Category: Animals & livestock

How to safely introduce new chickens into a flock

Photo by Julia Bayly For those of us with backyard chicken flocks, introducing new chickens into the mix can be…

October 11, 2019 9:00 am

The basics of raising angora rabbits for wool

Photo by Aislinn Sarnacki Angora rabbit wool is prized for its silkiness and warmth. Raising your own Angora rabbits for…

October 7, 2019 4:41 pm

This chicken flies the coop daily to lay an egg on her owner’s bed

Most chickens in small, backyard flocks live out their lives quite comfortably in and around their coops in the company…

October 1, 2019 4:43 pm

What are the best breeds of meat chickens?

If you're looking to raise your own meat, one of the most popular options for small homesteads or backyard farms…

September 26, 2019 2:13 pm

Proposed changes to federal pork processing rules could loosen food safety standards

When the Maine legislature approved the state food sovereignty law in 2017, they were told it ran afoul of federal…

September 24, 2019 10:01 am

Choosing a draft horse means matching the horse to the job

Long before there were mechanized tractors and trucks, the heavy lifting and pulling on farms and homesteads was done by…

September 23, 2019 3:56 pm

How to find herding dog breeders

Hobby farmer Fawn "Tarma" Richardson and her Australian cattle dog, Cooper, who helps herd sheep on Richardson's hobby farm in…

September 16, 2019 2:00 pm

In Maine, hummingbird banders track the migrating birds on their journey

Bob Yunick holding a hummingbird banding trip near Mooselookmeguntic Lake in early August 2019. | Photo by Jennifer Morgan Like tourists,…

September 11, 2019 3:00 pm

How to choose herding dogs

Fern, a border collie that herds sheep at Shalom Orchard Organic Farm and Winery. | Photo by Sam Schipani Whether…

August 20, 2019 9:00 am

What do llamas eat?

A member of the camel family, llamas are adapted to the harsh conditions of the high Andes Mountains, where they…

August 16, 2019 9:00 am

How to take care of baby quail

Baby quail. | Photo by M Segrist If you choose to add quail to your farm or homestead, raising your…

August 13, 2019 9:00 am

How to incubate quail eggs

Scott Huber, owner of Itty Bitty Farm in Columbia Falls, displaying differently patterned quail eggs. | Photo by Sam Schipani…

August 7, 2019 4:52 pm