Choosing to Farm: New Generation Stories

" I'm so grateful with people that really like our place.  Because you can find a freedom here so nowadays that you are in not [doing] desk work or a job or something. That's harder sometimes. You need someplace to get away. I think that's what people love [about] here. [This is a little bit of a getaway.]" Capilla Ambar Facebook Page Thanks to On Pasture for their unwavering support for our mission to share resources and stories helping farmers and ranchers be more successful.  More educational and transformational offerings from Jenn Colby Whole Human web site Choosing to Farm Patreon link Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm!The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show…tiers start at just $2!

Nadia Milleron is an independent mother, farmer, attorney, and successful advocate who will fight for you. In 2019, Nadia's daughter was a passenger on a Boeing 737 MAX that crashed in Ethiopia killing all on board. After 2 deadly crashes, instead of taking Boeing's and the FAA's word that nothing was wrong and a crash would not happen again, Nadia got involved to hold all involved groups accountable. Nadia went to Washington and helped lead the unanimous passage of the national bi-partisan Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act in 2020 which directed US aircraft and aerospace industry manufacturers to adopt, enforce, and regulate compliance procedures to ensure planes met the proper criteria and specifications before they are commissioned for use. She didn't stop there. Nadia then went to Boeing's home in Illinois and spearheaded the overthrow of a state law thatprotected big corporations over victims. Nadia met with legislators and stakeholders to fix a flawed law that allowed negligent and reckless corporations to get away with murder and not be held responsible. Nadia has never shied away from standing up for everyday people. She began her career practicing law helping children who were facing neglect and abuse. For 5 years, she took cases from the bench and advocated on the child's behalf in cases of contested divorces, lack of child support, or crime. She also represented people in the state mental hospital inprobate court proceedings. As a pro bono volunteer attorney, she worked with patients who had been subjected to dehumanizing conditions and a legal system that was violating their rights. When Nadia's son got sick with cancer, their family moved to a farm in Sheffield that would improve his quality of life. That farm turned into a way her family could give back to the community and even teach life lessons to other children and residents. Over the last 25 years, they have raised pigs, chicken, turkey, and lambs, and produced organic grain and dairy. Nadia invites classes, after school programs, and localresidents to come to the farm and learn about growing sustainable food and raising animals. Their farm continues to be a place for families in Western Massachusetts to receive locally grown food and produce.www.5calls.org  NadiaForCongress website Thanks to New England Grazing Network for sponsoring this episode under a USDA-Grazing Lands Conservation Initiation grant! More educational and transformational offerings from Jenn Colby Whole Human web site Choosing to Farm Patreon link Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm!The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode!  Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show…tiers start at just $1!

NewGrass Farmstead raises registered and commercial Clun Forest and Coopworth sheep, for breeding stock, meat, wool, and pasture improvement. We sell raw milk seasonally, and a variety of meats. Sheepskins, hand-dyed yarns, and lamb, mutton, beef, pork, and chicken are available for pre-order or in our self-serve farmstand. Livestock on the farm include thesheep, working border collies (with the occasional litter of pups available), working draft horses, cattle, pigs, and poultry. Our focus is on renovating our land, producing a diverse array of products for our local community, and engaging in the daily rhythms of land and livestock husbandry.www.5calls.org  NewGrass Farmstead website  NewGrass Farmstead Facebook NewGrass Farmstead Instagram Thanks to New England Grazing Network for sponsoring this episode under a USDA-Grazing Lands Conservation Initiation grant! More educational and transformational offerings from Jenn Colby Whole Human web site Choosing to Farm Patreon link Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm!The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show or even buy me a cup of coffee at the Choosing to Farm web site!

Baylee Rose Drown, is a queer woman farmer, educator and community builder. Baylee believes in good food for all people. For Baylee, this starts with caring for soil and extends into seeking justice in our land and food system. Sliding scale CSA, working with meal centers and acknowledging colonial land theft (our land is the home of Nehantic people) are all part working of towards an equitable food system. Baylee was raised on her families' Holstein dairy farm in Michigan.  She earned a Bachelors of Science from Michigan State Universities' College of Agriculture and Natural Resources in 2009. This is where she first discovered land and animal ethics, which inspired her transition from a conventional farmer to a regenerative farmer.Baylee picked up the organic farming bug in Vermont, where she worked at Green Mountain College's diversified farm from 2009-2013.  During Baylee's time at Green Mountain she qualified the farm as Animal Welfare Approval and was active in the greater community by serving as a boardmember for the Stone Valley Food Coop. Baylee earned her Masters of Science in Sustainable Food Systems from Green Mountain College in 2014, as she was incorporating Upper Pond Farm as an LLC and turning the soil in Old Lyme for the first time.  Baylee is a life long learner. Recently she completed courses on Uprooting Racism in the Food System, Holistic Management, Soil Health and Climate Change and Compost Facility Management. Baylee enjoys mentoring and teaching all ages from mutual aid for fellow farmers, to apprentices, WWOOFers and LymeConsolidated Elementary Students. Baylee presents on the subjects of grant writing, composting, chemical free pest management and integrating animal and plant food production systems. Baylee uses her small cattle herd to manage and improve grasslands and soils. Cows can save the planet - ask Baylee how! Baylee loves bringing people together through farmers' markets hosted at the Long Table, and volunteering withConnecticut Farmland Trust and the Connecticut Compost Alliance.Baylee loves feeding people and being really tired and dirty at the end of a workday. She also loves to teach, hike, fish, make cheese and cook.www.5calls.org  Long Table Farm website  Long Table Farm Facebook Long Table Farm Instagram Long Table Farm YouTube  Long Table Farm BlueskyCows Save the Planet by Judith Schwartz Beaver Land by Leila Philip Animal Welfare Approved  Holistic Management International Richard Perkins Youtube Thanks to New England Grazing Network for sponsoring this episode under a USDA-Grazing Lands Conservation Initiation grant! More educational and transformational offerings from Jenn Colby Whole Human web site Choosing to Farm Patreon link Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm!The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show or even buy me a cup of coffee at the Choosing to Farm web site!

My hope is that these journeys we share cause the person to take that next step. Whether that next step is buying a roll of poly braid and moving your cows twice if that's oh I need to try and do this for grass fed and go direct to consumer. Wherever you are, I'm hoping the journey helps you take that next step. And for that to happen, I can hear the same thing hundreds of times. But for some reason, that hundredth and first time, it's like,  why didn't I think of that?Cal's passion for agriculture was ignited at a young age, growing up on his parents' farm where he has fond memories of being surrounded by livestock. Since then, Cal's journey has been deeply rooted in agriculture, from obtaining a Bachelor's degree in Animal Science to managing his own livestock. Driven by his curiosity and commitment to regenerative farming practices, Cal started the Grazing Grass podcast as a way to connect with other like-minded grass farmers and learn from their experiences. His genuine interest in the subject matter and his firsthand knowledge of farming practices make him an engaging and knowledgeable host. With a wealth of personal experience and a deep understanding of the challenges and rewards of grass farming, Cal brings a unique perspective to the Grazing Grass podcast. His passion for sustainable farming practices shines through in every episode as he facilitates conversations, asks insightful questions, and encourages meaningful discussionswith fellow grass farmers.Grazing Grass Podcast Hedge Apple Farm FacebookONXHunt//888 app Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki Essentialism by Greg McKeown Million Dollar Weekend by Noah Kagan More educational and transformational offerings fromJenn Colby Whole Human web site Choosing to FarmPatreon link Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm!The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join ourPatreon to support the show or even buy me a cup of coffee at the Choosing to Farm web site!

