Author: Zoe Smith

My name is Zoe. I'm the Editor here at Urban Farm Store. I'm completely in love with our farm and my cute little garden! I hope to make the world a better place by minimising my own impact on the environment. Let me teach you how!

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Farm Feed

Best Chicken Feed: 3 Top Picks for Backyard Flocks

Chickens gathered around a feeder eating chicken feed
(Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash)

Walk into any feed store and you’ll find a wall of bags all claiming to be the best chicken feed for your flock. The truth is there isn’t one single best option — the right chicken feed depends on your birds’ age, whether they’re laying, and how much you want to spend.

What matters most is matching the feed to the life stage of your flock and making sure it delivers enough protein and calcium to keep hens laying well. This guide covers what to look for, the difference between layer feed and starter/grower feed, and three real chicken feed products worth putting in your coop.

If you want the bigger picture on feed categories across every animal on the farm, our guide to the different types of animal feed is a good starting point, and our breakdown of what most farm animals eat covers chickens alongside the rest of your livestock. This post is the specific, product-level deep dive neither of those covers.

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Categories
Home & Garden

How to Start Composting: A Beginner’s Guide

A backyard compost pile with browns and greens layered for beginner composting
(Photo by Calixte Benoit on Unsplash)

Composting for beginners sounds more complicated than it actually is. At its core, you’re just piling up the right mix of “browns” and “greens,” giving it some air and moisture, and letting nature do the rest. The tricky part is usually the details — what ratio to use, how often to turn it, and what to do when the pile starts to smell.

This guide walks through how to start composting the traditional, outdoor way, from your first pile to your first batch of finished compost. If you’re short on outdoor space or want a faster, odor-free indoor method instead, our bokashi composting guide covers a fermentation-based alternative that works well on a balcony or under a kitchen sink.

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Home & Garden

Best Greenhouse Kits: 4 Top Picks for Every Budget

A small standalone greenhouse kit set up in a backyard garden
(Photo by Adrian Infernus on Unsplash)

Not everyone wants to spend a weekend framing lumber and cutting panels. If you just want a working greenhouse up and growing plants this weekend, a ready-made kit gets you there a lot faster than building one from scratch. This guide rounds up solid greenhouse kits across a range of sizes and budgets, from compact starter setups to full walk-in structures, so you can pick the one that actually fits your yard and your growing goals.

If you’re not sure yet whether buying or building is the better fit for you, our guide to setting up your own greenhouse walks through the trade-offs and covers the DIY build process in detail.

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Categories
Homesteading

Composting Toilet for Off-Grid Homes: 3 Top Picks

A small off-grid cabin bathroom setup suited to a composting toilet
(Photo by Thomas Werneken on Unsplash)

A composting toilet is one of the most practical upgrades you can make to an off-grid home, and it’s often one of the first questions people ask when they start planning a homestead without a septic or sewer connection. No water lines, no septic tank, and no black tank to pump out — just a system that turns waste into something you can eventually return to the soil.

This guide covers how composting toilets actually work, why off-grid households choose them, the difference between self-contained and central-system designs, and three real products worth considering.

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Categories
Farming

Companion Planting Chart: Best & Worst Vegetable Pairings

Rows of mixed vegetables planted together in a companion planting vegetable garden
(Photo by Ulrike R. Donohue on Unsplash)

Some vegetables genuinely make each other better neighbors, and some quietly sabotage each other’s growth. Companion planting is the practice of pairing crops that help one another — through pest deterrence, nutrient sharing, or simple use of space — while keeping the bad pairings apart.

It’s one of the oldest tricks in farming and home gardening alike, and you don’t need a science degree to use it well. You mostly just need a reliable companion planting chart to reference when you’re laying out beds each spring.

This guide covers the classic companion planting pairings, the combinations you should actively avoid, and a full reference chart you can come back to season after season.

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Categories
Farm Animals

Poultry Farming for Beginners

Free ranging chickens roaming a small poultry farm in the US.
Free ranging chickens roaming a small poultry farm. Photo by Jan Kraus.

