February 2019 - United Country Real Estate

FARM ANIMALS So, you’ve moved to the country. You bought a LOW-MAINTENANCE by Angela Smith

can easily provide for your family or provide a way to start a small business. DUCKS. Ducks are another animal that require little space. They produce large eggs, are a great source of meat and will help around the garden by eating weak-rooted plants and pesky bugs. HONEYBEES. Honeybees are insects, but we want to mention them because they are often overlooked maintenance and provide quite a few benefits. All you need are hive boxes, a small source of water, a bee suit and gloves and some as a farm possibility, and they require little

started. Not only are bees an extremely important part of the ecosystem by pollinating crops, they produce honey and beeswax which can be a food source or used to produce candles, lip balm and other products. SHEEP. Sheep do require a little bit more maintenance than the animals above, but they produce meat, milk and wool. There are also many suitable breeds for small farms. Just be aware that they do require a bit of pastureland. farm, be prepared for possible predators as most of these animals are lower on the food chain and end up as prey to a larger wild animal. However, with proper preparation and fencing, you should be fine. When adding any animal to your

Ready to buy your own farm or country home and start your own hobby farm or raising animals yourself? Contact United Country Real Estate, the leader in farm land sales since 1925, to help you get started. Sources: https://www.thespruce. com/easy-small-farm- animals-to-raise-3016773 https://morningchores. com/best-farm-animals/

small farm or home with extra acreage, and you’re ready to fulfill your dream of raising your own farm animals and enjoying the country life. If you’re new to this, the best thing you can do is research some of the easiest-to-raise farm animals and their needs. Here are some animals that might be good to start with whether you have a small farm, hobby farm or a country home with land: RABBITS. Rabbits are inexpensive, require a small amount of space and can be a great meat source. They eat everything from veggie scraps, grass clippings and hay to store-bought feed. They also produce great fertilizer for the garden. CHICKENS. Many farmers start with chickens due to the fact that they serve many purposes. They provide eggs, meat and fertilizer. Chickens also don’t require a ton of space and are fairly inexpensive to feed since they will eat just about

sugar water to get

anything (compost, garden scraps, bugs or store-bought feed). The amount of eggs a small flock produces

at United-