How-To Library

Fire ants are a costly and sometimes painful pest, to farmers, especially so, as fire ants make pastures difficult or even impossible to use and fields a danger for anyone working there. Research is ongoing but there are products available now that you might want to consider that may keep the fire ants at bay.

Environmental experts estimate that kitchen and yard wastes comprise 25% of the refuse in landfills. These materials can be easily and effectively recycled into rich humus that will improve any garden's soil texture and add important nutrients for vigorous plant growth.

From a little seed to potentially a half ton or more of fruit, the pumpkin is a symbol of size and vigor that can be grown in your own garden. Pumpkin growing is not difficult or complicated and could be a fun way for saving you dollars at the grocery store this fall.

All the time you’ve put into preparing for the summer growing season has paid off. Vegetables are getting larger, blooms are getting bigger, and temperatures are steadily rising. Be diligent through the summer, and your garden will remain beautiful through the fall and beyond. If you’re having difficulties, follow these 10 Mid Summer Garden Tips

Bees are responsible for pollinating hundreds of agricultural crops and flowering plant species worldwide. In the United States alone, bees pollinate about 150 different crops. The gardening experts at Southern States recommend that your garden planning this year include bee friendly plants.

Fresher fruit, more taste and more vitamins are the upsides of growing your own tomatoes (not to mention the dollars you save at the grocery store). You could be picking your own tomatoes in 80 days or less. The combination of using the right growing mediums, fertilizers, and growing husbandry could help feed your family well into the fall and beyond.

It takes skill and ingenuity to raise blemish-free flavorful tomatoes and protect them from insects, diseases and other pests. Here's how to handle existing problems and prevent new ones.

Best management practices are methods designed to increase crop yield and minimize any negative environmental impact on the land. By employing a few simple practices, a farmer can have a successful harvest and promote good land stewardship as well.

As the summer days grow longer and hotter, many animal owners find themselves facing drought conditions, or at least considering the possibility of dry days ahead. The following tips and reminders can help horse and livestock owners get through the hard times until rains return.

Feed represents the single largest cost in all types of sheep and goat production. This is because nutrition exerts a very large influence on flock reproduction, milk production, and lamb and kid growth. The nutritional needs for ewes and nannies are not static. Late gestation and lactation, for example, are the most critical periods, with lactation placing the highest nutritional demands on nannies and ewes. For these reasons and more, this article will emphasize the feed and supplement requirements of ewes and nannies.

As summertime approaches, temperatures begin to rise, and the concern for heat stress in cattle grows. The U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that 2021 was among the top six warmest years on record. It is suggested that 2022 will follow this trend. If that’s the case, it is strongly recommended to study and understand the signs of heat stress in cattle, to maintain a healthy herd throughout the summer season.

Thinking of starting a small hobby farm or hobby farming? Check out these tips and ideas from Southern States on shelter, soil, management, fencing, and more.