Agriculture & Farming

Raising our most popular fish in open-sea cages makes salmon affordable but it also raises environmental and health issues.

This article discusses the anatomy of the corn plant, three colorful corn varieties and their uses, the three sisters garden method, and at-home corn processing.

Oats are useful plants that are a member of the grass family. Their seeds are known as groats or kernels and are used to create an interesting selection of foods.

Mangoes are succulent, aromatic fruits of the evergreen tree Mangifera indica, belonging to the Anacardiaceae family. There are over 500 varieties of mangoes grown in tropical regions across the world. Read on to know more about the mango tree.

From being the novel food of the Yangtze Valley civilization and a summer crop in the Harappan civilization to the staple diet of half the world, rice has traversed a long and eventful path in history. This article will take a look at the crop eaten more frequently around the world than any other.

This article will describe the process of phytoremediation and its associated techniques. It will also provide a list of five of the best plants for phytoremediation.

Kombu is used in many rich dietary traditions across the world. See why people are raving about this free-to-forage species of seaweed.

Permaculture communities work with nature, not against it.

This article discusses how cottonseeds are used in our products and daily life.

If you want to raise your own high-quality eggs and save money, read on to find out what to grow for feed and forage and how to manage your foraging areas.

Oft ignored, sometimes maligned, the humble leghorn is still the queen of the nesting box.

Follow these instructions and you'll know all you need to know to get started raising these amazing egg-layers

Humans use cow dung as a fertilizer, fuel, building material, and insect repellent. It's also used to make a biogas and paper and to play games. Some animals use the dung.

Alpaca and llama fibers are of the finest quality. Sheep wool tops today's animal fiber industry. So, what's different about the fleece of these herding animals?

The Plymouth White Rock Chicken is an excellent breed for beginning as well as seasoned chicken owners. They are a nice addition to any backyard flock because of their temperament and egg production

Discover the wonderful world of these amazing goats. They pack a lot of benefits into one small package. Maybe they are right for you!

Agriculture is often regarded as the human hallmark that allowed for the development of modern technologies. But recent evidence seems to suggest that it was more of a curse than a blessing.

A list of the English and Tagalog names of root crops commonly grown in the Philippines, from the juicy and crunchy jicama to taro, cassava, yam, and more.

How you approach the horse with the lead rope sets the tone for the rest of the day. Read on to learn more about safe practices and types of lead ropes.

Tempted to take your horse to a cattle sorting event–but concerned because he's never met a cow face to face? Here is a low-pressure, safe method to introduce your horse to cattle to ensure future sorting and penning fun.

The Dorper sheep is a relatively new breed of sheep in Australia that was developed in South Africa. The breed is becoming very popular for its meat and its full shedding qualities.

Raising animals for the purpose of human consumption appears to be something of a moral and ethical dilemma, and here's why: Animals including cattle, sheep, chickens, hogs, geese, ducks, goats, and all others are living, thinking, feeling beings...

Five chickens breeds that are weird-looking, interesting, uncommon and downright different.

My top five picks for egg-laying chicken breeds.

The Plymouth Barred Rock chicken is an excellent choice for backyard chicken coops.

Raising geese is a lot easier than you may think. The effort is well worth it especially if you use the natural tendencies of the geese to benefit you. Read on to learn about weeder geese, pet geese and security alarm geese!

Cornish Cross chickens were created to provide meat. If you have questions about how to raise them yourself as meat birds in your own backyard, this guide will certainly answer any you may have.

If you're considering getting goats, you may have questions. How do you choose a goat to raise? Read this summary of the many different goat breeds to find out which one suits your needs best.

Factory farming, or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), are inhumane and produce unsanitary and polluting conditions.

Biological pest control has important advantages compared to chemical control, but It also has some drawbacks. Integrated pest management may sometimes be useful.

The cow has always been very important to Africans. Here are some of the ways it is used in Africa.

Belted Galloways are rare and beautiful. If you have wondered about this breed for your heritage breed farm, or want to know more about these striking "Oreo cookie" cows, read on.

Try this recipe to reduce cases of scours and decrease calf mortality.

These easy, cheap-to-build waterers save both your back and time and are easy to clean. Our design and list of materials are shown. Self-filling, they make less work and give the chickens fresh water all day long, find out how.

Those on poultry forums know the excruciating question, "If you had to pick one breed what would it be?" After 40 breeds in four years, and I can confidently say it would be these wonderful Basque hens.

With spring already here and Easter only a few weeks away now is a good time to talk about caring for baby chicks. Many people buy chicks for Easter because of the symbolism of new life they represent, but then don’t have a clue what to do with...

The featherless chicken is a strange chicken breed that was created with purely commercial use in mind. As suggested by their name, these chickens don't have a single feather!

The Belgian blue is the bovine version of Arnold Schwarzenegger! Also known as the monster cow, individuals of this breed do look like they have undergone some serious steroid use!

Agriculture is one of the most widespread activities in the world, but it is not uniform throughout.

Neutering or castrating a rooster is known as “caponizing.”  This process produces what is called a “capon.” The castrated male chicken is typically more docile and calm, though some consider the procedure unethical and inhumane.

From the standard white Leghorn to fancy exotic bantams, chickens offer a wide variety of breed choices for the poultry enthusiast. What type of chicken do you like? Check out my chicken breed guide.

There is no hard and fast rule about how much water each chicken will drink in a day.  One thing is sure: chickens need an ample supply of fresh, clean water available at all times.  Their waterer must be clean of dirt and algae build-up,...

To be able to humanely kill a chicken quickly and without causing pain or distress is an important skill for anyone thinking of small scale farming.

Do you own chickens? If so, you are probably aware of what a rooster spur is. In the photo it shows my head rooster proudly strutting his stuff. Note the spurs sticking out the sides of his legs. Roosters have spurs for protection. They use them to...

Keeping your chickens clean will help them stay happy and healthy. Here are some tips on how to dust your chickens for parasites.

Have you ever wondered about which sheep breeds are rare or endangered? Here is a list of some unique sheep.