It was in the middle of high school that I really started to carve out an interest for myself in and seek experiences in agricultural production of some fruit and veg, some small livestock. I remember having a conversation with my college counselor about “I'm interested in this, like, where should I look?” She mentioned some of the top agricultural schools in the Northeast, like UVM and UNH, but that was where the conversation ended. It wasn't, “This is what these programs will have to offer you and this is how they can really open your world and help you see all the different paths that might be before you.”  I was pretty sure I wanted to farm. I wanted to really be in on the ground in the day-to-day operations of production.—Kate   Since 2015, Kate has worked on nine dairy farms in five states throughout the Northeast. Fascinated with different dairy farming systems, she has sought experience in an array of production models: conventional, organic, certified grass-fed, dairies shipping to a commodity market, and dairies directly marketing raw milk products. She has also pursued work in food and agribusiness with her most recent off-farm roles being in supply chain and agricultural sciences at General Mills Inc. She tries to bring a ground-level and a survey-level perspective to everything she does.   As the Assistant Manager at Wolfe's Neck Dairy in Freeport, Maine, Kate loves stewarding the land, the herd, and the apprenticeship program. Kate also boards her own grass-fed Jersey cows here, which she hopes will support the dairy's transition to an increasingly pasture-based model. She truly enjoys working in a place that centers learning at the heart of its mission. Kate Sabino email   Wolfe's Neck Center website   New England Grazing Network web site   More educational and transformational offerings from Jenn Colby   Choosing to Farm Patreon link   Leave us a review or buy us a coffee at Choosing to Farm!   The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success. Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show or even buy me a cup of coffee at the Choosing to Farm web site!

I remember…doing some chores one day with the pigs and thinking, “I don't need anything other than this.  Everything is whole and complete as I do this work here with these animals. –Carrie   You start with lambing and move through into lactation and then we start processing and so being able to manage the farm in that integrated way. Being able to really understand the performance of the animals and their health and how that relates to the quality of the milk and then how that milk is transformed into our finished products. Having that kind of oversight is special--surprising.—Brent   Carrie & Brent Wasser run a sheep dairy in the Hudson Valley of New York. They produce sheep's milk yogurt and bottled sheep's milk in their on-farm creamery, and raise pastured lamb. They came to farming in their late 30's/early 40s after careers in journalism (Carrie) and food production (Brent). They met each other on a farm in New England, and talked about their mutual interest in livestock farming on the very first night they met. Willow Pond Sheep Farm email   Willow Pond Sheep Farm web site   Willow Pond Sheep Farm Instagram   Green Mountain Girls Farm website   Charlotte Smith podcast   Northeast Pasture Consortium web site   More educational and transformational offerings from Jenn Colby   Whole Human web site   Choosing to Farm Patreon link   Leave us a review or buy us a coffee at Choosing to Farm! The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show or even buy me a cup of coffee at the Choosing to Farm web site!

We might not see the payoff of the things that we're doing here…but the legacy we're leaving for someone to walk in behind us, that's really important.—Sarah   For me, especially having a job for so many years where there were a lot of days when you wake up and you go, “Man, I really don't want to go to work today”… that really doesn't happen anymore. I wake up every day ready to go. We're working, we're doing what we love together. You can't beat this. –Kenny Kenny and Sarah are the proud owners of Berry Brae Farm located in Central New York.  They specialize in raising high quality Berkshire Pork, White Dorper Lamb, seasonal turkeys and chickens. Berry Brae Farm email   Berry Brae Farm web site   Berry Brae Farm Instagram   Berry Brae Farm Facebook Northeast Pasture Consortium web site   Sylvanaqua Farms Instagram   Vermont Grass Farmers Association web site   NOFA Vermont web site   More educational and transformational offerings from Jenn Colby   Whole Human web site   Choosing to Farm Patreon link   Leave us a review or buy us a coffee at Choosing to Farm! The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success. Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show or even buy me a cup of coffee at the Choosing to Farm web site!

“I think a lot of people seek out farm and food jobs because they're looking for something profound and they don't even know what it's going to be until they get there.”—Rose  “Every year on the farm is so different. It really is. It feels every year we have different bandwidth for different things and we're improving all the time and making more bandwidth in some areas and losing it in other areas.”—Emily Emily and Rose both grew up in the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts. Their paths crossed in 2015 while working at Maple Wind Farm in Huntington, VT. Rose and Emily have been a team ever since that first summer and have dedicated their life to creating community around nutritious and delicious food starting a small poultry operation together in 2017. The purchase of Union Brook Farm was the culminating event that allowed Emily and Rose to begin advancing their pursuit of those dreams. They are now in their 5th season of farming pasture raised broilers, layer hens + sheep with pigs in the forest. They also offer a farm stay through Airbnb should you want to come experience first hand their version of paradise! Union Brook Farm email   Union Brook Farm web site   Union Brook Farm Instagram   New England Grazing Network web site   Vermont Grass Farmers Association web site NOFA Vermont web site   Intervale Center Farm Business Program   WWOOF web site   More educational and transformational offerings from Jenn Colby   Whole Human web site   Choosing to Farm Patreon link   Leave us a review or buy us a coffee at Choosing to Farm! The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show or even buy me a cup of coffee at the Choosing to Farm web site!

“Raising animals is heavy. Even when it goes really well, it's heavy. And when you have losses, like we have had in the last couple of years, it changes the math -- even the finances of it. Okay, yeah, we lost money because we lost so many hens, but what we also lost sleep and tears and to wake up and go out and have a hundred chickens killed in one night--that happened to us once--and it just is so devastating.”—Hannah   “To know that food is not a product that you buy at the store and food is not something that is made by a company and branded and marketed to you, food is something that comes from the earth and nourishes your body.  That's more important to me than whether or not [our kids] decide to operate a farm.”—John   Boneyard Farm is a labor of love. Hannah and John began on a small farmstead on ten hardscrabble acres in northern Vermont. They scaled up in 2021, purchasing a former conventional dairy. With the help of the Vermont Land Trust and the farm's previous owners, their 180-acre property is forever conserved as working agricultural land. Hannah Doyle runs the day-to-day business of the farm and the vegetable operation. John is behind the scenes on infrastructure and maintenance, and he manages the rotational grazing and animal health for their livestock. He builds all the things and fixes all the problems. Two young boys, Reuben and Dimitri, help out on the farm and provide tons of laughter. Boneyard Farm web site Boneyard Farm email address   Boneyard Farm Instagram   Boneyard Farm Facebook   New England Grazing Network web site   Janet McNally's Tamarack Farm web site   Vermont Grass Farmers Association web site More educational and transformational offerings from Jenn Colby   Whole Human web site   Choosing to Farm Patreon link   Leave us a review or buy us a coffee at Choosing to Farm! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

