everything you need to know about property and how to access a power supply. You’ll get practical advice on which animals would work best for your farm and you’ll learn how to acquire them and what you need to know about caring for them properly. You’ll get help with all of the major decisions like whether you’re better off with subsistence farming or a more ambitious project. Find out how to: Make from change to a farm lifestyle Get along with your neighbors Find and buy rural properties Select and maintain equipment Raise and care for animals Use and preserve food items Avoid common farming pitfalls Choose plans for your farm Complete with lists of the ten unique opportunities for fun and the top ten misconceptions about farm living, Hobby Farming For Dummies will help you discover how you can live the simple life.