agri-Culture: Recent Episodes
agri-Culture
Join Rick and Elara of Backyard Green Films as we traverse the U.S on a green adventure! We travel throughout the land in our travel trailer (nicknamed Bessie), on a mission to share the stories, dedication, and wisdom of America's stewards of sustainable agriculture who've followed their own 'call of the land.' From scientists to geneticists to organic farmers and ranchers - plus a bounty of interesting folks we meet along the way, each voice is uniquely diverse, and each story compels us to uncover, discover, and share. Please become a Patreon member and help support our podcast. Copy and paste the link in your browser. https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast
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Look Sharp, people! Dr. Frank Sharp, that is, a Longhorn rancher from . This guy not only is integral to the Cattlemen’s Texas Longhorn Conservancy (CTLR), but he also knows his stuff, as he “wrote his doctoral dissertation on Texas Longhorn cattle, his research focusing on Texas Longhorn history, symbolism, genetics, and preservation.” We hope you follow our links to visit the CTLR’s website, to learn more.
This week we go back in time to 2001, and the Backyard Green Films adventure we called “The Mas Vacas Tour.” We came away from our Texas filming trip with a better understanding of the rugged piece of agricultural history known as the original Texas Longhorn. And this time, that critter has a bigger anniversary than the little one we celebrate -- over 500 years of adaptation and rugged survival.
Links:
https://www.ctlc.org/about/leadership/sharp-frank/
https://www.ctlc.org/texas-long-horn-conservancy/history/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Longhorn
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I love Canada! That’s been the refrain in the car on this trip. We’ve been Milling About on the Emerald Isle, our new co-opted name for Prince Edward Island, the Canadian province. We stayed in Belfast (the PEI one, not the other one), and enjoyed a phenomenal week touring the gentle green fields of potatoes, birdwatching and shell finding, chatting in yarn shops, learning the ins and outs of spot welding at the Belfast Mini Mill, and eating Haddock daily, served by wonderfully hospitable locals (did we mention we love Canada?).
We also had a reverence- and awe-inspiring tour of MacAusland’s Woollen Mill, from Monica MacAusland herself. This business started producing woolen yarn in 1902, and is still going - famous for the MacAusland Blanket.
We stepped back in time for this one, and hope you join us for a visit to a production facility that feels more like a church. Just what we expected from Oh, we love Canada.
Links:
https://www.macauslandswoollenmills.com/
https://latlonconnect.app/
https://www.tourismpei.com/
https://minimills.net/
https://www.tourismpei.com/attractions/selkirk-scottish-cultural-and-heritage-centre
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"Shire" and "guild" refer to a wide variety of subjects, ranging from Tolkien's fictional hobbit homeland to real-world administrative districts in the UK, video game factions, and even historic trades. But, today we are talking about CNCH, otherwise known as Conference of Northern California Handweavers. Don't let the name fool you. According to their website, The Conference of Northern California Handweavers, Inc. was founded in 1953 to further the art and appreciation of the craft of handweaving. Today the member Guilds of CNCH embrace all fiber arts associated with weaving. Our membership includes not only weavers, but also dyers, basketmakers, and spinners.
Today, Susan is going to tell us all about the guild, the yearly conference, and what all they offer. So, sit back and enjoy The Shire!
Links:
https://www.cnch.org/about-2/
https://www.cnch.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shire
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guild
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We all know that water is precious, and that the soil is important, but do we really know what happens when we take both of them for granted? We should know our history, because the Dust Bowl occurred less than a century ago. We might start treating the Ogallala Aquifer like the source that waters 25% of the agricultural production in the entire country, instead of like a drinking fountain in the school cafeteria. We might also remember that conservation is self-preservation, and not just a hashtag.
As the Dust Bowl has shown us, soil and water and the interactions between the two are critical. Lauren Drum is here today to talk about it. She works for the Dutchess County Soil & Water Conservation District doing testing, program implementation, and education for the Hudson Valley community. After all, New York takes its Black Dirt deposits very seriously. All that lovely, fertile muck took aeons to get there, .
