Page 18 - Home & Garden

When we started this bee project last year, it was with a mind to really get into the product lines and experience what it was to be a beekeeper. For the Homestead Honey hive last year, it was a productive year, we were able harvest 25 pounds of honey (we've got everything you need to get started beekeeping online here). The hive check is the last step in a beekeeper's first season- to see if your colony survived winter, to see if you still had bees to work with in the second year. With Mr. Roger's statement to expect 50% hive failure during winter, we were a little trepidatious especially considering we opted to take the hands-off approach over winter and left an entire box of honey for the bees to eat no sugar water or additives, just natural wintering of the hive. When we went out to check the hive, we cracked the propolis seal, and ...

Sock of the Month: Darn Tough Over-the-calf Work Socks Hello out there to all my fellow North 40 shoppers (and others). I've been asked to "test" sock of the month, and so I thought, "Why not?" These socks were designed to be worn with western boots, so they are over the calf and well built. A little background on me- I was born and raised down around Billings, Montana and managed a ranch out there until the late 70's. After that I was a bootmaker here in the Northwest, so I know about the anatomy of a foot, and the "hotspots" you sometimes get when you get into leather work boots. After many years in leather work and boot fabrication, I opted for a change and went into furniture repair. I have seen everything you can think of in my line of work, and this job takes me everywhere in and around Montana. I am on my feet all day, so comfort...

The spring of 2015 started out like any other spring in the Northwest: unpredictable. A new line of beekeeping equipment was keeping things equally unpredictable at the stores. Until now, we'd never sold anything like this and knew very little about what it took to become a backyard beekeeper. As a company, we take great pride in the fact that we have people in our stores that truly know our products and can help you make the right decision when making a purchase. On the same hand, if we honestly don't know about something, we aren't afraid to admit it, but will work hard to find you an answer from someone who does. In the case of bees, we knew very little, so we set out on a mission to get information. This is the story of Homestead Honey. Most people get into a hobby slowly by researching, tagging along with someone who has "been there...

Changes in the digestive efficiency of the older horses require specific nutritional needs. As the digestive system ages, the ability to digest and absorb nutrients is more of a challenge than in earlier years--plus it's even harder for older horses to chew their food, which is step one in the digestive process for most mammals.   Most feed stores will have a wide range of options for older horses, so let's brush up on a couple mainstays that you need to be aware of when making your initial selection. Check out this extensive piece we did on selecting feed here. When you have an older horse, mare or gelding, there are some key factors you want to look at when making your selection of feeds: probiotics/prebiotics, fiber and more complex nutrients like amino acids/vitamins. Hoof care, while not immediately tied to selecting a feed, c...

Mountain Hardwear is a great company with a selection of gear that's ready to take on the craziest of adventures. They've got gear and equipment for everything from skiing to hiking to mountain climbing to camping. And all of it is top notch. They put their best into everything they make to provide the best gear out there for all you crazy adventurers. But that's not all that they do. While they are a top-line outdoor gear company, Mountain Hardwear is also very involved with the community. They support and are a part of a number of outdoor associations to better the communities they serve, seeking to help everyone from the climber to the nature lover. Just to name a few of their associations, they support the US Forest Service, donate to the American Alpine Club (AAC) as well as fund one of their explore grant, and are a member of the A...

That's right: Farmstock is free to vendors. It's our way of helping to build a better community and saying thank you. It's been mentioned before, but it's important to mention again. Farmstock is about giving our customers a place to "come full circle with us." Perhaps you bought chicks in the spring and found yourself with too many eggs (is there such a thing?), or perhaps you got a little overzealous with the number of tomato plants your put in the garden. Maybe you bought some horse shoes or used rope for a crafting project and made one too many wreaths. Where can you sell your wares or produce to like-minded people? Farmstock was our solution! So what is Farmstock? Chances are you've been to at least one farmer's market in your life. Last year at North 40, we hosted our version of the farmer's market, called Farmstock- we're doing...

