Hobby Farms Magazine - Excellent Information Source for Small Farm Owners

I purchased my first issue of Hobby Farms magazine two years ago, while browsing our local feed store. Since moving to the county, we had been contemplating getting some animals, specifically chickens, and the March/April 2005 cover photo of a Barred Plymouth Rock rooster, and the accompanying story about starting your own flock, caught my eye. Since that first purchase, I have found Hobby Farms magazine to be an indispensable source of information for the small farm we have now started.

Hobby Farms, as stated on the cover, is a magazine touching on all issues of rural living for both pleasure and profit. Since small-scale farming sometimes combines both of these aspects, feature articles cover a wide-range of topics, from successfully starting flocks/herds, gardening, fencing, purchasing a farm, selling your products, barn/farm renovation, how to run a farm-based business, choosing the right tractor/trailer or other equipment and farm management. The articles are well-written, informative and easy to understand, especially for beginner farmers and business owners. Many articles contain resources for additional study, which can include information on websites, books and breeder contacts.

In addition to touching on these basic subjects, Hobby Farms also regularly includes articles on such unique topics as growing organic lavender, how to raise miniature cattle, harvesting maple syrup, the practice of apiculture (beekeeping), how to start a flock of hair sheep, imprinting a newborn foal and how to run a successful floral farm.

Another aspect of the magazine that I have found to be especially helpful is the monthly columns. Here is where you get into some of the nuts-and-bolts of farming. I especially enjoy the ‘Farm Science’ column, which covers such topics as the ancient art of grafting, transplanting and spring planting. Other columns have included the ‘Rural Roundtable,’ a question and answer that covers a variety of farm-related topics; ‘Livestock Q and A’, which covers questions specific to animal health; ‘Buying the Farm,’ which discusses basic aspects of purchasing a farm and ownership issues; ‘Farm Garden'; Tools of the Trade’ and ‘From Farm to Table,’ an excellent recipe resource.

At the end of the magazine, I always take time to browse the ‘Marketplace’ section. Here, I can find information on hundreds of products, books and resources for the farm.

Anyone who owns a hobby farm, farm based business or is thinking about the rural lifestyle can benefit from this excellent magazine. As a small farm owner, Hobby Farms has helped me choose the animals and products that I want to raise and produce, as well as given me the knowledge to make informed choices on equipment, fencing, barn design, and, sometimes most importantly, helped me decide what I don’t want to attempt. In the long run, the latter can sometimes be just as important as what kind of tractor I buy.

For more information on Hobby Farms magazine, visit their website at www.hobbyfarms.com. Here, you can find information on subscriptions, browse a sample of the current issue, read articles from past issues, discuss current farming topics on the Community Forum and catch up on the latest Hobby Farm news.

This review and all of my other 'first reviews' this month are dedicated to my mother, who died of cancer in 2001. Thanks to Epinions for supporting this wonderful cause. I miss you Mom!