https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/ The New Canadian Preppers Network Discussion Board en-US Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:04:00 +0000 wpForo 60 https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/seeding-mushrooms/ Thu, 24 Jun 2021 20:55:44 +0000 I've ordered some mushroom spawn plugs with the intent to seed our forest with mushrooms. There's not really much edible in our little woods already growing (there's not really a lot growing, either) in terms of mushrooms or fungi. I've got reishi, shiitake, turkey tail, and oysters. Has anyone used these before? We have some trees that have fallen in the last few weeks so there's good fresh logs and I won't have to kill perfectly good trees. There's also some standing dead wood that I'm not sure if it can be successfully colonized.

My other dilemma is to decide if I can just seed the logs where they lay (much easier!) or if I have to cut and stack them unnaturally. If this goes well, the same company (Growing Mushrooms Canada is who I ordered them from) also has supplies to start a wine cap mushroom bed I'm considering giving a go.]]> Livestock, Farming and Gardening RachelM https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/seeding-mushrooms/ https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/garden-like-it-counts-2021/ Wed, 30 Dec 2020 13:36:36 +0000
Here is hoping everyone already has their seeds for 2021?

What is the new plant you are trying?

Is there something you are hoping to do in 2021 for the gardens?

Anything garden related welcome on this thread!]]> Livestock, Farming and Gardening farmgal https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/garden-like-it-counts-2021/ https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/canola-straw-as-mulch/ Wed, 06 May 2020 10:22:45 +0000
.]]> Livestock, Farming and Gardening Danux https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/canola-straw-as-mulch/ https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/all-things-livestock-related-2020/ Thu, 19 Mar 2020 05:46:19 +0000
I am not breaking this down into sections, it will be easier to work as a single thread but feel free to split it off if you want at some point..

So we all hope that when something like this happens that all our prep work will come into strong focus.. I have been at the farm for 16 years this spring and for 15 years I have had my rabbit breeding program.. 15 years.. my other white meat.. but last year was rough, between injury (8 months of physio) the very unexpected high risk pregnancy and then the 2nd term loss, I slowed the farm down, I mean I leaned it like never before..

I went into winter with the smallest I could (part due to hay as well, it was brutal hard to get this in 2019) so I cut my sheep flock down to 7 ewe's, I even butchered out the ram to not carry him over winter, but my new ram arrives first part of April and there are ram lambs that were born so I am fine there) my team of horse's, my chicken flock and my over wintered duck breeding program..

That's it, I butchered the pig, the geese, the turkeys, the rabbits and the goats..

Like I said.. lean!

The fact that I am coming into C-19 with this very lean farm has me laughing at myself.. I mean really the farm is fine.. we have the sheep flock (meat, wool, milk) we have the chicken flock (eggs, meat and bug eaters and compost turners) and we have the meat ducks(amazing meat, feathers (for composting for the garden use) eggs and fly eating.

I put out a call for a heavier breed rooster and a friend answered so that will happen.. my current roosters are great boys but are for breeding in egg laying and forage.. I want a bigger boy to cross to my dual purpose hens and hatch out heavier grow outs for meat production.

I am on a list for a piglet but the sow didn't take.. she went with a new boar so fingers crossed, I want to buy from that close by farm if possible for sure.

I have a different friend that is close by and has a full rabbit breeding program, I can get ready to breed or active breeding trio from her if I want to do so.. we will see..

So how is your homestead looking? Got to many of something? wondering where the market will be? Just right? Or are you wishing you had more of something? Want to add something in?]]> Livestock, Farming and Gardening farmgal https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/all-things-livestock-related-2020/ https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/farming-livestock-etc/ Tue, 03 Mar 2020 07:01:42 +0000
So how are your winter layers doing.. if they have been laying over the winter.. moulting is coming..

Do you have a mixed aged flock so your older girls will pick up in the spring light hours?

Do you have ducks? Its time for the duck hens to start laying very soon..

I see folks starting to put their first trays of eggs in to set to hatch so they have chicks ready for the first of the bird sale shows coming in the end of march or the first weeks of April?

