Internal parasites are one of the most common problems encountered in animal husbandry, including livestock and household pets. In my experience, worms can quickly become a serious issue – living in a warm climate unfortunately means that the little worms are practically a year-round nuisance. Whether you use contemporary or natural dewormers, prevention and vigilant monitoring of parasites is key. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to get rid of all parasites completely without keeping your animals isolated in a glass bubble. Instead, I’m learning that the ideal goal is to have a farm that maintains only small,
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Many homemakers are returning to the basics and providing their family with natural products made at home. Families are making their own butter and cheese, growing vegetables, and making natural cleaners. If you want to add to this and have fresh ground flour for baking and cooking, you can grind your own wheat. The good news is that you don’t need massive muscles; there are many ways to grind wheat berries without over-exerting yourself. Why Grind Your Own Wheat? There are many good reasons for grinding your own wheat. First, it is more nutritious. Whole
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Installing safe, escape-proof goat fencing can be a big hurdle to overcome and should be one of the first steps to complete before bringing goats to the homestead. When I first got my three Nubian does, I thought that a three-and-a-half-foot, field-type fence would be adequate, due to their small size. Needless to say, I thought wrong, and my goats were more than happy to point out my mistake! Many escapes and ineffective patch jobs later, I finally caved and invested in some proper fencing. Had I done it right the first time, and expected
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“If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live. No more bees, no more pollination … no more men!”  - Albert Einstein On February 6, 2013, a village near Hopelchen, Campeche in Mexico experienced a critical loss: 1,500 colonies of honey bees completely collapsed. The bees vanished without a trace, leaving behind honey, the still-living queen, and their brood. For those in the industry, it’s just more of the same bad news. Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has struck again. This particular loss of bees
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As unlikely as it may sound, the unimposing tealeaf might be the answer to bioterror worries—most notably anthrax and ricin attacks. Researchers have already learned of green tea’s ability to protect against anthrax, and now, new studies indicate that black tea may offer a similar protection against ricin. Unfortunately, drinking a cup of tea cannot
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While the main purpose of your land probably depends on how much land you have available and what you are particularly talented at cultivating, almost everyone could stand to utilize spare space to bring in some extra income. In such tough economic times, looking beyond traditional means of income is increasingly important. Petting Zoo If you have a variety of animals on your land—or you would be willing and able to—consider setting up a small petting zoo. If you live in a remote area surrounded by farms, this may not be a viable option for
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While aisle after aisle in the average store hold hundreds or even thousands of baby products, many of these contain chemicals that pose a shocking risk to your little one. Rather than choosing store-bought products because it seems more convenient, there are easy home alternatives to most of the products that you can buy. Cloth Diapers Disposable diapers are a $7 billion-per-year industry, and parents who purchase disposable diapers can expect to spend anywhere from $1,500 to $2,000 on diapers in the first two years alone. Should your child take longer to potty train, that
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In three weeks, you may not be able to read this content free of scrutiny. You may not be able to read this content at all. The U.N. is holding a conference in Dubai meant to address Internet oversight. While there are plenty of benign agenda items scheduled for the conference, such as methods to reduce scams and Internet phishing schemes, there are some proposals that could have devastating effects on the way that citizens across the globe use the Internet. Commercial Ramifications Some proposals set to be discussed during the two-week convention are about
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Making your own lotion is simple and involves fairly common household items. It’s so easy, you’ll wonder why you never heard about it before! Not only is making your own lotion a fun new hobby to try, but homemade lotion can be a great gift, a cottage industry, or a special way to pamper your skin. What Is Lotion? You’ll be surprised that lotion is comprised of just three things: water, oil, and an emulsifier (something that binds water and oil together). Some people also like to add a thickener, natural scents, and colorants, and
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Remember that couch you bought in college that your spouse finally insisted had to be sold? You put it on Craigslist and sold it to a new generation of lowly college students. Unfortunately, it looks as if that may be a thing of the past. The government is working to pass new copyright laws that would prevent private citizens from being able to re-sell used items. The Case The U.S. Supreme Court is currently hearing a case that will help guide copyright policy in terms of selling used goods. For over a hundred years, our
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