I came into farming really, as I got into it, being like--I'm a grower. That's where I want to grow my expertise; how to be a better caretaker for these animals, how to be more efficient with my time, with the land that we're using. To lean on people who are in processing, lean on them because their resources, their expertise are in processing or on the kosher side, lean on those people who really know what is required for it, bring them in and have them apply their expertise. The growth for me has been really needing to not just understand those other pieces much more, but also get much more directly involved.   Robert Friedman is the founder and owner of Robariah Farms. Located in the Connecticut River Valley of Western Massachusetts, Robariah Farms specializes in local, pasture-raised, kosher-certified poultry and other meats.   Robariah Farms raises slow-growing poultry breeds that thrive on pasture. Sustainable pasture management practices, including daily rotation of mobile shelters, provide animals with continuous access to fresh pasture, sunlight, and clean air, supporting healthy, vibrant life.   For processing, Robariah Farms applies an ethical, humane framework through its kosher certification. Local, kosher supervising agencies oversee the slaughter, plucking, evisceration, salting/brining, and packaging of each animal, certifying a higher standard of quality for the meat.   Robariah Farms offers CSA meat shares directly to customers, as well as wholesale discounts to food co-ops, farm stores, caterers, and institutions across New England. Robariah Farms email address   Robariah Farms Instagram   Robariah Farms Facebook   Top 7 Quotes of Gene Logsdon Youtube   New England Grazing Network web site   Christine Jones soil health tour link   Vermont Grass Farmers Association web site   More educational and transformational offerings from Jenn Colby   Whole Human web site   Choosing to Farm Patreon link   Leave us a review or buy us a coffee at Choosing to Farm! The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world. After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode!  Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show or even buy me a cup of coffee at the Choosing to Farm web site! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

The occasional summer I would go to Arkansas for a few nights when my family would make the trip out there from Dallas, Texas, they would only stay for a short period  it was my aunt and uncle's Chicken farm. They were conventional growers for Tyson.  It was a fun time out there, but I do remember thinking  this is an enormous amount of hard work. My aunt and uncle never get to leave this farm and there's one thing I know for sure. And that's--I don't want to be a farmer.—Vanessa   Chickens can't be productive without a grain implement.  The other thing is a lot of our farmland needs a lot more nutrients in the soil. This is an input into the system, but the intention is that this input is helping make our soils more productive and more regenerative over time so that we can support more ruminant animals on a given land base. Hopefully that will help the farm be more productive and profitable and sustainable. —Justin   Our names are Justin and Vanessa and we're first generation farmers with a passion for healing our environment.  Justin has a background in permaculture design and education, and Vanessa is a graphic designer and marketer. We use our past experiences daily to grow our farm, and to help refine our customers understanding of regenerative agriculture, organic growing practices and how they can positively contribute to healing our food systems. We pride ourselves in providing high quality, fresh and healthy food from the land in a way that benefits the environment.   We deeply value our community, which makes our work rewarding, but we know food producers are facing some serious challenges (because of ongoing climate change) and we want to help face those issues head on. How our food is farmed can either add to the destruction of our planet or it can do the opposite- creating abundance and resiliency across our communities. Leaping Bear Farm email address   Leaping Bear Farm website   Leaping Bear Farm Instagram   Leaping Bear Farm Facebook   Vermont Land Trust web site   Real Organic Project   Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program website   New England Farm Link website   Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust website 2022 USDA Ag Census website   New England Grazing Network web site   Christine Jones soil health tour link   Vermont Grass Farmers Association web site   More educational and transformational offerings from Jenn Colby   Whole Human web site   Choosing to Farm Patreon link Leave us a review or buy us a coffee at Choosing to Farm! The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show or even buy me a cup of coffee at the Choosing to Farm web site! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

It feels good that we're providing this product for people's nutrition, for their families. They keep coming back to us and appreciating that. We are who we are; we're the face, we talk to them, we have them to our farm for tours. That's what people are looking for.—Beth   We both have a full time job figuring out how to move this business forward that that you can't get done if you're picking eggs and putting down bedding in the layer houses or fulfilling orders. Can't do it.—Bruce   Beth Whiting and Bruce Hennessey are the co-founders and co-owners of Maple Wind Farm, a diversified pasture-based farm and USDA processing plant located in Richmond, Vermont. Maple Wind Farm email address   Maple Wind Farm website   Maple Wind Farm Instagram   Maple Wind Farm Facebook   Pasture Pet website   Vermont Land Trust web site   USDA Poultry Plant in a Box video   New England Grazing Network web site   Vermont Grass Farmers Association web site   More educational and transformational offerings from Jenn Colby Whole Human web site   Choosing to Farm Patreon link Leave us a review or buy us a coffee at Choosing to Farm! The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success. Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show or even buy me a cup of coffee at the Choosing to Farm web site! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

I describe farming as really just one long extended expedition. It's very much like a mountaineering expedition where you wake up every day, you're working outside. You have problems, often new problems that crop up at least weekly. It's very much like being in a big mountain expedition where you're constantly working with the weather. You're working with the people on your team. You are focused on a goal. That takes all of your effort that you really have to commit to a hundred percent.—Bruce   It's very similar to being at a camp in a way,  because we're managing people; a lot of young energy, a lot of people that need training and direction and they're coming to work on our farm,…and a lot of teaching. –Beth   Beth Whiting and Bruce Hennessey are the co-founders and co-owners of Maple Wind Farm, a diversified pasture-based farm and USDA processing plant located in Richmond, Vermont. Maple Wind Farm email address   Maple Wind Farm website   Maple Wind Farm Instagram   Maple Wind Farm Facebook   Grit by Angela Duckworth   New England Grazing Network web site   Vermont Grass Farmers Association web site   More educational and transformational offerings from Jenn Colby   Whole Human web site   Choosing to Farm Patreon link   Leave us a review or buy us a coffee at Choosing to Farm! The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show or even buy me a cup of coffee at the Choosing to Farm web site! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

Watching them [kids] come to the farm; at first, it can be quite challenging. There is definitely an arc of sort of comfortableness just with being outside doing chores, hard manual labor. That takes a minute for a lot of kids to adjust to.  But as they adjust, it's so cool to watch them come out of their shells.--Haley   Hello my name is Haley Goulet, I am a livestock manager at a community farm and work to educate the public about livestock farming. I am passionate about teaching folks about the origin of their food and continuing to learn the best ways of ethically raising meat. Haley Goulet email address   Haley Goulet Instagram   Haley Goulet LinkedIn   Natick Community Organic Farm website   Natick Community Organic Farm Facebook UMass Amherst ASCI website   Trustees of Reservations website   Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) Model   New England Grazing Network web site   Vermont Grass Farmers Association web site   Your Transformation Story link—Click here to learn more!   Whole Human web site   Choosing to Farm Patreon link Leave us a review or buy us a coffee at Choosing to Farm! The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success. Want to help? Like, share or review this episode!  Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show or even buy me a cup of coffee at the Choosing to Farm web site! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

I remember being seven or eight years old and drawing… having construction paper, big rolls of paper all over the living room floor, drawing pictures of where my cows and my sheep and my chickens would go on my future farm.—Melissa   You pick and choose your battles for sure…do we want to focus on cleaning up all of our  step-in fence for the sheep and  do all the outdoor stuff or are we going to focus on a house that we can bring friends into? So unfortunately,  our game nights have taken a hit on not being able to invite people over, but our understanding of field management and what is required outside is more of a priority and we're appreciating that. Our decor is not the best, but whatever.--Toby   As Toby writes: Melissa and I own and operate Three Square Farm. We do rotational grazing of our beef and dairy cows and meat sheep. We moved to Vermont 5 years ago and started our farming journey 3 years ago.  Toby also does hay crops on almost 100 acres and is diving into precision ag. Through many challenges, lessons learned (some the hard way), and classes with NOFA, we have gotten our enterprise on a good standing. With many more years to come and the passion for agriculture ever blossoming within our selves we like to look back on the struggles of being newly married, a new location, and many other challenges we faced. This only makes us stronger and the love of this career richer. At this point we couldn't see ourselves doing anything else. Three Square Farm email address   Three Square Farm website   Three Square Farm Instagram   Three Square Farm Facebook   NOFA Vermont Beginning Farmer programs   Todoist app   New England Grazing Network web site   Vermont Grass Farmers Association web site   Your Transformation Story program registration is open!   Choosing to Farm Patreon link The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show or even buy me a cup of coffee at the Choosing to Farm web site! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

