LETS TALK ABOUT THE TYPES OF ANIMALS THAT YOU TYPICALLY SEE ON A SMALL FARM.
Chickens
What’s better than farm fresh eggs? Not much, we have to be honest. That’s why every farm should have a couple of chickens pecking around. There are many benefits to having chickens on your farm, not only do they create great fertilizer, but they also clean up your yard from all those pesky bugs. Your family will also have fresh home-grown meat or a new friend, depending on how you raise your chickens.
While chickens are a great benefit to any farm big or small, there are some downsides to raising poultry:
Quite Loud- Yep, chickens and roosters are early risers, which means they are loud at the crack of dawn. This might be good for you as a farmer, but if you have neighbors close by, they might not appreciate the early wake up call.
A Bit Fussy- Even though chickens eat bugs and make sure the yard is nice and neat, they are a bit messy themselves. Chicken coops need constant care, and your little friends will also need medical care to ensure they are healthy.
Can’t Have Just One- Chickens are social creatures, and if you have one chicken, it means you’ll need at least one more. If you leave a chicken alone, it will die of loneliness, so don’t let your feathery pal go without a BFF.
Cows
Not every farm needs a cow, but if you want fresh milk, then this animal should be number one on your list. You will not only save money and have strong bones from owning a cow, but they’ll give you great fertilizer, and can even provide you with a steady income if you sell the milk.
Owning a pet can also teach children responsibility, which is something that you’ll need an abundance of on a farm. Start out small with a calf or dairy cow and work your way up to beef and cattle cows.
Don’t go into being a cow owner empty handed, you need to know that owning a cow has some downsides as well:
Bashful- Cows can be shy around humans, which can make it difficult to get them where you want them to go, especially when they can weigh over 1,200 lbs.
Dangerous-Since these guys are so big, you’ll want to make sure that your little ones aren’t around them so they don’t get trampled. We usually recommend using brick retaining walls where people are more present.
Not-So-Small- You’ll need a big farm to raise cattle, these big animals need space to roam and graze. Along with a big yard, you’ll need some fencing to support your cattle collection. This can be expensive, but worth it if you plan to raise cows for a living.
Goats
If you’re not the type of family that likes cow’s milk, then a goat may be your best bet. These fuzzy animals are good for so many different things around your farm. Goat’s milk is a great substitute for cow’s milk, and also their meat is delicious and healthy for your family. Also, it’s easy to sell goat’s milk for a high profit in many area of the country. One of the most interesting biproducts of owning goats is that you can create soaps that smell amazing and make your skin extremely soft.
Just like any other animal on a farm, goats have their downsides as well. Let’s take a look at some reasons a goat might not be your best choice.
Escape Artists- If you expect your goat to stay in one place, you might want to think twice, or get a higher fence. Goats like to jump and squeeze through fences.
Parasites- Be very careful when taking care of your goats that you give them regular health checkups. Goats can get bad parasites that can wreak havoc on your farm.
Mischievous Goats are always getting into things, fruit trees, plants, gardens, bushes, you name it, a goat will eat it. Keep them away from anything you hold near and dear to your heart.
Sheep
There really isn’t a reason not to have a sheep on your farm, they provide meat, milk, and even wool for clothing. It’s easy to sell wool or even use it to make your families clothing. Sheep are easy to feed, they graze on grass most of the day, and they are also easy to maintain. As long as you take good care of your sheep, they will provide you with many years of companionship and help around the farm.
Sheep are fun to play with and perfect for small farms, but they also cause some issues as well.
Predators- Poor sheep, they are defenseless against the smallest of predators. If you live in an area with wolves, coyotes, or big cats, you’ll need to find a way to keep your sheep safe, or don’t raise them at all.
Noisy- If you thought chickens were noisy, you haven’t met a sheep. They are loud from dusk til dawn, and every time in between.
A Bit Expensive- Another thing about sheep is that they are expensive to take care of.
Pigs
Now, let’s talk about pigs. Pigs are fun animals to own and care for, they eat everything, which means you won’t have bug, grub, or parasite issues on your farm. Don’t even get me started on the meat you can get from a pig. Bacon, ham, sausage. Owning pigs for meat or tilling your farm will be a smart investment for years to come.
Lots of Poop- Pigs eat everything, which means they also have a lot of poop. This can be stinky if you don’t keep up with it, but pig manure can be a great fertilizer as well.
Too Smart- The thing about pigs is that they are extremely clever. This means they can figure out how to get out of their pens, get into places they aren’t supposed to be, and even outsmart you sometimes. Building walls up with concrete pavers is a great way to keep those smart pigs a little more secure.
Hard to Say Goodbye-Pigs are cute, they become our friends, and if we have plans to use their meat for food or to sell, it can be hard to let go.
Now that we have a list of the animals you should entertain on your farm, let’s discuss some of the crops that are best to grow. Remember, depending on where you live in the United States and the season, some crops may be harder to grow than others.