Links:
https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/great-depression-and-world-war-ii-1929-1945/dust-bowl/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depopulation_of_the_Great_Plains
https://lacusveris.com/The%20Hi-Line%20and%20the%20Yellowstone%20Trail/The%20Buffalo%20Commons/From%20Dust%20to%20Dust.shtml
https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/statistics/
https://www.nass.usda.gov/Data_Visualization/Commodity/index.php
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dorothea-Lange
https://depts.washington.edu/moving1/dustbowl_migration.shtml
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migrant_Mother
https://www.britannica.com/place/Dust-Bowl
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Plains
https://topostreets.com/top-10-largest-aquifers-in-the-world/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogallala_Aquifer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Ludlum_bibliography
https://grokipedia.com/page/Black_Dirt_Region
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We just returned from Iowa, after attending the Farm to Film Fest. Our film "A Connecticut Farmer and the King's Cow", was selected as one of the films to screen over the weekend event. The thing that stood out us, while in the town of Washington, was that it's obvious at this festival and the town itself, is that they love the arts.
You know we gotta say it "Are we in Heaven? Nope - We're in Iowa.
Links:
https://www.farmtofilmfest.org/
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I just returned from my journey to Scotland and loved every minute that I spent there. From the cobbled streets of Edinburgh, to the Glen Cruitten House, and of course my workshop with Moy Mackay. I'm so excited to share my stories with you on this episode.
Links:
https://glencruittenhouse.com/dev/
https://www.moymackay.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh
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We’re back in Texas! For Texas Wool Week, mind you, but that’s not the focus today. Our topic could be almost anything, because Texas is a place chock full of people filled with fortitude, gracious hospitality, and a reverence for the history they’ve lived in full color. They take pride in combinations of peoples and cultures like almost no one else does, and their trails and parks and location markers can make a history buff cry tears of joy.
But how do most of us picture that history, when we talk about the old west? We had a moment of revelation about our own preconceived ideas when we went through the Cowboy Capital of Bandera, dove into the facts behind the story of steadfast Deets in Lonesome Dove, and had a conversation with a man whose face is stamped on a statue at Fort Bliss.
Taylor Sheridan brought Bass Reeves into the limelight, but way before that, there was a man named Bose Ikard, the dear friend of Charles Goodnight, and a brave cohort of men known as the Buffalo Soldiers.
Links:
https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/exhibitions/black-cowboys-an-american-story/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Griffin
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/ikard-bose
https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/bose-ikard-cowboy-lonesome-dove/
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=rudeness+in+a+man+won%27t+tolerate+it&t=newext&atb=v419-1&ia=web
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Cowboy_%26_Western_Heritage_Museum
https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/resources/keep-texas-wild/vaqueros-and-cowboys/texas-cattle-drives
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonesome_Dove
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bose_Ikard
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/projects/african-american-texas
https://texastimetravel.com/directory/buffalo-soldier-memorial-el-paso/Links:
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Susan has some exciting news to share in this episode. A new program with her students and a trip of a lifetime to the Highlands to study with renowned fiber artist Moy Mackay.
Links:
https://www.moymackay.com/
https://plymagazine.com/about-us/meet-the-team/
https://plymagazine.com/
https://glencruittenhouse.com/dev/
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Leslie Amick is an artist and naturalist. A love of nature and the beauty surrounding all of us influences all of Leslie's work. She loves to explore the flora and fauna by creating likenesses using textiles. Mostly wool, the sculptures she creates not only highlight a particular beast or plant, but gives them a sense of being. Her sculptures are described as whimsical most of all. Perhaps it's that bit of attitude frequently displayed by the subjects. As the sculpture evolves, the personality also develops. This gives her work a totally relatable presence to those who view it.