We had bought this house in Brattleboro. We'd bought the truck. We bought the sheep. We bought dogs. We did all of this long before COVID hit, but then we were like, okay, this is our pandemic project.—Kimberly Kimberly and Zan Walker-Gonҫalves were both kids exposed to animals but not raised on farms. As parents, they circled back to growing food and raising the maximum number of livestock their town in Massachusetts would legally allow.  Five years ago, they packed up everything and moved to a new home where they created WagonTail Farm, set up sheep camp, started breeding for intentional wool color, and have been managing invasive knotweed as sheepscapers all while balancing career and health challenges. WaGonTail Farm email address   WaGonTail Farm Facebook   Whetwoods Wildscaping Facebook   New England Grazing Network web site Vermont Grass Farmers Association web site   Your Transformation Story program registration is open!   Choosing to Farm Patreon link   Leave us a review or buy us a coffee at Choosing to Farm! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

I've wanted to quit about a hundred gazillion times, a lot- a lot. But I want to do what I love. So that is the key, right? To do what we love. And this is what I love to do.  It comes with difficulties and it comes with rewards. I have to be able to handle both and know both.   Nicolle Ferrier and family moved from Southern California to central Vermont to experience a more relaxed lifestyle, but soon found themselves creating a farm and business with plenty of excitement. They raise six different types of unusual and heritage fowl, from game birds to emus (in order of size), caring for each animal personally. They ship eggs, chicks, and birds across the country, connecting with experienced fowl enthusiasts and new owners to support them with guidance and advice. Nicolle's email Sugar Feather Farm website Sugar Feather Farm X/Twitter Sugar Feather Farm Instagram Sugar Feather Farm Facebook Sugar Feather Farm Youtube Sugar Feather Farm Go Fund Me   New England Grazing Network web site   Vermont Grass Farmers Association web site   Whole Human web site   About RIM   Choosing to Farm Patreon link   Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm! The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

There is a legacy throughout my family of having at least one member who served in all major conflicts back to the Revolutionary War. The other side of that coin is they were all farmers, homesteaders and innovators of their time from Eastern Tennessee and Kentucky.    In 2009, my wife and I kept grew our first garden in a community growing space in northern Vermont.  There was a moment of clarity and renewed sense of purpose after being recently discharged from the Marine Corps with multiple combat deployments, that encouraged further exploration into food production.  Over a decade later, we now manage 10 acres of land and implemented practices deeply rooted in agroforestry, agroecology and whole systems thinking. Wild Roots Community Farm is a diversified operation dedicated to community resilience through food systems education, wilderness survival, and self-rescue. We are a part of the fabric which molds and shapes our landscape, and if we take moments to observe how natural systems function- their patterns, existing wildlife, how weather moves and reacts to topography and micro-climates, etc., we can make decisions that increase our ability to adapt to the internal and external forces of a food system.     On the farm we raise pigs, goats and chickens, grow annual vegetables and various tree crops in our pasture that is managed by rotating species. Through service-learning projects with community partners, we have built dedicated wildlife corridors to support native pollinators and songbird habitat. Wild Roots Community Farm is also the host site for a nature based early education program, Wrens Nest Forest Preschool.   Wild Roots Farm email Wild Roots Community Farm website Wild Roots Farm Instagram Fieldcraft Farmer Instagram   Accipiter Fieldcraft email Yestermorrow Design School   Heroes and Horses program   Future Farmers of America (FFA)   Farmer Veteran Coalition   Guardian Revival   Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports   Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Association   Five-minute meditation link Intro to Breathwork video   New England Grazing Network web site   Vermont Grass Farmers Association web site   Whole Human web site   Choosing to Farm Patreon link   Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm! The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world. After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

Your humble host has been through some stuff the last few years. At a recent food system gathering event this fall, the call went out inviting folks to tell their stories of transition and transformation. How we went from the old to the new. What we overcame, and what we learned. How our world view changed.  I'm still very much a farmer and will continue to be, but the last few years have shown me a new path helping others. That's why I'm here. Jenn's email Chris Sargent email Whole Human website About RIM page   Jenn delivering the talk on YouTube (with some jumps)   Choosing to Farm Patreon link   Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm! The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

We could actually look into the animal, the live animal, see intramuscular fat and tenderness. We also had these tools, linear measurement tools that we could actually physically measure the animals and began to find almost in any group of cattle the right kind of cattle that would make a delicious piece of meat.   Ridge Shinn is the Executive Director of the Northeast Grass-fed Beef Initiative (NGBI). He also is the co-founder and CEO of Big Picture Beef, recently launched to produce Northeast grass-fed beef for Northeast customers.  He has been a leader in the shift from feedlot production to raising cattle on a diet of 100% grass and forages – no grain. In addition to raising a large herd of grass-fed Rotokawa Devon beef cattle in Massachusetts, he was the Vice President of a Connecticut slaughterhouse and founded a successful meat company, Hardwick Beef. He has developed markets and distribution systems for 100% grass-fed beef throughout the northeastern United States and has consulted all over the US and for the Argentine government on the production and marketing of grass-fed beef. His work has been recognized in Time Magazine, Atlantic Monthly, New York Times, Wine Spectator and Smithsonian. Ridge Shinn email Northeast Grassfed Beef Initiative website Ridge's book: Grassfed Beef for a Post-Pandemic World   Old Sturbridge Village website   American Milking Devon Association website Livestock Conservancy website   EatWild website   American Devon Cattle Association website   Hardwick Beef website   North American Devon Association website   Big Picture Beef website   Alliance Pastorale Wikipedia page (click translate)   Gathering of Good Graziers Event Information   Northeast Pasture Consortium web site   Choosing to Farm Patreon link Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm! The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

I'm excited that the pandemic--for all its negativity--also said, “Hey, wait a minute. We need to concentrate on food resiliency”.  We need to encourage these small diverse farms because the big operations, the five huge companies that sell 99 % of the meat in this country, failed us. For what reason? The structure, this food system structure failed us.   John Roberts was appointed by the Biden Administration to serve as the State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Vermont in February 2022.   Roberts immigrated to Vermont from Great Britain in 1974 after earning his Bachelor of Science degree in farm management.   He managed Shelburne Farms in Vermont until 1977 and then started his own dairy farm in Cornwall, Vermont, which was managed by his family until 2012. Roberts worked for the Vermont Agency of Agriculture as a water quality specialist for over six years and as the Executive Director of the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition, which he joined in 2020.   He continues to serve as a select board member for the town of Cornwall and was a delegate to the New England Dairy Promotion Board. Roberts also served terms on the Vermont Water Resources Board, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, Board of the Vermont Land Trust, Vermont Brown Swiss Association, and as Chair of the Vermont USDA FSA State Committee. Roberts also served in several state and national committee positions for the National Beef Promotion Board and the Grazing Land Conservation Initiative. Roberts' wife is a nurse and they have been married for 47 years. They have four children, all married, residing in various states across the country, with four grandchildren and another on the way. He enjoys bird watching, hiking, wood working, and photography. Vermont USDA-FSA web site   Champlain Valley (VT) Farmer Coalition   Vermont Required Ag Practices for Small Farms   Sustainable Dish web site   UC Davis Frank Mitloehner brief overview of dairy emissions video   Bill Murphy Greener Grass on Your Side of the Fence book   Gathering of Good Graziers Event Information   Northeast Pasture Consortium web site   Choosing to Farm Patreon link   Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm! The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

