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 Orchard Planning: Site Selection, Tree Spacing, Varieties, and the First Five Years
A small orchard can feed a household, support a farm stand, fill a cider press, or anchor a mixed homestead system for decades. Good planning before you plant is what separates a productive orchard from a patch of frustrated trees.
Farm Pollinator Strips: Design, Plant, and Maintain Habitat
Farm pollinator strips can turn field edges, fence lines, orchard rows, and odd corners into working habitat for bees, butterflies, hoverflies, parasitic wasps, and other beneficial insects. With the right site, plant mix, and maintenance plan, they may support biodiversity, strengthen integrated pest management, and fit neatly into everyday farm work.
Seed Starting Calendar: When to Start Vegetables Indoors and Transplant Outside
A good seed starting calendar is built around frost dates, crop timing, and local growing conditions, not one-size-fits-all calendar dates. Learn when to start vegetables indoors, which crops are better direct seeded, and how to time spring, fall, and succession plantings with more confidence.
Chicken Coop Design: Space, Ventilation, and Predator Protection
Good chicken coop design starts with the flock you actually plan to manage, not a pretty picture from the internet. This guide walks through space, airflow, roosts, nest boxes, cleaning, and predator protection so you can build a coop that works in real farm life.
Farm Pond Planning: Site, Size, and Maintenance
A good farm pond starts long before the first bucket of dirt is moved. This practical guide walks through farm pond planning, from choosing a site and sizing storage to permits, safety, water quality, and yearly upkeep.
Farmers Market Booth Setup Checklist for Produce Growers
A good farmers market booth does more than look pretty. This practical guide covers the gear, layout, displays, pricing, food safety habits, and market-day review steps that help produce growers sell with less stress.
Soil Moisture Sensors for Irrigation: Choose, Place, Use
Soil moisture sensors can take the guesswork out of irrigation, but only if you choose the right type, place them well, and read them in context. Here is a practical guide for farms, gardens, orchards, and homesteads that want better water decisions without drowning in data.
Small Farm Wash-Pack Station Design: Cleaner Produce, Faster Harvests, and Better Food Safety
A good wash-pack station turns harvest chaos into a steady, clean, repeatable routine. This guide walks through location, workflow, equipment, water safety, drainage, cleanup, and practical layouts for farms of different sizes.
On-Farm Composting: Turn Manure and Crop Waste into Fertility
On-farm composting turns manure, bedding, spoiled hay, leaves, and crop waste into a steady source of organic matter. Done well, it improves soil life, reduces waste headaches, and helps you keep more fertility cycling on the farm.
Farm Drainage Basics: Fix Wet Fields and Muddy Lanes
Poor drainage quietly steals yield, damages soil structure, and turns simple chores into mud wrestling. This practical guide shows how to read water on your land, choose surface or subsurface fixes, and map drainage into your farm layout before problems grow.
Farm Road Design: Durable Access Roads and Lanes
This farm road design guide helps you plan durable access for equipment, livestock, deliveries, and emergency vehicles. Build routes around drainage, turning space, gates, surface choice, and maintenance before muddy shortcuts become permanent.
Small Farm Biosecurity Plan: Quarantine Basics
A practical biosecurity plan does not have to be fancy or expensive. With a few clear rules for quarantine, visitors, chores, wildlife, and cleaning, small farms can help reduce the chance of disease reaching their animals.