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One of the most common, and preventable, causes of early death in goats is parasites. Worms can infect a goat and cause anemia, dehydration, starvation, and death. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of research or remedies for goats. What's worse, goat farmers also battle against dewormer resistance (which happens when a dewormer is overused and the parasites have evolved to survive dewormers). It's enough to make any goat farmer feel a little panicky. But it's not all doom and gloom because once you've got a handle on your deworming program, you'll stop losing goats to this common killer without creating dewormer resistance. The Importance of Deworming Parasites are invisible pests that can cause devastation to an otherwise healthy herd. It's important to note, that all goats will get worms. Often, getting worms has nothing to do with farming practices, and everything to do with the weather, the individual goat, and other elements of nature that farmers just can't control. But that's why it's important to monitor our goat's “tolerable” worm loads. Yes, goats can thrive with worms. But if the worms start to take over (due to a bloom, underlying immunity problems, or other stressors—like pregnancy) worms can win the internal battle and will kill a goat if not identified and managed as soon as possible. Monitoring Through FAMACHA Scores and Fecals Because the most dangerous types of worms are blood-sucking worms, scientists and animal husbandry experts encourage the use of a system called the FAMACHA score to monitor signs of parasite loads that are causing problems. This is done to prevent dewormer resistance. It is a 5-point system that helps goat farmers decide when a goat must be dewormed and when it's ok to allow the goat to attempt to fight parasites on their own. In short, the FAMACHA scoring system measures body condition, eyelid color for signs of anemia (pale to white), coat condition, and other physical signs of illness. You can learn all about the FAMACHA scoring system here. Monitoring and recording FAMACHA scores is vital to prevent losses as well as dewormer resistance. But in addition to scoring, fecals are equally important. A goat fecal is conducted from a sample of feces that is tested for eggs of the most dangerous parasites to goats. The eggs are counted under a microscope, on a McMaster slide, and then multiplied by 50...which gives a snapshot of a goat's current fecal count. From there, the decision can be made to treat the goat or to practice watchful waiting based on the FAMACHA scoring system results. How Much is Too Much? The million-dollar question is always about how to detect a dangerous amount of parasites before it's too late. And that's a big one because “too late” can be different for each goat. Some have a worm bloom, become anemic, and die quickly. Others can tolerate a higher worm load, which is why knowing individual goats and record-keeping is vital. So here's what we recommend: Check for signs and symptoms of a worm overload daily Learn about the different types of worms (not all are deadly) Invest in a microscope and fecal detection kit (otherwise you're going to be running fecals to the vet regularly) Keep records of each goat's FAMACHA Score, fecal counts, deworming schedules, and weights. It sounds like a lot, but once you get into the routine of parasite management for your herd, it's like second nature. Plus, if you've been struggling with worms, you’ll be thrilled to see a 180-degree change in your herd's health once worms are no longer affecting them adversely. When Should You Deworm Your Goat? In the past, it was thought that deworming goats, horses, and cattle on a schedule was best practice. Today, we know that doing so creates dewormer resistance. The biggest problem with resistance is that there are only so many dewormers available on the market for goats. In fact, many goat farmers choose to use off-label dewormers intended for other animals, especially in the USA where there is a lack of dewormers labeled for goats. If resorting to off-label use, be sure to consult a vet, and compensate for differences in metabolism in animals. If using sheep dewormers, for example, keep in mind that goats have a much higher metabolism and a dosage intended for sheep will not work for a goat. With that being said, a goat should only be dewormed if they have a fecal count over 500 and are experiencing symptoms of a parasitic overload. Note: If a fecal comes back with 1000+ then the goat should be dewormed and treated for anemia. Symptoms of a worm overload may include: Weight loss Low FAMACHA score - indicating anemia (most typically caused by blood-sucking parasites) Diarrhea Dehydration Anemia Clumpy goat feces (rather than formed berries) Bottle Jaw - swelling under the chin of the goat Inability to gain weight when feed is added Dull coat - loss of sheen, sparse, or rough Lethargy Goat acting off - atypical behavior If your goat has a fecal score of 500-700, and they look good otherwise, consider monitoring for other symptoms and then retest in a few days. On the other hand, if they're showing symptoms of an overload or have a 1,000+ fecal count, deworm immediately and retest in one week to be sure the dewormer is working, or if they need a second treatment. Always record before and after fecal counts when deworming. This is the best way to know if your dewormer is working. How to Monitor Your Herd’s Parasite Load As you can see, it’s extremely important to keep track of your herd’s parasite load. Running frequent fecal exams through your local goat vet (or learning to do them yourself) is the first step in identifying the types of parasites your herd has while monitoring the effectiveness of your dewormers. If you’re new to goats be forgiving of yourself while determining the parasite resistance in your herd. It’s a learning curve and a lot of trial and error. Just make sure that you are keeping up with it so it doesn't get out of hand. There are many health issues that can easily be avoided by keeping track of your herd’s parasite load. Once you organize your fecal exams, FAMACHA scores, and deworming program you will have full command over the health of your herd. You can keep track of your test results and other health monitoring of your herd with Farmbrite. Take a look at our All in One record keeping, grazing and health management tool. Amanda Pieper is an agricultural writer who owns and operates a small goat farm in Wisconsin. Amanda is laser-focused on raising healthy goats and pasture-raised poultry.