We'd rebuilt the milking parlor, which hadn't been operating. We've done all of this sort of stuff. When we came to close the sale we had two years of numbers to show that we actually knew-vaguely knew--what we were doing. We were off and running. We were here from 1977. We're still here. We sold the farm, and we kept 10 acres, but we farmed until 2012. John Roberts was appointed by the Biden Administration to serve as the State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Vermont in February 2022.   Roberts immigrated to Vermont from Great Britain in 1974 after earning his Bachelor of Science degree in farm management.   He managed Shelburne Farms in Vermont until 1977 and then started his own dairy farm in Cornwall, Vermont, which was managed by his family until 2012. Roberts worked for the Vermont Agency of Agriculture as a water quality specialist for over six years and as the Executive Director of the Coalition, which he joined in 2020.   He continues to serve as a select board member for the town of Cornwall and was a delegate to the New England Dairy Promotion Board. Roberts also served terms on the Vermont Water Resources Board, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, Board of the Vermont Land Trust, Vermont Brown Swiss Association, and as Chair of the Vermont USDA FSA State Committee. Roberts also served in several state and national committee positions for the National Beef Promotion Board and the Grazing Land Conservation Initiative.   Roberts' wife is a nurse and they have been married for 47 years. They have four children, all married, residing in various states across the country, with four grandchildren and another on the way. He enjoys bird watching, hiking, wood working, and photography. Vermont USDA-FSA web site   Mycoplasma bovis in cattle Champlain Valley (VT) Farmer Coalition   Vermont Required Ag Practices for Small Farms   Gathering of Good Graziers Event Information   Northeast Pasture Consortium web site   Choosing to Farm Patreon link   Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm! The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

“My husband had been fascinated by Scottish Highlanders. We would drive by this place and you'd have to stop, get out of the car and like look through the woods to see them. And I was like, they're just big, shaggy horned beasts.  I don't know about horns, you know, and it was like, oh my gosh.  They wanted to sell the herd. They were getting older, had health problems. They wanted it to go somewhere local. A young family. I'm like, well, we're young, we're a family,  maybe we could buy some calves. I didn't want anything to do with moms.  I will buy some calves. So I come home and made the mistake of telling my husband about this. He's like, let's buy the whole herd.”   Tricia Park is a former volunteer EMT & Medic. She is a USAF veteran (ground equipment mechanic), serving three years in turkey & then four years in the NY Air National Guard. She's been a grocery store night manager, legal assistant, house cleaner, insurance data processor, and editorial assistant. Now she's a farmer, soap & salve maker and recent baker for their farmstand. Tricia is Holistic Management practitioner and mentored for four-plus years for Beginning Women Farmers with Holistic Management.   Creekside Meadows is 150 acre diversified farm in Madison County NY, in the hills southeast of Syracuse, raising 100% Grassfed Beef, Pasture/Woodland Raised Pork, seasonal vegetables, popcorn, soaps, baked goods, and firewood. The farm started as a homestead raising their own food and slowly expanded to sell meats to whomever wanted it.  Tricia and her husband of 30 years, Matt, moved from the original 26-acre homestead and purchased a new farm twelve years ago.  Socials Creekside Meadows Farm website Creekside Meadows Farm email Creekside Meadows Farm Instagram Creekside Meadows Farm Facebook   Holistic Management online courses   Gathering of Good Graziers Event Information   Northeast Pasture Consortium web site   Choosing to Farm Patreon link   Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm! The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

“I did not grow up in a farming family. I grew up in a small town in the Midwest…there's no one in my family that has ever farmed. I'm pretty sure most of my siblings think I'm crazy.”   Erin and Charles Meding purchased their 27 acre slice of heaven in 2008 and raised their now grown children in the Sunapee Region of NH. They transformed a run down little ranch (900 square feet) into their current farmhouse, built a 3 story barn and established too many gardens to count.  They currently have horses, Nigerian dwarf does, chickens, cats and dogs.  They grow and preserve a large amount of their food and a good portion of herbs for their apothecary and business, Divided Sky Farm Botanicals (under Divided Sky Farm, LLC). They  currently sell their herbal products at Farmer's Markets and Erin teaches herbalism classes on the farm. Socials Divided Sky Farm website Divided Sky email Divided Sky Botanicals Instagram   Northeast Medicinal Plants book   Wild Wisdom of Weeds book   The ONE Thing book   Northeast Pasture Consortium web site   Choosing to Farm Patreon link   Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm! The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

“I'd watch the deer, how they would interact with the cows and turkeys and, you know, other animals. I've always been a keen observer of nature. That started young. That's kind of like the foundation. I didn't realize that's what laid the foundation, except for like, 20 years later.”   Currently Cameron is the farm manager of Anchorage Farm - Registered Romneys. For the past 6 years, he's been farming the Hudson Valley, NY, following 4 years of service in the Navy and then pursuing his bachelor's degree in NYC. His journey into farming began at a dairy farm in Poughkeepsie, NY, where he found his path through the Heroic Food program. Centering on regenerative agriculture, local food systems, and ecology, his focus has been on fostering sustainable practices and nurturing his environment. The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show! Links  Anchorage Romneys website Cameron email Cameron Instagram   Heroic Food website New York Farmland Finder website Fred Provenza's book Nourishment David Epstein's book Range   Episode Underwriter: Northeast Pasture Consortium web site   Choosing to Farm Patreon link     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

“Neither one of us came from a farm family or any kind of money in our background. We've just kind of done it on our good credit. We've leased the farms that we've been on. We are hoping to be able to buy the farm we're on now.”—Samantha Kemnah “The seasonal intensity of growing vegetables got old. My seventh year, I was like, I should quit last year. Because it was just, between the weather--the hot weather--I run hot as it is just temperature wise.--and my attitude is hot. I'm short tempered. You throw on top of that 90 degree weather -- and no rain--and I'm a bear.”—Chris Kemnah Chris and Samantha Kemnah began their farming journey at the same time as their parenting journey in 2007, with a vegetable CSA and a few chickens. They added a few more animals (and kids) over the years, and by 2012 raised grassfed beef, pastured pigs, heritage turkeys, chickens for meat and eggs, and had two family dairy cows. They sold everything via CSA model. Due to some marketing burnout, they switched to dairying in 2016, and now sell certified organic, grass-fed milk to Organic Valley. Clover Bliss Farm email   Dr. Dehtloff's book Alternative Treaments for Ruminant Animals   Choosing to Farm Patreon link The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world. After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success. Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

“We did have the sense to look and say, you know, God created ruminant animals to take advantage of grass and low input. You know, if we've got a grass base, and we take care of that, that's as low input as you're gonna get versus hauling in feed.”—Emalee Buttrey “There's a lot of challenges that you just don't come across in the classroom or the textbook.” –Brad Buttrey Raised in McEwen, TN on a small cattle operation, Brad developed a keen interest in reproduction, learning to AI while in high school. He earned both his B.S. (UTM '05) and M.S. (KSU '07) in animal science and has managed cattle in Kansas, Texas, Louisiana, and Tennessee. A lifelong learner, Brad implemented regenerative practices, including multi-species grazing, and is continuously improving the operation and our land management.   As a rural kid from Plant, TN Emalee always loved the outdoors. During her undergrad days at UTM ('03), she became interested in ruminant nutrition and pursued her M.S. (TAMU '06) and Ph.D. (WTAMU '11). An educator for nearly 20 years, she has worked with livestock, producers, and students from across the U.S. Emalee enjoys connecting with customers by sharing the BERG story and products with each one. BERG Livestock email BERG Livestock website BERG Livestock Instagram BERG Livestock Facebook SARE Custom Grazing Guidelines   Choosing to Farm Patreon link The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about sharing the origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode!  Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

