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You guys have blown my husband and me away with your great advice! We appreciate you all for taking time out of your day to help us figure out how to manage our workload as we age. The support means more than you'll ever know! I was so afraid we'd get told to retire and call it a day. I'm...

Amanda, do you all have the option of asking local businesses to donate cakes and other treats? If not, I'd go to the store the day before the chili supper and look through their markdown section. Usually the cakes will be close to their "use by" date, so you want to time it just right...

My husband and I are both getting up in years and it's gotten harder to keep things going. We have a lot of land, but it's mostly woods, and we're planning to downsize soon since our daughter approached us about buying half our land to build their house. We're not ready to retire though. We...

If your corn is crammed together you'll end up with plants that are competing for the same limited resources - water, nutrients, and sunlight. You could end up with weaker plants and smaller ears of corn. I suppose they'd do a good job of keeping out the weeds, so there is that. However, if...

That corn crop is impressive! I'm a little surprised it happened in Maryland. I figured it would be too cold to have a long growing season. That's really amazing. I have a competitive spirit and enjoy trying to outdo my previous total each year. I try to outdo the locals too. We all check...

You know, I never thought of it that way. I always thought "farming with money" meant using your day-to-day earnings to fund your farming lifestyle because it's something you enjoy and perhaps because it serves a purpose other than making money. A hobby farm would probably fit this mold. I...

Except many of us here are in the business of growing and selling all forms of plant life. It isn't just about selling anyway, those laws also make it illegal to save the seeds and plant tissue for yourself, even if the original plant is dying (leading you to want to propagate it). Everything...

Do you close up your livestock at night in order to protect them from predators and vandals? Do they stay free roaming? I'm curious as to what routine others use. Another thread sparked this question for me. My chickens go up at night and I lock them in their coop. I lock my turkeys up too...

You could always buy some fertilized eggs in the spring and place them in the nest boxes. If you're still interested in creating a mixed flock, I think Black Australorps will integrate well with your Buff Orpingtons as they're fairly docile and they're good layers. I have a friend who is...

I understand your frustration. I'm currently combating stink bugs and it's no fun. They're somehow getting in, even though we have double pained windows. I guess they're trying to escape the cold. I've been using double-sided tape to trap them. I dispose of them every morning and each day...

I thought black spots indicated that the tomatoes were watered incorrectly. Maybe you splashed too much water on the vines and fruit or you watered them erratically. Black spots are usually mold, right? I don't think it's an issue with the soil. However, if you're concerned, you could always...

I hope you'll let us know how it went, @Homestead Hustle. That sounds like a fun class that I'd enjoy myself. Maybe your wife could turn this into a business.

We've been spending a small fortune on our goats and pigs since every animal eats more during the winter months. During the summer they graze and I supplement their diet with garden waste as well. How can I save on their feed during the colder months?

We all know that combines save tons of labor and time when it comes to harvesting crops. But they're incredibly expensive. How much crop acreage does it take to justify the expense?