Donkeys are well suited to work on smaller farms. Even a miniature donkey can pull a small cart of vegetables or firewood.
Livestock
Which Draft Animal is Right for You?: Mules
Mules are superb in low-input farm situations. The question is whether or not you are one of those special people who can get along with a mule.
Which Draft Animal is Right for You?: Horses
The horse has always been and still remains a great favorite with some who work with draft animals. It is widely in use among the Amish, and it has enjoyed the attentions of homesteaders and small farmers of all stripes in recent years. While heavy horses are the ones commonly thought of as draft horses, […]
Which Draft Animal is Right for You?: Oxen
Considering adding animal power to your farm? Many who seek sustainability in their fields love the idea of working with a living team that is not dependent on fuel and that can contribute to the fertility of the soil. Once you’ve weighed the pros and cons of draft animals in general, you are ready to […]
Cochin
If the American poultry keepers of today were to see the Cochin of the mid-1800s, they would hardly recognize the breed! The old Cochin was a tall, rangy bird with relatively sparse feathering on its gangling shanks. However, it had a beautiful ginger color that, combined with its impressive size and considerable laying ability, attracted […]
Brahma
The dignity and size of the feather-footed Brahma have made it a new favorite in America.
Black Star
The Black Star goes by a number of names, including Black Sex Link and Black Beauty, depending on the hatchery. It is not a pure breed, but rather a crossbred chicken produced by mating a Barred Plymouth Rock hen to a Rhode Island Red (or occasionally New Hampshire Red) rooster. The name “Sex Link” refers […]
Australorp
In the early 1900s, the Orpington breed was being refined in England for appearance and show qualities. But this was not the case in Australia. At roughly the same time, the Australians were hard at work shaping their Black Orpington populations into a dual-purpose chicken par excellence. To start with, the Australian poultrymen emphasized egg […]
Araucana
The history of the Araucana is very hazy. It is certain that the breed comes from the AraucanÃa region of Chile, where it was bred by the native peoples. However, no one seems to know for certain if the breed predates exploration by the Spanish or not. New research often directly contradicts old research. What […]
Top 10 Reader-Favorite Books
We love curating helpful reading material for country living enthusiasts! If you are looking for a variety of useful books on everything from starting a farming enterprise to planting crops to drawing horses, we highly recommend the Homestead Bookshelf as the place to find what you’re looking for. We have collected public domain classics, modern […]