The Beginning Farmer

Wednesday, April 02, 2014

TBF 057 :: The Listener Mailbag, Farm Updates, and a Hard Lesson Learned

I am always thankful for all of the questions, comments, and encouragement that come in via e-mail or comment or even from the good ol' post office! Lately there have been some very good questions coming in covering a whole host of topics that I want to cover on future episodes of the show. Today though I wanted to take some time to answer three questions that have come in over the past couple of weeks regarding hay, finding pigs, and the big bad Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus. All great questions that deserve great responses ... hopefully some rambling from a beginning farmer will at least shed a little light on the topics.

Helpful Links from Today's Episode:

If you do enjoy the show, don't forget that you can subscribe on iTunes and leave a five star rating and review (by clicking the link). 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 ...

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

TBF 056 :: Pigs in the Woodlot & Pasture, Farm News, and a Hard Lesson Learned

On our farm we try to keep the pigs in the woodlots and on the pasture as much of the year as possible. Generally that means we move them out to the woodlots in March or April and bring them back up to their cozy winter accommodations in December. Over the past five years we have really come to love having pigs out in the woods (and from the picture on the right you can see they love it too), but raising them out in the open like that does mean we have to do things a little differently than if we were raising them on lots up by the house. We use electric fence, portable waterers and feeders, creative loading solutions, and so much more. On today's episode I'm going to share some of the "nuts and bolts" of our woodlot/pasture pig infrastructure.

When it comes to woodlot/pasture infrastructure for the pigs our main elements are fencing, access to water, feed, shelter, loading/sorting facilities, and of course the rotations that we do between paddocks. We haven't quite reached the perfect set up yet, but what we have reached is a workable solution that is semi-portable ... adaptable to different areas of the farm ... and seems to keep the pigs healthy and happy. If you'd like to know more about our fencing projects and what products we use check out the links below ...

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 star rating and review (by clicking the link). 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 ...

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

TBF 055 :: The Big Switch to Non-GMO, New Calves, and a Hard Lesson Learned

Click Here to Download :: Click Here to Open in a New Window

A little over a month ago in episode 50 of "The Beginning Farmer Show" I talked about a possible switch to using Non-GMO feed for our pigs and poultry. In that episode I talked about some of the research I did (a google search), and the fact that it seemed like you could find a "scientific" article to say whatever you wanted it to say. But, it was the beginning of the question for us and for the past five weeks or so I have been hashing things out in my mind, talking with customers, chatting with farmers who have recently made the switch, and just thinking about what my gut was telling me to do. To be honest this wasn't a decision that was a complete slam dunk for us one way or the other because there were a lot of factors to consider.

In the end though we have decided that the best step for our farm is to begin making the transition to only using Non-GMO feeds for our pigs and for our poultry (both egg-layers and meat birds). This will not be a quick transition because not only is there the issue of having access to the Non-GMO grains, but there is also the somewhat daunting fact that in order to do this we will have to use only pigs born on our farm. The transition will take some time, but in the end we think it is the direction we need to go for quite a few reasons on our farm ... some of those reasons will be the main topic of today's show!

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 star rating and review (by clicking the link). 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!

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

TBF 054 :: Should I Quit the Farm?, Farm Updates, and a Hard Lesson Learned

By nature I am either totally optimistic or wholly pessimistic. That can be a lethal combination in that sometimes I find myself running headlong into something because I'm just really excited about it and then crashing and burning because it doesn't initially go as I had hoped. One of those pessimistic question that pops into my head from time to time on the farm is, "Should I quit the farm?" On the surface this is just one of those questions of doubt that are part of my flawed nature, but I do think there is value in sometimes pulling back and taking time to honestly examine the question. On today's episode I'm going to talk about some of the very practical reasons that I think I should quit farming, and then a few emotionally romantic reasons why I'm probably going to continue this farming journey.

