Chickens, with their natural beauty and big personalities, are beloved for the humor and wisdom they bring to daily life. Few are better acquainted with chickens' charm than Melissa Caughey, who has introduced the appeal of owning a flock and chronicled the lives and personalities of her own backyard birds in her best-selling books. In Chicken Wisdom Frame-Ups, she delivers that charm for all to enjoy, anywhere a dose of inspiration might be needed. Sage sentiments meet delightful chicken photography on 50 individual cards, and with a pull-out table-top frame included, you can display your favorite card or easily swap it out for one that fits the mood or suits the moment. It's an all-in-one package that delivers the joy of keeping chickens -- without having to clean the coop!

--- WITH A FOREWORD BY DR. PHIL MCGRAW --- Designer Dogs is the shocking exposure of the dangers of continuing to make our dogs tinier or funnier looking, more "Instagram worthy," and presents startling new revelations on why this threatens French bulldogs, pit bulls, and other favorite breeds with extinction. Ever heard of a labradoodle, a goldendoodle, or a puggle? How about a cockapoo, a pomsky, or a spoodle? You or a friend have certainly been enticed by a "hypoallergenic dog" or smiled at a "teacup." These are not dog breeds that nature created; these are the results of the forced mating or genetic engineering of different breeds, or inbreeding, and popularized by social media and celebrities. In Designer Dogs, Madeline Bernstein, one of the country's most respected animal welfare crusaders, reveals the obsession with new types of dogs-engineering puppies that keep getting smaller or sillier looking-and the horrifying health consequences of this on those we claim as our best friends. She also provides extraordinary revelations on how this has led to a world of "disposable pets"-puppies and adult dogs abandoned when their medical expenses become too costly and added to the 6.5 million animals entering shelters each year, or put on the street-and informed insight into what's ahead: made-to-order puppies; hybrid animals; shorter life spans for dogs; and even the extinction of breeds like French bulldogs, pit bulls, King Charles spaniels, mastiffs, Skye terriers, bloodhounds, and more. And Bernstein calls out those responsible for the savagery, both domestic puppy mills and backyard breeders, and also an international dog trafficking ring that she's been on the front line exposing. Bernstein's game-changing and unforgettable book is destined to cause outrage and save lives in the process.

Important tips include attractive and effective fencing options to keep the chickens contained and guidance for choosing the best plants for gardeners and their birds. For everyone who has been bitten by the chicken bug, this indispensable guide is a must-have for how to garden with, for, and around chickens. Only book to teach readers how to have a thriving garden and chickens too! Innovative ideas for gardening with chickens, including solar and green roof coops Extensive lists of the best plants to create a chicken-friendly oasis, and design strategies and problem solving plans for homeowners

'Warmly entertaining...an endearing account of the search for rare bees' Guardian A hunt for the world's most elusive bees leads Dave Goulson from Poland to Patagonia as well as closer to home, amongst the secret places hidden right under our noses: the abandoned industrial estates where great crested newts roam; or the rewilded estate at Knepp Castle, where, with the aid of some hairy, bluebell-eating Tamworth pigs, nightingale song has been heard for the first time in generations. Whether he is tracking great yellow bumblebees in the Hebrides or chasing orchid bees through the Ecuadorian jungle, Dave Goulson's wit, humour and deep love of nature make him the ideal travelling companion.

This book explores the role of animals - horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and dogs - in shaping Georgian London. Moving away from the philosophical, fictional and humanitarian sources used by previous animal studies, it focuses on evidence of tangible, dung-bespattered interactions between real people and animals, drawn from legal, parish, commercial, newspaper and private records.This approach opens up new perspectives on unfamiliar or misunderstood metropolitan spaces, activities, social types, relationships and cultural developments. Ultimately, the book challenges traditional assumptions about the industrial, agricultural and consumer revolutions, as well as key aspects of the city's culture, social relations and physical development. It will be stimulating reading for students and professional scholars of urban, social, economic, agricultural, industrial, architectural and environmental history. -- .

Striking a perfect point, flushing grouse for hours, and retrieving perfectly to hand, two German shorthaired pointer dogs named Jager and Cent are at the heart of this huntsman's memoir. After hiring an expert to find the best of this breed in the world, William Urseth created "The Line"--generations of dogs that not only won countless tournaments but also created countless highs and heartbreaks in their lifetimes of bird hunting and spending days in the field. Centering on stories about the Minnesota Horse and Hunt Club, the kennel and dogs there, and the hunts in the northern Midwest of the U.S., these dog tales comprise an entertaining and touching look at the German shorthaired pointer breed and one man's relationship with it.

