Happy Valentine's Day from our family to yours and peace to everyone!

Our farm family contains a menagerie of animals, but nothing helps make it possible more so than our dogs. For our farm, we currently use two Livestock Guardian Dogs, also known as LGDs, and a herding dog. 

When we first started our farm, we battled little critters eatting our garden produce and rodents trying to get access to our feed. These were nuisances, but managable to some extent with more fencing, netting and other passive preventative measures. However, as our litte flocks and herds began to grow as a result of our successful breeding programs, another problem introduced itself, larger and more persistent predators that were creating losses that more significantly impacted our financial bottom line. 

First Came the Guineafowl
Some of our largest losses came from predatory birds, with hawks and owls presenting the largest problems, but the occasional eagle would also make an appearance looking for an easy meal. Our free ranging chickens took the first few hits, so we introduced guineafowl to help keep a watch on the skies. The guineas are excellent watchdogs, but they had one problem - the hawks would learn to attack them from in the trees and shadows where the birds didn't see them in time. The first couple of times, my position was, "This is nature and everything needs to eat." However, it soon became apparent that the predatory birds didn't always kill because they needed a meal, but often seemed to be killing for fun or sport. Unfortunately it became somwhat common at times to see the predatory birds attack, snapping off the heads of guineas and then leaving the remainder of the body behind. In addition, it all happens so fast, that even if you are in the field with the birds, there is little you can do. 

Return the Birds to the Coops and Reinforced Fencing
Our short term remedy for this was to keep all the birds inside their coops for a couple of weeks to train the predatory birds that the easy meal plan had been terminated, but this made our birds extremely unhappy, so we needed another solution. In addition, it was also nearing the time for our goat does to begin kidding and a newborn baby goat can easily be carried away by a large predatory bird. In addition, coyotes, feral hogs, skunks, foxes and other hungry, larger non-flying predators were also looking to feed themselves and their families. We employed goat panels with two more sets of wire fences with electric wire at the top surronding the kid pens, but if you've ever seen coyotes climb fences,  you know this is far from a fool proof solution.


Electric tensil wire does work well with predators in the cat family as they are more sensitive to the shock and will respect it. Sitting up all night watching for predatories is not really a viable option for most people and using poisons should be avoided at all costs - not only is it a risk to animals you do want, it's a horrible death and can also negatively impact other wildlife. So, what to do? This is when we decided to give LGDs a try. 

However, I always prefer to rescue dogs if at all possible, so our first find was an Anatolian Shepard/Pyrenees cross. When we first got her, she was covered in fleas, flea bites and mange. She was courageous, but almost too aggressive for my comfort level, so we began to socialize her. The "experts" will often say with a LGD that  you want to work in the field, leave them in the field at all times with the once a year exception of going to the vet. This is so the dogs will bond solely with the flock instead of attacking the livestock. For LGDs that  you want to keep as pets, take them with you everywhere and socialize them intensely. After working with the first LGD, I'm a little confused on this point. Perhaps our dogs are unique, but they are superb as pets and with protecting the livestock  - typically barking and chasing the predator is enough to prevent any problems, but they will attack if required. I believe that this is likey because centuries of breeding for that purpose are going to instill behaviors that run very deep. 

One note though is that with working LGDs, it is best to have at least two, if not more. There are many instances where a single LGD has been killed and eatten by a mountain lion and an aggresive pack of coyotes intent on getting to their target can be quite a bit to handle for a single dog. Therefore we started seeking a second rescue. It took a little while to find a fit, but eventually I received an email notifiying me of a rescue needing a home that sounded like it would be a good match for our family. 

One day when selling some of our kids, a lady came to our house and enthusiastically exclaimed, "Oh my goodness, you have a Maremma! Where in the world did you get her?" We had no clue what she was talking about, so we asked a few questions and did some research on the internet and then verified that we did indeed have a Maremma Sheepdog, a breed hailing from central Italy and used for centuries to guard sheep from wolves. She's an incredibly wonderful dog and we feel very lucky that she found her way to us. She's superb with livestock job, loyal and benevolent. She watches over all the animals including the smaller herding dogs as well as cattle and horses. She's fine with heat, snow, wind and rain. Whatever the world hands to her, she's fine with the situation and just grateful to have a home - which she never leaves unless you've asked her to go with you. We couldn't have asked for a better fit. 

