Moving from the city to a small farm is the right choice for many families. Is farming life new to you? Some families mistakenly romanticize life in the country. Farming the land is hard work and involves financial risk. Smart novices consider not only their agriculture interests, but also their financial resources, attributes of their property and benefits of the crops they choose to plant.

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Southern States Cooperative, Inc. requires Members and Patrons maintain a valid mailing address with the Cooperative at all times. Please view our Stock Records pages for more information.

Chances are you're growing a vegetable garden for the first time this year, or are expanding the varieties of vegetables you're planting in your existing garden. If so, we have the seeds and other things you need to get started and be successful from planning to canning. New this year are pages on our potato and onion varieties. There are also many heirloom variety vegetables listed throughout the guide.

$50 Off per ton or $1.25 Off per bag plus No-Payments/No-Interest* until June 30, 2010 on 40 Bags or More! See details.

Apples are good for you and the health benefits are numerous and include anything from lowering bad cholesterol to reducing the risk of cancer. An orchard is a lovely way to grow this tasty and healthy fruit, but it will take planning and time before you’re harvesting.

On January 20th, Mike Peacock and Dr. Jody Wade from Southern States Cooperative conducted a Cattle Care Webinar. It provided insightful information on beef health and nutrition during winter calving. If you missed the webinar, you can catch it again right here!

Winter Wheat can be more profitable as it requires fewer inputs than spring wheat and it has a higher yield potential; the winter wheat harvest for 2009 for South Carolina averaged 55 bushels per acre, a reduction of just over eight per cent from 2008.

Amaryllis blooms brighten dreary winter days with an array of cheerful and bold colors. Starting the bulbs in containers is fun and easy.

It’s a big decision to purchase a horse. With some research and thoughtful consideration, the experience can be a positive one for your family and the horse.

You might think that because your dog is covered in a fur coat from head to foot that it will be protected against frostbite. However, you would be wrong. Some breeds of dogs such as, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Huskies and, Malamutes are almost made for winter, most others are definitely not and like humans, if they are left out in the cold for too long, frostbite is almost inevitable.

For the second time in the last three years, a Southern States feed mill has been named best in the nation. Barber Feed Mill, in Cleveland, North Carolina was designated Feed Mill of the Year for 2009 by the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA). The Barber mill also won the award in 1998. This year’s honor marks only the second time in the 25-year history of the competition that a single mill has received the top award more than once. 

On December 9th, Mike Nash and Dr. Lance Minnear from Southern States Cooperative conducted a Poultry Nutrition Webinar. It provided insightful information on the nutritional requirements of chickens in backyard conditions, as well as some management aspects of raising and caring for birds in the backyard environment. If you missed the webinar, you can catch it again right here!

Chickens are a fresh, nutritious source of home grown meat and eggs. The birds also provide teens and children with exhibition animals for county fairs. Chickens can be raised in rural, suburban and urban settings. However, check your local laws and zoning ordinances to see if keeping chickens is allowed, and if so, under what rules.

Ready to escape the hustle and bustle of city life? Looking for a “home away from home,” but you don’t want to impose on family or friends? Then a bed and breakfast may be just what you are looking for. Love horses and want to get away? Then Reba Farm Inn is the ideal getaway for you.

Horses that have been the subject of abuse or neglect are usually in a starved condition. Horses in this condition will have very little muscle mass remaining and will be very weak. They will need much care and attention to regain their trust, and a sound nutrition program to get them back into proper body condition and health.

For the hobby or small farmer, grains and cotton can be very nice little crops grown on as small a patch of ground as a quarter of an acre. Nonetheless, the basic practices of harvesting still apply if you want to make the most of your crops.

To protect horses from potentially deadly diseases, owners regularly vaccinate for a variety of common diseases. However, there is a somewhat forgotten foe not always included in every horse’s vaccination regimen.

Every breed of horse has special qualities that more often than not mirror the personality and disposition of their owner. This is certainly true of DeDe Marshall, a loyal Southern States customer, proud Walking Horse owner and longtime member of the National Walking Horse Association (NWHA).