Category: Gardening

Benefits of Deep Bedding

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Photo by Bethany Szentesi on Unsplash

Deep bedding is a low-maintenance, cost-effective method for managing animal housing on a small homestead. It involves layering organic materials (such as straw, wood shavings, or leaves) in an animal shelter, allowing waste to accumulate while being naturally composted in place. Here are some key benefits:

1. Improved Animal Health & Comfort

*  Provides a warm, dry, and soft surface for animals, reducing stress and injuries.

* Helps prevent foot problems and joint strain, especially in livestock like pigs, goats, and chickens.

* Reduces ammonia buildup, improving air quality and respiratory health.

2. Efficient Waste Management

* Manages manure effectively by absorbing moisture and odors.

* Reduces the frequency of cleaning, saving time and labor.

* The bedding material slowly decomposes, creating nutrient-rich compost.

3. Cost Savings

* Reduces the need for frequent bedding changes, cutting down on material costs.

* Less labor-intensive than daily mucking out, saving time.

* Can be made with locally available or free materials like leaves, grass clippings, or wood chips.

4. Compost Creation & Soil Improvement

* The deep bedding process creates valuable compost that can be used in gardens.

* Provides a natural way to recycle animal waste into nutrient-rich soil amendments.

* Encourages microbial activity, promoting a healthy decomposition process.

5. Odor & Pest Control

* Proper layering and aeration help control ammonia buildup and strong odors.

* Reduces flies and other pests by keeping waste contained and decomposing efficiently.

6. Cold Weather Benefits

* Acts as natural insulation, keeping animals warm in winter.

* The composting process generates heat, providing an extra source of warmth.

* Reduces exposure to cold, damp conditions that can lead to illness.

7. Sustainable & Eco-Friendly

* Utilizes organic waste materials efficiently, minimizing waste.

* Encourages a closed-loop system of nutrient recycling on the homestead.

* Supports regenerative agriculture practices. 


Learn How We Make Deep Bedding and Turn it into Affordable, Natural, Organic Fertilizer 


Recommended Reading from the Brain Hurlburt Bookshop:

The Encyclopedia of Country Living, 50th Anniversary Edition
The Encyclopedia of Country Living, 50th Anniversary Edition (E-Book $3.99)

Naturally Turning Woodlands into Pastures and Gardens with Animals

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I’m always amazed at the wonderful work these animals do! Turning woodlands into pastures and gardens takes work. Yet our Briden Farm Animals make it look easy! They also make it look beautiful! Following are some before and after shots. 

This area was old, very old, pasture about forty years ago! Overgrown and full of weeds, stag horn sumac, and so on. Till we introduced our Goats, and Sheep, to the are! Now look…

Incredible! Isn’t it?
The area above was also grown up, overgrown, and difficult to maneuver. Now it’s Beautiful! 
This gives You an idea of the before and after.
I also love how they help create little trails and quiet spaces 
Sometimes I just like to sit and enjoy the views. 
Almost like Parklands 

Do You have property that is overgrown, full of weeds, briars and brambles, and other nasty invasive species? Would You like to turn it into beautiful areas like we have here? Contact Brian at Briden Farm call 902-907-0770 

Turning Old Burnt Out Hay Fields to Grazing Pastures and Gardens

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It’s been just a couple weeks short of two years since we moved our animals on to this property. 

The Barn Property Sept 2022

When we were asked to come there and use the land and barn, the fields were mostly old and burnt out, full of invasive and toxic weeds. Two years later through the use of rotational pasturing, and regenerative farming techniques these are those fields today… 

While the original goals of the Property Owners, of “Just keep the trees from growing in, and the fields from getting over taken” with hopes of getting rid of the toxic and invasive plants. Although we wanted to help showcase the work, and help make this place even more beautiful. We’ve used Goats, Pigs, Chickens, Rabbits, and now Sheep to help improve this wonderful old property. Just look at those hay fields now! A true testament to the capabilities of these wonderful birds and animals! 

Not only have we helped keep the fields from growing in, we’ve helped to eliminate many of the weeds, both toxic and invasive. Although it’s still a work in progress! Sheep need adequate pasture grasses and forage to thrive and our shearer and others, and even the wool quality of the sheep have all testified to this being the case! It’s incredible to see the transformation that’s taken place! 

We’ve even managed to turn some of this ground into gardens!

2024 Garden at The Barn Property

Using deep bedding for our animals through the winter helps provide well composted hay and manure to help naturally grow the gardens. The whole thing is laborious and yet rewarding. We work mostly by hand, employing time honoured methods and let our animals do most of the heavy lifting! It’s a labour of love, one where we always strive to be good Stewards.

Trimming a Weedy, Overgrown, Garden!

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A Weedy, Overgrown, Garden!

The following photos and video show how we used weeds to help retain moisture and prevent erosion in our vegetable garden. 

The photo above is what it looked like by the time I got to it!

This next photo shows it about half done…

Clearing an overgrown weedy garden

Here’s how I did it…

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