Mob grazing is a term used to describe ultra-high density grazing. Another way to think about this is working to mimic the grazing of wild herds. This means, many animals, relatively close together, on a small piece of land, for a short duration of time. Wild herds graze together this way to keep away from predators and keep moving as they're eating. In the process they cut down the grasses, leave plant matter and waste on that area. The land the herd leaves behind has been eaten down but mostly just the top of the plant which lets the plant recover. and establish deeper roots. This all protects and builds the soil they leave behind. What mob grazing? Mob grazing is a term that was coined during a University of Nebraska grazing tour. According to Doug Peterson, who is a part of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, during one of these tours someone referred to the ultra-high density grazing as mob grazing and it stuck. Mob grazing is not a new concept, but is part of a larger movement towards regenerative agriculture practices. It has been studied by agriculturalists for many years in many different types of agricultural practices, most recently in cattle. The key to mob grazing is multiple moves in one day and watching the performance of the land in each area and the health of your livestock as well. It's important to track which areas have been recently grazed and wait to graze there until the land has had time to break down the matter left behind and grow back. How do you get started? Divide your grazing land into multiple areas where you can easily move the herd along throughout the day. The longer you rest an area the better results you'll see. This is called ultra-high stock density. Portable fencing and water sources will also need to be factored in as well as stocking density. What is stocking density? Stocking density is determined by the animal pounds per acre. Let's use the example of 100 head of cattle each weighing 1,000 pounds on 1 acre of land. That would be 100,000 pounds. So, on half an acre the same amount of cows would be 200,000. Your stocking density depends on the amount of land you have and how many head in your herd. How long should you rest between grazings? How long do you rest your land between grazing? It depends on how many head, how much land, what type of livestock what type of pasture, what type of forage you have, etc. Generally you have a 45-120 day rotation but that could be longer if you have more land. Soil and plant health to boost cow health Plant diversity is another key aspect of this type of grazing. Cows will eat their favorite plants as they graze. (I mean, don't we all do this?) As plants go through these grazing cycles they're aren't eaten down and they are allowed to go through their life cycle which produces healthier plants and pastures. Planting a diverse range of plants in your mix will accommodate these favorite grazing options for your cows. The plants will also germinate and grow in different stages of the year. Some start early and others are available later. This gives diversity in the nutrients the cows are taking in as well. If this sounds like a recipe for healthy happy cows and pasture, you're right. Mob grazing is an excellent way to help restore the health of depleted soils and is a critical aspect of regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture utilizes various different agricultural and ecological practices, with a focus on minimal soil impact and extensive practice of composting. At it's core it's a diverse set of practices that work to prioritize soil health. These practices include permaculture and organic practices, including low-till or no-till, the use of cover crops and crop rotation, composting, mobile animal shelters, pasture cropping and the integration of grazing livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, chickens, etc). These approaches work together to to increase food production, improve yields and farmer revenues, reduced need for synthetic inputs, such as herbicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers and improvements to topsoil health. Learn more about regenerative agriculture. Reduce costs with regenerative grazing There are some costs associated a change over to this type of grazing which I talk about a little later but you will see a reduction in costs specifically for cattle. For one you don't have to fertilize and reseed the pasture each year. Secondly, minerals and feed are supported by the land. Not to mention, the lifecycle of parasites and flies is diminished if not broken. Regenerative for more than just cattle You can use this style grazing for any herd livestock. It has been studied over the years with varied degrees of success. Grazing Goats Goats love weeds and will clean them up along with grass. You can mob graze your goats in an area for a few hours and then move them. Grazing Sheep I'm going to be honest, sheep are a little bit tougher to bring over to this type of grazing. They need a higher protein (shorter grass) than some of these other animals so you'll need to take that into account. Goats are easier to fence but it's not impossible for sheep. The area for sheep will need to be larger since they are easily spooked and might stampede. They will also need different fencing like netting or 3 or 4 wires to keep them in. It is recommended to use about 19 to 26 paddocks for intensive sheep grazing. That would mean a rest period of 45-120 days if rotated 2 times a day. Grazing Chicken with a Chicken Tractor Yep, chickens can be mob grazed too. Think of this like a chicken tractor where you use a mobile chicken shelter to move the flock on a regular basis (varies depending on your flock size and pasture). Multi-species grazing Different species will forage for different plants and some eat the whole plant and some are more selective. Grazing them together can be useful for those reasons. Cattle and sheep have classically been grazed together as well as horses and goats. Tips to get started: Start small- just try a small area first and see how it does. Graze pastures in the summer and meadows in the winter Monitor the livestock and make your plan flexible for what they need It can be used for conventional or organic systems Maximize the grazed period and consider supplemental feed if there is less forage than planned. Plan a rest period Some resources for further reading: https://extension.msstate.edu/sites/default/files/newsletter/forage-news/2011/7.pdf https://grassland.unl.edu/documents/2014%20Volesky%20final.pdf Savory Institute Regenerative Agriculture 101 About Holistic Planned Grazing Did you know you can easily use Farmbrite to track your mob grazing and regenerative agriculture? Give us a try for free.

