A Guide to Dogs on the Farm
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The magazine of modern homesteading & Small Stock Journal Volume 101 • Number 4 JULY/AUGUST 2017 PLUS: How to Use a Pressure Canner A Guide WELDING to Dogs on BASICS FOWL FALACIES EXPOSED the Farm BEE A GOOD NOTE TAKER Unique’s DC Solar Fridges Harnessts thehe sun -l- livivege grreeen!en! Unique’s nneeww solar powereddf fridge/ridge/freezers lead the wwayay in energy efficiencyyi inntn thehe DC rreefrigerfrigeration market. Designed ffoorro optimalptimal energy savings and easy, dependable use,U, Unique’nique’s ssolarolar refrigerators boasttt thehe woworld’rld’s lleadingeading DC cocomprmpressor (Secop/Danfoss), thick insulation throughout and LARGEST IN THETHE WORLD simple effortless controls. NEW! Unique 10 cu/ftDt DCCr refrigerefrigerator Unique 9c9 cu/fu/ftDt DCCr refrigerefrigerator Unique 16.6 cu/ftDt DCCr refrigerefrigerator UGP 290L1 B UGP 260L1 W UGP 470L1 Call us todayfor details andadealer near you! 1-877-427-2266 [email protected] www.UniqueOffGrid.com ©2017 Unique Off-Grid Appliances. All rights reserved. No power, no problem® is aregisteredtrademark of Unique Off-Grid Appliances. Never LoseElectricity Again! Ownthe #1 Brand in Home StandbyPower. 7out of 10 buyers choose Generac CALL TODAYfor Home Standby Generators to automatically provide electricity FREE Generator Guide, to their homes during power DVD, and Limited Time Offer. outages. GENERAC Home Standby Generators start at just $1,899.* *Price does not include installation. $695 BONUS OFFER! TOLL 017 FREE 877-200-6706 ©2 FreeGeneratorGuide.com 96758X I AM COUNTRYSIDE Show us what homesteading means to you! There are as many different reasons and ways to homestead as there are homesteaders today. Help us tell your unique story by submitting photos and short stories about your homesteading adventures. My name is Denise George. I was born and raised in Alabama. I am a wife, mother of four, grandmother of seven, piano teacher, horse lover (nine in our herd), mother to one very large dog, and two cats. I enjoy trail riding, hiking, camping, and exploring back roads ... camera in hand! And as I’ve grown older, I have become passionate about photography. In the last days of my mom’s life, she whispered to me to bring her wallet to her hospital bed. She instructed me to take what I needed to buy myself something I had always wanted ... a nice camera. It was her last gift to me and one that keeps on giving! I hope my photos make you smile. Follow Denise on Instagram @denise6217 Piper and Lizzy... they are inseparable! OPPOSITE: TOP LEFT: A butterfly feasting on Indian Paintbrush. I shot this on a camping trip to Texas hill country. TOP RIGHT: Each day when I feed our horses, I sprinkle horse feed on the fence rails for our Cardinals. We always have a crowd. They come flying when they hear my truck! BOTTOM: Mares in the mist, break of day. These old girls have seen many surprises. TOP: This bridge is on the property adjoining ours. I love how the light and early morning fog give an ethereal look to the scene! BOTTOM LEFT: The road to our barn on an early foggy morning. Email photos in JPG format to editor@ countrysidemag.com with “I Am Countryside” in the subject line Mail your entry to: Countryside, 145 Industrial Dr., Medford, WI 54451. To have your photos returned, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope Message us on Facebook: Facebook.com/iamcountryside Tag us on Instagram or use #iamcountryside: Instagram.com/iamcountryside WAYS TO SHARE: WAYS Countryside & Small Stock Journal retains the right to publish and/or reproduce any and all photos submitted. It’s summertime! Tulips blooming on a neighboring property. OPPOSITE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: My sweetheart (in the driver's seat) surprised me a few years ago with this 1952 Chevy farm truck. We are the same model! My hubby and Matt truck ... both keepers!; A local woodcarver has done some wonderful carvings on the old cedar trees at our local park; Our horses come running when they hear my farm truck pull up to the barn! July/August 2017 Contents 4 I Am Countryside ANIMALS & LIVESTOCK A final gift brings the joy of 60 Livestock Guardian Dogs photography. Learn why these working 10 Editor’s Letter animals can be a good choice. 12 Country Conversation & 66 A Guide to Parvo in Dogs Feedback Prevention is key to happy, healthy canines. GROWING 72 Blueberry Cinnamon Baked Dog Treats 18 Calendula: Nature’s Sunshine A homemade gift your furry Herb & More friends will love. 18 An easy-to-grow garden must have. 74 An Overview of Grass-Fed Beef Production 22 Migratory Insects Fly in Learn why this method can Stunning Numbers Above Us produce superior meat, flavor, The largest migration you and texture. will never see. 26 Explore Four Hydroponic Grow Systems for Beginners POULTRY Growing in water isn’t just for 80 Separating Fowl Falacies windowsill plant starts! from Fact Chicken myths abound. Know your facts. 