Our Conclusion
The benefits offered by the LGDs were amazing. No more birds or larger livestock were lost again to predators. Even poisonous snakes were addressed, but somehow the benign ones are left alone - I have no clue how they understand the difference. They aren't herders and they aren't extremely active dogs. Mostly they nap or doze, but having an amazing hearing capability that allows them to hear things that other dogs never seem to notice. With the predatory birds, they also watch the skies as well as the ground and are amazing at making sure the birds move on the next easier target. 

I have some great photos somewhere of the dogs work with the livestock. Once I find them, I'll post a follow-up. 

Even if it's two more days until it is officially spring, it's springtime on the farm and babies have either arrived or are on the way. What a better way to celebrate - and take a break from all that gardening and tending to animals than a quick and cute video of a couple of baby goats a week old, figuring out how their little bodies work - with a couple of "learning accessories  added to their play yard. Hope you enjoy it.

Winter means different things to different people depending upon their geography. However, even in the deep south, cold fronts - sometimes earlier or more intense than anticipated - can unexpectedly freeze unprotected pipes or cause a deluge of rainfall to be lost when trying to collect rainwater because of gutters full of leaves.

So, be sure to take a few minutes and walk through your property to see what might need attention. Items to take a look at include:

This summer we had twin baby girl goats decide they wanted to join the world in time to celebrate the fourth of July. Usually all of our kid raising is much farther along by this time of year, but the does' breeding was not successful on the first attempt and so on a cold day in February we found her amendable to another date. Fast forward five months and we arrived home one recent evening to the two little girls already cleaned up and ready to meet the world. 

They are just over a week now and busy exploring their world, a part of which includes learning how to drink milk from a bottle. There are additional details on the Life Slice website about how to bottle feed a baby goat. Also included is a video on the page, or you can also access it on the Life Slice You Tube channel. However, in the meantime, I'd like to share some photos of Cleo wishing she had hands. Happy Friday!

 With the onset of June many areas begin to experience the stress of summer heat. The heat stresses gardens and animals, so a few preparations now will save panicking later in the summer.

1. Ensure animals have an abundant and consistent supply of water.
Allowing your animals to go for even short periods of time without access to water not only causes them to stress as a least worst case scenario, it will impact egg production, milk productions and growth rates. 

Automatic waterers/drinkers are a huge help, but be sure to check them frequently. Small ones, such as those used for poultry, can be easily bumped and accidentally turned off. In addition, malfunctions do occur. Be sure to dump out and clean the drinking fountains frequently, as the heat of summer promotes algae growth as well as minimize mosquito larvae. A scrub brush kept at various water stations will help ease the task. Check pipes, hoses, connections and floats to ensure proper operation. 

Larger waterers such as those for goats should be dumped and scrubbed frequently. Toilet bowl brushes work great for this. 

The use of barley straw in burlap bags works well to control algae. Commercially known as Stock Tank Secret, they are safe for livestock and fish and you can either make your own or they can be purchased at local feed stores for about $5. It lasts about 2 months. If you start with a dirty trough, it looks worse before it starts to clear, but eventually the algae is gone. One bag can process up to a 200 gal trough.  However, other problems such as mosquito larva and tadpoles will still need to be addressed, so it's almost impossible to eliminate changing the water altogether. 

2. Electrolytes and minerals are always important, but even more so during hotter months. 
As the temperatures rise, so does an animal's susceptibility to heat exhaustion. Livestock that is trembling, breathing rapidly and shallowly and has a rising body temperature, it is likely the victim of heat exhaustion. Provide plenty of clean, cool, clear water; shade, minerals and electrolytes. 

3. Chickens are particularly susceptible to heat stress.
Make sure in addition to water, birds have plenty of covered areas out of the soon with good air ventilation. Birds standing with their wings raised and panting are trying to dissipate heat. This is the first sign of heat stress. Humidity is also a large contributing factor to heat stress. Mounting fans outside the cage and using water misters will help to keep birds cool. 

4. Use shade cloths to shield the garden during peak summer months.
If your garden is in a sunny area with no shade during multiple hours of the day with direct sun, a UV filter shade cloth hung over the garden will help alleviate plants' heat stress as well as prevent soil moisture from evaporating as rapidly. Be sure to check irrigation systems frequently along the lines and at drip and sprinkler locations. One fault in the line can result in multiple plants being damaged. 

When  you have completed the task, the nubs will appear as in the photo on the left. The burned nubs will eventually scab over and come off or get removed of as any normal scab would. When the scabs come off, there may be a bit of bleeding, but this is not of significant concern. If you are worried, iodine may be applied to help keep the area clean and free of infection.  

