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The decision to become a farmer is not one to be taken lightly. It’s hard work, no doubt, and mistakes can be costly. Plus, it’s not a skill that’s easily learned from a book. Much like a foreign language, farming is best learned by immersion. In other words, firsthand experience is the way to go. If there’s a reputable farm nearby, offer to volunteer or shadow the workers for awhile. Some farms, such as Joel Salatin’s Polyface Farm in Virginia, actually offer apprenticeships. For locations currently accepting interns and apprentices, check out this list from the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (ATTRA).

It’s also recommended that you don’t rush the process. Beginning homesteader Jenna Woginrich started by spending time at a friend’s farm, then slowly honed her skills one at a time. You can read more about her experiences in Life on the Homestead.

There’s a wealth of information available online. Read Get Smart About Sustainable Agriculture and Cultivating New Farmers for a collection of helpful resources.

With only a quarter acre of land, I would suggest a small poultry project initially. Because chickens are readily available, and you can easily secure a quarter acre, I recommend a half dozen laying hens for starters. Backyard chickens are fun and easy to raise, and eventually you will have a steady supply of eggs. If you let the birds roam the fenced yard during the day, they will do a number on bugs too. They will also pick weeds and scratch the garden soil, but you should not let them have di…

The United States Department of Agriculture offers this definition:

FREE RANGE or FREE ROAMING: Producers must demonstrate to the Agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside.

But “allowing access” doesn’t mean much. A small door in a barn with thousands of chickens technically gives chickens an opportunity to go outside, but that doesn’t mean that they’ll have access to grass (it may only be a concrete slab). For chickens to produce the most healthful and flavorful eggs and meat…

Hawks are a tough problem. We lose a few chickens a year to them. I think cover — bushes, picnic tables, shade arbors — really helps the chickens out. I have open fields around my home, and I can go out on the deck and make a red-tailed hawk whistle and the hens all charge over to the garden and hide in the asparagus patch.

— Bryan Welch, farmer and publisher, Mother Earth News 

I think it is impossible to raise chickens on range without incurring some loss to predation. My only aerial losses came…

Fruit pulp can be used to feed livestock, but if it is high in sugar, like apple pulp, it needs to be fed quickly, or ensiled with plenty of extra fiber to minimize ethanol production. Mixing apple pulp with 15 percent to 30 percent straw works fairly well. If pulp is going to be a large component of a feeding program, some nutritional analysis should be made, and it really needs to be ensiled for ruminants. Freezing might work on a small scale … it might be a big hassle too.

Chickens, hogs and r…

Finding the perfect land (and the funding for it) is not an easy undertaking, but thankfully there are many helpful resources to assist you. For those wishing to delve into the wonderful world of organic farming, the Center for Rural Affairs (CFRA) is an excellent place to start. Their Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunities page has just what you’re looking for, including advice on how to locate land that suits your purpose, how to obtain financing, and how to specialize your endeavor for to…

Prairie ecosystems evolved along with great herds of grazers until each came to depend on the other for existence. Animals like bison and cattle, when managed so they graze an area hard for a short time then move on, will do wonders to enhance the soil and the prairie matrix (even though when they are moved off the area, it looks torn up). The seemingly violent event causes plant roots to die back (because their photosynthesizing tops have been mowed off), which deposits organic matter directly …

I’m glad you got some goats. They’re great. They do, however, like to get out and go on adventures.

Are you sure your goats are jumping out? They do jump, of course, but most goat owners discover that their animals are more likely to go under the fence than over it.

Either way, the goat owner’s friend is electric netting. Electric netting is relatively affordable and can be charged either from a battery at the outlet or from a solar unit. Best of all, it’s easy to move,…

Basically, all you have to do is raise them as free-range or pastured poultry, so they can enjoy a varied diet of insects and green plants, in addition to grains.

When chickens (as well as cattle, pigs and other livestock) are allowed to eat their natural diet, numerous studies have shown that their eggs, milk and meat tends to be richer is several important nutrients (see www.eatwild.com for lots of details). Tests conducted by Mother Earth News found that, compared to the standard values report…

What is organic anyway? That is the topic for another day, but requires excellent record keeping, soil improvement, and doesn’t allow farmers to use genetically modified seeds, sewage sludge, soluble commercial fertilizers or synthetic pesticides.

To get certified organic, first become familiar with the new organic guidelines. Beginning in 2002, everyone must follow the new national guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture if they use the word organic, or be subject to a $10,000 fine.…