Complete self-sufficiency may seem out of reach, but for more and more of us, increasing our self-reliance as much as possible is the order of the day. Incorporating dairy goats as the centerpiece of a diversified homestead can be the key to achieving this goal, and "Raising Goats Naturally" will show you how. By working with nature, you can raise dairy goats and produce your own milk, cheese, meat, fertilizer, leather, fiber, and soap all without relying on drugs or following the factory farm model. By observing your own animals closely and educating yourself about their specific needs, you can create an individualized plan for keeping them healthy and maximizing their productivity. This unique, fully-illustrated guide will teach you to help your herd thrive with: breed-specific descriptions to help you choose the right goats for your goals and life style, detailed information on housing, fencing, breeding, health, milking, and nutrition, complete recipes and instructions for making your own cheese, dairy products, and soap, as well as cooking with goat meat. Packed with personal experiences backed up by expert veterinary advice and scientific studies, "Raising Goats Naturally" brings together a wealth of practical information on raising goats for the love of it and using their milk and meat to become more self-reliant. Deborah Niemann is a homesteader, writer, and self-sufficiency expert who has raised livestock for over ten years.
Not all saleable crops are dependent on access to greenhouses or sun-drenched, arable land. Shade-loving medicinal herbs can be successfully cultivated in a forest garden for personal use or as small-scale cash crops. "Growing and Marketing Ginseng, Goldenseal and other Woodland Medicinals" is a complete guide to these increasingly popular botanicals, aimed at aspiring and experienced growers alike. In this fully revised and updated edition, authors Jeanine Davis and W. Scott Persons show how more than a dozen sought-after native species can generate a greater profit on a rugged, otherwise idle woodlot than just about any other legal crop on an equal area of cleared land. With little capital investment but plenty of sweat equity, patience, and common sense, small landowners can preserve and enhance their treed space while simultaneously earning supplemental income. Packed with budget information, extensive references, and personal stories of successful growers, this invaluable resource will excite and inspire everyone from the home gardener to the full-time farmer. Jeanine Davis is an associate professor and extension specialist with North Carolina State University. Her focus is helping farmers diversify into new crops and organic agriculture. W. Scott Persons is the author of "American Ginseng: Green Gold" and an expert in growing and marketing wild-simulated and woods-cultivated ginseng.