Creating homestead goals can quickly turn into an overwhelming list of projects! But there’s a better way to set goals that will be realistic and achievable! Use this three-step process and free planning worksheet to plan your homestead goals for the new year!   Raise your hand if you set yearly goals for your homestead. […]

When is it time to step up and become a legal tax collecting, tax paying, official business? This is a question I have been dealing with for about a year. I just recently began to take the steps of becoming a legal sole proprietorship. All the legal stuff can become very overwhelming! Therefore, I’m going […]

This is the last post in my NPIP Certification series. In this post I get into the knitty gritty of actually testing your flock for pullorum. You will still have to become a certified tester for the results to be considered, but this will give you an idea of what is involved before deciding to […]

The number one reason I decided to become a Certified Salmonella Pollorum Tester is to save money when getting my flock NPIP Certified.         I plan on selling hatching eggs in the near future and to do so legally, my flock must be NPIP Certified. This entails a blood test performed by […]

For this post I will use our home state of Michigan as an example. Each state has different rules and regulations, but this should give everyone a general idea of the process.   The pollorum test is a blood test. Usually the blood draw is taken from a vein under the wing. Only a drop […]

No matter where you live or what stage of development your business is in, there will always be rules and regulations you must be aware of. As cities, counties, states, and the federal government take action to protect the public, selling homegrown or homemade goods will continue to be regulated. UPDATE!  March 20, 2018 The […]

Email newsletters are a great way to keep in touch with your customers and let them know what is in season on your homestead. It’s a great way to highlight new products, important dates (like first or last market days of the season) or share exciting news about what is going on at your homestead […]

Crops have always been a source of food and fuel for humans and animals alike. As the population of the former continues to grow and the climate of the planet continues to change, the importance of farm crops rises with every passing year. Why Crop Yields Matter The demand for plant materials not only concerns […]

A big part of Etsy is the ability to connect buyers with makers. (If you’re not familiar with Etsy, be sure to check out Part 1 of this article!) One of my favorite parts about running the farm stand is meeting my customers face-to-face. While this isn’t possible when you are selling online, Etsy does […]

Why Julia Chooses Quickbooks Excerpted from The Farmer’s Office by Julia Shanks QuickBooks (QB) is the industry-standard accounting software for small businesses, including farms. At a minimum, it’s a jacked-up checkbook register. At its best, it is a powerful business tool that provides the information you need to make important decisions about your business. If you have a basic […]