“I have a specific memory of the first time we ever did sheep, I was so mad at my parents, we were going to kill the sheep. And then fast forward like an hour into it. And I came running into the house holding a sheep tongue and being like, Mom, check this sheep tongue out.”—Jeremiah Vernon Vernon Family Farm (VFF) is a 1st generation, pastured livestock farm on the Seacoast of New Hampshire. Established in 2014, VFF works hard to provide wholesome, delicious food to their community through their farm store and their agritourism events. Located on 33 conserved acres in Newfields, NH, along the Piscassic River and route 87, the farm raises nonGMO pastured chicken, lamb, pork, grass-fed beef, vegetables and cut flowers. Show Note Links: Vernon Family Farm email Vernon Family Farm website Vernon Family Farm Instagram Vernon Famiy Farm Facebook NH Farmstrong Program  Brene Brown's book Daring Greatly Choosing to Farm Patreon link Thanks to this episode's sponsor! New England Grazing Network ***** The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about sharing the origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I'm here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode!  Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

Part 2 of my conversation with Troy Bishopp, The Grass Whisperer and founder of #lingergrazing. When we talk about meeting people online that we just want to be friends with, I hope you listen and agree with me: he's just the right guy to hang out and drink a beer with. Or a Bloody Mary. Troy Bishopp web site Troy Bishopp Instagram Troy Bishopp LinkedIn #lingergrazing On Pasture 2023 Grazing Chart link Drop a review at www.choosingtofarm.com Join our Patreon! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

"My buddy Rock Langone, he runs my ice cream store up the road here. Him and I were the young farmers of the county, we were the chosen ones. We had high herd averages, you know, just got out of college. We were making milk, we were doing what we're taught, you know. I went to college, I made a lot of milk. I had good cows. I had good husbandry skills, but it wasn't enough, because the price…the price wasn't enough. So then you start saying, “Well, how am I going to survive as a dairy farmer?” So we adopted grazing, as a way to lower feed cost." Troy Bishopp is the original “The Grass Whisperer”, is a “Linger Grazier” and Pop Pop to his granddaughters. He manages a hundred acres of diverse possibilities at Bishopp Family Farm in Deansboro, NY where lush pastures, healthy animals, abundant biology, quiet streams and beautiful landscapes weave a tapestry of integrity that nourish a community. Bishopp also takes his work ethic to the Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District and directs practical grazing concepts to area farmers. He also tells award-winning, colorful stories and captures poignant moments for Lee Newspapers, OnPasture.com, and other regional media outlets. His work can be found at www.thegrasswhisperer.com Troy Bishopp web site Troy Bishopp Instagram Troy Bishopp LinkedIn Country Folks web site   Kit Pharo Herd Quitter web site   Drop a review at www.choosingtofarm.com   Join our Patreon! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

"There was a guy in my office for years, who used to refer to people like me as hobby farmers. And it drove me crazy. One day I finally said, “You know what? These hobby farmers, if they are getting up every day, and taking care of animals, it's not a hobby. A hobby is something you do when you feel like doing it.” Karen Hoffman started working for Cornell Cooperative Extension for a few years after grad school, and then began working for USDA-NRCS as an Animal Scientist to help dairy farmers convert to grazing more successfully. She is now the State Grazing Specialist for NY, although she still reminds folks that she's an animal scientist inside. Her farming journey began in 2011 when she and her partner Jack decided to raise sheep and beef cattle and market their meat locally. They bought a small farm and started with 5 Dorset ewes that he already owned. Much of the land needed to be reclaimed, which they did with a lot of manual labor and animal impact. Links: Peaceful by Nature Farm email Peaceful by Nature Farm Facebook FAMACHA⁠ scoring Grasstravanganzainfo: https://grasstravaganza.morrisville.edu/   Drop a review at www.choosingtofarm.com   Join our Patreon! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

“I got involved with sheep and farming purely by accident. Aside from a semester Work Study program at UVM dairy, I had no background in farming and no interest in sheep. Then, one cold February while I was farmsitting, 6 out of 8 of the ewes on the farm decided to give birth. I knew nothing about shepherding except for the basics of care while the farmer was gone, and had to dive right into a lambing season completely green. All sorts of lambing issues and farming challenges came up and I had to just figure it all out. I had help from lots of non-farmer friends and a few matter-of-fact books on lambing and sheep health. I also spent a lot of time on the phone getting advice from the farm owner who was a few thousand miles away. By the time the 10 days were over, I had fallen in love with sheep and now have a small flock of my own.”   Bobbie Jean Booth email   Grasstravanganzainfo: https://grasstravaganza.morrisville.edu/   Drop a review at www.choosingtofarm.com Join our Patreon! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

Kate Osgood of Birch Rise Farm in Sanburton, NH, along with her husband Ken and sons Hunter and Henry, loves to go all in on whatever they do. When they decided to move back to the east to raise their family, they didn't know they'd be starting a farm, renovating a house, and adding a second child all within a few months. From pigs to meat birds to sheep to farmstays, Kate at Birch Rise Farm has plenty to share.   Birch Rise Farm website Birch Rise Farm Facebook Birch RiseFarm Instagram Birch Rise Farm email   NRCS High tunnel grants   Grasstravanganzainfo: https://grasstravaganza.morrisville.edu/   Drop a review at www.choosingtofarm.com   Join our Patreon! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

Nick and his family have a productive history as small business owners, investors, and planners.  After getting his construction management degree from Michigan State University in 2009, Nick returned to join the family construction company fulltime as a general contractor and supervisor. Starting in 2013 Nick interned on a sustainable livestock farm in New Jersey gaining invaluable knowledge. Nick is not only handy in the sense of being able to fix things, but in being young-ish while already having many years of experience in running a business, building and maintaining customer relationships, and long-term financial planning. Nick is pleased to be a full-time farmer at BOTL Farm, referred to as the ‘Primary Farmer.'   BOTL Farm email BOTL Farm website BOTL Farm Twitter BOTL Farm Instagram BOTL Farm Facebook BOTL Farm Youtube   Meatworks Processing   Grasstravanganzainfo: https://grasstravaganza.morrisville.edu/   Drop a review at www.choosingtofarm.com   Join our Patreon! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

From Becky: My husband and I moved our kids to a farm in rural southern Minnesota in 2016 to grow better food. We were already purchasing most of our meat from local farmers, but wanted to do it ourselves while giving our kids a better life. I was working fulltime as a hairstylist and teaching at a cosmetology school in the Twin Cities while my husband was working at his own company doing engineering services. We knew we wanted to get away from the chaos of city life, but we had no farm experience. We purchased books on farm practices and watched an endless number of YouTube videos while reading blogs and visiting other farms. The day after we moved in, we had cows, chickens, and a goat delivered. Since then, we've added another child, more goats, guineas, ducks, quail, horses, bees, and we also grow gourmet mushrooms. My husband helps with projects when he can, but he travels often because his work takes him around the country. The responsibility of the farm falls on my shoulders. We have no family close by and only a few friends. My kids are my support system. Unexpected moments happen almost daily on the farm and I know that everything I encounter is “figureoutable”.  We add new things to our farm yearly as well as learn new skills. Just when I think I'm starting to get good at farm life, I am humbled by opportunities to learn. Rebel Rooster Farm email Rebel Rooster Farm website Rebel Rooster Farm Instagram Rebel Rooster Farm Facebook   Grasstravanganza info: https://grasstravaganza.morrisville.edu/   Drop a review at www.choosingtofarm.com     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choosingtofarm/message