Some of my very practical reasons for quitting the farm and chalking it up to a stressful life lessons include money, time, stress, and skill. These are all very important things to think about in any business, but that doesn't make them deal breakers ... I mean for the past five years we have made the farm go and it is definitely more than a hobby! So, instead of asking the question, "Should I quit farming?" ... I try to force myself to answer the question, "Why should we keep the farm going and growing?" The answers to those questions are often less about finances, but sometimes are equally as convincing. How do you keep your work going through the doubts?

Links Relevant to This Episode

The Growing Farms Podcast

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 star rating and review (by clicking the link). 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!

Wednesday, March 05, 2014

TBF 053 :: Phil Kramer from Niman Ranch Part Two, News from the Farm, and a Hard Lesson Learned

Click Here to Download :: Click Here to Open in New Link

**As I transition to www.TheBeginningFarmer.com I am quickly realizing I'm not as web savvy as I had hoped! In the meantime I will be posting here as well for those of you subscribed through RSS ... and hopefully will have that fixed soon.**

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to participate in a Practical Farmers of Iowa Farminar about "Making Niche Pork Work for You at Any Scale". The 90 minutes scheduled for the on-line event (you can click the link above to watch a recording) went by faster than I could have imagined and I learned a lot along the way. There were so many great questions from Kate, the other beginning farmer, that we didn't have much time to talk with Phil Kramer about Niman Ranch. Luckily I happen to know Phil because his farm was where we purchased our first Hereford gilt so I asked him if he would be willing to come on "The Beginning Farmer Show" to talk about raising pigs for Niman Ranch. Phil takes us through the process of bringing Niman Ranch feeder pigs to the farm all the way through taking them to the pick-up location and everything in between!

In the second part of the interview Phil and I talk about the profit possibilities when raising pigs for Niman Ranch, the art of being a farrow-to-finish hog farmer, and of course we dig into a discussion of Hereford hogs which is something that Phil and I are both passionate about. If you have any questions for Phil about Niman Ranch or just raising pigs from farrow-to-finish in general please leave a comment below and I'll make sure Phil gets your question and answers if he is able to.

Links Relevant to This Episode

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 star rating and review (by clicking the link). 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!

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

TBF 052 :: Phil Kramer from Niman Ranch, News from the Farm, and a Hard Lesson Learned

Last week I had the opportunity to participate in a Practical Farmers of Iowa Farminar about "Making Niche Pork Work for You at Any Scale". The 90 minutes scheduled for the on-line event (you can click the link above to watch a recording) went by faster than I could have imagined and I learned a lot along the way. There were so many great questions from Kate, the other beginning farmer, that we didn't have much time to talk with Phil Kramer about Niman Ranch. Luckily I happen to know Phil because his farm was where we purchased our first Hereford gilt so I asked him if he would be willing to come on "The Beginning Farmer Show" to talk about raising pigs for Niman Ranch. Phil takes us through the process of bringing Niman Ranch feeder pigs to the farm all the way through taking them to the pick-up location and everything in between! The great thing about my discussion with Phil is that regardless if you are interested in raising pigs for Niman Ranch or not he shares a lot of great information about raising hogs outdoors and without antibiotics (they do use vaccinations and wormers in the Niman program). Phil grew up on a farrow-to-finish hog farm and has been working with Niman Ranch for 11 years now so the pig business is a business that he knows through and through. I only wished we lived closer so I could pick his brain more often! If you have any questions for Phil about Niman Ranch or just raising pigs from farrow-to-finish in general please leave a comment below and I'll make sure Phil gets your question and answers if he is able to.

Links Relevant to This Episode

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 star rating and review (by clicking the link). 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!

Check out this episode!

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

The Beginning Farmer Website is Moving

Please check out

www.thebeginningfarmer.com

for the new website!

We are very excited because we are in the process of updating and upgrading The Beginning Farmer Blog which began all the way back in 2006. Although the new website doesn't look much different just yet there are many exciting things coming beyond just a new look. Of course there will still be the archive of over 800 blog posts spanning 7 years, but in addition to The Beginning Farmer Show we will be adding all sorts of new content. We can't wait for you to see all of the new stuff!

