Today the Cornucopia Institute issued an alert, calling to action its troops in support of organic and sustainable agriculture. Three bills have been introduced to Congress (HR 875, 759 and 1322), all designed to strengthen our country’s food safety system, but all falling short. 

Like the Organic Consumers Association, the Cornucopia institute was quick to point out that none of the bills are backhanded attempts from agriculture giants to cripple organic producers, as many have been led to believe. (Read HR 875: No Need for Alarm ... Yet.) But they do urge you to visit their website to read up on the bills, and contact your representatives to make your opinions known. As always, sample message wording and contact info for members of Congress are supplied — it will take a matter of minutes to make a big difference!

A what-kind-of toilet, you might ask? A composting toilet is an indoor toilet facility that processes human waste into a usable soil amendment. No odor is produced during the processing or in the final product. Composting toilets require no water and so are especially useful where water is unavailable or in limited supply.

So, the question is, do you have a composting toilet? If you do, what do you think of it? If not, would you consider installing one at your house? Post your answer in the comments section below.

Ogden Publications, the firm that publishes Mother Earth News, also puts out three “collectible” titles: Farm Collector, Steam Traction and Gas Engine. What you might ask are Steam Traction and Gas Engine? Well, there are folks who love nothing better than hanging around and collecting large engines and machinery, watching them huff and puff, and tinkering with their innards. For those devoted to steam- and gas-powered tractors and other farm equipment, these magazines and websites are a link to fellow enthusiasts all over the country.

Farm Collector magazine is just what it seems to be, a publication for those who are passionate about all things farm like – tractors, threshers, hay rakes, hoof clippers, wagon wheels, double-trees, barbed wire, etc., etc. Farm Collector also puts out an annual Farm Collector Show Directory, a complete guide to over 1,300 antique farm equipment shows in the U.S. and Canada.

If you have a curiosity about steam and gas engines, collect farm machinery and equipment, or love going to farm equipment shows, be sure to check out these fine magazines and their websites.

ISTOCKPHOTO/EKATERINA STARSHAYA

If you’re hoping to get a few hens to keep in your backyard and want to start with baby chickens, you can order through the mail from a poultry hatchery. But the minimum order is usually 25. It takes that many chicks to keep each other warm while they’re traveling.

You could order some hatching eggs and put them in an incubator, but some of the chicks that hatch will certainly be males. You could also order 25 pullets (females) and split the order with friends and neighbors. To find the variety you want, check out our Hatchery Finder.

But don’t forget to check your local farm store, such as Tractor Supply Company or Orscheln’s. You can order just a few chicks or ducks of a certain breed and gender. The chicks will come with a bigger order for the store. Farm stores and feed stores may also have chicks or ducklings available in the store, but the number of varieties is usually narrow, although there are often several breeds and hybrids to choose from. Depending on the store, chicks are available for several weeks in the spring.

Meyer Hatchery allows customers to order as few as three chicks. They include a heating pad and ship only via express mail. There are additional restrictions.

ISTOCKPHOTO/MARGITA BRAZE

The bill is designed to address inadequacies in our food safety system, but it doesn’t create controls specifically for filthy factory farms. Instead it applies the typical one-size-fits-all regulations on the entire industry, which almost always spells trouble for small producers who don’t have the extra funds to implement them. 

You can learn more about the bill, OCA’s stance, and tell your representatives that revisions are needed through this handy tool. Simply plug in your zip code and all the work is done for you! Speak out for organic farming.

Quick! If you want to secure grant funds for your farmers market, roadside stand, community-supported agriculture program, agri-tourism venture or related activity, you must apply to the USDA by April 27. 

The Agricultural Marketing Service has announced that $5 million will be available for these purposes through the Farmers Market Promotion Program. Take a look at these guidelines to see if you’re eligible.