“We cleared eight acres and piled the trees by hand. Not the trees but the brush.  We had 96 brush piles in one field. And we had no friends left, because we would say to them, ‘Come on over for the weekend. And we'll give you beer and pizza and you can help us pile the brush.' Nobody would even answer the phone.” Hank and Heather LeTarte of White Gates Farm in New Hampshire started clearining their land in 1982 out of largely pine woods and a prospective view. They built a home, a family, and a family around their farm. When their kids grew up, Hank & Heather's life as farmers didn't stop, it just changed as their customers, labor availability, and goals evolved. Show Notes: White Gates Farm email White Gates Farm website White Gates Farm Instagram White Gates Farm Facebook   Drop a review at www.choosingtofarm.com Join the Choosing to Farm Patreon community   New England Grazing Network https://www.negrazingnetwork.com/contact/    

“I can't express enough how just beautiful it is to watch the growth. The growth of a farm year after year where you're putting your inputs in, which may just mean your animals, they're just fertilizing and grazing for you. I say ‘just' lightly because that's huge for the field. Those are inputs, and then the next year to see that come back bigger and better--it's just so cool.” Carly grew up in the suburbs of Massachusetts with a passion for animals. She received a degree in animal science and continued on to earn her PhD in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, with a focus on ruminant parasite management. Continuing this focus, she then went on to receive post doctoral training with the USDA Agriculture Research Services. To be closer to family, she moved up to Vermont where she now runs her own farm raising chickens, sheep, and rabbits on pasture. More Info: Wild Ginger Farm email Wild Ginger Farm website Wild Ginger Farm Instagram Wild Ginger Farm Facebook   This episode supported by the New England Grazing Network https://www.negrazingnetwork.com/contact/   Visit our Patreon and join the community! Drop a review at www.choosingtofarm.com

“I think that you have to listen to what everybody has to say, and then just pick and choose different parts of their advice. That's complicated for some people; they just want a How-To Guide for starting their farm. It's not that simple--at least it hasn't been for us.” Shannon and Matt raise waterfowl and grassfed sheep on leased land in Maine. After working on farms for other people in North Carolina after college, they gained experience before heading to Maine to start their own venture. What they've created and steadily grown over the past five years is based on flexibility, high value and working with their own instruction book rather than someone else's. More Info: Black Earth Forest Farm email Black Earth Forest Farm website Black Earth Forest Farm Instagram   Mindset by Carol Dweck--great book! I've read it twice. BeginningFarmers.org finding land to farm page   New England Grazing Network https://www.negrazingnetwork.com/contact/ Drop a review at ⁠www.choosingtofarm.com⁠ Visit our Choosing to Farm Patreon and join the community!

"I get a lot of people saying, you're living my dream life. I'm so jealous. I know it's a compliment. But I'm not living your dream life. I'm living my dream life. And I know what it comes with. I know all the s-h-i-t it comes with. And it's still my dream. But for most people it's not. It's not their dream." Former vegan and marketing communications professional Katie Steere was 2,000 miles and ten years away from her family's longtime-shuttered farm in Rhode Island. A TED talk convinced her to give two weeks' notice, hike the Pacific Crest Trail, intern at Polyface Farm, and move home to rebuild her family's farm. After four years spent investing everything to bring it back, Katie was told the farm was sold to her brother. Devastated, she was on the verge of quitting it all when she happened upon a land linking opportunity that changed her life. Like this episode? Drop us a review! Show Notes: Wild Earth Farm website Wild Earth Farm Facebook Wild Earth Farm Instagram   Vermont Landlink New England Land Link BeginningFarmers.org finding land to farm page   New England Grazing Network https://www.negrazingnetwork.com/contact/   Visit our CTF Patreon and join the community! Drop a review at ⁠www.choosingtofarm.com⁠  

“I am very delightfully holding on to the things that I hold dear about myself that are a part of my life as a farmer, and not integrating that into my life going forward, where I'm not commercially farming. I really appreciate being remembered, and that people still value the thoughts that I've had over these years.” Falling in love with farming as a young boy on his grandparents' farm in Pennsylvania, Brent Beidler dreamed of starting his own dairy farm in Vermont. He worked on many farms growing up, went to school for agriculture, volunteered internationally on farms in Africa and Indonesia, and finally bought a farm in Randolph Center, Vermont with his wife Regina to live out his dream. After 24 years living this dream, Brent and Regina transitioned off the farm by their own choice and in their own timing. With so many farmers entering and leaving agriculture, the Beidlers' story is a great lesson about love, gratitude, caretaking, and knowing when it's time to move on. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend! ******** Support for this episode was provided by the New England Grazing Network. Join their mailing list to learn more about what's happening across the Northeast at https://www.negrazingnetwork.com/contact/ Drop a review, join our Patreon community, leave a voicemail, or simply say hi at the Choosing to Farm web site!

Here's a quick mini-episode I wanted to share about agritourism. I recorded it while driving home from the International Workshop on Agritourism last fall. Fair warning that it's only lightly edited. I just came across this recording and thought it might be a useful thing to provide some background about what's happening. I talk about agritourism and farmstays a bit in various places especially my social media, and this debrief kind of gets at why I think it's a big deal. I'm so excited about it as an opportunity for farmers and ranchers looking for new options. I'm really motivated to help more people bridge the gap between wondering if this is a good fit for them and helping them figure out next steps, which is how the Five Star Farmstays course came about. Five-Star Farmstays is a four-week online course that starts February 13. This course is aimed at farmers and ranchers considering overnight stays as an additional way to bring in farm income. It's built around modules to take at your own pace, and live meetings with plenty of opportunity to ask questions. We talk about time, money, people, and bringing all of these things together. We've got folks registered from around the country, so there's as much to learn from each other as there is from the course materials themselves! Registration details are below. Hope you enjoy this car chat! Five Star Farmstays info link International Workshop on Agritourism World Agritourism Congress in Balzano Italy

“From what I've learned, it's always best to learn from other people. Learn from people who have been doing this before. If you can find a mentor in the field that you are interested in, I think that's the best thing you can do for yourself. I think it's super important for folks who have the knowledge, to share that knowledge." Katelyn Duban was born and raised in Southern Alberta, Canada and married into agriculture in 2016. At the time, it was not her intention to be an active member of the farm but she quickly found a passion for the farm life. Katelyn continues to develop her skills as a grain farmer on and off of the field. As an avid podcast listener, Katelyn found herself searching for a podcast that shared the important roles women in agriculture provide for the industry. When she could not find a podcast that met her criteria she began working on her own podcast. In the spring of 2019 she launched The Rural Woman Podcast. Since then, Katelyn has shared the stories of incredible women involved in all parts of agriculture from farming, ranching, homesteading, agribusiness and beyond. Wild Rose Farmer website Wild Rose Farmer Instagram Wild Rose FarmerEmail Some resources mentioned in this episode: Five-Star Farmstays Course—New Cohort starts February 13! Use code FFSF100 for $100 off the registration cost before 2/1 Young Agrarians(Western Canadian Territories) Additional links: Support the work at https://www.patreon.com/Choosetofarm Share the show with friends or leave a review through www.choosingtofarm.com Follow my IG at Jenn Colby (@hwfarmvt) • Instagram photos and videos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

