Shepherds Hill Homestead » Livestock
Equipment for Keeping Bees
What “WE” think you need: 1. 2 Hives - Everybody uses different things on their hives. Some use inner covers, some don’t. Here in Alabama it gets hotter than up North, so what you will need to use on your hive will differ. Our hives consist of: 1 DEEP SUPER or DEEP BODY – this is your most important part of the hive. This is where your queen bee will live and produce ALL the workers and drones … Read entire article »
Filed under: Bee Keeping, Livestock
Baked Ham
Baked Ham I am adding this recipe in honor of our finishing with our hog BarbieQ. She is safely processed and in the freezer. )) Get a nice bone-in Ham. I get the full ham myself not a halved one. Also you can buy a fresh ham or a cured ham. Here is a chart on internal temp of the different types: Type Internal Temperature Fresh (uncured) 170°F Cured, “uncooked” 160°F Cured, “fully cooked” 140°F, or serve cold if you prefer Preheat the oven to 325* The first thing I do is wash the surface of the ham with cool water. Then place it fat-side up in a roasting pan. Next I cut diagonal slices about 1/4 inch deep into the fat/meat and then slice again in opposite directions to make diamond shapes. Then I put a clove in each diamond section. Place the … Read entire article »
Getting The Weight Of A Hog Without A Scale
Getting The Weight Of A Hog Without A Scale If you cannot get your pig on a scale, you can still weigh her by using the formula below. The formula comes within about three percent of the actual weight. The formula is as follows: 1. Girth Measurement: Take the heart-girth measurement. Your measuring tape needs to go around the body just behind the front legs and over the shoulder area. Square the result (Multiply the measurement by itself). BarbieQ’s measurement was 44″. Squared is 1936. 2. Length Measurement: Measure the length of your pig. Start at the top of his or her head right in between the ears and measure down to the start, or base, of the tail (not the end of the tail). BarbieQ’s measurement was 47″. 3. Girth Result X Length: Take … Read entire article »
Raising a Homestead Hog
We have learned several things through raising a hog for our family. Here is a list, but I hope to develop this list a bit more: Hogs must have STRONG fencing. The more you can feed a hog on leftovers (slop) the less you have to buy in the way of feed. For starting a hog – use 13% protein feed and for growing use 16% feed. Soybean meal will grow a hog but it will produce a softer fat. This … Read entire article »
Turkeys
Raising Turkeys This endeavor was another one of my long term dreams. We had raised chickens for many years and I had read so many things about what a daunting task it is to raise turkeys that I admit I was a bit put off. But not being one to shirk a challenge, we began to pray for the information we needed and the place to keep them. Then naturally, for healthy stock that would provide … Read entire article »
Rabbits – The Quiet Livestock
Rabbits – The Quiet Livestock Raising rabbits on the family farm is one of the easiest and least expensive ways of producing meat for your family. We have raised rabbits for over 10 years for meat. They are impressive producers and have little to no health problems in our experience. Let me tell you about them. The requirements for housing rabbits is simple, easy to build and last through many, many years with just minimum upkeep. You … Read entire article »
Raising Chickens
Raising Chickens In an effort to become as self-sufficient a family as possible, one of the first decisions we made was to raise chickens for meat and eggs. In Alabama, one of the main producers of eggs and poultry in our country, we have had the opportunity to see the way chickens are raised in commercial poultry houses. It is a sad sight to see chickens that are so pumped with hormones and steroids that they … Read entire article »
Lamb’s Milk Replacer Recipe
Esther is bottle fed. Her mother rejected her so we must care for her till she is able to eat grain. Lamb’s Milk Replacer Recipe 1 can goat’s milk 1 can evaporated skim-milk 1 egg Mix ingredients together. Put half water and half mixture in a baby bottle. You will have to enlarge the nipple hole a little. Warm the bottle just like for a baby. If diarrhea occurs, dilute the milk a bit more. You can give a lamb a … Read entire article »
Shearing Sheep
I shear our sheep with the old manual type shears. There is a sermon a day in raising sheep. First of all, sheep need a shepherd. They are defensless animals.They must be shorn regularly. Sheep have an unusual trait in which they give up if immobilized. When I begin shearing, they may struggle, but soon stop. The shepherd needs to know what is underneath when he is cutting. The wool is so thick, he must … Read entire article »
Shepherding the Flock
Shepherding the Flock This article is a long time in the making. I’ve wanted to relate what we’ve learned with sheep for a long time, but the Spirit wasn’t finished. Now, I pray, He is. I am writing this for two groups; those who are interested in sheep, and the pastors who spiritually shepherd a flock. As the scripture gives many references comparing us to sheep, all of us in the “Good Shepherd’s” flock can … Read entire article »
Filed under: Livestock, Plain Lifestyle, Servants Of Christ, Sheep
Photo of the day
Archives
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- November 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- May 2010
- February 2010
- January 2008
- April 2007
- September 2004
- August 2004
- July 2004
- March 2004
- February 2004
Blogroll
Gallery
Your Thoughts