Trouble identifying your animals? Looking to streamline your livestock inspections? Health checks, pregnancy checks, and vaccinations for your cattle, sheep, goats, pigs or other herd animals doesn't have to be so difficult. Utilizing radio frequencies and scanning devices you can quickly gather information about your animals. Read on to learn how Electronic Identification Tags (EID) or RFID tags, can take the guess work out of animal inspections. Quick and accurate identification of your livestock is critical. It can tell you which animal you have in front of you, animal history, genealogy and health. But using visual identification can have limitations. For instance, if all the animals look the same, or their visual identification is hard to see because of mud or dirt, it's hard if not impossible to tell them apart. If you use ear tags often the animal could lose its tag or if the tag gets very dirty the tags might be hard to see. Add to the challenge of trying to get all the information you took from the animals (on paper) recorded and in one place. Enter RFID tags. What are Livestock RFID/EID Tags RFID or EID tags are a way of tracking your cattle, sheep, pigs or other herd animals through scanning a tag with a wand or other device that reads the animals' unique identification number. These tags have all the features of a visual ear tag, but combine it with the assurance of data integrity and traceability. Electronic tags can be not only be scanned, but can also be verified visually. Tags come in a few different types, most commonly HDX and FDX. HDX tags utilize 1/2 duplex technology which allows for reading at greater distanced are work well for automated systems (milk parlor, weighing machine, etc). FDX tags use a full duplex technology and are a more cost effective option. The tag is small, round and goes on the ear. Once you've attached the tags to the animals you can then easily scan the tag during weight check ins, pregnancy or other health checks. In addition to being able to track an animal’s history RFID tags can helps you determine which ones are performing well and which ones need a little help or intervention. In addition to the EID tags, you'll want to invest in a good scanner that is designed to work with the tags you selected and supports capturing relevant data points. Instead of manually recording data in a spreadsheet, information like weight can be saved from a scale and saved directly to your computer. This data can then be easily exported and synced to other systems for complete and accurate record keeping. This reduces user data entry errors and saves time in overall data entry. Benefits of Using Livestock Electronic ID (EID) Tags There are many advantages of using RFID tags in your agricultural operation. It lets you easily identify your animals. Second, it avoids some of the limitations of line of sight tags, tattoos or barcode scans where you need to visually see or are only able to scan one animal at a time. Instead, RFID tags do not require line-of-site, and multiple RFID tags can be detected remotely and read all at once. The RFID tag usually lasts for the life of the animal. Frequency varies from company to company so check with the manufacturer on your tag transmissions and if a reader will also work together. It's important to note that you can use different tags with different readers if they are all ISO compliant. Overall, using these types of livestock ear tags for cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and other livestock can make check in days more efficient (a less stressful) for you and for your animals. You can also find custom cattle ear tags and other custom animal ear tags if you want to customize the ear tags with your ranch name or a unique ID scheme. Choosing an EID Stick Reader EID stick readers, wands and panel readers can help you identify livestock quickly and accurately. Depending on the features of the reader they can be used to easily capture key health, location, growth and weight metrics. These reader typically work over wifi or Bluetooth. There are a lot of different EID scanners, stick readers, wands and panels on the market. When a considering a reader some key features that you should consider are: Key EID/RFID Scanner Features: 1) Ease of Use The device should be comfortable to hold and be simple to use with clear controls and menus that are easy to navigate. There's nothing worse that fumbling with your scanner while a 1,500 lb animal is anxiously waiting in a head gate. 2) Scanning Feedback Look for devices that provide clear alerts for scanned livestock, like a flash lights beeps or vibration. 3) Durability Nothings worse than having to stop a weighing session because your scanner breaks. Look for a durable durable stick reader that has solid reviews and reliability ratings. Be sure to ensure the device has a waterproof rating, provides clear feedback on battery life and comes with a decent warranty. 4) Data Storage & Customization Most stick readers are capable of storing tens of thousands of records and allow for the creation and storage of data in custom fields. Look for scanners that can capture the information you need and have enough storage to work across multiple sessions to allow extra time between syncing. 5) Export and Integrations More than likely once you've captured all the data from your scanner you're going to want to sync it into your favorite livestock record keeping system. Most readers have the ability to sync data over wifi or bluetooth to your computer. Make sure you can easily export data from the scanner system in a format that is compatible with your farm management software. You don't want to be be stuck with a livestock record keeping or farm management software that doesn't meet your needs because of your stick reader. There are a wide variety of EID scanners, stick readers, wands and panel readers on the market, so be sure to do your research: Talk to other farmers to see what works for then Consult your farm management software company for recommendations Ask for demos from the device companies See if you can take a device for a test drive Integrating Livestock RFID/EID and Record Keeping Systems Most RFID scanner will allow you to quickly and easily scan and record key information about your livestock (weight, height, BCS, etc), but what do you do with this data? Almost all RFID scanners allow you to export the data from their system as a CSV (comma separated file). Some scanners allow syncing to farm management systems via bluetooth. Bluetooth connections are sometimes prone to issues, especially in highly dynamic and remote areas like a barn or paddock. We recommend in order to reduce any potential issues with data syncing between your device and farm management software be sure the device also supports CSV exports. By exporting this data you can easily import updated livestock health and measurement data into your favorite livestock record keeping system. If you need help keeping track of your cattle, sheep, goats or other livestock, give Farmbrite a try. You can easily upload and import your livestock RFID scans to Farmbrite and streamline the recording of key livestock details without having to manually enter it.