“I really love the sheep. They're not stupid. Nor do I think they desire to die, as I've heard on more than one occasion. I do think they require awareness. They also are so instinct driven--which makes sense, based on what they are--being totally prey-driven. They will do things entirely based on that instinct. If it's fight or flight, I'm flighting first and fighting never.” Jessica Newman of Southview Station moved back to Pennsylvania to combine her nursing career and love of genetics with a growing Texel sheep operation. She's had to navigate starting from an open field with no infrastructure, to figuring out roles and relationships with her parents, to balancing off-farm vacation breaks with her non-farming partner. Southview Station web Southview Station Instagram Southview Station Email Some resources mentioned in this episode: Northeast Grazing & Livestock Conference January 20-21, 2023 Whole Human Half-Day Workshop January 28, 2023 Five-Star Farmstays Course—New Cohort starts in February! Additional links: Support the work at https://www.patreon.com/Choosetofarm Share the show with friends or leave a review through www.choosingtofarm.com Follow my IG at Jenn Colby (@hwfarmvt) • Instagram photos and videos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Coming soon! The second season of Choosing to Farm is bringing you even more great stories of the journey into--and sometimes out of--farming. We'll talk about new models, new ways of being successful, and where new farmers are coming from. I might even ask about a few of their Worst Days. ;-P So excited to get talking--see you soon, friends! Listen to back episodes through Anchor, Spotify, Apple podcasts, or right at www.choosingtofarm.com.

“I didn't have mechanical background, I didn't grow up fixing tractors. I had never driven a tractor. I wasn't good with equipment. Grazing was very approachable. It just really appealed to me. You're outside, you're working with the environment. It just grabbed me really fast.” Jascha Pick is a sheep farmer based in Northern Vermont, who didn't set out to be a farmer but caught the farming bug. He fell in love with farming, and especially with grazing. He's used a lot of creativity to get started, including a trip to New Zealand, grazing plenty of back yards, and living in a tiny house on leased land. Some resources mentioned in this episode: Sheep Meadow Farm Sterling College Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms Other Useful links: Greg Judy's books: Comeback Farms No Risk Ranching Fertility Pasture (Newman Turner) Follow the show: www.choosingtofarm.com Pick your support level at https://www.patreon.com/Choosetofarm Got comments, questions or ideas? Email me at choosingtofarm@gmail.com Follow my IG at Jenn Colby (@hwfarmvt) • Instagram photos and videos Loving the pod music? Follow Chris Sargent at Chris Sargent (@chrissargentguitar) • Instagram photos and videos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

“Go and work for a bad boss. Go and spend some time breaking somebody else's machines, losing tens of thousands of dollars on their payroll, before you're doing it on your own payroll. That timing is probably somewhere between, two years at a minimum, and maybe ten years at a maximum. If you do it for much longer than ten years, you're probably going to be so dependent on that salary, it's gonna be really hard to step away from that and make some bold moves.” Dallas Mount is the CEO of Ranch Management Consultants, which is the home of the Ranching for Profit (RFP) School and the Executive Link program. As a town kid who fell in love with ranching to an Extension agent and eventual RFP Instructor, Dallas has spent most of his adult life around ranches in various stages of challenge and opportunity. He's learned a lot. Our conversation ranged across topics like learning on other peoples' places, being a good boss, becoming a competent business manager, owning land, and taking time to re-create yourself. Some resources mentioned in this episode: Ranching for Profit Young Adult RFP Additional links: Support the work at https://www.patreon.com/Choosetofarm Share the show with friends through www.choosingtofarm.com Leave a review HERE! Follow my IG at Jenn Colby (@hwfarmvt) • Instagram photos and videos Loving the pod music? Follow Chris Sargent at Chris Sargent (@chrissargentguitar) • Instagram photos and videos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

“I think sometimes the choice to farm also means that folks choose not to have a life. They may not recognize it as that. Sometimes the choice to farm or ranch doesn't necessarily automatically set them up for that. Responsibility weighs really heavily on the shoulders of farmers and ranchers. I think everyone deserves to have a life but I really think that farmers and ranchers deserve to have a life. I just don't know if that always happens. And I don't know if the choice to farm is actually enough.” We can look at how we farm and ranch, we can look at all the technical stuff. We can change a lot of things about our business. But if we don't look at ourselves and actually start to change from the inside, then well, we're going to be in the same place. And I don't know if you want to be in the same place. Four years ago, I didn't want to be in the same place. It took a different perspective and some work, but I'm on a new path and the load on my shoulders is a lot lighter. A little bit of a different episode today. Enjoy, friends. Some resources mentioned in this episode: Books: The Success Principles: How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be by Jack Canfield and Janet Switzer Other Useful links: Support the work at https://www.patreon.com/Choosetofarm Got comments, questions or ideas? Email me at choosingtofarm@gmail.com Follow my IG at Jenn Colby (@hwfarmvt) • Instagram photos and videos Loving the pod music? Follow Chris Sargent at Chris Sargent (@chrissargentguitar) • Instagram photos and videos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/choosingtofarm/support

“For people who get into extension and especially stick with it, there's this compulsive need to make those connections. Now I consider myself a bit of a subject matter expert on goats, but as an extension agent, I wasn't the subject matter expert on pretty much anything. Especially since it was a crops county, and I'm a livestock person, but I was the connection finder. I was the one who would say, hey, you need to talk to X, Y, or Z, or I know so and so's doing this in whatever county, or here's this researcher who I know is looking for people to help with that.” We finish up our second part of the chat with Margaret and read some listener comments. Lots of gold to hear and respond to in this episode! Storm Dancer Farm website Storm Dancer Farm Facebook Stormdancer Farm email Some resources mentioned in this episode: Goats on the Go American Solar Grazing Association Other Useful links: Follow the show, ask questions, write a review, support us at www.choosingtofarm.com We have a new Insider Tier and the Success Hub is open! http://www.patreon.com/choosetofarm Follow my IG at Jenn Colby (@hwfarmvt) • Instagram photos and videos Loving the pod music? Follow Chris Sargent at Chris Sargent (@chrissargentguitar) • Instagram photos and videos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/choosingtofarm/support

“For a long time, it's been just like struggling to get my farm to the bare minimum of what I would consider acceptable in my head. There was no pride, no accomplishment, because before that I was failing. So I was simply not failing now that I've done this thing. I'm trying really hard to be able to take accomplishment in the improvement, and the continuous improvement.” Margaret Chamas fell in love with goats through 4H. That was a life changer. She went to college for animal science, started working for farmer organizations after graduation, and began building her farm life piece by piece. Now she's a full-time farmer running a Goats on the Go affiliate, shows goats, and does a heck of a lot of public education and customer service. Storm Dancer Farmwebsite Storm Dancer Farm Facebook Storm Dancer Farm Email Some resources mentioned in this episode: 4-H Program Practical Farmers of Iowa Grassfed Exchange MOSES Conference Goats on the Go Other Useful links: Follow the show, ask questions, write a review, support us at www.choosingtofarm.com We have a new Insider Tier and the Success Hub is open! http://www.patreon.com/choosetofarm Follow my IG at Jenn Colby (@hwfarmvt) • Instagram photos and videos Loving the pod music? Follow Chris Sargent at Chris Sargent (@chrissargentguitar) • Instagram photos and videos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/choosingtofarm/support