ASK OUR HOMESTEADING EXPERTS!

April 25, 2008

A scythe is a long-handled tool used for cutting grass, grains, weeds and brush. It is an ancient harvesting tool, still used in some rural agricultural areas of the world. A sickle is similar to a scythe, but has a much shorter handle and is used with one hand, while a scythe requires two hands.

Scythes are enjoying a renaissance as people look for ways to eliminate the need for fossil-fuel-powered mowers. In addition to producing excellent “mowing” results, the use of the scythe is a great cardiovascular workout.

The Scythe Supply and The Marugg Company both sell scythes with custom handmade snaths (handles) of local wood and Austrian-made blades. The blades are available in different sizes for both grass and brush cutting. Both companies offer accessories, such as sharpening stones, and book and video instruction on sharpening and the correct use of the scythe.

For more information on the history and usage of the scythe, you can read the article “The Scythe” by the Scythe Supply founder Elliot Fishbein, and The Scythe Book, available on our shopping page.

April 2, 2008

We frequently use the term “homestead” and “homesteading” in articles in Mother Earth News. The term “homesteading” may be familiar, but its usage can cause some confusion as its meaning has changed over the decades. For years the word referred to a free government land program and the skills necessary for pioneer living. Today the word homesteading is more apt to refer to a lifestyle that promotes greater self sufficiency. To better understand all things homesteading, here is a very brief timeline of the common use of the term.

March 19, 2008

Medicated chick starter is aimed at a single disease, coccidiosis (intestinal parasites). This is a serious problem with brooder-raised chicks (it's unlikely to be a problem with hen-hatched chickens). I recommend that beginners use medicated chick starter because the symptoms of coccidiosis are often hard for beginners to spot, and your chicks can be permanently stunted or killed before you know what has happened. Wait until you've raised a few broods of chickens before giving up the training wheels that medicated starter provides.

Dan, this is a question commonly asked by folks who are beginning their new farm life. Making a living while trying to provide a sustainable life for your family is not as easy as it seemed on Little House on the Prairie.

Let’s break this down into pieces. Unless you are trying to do it all — farm with horses, milk cows and make cheese, cut your own firewood, make lumber and sell your crops at a local farmer’s market — there will be large chunks of time during the growing season when you are not busy with farm work full time. So the question might be, what kind of jobs are available that will give you the flexibility to be a farmer as well as provide some cash to pay the necessary bills.

Dairy cows and goats are both good choices for a homesteading family. Deciding which is best for your family will probably be based on the kind of pasture available and how much milk you want to deal with each day.

More people around the world raise goats than cows. Goats will eat a variety of foliage that a cow wouldn’t touch. While it is wonderful that goats will eat tough weeds and brush, it also means they will be more than happy to try to break into your garden and eat any and all of the plants you are growing as “people” food. Cows can also cause damage in the garden, but goats have a reputation for eating everything in sight.