Friday, December 20, 2013

From The Beginning Farmer's Wife

If you are a Beginning Farmer Show podcast listener or blog reader and are itching for more farm updates or thoughts on setting up a beginning farm, you can now follow The Beginning Farmer's Wife on Facebook, where I will have additional personal peeks at building a family farm, along with posting notifications of when my new Beginning Farmer's Wife blog posts come out.

Since I'm not the speaker that Ethan is, you'll be hard pressed to get me on the podcast, but I will try to share my thoughts and perspectives through my blog and Facebook page. :)

~Becca
The Beginning Farmer's Wife |

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

TBF 042 :: 10 Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Farmer, Hoop Building Updates, and a Hard Lesson Learned

With Christmas only one week away I thought it would be fun to share some gift ideas for the beginning farmers in your life (or the future farmers ... or lovers of farms!). The items on this list are mostly in the $30 or less range with only a couple of exceptions. All of the items are available on Amazon.com (the links are affiliate links and help support "The Beginning Farmer Show"), but many of them can also be found at your local farm store or hardware store. The other thing you may notice about the list is that it is mostly focused on a gift list for a farmer in the colder winter climates. Mittens are a great thing for a farmer in Iowa, but not so much for a farmer in Georgia ... so ... if you live in the warmer climates I would love to see your suggestions for those last minute Christmas gifts.

10 Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Beginning Farmer (or Future Farmer or Lover of Farms)

Stormy Kromer Cap -- A winter cap to keep you warm all winter long.
King Corn DVD -- The first film that I came across that really made me think about farming in the United States.
Leather Mittens -- On a cold day I will take mittens over gloves all of the time.
You Can Farm by Joel Salatin -- The first farming book that I read.
Headlamp -- Short days make for much work after dark and this is a tool that I use everyday.
Chain Saw Chaps -- $60 chaps are cheaper than a hospital trip everyday.
American Meat DVD -- Another film to checkout this winter to be encouraged about agriculture in the United States.
Small Vice Grips -- I carry these everyday and use them more than expected.
The Contrary Farmer by Gene Logsdon -- A great book for winter reading.
Utility Folding Knife -- Great for those projects that don't need your good knife.

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 042 :: 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)

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

TBF 041 :: 7 Winter Farming Lessons, Pioneer Farming, and a Hard Lesson Learned

One of the things I say about our farm (and it's on one of our t-shirts that we have for sale) is that we are doing "Pioneer Farming". The reason that I say that is because we have sort of built this farm from a blank slate that was basically a prairie and a little bit of woods. It almost felt like we were out there homesteading just like the Iowans that came before us, except that we had a few benefits that they didn't have ... things like gas, electricity, power tools, chainsaws, tractors, trucks, cement floors in our house, and other little things like that. But, as this winter starts off with a little more cold than usual I am reminded of our first winter on the farm five years ago and I'm thankful for just how far we have been able to come. I was also reminded of my childhood reading of Laura Ingalls Wilder's book, The Long Winter and her tales of a horrible winter spent on the plains of the Dakotas in 1880/81. After pulling out our copy and reading some of her memories I think our first winter wasn't so bad after all ... that was really some pioneer farming!

Nevertheless I do have some tips for handling winter on the farm, especially when it comes to livestock ...

Don't bring livestock to your farm for the winter if you aren't ready for them.
High quality feed for your animals is a must.
The combination of cold and wet can really be the worst.
Water hoses can freeze even if you think you completely drained them.
Windbreaks or shelters out of the wind are very important for your livestock.
Know your neighbors, because you may need some help this winter.
Have a good winter fence (preferably not electric unless you have a plan for shorting).

What are your favorite online resources for farmers? 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!