Whether you're new to the goat world, or you've been here a while, there's a lot of fear-based information about common goat diseases. While there are a handful that can be deadly, and devastating to your operation, most of them can be managed. Today, however, we're talking about the three goat diseases that are discussed the most. These are the ones that you'll see pop up on internet forums, in Facebook communities, and that you'll hear about from your goat farming friend down the road. So, to make sure you're on the same page as your goat veterinarian and can keep your head on straight when the names of these diseases start flying around. Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE) What is Caprine Arthritis Enchephalitis? ​ CAE is an extremely contagious disease (as most on this list are). It’s a complex disease that can lead to death or illness in goats. Unfortunately, it's also a disease that can incubate for a long time before symptoms are present (or it can be detected by diagnostic tests). This attributes to its ability to pass between goats without detection. ​ What are the Symptoms of CAE in Goats? ​ CAE can present in five different forms: Arthritis: Swollen, painful, joints. Encephalitis: Swelling of the brain in developing goats. Can cause blindness, seizures, and death. Mastitic: Causes hard, swollen udders, and a decrease in milk production. Pneumonic: Causes respiratory distress, pneumonia, and may cause death Chronic Wasting: Inability to absorb nutrition...this leads to starvation. While these are the most common forms and symptoms, it can also cause other less obvious issues. For example, when immunity is decreased, worms and coccidia can take over which could cause a slew of other problems (like anemia or dehydration). Will CAE Kill my Goat? ​ Yes, CAE is a terminal illness in goats in most of its forms. With that being said, pneumonia can be managed but often the disease causes such low immune system response that other problems pile on. Encephalitis almost always causes death. But arthritis mostly causes pain, and an inability to maintain mobilities, which can lead to starvation or dehydration. May goat owners choose to cull their arthritic goats due to the poor quality of life the goat experiences. In other words, the amount of pain they’re in. Quality of life must be monitored if a goat is diagnosed with CAE. And, most importantly, the goat must be quarantined from the rest of the herd. How is CAE transmitted? While CAE can spread like wildfire in a herd, it is most commonly spread from doe to kid through colostrum and milk. Adults do not always contract it, but it may be spread through bodily fluids. How is CAE Diagnosed CAE is diagnosed through blood serum tests. With that being said, some goats may give false negatives due to the lack of antibodies at the time of testing. This is one reason it is recommended to test the herd regularly. How is CAE Treated Unfortunately, only the symptoms of CAE can be treated to keep the animal comfortable. Johnes Disease What is Johne's Disease? Johne's disease is a fatal infection that affects a goat's small intestine, causing an inability to absorb the nutrition needed to thrive. What are the Symptoms of Johne's Disease in Goats? While symptoms are not always present until years after being infected, the symptoms are: Weight loss Inability to gain weight Diarrhea Adema under the jaw Can a Goat Die from Johne's Disease? In almost all cases, Johne's disease will cause death due to the inability to absorb nutrition, dehydration, or other illness. How is Johne's Disease Transmitted Johne's disease is transmitted through infected manure, colostrum, milk, and possibly while in the womb. How is it Diagnosed? Johne's disease can be diagnosed via blood sample or a fecal sample. With that being said, if the goat isn't currently shedding the disease, the results may not be accurate. Regular testing and good recordkeeping are recommended for newer herds or herds where new animals are introduced. Luckily, once the herd is established as a clean herd, and maintained as a closed herd, testing can be less regular. How is Johne's Treated Unfortunately, there is no treatment for Johne's disease. And since it spreads so easily, it is often advised to cull confirmed-positive goats to protect the herd as a whole. Caseous lymphadenitis (CL) in Goats What is CL? CL is a recurring disease caused by the bacteria, Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, CL causes fluid-filled cysts or abscesses near lymph nodes externally...or on internal organs. What are the Symptoms of CL? CL is often prematurely diagnosed by well-meaning goat owners and on social media forums. A lump does not automatically mean a goat has CL. In fact, it could be a bug bite, an injury, or an old vaccine site. While the most obvious symptom is an abscess near one of the peripheral lymph nodes, it's not a fool-proof diagnosis. Too many healthy goats are being culled out of fear or due to incorrect information. The only way to know for sure is to get the exudate tested by a lab. And the good news, it's not expensive to do so. You can work with your vet, or send samples out to reputable labs on your own. Is CL Deadly? The external version of CL is not deadly. In fact, goats rarely get internal cysts (which can cause death). While CL isn't necessarily deadly, it can affect the health of your herd. And, if you're a meat goat farmer, it can cause unsightly blemishes on the carcass of your animal. How is CL Transmitted? The bad news about CL is that it's highly contagious. If a scab sheds or if the pus drips (on anything), and another goat comes into contact with it, they'll almost certainly become infected. How is CL Diagnosed? There are two ways to diagnose CL: Through exudate culture (pus) Blood Samples With that being said, the more accurate form of detection is through a culture of the exudate. This is because there is a vaccine that more and more goat owners are using. Once vaccinated, the goat will always test positive on a blood test. Additionally, CL is one of the more commonly misdiagnosed diseases due to false negatives from other, very similar bacteria goats may carry. If your goat is borderline positive, your lab may suggest retesting. How is CL Treated? Goats can live a happy healthy life with CL. Many people cull their CL-infected goats out of fear, but the truth is, a lot of farms are managing their CL-infected herd successfully. CL can be messy, gross, and spreads like wildfire. It's truly not desirable to have within your herd, but it's also not the end of the world if your goat contracts it. Biosecurity measures can prevent the spread. How to Prevent CL from Spreading Simply remove goats with suspicious external cysts (near lymph location) and have them tested. If it's positive, keep them quarantined, wait for it to burst, and heal fully. Then, your goat can return to the herd. Some goat farmers will expedite the process by draining the cyst rather than waiting for it to burst, but check with your goat vet before attempting this. And always remember to disinfect any area that may be infected because CL sticks around (in the soil, woodwork, stalls, etc) for a long time. While these diseases can be deadly, they can also be managed and, in some cases, your herd can successfully return to health. It may not happen overnight, and you might have to make some difficult decisions, but good management and record-keeping will go a long way for the dedicated goat farmer battling common goat diseases. Amanda Pieper is an accomplished agricultural writer who owns and operates a small goat farm in Wisconsin. Amanda is laser-focused on raising healthy goats and pasture-raised poultry.

