Agriculture & Farming

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 is a collection of insights about coexisting with wildlife while trying to maintain a farm.

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.

Corn saved the Pilgrims and has since grown into a huge industry.

American farmers got soybeans from China originally, but now soybeans raised in the USA are being sent to China in spectacular volumes

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.

Wool is used to make clothes, bedding and insulation. It's renewable and recyclable. Wool is a wonder natural fabric that keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer.

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, a fuel, a building material, and an insect repellent. It's also used to produce a biogas and paper and to play games. Other organisms use the dung as well.

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.

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 are a recently new breed of sheep in Australia that were developed in South Africa. They are becoming very popular for their meat and their 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 any questions about how to raise them yourself as meat birds in your own back yard, this guide will certainly answer any questions you may have about the breed.

Do you want to get goats? 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 advantages compared to chemical control, such as being safer for humans and the environment. It also has disadvantages. Integrated pest management may be useful in some cases.

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

Learn about an efficient way to manage free-range chickens

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 is shown and list of materials. 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.

Raising Nigerian Dwarf goats for milk has become increasingly popular among small farmers. These little goats are excellent milkers and easier to handle than most breeds.

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.”  (A castrated horse is a gelding, a castrated male cow is a steer, and a castrated rooster is a capon.)  Caponizing used to be a...

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 chickens in your backyard is fun! They are one of the most maintenance-free pets. Their daily requirements mainly consist of feeding and watering. And if you do this they give you a reward, an egg! But to keep your chickens healthy and...

Heritage sheep breeds are good choices for small flocks because they are typically hardier and more self-sufficient than many commercial breeds. Unfortunately, many heritage breeds are now rare. Keeping a flock of heritage sheep not only offers the...