TBF Show 041 :: Play in a New Window | Right Click to Download

(if you are interested in the music in this episode check out my brother's record label, Historic Records)

Wednesday, December 04, 2013

TBF 040 :: 8 Great Online Resources for Farmers, Hoop Building Progress, and a Hard Lesson Learned

I talk a lot on the show about the importance of getting out there and learning from other farmers because there is so much knowledge to be gained from those real life experiences. But, there are times when your life just dictates that you can't get out there and do some on farm training. That was my case when I began this farming journey and I scoured the internet looking for resources that would help me along the way. The great thing about a lot of the links and resources I found was that it came from famers who were doing great on-farm research through comparing systems, feeds, structures, and so much more. I found links to videos, research bulletins, articles, spreadsheets, and so much more that gave me some of the information that was useful to a beginning/dreaming farmer. On today's episode I share "8 Great Online Resources for Farmers (Beginning or Experienced)"

Links Mentioned in This Episode ...

Practical Farmers of Iowa Resources

These Niche Pork articles are awesome

Practical Farmers of Iowa Farminars

Dan Wilson's Farminar is probably my favorite

National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service

Pastured Poultry Production and Profitability Webinar

MidWest Plan Service

A-Frame Hut Plan

Cornell Small Farms Program

Whole Animal Buying Guide

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program

The "Bulletins" section has some great information

Beginning Farmers

Farm Business Plan Section

The Beginning Farmer Center

Ag Decision Maker

What are your favorite online resources for farmers? 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!

TBF Show 040 :: Play in a New Window | Right Click to Download

(if you are interested in the music in this episode check out my brother's record label, Historic Records)

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

TBF 039 :: How Long Until Full-Time Farming, Farm Updates, and a Hard Lesson Learned

How long will it be until I am able to be a full-time farmer without the need of any off-farm income? That is a question that I have heard quite a few times in the past five years of being a beginning farmer and writing and talking about it on-line. It is a very valid question though, and even one that I have thought about a lot during this farming journey. There are two important things to think about though when you are looking at that question though I believe. First of all I think it is important to realize that a majority of farmers in the United States have off-farm income, and secondly sometimes people who want to be farmers don't always want to quit their job in town. That is the case with me at this point in my life. I very much enjoy my work in town and it is something I could see myself doing for a very long time, but that doesn't mean that I don't think we could make the farm go full-time. There are some limiting factors to think about though ...

Mortgages can be killer and be something that holds you back from farming full-time.
There are a lot of expenses that are variable depending on your family situation. For example in our family health insurance is a huge expense ... bigger than the mortgage!
How much capital do you have to spend and live off of until the farm starts making money. You know the old adage ... you gotta spend money to make money.
And on, and on, and on!

On today's episode I take some time to answer a listener e-mail all about that question ... How long until I become a full-time farmer. I do my best to answer the question, but in the end it seems like a non-answer. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject. If you were starting from zero how long do you think it would take you to get to full-time?

Links Mentioned in This Episode ...

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!

TBF Show 039 :: Play in a New Window | Right Click to Download

(if you are interested in the music in this episode check out my brother's record label, Historic Records)

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

TBF 038 :: Farm Marketing Diversification, The Traveling Farmer, and a Hard Lesson Learned

Diversification is one of this "big words" when it comes to the small-scale farming community. On our farm we raise pigs, chickens, cattle, sheep, and rabbits on the pastures and in the woodlots. Part of the reason we raise such a diverse amount of livestock is because it is just plain fun, but it also because there are benefits for our farm and land by being diversified. The animals work together and compliment each other in a way that build organic matter in the soil, helps with parasite control in the livestock, helps increase the fertility of our pastures and woodlots, and they even help us manage our woodlots and control erosion! That is not the only type of diversification on our farm ... lately I have been thinking a lot about diversifying our marketing in order to help the farm grow and protect our farm from little hiccups that may occur along the way.

Right now the Downtown Des Moines Farmers' Market and our whole/half hog sale are absolutely the top of our marketing outlets, but as we slowly grow our farm we are finding and researching different places and ways to sell our pork, poultry, and lamb. Of course we have a new Meat CSA that will begin in January, but there are also a couple of other ideas that may become part of our marketing toolbox.