AS SEEN ON BBC TWO'S HIT TV-SHOW 'THIS FARMING LIFE' 'A heartwarming tale of life on the land' Alan Titchmarsh 'There's love and loss, challenge and adversity, but above all it's warm, insightful and inspiring' Helen Skelton 'Will inspire any reader to look at the countryside - and all those who work there - with newfound appreciation' Jimmy Doherty 'Uplifting, charming and beautifully written' Adam Henson Emma Gray was just twenty-three when she moved to an isolated farm in Northumberland, becoming Britain's youngest solo shepherdess. In the seasons that followed, Emma fell in love with its rolling fields, surrounding forest and sturdy farmhouse, tending her sheep and training her dogs - and even found romance. But when Emma finds herself suddenly alone again, heartbroken and recovering from a serious accident, she wonders if her isolated existence is still such a sensible idea. Even if she recovers, how could she make a proper living on Fallowlees Farm? In her heartwarming book, Emma tells the story of how she picked herself up and expanded her cattle herd, added more horses to her menagerie, and became one of the country's most successful breeders and trainers of Border Collies - unexpectedly discovering true love and lasting happiness along the way. Written with warmth and humour, My Farming Life is a joyous celebration of nature and community, and a delight for anyone who's ever dreamed of living closer to the countryside.

The Small-Scale Dairy includes everything you need to know in order to successfully produce nourishing, healthy, farm-fresh milk. Whether for home use, direct sale to the consumer, or sale to an artisanal cheesemaker, high-quality raw milk is a delicate, desirable product. Successful and sustainable production requires the producer to consider and tackle many details, ranging from animal care to microbiology to good hygienic practices-and, for those with commercial aspirations, business plans, market savvy, and knowledge of the regulations. Applicable to keepers of cows, goats, or sheep, The Small-Scale Dairy offers a holistic approach that explores the relationships between careful, conscientious management and the production of safe, healthy, and delicious milk. A historical overview offers readers a balanced perspective on the current regulatory environment in which raw milk lovers find themselves. Included are options for designing a well-functioning small dairy, choosing equipment, and understanding myriad processes-such as the use of low-temperature pasteurization where raw milk sales are prohibited. Whether you have a one-cow home dairy, a fifty-goat operation, or are simply a curious consumer, The Small-Scale Dairy is an accessible and invaluable resource for achieving your goals.

Bees continue to fascinate and charm us all - from novice gardeners and nature-lovers to dedicated environmentalists - and today, bees need our help more than ever. Discover the story of these incredible creatures, with The Little Book of Bees. Bees first appeared on Earth an incredible 130 million years ago. Since the time of the dinosaurs, evolution has taken our beloved bees on an incredible journey - and today, there are 20,000 species on the planet. The Little Book of Bees is a lovely, informative book of all things bee - from evolution and communication, to honey, beekeeping, and saving the bees - all in a beautifully illustrated gift book. Contents Chapter One: The Story of Bees The Evolution of the Bee The Bee Life Cycle The Bee Family Tree Bee Anatomy Bee Nesting Behaviours Bee Factoids Chapter Two: Superorganisms Sociality in Bees Bumble Bees Honey Bees Stingless Bees Chapter Three: Honey What is Honey? Types of Honey Practical Uses for Honey Honey Healthcare Chapter Four: Beekeeping Why Keep Bees? An Introduction to Beekeeping Keeping Stingless Bees Chapter Five: Protecting Our Bee Buddies Why Are Bees in Decline? Supporting Our Bees in 10 Easy Steps Providing a Home for Bees

Listen to the bees.

Bees reflect human society - understand them and we can get a little closer to understanding ourselves. Humans and bees have enjoyed a close relationship for millennia, and the entries in this book reflect at least two thousand years of fascination with the world's favourite insect. Monarch, celebrity, monk, peasant, warrior or regular Joe, there are few who haven't fallen under the spell of bees and the riches they bring. From superstition to science, cake recipes to self-help, these quotes are a mirror to ourselves - our hopes and fears, our lives and deaths. Not to mention our taste-buds.

In a changing climate, livestock production is expected to exhibit dual roles of mitigation and adaptation in order to meet the challenge of food security. This book approaches the issues of livestock production and climate change through three sections: I. Livestock production, II. Climate change and, III. Enteric methane amelioration. Section I addresses issues of feed quality and availability, abiotic stress (heat and nutritional) and strategies for alleviation, livestock generated nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, and approaches for harnessing the complex gut microbial diversity. Section II discusses the effects of climate change on livestock diversity, farm animal reproduction, impact of meat production on climate change, and emphasising the role of indigenous livestock in climatic change to sustain production. Section III deals with the most recent approaches to amelioration of livestock methane such as breeding for low methane emissions, reductive acetogenesis, immunization/vaccine-based concepts and archaea phage therapy.