At our latitude it’s not unusual to see snow on the ground six months of the year – or more. Having such a compressed growing season presents many challenges. Using a greenhouse can help by extending the season and offering protection from extreme temperatures and weather-related damage. But greenhouses can also benefit our friends who live outside of the snowbelt. Greenhouses can guard against birds and mammals, and reduce exposure to pests, weeds, and disease. They can also make it possible to produce a wider range of plants, bringing exotic items like citrus trees, melons, and eggplants further north than would otherwise be possible. When calculating the pros and cons of a greenhouse, the first thing that often comes to mind is cost. The good news is that greenhouses can be as varied in size and expense as pickup trucks. Thinking about extending your season with a greenhouse? Here are a few things to consider about the structure, placement, heating, and ventilation. Types of Greenhouses Greenhouses can start as simply as a cold frame or a hotbed, constructed very inexpensively with scrap lumber and clear plastic. Window-mounted greenshouses provide a third small-scale option. While any of these can extend your growing season on a very modest budget, let’s focus on larger alternatives that you can actually step into. Here the first consideration is whether the greenhouse will attach to an existing structure or stand on its own. The Attached Greenhouse An attached greenhouse shares a wall with an existing structure, often a house. This saves some construction costs and offers accessibility to the water, power, and heat from the house. It also minimizes the walk to the greenhouse on snowy days. There are two types, the lean-to and the even-span. The even-span design makes larger builds possible. Regardless of which you choose, the shared side of an attached greenhouse cannot exceed the height and width of the attached structure, so there are built-in size limitations. Plus your plants can’t get sunlight from the shared wall, reducing the total amount of available light. Finally, if a greenhouse shares heating and ventilation with the attached structure, your ability to control these items separately is likely limited, too. The Free-standing Greenhouse Because a free-standing greenhouse shares no existing walls, it’s inherently more expensive. It’s also much more flexible. The only limits on size, location, heat, and ventilation are your property lines, budget, and any applicable building codes. Among the popular designs, most fall into three roof designs; triangular, gutter-connected, and curved. Triangular Roofs These traditional-looking greenhouses include the gable, even-span, and A-frame designs. They offer maximum sunlight and lots of headroom (particularly in the center). However, they typically use glass floor to ceiling, which requires more significant (and expensive) framing. Gutter-connected Roofs Gutter-connected structures include ridge & furrow and sawtooth designs. Similar in many ways to triangular builds, they essentially connect multiple roofs at the gutter and are more cost effective over large areas. The tradeoffs inherent in these designs include reduced ventilation and sunlight. Curved Roofs Curved roof greenhouses are typically constructed by draping a polyethylene film over a hoop frame (made of plastic or metal). Popular designs include quonset, hoop, gothic, and tunnel. Some offer roll-up sidewalls or end walls that can be raised for ventilation. Curved roof greenhouses are less expensive to build than more substantial triangular structures, and don’t have the ventilation and sunlight issues of gutter-connected roofs. Plans for a wide variety of attached and free-standing designs are available online, often at no charge. Check out these free plans from University of Georgia Extension. Covering and Frame Materials Covering options include glass, polycarbonate, and plastic films, each with pros and cons in terms of price, durability, transparency and heat/moisture retention. Glass remains transparent as it ages, retains heat and moisture, but is easy to break, expensive, and requires more extensive infrastructure. Polycarbonate can vary greatly in quality and price; more expensive double-wall construction can retain heat better than glass, cheap offerings can yellow with age. Plastic film options offer the transmissivity of glass at a fraction of the price, but will eventually have to be replaced (some sooner than others). Frame options can include wood, plastic, aluminum, and steel, again with varying qualities and prices. Wood, for example, is easy to work with but becomes susceptible to rot in the moist confines of a greenhouse. Greenhouse Sizes Whatever size greenhouse you choose, chances are you’ll fill it up sooner than you think, so plan accordingly. You may choose a bigger footprint than you think you need, or to choose a design that facilitates expansion. Don’t forget to account for walkways and aisles which can take up a third of your space. Especially if you’re tall, keep in mind that some designs only have ample headroom at the peak of the roof. Consider the consequences of both stooping and the need for heating and ventilation when considering any design. Greenhouse Placement and Location In the northern hemisphere, the preferred placement for an attached greenhouse is on the south or southeastern side of the house. The eastern side would be your next choice; the northern side would be your last. For free-standing greenhouses, latitude plays a factor in optimal placement. In northern latitudes (above 40°N) using an east/west orientation can result in more sun in the winter months. South of 40°N, a north/south orientation is preferred. Optimum placement may differ depending on the type of greenhouse used however, so keep an eye open for that. Typically you’d like your greenhouse to be in a spot that provides direct sunlight at least six hours a day, although afternoon shade from deciduous trees that lose leaves in the winter, can have advantages. Other orientation (and door placement) considerations include drainage (depending on how level the site is), prevailing winds, and access for the items you’ll haul in and out as well as water and power. Greenhouse Heating Depending on what you’re growing you’ll want to determine whether you’re simply trying to keep the minimum temperature over 40°F, or if your target is closer to 60°F. Also be sure to factor how much colder than that it gets in your neck of the woods. Free and low-cost heating options include the passive solar benefits of the greenhouse itself, composting, and techniques that can help retain daytime heat. These can range from sealing up cracks and adding various kinds of insulation to thermal mass options like building a cinder block wall or installing 55-gallon drums of water. There are all kinds of things you can burn to heat up your greenhouse, too. Some options, like wood, are very labor-intensive. Many combustible fuels produce dangerous carbon monoxide. All require safe venting. Other heating options include everything from space heaters and fans to forced air furnaces and steam systems. Shade and Ventilation for Greenhouses Of course greenhouses can get too hot – and humid – in any climate. Shading can reduce light and heat in the greenhouse, while proper venting can let excess heat and humidity escape. Shading In addition to taking advantage of the seasonality of deciduous tree shade, there are two categories of active shading; compound or curtains. Shade compound, or whitewash, is applied like paint onto the greenhouse covering. You control the amount of shade provided by diluting the application. Pick a dry day to apply compound as a rainfall within 24 hours can remove the coating. Otherwise it should remain in place until you wash it off in the fall. Of course the amount of shading remains fixed in the meantime. In contrast, shade curtains offer maximum flexibility as they can be opened and closed at will. They can be placed inside or outside the greenhouse. Placing them outdoors increases their effectiveness, but can reduce their lifespan. Not only can they reduce sunlight at high noon, they can also be used to retain energy at night. On the downside, they are much more expensive than shade compound, and can compete for space with lighting, power, and ventilation. Ventilation Even in northern winters a greenhouse can get too warm on a clear, sunny day. Proper ventilation is a must. Hand operated vents are inexpensive, and can make the difference, but need to be constantly monitored and maintained. Automated options offer better control and require far less vigilance but add significant costs. Next Steps Still interested? Check out some of the sites below to take your greenhouse research to the next level. Good luck and stay warm! Additional Greenhouse Resources Frame Consideration Horitech Greenhouse Greenhouse Growing: Tips for Basic Greenhouse Cultivation Mother Earth News Greenhouse Management Online University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Greenhouse Site Selection NewFarm.org Greenhouses: Heating, Cooling and Ventilation University of Georgia Extension Hobby Greenhouses University of Georgia Extension How to Heat a Greenhouse in the Winter NewAir Keep Cool with Greenhouse Shading GreenhouseGrower.com Orientation and Structural Considerations HighTunnels.org What are the Different Types of Greenhouse Structures? GrowingGreenHouse.com DIY greenhouse resource topwindowfans.com Trying to decide whether to build a greenhouse? Decisions like these are best made when you have easy access to all your farm data. Farmbrite can help you organize all aspects of your business. Start your free trial today.

