Reviews, guides, and insights for small farms and homesteads
Working Acre Staff 
Cold-weather water is one of the most labor-intensive daily chores on a farm or homestead. Breaking ice on a stock tank at 6am in February is nobody’s idea of a good morning. A stock tank heater, more precisely called a de-icer, keeps that chore off your list from first freeze to spring thaw. Choosing the … Read more
Before the House passed the 2026 Farm Bill on Thursday, it removed three provisions that would have shielded pesticide manufacturers from liability. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), joined by Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), led an amendment to remove three provisions from the bill that would have shielded pesticide manufacturers from accountability. The amendment passed 280-142 … Read more
An electric fence is only as good as the charger powering it. An undersized or failing energizer produces a weak pulse, and animals learn that fast. Once they figure out the fence is not delivering, you have lost the deterrent that makes electric fencing work in the first place. This guide covers what matters when … Read more
The House of Representatives is voting today on the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567), the first full farm bill reauthorization since 2018. If it passes the House, it still faces the Senate before becoming law. But what is in this bill, and why should anyone running a small farm or … Read more
Spring has defined planting windows. Miss them and you are either planting late, switching to a crop that fits the remaining season, or waiting until next year. Here is what needs to happen in spring, in roughly the right order, across most growing regions in the country. Soil Temperature Comes Before Everything Plant too early … Read more