H&H: Volume 5

Highlights from Our Homestead Journey

Cleaning the Rabbitry in Freezing Temps

My husband and I got our first trio of rabbits back at the end of August. It was hot outside, our garden hose was working, and we could get chores done early before the sun got too high— it was great.

But we knew winter would bring its own challenges, especially when it came to cleaning out the cages.

For context: our rabbitry setup consists of two stacked cage systems, inspired by Teal Stone Homestead’s free plans. We made a few tweaks, but overall, it’s been a solid setup, especially for our detached garage where our rabbitry is housed. With this stacked system, waste, water, or anything else the rabbits toss around (so much hay!), end up in 30×30 trays below, which sit on top of the next rabbit’s cage.

In the summer, cleaning was straightforward. I’d take any rabbit poop I wanted for the garden, then dump the rest into a bin to compost or throw away. Afterward, I’d scrub the trays with dish soap and rinse everything off with the garden hose. Unfortunately, since we’re still in the city, there’s only so much we can compost or reuse without drawing attention from the neighbors.

Now that it’s winter in Michigan, our garden hose is out of commission thanks to freezing temps, and we don’t have a non-freeze yard hydrant. Cleaning now involves praying for a slightly warmer day on bin cleanout day and hauling a bucket of piping hot water from the house. I let the hot water soak the trays to break up the waste, which makes scrubbing a bit more manageable in the winter.

So far, this method has worked! If you’re in a cold climate and also dealing with city limitations, this process is completely doable. It’s only a minor inconvenience, and with four junior-to-senior rabbits, it takes me about 30 minutes every two weeks. That includes sweeping, scrubbing their bowls, and tackling other cleaning tasks. It’s definitely not as convenient as summer, but it’s manageable.

Our New Buck

We’ve officially named our new little guy, Tyr! He’ll be in quarantine until just after Christmas, but so far, he’s doing really well. He’s a bit shy, but he appears healthy and is warming up to us more every day.

Also, I’m not above bribing my animals for affection, so I’ve been giving him a few treats during check-ins. At just four months old, I’m not worried about him gaining excess weight, and I think the treats help speed up the bonding process and ease him into his new routine. So far, it seems to be working!

In the News: USDA America’s Farms and Ranches at a Glance: 2024 Edition

The America’s Farms and Ranches at a Glance: 2024 Edition is an annual report published by the USDA that provides a detailed snapshot of U.S. farms and ranches using the latest data from the Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS). This survey, conducted by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and Economic Research Service (ERS), highlights key statistics from 2023. The report classifies farms based on factors like annual gross cash farm income, the primary occupation of the farm’s principal operator, and whether the farm is family- or nonfamily-owned. This classification helps to group farms with similar characteristics, offering insights into the structure and diversity of U.S. agriculture.

In 2023, small family farms made up the majority of U.S. farms, representing 86 percent of all operations and managing 41 percent of agricultural land. However, their share of the land and number of farms saw a slight decline from 2022, when they operated 44 percent of the land and accounted for 87 percent of farms.

Despite their prevalence, small family farms contributed just 17 percent of the total value of agricultural production. In contrast, large-scale family farms operated 31 percent of the land but accounted for 48 percent of production, while midsize family farms managed 18 percent of both land and production.

Overall, family farms represented 96 percent of all U.S. farms and generated 83 percent of agricultural output, highlighting the vital role they play in the nation’s food system. Nonfamily farms, though only 4 percent of operations, varied widely in size and income, with 16 percent earning a gross cash farm income of $1 million or more.

Also in 2023, most farm households were not considered low-income or low-wealth compared to U.S. households, with median farm household income exceeding that of all U.S. households. However, disparities remain, as 42 percent of farm households earned below the U.S. median income, and 5 percent had wealth below the median. Notably, 85 percent of farm households relied on off-farm sources for more than half their income, and 51 percent reported negative income from farming activities. This reliance varied significantly, with 99 percent of off-farm occupation households depending almost entirely on non-farm income, compared to just 11 percent of principal operators of very large farms.