Farm cooperatives can help individual farmers achieve goals they might not attain on their own. It makes sense: by working together as a group, co-op members can better compete with larger producers. But what if there isn’t a farm co-op in your area, or there isn’t one that’s a good fit for you? You might consider starting your own. Want to reduce costs, increase quality, and more efficiently market your products? Here are 11 reasons why you might consider starting – or joining – a farm co-op. 1. Reduce Farm Costs Cooperative purchasing of supplies and services mean you can buy at bulk rates. It can also reduce shipping costs by consolidating delivery. Bulk purchasing can take the form of a buying club, created to purchase anything from feed to seed. Services – like fertilizer blending, delivery, and spreading – can also be purchased cooperatively. Such purchases illustrate the scalable nature of an agricultural cooperative; you can start as small as working with your neighbors to hire a single service. Other possibilities include the purchase and use of pesticides, the purchase and storage of fuel, as well as repairs, bookkeeping, and consultation (which could include anything from tech support to feed and fertilizer recommendations). You might also consider cooperative purchasing of health insurance, child care, and education. Not only can forming a co-op result in bulk pricing eligibility, it can also attract providers of products or services that would otherwise be unavailable for individuals in your area. One classic example is the rural electric cooperative. 2. Increase Quality Of course, when you have more bargaining power you not only have more control over cost, you also gain leverage over the quality of products and services you bargain for. 3. Save on Equipment Expenses All kinds of equipment can be purchased cooperatively, starting with the smallest of hand tools. While tractors, hay balers, combines, seed extractors, and other machines may come to mind first, don’t overlook other opportunities like sharing greenhouse space. Especially when it comes to bigger items, shared rental is also an option. Keep in mind that these partnerships don’t have to be limited to your next door neighbors. It’s not uncommon for farms located hundreds of miles apart to share access to equipment for the production of corn, soybeans, wheat, and hay. Again, everything is scalable, including the types of agreements used. Sometimes a handshake will do; other times a legal document is good common sense. 4. Gain Better Access to Farm Workers In addition to sharing machines, you might cooperatively hire people to operate them. If several producers each need part-time workers they might work together to hire people full time. There are many benefits to joint hiring, including broadening your pool of applicants and sharing paperwork, housing, transportation, and training. 5. Raise Efficiency in Handling, Processing, and Storage The economy of scale can provide benefits after production, too. Assembling large production volumes can reduce per-unit handling and processing costs. What’s more, some processes can increase value and are also more efficiently accomplished in volume. These include washing, cooking, drying, freezing, and packaging. Because the level of cooperative investment is always scalable, you don’t have to start by building a silo. It’s also possible to reap benefits of pooling production without physically mixing it together. 6. Improve Small-scale Farm Marketing Cooperative marketing can represent many benefits to individual producers. To start, it can reduce unwanted competition. For example, instead of competing against your neighbor while selling produce at the farmer’s market, you might coordinate your efforts. You could take turns staffing one space at the market rather than competing in price at two. Other opportunities include sharing advertising costs and consolidating your efforts to market to local grocery stores and restaurants. Of course this same principle also works in larger-scale contexts. 7. Improve Larger-scale Farm Marketing, Too Collectively selling your products with other farmers allows you to combine your output into larger lots. By representing more volume, a cooperative can increase the negotiating power individual sellers have against larger buyers, resulting in more competitive sales and more stable prices. With the cost spread across multiple producers, qualified sales staff can be hired. Representing more volume can open new markets and extend your reach to bigger buyers. It can allow you to bypass middle-men, which increases income. While on the topic of marketing, some multi-farm CSAs are set up as cooperatives. This can be a great way for producers of both similar and complementary products to reach more customers. Check out “Local Harvest: A Multi-Farm CSA Handbook” for more details. 8. Enjoy Farm Tax Benefits Thanks to Sec 199A of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, creating a cooperative may offer some tax benefits through the year 2025. This article from Iowa State University states that “producers with no or little on-farm W2 wages will likely be able to take a higher deduction by selling to a cooperative because of the deduction pass-through from the cooperative.” Of course, further research with a tax professional – for every provider involved – is always a good idea. This research can also be done cooperatively. 9. Reduce Farm Risks Cooperative pooling can also provide increased security in the form of risk sharing. Cyclical fluctuations in price can be shared among all producers in the pool, thus reducing individual risk. Lower-than-average prices are offset by higher-than-average prices. Of course the reverse is also true. In addition, the diversification inherent in multi-product cooperatives can further expand risk sharing benefits over those experienced by single-product producers and co-ops. 10. Gain Control and Political Power Starting a cooperative means building a partnership to gain more control over many aspects of your businesses. Together you collectively identify the needs and values that are most important to you. As a group you can also gain political leverage. Once you collectively identify priorities and develop strategies, you might send representatives to share them with your legislators and regulators. 11. Increase Farm Income and Solve Problems The ultimate reason for starting a co-op is to solve problems. Most often the solutions are related to increasing income, but there are other benefits as well. Just as pooling commodities can help reduce the peak highs and lows of cyclical price fluctuation, simply sharing your challenges with others in your community can help with the emotional fluctuations of farm life. Additional Resources: USDA Rural Development offers free publications relevant to farm cooperatives. They offer issues of Rural Cooperatives Magazine, short circulars, and in-depth reports on many topics, including Co-ops 101 and How to Start a Cooperative. “Cooperative Farming” is a Greenhorns Guidebook, containing how-to information, compiled from 42 interviews with farmers and professionals. Farmbrite includes tools to simplify and optimize the management of your cooperative.