As a city boy, all Philip Dixon wanted to be in life was a farmer, but achieving that ambition would be a lot less straightforward than he had anticipated! Starting work on a farm at the age of fifteen, Philip finds himself handling some highly temperamental bulls, meeting some very `witchy' women and encountering mysterious country ways. Later he gets married, raises a family, acquires his own farm and, along the way, becomes part of the Round Table team that invented the charity plastic duck race! Enjoy Philip's story as he makes progress in his farming career in the north east of England from the 1960s to the mid-1980s, and meets some remarkable characters, many of whom belong to an age all but lost to us. Philip's story will, at times, have you laughing out loud and weeping tears of sympathy, and will lift your spirits as you read how he overcomes all life's setbacks to make plans for a brave new future.

Raising a pig is easy to do, even in a small space like a suburban backyard. In just five months, a 30-pound shoat will become a 250-pound hog and provide you with 100 pounds of pork, including tenderloin, ham, ribs, bacon, sausage, and more. For anyone who wants to raise a pig for meat in a backyard or on a small farm, this comprehensive guide explains exactly how to do it, humanely and safely. Livestock expert Sue Weaver covers everything from selecting a breed with great flavor and bringing your shoat home to feeding, housing, fencing, health care, and humane processing.

To meet growing demand, the FAO has estimated that world poultry production needs to grow by 2-3% per year to 2030. Much of the increase in output already achieved has been as a result of improvements in commercial breeds combined with rearing in more intensive production systems. However, more intensive systems have increased the risk of transmission of animal diseases and zoonoses. Consumer expectations of sensory and nutritional quality have also never been higher. At the same time consumers are more concerned about the environmental impact of poultry production as well as animal welfare. Drawing on an international range of expertise, this book reviews research on poultry health and welfare. Part 1 begins by reviewing the range of diseases and other health issues affecting poultry. It then goes on to discuss ways of preventing and managing disease such as breeding, and means of attenuating the immune system. The second part of the book discusses welfare issues such as management of breeding flocks, housing, transport and humane slaughter techniques. Achieving sustainable production of poultry meat Volume 3: Health and welfare will be a standard reference for poultry and food scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies involved in poultry production. It is accompanied by two further volumes which review safety, quality and sustainability as well as poultry breeding and nutrition.

First published in 1984, this volume comprised a broad synthesis of contemporary research on sheep reproduction conducted in Australia. Australia is internationally recognized for the excellence of its research in this field, and heads the world in areas of the neuro-endocrine control of reproduction, reproductive behaviour, artificial insemination and manipulation of reproductive performance, to name just a few. The book comprises some 23 review papers and short communications, all refereed by experts in the field, covering such topics as neuro-endocrinology, sexual behaviour, testicular and ovular function, pregnancy and foetal growth, parturition, lamb survival, nutrition and genetics. Advanced methods, developed in the seventies and early eighties to control reproductive function, gene manipulation and intra-uterine insemination are also considered, together with the managerial and economic values of such developments.

Goats aren't just for farmers anymore. More and more people are keeping goats as pets. They're also choosing to raise them for milk and fibre and are keeping them as pack goats, and companion animals. With minimal space and housing needs, goats are a practical choice for people with small backyards who want to enjoy some of the benefits and pleasures of keeping livestock. "The Backyard Goat" is a perfect resource for anyone looking to raise a goat or two for milk, fibre, or pleasure, this book covers all the essentials of goat ownership. Readers will get to know goats in chapters discussing goat anatomy, different breeds and their histories, and how to choose the right goat for every situation. They'll learn how to play and work with goats, using clicker training to teach them how to do simple tricks, pull and drive carts, and serve as pack goats. They'll learn how to care for their goats by providing proper housing, good nutrition, and a healthy environment. And they'll find specific chapters on milking, shearing, breeding, raising newborn kids, and more.

In little more than a century, industrial practices have altered every aspect of the cheesemaking process, from the bodies of the animals that provide the milk to the microbial strains that ferment it. Reinventing the Wheel explores what has been lost as raw-milk, single-farm cheeses have given way to the juggernaut of factory production. In the process, distinctiveness and healthy rural landscapes have been exchanged for higher yields and monoculture. However, Bronwen and Francis Percival find reason for optimism. Around the world--not just in France, but also in the United States, England, and Australia--enterprising cheesemakers are exploring the techniques of their great-grandparents. At the same time, using sophisticated molecular methods, scientists are upending conventional wisdom about the role of microbes in every part of the world. Their research reveals the resilience and complexity of the indigenous microbial communities that contribute to the flavor and safety of cheese. One experiment at a time, these dynamic scientists, cheesemakers, and dairy farmers are reinventing the wheel.