September 2024 Edition
Articles personally written by hard-working homesteaders, farmers, guides, and builders who are the backbone of both Maine’s heritage and future.
Ghost pipe also known as Indian pipe and it’s many uses
Dive deep into the shady underbelly of Maine’s forests where ghost pipe, Monotropa uniflora, lurks as a devious freeloader, sapping life from innocent trees via fungal middlemen. Don’t be fooled by its eerie, ethereal glow; this perennial predator thrives in the dark, pilfering nutrients without a hint of photosynthesis. A touch of mystique surrounds its limited culinary and medicinal applications—handle with care, if you dare.
Ghost pipe also known as Indian pipe and it’s many uses Read Post »
Is this egg a DUD? Good egg vs. bad egg
You are here because you’re wondering: Is this egg is a dud? Well, you’re in the right place. We candle
How to Treat Chicken Lice & Preventative Care Tips
LAST UPDATED SEPTEMBER 12, 2023 Behavioral Indicators of Lice Infestation: Do my chickens have lice? Handle your birds often or
How to Treat Chicken Lice & Preventative Care Tips Read Post »
How to build a cattle panel high tunnel hoop house
Plans for: 6-foot wide, 12.5-foot long structure, that is 6-feet tall. The past few years, I have considered building a
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Getting started with quail
Getting started with quail is so simple, and we are offering a quick set up kit. We picked celadon quail
3 Easy to ID Edible Maine Mushrooms
Once again, it’s mushroom season in Maine. Periods of rain, foggy mornings, early frosts and insulative leaf litter summon the
How to tell a hen from a rooster in 7 steps
LAST UPDATED SEPTEMBER 12, 2023 Let’s tease out the best ways for how to tell a hen from a rooster. The
Rabbit Diet, Nutrition, and Affordable Feed Choices
Being a seasoned bunny owner, I can forget to tell folks how to (and how not to) feed their rabbits.
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Which autosexing breed is right for your farm?
We will be offering three autosexing breeds for 2023 to allow us to offer sexed day-olds locally of high production and dual purpose breeds.
Our Wedding Gift: Grampa Grant’s 1952 IH Farmall 350 Tractor
On the day Kevin and I married down by the duck pond on Hobbit Hill, by his sister, we were
Our Wedding Gift: Grampa Grant’s 1952 IH Farmall 350 Tractor Read Post »
How to put a leg band on a chicken
Leg bands are used for many reasons. This article will show you how to put a leg band on a
How to calculate hatch rates: counting your chicks before they hatch
Count your chicks before they hatch by calculating the number of mature birds with this in-depth, situation-specific formula.
How to calculate hatch rates: counting your chicks before they hatch Read Post »
First Year Garden: Breaking Ground & Soil Prep
Early this spring, we bush-hogged much of the overgrown brushy areas and a place for our first year garden. Time flew
Finding a Farm Sitter
LAST UPDATED JANUARY 21, 2020 It’s so hard to get away as a farmer. Each time we have, it’s been
Dairy Goat 101: What NOT to do
Here is your first Dairy Goat 101 tip: Learn how to milk a goat before you bring two goats home
Deathlayer Chickens
I was SO excited to start breeding Deathlayer chickens as our first auto-sexing breed! But, unfortunately, We stopped breeding Deathlayer
About the Celadon gene: Do quail lay blue eggs?
LAST UPDATED MAY 27, 2020 What makes a quail lay blue eggs? Coturnix quail which carry an uncommon, recessive gene,
Reducing Rooster Aggression: Training & Spur Trimming
First and foremost, reducing rooster aggression is to reduce risk of injury and change aggressive behaviors by getting to know
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Planning a Garden for Maine’s Climate
The featured photograph at the top is of my grandparents’ farm in Winterport, Maine. They are at the very heart of my
2019 Large Chicken Flock Thinning 101
We are cutting our flock down from it’s peak of 100+ mostly summer free-rangers to a selected 20 hens, and
About Celadon Quail
Tired of waiting for your chickens to lay eggs? Most chicken breeds take 21 days to hatch then another 6-8 months to lay eggs. Celadon quail hatch in only 17 days and start laying between 6-8 weeks old. Males can be harvested between 5-6 weeks as a food source.
Wild Maine Fox: Videos of Red Fox vs. Gray Fox
There are two wild Maine fox: red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). Foxes have keen eyesight and
Get more chicken eggs in winter with light and diet
LAST UPDATED JAN 6, 2017 If your chickens are anything like mine, they go on vacation near the winter solstice.
Get more chicken eggs in winter with light and diet Read Post »
18 things I didn’t know about goats… before it was too late!
Bucks pee on their own faces during rut season. The dank stank can be smelled 1/2-mile away and is impossible
18 things I didn’t know about goats… before it was too late! Read Post »
Quail egg and meat nutritional facts: a complete overview for your health
This article is based on widely-ranging research, peer-reviewed articles, trustworthy news sources, and curated for the sole purpose of education.
Quail egg and meat nutritional facts: a complete overview for your health Read Post »
The ancient beauty and lifecycle of Maine moss, lichen and liverwort
Moss, lichen and liverwort are ancient plants. In fact, they were the first to creep out of the preverbal waters
The ancient beauty and lifecycle of Maine moss, lichen and liverwort Read Post »
Collection, Storage and Care of Hatching Eggs
Hatching Eggs are different than Grocery Store Eggs LAST UPDATED JAN 30, 2018 I am asked on occasion if eggs
Hen or rooster, preparing for winter, and getting more eggs
How to tell the sex of your chickens, bump up that winter production, and thinning out your flock.
Hen or rooster, preparing for winter, and getting more eggs Read Post »
Did you know there are SIX species of weasels in Maine?
Maine is home to six weasels including fishers, martens, ermine, long-tailed weasels, mink, and river otters, each adapted to specific habitats within the region. Fishers, primarily found in dense forests, are active mostly around dawn and dusk and do not hibernate, preying on a variety of animals and occasionally nuts and fruits. Marten and mink, also forest dwellers, hunt both on land and in water, while ermine and long-tailed weasels display seasonal changes in fur. River otters, the largest of Maine’s weasels, thrive in aquatic environments. This diversity showcases a unique aspect of Maine’s wildlife ecosystem.
Did you know there are SIX species of weasels in Maine? Read Post »