Different climates help different plants grow, and as highlighted in our previous article ‘7 Interesting Facts About Agriculture’, certain plants require cold weather to flower. Here are some other plants to think of growing on your farm that thrive in temperate climates: Blueberries Packed with flavonoids and antioxidants, blueberries are said to lower the risk of heart disease and cancer. As Michaela Logue explains in a LinkedIn post, they're an excellent source of fibre and micronutrients, and they are also free of unsaturated fat. Blueberries thrive in acidic soil. It’s also a good practice to expose your blueberries to full sunlight if you live near the coast, or in partial shade if you live in hotter inland areas. Keep the plants moist (but not soaked) and fertilized during the growing season. Growing Garlic Before becoming one of the most common root vegetables in kitchens, garlic used to be prescribed as a medicine across many major civilizations. Garlic is easy to grow and all you have to do is to plant the right varieties at the right time in the right soil. For instance, soft neck garlic is better adapted to warmer climates. Rice Regardless of variety, rice is a staple food for many countries, especially those in Asia. Rice has a variety of applications – from Mexican stir-fries to sushi rolls and everything in between. Rice is so versatile that, last year, Americans consumed around 4.29 metric tons of rice. Planting rice is easy, but the challenging part is growing it through harvest because you’ll need 40 continuous days of warm temperature. Aside from a hot and sunny condition, rice also requires tons of water so this plant is ideal for farmers near lakes and ponds. Rice is an adaptable plant which can be grown in a wide range of climates. Here is an example of a farm in Vermont where they are growing rice commercially. Tomato Known as the major dietary source of the antioxidant lycopene, tomatoes can improve heart health, skin, vision and help in the management of diabetes. The Spruce’s article highlighted that when growing tomatoes, you should deeply bury the stems along with the roots and avoid overcrowding the seedlings. Tomatoes are plants that love the heat and they won’t start growing unless both the soil and air temperatures are warm. That being said, remember to preheat your soil by covering the planting area with a black or red plastic for a couple of weeks and expose the plant to strong, direct sunlight for long hours everyday. Spinach As reported in BBC Good Food’s article, spinach is an excellent source of vitamins K, A, C and folate. It’s also rich in manganese, magnesium, iron and vitamin B2. All these nutrients help make spinach effective in fighting oxidative stress, preventing cancer, improving eye health and moderating blood pressure. Spinach is fairly easy to grow: just remember to plant the seeds an inch apart and bury them ½ inch into the soil. Make sure to keep the soil moist and adjust the spaces between the seeds to three to five inches when they’ve finally germinated. Here is an article that provides great information about spinach varieties. Artichoke Native to the Mediterranean climate, artichokes are loaded with nutrients that help lower ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and increase ‘good’ HDL cholesterol. Women Health’s Mag's article explained that this perennial plant can help strengthen your gut, boost your immune system and ease the symptoms of IBS. Artichokes like nitrogen rich soil They are also large and thus should be spaced at least four feet apart. To prevent artichoke roots from rotting, your soil must have good drainage but at the same time be able to retain water long enough to allow the roots to take it in during hot summers. Onion Aside from being a common root vegetable used to flavor and give mouth-watering aroma to food, onions are loaded with antioxidants, nutrients and cancer-fighting compounds such as vitamin A, which is a sulfur-containing compound that has been shown to decrease tumor development and slow the spread of ovarian and lung cancer in test-tube studies. As explained in Good Housekeeping’s guide to growing onions, this wonderful crop can be grown from transplants, sets or seeds. Onions grow best if you keep them weeded but remember to use a sharp hoe to cut off intruders instead of pulling or digging up weeds, as doing so could damage the onion’s shallow roots. With so many powerhouse plant options available to grow in many different climates it opens up many options for growing them commercially. I hope this has given you some new ideas to explore and some of their benefits as you plan your growing season. Written for Farmbrite by Jennifer Birch See how Farmbrite can help grow your superfoods!

Why Raise Crickets? Simple, Protein Did you know that crickets contain 2 - 3 times more complete protein than a beef steak of the same weight. Crickets also provide more iron, vitamins and fiber. Cricket protein is considered a “complete protein”. That's because it contains all 9 essential amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, valine, methionine, tryptophan, threonine, lysine, histidine, and phenylalanine). These amino acids are essential and can only be delivered through your diet. Cricket and Insect Based Foods Cricket granola, cricket ice cream, silkworm chips, meal worm burgers​ these are things that we never thought we would be eating let alone thinking of these things being gourmet and highly sought after items. Humans have been using insects for protein for a very long time. It may have been a matter of survival before but maybe it still is, but as we look for more sustainable sources of protein insects are getting high marks. It turns out farming insects is a lucrative business model as well. For any sized farm this might be a great investment to look into. But, it's bugs. To that I say... ​ One person will turn up their nose to what you find to be your favorite meal. The perfectly cooked steak could be deemed by some to be disgusting and so it really depends on who is cooking the meal and who is eating the food. Or possibly it all comes down to marketing. Eating Insects Grasshoppers, termites, hornets, ants, crickets, weevil grubs, meal worms, all of these are prized in other countries for their taste. Ants are small but powerful and are actually among the highest sources of protein in the world. One type of leaf cutter ant from South America has been described as having a bacon like taste. I think we are only limited by our imaginations in coming up with delicious ways to make insects more palatable and delicious. Insects for Animal Feed We already package up meal worms for our chickens but what about our other omnivorous livestock? Still can't get over the fact that it's a bug? Bugs are nutritious and delicious too. There is a cookbook, "On Eating Insects" by Josh Evans that describes the taste of Danish forest ants like this, "Like lemon rinds seared on the grill, with a hint of brown sugar." I don't know about you, but to me that sounds delicious and something I'd like to try. It's estimated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States that 2 billion people eat bugs. That's not a bad percentage of people to market to. Athletes, health enthusiast and environmentally conscious individuals are always looking for environmentally friendly sources of lean protein, essential amino acids, and omega 3 fatty acids. For some people the thing they can't get around is that it's an insect. Maybe they should be marketed more like shrimp, clams, or other crustaceans; the insects under the sea. Just reverse it and call them, the lobsters of the land. Is cricket farming is profitable? It takes way less to raise these little guys than other animals or protein sources. In North America it's also considered a gourmet item and is imported from other countries that have been perfecting their insect recipes for hundreds of years. In Seattle at Safeco field they serve crunchy Chapulines otherwise known as Grasshoppers. According to the research firm Global Market Insights, The American market for edible insects exceeded $55 million in 2017 and is projected to increase more than 43 percent by 2024. Using less and getting more Insects need 6 times less feed than cattle, 4 times less than sheep, and 2 times less than pigs to produce the same amount of protein. A lot of global land use is for for cattle today. They also need less space and produce less waste. For that reason you can get into this business with very little overhead.  They're not going away. Bugs have been on the plant for 400 million years (way before us), represent 80% of the species on the planet, and out number us, by...a lot. There are 2,100 known types of edible insects, it might be time to look into this as a viable business model for your farm. Here's one farm that's leading the way into this market but there is plenty of room for others there as well. Any takers?

