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This won't help you now, but next year towards August and September, plant some winter wheat and rye grasses for the goats. If your goats are still going out to pasture then they're probably finding clover and fescue to eat right now, so they're likely not 100% reliant upon feed. I don't have...

Hello, I'm making some festive spoons and bowls out of peppermint candy. Everything looks great, but I can't get them to dry all the way. I gave them overnight to dry and they are still way too sticky. These are meant to be eaten, so I can't use a lacquer or anything like that. Any other ideas?

Some orchids are fussier than others, it just depends on what type you have. If the stems, leaves, and roots all look healthy and your only problem is that the buds haven't opened, then I think your problem is the temperature. If the orchid is next to a window, make sure it isn't touching the...

The use of drones can be incredibly resourceful for precision farming. They can be used to map the soil, observe the crops' condition, check for any pests and diseases, and more. And they can do all of that without trampling on crops or damaging the soil. A drone can go where it's tough for a...

It really saddens me and it's happening at a horrible time too. Some landlords around here won't let their tenants have a garden because they believe it's an eyesore and that it lowers the property value. That takes away a great resource the tenants could use to supplement their pantry.

@Kathy, that's great advice about starting with just one kind of animal. Issues that tend to throw first-timers are how to prevent overcrowding due to breeding, how to handle sickness, and how to handle slaughter.

Last month I bought two used gas-powered golf carts and I kick myself for putting it off for so long as they're incredibly beneficial. They're zippy and can fit in the tiniest of spaces without doing any damage to the plants. It can also hold lots of stuff. I think the max weight they'll hold...

Get a few things that move like a helium balloon or a pinwheel and attach it to the top of their run or coop. The movement should help keep hawks away as they'll think it's humans moving about. I used to have a small Wacky Waving Inflatable Tube Guy (real name) that worked well, so long as I...

Yes, definitely. The plants in the greenhouse would suffer greatly without the exhaust fans running and my hydro farm would falter without a running CO2 generator. Although I don't often use the heat, I like having the option for that as well. In California we have to use a CARB compliant...

Have you guys noticed an upswing in the number of people who run a hobby farm? It feels like there's a real movement to get back to our roots.

I turn my rosemary plants into festive wreathes and Christmas trees this time of year. They are hot sellers and they smell divine. I bet your tree is super cute, @Paul! Where did you find the ornaments?

I noticed the OP mentions sharing and I've wondered about that too. Has anyone tried going in with a neighbor to buy a piece of equipment that you'd both share from the start? I'm curious as to how it worked out. While I was in college years ago, we had an apartment that had community tools...

If you're interested in growing perennial vegetables on your farm, you should read Eric Toensmeier's book, Perennial Vegetables: From Artichoke to Zuiki Taro, a Gardener's Guide to Over 100 Delicious, Easy-to-Grow Edibles. It covers the vegetables that you can plant in your area that will...

I never thought about buying produce at the store and freezing it. Does that help a lot, @Andrew T? I buy a whole cow once a year and have it butchered up for the freezer if that counts. I stock up on paper supplies and drinks, but that's about it. Like @Smarty Plants I preserve what I can...

It's so tricky, isn't it? I'm happy to loan anything to any person once, whether you may borrow from me again depends on how well you did the first go around. So far, I haven't been burned badly. What about you, @William Van?

This time of year, it's poinsettias that bring in the most, though I buy them from a wholesaler and just finish them off, instead of growing my own.

You know, I never thought of New York as a state with rural areas, but of course they exist there just like anywhere else. I'm all for helping improve internet access, so it's good to see that the USDA is taking action to support those areas.

Californian here! It's been a rough couple of years with the relentless onslaught of fires and lack of rain. My family has been so lucky, because we don't live in those areas. My heart sure goes out to those that do. We use solar power for some of our operations and the upfront costs are...

I primarily farm cut flowers and I make products with flowers as well. Our livestock produces some of the raw materials I need to make my products. Right now we have chickens, ducks, goats, and horses on the farm. What about you?

Bees can be great producers on a small farm. Raising bees, chickens, and rabbits are doable, just about anywhere. Goats might require more caution because they will get out and cause trouble when not happy, so a good, tall fence is a must with them. You can minimize how much space you'd need...