I am personally not adding to my flocks this year at all.. in fact depending I might make them even smaller.. This is the year to me, that I want to go lean.. I am bringing in a good supply of feed.. and I want to be able to know how long it will last.]]> Livestock, Farming and Gardening farmgal https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/farming-livestock-etc/ https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/spring-pruning-for-more-yield/ Sun, 10 Mar 2019 14:51:11 +0000
So this thread is going to cover older fruit tree pruning, starting out with whips, work out way though the hard stone fruits and then move over to the soft fruiting bushes and finally end up with cane fruit :)

What is the must haves for most pruning?

A pair or two of good hand held pruners (with a matching blade sharper)
At least one good saw blade that has teeth that cut BOTH front and back
and at least one good pole saw

So here is my question for you.. how much overall is the MAX you should take off a tree in any one year.. (you can do less of course) but this is the MOST recommended?]]> Livestock, Farming and Gardening farmgal https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/spring-pruning-for-more-yield/ https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/pollinators/ Fri, 08 Mar 2019 10:11:18 +0000
So some things will be longer and some will be short and sweet..

Help the Wild Pollinators

Skip the double flowers.. When you are looking at planting flowers this year or you are going to buy flowers at the center to fill your baskets, your front beds and more.. Annual's play a big part in feeding all kinds of our Pollinators and one of things that has happened that we like is those huge "double bloom" flowering types.

However, they are very bad for our local pollinators.. they produce less for them and they can be hard to almost impossable for them to feed from, they waste time trying for very little return.

Single flowers all the way :)]]> Livestock, Farming and Gardening farmgal https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/pollinators/ https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/get-all-antibiotics-from-a-vet-2018-law-changes/ Fri, 28 Sep 2018 23:50:15 +0000
As of December 1, 2018, all Medically Important Antimicrobials (MIAs) for veterinary use will be sold by prescription only. The responsible use of MIAs is intended to preserve their effectiveness and minimize the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance.

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/antibiotic-antimicrobial-resistance/animals/actions/responsible-use-antimicrobials.html]]> Livestock, Farming and Gardening oldschool https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/get-all-antibiotics-from-a-vet-2018-law-changes/ https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/gardening-2018-whats-with-the-weather/ Tue, 21 Aug 2018 15:05:35 +0000
I've been using my chicken and duck waste a lot this year in the garden and I have seen an improvement with less weeding and improved results by covering the beds with thick straw. Could also be that the garden PH is finally coming into its own.
I completed the watering system to each bed row and find watering enjoyable and much less time consuming now (I have a full time job so it's wonderful to have that up and running). The water system is coming from my well this year but I hope to have the greenhouse roof gathering rain water next year as I already have a huge catchment ready at its side. My catchment off the house waters all my plants there. Slowly but surely!!!

I've included garden pics and my deck (where all my tomatoes are). I've also included my chicken and duck pics because they contributed. We hand built a pond (yup, stone by stone) in front of the house to catch rain and eventually house fish. Never mind.. the sound it adds to the tranquility out here! I'll see if I can find a pic.

And to you folks just starting...don't feel overwhelmed, frustrated or as if you can't do things to prepare yourselves. You can, but it will take a while. Bit by bit, year by year...add another bucket, add another garden bed row, add a pond. People in my group use to comment that they didn't have money to prep. I'm not a wealthy person either and to boot...I'm cheap as hell! So don't let money be the excuse! Bucket by bucket...before you know it, you have three months of food for your family set aside!
It's a great feeling!!!

]]> Livestock, Farming and Gardening Dakota https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/gardening-2018-whats-with-the-weather/ https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/year-round-gardening/ Wed, 23 Aug 2017 16:31:32 +0000
Garden is small, but enough space to make something out of this.

Would like to start with some Fall / Winter crops now and happy to get some recommendations.]]> Livestock, Farming and Gardening DJPrepper https://canadianpreppersnetwork.com/community/livestock-farming-and-gardening/year-round-gardening/