You might want to look into Farm caretaking. Folks who have farms occasionally take a vacation once in awhile and need someone who can care for the animals, etc. while they are away. This might be a good way to get some experience before deciding the type of farming you might like to do. Also, try googling "Farm caretaking". One of the links that pop up are for the Caretaker gazette. I had a subscription for years. Never applied for any of the positions, but I used to enjoy reading the ads for caretaking beautiful estates for ranch/farm/ and multiple home owners. They have sample ads at the website. Here is one example: "ALABAMA I NEED A HOUSESITTER and animal caretaker for the months of June to August for my home and animals outside of Selma. I have ten acres. I will need to show and teach the housesitter how to feed and care for my animals. The housesitter must be an animal lover to care for my horses, dogs, and cats. The horses do not need exercising or brushing. For more details, please email.... " Links that might be useful: CARETAKE A FARM (AND LIVE RENT FREE) www.motherearthnews.com/Modern-Homesteading/1976-05-01/ Caretake-a-Farm-And-Live-Rent-Free.aspx Caretaker.org

Tom was 'right on' in the first post. If money is a problem now then animals, especially large ones are out of the question. I notice a lot of people mentioned fowl of different types and rabbits. I agree that would be a better choice. Also, if your friend is having to ask these questions it must be assumed that they don't know much about animal husbandry. It would not be fair to the animals to try to keep them with out proper feed and veterinary care. In most cases additional feed of some sort is essential to good health even with small animals. Grazing alone on 1 and a half acre parcel will not provide enough nutrients. My personal suggestion would be that she do some intensive research, constuct a proper house and pen, and start with egg producing chickens such as Rhode Island Reds. Many people think that they want to produce thier own meat but when the time comes find that it is a lot easier said than done. I used to raise goats to sell for BBQ meat. My children and exhusband liked the money that it brought in but each time I sold one they made sure to let me know what a cold hearted person I was to let the goat be killed. There is a lot more to farm life than just moving to the country and buying (or adopting) a bunch of animals. Hope you steer (no pun intended) her in the right direction.

The news article that I read several years ago which described the decline of the fox virus addressed this. Wildlife dept here in Vermont were suddenly receiving many calls from people concerned about seeing foxes in the daytime. Their investigation revealed that the plentiful daylight fox sightings are an indicator of the absence of a virus (not rabies) which had adversely affected fox populations for many years, and these animals proved to be in excellent health. Foxes here are thriving for the first time in decades, so the old addage is no longer applicable. If a fox appears healthy in daylight, going about normal activities (ie hunting, moving babies) then it is very unlikely to be afflicted with rabies or any other virus. If it appears disoriented or aggressive to humans, that is another story. I wish I had a link to this article but I believe it was in the newpaper, not online.

(When I said 'rickery' I meant 'rockery'... How do I edit??)