Hobby Farming For Dummies

Do you long for the country life?Get back to nature and feel your toes in the dirt with this friendly guide to a new farming lifestyle

Don't know the first thing about how to handle the basics of small-scale farming, from growing healthy crops to raising livestock and managing your property? Hobby Farming For Dummies is the no-nonsense guide you need to decide what to farm, find the right piece of property, set up utilities, select plants and livestock, protect your investment, and so much more.

You'll get a realistic look into what it really means to move from your current lifestyle to a life farming in the countryside, starting with figuring out if the farming lifestyle is right for you. From what you need to know about maintaining country property to how to access a power supply, you'll get help with major decisions of hobby farming:

• Whether you're better off with subsistence farming or a more ambitious project

• Which outbuildings you'll need for shelter and storage

• What tools are best for various types of farm labor

• Which animals you want to raise and care for

• Where to buy the land and how to acquire it

This comprehensive and user-friendly guide also shows you how to:

• Avoid common farming pitfalls

• Choose plans for your farm

• Get along with your neighbors

• Maintain your equipment and machinery

• Raise and care for animals, including caring for sick or injured animals

• Get creative by turning fiber into scarves and making cheese or yogurt

• Enrich your soil with manure and compost

• Reap the benefits of preserving fruits and vegetables

Additionally, you can read about opportunities for fun in country communities and the top ten misconceptions about farm living.Grab a copy of Hobby FarmingFor Dummiesand discover how you can live the simple life.

Auteur

Theresa A. Husarik is a freelance writer and photographer who raises animals and plants small crops on her ten acres of farmland.

Résumé
Do you long for the country life?Get back to nature and feel your toes in the dirt with this friendly guide to a new farming lifestyle

Don't know the first thing about how to handle the basics of small-scale farming, from growing healthy crops to raising livestock and managing your property? Hobby Farming For Dummies is the no-nonsense guide you need to decide what to farm, find the right piece of property, set up utilities, select plants and livestock, protect your investment, and so much more.

You'll get a realistic look into what it really means to move from your current lifestyle to a life farming in the countryside, starting with figuring out if the farming lifestyle is right for you. From what you need to know about maintaining country property to how to access a power supply, you'll get help with major decisions of hobby farming:

• Whether you're better off with subsistence farming or a more ambitious project
• Which outbuildings you'll need for shelter and storage
• What tools are best for various types of farm labor
• Which animals you want to raise and care for

• Where to buy the land and how to acquire it
  This comprehensive and user-friendly guide also shows you how to:

• Avoid common farming pitfalls
• Choose plans for your farm
• Get along with your neighbors
• Maintain your equipment and machinery
• Raise and care for animals, including caring for sick or injured animals
• Get creative by turning fiber into scarves and making cheese or yogurt
• Enrich your soil with manure and compost
• Reap the benefits of preserving fruits and vegetables
  Additionally, you can read about opportunities for fun in country communities and the top ten misconceptions about farm living.Grab a copy of *Hobby FarmingFor Dummies*and discover how you can live the simple life.

Contenu

Introduction 1

Part I: Hobby Farms 101 7

Chapter 1: Heading for the Country 9

Chapter 2: Before Taking the Plunge: Is This the Life for You? 19

Chapter 3: Finding Your Place in the Sun 33

Chapter 4: Getting Along with Your Neighbors 49

Part II: Down on the Farm: Getting Your Property in Order 63

Chapter 5: Getting Out of the House: Outbuildings and Enclosures 65

Chapter 6: Gearing Up with the Right Tools, Clothes, and Equipment 77

Chapter 7: Saving, Using, and Making Power on the Farm 101

Chapter 8: Managing and Accessing Your Land and Natural Resources 115

Part III: Calling In the Critters: What's a Farm without Animals? 133

Chapter 9: What Kinds of Critters Should You Get? 135

Chapter 10: Acquiring Animals for Your Farm 165

Chapter 11: Caring for and Feeding Your Animals 177

Chapter 12: Critter Care: Providing Medical Attention for Your Animals 197

Part IV: Choosing and Growing Plants and Crops 215

Chapter 13: Deciding What and How Much of It to Grow 217

Chapter 14: Getting Those Plants Started 241

Part V: Using the Fruits of Your Labor 259

Chapter 15: Preserving and Using Food Items 261

Chapter 16: Where's the Beef? From Hoof to Table 281

Chapter 17: Preparing Fiber and Making Crafty Goods 287

Chapter 18: Dealing with the Less Desirable Stuff 307

Part VI: The Part of Tens 317

Chapter 19: Ten Opportunities for Community Fun 319

Chapter 20: Ten Misconceptions about Farm Living 327

Part VII: Appendixes 333

Appendix A: Helpful Resources 335

Appendix B: Glossary 343
Index 351