Here in central Texas the weather is already in the 90's and the April Check List already reflects this increased in temperatures. However, the entire North American continent experienced an unusually mild winter and spring is on its way - if not already firmly in place - in most areas. Here our April Checklist:

The Garden
 - Make sure irrigation systems are installed and working properly. Young plants do not have well-developed root systems yet and need consistent and through watering with good drainage. 
 - Review your plants to determine which ones are still thriving relative to your local temperature and which ones are getting stressed as temperatures rise. Some plants such as lettuces will begin to turn bitter as temperatures increase. If you have non-hybrid plants, and especially heirloom plants, be sure to allow a few of the plants to seed out and collect their seed or allow them to disburse naturally on the wind for the next cool season cycle. 
 - It's time to get warm weather plants into the ground. In warmer areas, it's best to get tomatoes into the ground by mid-month. For other plants such as eggplant, beans, peppers, summer squash and tomatillos have a few more weeks before they need to be in the ground. As a rule, most warm season plants require a minimum of 50 degree soil temperatures for best germination. You can find a companion planting guide here. 
-  Okra should be planted by seed when the ground temperatures at or above 60 degrees.
 - The opportunity to plant fruit trees has just about expired. If you need to plant or replace fruit trees, do so ASAP. 
 - Fertilize established trees with an organic fertilizer.
 - This is an excellent time of the year to plant herbs that enjoy warm weather. Herbs to plant include anise, basil, bay, catnip, chives, comfrey, coneflower (echinacea),  costmary,  fennel, fenugreek, scented geranium, germander, horehound, horseradish, lamb's ear, lavender, lemon grass, lemon verbena, Mexican mint marigold, oregano, perilla, rosemary, sage, santolina, summer savory, winter savory, sesame, sorrel, southernwood, tansy, tarragon, thyme, wormwood. Both basil and lemon grass do not care for temperatures of less than 50 degrees F, so you may need to initially plant them in pots in a warm location and transplant them when night time temperatures stay above 50 degrees. On the other hand, cilantro and dill prefer cooler temperatures and as the days climb into the upper 70 degree temperature ranges you are likely to see them bolt. 

Chickens:
 - As the weather warms, chickens tolerate fewer carbohydrates in their diet. Be sure to make sure birds are getting enough protein and avoid with offering nutrient poor snacks, such as corn in the summer months. 
 - Baby chicks are hatching with good success. However, not all chicks make it to maturity. If you are allowing chicks to hatch under hens, check under the hens at least twice a day for broken egg shells. The chicks won't always be obvious because sometimes the hens tuck them way up into their feathers. Removing the shells will also inhibit the adult birds for getting a taste for eggs.
 - Do not try to help a hatching chick out of its shell or touch it while it is still wet. Allow nature to take its course. Seldom does a distressed chick having difficulty hatching survive, whether assisted or not. 
 - Sometimes a hen will abandon a chick for no apparent reason. You can try to move it to a heat lamp. Sometimes you will find another broody hen that will accept the chick, but this isn't typical. 
- Make sure the remaining unoccupied nesting boxes have good liners and cushion in them as the remaining hens will make them high-use areas. 
 - Older hens may already be getting stressed by the heat to which they have not become accustomed. It's important to make sure waterers are in good repair and offering an abundance of fresh, clean water and there is good air circulation in the coop.
 - If you are hatching and raising your own birds, keep a close eye on your poultry headcount to ensure overcrowding isn't occurring. Overcrowding leads to stress which can result in bullying, disease, decreased egg production and a myriad of other problems. 
 - With the increasing heat, it's a good idea to do a thorough cleaning of the chicken coop now. Chick poop becomes more fragrant as heat increases. Add in some humidity and it exponentially increases further. Add chicken excrement to the compost pile. 
 - Make repairs, enhancement and repairs to the coop while the weather is pleasant. Working in the coop in extreme temperatures - whether cold or hot - is stressful for both you and the birds. 

Goats:
 - It's a good time of the year to spring clean everything and the milk room, feed rooms and barns are no exception. Scrub down all the floors, walls and other surfaces with a green cleanser and hot water. Be sure to rinse well. 
 - This is an excellent time of year to make any expansions or improvements to your barns. 
 - Observe your rainwater collection systems and evaluate if there are any ways to improve your systems to further maximize capture. 
 - If the goats are moving onto green pasture, be sure to watch for signs of bloat. Bloat is an excessive accumulation of gas in the rumen and reticulum that results in distension. It is caused by gas trapped in numerous tiny bubbles, making it impossible to burp. Treatment for bloat can be found here. 
 - Check your supplies for organic dewormers, fly control supplies, minerals, baking soda and other needs that may have spoiled or expired over the winter months.
- Check goats' hooves to see if they need trimming. The increased number of daylight hours and spring rains often cause hooves to grow fastest at this time of year and you will need to trim them more frequently. 
 - Clean areas around mangers to eliminate any rotting feed sources which helps keep the ground fresh and rodents and pests at bay. Contribute trampled feed to the compost pile.