Links Mentioned in This Episode ...

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!

TBF Show 038 :: Play in a New Window | Right Click to Download

(if you are interested in the music in this episode check out my brother's record label, Historic Records)

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

TBF 037 :: Alternative Feed For Pigs, Hoop House News, and a Hard Lesson Learned

Food, water, shelter ... those are all pretty important things when it comes to raising animals (or people for that matter), and they are also things that I talk about a lot on the podcast. But, it seems like the most expensive and difficult to figure out sometimes is feed ... especially when it comes to pigs on my farm! There is always a struggle to get the feeders set so that the pigs have to work just hard enough to get feed, but not too hard. There is the question of how much feed value they are getting from the pastures and woodlot. And, of course there is always the question of organic ... non-GMO ... or conventional feeds. With all that in mind I'm also always looking for ways to get the feed costs down and keep the efficiencies of raising our pigs up ... it is a fine line.

That is why the e-mail I received from Claudia about organic and alternative feeds for pigs caused me to think about so many different things. Questions like these have been running through my head all week ...

How can I switch over to organic feed and keep my costs down?
What plants should I be planting in my pig paddocks?
Is non-GMO most important for me now ... or organic ... or a certain price point and doing the best that I can with the feed?
Should organic feeds cost as much as they do?
Why am I so confused!?!

Claudia posed a great question, and while I do have a lot of thoughts on the subject I'm not sure if I have a lot of answers. Because of that I'm including some great links below to articles and research reports about a wide variety of hog feed alternatives. In fact I saw one even mentioned potato chips ... I would strongly disagree with that option though!

Alternative Pig Feed Links ...

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!

TBF Show 037 :: Play in a New Window | Right Click to Download

(if you are interested in the music in this episode check out my brother's record label, Historic Records)

Wednesday, November 06, 2013

TBF 036 :: Listener Questions, Farm Updates, and a Hard Lesson Learned

Projects have slowed down a little bit lately on the farm because of a some rain lately, but that doesn't mean that we haven't be getting a lot accomplished! This past weekend we held our first ever on farm class and it was a day that we enjoyed very much. I am very passionate about the farm and about the values we have that impact how we run the farm so it is always great to share some of that passion. Hopefully those that were able to come and enjoy the day were able to get a "peak behind the curtain" of life on Crooked Gap Farm. We tried hard to give a realistic picture of the decisions that we have to make and the ups and downs of starting a farm business from scratch. I will say though that we were very much blessed by those that came and learned a lot from everyones experiences that will help our farm going forward. Stay tuned because I think there will be more farm classes in the future!

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

Links and Books mentioned in this episode (some of the links are affiliate links) ...

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!

TBF Show 036 :: Play in a New Window | Right Click to Download

(if you are interested in the music in this episode check out my brother's record label, Historic Records)

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

TBF 035 :: Farmers' Market Thoughts, Farm News, and a Hard Lesson Learned

It is the time of year when I feel like I can breathe a big sigh of relief. There is still plenty to do and I don't feel like there will be any less going on in our family life or our farm life, but it does feel like we can at least check one thing off the list ... Outdoor Farmers' Market Season is done! I wanted to take a little bit of time today sharing some of my thoughts on this past market season, which was our best by far, and what some of the good things and the bad things were. There are always things that I would like to do better and while I feel confident in the workflow of making transactions with customers I do wish I had a more visually appealing display to draw in potential customers. I also spend some time talking about the importance of having diverse products at the market in order to reach as many customers as possible, and of course how thankful I am for all of our farm friends that support us week and and week out during the market season!

I also spend a little bit of time talking about an interesting quote that I stumbled across from Joel Salatin this past week which interestingly enough fits perfectly into a discussion about farmers' markets. The basic takeaway from Mr. Salatin's comments was that you would be better off spending time marketing in other places than spending your Saturdays tied up at a market. While I will say that not all markets are created equal and I do think we have the best market out there for farmers and for customers I will also concede that I don't completely disagree with what he says. If you would like to listen to the whole interview and specifically his thoughts on marketing check out the links in the list below. In fact I greatly recommend you listen to that episode ... especially if you are a young or beginning farmer!

