by Rebecca Nickols Photos by author Japanese Beetles … they’re every gardener’s nightmare. These pests (similar in appearance to a June bug) have been in the United States since 1916, supposedly carried into our country inadvertently on plants from Japan. Since their introduction, they have been slowly making their way across the United States. I […]

by Meredith Chilson Photos by author A reader has asked for advice on what to do about his 1-year-old flock of two Rhode Island Reds and three Wyandottes. They have begun eating eggs as fast as they are laid, and he wonders if he will have to butcher his entire flock. I’ve done a bit […]

by Rebecca Nickols Q: What is the nutritional value of free-range eggs versus eggs laid by hens in a pen? – Curt Stowell A: If you’re referring to commercial eggs, controversy surrounds the debate. Just looking at the egg cartons can cause confusion: cage-free, free range, grass-fed, organic, brown, white … The labels are often […]

by Nancy Farrell Q. I was wondering how the garden would fare if chickens were allowed to free range? Will they eat everything if not fenced off? – Chris, from Medaryville, Ind. A. Great question, Chris! One that I think I can help you with. When we first got our chickens I too visualized a […]

by Rachel Hurd Anger Photos by author After weeks of expecting our chickens to lay eggs any moment, and day after day of walking out to the coop and walking back to the house feeling disappointed, Tuesday afternoon I plodded out there thinking it’d be just another eggless day. I’d been taking it a little […]

by Rachel Hurd Anger Despite nearly 4 1/2 years in Louisville, I’m still getting used to the climate differences from my home state of Michigan. The warmer, shorter winters are great, but the summers are far too long (for me), way too hot, and there’s nary a thunderstorm in sight late summer when everything turns […]

Guest post by Candice I can’t believe how long it’s been since I’ve blogged! We’ve had an unusually fine fall and I’ve been madly trying to get the garden beds all tidy and neat for spring. Unfortunately, most of the fine days were days I was working. Still, I managed to get most of it […]

by Rachel Hurd Anger In preparation of our Thanksgiving dinner, we went unconventional and roasted chicken. But, not any old chicken. No ma’am. We went local. This last summer, I had the unique opportunity to attend a workshop meant to take those interested in having a hand through every process of a meal from kill […]

by Meredith Chilson I would love to be able to free range my hens. Even though we live in a rural area, on a back road, it’s a narrow valley we live in with that rural road running right down the center. On one side of the road is a narrow field with a small […]