PHOTO BY JENNA WOGINRICH

Spring is taking over Cold Antler Farm and all of us are happily surrendering to it. The snow is melting off the garden fences, the sheep are starting to hoof up green mosses and young grass, and the chickens are getting brave enough to hop down to the stream that was once blocked by snow. There are buckets and tubing on every sugar maple in the neighborhood, and with every spare minute I’m thinking about plans for spring chicks and new beehives.

Yes friends, spring is finally here. Time to start farming.

Regardless of whether your homestead is your backyard or a couple acres off grid, it's time to start planning for the spring. If you're looking into chickens and plan on ordering from a hatchery, take some time to find the birds closest to you. If you have a particular breed in mind (I'm looking forward to raising some Black Silkie Bantams) you can use the Mother Earth News Hatchery Finder to find the right birds at the right time for you.

You can start sowing seeds indoors for early crops like lettuces, peas and broccoli. And if you haven't already stepped outside, crossed your arms, and given your garden plot a long hard look — it's time to start planning where the bounty will begin. If you're new to gardening, don't be shy because you're in good company. Scads of new homesteaders and urban gardeners are taking the reins for the first time, and blogs and forums are heating up as they discuss big plans for new gardens. Sites like YouGrowGirl are a constant inspiration for me to get my fingernails dirty.

 Maybe this year is the year you'll start that new project? The rain barrel or compost turner you've secretly been eyeing in catalogs all winter may deserve a place in your budget. But before any dollars are spent on large purchases for your farm, make sure you use the elbow room spring allows to research exactly what you need. Save yourself the problems of returning items that don't work for you, or the disappointment of getting that prefab coop only to find it's 3 inches too wide.

 Most of all, enjoy these warmer days. Before you know it we'll be pulling off ticks and cursing the heat, so revel in the honeymoon while it lasts darlings.

ISTOCKPHOTO/Dave Hughes

An announcement from our friends at The Pew Charitable Trusts:  

LEGISLATION TO HELP CURTAIL OVERUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS ON FACTORY FARMS TO BE INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS

Chipotle CEO joins Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and leading antibiotic expert to discuss the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2009 

Nearly one year after the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production recommended that America reform the way food animals are raised, Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) will reintroduce on Tuesday, March 17, the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2009 (PAMTA). The bill will seek the withdrawal of antibiotics important to human health from use on factory farms unless animals are sick. Medical experts agree that the misuse of antibiotics in industrial farming directly contributes to a dramatic rise in antibiotic-resistant infections in humans. The news media have also weighed in on the issue, including in an op-ed today from columnist Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times. 

According to estimates by the Union of Concerned Scientists, 50 million pounds of antibiotics — nearly 70 percent of all antibiotics sold in the United States — have been used in food animals for purposes other than treating disease since PAMTA was last introduced two years ago. Antibiotics are commonly fed to entire flocks or herds in their daily feed or water to compensate for overcrowded, often unsanitary conditions and to promote weight gain, giving rise to new strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. At the same time, few new antibiotics are entering the market to take the place of ineffective ones. The Food and Drug Administration last approved a new antibiotic for humans in 2003. 

The Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming is joining the American Medical Association, the World Health Organization, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, and countless others in working to protect human health by eliminating the misuse of antibiotics in food animals. To learn more, visit www.saveantibiotics.org.   

The National Animal Identification System — what exactly will it mean for small- and medium-size farmers? By now you’ve likely heard our thoughts on the subject (in The Truth About the Animal ID Plan, and Speak Out Against NAIS), but here’s a number-crunching look at how NAIS will affect New York farmer Shannon Hayes, from yesterday’s op-ed in The New York Times.

“A place for everything, and everything in its place” was an old adage that many of us grew up with. It was one of those aphorisms so often quoted by earlier generations. But it is a fact that having the right storage facilities can improve the efficiency of our lives.

