IL Newb

[lcertuche]

One of the easiest and cheapest livestock to raise is rabbits. A few does and a couple of bucks will feed your family and depending on your area you might be able to sell the meat or young. They are quite, the neighbors probably wouldn't know you had them. They provide many pounds of meat on little feed. In fact many people raise them pretty much on hay. I don't have any rabbits right now but I plan to get started soon as I can come up with some suitable housing. We can get square bales of hay for $3 or $4 here and rabbit pellets are not that expensive. Even lawn clippings and small fruit limbs make good rabbit nibbles. Of course on the down side they are adorably cute and cuddly which makes them hard to dispatch.

 

[Britesea]

I want to get rabbits, but DH says no. He says they would need good shelter against our extreme weather (way more than the ducks need) and he says they stink, and he doesn't want to deal with that anymore. So I'm stuck with trying to find someone nearby that's raising them for sale.

 

[lcertuche]

Rabbits and the fertilizer they produce usually doesn't smell bad or at least near as bad a other critters. They also are able to take cold weather very well. They need a cover to keep from getting wet and cold wind blocked but not much else. Many people keep them in garages and spare rooms in their house which is why many 'Prepper Types' raise them. They believe when SHTF they can hide them. If your husband doesn't want them it's better you find someone else to raise them. Maybe you could even do some kind of trade of labor, cost (buying food, hay, etc.) to help offset the cost. I don't have any now but really want to get back into meat rabbits.

 

[NH Homesteader]

I've had rabbits and ducks and I thought the ducks smelled way worse! And they did just fine in NH winters as long as they could get out of the wind.

 

[Land of Lincoln]

Wondering if any of you know about peach trees. Back in early November I purchased and planted 2 dwarf Redhaven peach trees. They are around 4' tall after planting. I realize it will probably take a couple of years at least for them to start producing fruit.

My question is if I see flower buds on them in the first year, should I remove them so the energy can continue into tree growth or allow the bud to grow and form a peach? I really want to do what's best for the tree so it will bear fruit in the years to come. Any suggestions?

 

[baymule]

Just because.....you might let a couple of tiny peaches grow...... It's soooo hard to wait on trees to bear fruit!!

 

[Britesea]

I had some flowers on my new-planted sour cherry this year that I left on the tree. They didn't turn into cherries, but on the other hand, I don't think it hurt the tree either.

 

[lcertuche]

I have heard that you will have more productive trees if you pick that first years blooms.