🐐 Healthy bucks, Crèvecœur chickens, and spiced pear butter


Hello Reader,

I moved to the farm partly because I wanted a healthier, more active life, and the daily work gave me the exercise I had struggled to maintain for years. But when I received the opportunity to fulfill my lifelong dream of becoming an author, my daily life changed in ways I never expected. In Farm Life vs. a Writer’s Life, I share how achieving one dream gradually pulled me away from the lifestyle that had been keeping me healthy—and the toll it took on my body.

Bucks are half of your herd’s genetics, so their health and fertility deserve just as much attention as your does. Learn seven practical ways to optimize their health and fertility so they can do their job this fall.

With their distinctive crests, beards, calm temperament, and rich French history, Crèvecœur chickens are far more than a pasture ornament or a pet. Learn about this threatened heritage breed’s care needs, egg and meat production, personality, and suitability for pets, mixed flocks, and breed-restoration efforts.

As the summer garden begins to wind down, September is a great time to save seeds from mature green bean pods. Learn how to select, dry, and store bean seeds so you can save money, preserve favorite varieties, and plant them again next season. .

Spiced Pear Butter

Wondering what to do with an abundance of pears?

Turn them into a richly flavored pear butter with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and a hint of orange—delicious stirred into oatmeal or yogurt or served with pork chops.

Happy homesteading!

​
Deborah
and the ThriftyHomesteader Team

📚Want to Learn Even More?

  • Did you know we have a Youtube Channel with over 700 videos? From goat care to soapmaking, cheesemaking, and more—you’ll find practical, real-life tips to support your homesteading journey.
  • Looking to dive deeper? Visit the Goat Academy—your go-to resource for online courses on everything from goat health and nutrition to soapmaking, gardening, composting, and starting a homestead business. Whether you’re just getting started or want to level up your skills, there’s a course for you.
  • Need ongoing guidance and community support? Goats 365 is our membership program that gives you full access to six comprehensive courses, live Q&A sessions, and an engaged group of goat owners who are learning and growing together—365 days a year.

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PO Box 181, Cornell, IL 61319
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Deborah Niemann @ Thrifty Homesteader

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Read more from Deborah Niemann @ Thrifty Homesteader

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