Samantha Johnson

BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON
Chicken combs come in a variety of shapes and sizes, depending on the breed. Whether you're choosing for climate or aesthetics, here's a quick primer on combs!

BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON
Is it any wonder that gardeners continually seek out ways to shorten the tomato-growing process?

BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON
When weeding your garden, you’ve probably removed this familiar plant by handfuls, carelessly dismissing it as a useless weed. But wait! It may be considered a weed, but it’s definitely not useless.

BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON
When we envision growing tomatoes, we tend to think of sprawling, out-of-control vines that take up lots of garden real estate. Beautiful and delicious, yes, but also very space consuming. So if you’re trying to garden in limited space, maybe you’re assuming that tomatoes aren’t an option, but that isn’t the case at all.

BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON
The farmhouse porch swing is iconic for a reason—it's great place to settle in for family fun and easy conversation when the weather's right!

BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON
Amidst all the buzz about honey bees, we sometimes overlook the contributions of the humble bumble bee to the success of our gardens.

BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON
The splendiferous sunflower might not be the first plant that comes to mind when you think of your kitchen garden. But these beauties deserve a place in your edible garden for both their flowers and their seeds.

BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON
Nobody saw the 2020 seed shortage until we were right in the thick of it. As the lockdowns of 2020 wore on, people continued to search for productive ways to stay busy at home. Many turned to gardening.

BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON
Once upon a time, I planted dill in my herb garden and it grew so tall and gorgeous that I couldn’t bear to harvest it. So I just admired it in the garden every day and breathed in its delightful fragrance instead. It lived happily ever after, the end.
OK, so I’m exaggerating a little, but there’s a nugget of truth there.

BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON
The Welsh breed is divided into four sections based on size and type: Section A, the Welsh Mountain Pony; Section B, the Welsh Pony; Section C, the Welsh Pony of Cob Type; and Section D, the Welsh Cob.

BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON
A purebred rabbit with a pedigree leaves no mystery as to its ancestry, and certain breeds exhibit distinctive characteristics that are easy to spot anywhere — Dutch rabbits, for instance, or Dwarf Hotots. But how about when you aren’t sure of your rabbit’s background?

BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON
The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) recognizes 48 different purebred rabbit breeds. Of course, only one of the 48 breeds has the distinction of being the most popular rabbit breed, and that is none other than the marvelous, the magnificent, the majestic Mini Rex.

BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON
Scheduling is almost synonymous with horse care. We have daily feeding schedules, annual vaccination schedules, and regular farrier schedules. But there is one area of horse care scheduling that has experienced changes in recent years—deworming. So you may find yourself asking: Do I need a deworming schedule for my horse? The answer is yes, but perhaps not in the way you're thinking.

BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON
Puppies are so small when they begin life. It's hard to believe that in just a few weeks, those helpless little bundles will become bouncing, barking and fun-loving young dogs. In order to get there, newborn puppies grow a great deal and develop quite rapidly. It's fascinating to watch, but if you're raising a litter of puppies, you might also have some questions about puppy development week by week.

BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON
Despite her fruit-inspired name, my Corgi, Peaches, loves cheese. Or maybe I should say she LOVES cheese. But when she begs for a taste of my Swiss cheese and crackers, I pause. Is Swiss cheese OK for her to eat? How about a little melted mozzarella off of a pizza? A handful of cheese curls?