On today's episode I wanted to take some time to answer some listener questions that have been coming in lately. Here are the topics that I will be talking about ...
- Breeding and raising Katahdin sheep
- Selecting beef breeds for a grassfed farm
- And, a question about our house
- Salad Bar Beef by Joel Salatin
- Grass-Fed Cattle: How to Produce and Market Natural Beef by Julius Ruechel
- Comeback Farms by Greg Judy
- No Risk Ranching by Greg Judy
- Acres USA Magazine
- Graze Magazine
- Crooked Gap Farm Hoop House Project
If you have an input on the topic be sure to leave a comment below or send us an e-mail.
As always, I want to thank you so much for listening and supporting the show with your encouragement and reviews on iTunes! I am continually working to produce a better show, and I'm thankful for all of the listeners sticking with me as I learn. If you do enjoy the show, don't forget that you can subscribe on iTunes and leave a five start rating and review (by clicking the link or the image on the right). If you are an Android phone user you can also subscribe on the free Stitcher App. It is so very encouraging to know that people are listening and enjoying the show!
I would love to hear your questions, show ideas, or comments about the show. Feel free to shoot me an e-mail! As always you can follow along with The Beginning Farmer and Crooked Gap Farm by checking out these links ...
TBF Show 036 :: Play in a New Window | Right Click to Download
**Special Note :: A few users are experiencing issues downloading the show on iTunes. If you have any experience with podcasts and how they can play nicely with iTunes I would love some suggestions.**
(if you are interested in the music in this episode check out my brother's record label, Historic Records)
Thanks for another great episode, Ethan! I ordered Greg Judy's book ("Comeback Farms") (at your suggestion from an older episode) a couple of weeks ago. I'm about halfway though it--great info and easy read. But...it's not the only thing I'm reading right now. You know how that goes.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the great work!
I agree about trying to follow Gerald Fry's ideas about selecting cattle. Some of my best cows are surprisingly close to the ideal linear measurements he suggests.
ReplyDeleteI started out as a cow-calf operator and moved into selling beef occasionally, so I might have a different perspective on selecting a grass-fed beef breed.
I would suggest just getting a set of moderate-sized cows of a "typical" breed like Black Angus, Red Angus, or Hereford. Get quality moderate-sized bulls, and raise replacements out of the best cows. With that type of cattle herd, you can easily sell calves or cows at the stockyards without facing a price penalty for selling an atypical breed of cattle.
Spend the money you would have spent on cattle that supposedly have "grass genetics", and instead improve the grass in your pastures. You need high-quality grass to end up with high-quality beef.
I just found your site and just wanted to comment on what a great resource it is for some great information.
ReplyDelete