Links mentioned in this episode ...

Interested in signing-up? Just shoot me an e-mail!

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!

TBF Show 035 :: Play in a New Window | Right Click to Download

(if you are interested in the music in this episode check out my brother's record label, Historic Records)

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

TBF 034 :: I Don't Know How to Farm, Farm News, and a Hard Lesson Learned

While we were in the middle of the summer and I was busy mowing and raking hay, taking care of the farm, and doing the farmers market (as well as a few other odds and ends) I thought maybe things would slow down in the "off-season". Well, we are getting closer to the theoretical off-season and I have to say that I don't think things will be slowing down that much! I'm choosing to be encouraged by that though because on many levels it means that things are working ... and when they are working it means good work! On today's episode I spend a bit of time updating the various happenings on the farm which include both good and bad things ... which is life on the farm. But, I also wanted to take some time to answer a question that came in on e-mail from a young man with an interest in farming.

Last week I received an e-mail from Barrett who basically said, "I have wanted to farm since I was ten, but I don't know how to farm". That statement that I related to on so many levels that I just felt like I had to share some thoughts on the subject ... because there are plenty of times still where I think, "I want to farm, but I don't know how to farm"! My answer can simply be summed up by one word ... Apprenticeships! Knowing what I know now if I could go back to the time when I was 17 and getting ready to enter college there are a few "apprenticeships" that I would have included in my summers, weekends, and free-time in general. There are so many "hats" that a farmer wears each day and if you can go into your farming journey with at least a little experience in each of these "hats" then I think you have a leg up in the game!

Here are the apprenticeships I would consider ...

A Farm - This is the obvious one, and it is very important. Work on a farm ... any farm ... even if they don't do everything how you would do it, because you will learn a lot!
A Mechanics Shop - It doesn't matter if it's a tractor shop, a car shop, or a mower shop ... a background in mechanical things will help any beginning farmer.
A Welding/Metalwork Shop - I don't know how to weld and this is one of the things I most wish I knew how to do ... it literally could save me thousands of dollars over the life of the farm.
A Meat Processor - You may never have your own on-farm official processing facility, but the knowledge you gain can help you not only in your processing for your own use but also in marketing and working with customers.
An Electrician/Carpenter/Construction in General - There is always something that needs to be built, plumbed, or wired on the farm. Having the knowledge on how to do it ... at least the basics ... will always help.

I'd love to hear your thoughts ... what apprenticeships would you recommend to a young beginning farmer?

Links mentioned in this episode ...

Interested in signing-up? Just shoot me an e-mail!

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!

TBF Show 034 :: Play in a New Window | Right Click to Download

(if you are interested in the music in this episode check out my brother's record label, Historic Records)

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

TBF 033 :: Preparing for Winter, Farrowing Updates, and a Hard Lesson Learned

This past Sunday when I walked outside to head to church I was mildly shocked to see my windshield covered with frost. Not that it was too early for a frost, but rather because it really hadn't been forecasted and I was still basically in summer mode mentally. That chilly reminder did quickly bring into clear focus though the reality that winter will be here before I know it ... and I don't have any wood cut/split/stacked! Besides making a big woodpile there are plenty of other things that need to be do to get the livestock and their winter quarters ready. I have been spending a lot of time the past few episodes talking about my plans for the hoop house (winter housing for the pigs), but there is still plenty to do for the chickens, guineas, cattle, sheep, and rabbits. On todays episode I'll share what my winter plans are for each species and then talk a little bit about the difficulties winter brings to the farm ... and even a positive or two that I can take away from the winter season!

Links mentioned in this episode ...

Interested in signing-up? Just shoot me an e-mail!

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!

TBF Show 033 :: Play in a New Window | Right Click to Download

(if you are interested in the music in this episode check out my brother's record label, Historic Records)

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