As winter nears, most goat herd owners are breeding their goats, if they haven't already done so earlier in the fall. They are also planning to dry off their does' so the animals' bodies can have a couple of months to rest and prepare for their new kids and milk production season. 

Winter is well on its way to most parts of North America. Halloween parties abound this weekend while many of us are aborting haunting plans in lieu of watching Game 7 of the World Series. In the background harried and anxious discussions regarding Thanksgiving Holiday plans are filling the air.  Amongst all this, the howling cold of the north wind and some of the goat does letting us know they are ready to breed, it's time to prepare the homestead for November. 

1. Lift and move any plants not already in the green house. Many of the citrus are fine down into the 40 degrees F range, but even though they can tolerate lower temperatures, moving them into the green house allows us to enjoy citrus during the winter months as well.
2. Heat loving herbs such as basil are lifted and placed into pots or new plants that have been started from seed in pots are moved into the green house.
3. Check irrigation systems to make sure everything is in good working order and buried or insulated well enough to avoid any breaks and bursts. Ensure all the cold weather crops such as kale, lettuce and spinach are receiving enough water. Harvest any remaining herbs that won't make it through the colder temperatures and put away for drying. 
4. Clean off all the solar panels. With the dry weather we've been having, dust accumulates on the panels and can further reduce efficiency during the already shortened hours of daylight.
5. Drain water collection eliminators and clean roof washers. Although this isn't imperative, it's better to do it now and avoid having to potentially perform these tasks during bitter winter temperatures.
6. Check and repair seals on doors and windows. The summer sun and heat can be brutal on seals, and they can break down amazingly quickly. 
7. In the chicken coop, we make sure the heat lamps are at the ready and power supplies and any related materials such as extension cords are in good working order. We also inspect the tarp we keep rolled up on the side of the coop. When inclement weather arrives, we simply roll down the tarp and secure it at the bottom. When the days warm again, we can roll the tarp back up. Walk the perimeter of the coop and make sure the structure is secure from animals looking to get in for some extra feed as well as predators looking for an easy poultry dinner.
8. When you rake leaves, bag them for winter goat treats or use them as bedding. If you are too lazy to rake and have portable fencing panels, simply move the panels around to where you want the goats to graze. However, if you are still milking, you will want to keep your goats off the dried leaves as it will impact the flavor of the milk. This activity is best reserved for doelings, bucks and retired does. 
9. Be sure the does are getting enough exercise to avoid pregnancy toxemia.
10. Check the barn to make sure everything is in good working order and not too drafty. 
11. Lastly, if you live in an area where birds migrate, beware of over-wintering birds of prey. Deciduous trees allow for easy line of sight for predators looking for free ranging poultry, so keep a careful watch on the birds in your area. If you see a bird of prey frequently visiting your place - even if they aren't looking at your poultry - it's best to prohibit free ranging for a few days and allow the predator time to learn they should move on to more fertile hunting grounds. 

When our sustainable living experiment was started exactly four years ago, we suspected there were a few things we were going to need to learn. Fast forward to now and we are still learning things everyday. The reason for this website and blog is to provide a resource for people who are thinking about trying to grow some or more of their own food. There is still a lot of information that needs to be added, and will added over the coming weeks; it was just difficult to realize how long it takes to record all that you have done and learned - while still doing the chores on the farm.

The geography in which this experimental farm is located has been experiencing the hottest and most extreme drought ever on record. This has made it especially challenging to keep gardens alive, relieve chickens from heat stress and manage a careful balance of household versus farm needs with a system whose sole source of water is rain water. We have also had a record number of chicks hatch this spring and summer and it is still not unusual to go out and find a newly hatched baby hiding in a broody hen's feathers. 

To sum things up, the first inhabitants to settle in a new land were a hardy and resourceful breed. Luckily things aren't quite as difficult now and most of us have neighbors close by with whom we can trade food products and resources as needed. However, working on producing even a small bit of your own food, water or energy can be a very rewarding experience and our hope is this website will provide you with inspiration.