Small square bales of hay don’t have to be the only option on your small farm or homestead! We’ll share how we feed round hay bales by hand without owning a tractor. Hay Basics I’ve come a long way from my suburban upbringing where I’m not sure if I could have told you the difference…
When our formerly suburban family bought a milk cow, the list of questions was a mile long! At the top of that list, “How in the world do we do this in the winter?” Since then we’ve learned a lot by visiting farms, working at farms, and keeping our own cows in the winter. So,…
Getting a family milk cow or milking animal sounds dreamy on your homestead, but is it really practical in this day in age? Don’t you need to milk twice a day? And what about traveling? Will I ever be able to leave? The answer – calf sharing! We’ll break down the in’s and out’s of…
While hand milking a cow may seem intimidating at first, after a few attempts it becomes second nature. We have found the cow milking process to be an enjoyable part of our daily routine and love the nourishment it provides to our family. Our Milk Cow Story We are suburban kids through and through. Until…
Having a family milk cow looks dreamy on social media. But what costs are involved – both in dollars and time – and is it worth it? We will break down the answer the question, how much does a milk cow cost? We were asking these questions about 3 years ago as we considered a family…
Rotationally grazing animals on a small scale is 100% possible! This post covers: What Is Rotational Grazing? Rotational grazing uses paddocks to rotate animals through a pasture. Paddocks are sections of pasture divided by fencing. Once a paddock is grazed it is left to “rest.” This rest period is essential for the regrowth of vegetation…
Cows are large animals, so is raising them on a small scale really practical? Our answer – YES! We’ll break down the factors surrounding the question of, “How many cows per acre?” and share how we raise cows on our 5-acre farm. General Rules of Thumb The general rule of thumb is 1:1. That means…
We break down the basics of everything you need to know about owning a family milk cow and the simple methods we use on our 5-acre homestead. If you are new to the idea of owning a family milk cow, you are not alone. But if our once suburban family can do it, so can…