Have you always wondered about ways to make an income off of your homestead or small farm? Hopefully the MilkMaids can help you! Today we are talking about five different ways to make money off of your homestead, and these are not the type of ways you may think. If you had to pick one way to make money off your homestead, which one would you choose? Our shoutout this week goes to Seed Mail Seed Co! Stefane is doing incredible things and uniting gardeners of all skill levels together over...

Tara tried to get us talking about literally anything else but worms after our parasite suite, but Steph simply wont allow it. Join us this week as we look at the benefit of worms and how we can use them to help our gardens. Vermicomposting is simple and can be done anywhere, even in your house! This week, we are shouting out As always, you can reach us at [email protected] Weekly Resources: Worm Factory Stackable Bins...

The MilkMaids are TOGETHER! Tara visited Steph in Wyoming and we were finally able to record together. This is a fun episode talking about 6 popular pig breeds. We cover several conventional breeds as well as several heritage breeds- little something for everyone! Our shout out this week goes to The Livestock Conservancy! Find and support them at https://livestockconservancy.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/donate/ As always, you can reach us at [email protected] Weekly...

We’ve covered livestock parasites, now we are covering how to run a fecal float test on your own farm! We love doing these episodes to help you be in charge of your animal’s health. This episode covers everything you need to get started from the equipment you will need down to the nitty gritty details of how to perform a fecal test, and what the results actually mean. Our shout out this week goes to Wild Coast Brew! Check out their products and of course the amazing artwork on their products...

The topic no one asked for but the MilkMaids provided anyway! Before you even get your first farm animal, it is important to know about parasites. In this episode, we will break down internal and external parasites, the best protocol to have with your farm animals and your parasite management, what medications to use according to what species you are dealing with, and debunking some common ‘natural’ myths! Our shoutout this week goes to Black Farmer Fund out of New York! You can find out all...

Join us this week to talk about monoculture vs polyculture. We break it down in an easy to understand way. We also provide a bunch of examples that are easy to try in your own garden! This week’s shout out goes to Native Seeds/Search! They are doing the work on finding and preserving traditional seeds suited specifically for the arid west! Find them at www.nativeseeds.org As always, you can reach us at [email protected] Weekly...

With spring calving right around the corner, its a great time to learn all about milk fever and ketosis. Both conditions can be life threatening, so being prepared is key. We cover everything from what is conditions are, how to spot the symptoms, potential treatment options as well as key prevention tricks. *Disclaimer: We are not veterinarians. This information is for entertainment only. If you have concerns with your cow, contact your veterinarian.* Our shout out this week goes to...

Join us this week as we discuss a MilkMaids favorite, Pollinator Gardens! If you are new to pollinators, tune in and hear about our favorite pollinators along with how you can help. So what is your favorite pollinator? Beetles? Please say it’s beetles. Our shoutout this week goes to the Xerces Society! They are a science-based invertebrate conservation nonprofit that can help you get started with a pollinator garden so you can in turn help the pollinators! Check them out here-...

Let’s talk about those Livestock Guardian Dogs! Tara and Steph are fascinated by these big beautiful beasts and the purpose they serve in the farming and ranching industry. We do a short LGD intro and then dive into 6 of our favorite breeds! Our shout out this week goes to Backyard Garden Seeds! We love supporting amazing small seed companies, and this one is truly a stand out! Check them out at Home and Garden | Backyard Garden Seeds As always, you can reach us...

Kombucha has been all the rage in the homesteading world, and for good cause too! What is kombucha? Why brew and drink it? How? We answer all these questions and more. Get ready for your next obsession! Our shout out this week goes to Permaculture Women’s Guild! This group is doing amazing things, providing excellent sources of information as well as free courses on permaculture! Their courses are offered on www.freepermaculture.com and you can also check out...

It's that time of year for garden planning! We cover the, often looked over, basics that help to set you up for a successful season. From where to plant, how much to plant, and what to plant, to even sourcing seeds- we cover it all. This week we are shouting out The Society of Inclusive Blacksmiths! They are truly inclusive with a mentor/mentee training program that is out of this world. Check them out at https://www.inclusiveblacksmiths.com As always, you can reach us...

This week join Tara as she talks with Marissa Lear Fortin from Springhill Heritage Farm about how she came into farming for profit and what that looks like for her balancing clinic nurse life and farm life along of what she plans to do for her farm in the future. Marissa and her partner are raising pastured chickens and pastured pigs while selling directly to consumers while also partnering with other farms in order to provide a variety of local farm goods. Marissa brought her very own...

