How to Grow and Harvest Dry Beans

Overview:
Dry beans are easy to grow and can be stored after harvest for a healthy, delicious meal all winter long. There’s a lot of satisfaction in producing your own low-cost, vegetable-based protein on the farm.

Combine beans with corn, rice, or other grains to make a complete protein. Beans are rich in B vitamins and folic acid, contain minerals including iron, selenium, potassium, magnesium and calcium, and are high in fiber.

Planting Time:
Plant beans after the last frost date in your area, and ideally, wait until the soil is well-warmed (70-90 degrees F). Beans should be direct seeded into the soil.

Spacing:
Space seeds 1 1/2 inches apart. Space rows 14 to 36 inches apart depending on your equipment. If growing a small amount of beans to hand harvest, space rows closer together. If using a tractor, space 36 inches apart.

Growing Notes:
Beans do best in moderately rich soil but they will thrive even in somewhat depleted soils, as they have the ability to fix their own nitrogen. Beans do not respond very well to added fertilizer.

If your soil is acidic, add some lime before planting.

If this is the first time you’re planting beans in this soil, make sure to coat your bean seed with inoculant, a specific species of Rhizobium that beans need for sprouting (you can get this from the seed company or farm store where you purchase your seed). Once in the soil, the inoculant will stay there and multiply almost indefinitely, so this is just a first-time planting task.

Mulch during early growth to keep weeds down. Once plants are well-established, they are excellent at shading out weeds.

Pests and Problems:
Cutworms and root maggots sometimes attack seedlings. Thin plants to allow for good air circulation.

Too much rain can lead to rusts, molds, and blights. Avoid working among wet plants. Turn under bean debris at the end of each season and practice crop rotation.

If fall weather is very wet or if frost threatens the harvest, pull plants early and finish drying under cover, such as in a shed, barn or basement. Beans will continue to mature in the pods even after they are picked, so don’t worry too much if you have to harvest immature beans.

As tender annuals, beans are very sensitive to frost. Plant once you’re sure all danger of frost has passed, and harvest early if needed, as described above, to avoid frost damage in the fall.

Maintenance:
Beans are quite easy compared to other crops. Just weed, water and mulch as needed through the growing season.

Beans are fairly drought tolerant, but you must make sure they have enough water while they are forming pods and seeds for a good harvest.

Harvesting:
Dry beans are harvested when they rattle in the pod. Pull up the plant by hand and hang from the roots. Traditionally, bean plants are lashed to a 5- to 7-foot high pole. You can harvest up to 5 acres of beans by hand but more than that will need specialized harvesting equipment for your tractor.

Dry beans require threshing – getting the beans out of the pods. For small amounts, you can do this by hand by squeezing the pods open. A traditional method is to hold the plant by the roots and bang it against the inside of a barrel. For more than about a half-acre of beans, you might want to invest in threshing equipment.

After threshing, beans must be cleaned and sorted. For small amounts, do this by hand, using a screen and a hair dryer to blow off debris (or an air compressor if you have it). Split beans can be fed to farm animals. For large bean harvests, you can buy a seed cleaner.

If beans are soft (bite one and see), continue drying them until they feel firm to the bite before moving them to storage.

Freezing beans before storage kills any potential insects such as the pesky bean weevil.

Storage and Preservation:
Store dry beans in a dry, cool, airtight container away from sunlight. Beans are best used in the season after they have been harvested, but they will last for several seasons if needed.

Seed Saving:
Beans are self-fertilizing, so you don’t have to space different varieties apart from each other. Just save your best and earliest-maturing seeds for next year.

How to Collect, Clean and Store Chicken Eggs

Are those pretty layers that you bought in spring starting to lay eggs? Wondering what the best way is to clean them? It isn't quite as straightforward as you think, and different sources give differing opinions on the best way to clean chicken eggs.