Links:
https://www.instagram.com/leslie.amick/
https://www.thistleworthneedleworks.com/
https://texaswoolweek.com/
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This month Susan stopped by one of her go to places for her crafting...slowfiber in Monterey, CA.
Jaki Canterbury is building a community. Sharing maker skills, supplies and time.
At slowfiber, the classroom is available, the shop is full of sustainability treasures and the ideas are boundless. Jaki says... You bring what you don't need and then get what you do need in the BUY SELL TRADE program. Your environmental foot-print is so much smaller this way. slowfiber is full of pre-owned supplies as well as new-sustainable-only maker-goods.
So, sit back, relax, sew, knit or make what tickles your fancy. Please enjoy this month's episode of Susan's Shire.
Links:
https://www.slowfiber.com/
https://www.mosshollowhill.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maker_culture
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For today's episode, we are at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. We sat down and had a discussion about pork (since it was Pork Day at the show) with Courtney Gray, Executive Director for the PA Pork Producers Council.
Links:
https://www.whypapork.com/
https://www.sonofabutchershow.com/
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Hello Everyone and a Happy 2026!
This month Susan sits down to discuss all things pop culture and the influences it's had on her art and life and maybe yours. So, cue up your Betamax deck and reminisce about what inspired you and your crafts.
Links:
https://www.mosshollowhill.com
https://www.starwars.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_Things
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4574334/
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It’s our last podcast of 2025 already. In honor of what’s left in the barrel at the end of the year, the best way to enjoy both is to drink up with Paul and Pierce of Taconic Distillery.
For this one, we have a video on the Backyard Green Films YouTube channel to go with this one, in case your imagination needs a visual boost. For the taste buds, you might want to head to the Hudson Valley.
Links:
https://www.taconicdistillery.com/
http://www.rhinebeckfarmersmarket.com/
https://sheepandwool.com/
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On this episode Susan discusses the joy of making gifts. Whether that be a handmade felted ornament, a special song, or holiday memories.
Links:
https://youtu.be/fGmAekTPD5c?si=Sg45IZ3I5Ukd7HfL
https://www.mosshollowhill.com/
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And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, "I need a caretaker" -- so God made a Farmer. --Paul Harvey
Links:
https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/PDFFiles/Paul%20Harvey%20-%20God%20Made%20A%20Farmer.pdf
https://www.collierswcd.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013_02_Gazetteer.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Harvey
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For this month's podcast I travel to Rhinebeck, NY for the NY State Sheep & Wool Festival. I met so many wonderful and talented people...I was totally geeking out. With my cameraman Oscar in tow, the two of us interviewed some amazing talent, from rug hooking to fine art. So please sit back and enjoy this month's episode of Susan's Shire.
Links:
http://www.ravensgateprimitives.com/
https://www.sheepincognito.com/
https://www.toftuk.com/
https://makeitwithwool.com/
https://chesapeakefibershed.com/
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Muck, glorious muck! Sounds funny, but it’s true. The “muck” found north of NYC and south of the capital city may look like black dirt to some, but it’s more like black gold to those who know – and that’s not a Clampett reference. The agricultural region known as the Hudson Valley grows almost everything like nowhere else, due to this phenomenal resource.
Join us today as we speak with Michael Risario and Jeff Scales. They took a moment from their busy duties at the Rhinebeck Farmers Market to talk about the incredible bounty that can be found in the Hudson Valley – but especially can be found every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Rhinebeck. Rain, shine…or muck. Just how we like it.
Links:
http://www.rhinebeckfarmersmarket.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_River
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheep
https://www.ediblehudsonvalley.com/2022/black-magic-hudson-valleys-special-soil/
https://www.rhinebeckreformed.org/history
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/genus
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This month Susan discusses the difference between a yarn festival, a fiber festival and everything in between. Susan just returned from the Lambtown Festival in Dixon, CA and will be heading to Rhinebeck, NY for the 45th annual New York State Sheep and Wool Festival. She gives us a little history about some of these festivals and what inspired her down the path of fiber arts and that there isn't such a thing as bad sheep's wool, because someone loves it. So, please sit back and enjoy this episode of Susan's Shire.
