Books by Ann Larkin Hansen

Buying farmland is a major investment, so be sure you make an informed choice. This practical guide covers every factor you should consider before making a purchase, including government regulations, residential concerns from the surrounding area, soil conditions, and savvy financing. Whether you intend to grow abundant crops or graze a robust herd of livestock, Finding Good Farmland provides a roadmap to the land that’s right for you.

This hardworking addition to the best-selling Backyard Homestead series offers expert advice on what tasks to do around your farm and when to do them - no matter where on the planet you call home. Author Ann Larkin Hansen sets the priorities for each area of the farm, including the barn, garden, orchard, field, pasture, and woodlot. For every critical turn of the year (12 in all), Hansen provides an at-a-glance to-do list along with tips and a more in-depth discussion of key topics for the season. Easy-reference charts, checklists, and record-keeping sections help you keep track of it all. Also available in this series: The Backyard Homestead, The Backyard Homestead Book of Building Projects, The Backyard Homestead Guide to Raising Farm Animals, and The Backyard Homestead Book of Kitchen Know-How.

Use electric fencing to protect your livestock, poultry, beehives, and garden. Portable electric fencing is key to successful rotational grazing, while permanent electric fencing effectively protects gardens and orchards and secures large pastures. Through clear instructions accessible to everyone, you’ll learn when to use these methods or a combination of the two, plus how to plan for, build, and maintain your electric fencing. This crucial tool is cost effective and versatile, but veteran farmer and author Ann Larkin Hansen also explains what not to do with an electric fence.

From cutting, drying, and raking to baling and storing, the author tells you everything you need to know about making hay. She also explains the equipment options, including traditional horse power, tractor power, and implements ranging from scythes to disc mowers.

For farmers and ranchers, fencing is as much about keeping predators out as it is about keeping livestock in. In this book, the author explains how electric fencing works, the various systems one can build, how to install and maintain the three kinds of electric fences and what not to do with electric fencing.