Gathering the Eggs

First things first. Before you worry about cleaning them, you have to gather the eggs. There are things you can do to make sure that the eggs you gather are as clean as possible, minimizing the amount of cleaning you must do.

Keep nest boxes well-feathered. Make sure the hens' nest boxes have plenty of shavings or straw lining them. If there's poop in the nest boxes, clean it out well when you collect the eggs and replace the straw or shavings. Likewise, if a hen has broken an egg, clean out the mess thoroughly, removing all wet or soiled straw.

Gather eggs early and often. One of the biggest reasons for poopy or broken eggs is allowing them to sit overnight in the nest boxes. Some of my hens seem to prefer to roost on the edges of the nest boxes, or even in them! (Bad hens!) Overnight, they poop on the eggs if there are any in the boxes, or step on them, breaking the shells. This makes for a lot more work if we miss a day of egg collecting. If you can manage it, collecting eggs twice a day can help keep them really clean, and also discourages egg eating.

Cleaning the Eggs

Learning how to clean eggs properly is key to keeping your family - and your customers, if you're selling eggs - from getting sick. Make sure if you're selling eggs that you check with your County Extension Office for the local and/or state regulations governing the cleaning of eggs for sale where you live.

Storing Eggs

Once your eggs are clean and dry, package them in egg cartons and label with the date they were collected. Store them in the refrigerator. You don't have to store eggs in the refrigerator, but they will last longer this way. Eggs are good for one month after the date of collection when stored in the fridge. (I actually find they're good for a few weeks after this, but I'd never sell them or even give them away that old. I bake with them or hard boil them.)

Use the float test to check egg freshness: fill a bowl with water and place eggs in it. An egg that floats has too big an air pocket inside the shell; the contents have evaporated too much and it's likely spoiled. Compost it. You can also use a strong light to see how much air space is inside an egg; this is called candling.

How to Design a Small Farm

You've been designing and planning your small farm in your head for years. Now you're ready - you have the time, energy, and land to make your dreams a reality. But the choices can seem overwhelming. So, where do you start?

Is Farming Right for Me?
That's really the first question you need to ask yourself. Some things to think about: what are your reasons behind wanting to farm? What knowledge do you have of farming - the labor, the techniques, how to garden? Will you be able to slaughter an animal, or part with one you've become attached to?

Set Goals
Before you start scouring the local paper for livestock, take a step back. What are your goals for your small farm? What kind of farm are you planning? It might be a hobby farm, where your farm is a supplement to a full-time job, something relaxing you can do for fun in the evenings and on the weekends. It could be that you want your farm to actually make money, eventually replacing your current job. Or, your goal might be to produce all the food (and possibly power) that you and your family need - homesteading or self-sufficiency.

Consider Animals and Crops
A small farm can range from a half-acre with a few laying hens and a small veggie garden, to 40 acres with cattle, dairy cows, sheep, goats, chickens, pigs, and acres of field crops and veggies. Some of your choices will be limited by your land and resources, but we'll get to that later.

First, let yourself dream. What animals appeal to you? What vegetables, fruits, and grains do you want to grow?
Make a list of everything you envision on your farm - even if it's years from now. This is your dream, your ideal small farm.

Assess Your Land and Resources
This is a great exercise for learning about your land and what's on it. It will give you the information you need to take your vision past Step Two and plan your first year of farming.

Plan The First Year
Here is where you marry your dreams with reality. Look at your list of things you want to grow and animals you want to raise. Read a bit about each animal to get a sense of how much space and care they require. Now check your farm resources. Do you have enough pasture land for those five cows, or will you need to build that over time? Do you have the financial resources to buy fencing for goats?

If you plan to begin a farming business, you'll want to write an entire farm business plan. The dreaming and assessing you just did will help you get started with your mission statement, which is a great place to begin.

Monitor and Reassess
Farm planning is an ongoing process, a work in progress. As you implement your plan, you may find it needs adjusting. Every season, take out your list of dreams from Step Two and the pencil-and-paper sketch of your land from Step Three. Have your dreams changed? Is there more to add, or things you now know you don't want to do?

