| In these days of stringent cash flow, when even the | | | | chickens have wings, they only fly in 'low and short' |
| New York Times publishes a story about the | | | | spurts. However, if you want to have a vegetable |
| 'recession diet', some of us must be wishing we still | | | | patch or a lawn, you will not want them in there - |
| owned the family farm! The thought of selling up and | | | | hence the coop. |
| buying a small acreage is something that many of us | | | | They also need a chicken house for shelter at night. |
| think of when the cash runs short and days start | | | | Some people make a small portable chicken coop |
| getting sunny and long. Often rural property can give | | | | which they move around their yard. This gives you |
| you more for your buck, so it may be worth getting | | | | control over which new areas the chickens will use to |
| an appraisal to find out. | | | | scratch and to feed. However, they can only do this |
| Being your own boss and bringing 'home' the bacon | | | | on the rougher parts of a yard - do not let them |
| sounds like an idyllic life. Many people think they will | | | | near your lawn - they will ruin it! |
| give it a try when they retire and maybe this is one | | | | Some people let them have a free run at dusk; this is |
| of the best times to do it, when you have a small | | | | because once darkness comes they always make |
| income coming in as well as your produce. Other | | | | their own way back to the chicken house, so they |
| people think it is an ideal way of life when you have | | | | cannot do too much damage in such a short period |
| young kids, and so they give it a try with the family | | | | of time. If you do this, you will need to wire off your |
| still young. | | | | vegetable patch. |
| Are there really lots of advantages to owning a small | | | | Apart from the free eggs, there are many |
| acreage? Well, a small acreage does not allow for | | | | vegetables that can be grown on your own land. |
| many farming choices, but they can still offer tax | | | | Some people grow enough and sell their excess at |
| breaks. One of the animals that can be bred on a | | | | farmer's markets. Others do 'swaps' for fresh milk or |
| small acreage is the Alpaca, and this will still allow you | | | | home-grown meat. |
| to slide into the bracket for income tax relief. Tax | | | | If you do not like too much hard work, then you can |
| breaks are listed in the leaflet, #225 - The Farmer's | | | | plant an orchard of varied fruit trees; your local |
| Tax Guide. | | | | nursery will carry the type of tree that is suitable for |
| Once you have your tax break established, you can | | | | your area. Cherries come early in July and apples are |
| think about raising your own vegetables which will | | | | harvested late into September, with most everything |
| help your budget in a big way. It will probably also | | | | else in between. Choose a variety of fruits to eat all |
| give you lots of backache, so you have to offset | | | | summer long. |
| the price of some deep tissue massage oil. | | | | In rural life, a freezer is a necessity, as vegetables |
| Chickens are one thing that will feed you without | | | | tend to harvest simultaneously, and can usually be |
| your getting backache. The taste of fresh organic | | | | frozen. Leaf vegetables such as spinach freeze best |
| eggs is something that not all of us are familiar with. | | | | after being cooked. |
| You need to have a coop and a chicken shelter, | | | | The country life is a lot of work, but it is a healthy |
| commonly known as a chicken house. The chicken | | | | life. If you wish to explore the possibility of moving |
| house will need to be cleaned, but these days there | | | | to the country, your local real estate agent will be |
| is a new method called 'deep litter method' which | | | | able to help you investigate the financial aspects of a |
| requires clean up about four times a year. You can | | | | move. |
| check it out on the Internet. | | | | If you're interested in finding your very own sweet |
| A chicken coop is a wired-in area that stops your | | | | piece of Murfreesboro real estate, visit to search the |
| chickens from roaming all over the place. Although | | | | Nashville MLS. |