The same can be said for homestead animals — having a dedicated “house” for your chickens, goats or pigs will make their lives and yours easier to manage. One of my favorite small barn plans is the “Little Red Barn.” The main structure is 8 feet by 12 feet with a practical double door and gambrel roof. There is also the option of adding on an 8-foot by 12-foot shed to either side of the barn, making a total of 12 feet by 24 feet. This little barn is large enough to house a few hens and a couple of goats, with storage space for a small tractor, animal feed and a lot of hay bales.

A small barn or shed will provide cozy comfort for your critters, and the process of building the structure can be a great family project.

PHOTO BY DAN KIDD

Necessity is the mother of invention, so it is said, and Dan Kidd of Maine has proved the point with his successful home business.

Three years ago, Dan was installing an outdoor wood furnace and was using PEX plumbing lines, which necessitated the use of crimpers for connections. Since, he only needed to crimp two joints, it didn’t make sense to buy a crimping tool at a cost of over $100. Renting seemed like the best option. So off to town he went, accomplishing the task and returning the tool. The crimper worked like a champ, but a couple of days later Dan discovered he needed the tool again, so back he went to town and the rental shop.

It was at this point that Dan, owner of a machine shop, had an epiphany – why not fabricate his own PEX crimper tool? So he did! He started selling the PEX Pocket Crimper on ebay two and a half years ago and, according to Dan, they have sold like hotcakes. But the cherry on this home business sundae is the order from Home Depot for thousands of Dan’s Pocket Crimpers.

Who would have thought that a simple tool-rental experience could morph into such a successful home business? Do you have a home business success? If so, please share it in the comments section, below.

PHOTO BY FREDERICK J. DUNN

Understanding the traits of a particular breed of animal you're considering (dog, cat, cow or in this case, chickens) will lead to a much better experience in the end. Different breeds will be more or less successful in each situation.

The advantage of obtaining purebred stock is that you will be making use, in some cases, of hundreds of years of selective breeding. Each breed emerged for a specific purpose: appearance, melodious crow, propensity to fight, rapid weight gain or regular production of eggs. Some people even rear chickens for their colorful feathers that will be used by fly-tying enthusiasts. You wouldn’t get a teacup poodle to guard an estate, so why would you start with d’Uccles if your goal were productive farming?

I keep both ornamental and dual-purpose poultry. Ornamental birds are just that, nice to look at and be entertained by — or even to show in competition for those interested in the “poultry fancy." My recommendations for dual-purpose (meat and eggs) are traditional breeds: the Rhode Island red and barred Plymouth rock. Both (rocks and reds) are independent on open range, forage well, produce eggs in abundance and (if you choose) will make flavorful table fare. In fact, the ALBC hosted Renewing America’s Food Traditions blind taste test, and the barred Plymouth rock was most preferred. The “commercial” Cornish rock cross was least preferred.

I simply don’t have the space to introduce you to each breed of particular merit. For specifics on traditional breeds, visit the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC). They emphasize chickens with utilitarian value to the farmer/homesteader.

If you are a traditionalist and would like to support hatcheries which maintain heritage breeds, consider obtaining and keeping those on the “critical” list and unique to North America. Some North American breeds in the critical category (fewer than 500 breeding flocks in the United States) would be buckeye, chantecler, Delaware, Holland and Java. Even if you do not start and maintain your own breeding flock, your purchase will support those who do.

After you choose the breed of interest to you, I recommend two methods of obtaining your birds.  One is to purchase day-old chicks from a nearby hatchery or via the U.S. Mail. This method ensures a certain quantity of chicks. Another method is to purchase fertile hatching eggs and incubate them.

Incubating eggs is a wonderful learning experience.  If you intend to perpetuate your own flock, owning an incubator will be a sound investment. If you incubate eggs, you don’t need to start with 25 chicks, as is the case with most mail order hatcheries. I have reviewed several tabletop incubators and posted videos demonstrating their use on my website.

If you'd like to learn more about raising chickens, check out the DVD, Regarding Chickens.

PHOTO BY FREDERICK J. DUNN