The first step to better soil health should always begin with a soil test. Every property is different. A good soil health regime should be tailored to your farm’s specific conditions and needs. Hence, why you test your soil! Soil tests are not expensive, ranging anywhere from $30 to $80 a test depending on what you test for, but it gives you a baseline showing where you started and charts your soil improvements over time. A soil test can reveal critical issues with your soil that you would otherwise take a best guess at. What Does a Soil Test, Test? The basic “macro” soil test will tell you the fundamental composition of your soil and give you a good idea of the available nutrients for plants. It will include basics like your soil PH — how acid or alkaline your soil is. It will tell you what your available nutrient levels are, testing nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, calcium and sulfur. Most soil tests will include your percentage of organic matter, the organic content readily available in your soil that provides nutrients to plants as it breaks down. Depending on what crops you are growing or if the basic soil test indicates any imbalances, you might want to test your micronutrients. That’s called a “micro” soil test and usually checks for boron, copper, iron, manganese and zinc levels. Most labs will offer recommended amendments for specific crops based on your soil test and have somebody on staff to answer questions and help you interpret your soil test. Otherwise, there are many resources online to help analyze your soil tests, including this great one from PennState Extension. Test Your Soil Consistently Once you get your first soil test done, stay consistent. Use the same lab. Different labs will present things differently, even use slightly different metrics for measurement, which can make comparing your soil tests from year after year confusing. Also, test your soil at the same time every year. Many nutrients (especially nitrogen) will test differently depending on how warm the ground is. If you test your soil in the early spring one year (when nitrogen is bound up by cold weather) but then the following year you test in mid-summer (when nitrogen is more plant-available because the ground is warmer), it could lead you to false assumptions about your total nitrogen availability and how your soil health regime has been influencing it. How Often Should You Test Your Soil? How often you test your soil will depend on what crops you are growing and, potentially, how closely you want to stay on top of changes in your soil. If you are starting with a new soil improvement strategy, you might want to test every year for the first few years to chart the results of your efforts. Otherwise, it depends on what you are farming. Generally speaking, agronomists recommend conducting soil tests: Every two to three years for pastures. Every two years for hay fields. Annually (or even twice yearly) for high-value cash crops like specialty vegetables or annual fruits. Every two to three years for no-till crops. Every three to five years for perennial crops like orchards or berries. Any times a nutrient problem is suspected and at the beginning of a different cropping rotation or land use. Some farms -- especially if they are growing plants that utilize nutrients heavily, like annual vegetables -- will test twice a year. Once in spring to make sure they have enough nutrients to support their planned crop rotations and then in the fall, to see how much available nutrients were left after a season of growing and applying fertilizers. It is expensive and harmful for the environment to overapply nutrients, even when fertilizers are organic. Two tests a year in heavy production systems can help growers know if they applied enough — or overapplied — for their crops and help them adjust future fertilizing regimes. How to Soil Test How you take your soil test is critical. The first step is asking the lab you plan to use what they want you to put the soil test in. Many labs will send you specific bags to package your soil test in. Also, a soil test can easily be corrupted by dirty equipment or by not taking a good sample. If you’re working closely with an agronomist, they will typically take your sample for you, making the job easy! But most small farms will need to take their own and ship it to the lab. Tips for taking a quality soil test sample: Use the right tool and make sure it’s clean when you start. Ideally, you use a soil probe (or auger), but you can use a sharp spade, long knife or trowel. Hint: Oftentimes, your local extension office will have soil probes they lend out to county residents for taking soil tests. Call them and ask! Take a deep sample, at least 6 to 8 inches. If you’re not using a soil probe (which pulls the same amount of soil every time), make sure you dig up equal amounts at each location. In large areas (like a field), you’ll want to take 10 to 15 core samples. In smaller areas (like a greenhouse), you’ll need four to six core samples. Remove surface debris (leaves, thatch, rocks, etc.) before you take the probe. Dry the samples at room temperature, break up any large clumps of dirt and mix all of them in a bucket to get a homogenous sample that you then pull the final sample you send to the lab. For more details on how to test your soil, Purdue Extension has a helpful resource linked HERE. What are You Waiting For? For a farmer, a healthy, productive soil microbiome is worth its weight in gold. But healthy soil doesn’t happen overnight. The first step to getting there is knowing where you are starting from. So, what are you waiting for? Get a soil test! P.S. Wondering WHERE to send your soil for a test? The best place to ask in your local community is your extension office. Almost every single county in the U.S. has an extension office. Call your county offices and ask for your local extension services. Georgie Smith, known in her community as “Farmer Georgie,” is a fourth-generation farmer and journalist living on her family’s historic farm on a Pacific Northwest island. She ran her own small farm for more than 20 years. These days, when she’s not herding chickens, fixing the antique tractor (again) or growing heirloom dry beans, Georgie writes about farming. Georgie is passionate about supporting healthy, equitable and sustainable food production and thriving family farms. www.farmergeorgiewrites.com If you're looking to track your soil samples, give Farmbrite a try!