This week is a timely episode as we encourage you to jump in on farm planning! This is absolutely applicable no matter your scale, from first time homesteaders to for profit farming. We guide you through our steps to help ensure our farm is successful, organized and well thought out. Our shout out this week goes to Anne Bell of Wilder Creations! Her work is traditional, inspired, and truly stunning! Check her out at Wilder Creations | Facebook Plum Planner As always, you can reach us...

This week, we spend some time in our homestead kitchens talking about bread! Making bread is such a romantic and self-sufficient skill that can also be quite intimidating. Not with this guide! Give it a listen and then get to kneading. Our shout out this week goes to Willow Lane Hat Co! Not only do they have beautiful products, but they also have an amazing message. Check them out at https://willowlanehats.com As always, you can reach us at [email protected] Weekly...

This week, we are talking about on-farm milk testing! It is so important to understand raw milk and the biology surrounding it to be sure you are consuming a safe product. The only way to do that is through testing, but the expense of lab tests add up. Not to mention the recent hassles with shipping and such. Having the means and knowledge to test your own milk on your own farm is such an amazing tool to have in your toolbox. We will be going through the entire routine. If you haven’t...

Part two of intro to honeybees! This week we actually get into the act of beekeeping. First we cover the types of hives and equipment you will need. We help you choose, obtain and install your new bees. And lastly, we help you with a basic maintenance routine. This week’s shout out goes to Bees4Vets in Nevada! How fitting, right? They are uniting bees and our veterans to create quite the symbiotic relationship. We love it. Find them at https://bees4vets.org As always, you can reach us...

Bees Baby! Finally! This has been a highly requested topic and we are finally covering honey in this intro to bees, two parter! This week we are talking about the bees themselves and how they maintain and operate a hive. These creatures are beyond fascinating and deserve our respect. Tara sets us up for part two by giving us a fascinating dose of history on the act of beekeeping. This week’s shout out goes to Bees4Vets in Nevada! How fitting, right? They are uniting bees and our veterans to...

Join us this week as we talk all about providing your own protein on the homestead! This episode isn't what you expect it to be, its not a countdown of meats. As it turns out, there is a lot to protein, where it comes from and all of the wild ways to acquire it!  Our shout out this week goes to Southern Exposure Seed Exchange! They are a great company, preserving the variety in our veggies. Check them out at http://www.southernexposure.com As always, you can reach us...

This week were are talking about soap! Why? Well, because soap is an amazing option for utilizing all your amazing products that you produce on the farm. Enjoying homemade soap for you and your family is an amazing luxury. It is also a great value added product if you are a for profit farm.  This week's shout out goes to the amazing Salmon Sisters of Alaska! These women are amazing commercial fisherman with homesteading roots. Check them out at Salmon Sisters (aksalmonsisters.com) Weekly...

Grass fed beef vs grain fed beef, self explanatory, right? Turns out there is way more to this topic than you would think! We are covering everything from flavor and texture of the meat to management practices of the cows. Of course we also discuss labels, what they actually mean, and the future of grass fed beef.  Our shout out this week goes to Spider City Brewing of Bend Oregon! This women owned business puts out some amazingly inspired beers. Check them out at...

Part TWO of the big milking machine episode! Now that we've covered the nuts and bolts in the first episode, we dive into exactly how to use a milking machine. We also cover perhaps the most widely debated topic for homestead scale milking machine users: how to wash the machine.  This week's shout out goes to Garden City Harvest out of Missoula, Montana! They are doing incredible things for their community that extends way beyond just providing good produce. Check them out at...

We are back into an important topic! This week we are discussing milking machines and how they got started. Warning, it may haunt you! Then we get into the types and how they're set up.  This week our shoutout goes to Dovetail Workwear, A MilkMaid Stephanie favorite. You can visit their clothing store online at https://dovetailworkwear.com Happy Milking! Resources https://course-wp.bates.edu/literaturesofagriculture/2014/03/07/history-of-the-milking-process/ - History of the Milking...

This week, we are talking artificial insemination of cows. Due to the nature of this topic, listener discretion is advised. This is the ultimate owner's guide to artificial insemination. We tell you what to expect and how it will go. We also help you prep and predict heat cycles so you know you have the timing right. We even talk about the pros and cons to AI vs having a bull. Our shout out this week goes to the tasty Tanka Bars! This company is indigenous owned and operated and their...

BONUS EPISODE! It's our favorite- SPOOKY SEASON! And we can't help but to combine the spooky season with cows. So join us for this fun, unconventional episode all about cows, lore and bog butter! As always, you can reach us at [email protected] References: https://youtu.be/QVdzrac9QB0 - Old School Skills: Bog Butter. How to preserve butter that remains edible for 3,000...