Indholdsfortegnelse for May - June 2025 i Hobby Farms

Atractor maintenance checklist for spring is crucial to be sure your tractor is ready when you need it. To prepare your tractor for spring, we’ve compiled a handy list of maintenance steps to follow. REMOVE WINTER ATTACHMENTS Has your tractor been working hard all winter plowing or blowing snow? Assuming winter is past and you don’t expect any more snowstorms, remove any winter-specific attachments (such as a snow blower or snow plow), as well as tire chains and ballast weights. THOROUGHLY CLEAN YOUR TRACTOR You know how people talk about “spring cleaning?” Well, spring is a perfect time to clean your tractor. Wipe off dust, dirt and grime. Consider using degreasers and cleaning solvents to remove buildup around the engine. You can even apply a coat of wax to the…

First, I must confess: Cucurbits are some of my favorite vegetables to grow (also, some of my favorite vegetables to eat), and over the years I’ve grown dozens of different varieties. Thus, it’s a challenge to narrow this list down to 25. After all, the Cucurbitaceae family contains cucumber, squash, zucchini, pumpkin, watermelon and more. Indiana’s state agriculture college, Purdue University, says it’s the “plant group with the most species used as human food.” So there’s a lot to choose from. Not all are the cream-of-the-crop, of course, and sometimes at the end of the season, our garden journal contains penciled notations (“Don’t bother growing this again.” or “very mediocre”) next to certain varieties to remind us which ones did not impress. The good news for you is that I’ve…

Electric fencing is an incredibly useful fencing system for many farmers and can handle many different tasks. It can make an excellent fencing choice for horses, cattle, sheep, goats and chickens, plus it can be a safe fencing solution while still being relatively easy — and inexpensive — to set up. Properly functioning electric fencing can be effective in deterring predators and can even be a tool for keeping critters out of your garden. Additionally, a strand or two of electric fence wire can always be used increase the effectiveness of other types of fencing. Electric fencing comes in a variety of styles and installation setups to fulfill these varying tasks, but no matter what kind of electric fencing you use, proper maintenance is key to keeping your fence functioning…

Flies and other pests are more than just an annoyance to livestock producers. They can affect your farm’s bottom dollar by causing weight loss, sickness and even livestock death. Plant pests include insects, weeds and diseases. These also affect the producer’s bottom line by competing with or damaging plants. Regardless of the type of pest, exerting at least some measure of control over them is critical to almost any farming operation you can think of. While no longer plentiful, family farmsdating back multiple generations still populate the scenic valley that I call home. From my farm, it’s easy to think of a member of our farming community whose unique expertise lends itself well to the column topics I seek to cover. In each issue, I’ll spotlight farming operations whose practices…

BAD BOY The 1025 subcompact is small enough to go where bigger tractors can't go, while the 3026 compact has a longer frame size, larger tires and higher ground clearance. 1025 HIGHLIGHTS • 25 horsepower• 992-pound loader lift capacity at pins• hydrostatic transmission• dual pedals• two-range transmission• four-wheel-drive 3026 HIGHLIGHTS • 25 horsepower• 1,314-pound loader lift capacity at pins• three-range transmission• four-wheel drive• hydrostatic transmission• dual pedals• cast iron axles Find out more: www.badboycountry.com YANMAR The SA223 is a multipurpose compact tractor has a fuel-efficient engine and sleek design. Yanmar makes all the major drive-train components — the engine, transmission and axles — in-house. HIGHLIGHTS • four-cycle, in-line, water-cooled diesel• 21.5 horsepower engine• standard differential lock• true position control• dual speed system• four-wheel-drive• dual-range hydrostatic transmission• limited category 1 three-point…

Red wine cap mushrooms may not be quite as well-known as shiitake, lion’s mane or oyster mushrooms, but they definitely deserve a place in your garden and on your plate. While it’s relatively easy to find those other edible fungi in large grocery stores, red wine caps aren’t commonly on offer along with them because they have a comparatively short shelf life. Fortunately, red wine cap mushrooms are among the simplest to grow at home, and there are several reasons you might want to. When harvested at their peak, red wine caps impart a subtle nutty or earthy flavor to dishes. They’re also great flavor “sponges” which combine well with garlic, red wine and other assertive ingredients. For their part, many vegans and vegetarians turn to red wine caps as…

Chicken coop bedding isn’t just a luxury. Sufficient litter provides a secure foundation for chickens’ legs and feet, a soft landing for eggs, a way to gather droppings quickly and the ability to easily clean your birds’ housing. Here are a few of the more widely used bedding materials — plus a few nontraditional ones — and how best to use them. STRAW & HAY Sun-colored straw, with its sweet, earthy smell and springy texture is what many new chicken keepers reach for to line their coop and nest boxes. PINE SHAVINGS A popular and prudent choice for litter is pine shavings, found at many feed-supply stores, big-box stores and even pet-supply stores. Pine shavings dry fast, are inexpensive and don’t break down quickly, making them an ideal bedding material.…

The first steps in successfully raising a healthy bottle calf comes long before you select the animal themselves. First you must plan and prepare, as you do with most any animal. COLOSTRUM CONSIDERATIONS First and foremost in mind of most cattlemen when you discuss care of newborn calves is colostrum. Feeding colostrum helps introduce healthy microbes to the calf’s digestive system, boosts immunity and provides high levels of fat and nutrients vital for growth and development. Intake should be approximately 2 liters within the first two hours, and another 2 liters within the next eight hours. Colostrum from the cow is best, and fresh or frozen product from the same farm is a close second. The freeze-dried product will suffice in a pinch. If you’re considering taking on, or caring…

KEEP ’EM COMING Upload the very best digital images of your small-farm livestock to HobbyFarms.com/say_cheese or email them directly to hobbyfarms@hobbyfarms.com, with “Say Cheese!” in the subject line. Include your name and address in the body of the email. We hope to see your photos in an upcoming issue and on our Instagram account (@hobbyfarmsmag)!…

IDAHO PASTURE PIG The Idaho Pasture Pig was developed by Gary and Shelly Farris of Rigby, Idaho. They wanted a good-natured animal that would graze the grass instead of rooting. They felt that the animals would need to mature out at a smaller size than traditionally grown pigs but be able to reach a butcher weight in a reasonable time. They began offering breeding stock in 2012. In 2013, they decided to quit raising and breeding Idaho Pasture Pigs and gave all the necessary and pertinent information, as well as their blessing, to Dave and Jodi Cronauer to start the Idaho Pasture Pig Registry. Since then, the Cronauers have been dedicated to the preservation and integrity of the Idaho Pasture Pig. The Idaho Pasture Pig – also known as IPP…