What’s better than farm fresh eggs? Not much, we have to be honest. That’s why every farm should have a couple of chickens pecking around. There are many benefits to having chickens on your farm, not only do they create great fertilizer, but they also clean up your yard from all those pesky bugs. Your family will also have fresh home-grown meat or a new friend, depending on how you raise your chickens.
While chickens are a great benefit to any farm big or small, there are some downsides to raising poultry:
Quite Loud- Yep, chickens and roosters are early risers, which means they are loud at the crack of dawn. This might be good for you as a farmer, but if you have neighbors close by, they might not appreciate the early wake up call.
A Bit Fussy- Even though chickens eat bugs and make sure the yard is nice and neat, they are a bit messy themselves. Chicken coops need constant care, and your little friends will also need medical care to ensure they are healthy.
Can’t Have Just One- Chickens are social creatures, and if you have one chicken, it means you’ll need at least one more. If you leave a chicken alone, it will die of loneliness, so don’t let your feathery pal go without a BFF.
Cows
Not every farm needs a cow, but if you want fresh milk, then this animal should be number one on your list. You will not only save money and have strong bones from owning a cow, but they’ll give you great fertilizer, and can even provide you with a steady income if you sell the milk.
Owning a pet can also teach children responsibility, which is something that you’ll need an abundance of on a farm. Start out small with a calf or dairy cow and work your way up to beef and cattle cows.
Don’t go into being a cow owner empty handed, you need to know that owning a cow has some downsides as well:
Bashful- Cows can be shy around humans, which can make it difficult to get them where you want them to go, especially when they can weigh over 1,200 lbs.
Dangerous-Since these guys are so big, you’ll want to make sure that your little ones aren’t around them so they don’t get trampled. We usually recommend using brick retaining walls where people are more present.
Not-So-Small- You’ll need a big farm to raise cattle, these big animals need space to roam and graze. Along with a big yard, you’ll need some fencing to support your cattle collection. This can be expensive, but worth it if you plan to raise cows for a living.
Goats
If you’re not the type of family that likes cow’s milk, then a goat may be your best bet. These fuzzy animals are good for so many different things around your farm. Goat’s milk is a great substitute for cow’s milk, and also their meat is delicious and healthy for your family. Also, it’s easy to sell goat’s milk for a high profit in many area of the country. One of the most interesting biproducts of owning goats is that you can create soaps that smell amazing and make your skin extremely soft.
Just like any other animal on a farm, goats have their downsides as well. Let’s take a look at some reasons a goat might not be your best choice.
Escape Artists- If you expect your goat to stay in one place, you might want to think twice, or get a higher fence. Goats like to jump and squeeze through fences.
Parasites- Be very careful when taking care of your goats that you give them regular health checkups. Goats can get bad parasites that can wreak havoc on your farm.
Mischievous Goats are always getting into things, fruit trees, plants, gardens, bushes, you name it, a goat will eat it. Keep them away from anything you hold near and dear to your heart.
Sheep
There really isn’t a reason not to have a sheep on your farm, they provide meat, milk, and even wool for clothing. It’s easy to sell wool or even use it to make your families clothing. Sheep are easy to feed, they graze on grass most of the day, and they are also easy to maintain. As long as you take good care of your sheep, they will provide you with many years of companionship and help around the farm.
Sheep are fun to play with and perfect for small farms, but they also cause some issues as well.
Predators- Poor sheep, they are defenseless against the smallest of predators. If you live in an area with wolves, coyotes, or big cats, you’ll need to find a way to keep your sheep safe, or don’t raise them at all.
Noisy- If you thought chickens were noisy, you haven’t met a sheep. They are loud from dusk til dawn, and every time in between.
A Bit Expensive- Another thing about sheep is that they are expensive to take care of.
Pigs
Now, let’s talk about pigs. Pigs are fun animals to own and care for, they eat everything, which means you won’t have bug, grub, or parasite issues on your farm. Don’t even get me started on the meat you can get from a pig. Bacon, ham, sausage. Owning pigs for meat or tilling your farm will be a smart investment for years to come.
Lots of Poop- Pigs eat everything, which means they also have a lot of poop. This can be stinky if you don’t keep up with it, but pig manure can be a great fertilizer as well.
Too Smart- The thing about pigs is that they are extremely clever. This means they can figure out how to get out of their pens, get into places they aren’t supposed to be, and even outsmart you sometimes. Building walls up with concrete pavers is a great way to keep those smart pigs a little more secure.
Hard to Say Goodbye-Pigs are cute, they become our friends, and if we have plans to use their meat for food or to sell, it can be hard to let go.
Now that we have a list of the animals you should entertain on your farm, let’s discuss some of the crops that are best to grow. Remember, depending on where you live in the United States and the season, some crops may be harder to grow than others.