Each year, sit down with your farm plan and decide what you want to tackle during the coming spring, summer and fall. Before you know it, you'll be well on your way to making your small farm dream a reality.

Happy New Year

Merry Christmas

Scottish Highland cattle

The Scottish Highland is one of the oldest breeds of cattle in the world. Going as far back in time as the sixth century, some historians believe the ancestors of today’s Scottish Highland may have come to Scottish shores from Scandinavia with the Vikings.

Many of today’s Highland breeders subscribe to the theory that the Scottish Highland resulted from the crossing of two ancient Asiatic breeds of cattle called the Bos Longifronsm and the Bos Primigenius. From the Bos Longifronsm the Highland got its long horns, and from the Bos Primigenius, its profuse coat.
However the breed originated, the Scottish Highland obtained many of its characteristics in the Highlands and west coastal islands of Scotland. Exposed to North Atlantic gales and a very severe winter climate, the Scottish Highland evolved to be a tough, self-sufficient breed.

Scottish breeders of the subsequent centuries recognized these invaluable traits in their cattle, and worked to preserve them. Crofters, small farmers who lived in the Scottish high country, relied on the Scottish Highland for survival. The breed’s milk, meat and hair were a source of sustenance for these farmers, and the calves were a valued trade commodity within Scotland and in England.

Although most of today’s Scottish Highland cattle are red or yellow in color, most of the old-time Highland cattle were black. Called Kyloes, these cattle were found mostly on the islands and were on the smaller side. West Highlands, on the other hand, were larger and lived on the mainland. Their reddish coats predominate in modern examples of the breed.

In 1884, the Scottish Highland Cattle Society was formed in the United Kingdom to help preserve the purity of the Scottish Highland breed. Since that time, breed associations have been formed for the Scottish Highland in the United States, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Australia and New Zealand.

Breeds Of Pigs

While this index is not 100% complete for all breeds, nor does it contain all the information available for all breeds, it does give you an idea of what you are looking for when you go to purchase a pig. This is where it gets a little tricky. Some highly crossed pigs will resemble a specific breed. It is in your best interest to see both parents before purchasing a pig for breeding. 

Berkshire
A Berkshire shall be:

A black and white animal with erect ears exhibiting Berkshire character.
A Berkshire must have white on all four legs, face and tail (unless tail is docked). One of the white leg points may also be missing.
Must be ear notched within seven days of birth.( This goes for all pigs requiring ear notches)
A Berkshire must NOT have a solid white or a solid black face from the ears forward.
A Berkshire must NOT have a solid black nose.
White is allowed on the ears, but NO solid white may appear on the ears.
Occasional splash of white may appear on the body.
The Berkshire, as seen above, has a few characteristic traits that makes them stand out.

Mulefoot

Mulefoot hogs as mainly black, with occasional animals having white points; medium flop ears; and a soft hair coat

1. Solid, non-cloven hoof.
2. Solid black.( a few white points accepted.)
3. Medium pricked ears. Falling forward not covering the entire face.

Tamworth

The other red pig. Most notable about the Tamworth breed is it’s ability to forage for itself. The Tamworth are originally from central England in the counties of Stafford, Warwick, Leicester, and
Northhampton. While the color may resemble that of a Duroc, the Tamworth is not to be confused with it’s red cousin.
Tamworth Pig Standards
1.Golden-red, abundant, straight and fine and as free from black hairs as possible.
2. Face slightly dished, wide between the ears, jowl light.
3. Ears, large and erect
4. Black hair and black spots are objectionable.

