Page 19 - Home & Garden

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...

Having a brand goes beyond the name. A brand reflexes the values, the passions, the integrity, and more importantly, the people involved with the brand, from the owner to the consumer. A brand should be synonymous with what it stands for as much if not more so than the product or service that they provide. We ourselves went through a change of name, from Big R to North 40 Outfitters, and try our best to maintain and improve our brand. However, this article isn't about us; it's about at brand that we are proud to be associated with, even if we are only a small part of a bigger whole. Mountain Hardwear is more than what their name suggests, though they live up to that name pretty darn well. With a line of products that is designed to endure the craziest of adventures, that really isn't that surprising. But that is the point right there, I ...

While animal health companies are riddled with hundreds of stats about how much healthier, heavier, and better your cattle herds will be using their product... so we asked Zoetis to prove it, and to our surprise they took us up on it. Next step was to bring on Vic Anderson and get him to go all Zoetis in 2016 on his cattle ranch on the Smith River in Montana. No real science here... this is just a real life, cattle rancher's experiment doing what Zoetis recommends for cattle health and productivity. And so begins North 40 Outfitter's Anderson Experiment... Money Talks Trying to get a rancher to spend more money can be, well, difficult at times. You combine that with the fact that if a rancher has had success in the past using his current methods and you are in for an uphill battle come time to try and get him to try something new. "...

What should you do when you want to get rid of bees (wasps) for good? Let's look at this question a little closer "how do you get rid of bees?" This could be a loaded question for anyone not really into bees- like we obviously are at North 40 Outfitters. If you are INTO bees (then you need to check out our beekeeping supplies online), you know there are many honeybees you'd never want to get rid of because they are amazing gold producing, garden enhancing little pieces of sunlight- but if you are NOT into bees, they can all appear to be the same kind of buzzing, stinger wielding pests. The Bee Break Down If the "bees" you are seeing around your house/property are of the glossy variety- that means you are now proudly cohabitate with a wasp species. That's not good. Wasps are predators and eat other insects. That means they like meat. The ...

Lewiston, ID: Approximately 12 hours from my archery elk camp in Montana. It's the grand opening of our store in Lewiston, ID. Everyone is excited, customers are buzzing about our giant store and the expanded selection of Farm, Ranch and what seems like everything else you could ever need, including a Salted Nut Roll... I had no idea I was about to discover the Darn Tough Hiker sock. The sock Drew is wearing in the photo is the first sock in this extensive list...see what kind of socks you can discover here. At, the time I was excited for the opening of our Lewiston store... but not just for the new store. It's mid-September and my phone is blowing up with texts and pictures from my buddies in the field. My mantra for the weekend, "Stay focused on Lewiston, your week of hunting will be better if you leave here knowing you didn't daydrea...

Socks: the thing that's ruined a thousand hikes... and a thousand camping trips. For outdoor enthusiasts that have faced the beast of bad socks (and have had the bloody blisters to prove it), you already know how important your socks are to enjoying your time outdoors. For the rest of you, as yet unbroken (or should we say "unblooded"?), outdoor enthusiasts... you may have just stumbled across a blog that saves your feet and your experience outdoors. If you're wondering, "Why are socks so important, and why should I pay so much more for ONE pair... when I can get 4 pairs for under $10?" Then this is EXACTLY where you need to be. Men: Check these socks out to see what I am talking about... and for the ladies, these. Good socks are expensive for a reason--they're built to fit your foot and do a job those "normal," 6-pair-a-pack cotton, wh...

Why should you maintain your footwear? Simple. So you don't lose appendages. Dear Reader: What follows is a fictitious rendering of events that could have possibly happened at some point in time. Don't let these fictitious events happen to you. Waterproof with one of our Nikwax products available online here.  In the beginning of his life Dan wanted to be an alpine skier or a cross-country musher. He bought a pair of White's Firefighter Smoke Jumper Boots online from North 40 Outfitters in case he needed to jump into an arctic firestorm. (You can buy the same boots here.) But Dan didn't follow his dreams, and instead he settled for a job in the Bay Area where he paid 3,000 dollars a month for a one bedroom apartment above a noodle shop. Dan wore his White's Boots for 12 years, and when he finally saved enough money to travel to the No...

Worm castings... first off, can you guess the first person to write about them? Charles Darwin, father of evolutionary theory. Shoutout to Charlie. So... what are worm castings? Well- here's this if it helps: Worm cast: a convoluted mass of soil, mud, or sand thrown up by an earthworm or lugworm on the surface after passing through the worm's body.  Or check out the question on #AskNorth40 below. But what are worm castings REALLY? Organic compost naturally contains large amounts of minerals and trace elements, those compounds are ingested by the worm and altered chemically and biologically in their stomachs to pass through and become the "casting" one of the most natural and effective fertilizers you can get. And if you are looking for another resource on fertilizers, check out this blog about creating the PERFECT fertilizer and gro...

My daughter had always wanted chickens. Me, not so much. So imagine my excitement when she came home from school with a "free" chicken in her coat pocket. Thank you science lab. We found a cardboard box for a temporary home, then went to North 40 Outfitters for supplies and advice. Not wanting birds didn't seem like a good enough reason to make one live a life of solitude and loneliness, so we bought a couple fowl friends. I grabbed a chick from each bin. I'm the type of person that would much rather have a bouquet of wild flowers than a vase of roses. So began our small herd of birds, which I learned later is a "flock." We left with a feeder, waterer, heat lamp and chick feed.  If you'd rather order your chicken supplies online, and have them delivered to your door--here's what you need.  As the chicks got bigger, it was time to move ...

Chick season is fast approaching and to help you get prepared we have put together a list to let you know what chicken varieties will be available in your area. Available varieties differ by store, so check out your location below to see what chicks your local 40 may have. ***And remember, this list is not a guarantee, but a helpful guide. It is possible for shipping dates to change or for varieties not to show up (due to bad hatches or other unforeseen issues). The best way to confirm chick dates and availability is to call your local North 40. Enjoy! Great Falls - Montana First due Date 3.1.16 Havre - Montana First due Date 3.2.16 Colville - Washington First due Date 2.11.16 Mead - Washington First due Date 2.22.16 Moses Lake - Washington First due Date 3.2.16 Spokane - Washington First due Date 2.17.16 Omak - Washington First due Dat...