If you’ve been hanging around our website for a while or have been in the process of researching Katahdin sheep to purchase, then you’ve probably run across acronyms like NSIP, or EBV’s. NSIP stands for the National Sheep Improvement Program. EBV’s are estimated breeding values. We have alluded to them being valuable tools for selecting…
How To Build A Trellis For Your Grapevines
Last winter we posted an article on how to build a T- trellis which would be suitable for growing large heavy vines like kiwis. Today we are going to show you how to build a trellis for your grapevines. This type of trellis works well for grapes or other smaller vines. It’s good for small…
Terminal Sires Can Maximize Production and Profit
Recently our blog posts have been focused on topics surrounding adding new breeding stock to your flock. So today we thought we’d touch on the related subject of terminal sires. Terminal sires can be very useful depending on what your breeding goals are. However, they are something that a lot of people may not be…
Helping Native Pollinators Thrive In Your Yard
When we talk about bees and pollination, most people automatically think of honeybees. And it’s true. Honeybees do a lot of pollination for us, plus, they make us honey. So, we consider them to be a valuable resource. But did you know that honeybees are not native to the United States? And that 80% of…
Quarantine: An Important Protection For Your Sheep
In a previous blog post we discussed selecting breeding stock. Today we are going to discuss the next step. Quarantine. When you bring your new prize ram/ewes home, they should go straight into a quarantine pen far away from all your other animals. It doesn’t matter how healthy you think the new animals are or…
Squash Bugs: Pests Sucking Life Out of Your Plants
Cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins are all staples of a summer garden, and for good reason. They are typically very productive and easy to grow even for a beginner gardener. Unfortunately, depending on where you live, pests tend to get in the way. The pests and pest transmitted diseases that cucurbits (squash family plants) are susceptible to,…
Easy Homemade Sheep Milk Ice Cream
One of our favorite uses for sheep milk is ice cream, or more accurately iced milk. Sheep milk is plentiful going into the hot summer months and ice cream is a quick, easy, delicious snack to make. Sheep milk is high in solids, and as a result it makes a healthier ice cream than cows’…
Tomato Hornworm: Is Something Eating Your Tomatoes?
Today we are going to take a quick look at the big ugly tomato hornworm. Many times, they seem to appear and demolish big chunks of your tomato plants almost overnight. Fortunately, they are easy to manage, and they do not require any pesticide usage to control. If you are unfamiliar with this garden pest,…
Meningeal Worm: How Deer Can Impact Your Flock
Did you know that whitetail deer can share diseases and parasites with your sheep and goats? Meningeal worm, also called brain worm and deer worm, is one of those parasites. It is not as frequently seen or spoken of as other parasite, but it can be deadly if not treated promptly and properly. Thus, it…
How To Keep Garden Weeds At Bay
Weeding. Most gardeners consider this to be one of their least favorite tasks. It can be tedious, monotonous, and thankless enough to put some people off gardening all together. Weeds grow incredibly fast and can overtake your garden seemingly overnight. They can quickly result in crop yield reductions or the death of ornamental plants. Thus,…