Links:
https://www.mosshollowhill.com
https://www.lambtown.org
https://sheepandwool.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber_art
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hobbit
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Sheep are cute and fluffy and produce that wonderful stuff from which many sweaters are born. But there’s another side to them that doesn’t get mentioned quite so often. Lamb is an incredibly common meat in most other countries of the world, but not so much in America.
Nick Forrest is trying to change that direction, to capture the possibilities of a multipurpose animal that fits so many different needs. Just in time for the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival 2025, and the Saturday morning “Raising Meat and Dairy Breeds” breed talk, here is a talk about one of the other many sides of raising sheep.
P.S. And may we just say, kudos to Shari Lewis for pulling off a character called “Lamb Chop.” Captain Kangaroo, no less.
Links:
https://www.sheepusa.org/newsletter/december-15-2023
https://sheepandwool.com/sponsors/
https://www.dcswga.org/services-7
https://www.facebook.com/nick.forrest.927/
https://lambboard.com/
https://www.sheepusa.org/
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Exciting news for fiber enthusiasts! We're thrilled to announce a dynamic collaboration between Susan Shirley, a creative figure in the fiber arts community, and the creators of the popular agri-Culture podcast. Together, we're embarking on a journey each month to bring you captivating stories and insightful interviews from the diverse and fascinating world of fiber. So, please welcome to Susan's Shire!
Links:
https://www.mosshollowhill.com
https://www.lambtown.org
https://sheepandwool.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber_art
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hobbit
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Mark Winslow is from West Falmouth, Maine, where one member or another of his family has farmed on Marston Homestead since the 1790’s. That seems like a pretty traditional bunch, and moving around doesn’t seem to be applicable.
But that’s not necessarily so. We met up with Mark and his oxen demonstration at the American Milking Devon conference in Tunbridge, Vermont. And these boys can do the miles - we heard that a trip to the next state over is nothing compared to the Hollywood adventures Mark and his cattle have had. Modern transportation, indeed.
Links:
https://www.lancasterfarming.com/country-life/fairs-and-shows/marston-homestead-shows-american-milking-devons-at-2022-seneca-county-fair/article_a9d5a894-dbfc-543a-86d5-563d6abd5b5d.html
https://www.amdca.com
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We search for peace in this chaotic month, and find it in a little shop in Kingston, New York. The Yarn Farm is made those who like the company of kindred spirits to ply their craft, sure. It’s also great for those who might want to stop for a quick skein or an artsy crafty yarn-ish item, as well.
But for those of us who might find Zen in an adult beverage, a perfect charcuterie board and a sunny table by the river, we’re also home.
Links:
https://www.yarnfarmkingston.com
https://sheepandwool.com
https://www.dcswga.org
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Today, we meet up with John Garcia of Dancing Sun Farm. We were able to grab a moment of conversation with him at the lively meetup known as Texas Wool Week, held in the wild weather days of March at Sheepwalk Ranch in Bandera. Cold, wind, sun, warmth – we had it all. After all, this IS Texas.
After 29 years in the U.S. Army, John began his second career in service, but this time to contribute to America’s food and fiber systems. He and his family raise sheep, goats and chickens in the lovely, lonely, beautiful area known as Texas Hill Country.
We hope you enjoy our conversation about endings and beginnings, his second life, and the programs and support systems that helped him on his way.
Links:
www.TexasWoolWeek.com
www.TheSheepwalkRanch.com
https://www.facebook.com/Dancing.Sun.Farm.NM
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Any time you put the word “summit” in something, it mentally becomes bigger than you previously thought. A conference on steroids, in most people’s minds. And when you do an ag-related summit in California, that notion of grandeur can be well deserved, even when you take away the size of the state itself. The sheer amount of agricultural exports that the producers in California send to other parts of the U.S. and the world is staggering.