Large Black

 The large Black is known for it’s ability to raise large litters out of doors while being excellent foragers.
Large Black Pig Standards
1. Solid Black snout to tail
2. Large lop ears covering the eyes
3. Long strait face and snout4. Long deep bodies


Hereford

The life blood of our Hereford Breed of hogs is its breeders. Breeders progress and prosperity depend on the kind of hogs raised.
Color Description Updated:
To be eligible for registration they must have 2/3 white face and 2/3 red body. They can not have any white beyond the middle of the shoulders and over the back. They can not have any belt. They must have at least 3 white legs 1 inch high and must go all the way around the leg.

Poland China

Poland China’s are sort of a mystery pig. While the breed can be traced back to a few Ohio counties, it is not known exactly which breeds influenced the creation of the Poland China. Pigs during this era needed to be large and travel easy to get themselves to market.
Poland Chinas fit the bill perfectly.
Poland China Breed Standards:
1: Must be black with six white points (face, feet and switch) with an occasional splash of white on the body. A hog may not possess more than one (1) solid black leg and be determined as a Poland China.
2: Must have ears down (floppy)
3: Must not have evidence of a belt formation.
4: Can not have red or sandy hair / and or pigment.

Chester White

Chester Whites are classified as Heritage Hogs and are known for superior mothering abilities, durability, and soundness.
Chester White Breed Standards:
1: Must be completely white
2: Possesses a dished face
3: has medium fall floppy ears
4: has a full thick coat

You can see in the image that the Chester White’s ears do not lay fully flat over the eyes. Also the Chester White is typically a more pure white hog when compared to Yorkshires and Landrace. Chester Whites have been preferred by packing houses for their superior muscle and white skin which dresses out to a light pink. The Chester White is
known as a Heritage Breed.

Landrace

Landrace are white in color. Their ears droop and slant forward with its top edges nearly parallel to the bridge of a straight nose. Landrace, which are noted for their ability to farrow and raise large litters, are the fifth most recorded breed of swine in the United States.

Landrace Breed Markings and Registration Requirements
No animal to be used for breeding purpose shall be eligible to record:
1. On which there is any hair other than white on any part of the animal’s body
2. Which has upright ears
3. Which has less than six functional teats on each side of the underline or has any inverted teats
4. Where an animal shows evidence of an extra dewclaw. Black spots in the skin are very objectionable and any large spots or numerous black spots located on any part of the hog makes the pig ineligible for registry.
However, a small amount of black pigmentation is allowed on the body of the animal.

Hampshire

Hampshire s are one of the oldest breeds in America. They have erect ears ( meaning they stand straight up). First let’s look at the qualifications of the breed.

Hampshire boars and gilts must meet the requirements (except color markings) along with the following to be eligible to show in a breeding animal class.
1. Black in color with a white belt totally encircling the body including both front legs and feet. Animal can have white on its nose as long as the white does not break the rim of the nose and when its mouth is closed, the white under the chin can NOT exceed what a U.S. minted quarter will cover. White is allowed on the rear legs as long as it does NOT extend above the tuber calis bone (knob of the hock).
2. Must have at least six (6) functional udder sections on each side of the underline.
3. Animals farrowed on or after January 1, 2005, the swirl is no longer a disqualification for registration.

Duroc

The color marking of all Duroc breeding hogs for registration shall be red.
(1) white feet or white spots on any part of the body with the exception of the end of the nose;
(2) black spots, no more than three, none over two inches in diameter on the body;
(3) ridgeling (one testicle) boar;
(4) less than six functional udder sections on each side of the underline.

Yorkshire

Breed Markings and Registration Requirements
The presence of one or more of the following disqualifies Yorkshire pigs from registry:
1. Less than six teats on a side
2. Any hair other than white on any part of the animal’s body
3. Total blindness
4. Hernia or ruptures
5. Hermaphroditism
6. Cryptorchidism
7. One testicle or any pronounced abnormal condition of the testicles
8. Black spots in the skin are very objectionable and any large spots or
numerous black spots located on any part of the hog makes the pig
ineligible for registry
9. Evidence of an extra dewclaw. However, a small amount of black
pigmentation is allowed on the body of the animal.