The Home, Farm, and Ranch Resource Podcast

Solving Your Rodent Problem

There's almost never a day that goes by when customers come in the store asking about ways to solve mice or rat problems in their barn or home.  It seem like the problem becomes more open for discussion during the winter months because even rodents dislike extreme cold.  

Rats and mice are very prolific.  If unchecked, several hundred can be present in a large barn within a matter of a few months.  In this podcast we talk about how to recognize the problem and then we offer a four step plan to get it under control.

Good Pasture, Good Lawns, and Good Gardens Depend on Good Soil

The question customers routinely ask is, “How can I make my pasture more productive?”  It’s a simple question, but the answer is amazingly complex.  The answer doesn't apply to just pastures, it also includes lawns and gardens.

The best pasture management in our area includes, soil testing, fertilizer and lime application, regular mowing, weed control, re-seeding, and rotational grazing.  The best lawn management includes soil testing, fertilizer and lime application, regular mowing, weed control, and sometimes re-plating.  The best garden management includes soil testing, fertilizer and lime application, regular weed control, and on time harvesting. 

Hey - What You Should Know About Hay

At Conroe Feeders Supply, one of the questions we hear on a regular basis is, “I can buy hay from that guy with a trailer down at the intersection for $7.00, so why is your price per bale so much higher?”

Here’s the answer, in a very compact form, “Not all hay is created equal.”  On the surface, people normally think that hay is not a complicated feed stuff.  They think a bale of hay is only dried grass compressed into a rectangle.  But there is a secret to what is inside the strings holding that bale together.  The type of grass, how long ago it was harvested, and what stage of growth was it in when it was cut all make for drastically different nutritional profiles for that bale.

Good hay will provide proper nutritional elements that satisfy your animal’s roughage requirements.  In this podcast, I cover the process I use to determine whether to accept a load of hay or reject it.  Our customers are very particular when it comes to feeding their animals, and we make a point to provide quality hay on a consistant basis.

How To Care For Your Chickens During Winter

Winter has arrived and with it our care and safety for backyard chickens must become more focused if they are to stay healthy during the cold weather.  There are about as many suggestions on creating that healthy environment for your flock as there are feathers on your favorite rooster.  I’m only going to mention the ones that we use here at the store to protect the young pullets that we have in our hen house.

Snow is rare for our area of Texas, so please be aware that if you live in an area that does experience winter snow storms my suggestions will only touch the surface of what you must do to protect your birds. 

So, You‘re Bringing Home A New Puppy

You've shopped for what seems like a lifetime looking for that perfect puppy.  You checked the shelters, the professional breeders, the pet stores, and today, you finally found the perfect addition for your family.  In this podcast we discuss the strategy of introducing that puppy to its new home and family.  We emphasize the fact that as you teach your puppy new things, he will adjust, and you will form a bond that will endure throughout his lifetime.

Everything You Wanted To Know About Winter Ryegrass But Were Afraid To Ask

Annual ryegrass provides highly digestible and palatable forage for livestock as well as being an effective cover crop for pastures and lawns.  Growth is rapid and establishment is relatively easy.  The questions include; when is the best time to plant, how do you plant ryegrass, when can grazing begin, and many more.  We answer most of the more common questions about planting, growing, and grazing ryegrass in pastures, paddocks, and even lawns.

Small Strongyles - Big Problem

In the 1960's, horsemen and veterinarians both considered the large strongyle to be the most dreaded parasitic infestation in the horse.  From this belief, the idea of deworming rotationally became the suggested method of prevention.  Rotation is still suggested, but the old method has become questionable, and a new one has been introduced.

This is because today, the problem is not the large strongyle, but instead, the small strongyle, and the problems associated with its encysted stage in the large bowel.  

Hence, the title of this podcast - "Small Strongyles - Big Problem".

 

Fire Ants - The Facts

All you have to do is ask someone’s opinion of fire ants, and the typical response is, “I hate ‘em”.  These unusual creatures have gotten a bad reputation because they are only thought of as the insect with a sting that burns like nobody’s business.  In truth, they represent a strong, organized, productive, teamwork model that should be the envy of every business and corporation today.

With fire ants, it’s all about the sting.  So, because we dislike the sting and the “I hate ‘em” response is most common, for this podcast, we will dig into what does and does not control fire ants.

The Skinny Horse Syndrome

One of the more common questions we get from customers involves a skinny horse - one they just noticed losing weight or maybe one they just purchased that's just thinner than they like.  Irregardless, they would like to put some weight on this individual, and they are looking for feeding advice from us.  This podcast dives into our suggestions on solving the Skinny Horse Syndrome.

Your Animal‘s Most Vital Nutrient - And It‘s Not Protein

So many people get hung up on the information on a feed tag or the total digestible nutrients of their hay and they ignore the one nutrient that is absolutely required for any of the other nutrients to be beneficial to the animal.  We discuss that nutrient in this podcast.