But there’s another aspect to agriculture that is a huge business opportunity: Agritourism. If you’ve ever been wine tasting, done a farm tour, seen the flower fields, gone horseback riding, or sampled local cheese while sitting in your B&B, you’re an agritourist.
The 2025 California Agritourism Summit, put on by the UCNR (Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources), is meant to highlight the potential of agritourism for the producers in California. It’s another way for our food and fiber producers to maintain self-sufficiency in these changing times.
The wave is here, and California farm producers are ready to ride it. And this one doesn’t have to be near the ocean.
Links:
https://ucanr.edu/site/communications-toolkit/acronym-directory
https://www.usda.gov/glossary
https://ucanr.edu/site/california-agritourism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Got_Milk%3F
https://class.ucanr.edu/statewide-program/uc-anr-small-farms-network/ramiro-lobo-sfp-advisor-san-diego-county
https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/SecretaryBio.html
www.cagrown.org
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In what started out as a May Day date (that’s a truckload of compost in Rick and Elara’s world), a visit to San Pasqual Valley Soils struck black gold (again, compost).
In one of the most fortuitous spontaneous Backyard Green Films conversations yet, an extremely knowledgeable dirt farmer by the name of Craig Kolodge, PhD (“Dr. K.” to pretty much everyone) gave an impromptu interview, surrounded by towers of amendment and beeping trucks full of manure, compost and wood chips. Elara was in heaven, with the conversation chock full of words such as “nematode,” ”sequestration,” “carbon cycle,” and other sciency stuff.
Don’t ever say there’s no such thing as romance anymore, especially in Springtime.
Links:
https://spvsoils.com/
https://spvsoils.com/craig-m-kolodge/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Day
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dionysus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphrodite
https://clairemontonline.com/event-6080495
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On today's podcast we meet up with Brook Sarson from CatchingH2O. We followed Brook as she took a passel of learners and UCSD's Director of the Bioregional Center, Keith Pezzoli, PhD, on a tour of a greywater and rain catchment project that her company had recently installed.
Water management is a favorite topic for us here at Backyard Green Films. With efforts like these, even if April brings few showers, we still have a chance at May flowers. Welcome to Spring!
Links:
https://catchingh2o.com/#0
https://bioregionalcenter.ucsd.edu/
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We’ve been hunkering down for the last few months now on the traveling side of our Backyard Green Films universe. 2024 was a doozy of a year for us in many respects, so we had to take a few moments to catch our breath this winter.
Enrique Guerra, also known as “Kiko,” is our guest today, and he’s pretty much royalty in Texas Longhorn Cattle circles. Kiko is the son of another Enrique Guerra – who was always known as Enrique, and he was the man who was responsible for saving a huge chunk of the pure genetics of the original Texas Longhorn, among other lifetime accomplishments. The senior of the two Enrique’s did that by running around the mountains of Mexico and collecting up what animals he could find that had not been diluted yet by the different breeds arriving on the shores of North America. He was quite a man to live up to, I think, and is still spoken of with reverence and admiration.
But history can be preserved in many ways, and Kiko’s way of practicing preservation, yet keeping it relatable, is one of my favorites. He’s an artist.
Aside from the accomplishments of his famous parent, and family, Kikko is royalty in his own right. He is a world-renowned artist, and his sculptures and paintings depict incredibly simple scenes of the basics of life, and yet they resonate with complexity. So yes, he paints a man leading a burro or farmers tilling their land. He sculpts scenes from the trails of old Texas and Mexico. And they resonate. The Brisco Western Art Museum thought so, and there you can see his famous piece, “The Vaquero.” It’s a sculpture of a man driving two Longhorn cattle along the trail, yoked by ropes and bobbins. Historically correct, of course. And you can also find one of his sculptures at the famous site known as the Alamo, in San Antonio. And his art is not just one thing. He very much believes in the importance of preserving the original Longhorn cattle breed at San Vicente Ranch. History, beauty and practicality all built into the genes of that one animal.
