What Is Hydraulic System

This is certainly more involved—for example, you might have to dig a trench big enough for a downhill pipe, and then bury the pipe while keeping the ends free of obstructions and debris—but this can be a more long-term solution for eliminating troublesome...

Spray repellent, fly masks and leg wraps help reduce contact but are not a solution. The active ingredient, cyromazine, safely passes through an animal's digestive system and is excreted in the manure, where it damages the nervous systems of fly larvae.

When it comes to wild farming, Eliot Coleman said it best: “The only truly dependable production technologies are those that are sustainable over the long term. Monocultures, such as fields of corn and soy, are dangerous to the ecosystem.

If possible, buy a live, balled and burlapped tree to plant outside when you're finished with it. You have options of how you want to sell your trees: directly from your farm as already-cut or cut-your-own trees, through a farmers market or similar local...

Once you decide to work cooperatively, you are entering the world of meetings and committees. Supply Cooperatives The most widespread form of agricultural cooperatives—and one that often requires only that you join an existing organization—is an agricultural...

As fibrous roots and taproots decay, their space remains, offering a pathway for air and water to penetrate deep into the seedbed, making way for the next set of roots to grow. In addition, UNL's study showed that with a bare sand and silt loam soil,...

At the same time, hay shortages have become a way of life. Outdoor Storage If the hay storage area is open on one or more sides, or if it's a shed with only a roof, cover the fully-cured hay with a tarp to keep out weather and light.

It may be the start of a productive relationship with unusual benefits. Some people use birch bark to make baskets. Traditionally, farmers kept woodlots for timber and firewood supplies, for use as fencing materials, or for producing other products, such...

Pig manure (feces and urine) contains all 13 of the nutrients required by plants , so a stand of alfalfa should grow well, thereby improving soil health in a hog-spent area. Harrowing will do even more to this end—remember, pigs tend to choose “toilet”...

It's hard when problems arise to find others with the expertise to help. He started at the age of 17 on the insistence of his grandfather who– concerned that he was going to turn into a ne'er-do-well teenager–managed to get him interested in the aquaculture...

If done the right way, freshwater fish farming can be a great value-added opportunity for your hobby farm. Then pick up the November/December 2011 issue of Hobby Farms for more complete information on starting an aquaculture operation with catfish or...

Young seedlings can even be transplanted with success, and taking a permaculture-preservation approach to a tree that some regard as a nuisance plant could prove to be beneficial for the thrifty pig farmer.

Radishes Radishes might be the perfect intercrop. Lettuce Both head lettuce and cut lettuce are ideal intercrops. This isn't hard with baby greens and lettuces that bring in a high yield per square foot, but it can be a challenge for longer-season crops...

Find a satellite image of your property on Google Maps, then print it and draw your garden on the printed page. Get more growing advice from HobbyFarms.com: 7 Steps to Healthier Soil 10 Natural Fertilizers to Improve Crop Production Infographic: Mulch...

It is, after all, where our bread and butter come from, both literally and figuratively. If you take Steiner's lectures as the foundation, a very complete, beautiful picture emerges.” He's been a Biodynamic farmer since 1983 and believes that in order...

Can I easily pick manure from the footing material? Keeping livestock during the muddy season is true test of mettle. If you have a solid boundary, such as wood-plank fencing or woven-wire fencing, you might run an electric wire around the inside top...

But for farmers committed to it, the economic and environmental benefits are tremendous. Economics are the most attractive benefits of silvopasturing. “And the fertilization that is commonly done as part of pasture management will also benefit the trees.”...

They combat weeds with good, old-fashioned tilling rather than by applying herbicides, and they nurture diverse crops to reduce the need for pesticides. I think what's good for the environment is good for us; we also think the flavor is better.” For...

“Overstocking is the primary cause of water-quality contamination on small livestock farms,” Bradley says. In regard to pathogen concerns, stockpiling doesn't offer the same high-heat benefits of composting.

To block prevailing winds in the cold months, plant a hedgerow out of perennials, or leave annuals standing in place. Breeding in the field simply means that you select the best plants from the garden plots each year.

Grassland birds are a cornerstone of Great Plains ecology. Provide a refuge for grassland birds on your farm with these field-management techniques. Here are a few ways to promote grassland bird habitat on your farm without hampering your farm's production.

Water can play a role in your animals micronutrient intake if it has a high mineral content, but as necessary as it is, it can cause problems if not clean. After the trough is sprayed down, pour in a small amount of dish soap.

And keeping cows on pasture for as long as possible keeps farm costs low without sacrificing the animals' comfort. I always wanted a couple of cows. Rotate cattle into the warm-weather pasture when temperatures reach 70 to 95 degrees F —the grass should...

The uneven surface and suction action of mud can injure horses and pull their shoes, too. In nature, horses spend 13 to 18 hours per day grazing, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service's “ Missouri Pasture Management Guide for Horse...

Vertical gardening—an excellent way to take advantage of limited garden space—is often more identified with urban locales where residents have no choice but to grow up, not out.

Pick up The New Horse Powered Farm and Horse-Powered Farming for the 21st Century , by Stephen Leslie. It evokes a certain nostalgia for a simpler time, it embodies bucolic life, and for those of us seeking to improve our sustainability, they are essentially...

“You need to record basic crop-production information, such as acreage amounts, yield per acre and total yield by crop of field,” he says. Nonetheless, as any successful farmer knows, it's just as important to keep accurate records of your crop and...