From the Field
The Fincabout Blog
Stories from the soil, science behind the seeds, and hard-won wisdom from farmers who've been there. Grab your coffee and dig in.
Small Dairy Milk Handling for Cleaner Milk
Good milk starts long before it reaches the jar or bulk tank. This practical guide walks small dairy keepers through clean milking, fast cooling, sanitation routines, quality testing, treatment records, and daily checks that protect flavor, safety, and buyer trust.
Crop Scouting Checklist: Pests, Disease, and Stress
A good crop scouting routine helps you catch field problems while they are still small enough to manage. Use this practical checklist to spot insects, diseases, weeds, water stress, and nutrient issues early.
Farm Succession Planning: How to Prepare Your Farm for the Next Generation
Farm succession planning is not just paperwork. It is the careful handoff of land, knowledge, records, authority, and responsibility so both the farm and the family have a fair chance to thrive.
Farm Security Plan: Practical Ways to Deter Theft, Protect Equipment, and Secure Rural Buildings
A good farm security plan does not have to be fancy. Start by mapping weak spots, tightening access, protecting high-value equipment, and building a simple routine your family or crew will actually follow.
Nutrient Management Plan: Match Fertilizer to Crop Needs
A nutrient management plan helps you feed the crop, not the ditch. Here is a practical, field-ready way to use soil tests, manure analysis, fertilizer timing, nutrient budgets, and records to improve crop performance while cutting waste.
Small Farm Grain Storage: Moisture, Bins, and Pests
Good grain storage starts before the combine, sheller, or threshing crew ever rolls. This guide walks through practical moisture planning, storage choices, aeration, pest prevention, safety, and what to do when stored grain starts showing trouble.
Raising Pigs for Beginners: Setup, Feed, and Health
Thinking about pigs for your farm or homestead? This beginner guide covers shelter, fencing, feed, sourcing feeder pigs, health checks, processing plans, and the setup details to finish your first season with fewer surprises.
Farm Wildfire Preparedness: Buildings, Fields, Livestock
Farm wildfire preparedness starts before smoke is on the horizon. Use this practical guide and seasonal checklist to reduce fuels, improve water access, plan livestock decisions, and make your farm easier to defend or leave safely.
Agricultural Drones for Small Farms: Uses and ROI
Agricultural drones can help small farms scout fields faster, update maps, spot trouble early, and document damage. The key is choosing the right drone for real farm jobs instead of buying more technology than the farm can put to work.
Small Farm Biogas Digester Guide
A small farm biogas digester can turn steady manure and suitable food scraps into useful fuel and digestate. The key is matching the system to your waste stream, winter conditions, labor, gas use, safety needs, and nutrient plan before you build.
Farm Stand Design: How to Build a Roadside Stand That Sells More Produce
A good farm stand does more than hold vegetables. Smart location, clear layout, honest signage, fresh produce, and simple payment systems can turn a roadside stop into a reliable direct-sales outlet.
Choosing and Training Livestock Guardian Dogs
Livestock guardian dogs can be powerful predator deterrents, but they are not plug-and-play farm equipment. Learn how to choose the right LGD, set up your farm, and manage common problems before they cost you livestock or neighbor goodwill.