Links:
https://texashighways.com/culture/an-interwoven-legacy-guerra-family/
https://sanvicenteranch.com/
https://enriqueguerraart.com/?page_id=252
https://banderafiberandarts.com/
https://youtu.be/Ghekozq7lUE?si=T2lOqzlyZ04s5FQ3
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Now, if you hear me talk about Rhinebeck, you might think today's guest is going to focus on wool. Nope! Not really. Sheep, yes, hair yes, but mostly wool, no. Our podcast guest today is a lovely man named Brent Zimmerman, and as I introduce him I'm kind of hard pressed to call him one thing, though you could definitely call him a sheep farmer.
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/limekilnfarmNY
https://sheepandwool.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorper
https://dorpersheep.org/
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Most people commemorate Thanksgiving today, and all things associated with this holiday. There will be some celebrating family, some marking the day with food, and some praying at the altar of football. Some will be remembering the Pilgrims, and the earliest arrival of Europeans bringing colonists and their livestock to North America. NOT!
Stephen Monroe schools us on a common misconception about the domestic animals that were truly the first to be brought here to the Americas. Which livestock breeds beat the Mayflower across the Atlantic? What we currently call the “Spanish Colonial” horses were just one group, and the hardy and adaptable Florida Cracker Horse was a derivative breed of this impactful importation. Horses, cattle, chickens and goats - and they arrived 100 years before the big wooden boat we celebrate today.
But don’t forget – the Spanish brought the pigs in then, too, so football is truly appropriate. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
Links:https://themayflowersociety.org/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056085/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Cracker_Horse
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolina_Marsh_Tacky#History
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banker_horse#Breed_history
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Ponce_de_Le%C3%B3n
https://www.history.com/topics/exploration/juan-ponce-de-leon
https://www.fdacs.gov/
https://floridacrackerhorseassociation.com/
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We were in the mood for something sweet, so we thought it was time for a visit to the sugar shack. We packed up our gear and headed back east to Westbrook, CT to our friends John and Bonnie Hall at Maple Breeze Farm. There we saw the whole process of making that sweet maple syrup. Just in time for the maple glazed ham at Thanksgiving.
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/p/Maple-Breeze-Farm-100064517539226
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October is not only a great time to celebrate fiber (what with the Lambtown and Rhinebeck festivals, just to name a few), but it’s also Breast Cancer Awareness month. How do we get both things in one podcast? Knitted Knockers!
Barbara Demorest is the Feisty Lady with Fortitude who took a horrible event in life and made it into something that has helped millions to cope with the ravages of breast cancer. We hope you tune in to see what she did, and maybe even how you can be a part of what this amazing organization does to help others. And all with a bit of fiber and friendship.
P.S. We miss you, Mom, but we’ll keep trying to save the udders (always one for a good pun, she was).
Links:https://www.knittedknockers.org/
https://www.lambtown.org/
https://sheepandwool.com/
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Every once in a while you meet a person you’ve read about in a book. It might not be the actual person, but is the personification of a character that is so accurate, it might as well have jumped out straight from the pages. Today, our podcast guest is one of those.
James Metcalfe lives on Hardenclough Farm, “in the heart of the beautiful Peak District [with a] flock of pedigree Cheviots & Luing cattle grazing under the shadow of Mam Tor.” You would never guess that the man is a poet, because his strong, steady farming character could have come straight out of James Herriot’s Yorkshire hills. He came to be a judge at the North American Hill Sheep Show, and though he would not be one to jump the line or show a bit of flash, he’s one that we at Backyard Green Films will picture frequently in the future, every time we hear the word “Farmer” – in the best possible way -- quiet strength and always willing to lend a hand.