Poultry Farming is the process in which a variety of different domestic birds are raised for their eggs, feathers, and meat.

First things first, you’ll need to decide what type of poultry farm you want to start. We’ve got a comprehensive breakdown of the different types of birds you can choose from to get you started.

Choosing the right location is also crucial to the success of your poultry farm. We’ll provide tips on how to find a suitable and accessible location for your feathered friends.

Of course, you’ll need to equip your farm with the essentials to keep your birds healthy and happy. We’ve compiled a list of must-have equipment for your small-scale poultry farm.

And before you jump headfirst into this new venture, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of poultry farming, so you can make an informed decision.

So, whether you’re a complete novice or have some experience under your belt, this guide will provide you with everything you need to start your poultry farming journey.

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Categories
Homesteading

The Best States for Homestead

Man with lamb in homestead ground. Idaho is one of the best states to start a homestead.
Man with lamb in homestead ground. Idaho is one of the best states to start a homestead. Photo by Zoe Schaeffer.

Are you looking for the best states for homesteading? Not sure if there are favorable homesteading laws in the states you’re looking into?

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll reveal the top states for homesteading and provide essential information to help you make the best decision for you and your family.

We understand that everyone’s preferences and needs are different, so we’ll discuss various factors you should consider, including:

  • Homesteading laws
  • Property taxes
  • Geography and climate

So, let’s dive in and explore the best places to start your off-grid, sustainable lifestyle!

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Categories
Farm Supplies

Gates for Dog Owners

Dogs (and farms) sometimes need protection for their own good.
Dogs (and farms) sometimes need protection for their own good. Image source: Rover.

Sometimes, it’s essential to create boundaries around our homes to ensure our beloved pets remain safe and secure.

The best dog gates enable you to designate off-limits areas for your pet, whether it’s to protect them from newborns, guests, your bed, predators, or even for training purposes.

However, there are instances when a farm gate might be overkill for a situation that could be resolved with a baby gate. Baby gates offer a more economical solution, acting as an excellent farm supply, as they tend to be less expensive and easier to install.

These options are perfect for indoor spaces and smaller areas where a full-sized farm gate isn’t necessary. Additionally, baby gates are often more lightweight and portable, making them a versatile choice for dog owners who need a temporary or adjustable barrier to keep their pets safe and secure.

These gates are also easier to install; simply lock them in place. They grant your dog more freedom while alleviating the responsibility of dog-proofing your entire space.

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Categories
Farm Supplies

Poultry Manure Pellet Machine, Why Do Small Farmers Need One?

Backyard chickens and rooster
Backyard chickens and rooster. Photo by Zosia Korcz.

Most people consider the manure from chickens, cows, horses, sheep, pigs, and other livestock waste. Yet, it serves as a valuable source of organic fertilizer.

To use raw materials as fertilizer, poultry farmers must dehydrate and ferment them. The machine for drying chicken manure can dewater chicken poo rapidly and effectively.

However, relying solely on native fermentation may not result in high-quality granulated organic fertilizer. This is due to unstable nutritional composition and a low supply of trace elements.

In the sections below, we’ll delve into the world of chicken manure pellet equipment, reveal our top pick, and guide you through the factors to consider when selecting the perfect chicken manure pellet machine for your needs.

So let’s dive in and turn that livestock waste into organic gold!

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Categories
Farm Feed

Fodder Types Explained and How to Know Which You Should Use

Bale of hay on a field. The different types of fodder explained for your farm.
Bale of hay on a field. The different types of fodder explained for your farm. Photo by Peter Kleinau.

Taking proper care of your farm’s livestock is of the utmost importance for their well-being and success.

Green fodder production can provide a cost-effective solution to ensure they get all the nutrients they need.

Cereal grains and legumes are ideal for growing nutritious fodder that will help keep your animals healthy and strong.

Not sure where to begin when it comes to producing green fodder? We’re here to help – our guide has everything you need to know about creating a nourishing feed for your animals quickly and easily.

With just a little bit of effort, lush, nutritious feed will be within reach in no time!

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