Author

Julia Bayly

Julia Bayly, staff writer for Hello Homestead, has worked in print journalism for more than three decades covering the unique characters and life of northern Maine. When not wrangling critters on her Rusty Metal Farm, Julia travels the world seeking adventure and great food wherever she can find it. She loves dogs and chickens, tolerates cats, is unsure of ducks and does not trust goats.

Animals & livestock

How to safely introduce new chickens into a flock

Julia Bayly Oct 11, 2019 0

Photo by Julia Bayly For those of us with backyard chicken flocks, introducing new chickens into the mix can be tricky. There’s a lot more to it than simply opening the coop door, dropping the new hens in among the established flock and…
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News

Buyers of Maine firewood do have options when they feel cheated

Julia Bayly Oct 10, 2019 0

Whether delivered loose or stacked, there are strict Maine laws defining the size of a cord of firewood. In this 2018 photo at Rusty Metal Farm, the wood had to be stacked after delivery.| Photo by Julia Bayly Sarah and Seth Cottrell…
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News

There’s a new threat to cruciferous crops in Maine

Julia Bayly Oct 9, 2019 0

The tiny lava of the Swede midge can destroy cruciferous crops. For the first time the insect has been confirmed in Maine. | Photo by David Fuller State and University of Maine officials are warning farmers and gardeners to be on the…
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Rusty Metal Farm

Willingness to open land to hunters connects four new friends and some moose steaks

Julia Bayly Oct 7, 2019 0

Seeing moose like this is one of the many reasons to manage land for wildlife. | Photo by Julia Bayly I’ve lived in northern Maine for close to 40 years and I am still amazed by the land use laws that stipulate property is open to the…
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Animals & livestock

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

Julia Bayly Oct 1, 2019 0

Most chickens in small, backyard flocks live out their lives quite comfortably in and around their coops in the company of their feathered friends. But every so often you run across a bird that marches to the tune of her own, special drum.…
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Rusty Metal Farm

How a country garage sale earned more than a few bucks

Julia Bayly Sep 30, 2019 0

The first step in the Rusty Metal Farm garage sale was figuring out what various and sundry tools actually were. | Photo by Julia Bayly Hold a garage sale, they said. It will be fun, they said. You’ll make a few bucks, they said. …
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Animals & livestock

What are the best breeds of meat chickens?

Julia Bayly Sep 26, 2019 0

If you're looking to raise your own meat, one of the most popular options for small homesteads or backyard farms are chickens. But before you start your flock, take a moment to learn about the different breeds of meat chickens. Not all…
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News

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

Julia Bayly Sep 24, 2019 0

When the Maine legislature approved the state food sovereignty law in 2017, they were told it ran afoul of federal food safety laws when it came to meat and poultry processing. The original bill allowed municipalities to adopt an…
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Animals & livestock

Choosing a draft horse means matching the horse to the job

Julia Bayly Sep 23, 2019 0

Long before there were mechanized tractors and trucks, the heavy lifting and pulling on farms and homesteads was done by teams of draft horses. Draft horses are the largest of the equine breeds and can supply the power to pull and…
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Rusty Metal Farm

Friends are crucial if you live at the intersection of farming and wanderlust

Julia Bayly Sep 23, 2019 0

The Rusty Metal Farm chickens are not at all shy about looking for food or treats when they feel neglected. | Photo by Julia Bayly Physically, Rusty Metal Farm sits atop Maine along the Canadian border, but in many ways, it also sits…
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Rusty Metal Farm

It’s an international life here on Rusty Metal Farm

Julia Bayly Sep 16, 2019 0

Living on the United States-Canadian border is a truly international life. | Photo by Julia Bayly After living in far northern Maine for close to four decades, it’s easy for me to forget that life in a border town is a very novel…
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News

In Maine, the brakes are on for an easy mobile tiny house life

Julia Bayly Sep 13, 2019 0

One of the attractions of tiny houses is the ability to place the small structures on a trailer with wheels, creating a mobile — or portable — dwelling. This allows the occupants the option of moving whenever the mood strikes them. But…
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