Focus On Farming & Forestry Conference
Starting a small farm is exciting, but raising livestock comes with plenty of questions. How do you keep sheep and goats healthy through Western Washington’s wet winters? What should you do with all that manure? And how can you make a small property work without spending more time and money than necessary?
Snohomish County’s 2026 Focus on Farming program offers workshops covering many of these challenges, with practical information for new farmers and established producers alike.
Here are the sessions especially worth exploring if you’re raising livestock on a small acreage.
1. Keep Sheep and Goats Healthy in Wet Weather
Western Washington’s rainy climate can make hoof care challenging. Muddy conditions, poor drainage, and inadequate hoof maintenance can contribute to hoof problems in sheep and goats.
The Goat and Sheep Hoof Care workshop covers practical approaches to mud management, rotational grazing, nutrition, enrichment, and hoof trimming.
Why it matters on a small farm: When pasture space is limited, wet areas can become muddy quickly. Improving drainage, managing grazing areas, and learning basic hoof care can help prevent problems before they become expensive veterinary visits.
2. Recognize Potential Feed Safety Problems
Livestock feed can sometimes contain mycotoxins—toxic compounds produced by certain fungi that may grow on grasses and grains. Contaminated feed can pose health risks to animals.
The Mycotoxin Diseases in Livestock workshop explores how these toxins affect livestock, how to recognize potential contamination risks, and how feed testing can help identify problems.
Why it matters on a small farm: Buying good-quality feed and storing it properly are important parts of animal care. Knowing when to question feed quality and seek testing can help protect your animals and avoid unnecessary losses.
3. Plan for Emergencies Before They Happen
Natural disasters and other emergencies can threaten livestock, buildings, fencing, feed supplies, and farm infrastructure.
The Rooted in Readiness: Farmer-Driven Strategies for Disaster Recovery session focuses on emergency preparation, response, and recovery.
Why it matters on a small farm: Even a few animals need a backup plan. Consider how you would provide water, feed, shelter, transportation, and safe containment if a storm, wildfire, power outage, or other emergency disrupted your normal routine.
4. Turn Manure Into a Resource
Manure management can be a significant challenge when you keep animals on a small property. Without a plan, manure can accumulate, create odors, attract pests, and contribute to runoff problems.
The Manure Management workshop covers proper storage, handling, composting, and field application, including considerations for smaller properties.
Why it matters on a small farm: Properly managed manure can improve soil health and reduce fertilizer costs. A designated storage or composting area and a plan for using or removing excess manure can make livestock ownership more manageable.
5. Understand Your Soil and Pasture
Healthy soil supports productive pastures, better drainage, and more resilient farm ground. Soil testing can help you understand what your land needs instead of relying on guesswork.
The program includes workshops on soil testing, soil health, and soil contamination.
Why it matters on a small farm: Before investing in pasture improvements, learn what your soil actually needs. Testing can help guide decisions about amendments, pasture management, and long-term land care.
6. Make Your Farm Financially Sustainable
Raising livestock involves more than the initial cost of buying animals. Feed, fencing, shelters, veterinary care, equipment, and land improvements all add up.
The Farm Budgeting and Finance workshop introduces practical budgeting and planning tools to help farmers prepare for expenses and unexpected challenges. Other sessions cover farm marketing and available USDA support programs for beginning and small-scale farmers.
Why it matters on a small farm: A simple budget helps you understand the true cost of keeping animals and whether selling eggs, meat, fiber, breeding stock, or other farm products can help cover those costs.
Make the Most of Your Small Acreage
You don’t need a large farm to benefit from better planning. Managing mud, protecting feed quality, maintaining healthy pastures, and creating a realistic budget can make a real difference—even if you only keep a few animals.
The best place to start is with the challenges you face right now. Choose workshops that address those needs, then put one or two practical ideas into action on your property.
Local Action Item: Visit Snohomish County’s 2026 Focus on Farming workshop page to review the full session list and find topics relevant to your farm. Check the county’s current event information for dates, registration details, and availability before making plans.