Struggling to climb the stairs or jumping on or off the couch? Has he been sluggish and not active during the day? You've probably noticed these things about him, but haven't paid much attention to it until he physically can't climb the stairs or jump onto the couch anymore. It's time to admit it: Otis is overweight. You don't know how it happened, but you suppose, over time, the constant feeding and lack of exercise probably has something to do with it. Otis was a good boy, always wagging his tail and happy to see you, so you might have been slipping him that extra treat or two as well. And before you knew it, Otis went from that happy little puppy to that large ball of fluff that can't get off the couch. Now, what do you do? Do you just let it be? Starve him? Drag him around for "exercise"? To be perfectly honest, you have no idea wher...

Winter for most of us here in the Northwest is spent buried under snow those of us who compete are on the offseason, and the hunting and pack season is over. The sliders are off, the borium is off and it's time to take a little break and enjoy the hard work of the previous year. There really isn't any reason to keep full shoes on your animal if your paddock or turnout isn't too rocky or exposed to rocky areas. Some owner's might prefer half shoes in areas where the turnout has varied terrain, or their horses are still used for trail rides or off season trainings. However, those of us lucky enough to have a decent turnout should take full advantage of the offseason to let our horses go barefoot and schedule regular trims. Good diet and regular hoof care is the best way to keep your horse's feet healthy. Tips for Spring and schedule your ...

This year we are getting together with North 40 employee, Ardythe Bessette and Dr. Newman of Associated Veterinary Services to follow Berneice as she gets on the Zoetis' yearlong plan. When I asked Ardythe how long she had horses, it elicited the familiar pause, "Well since I can remember." When you've been around horses like Ardythe, myself or a whole host of people here in the Northwest, you usually have a horse about the same time you can walk. And it's usually a Shetland. When asked about her horse Berneice, this year's guinea pig for our Year of Zoetis (check out Round #1: "How to deworm a horse" right here), Ardythe only had positive things to say. There are no back health issues that could impact adversely the next year of equine care we have in the works other than last year, "Berneice was bit in the neck by another horse. We s...

So in this episode of AskNorth40, we get into sheep pens with Shane- besides being really, really good looking, Shane breaks down some properties you want in a sheep pen. These properties are durability, portability and functionality. We are going to break these down further in the following blog, and then get into some more options on housing and caring for your flock. Building a Sheep Pen: Durability Most equipment for sheep is homemade. Like Shane suggests in his video, the pens need to be rugged enough to stand up to the wear they will see during shearing, lambing, weaning and everything else that comes with a flock but that ruggedness cannot sacrifice the flexibility needed for the many different pen formations you will typically see when managing a good-sized flock. Shane also writes about backpacking on a budget, right here. Sha...

Anyone whose own a down jacket knows what to expect. It's warm, lightweight and comfortable- until it gets wet. There are probably a number of stories where someone goes out on a camping trip, skiing or something else with a nice warm jacket and comes back with a heavy, wet one. Though, that is to be expected. The plumes that down jackets are made of, while incredibly efficient in maintaining warmth, are incapable of resisting moisture from soaking in, no matter the quality. And when it gets wet, that superior ability to maintain warmth goes out the window. It's a bit of a letdown when the material makes for such a nice, warm jacket otherwise. Of course, that was before Mountain Hardwear changed that little fact. Mountain Hardwear knows from experience that down is a great material to have on skiing or expedition trips for warmth, but al...

In the last couple years, gluten free and grain free diets have grown in popularity within the general public. These new diets originated for those with celiac disease, intolerance to glutens in general, or allergies to wheat. Somewhere down the line, it made its way into mainstream dieting and has remained popular. With this trend has come with a similar diet plan for man's best friend. Some might not be aware of it yet, but there is now grain free dog food available. Those who have seen the now available pet diet may ask themselves if it is right for their furry friend. Depending on the source, you may be inclined to believe that your dog should be on a grain free diet, perhaps mirroring your own choice to go grain or gluten free yourself. Just because you are on or need to be on a grain free diet doesn't mean your dog should be. Those...