Links:
https://www.instagram.com/hardenclough_farm/
https://www.visitengland.com/experience/discover-all-creatures-great-and-small-yorkshire
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We’re back from the North American Hill Sheep Show in Escanaba, Michigan. This inaugural event showcased some British Hill Breed Sheep and some not-quite-Hill Breed Sheep, of course, but there was more to see, hear and smell. Lovely vendor booths with soft woolens and fragrant soaps in abundance, sheepdog trials with panting puppies, food trucks (with some mighty fine brisket, thank you sir), and ice cream that is famous across all of the “M” roads.
And then, there were the Brits. The judges (and families) arrived in good spirits and raring to go, and the whole things was a true education in all things Sheepish.
In addition to sheep, they do grow some Absolutely Fabulous people on those little islands, we must say. Some were English, some Welsh, some Scottish and some Irish, but all delightful. And good sports, to boot. They will be sorely missed – at least until next spring (we hope).
Sincere thanks to all from the Backyard Green Films crew. Our lives are better for having met you.
Links:
https://www.nahillsheepshow.com/
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Where do we go for fun? Well, all kinds of places, but fish hatcheries, farm shows, and livestock auctions are on the list.
Today, we’re taking you back to jolly old England (almost Scotland, actually), to a little town called Hexham. It lies at the foot of Northumberland National Park and a stone’s throw (literally) from Hadrian’s Wall. This is as charming a hamlet as you might ever imagine. It has lovely bridges, excellent tapas, wonderfully kind people, a first-class auction yard, and mules.
Wait – aren’t we talking sheep today? What’s all this about mules?
Yep – mules -- that are technically sheep. Listen in to Drew Patrick and Chris Armstrong, master auctioneers at Hexham and Northern Marts, to find out why some of these sheep are mules.
And Hexham is in the Borderlands, so some sheep also look like rabbits – but that’s another podcast.
Links:https://hexhammart.co.uk/
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-world-s-top-wool-producing-countries.html
https://www.nahillsheepshow.com/
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Located in the southern portion of Scotland, Lanark might be best known in agricultural circles for those big guys from the area around the River Clyde, and to history buffs as the first place local resident William Wallace drew his sword in earnest. We love heavy horses with a passion, but the sheep need to have their day, too.
Last September, Lanark Agricultural Centre saw Shetland Sheep and members of all sizes and colors coming for the Gathering, because “There can be only one!” (oops – wrong movie again, though with William in the first paragraph, the sword thing kind of took us over.). All shapes and sizes of SHETLAND SHEEP and the society that supports their continuation came to show, to sell, and to talk to the Backyard Green Films crew.
We’re still high on life from one of the most memorable trips of our lifetime – can you tell? And still aloft from meeting the people and livestock of the British Isles. Long may they rein (still had to make a horse joke).
Links:https://www.shetland-sheep.org.uk/
https://www.shetland-sheep.org.uk/shows-sales-and-event
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Bakewell
https://www.britannica.com/story/whats-the-difference-between-great-britain-and-the-united-kingdom
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_conquest_of_Britain
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shetland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorking_chicken
https://www.visitscotland.com/info/towns-villages/lanark-p244081
https://scandinaviafacts.com/norsemen-vs-vikings-whats-the-difference/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Isle_(technique)
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In life, there are talkers and doers. Of the doers, many of them have a characteristic known as “True Grit,” and today’s podcast guests are in that category.
Millie and Stacy Bradshaw own Dry Creek Livestock, and a few hours north of Salt Lake City, these two intrepid souls are building a place to call home on the windswept plains and low hills of Utah. On their ranch you’ll find a range of critters, including goats (for meat and milk), cattle (for beef), livestock guardian dogs (for the previous two) and - periodically – mountain lions (because apparently ranching is just too easy in Utah). Millie and Stacy know more than the average farmer about the plant life that surrounds them, and they use that and their livestock in a way that works with nature to build something out of this lonely land.
We hope you join us today for a talk with two modern-day pioneers (and a few comments from the always wonderful Tom Boyer), who are building a patch of land into a place to call home. It’s something right out of a western movie, but these are the real heroes – even without the star billing.