50 FARM TO FORK 32 How to Successfully Use a Pressure Canner AFTER CHORES A comprehensive how-to guide 86 Just for Fun you’ll want to keep. 88 Almanack 91 Marketplace COUNTRY LIFE 94 Breeders Directory/ 40 How to Bee a Good Note Taker! Classifieds Keeping good hive inspection notes leads to better beekeeping. On the cover 60 HOMESTEADING 44 How to Turn One Acre Into a Productive Homestead Lots of land isn’t always needed for self-sufficiency. 46 How to Raise Crickets for Food These tiny insects pack a nice protein punch. 50 Top Nine Favorite Backyard Farmer Hacks No pricey gadgets required! Arco, a Great Pyrenees pup born in December of 2016, lives on a hobby farm in northern New Mexico. 56 A Guide to Welding Basics Imprinted on goats and poultry, he will grow up to be From the tools to their uses, half of a livestock guardian pair. In the meantime, he’s 74 what you need to get started. a sweet, independent, fluffy pup who enjoys exploring the farm and taking long naps in the sunshine. Melissa Willis evergrowingfarm.com @evergrowingfarm 8 || COUNTRYSIDE & SMALL STOCK JOURNAL COUNTRYSIDE :: A LETTER TO READERS A Summer Reading Spot I don’t know if it’s the nostalgia of childhood or just the beauty of life at its fullest, but summer is a favorite for me around our farm. Yes, it’s full of work, but it’s Volume 101 • Number 4 also a time for sipping some sun-steeped tea in my herb July/August 2017 garden and watching the birds, bees, butterflies, and insects as they enjoy my plantings. PAM FREEMAN Countryside & Small Stock Journal Editor, Includes Small Stock Magazine Founded I’m always fascinated by our pollinators. I make sure to Countryside 1917 by Wallace Blair and Countryside Magazine Founded 1969 by Jd Belanger create habitats for them. I have lots of blooming flowers and herbs. I maintain a hummingbird feeder that’s always full of activity. I leave watering spots for everyone. EDITORIAL And I make sure to hand-weed everything avoiding chemicals. Steph Merkle, Content Director [email protected] For my efforts, I’m rewarded with daily sightings like Pam Freeman, Editor the Tiger Swallowtail that’s pictured here. [email protected] I hope you’ve got a favorite summer spot and I Samantha Ingersoll, Ann Tom hope you’ll like reading this issue of Countryside Editorial Assistants while you’re enjoying that spot. CIRCULATION & MARKETING Ellen Grunseth, Marketing Director Inside you’ll find lots of information on [email protected] keeping livestock guardian dogs and working farm dogs. Plus a bonus recipe for making them Malisa Samsel some homemade treats. As summer harvests Publication Designer abound, learn how to pressure can your produce so ADVERTISING it can be enjoyed year round. If you’re handy in your Alicia Soper, Advertising Director workshop, grab some welding tips to make your projects successful. [email protected] Learn about how beehive inspection notes can lead to more efficient (715) 748-1388 beekeeping. In the poultry world, separate fowl fallacies from Kelly Weiler fowl facts. Pick up some handy farm hacks using commonly found [email protected] supplies and much more. (715) 748-1389 This issue is jam-packed with useful information you’ll find yourself Sue Lapcewich using again and again. Enjoy your summer! [email protected] (970) 392-4436 GENERAL MANAGER Mike Campbell Our Philosophy [email protected] At Countryside, our purpose is to inspire self-reliant living on any level. We acknowledge that the path to self-sufficiency is as unique as the person who accepts the journey. Countryside’s Main Homestead Countryside We strive to strengthen the homesteading movement by sharing the diverse voices and 145 Industrial Dr., Medford, WI 54451 knowledge of today’s practioners. www.countrysidenetwork.com We teach our readers how to grow and raise their own food; build, fix, and craft with their Subscriptions (U.S. funds): own two hands; and walk as gently on this planet as possible. $19.99 per year Countryside Subscriptions 580 Mallory Way, Carson City, NV 89701 Contact Us: 970-392-4419 Phone: 970-392-4419 Printed in the U.S.A. Fax: 1-715-785-7414 Countryside & Small Stock Journal (ISSN 8750-7595; USPS 498-940) Address: 145 Industrial Dr., Medford, WI 54451 is published bi-monthly by Countryside Publications, 145 Industrial Dr., Medford, WI 54451. Periodicals postage paid at Medford, WI and additional mailing offices. ©2017 Countryside Publications. Advertising office: [email protected] Countryside Publications is owned and operated by Fence Post Co. The views presented here do not necessarily represent those of the Editorial office: [email protected] editor or publisher.