Why This Matters for Small Homesteaders

For small homesteaders, these findings emphasize the financial challenges of relying solely on farming income. The high dependence on off-farm income highlights how many farmers—especially those managing smaller or less profitable operations—need additional sources of stability to sustain their households. For aspiring or current homesteaders, this underscores the importance of diversifying income streams and managing realistic expectations about the financial returns from small-scale farming. It’s a reminder that while homesteading offers fulfillment and sustainability, balancing it with off-farm income may be essential to long-term success.

What We’re Learning

Instead of highlighting just one resource we’ve been learning from this week, I wanted to share several YouTube channels that have provided invaluable information on rabbits, homesteading, and everything in between. It’s so important to recognize and support other creators and members of the community who have been helpful, and this week, we’re doing exactly that!

• Teal Stone Homestead: A fantastic resource for learning about raising meat rabbits from start to finish. The videos are high quality, and it’s clear she has a genuine passion for rabbits, especially the Creme d’Argent breed.

• Anne of All Trades: Engaging and entertaining videos packed with practical homesteading advice on a wide range of topics, from woodworking and gardening to animal care and more.

• Sage and Stone Homestead: So many informative videos following a down-to-earth homesteader on her daily adventures. She offers practical advice on everything from finances and getting started to step-by-step tutorials, all delivered in an approachable and relatable way.

• More Than Farmers: An entertaining husband-and-wife duo sharing valuable insights and practical advice on running a successful homestead.

• Homesteady: An entertaining channel packed with valuable information and easy-to-follow, step-by-step guidance—perfect for beginners looking to dive into homesteading.

• The Rabbitry Center: A channel fully dedicated to rabbits, offering detailed information, tips, and tricks for raising meat rabbits. The focused content is especially helpful for beginners looking to learn the ins and outs of rabbit care and breeding.

• Good Simple Living: A channel that goes beyond raising animals and rabbits, offering a wide range of content including house renovations, building projects, and homesteading adventures.

• Living Traditions Homestead: With over a thousand videos, this channel covers a wide range of topics, including raising animals, building projects, food security, and more. It’s a treasure trove of valuable information for homesteaders.

• The Stone Hearth Farmhouse: A fantastic resource for meat rabbit information, featuring videos on everything from getting started and what to expect, to delicious recipes and practical tips for the entire process.

• Cowboy Kent Rollins: An entertaining outdoor cooking channel featuring delicious recipes and plenty of charm. It’s a joy to watch and perfect for anyone who loves hearty, homestyle meals.

There are so many incredible resources out there, but this is a great place to start. 2024 has been a challenging year for us personally, but it’s also the year we began chasing our dreams and stepped into the world of homesteading. Honestly, we might not have started if it weren’t for creators sharing their stories, tips, and even failures—motivating us to take that first step. We hope this list of creators helps you just as much as it helped us!!

Our Favorites This Week

One product that took longer to find than expected—and ended up costing a bit more than we planned—is the Fortex Small Feeder Pan. Made of durable rubber, this pan is perfect for winter since it makes removing ice from the rabbits’ water bowls much easier.

• We were concerned about our plastic twist-on bowls cracking from ice expansion, so we did some research and decided on this solution. So far, it’s been a great choice for the colder months! The only downside is that our bunnies occasionally love to toss them around.

In the spring, summer, and fall, we use the All Things Bunnies Twist on Bowls (the 26 oz version) and I absolutely love them—aside from the winter risk of cracking. These bowls are great because my bunnies can’t toss them around for fun, and they’re super easy to clean. I highly recommend them, and if you live in a warmer climate, you can probably use these bowls year-round!

This Week’s Wrap-Up

Next week is Christmas! We’re finishing up gift wrapping this week and preparing to start weaning the baby bunnies next week. It’s a busy but exciting time on the homestead, and we’re soaking in all the little moments. As always, thank you for following along on our journey—we’re so grateful for this community. Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday season, and we’ll see you in the next edition!

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