Our flagship series of books on animal husbandry — Storey’s Guides to Raising — was born in 1975, during the Back to the Land movement. It began with a book on raising poultry, another on dairy goats, and a … Read More

I know that love exists between chickens. It’s clearly evident that they care about one another’s well-being and can form special bonds — including those of the romantic variety. What governs the affections of roosters and hens, and how do they express their amorous intentions? … Read More

My Morgan mares look more beautiful than ever in winter. Their coats are deep bright bay — Robin’s redder, Martha’s darker — clean and fluffy with an extra shine that seems to come from within. During storms they are frosted thick with snow, like lovely … Read More

I’ve written before about the potential dangers of essential oils when it comes to pets. Recently a flurry of posts has appeared online about beloved pet cats becoming critically ill when exposed to essential oils through home diffusers. These heartbreaking stories serve … Read More

Goat Milk as “Medicine” The healthful aspect of goat milk is as legendary as goats’ aroma and their preference for tin cans but with a more positive spin and a lot more basis in truth. A few savvy doctors do, in fact, prescribe goat milk … Read More

Alaska’s Denali National Park, which is more than 6 million acres in size, has always been home to sled dogs. On a trip to Alaska last summer, my husband and I visited the sled dogs owned by the National Park Service and, although I did … Read More

When I first got chickens, I was instantly drawn to them. I wanted to learn everything I could about my new, tiny balls of fluff. As I saw it, I was planning on having these chickens around for a long time, so connecting with them … Read More

I’ve been clicker-training horses for years. I understand the science. But revising a novel under the guidance of my editor Rebecca Davis, I understood for the first time how it feels to be trained using positive reinforcement. Here’s what it’s like to be edited by … Read More

Beer for goats? Yes, indeed! Beer, in fact, for many other farmyard creatures as well. Horses, sheep, goats, cows, and pigs all benefit from a good dark beer when they aren’t feeling up to snuff. We learned about beer for livestock 10 years ago when … Read More

Our first interactions with wild predators took place in 1976, when we moved to our small farm in Michigan and bought a box of chicks at the local feed store. We learned very quickly that we weren’t smarter than a raccoon. Confronted on several mornings … Read More