Links:https://www.instagram.com/dry.creek.livestock/https://www.premier1supplies.com/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17505010/?ref_=ls_t_4
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1883_(TV_series)
https://www.nps.gov/state/ut/index.htm
https://heyexplorer.com/29-things-utah-is-known-and-famous-for/
https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/582124/how-did-sand-come-to-mean-courage-pluck
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1403865/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065126/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2
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It’s time for Horse Progress Days! It’s one of our favorite events of the year, and this July it was held in Lancaster County, PA - just in time for the height of a national heatwave. Everyone soldiered on through, though, with nary a complaint to be found from this stoic bunch.
It was a good thing everyone pushed through the heat until the close of the day, because the HPD organizers saved some of the best for last (okay, the middle and beginning was pretty good, too). The Backyard Green Films bunch had a front row seat for the Breed Presentation. With longtime HPD participant Dale Stoltzfus doing a wonderfully informative commentary track, horses of every size, shape and color were on view, and riders, drivers, leaders and be-free-rs were putting on a show.
The commentary was so informative that we wanted to bring it all to you on our podcast, but in a few days you can go to the Backyard Green Films YouTube channel to get a (dusty) front-row visual as well. Either way, we hope you feel like you were sitting right next to us for the whole show.
Links:https://horseprogressdays.com/2024-event-information/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhZba-P7R18&t=81s
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It’s time for a talk – a Shepherd’s Talk, that is. Every year, the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival has this popular segment available for shepherds, wannabe shepherds, ecologists, historians, and people who are just plain interested in fiber production from the ground up. Today’s talk is with Erin Bradt, of Helder Herdwyck Farm, where she talks about not just these fantastic little primitive sheep, but also about importation limitations, disease issues in livestock, and…well, more than we have time for in the intro.
We’ll be bringing you more of these fantastic seminars in the upcoming months. If you’d like to see the visuals on this one (just like you’re sitting on a hay bale in Rhinebeck), head over to the Backyard Green Films YouTube channel for this video, and much more.
Links:https://helderherdwyck-farm.square.site/
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cumbria-57015478
www.sheepandwool.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLz9Oj_oVkg
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On this podcast episode Bruce Farr of Farrview South Farm, American Milking Devon Cattle breeder (and a teamster!), sits down with John Hall, the President of the American Milking Devon Cattle Association. They discuss the history of the breed, characteristics they appreciate, and some non-traditional ideas for a very traditional breed.
If you want to see the man himself (and the twinkle in his eye), head on over to our YouTube channel for our latest upload.
Links:
http://www.milkingdevons.org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America...
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This week, we’re speaking with Theresa Walker of Great Bay Wool Works and her lovely natural-colored ovine assistant Hazel (okay, so hubby Patrick did a little bit of modeling, too.). We learn about natural-colored sheep, geography in New England, a bit of why New England and Old England feel familiar to each other, and much more.
This is one of those where Rick had to keep saying, “Stop patting the sheep, Elara.” We think this fiber is gorgeous, regardless of whether it’s on grass -- or on the very Patient Patrick.
Links:https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ovine
https://greatbaywoolworks.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KcDt99gxko
https://ncwga.org/
https://americanromney.org/
https://sheepandwool.com/
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We’re going down memory lane, and back to the beginning of all things for today’s podcast. In this case, it means the start of something that has grown into a behemoth in the world of Agriculture. Originally from the shores of Scotland near Aberdeen, the cattle breed known as “Angus” has become the powerhouse breed by which all things are measured.
Today we’re going back to the roots of the breed that has become synonymous with “beef,” and which has also changed over time to meet the needs of production agriculture. Today we have a great conversation with Geordie and Louise Soutar of Dunlouise Native Angus in Forfar, near the shores of Aberdeen Scotland…
…and you get to listen to that lovely Scottish lilt, too.
Links:https://www.dunlouiseangus.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberdeen
https://www.scotsman.com/regions/aberdeen-and-north-east/viking-link-to-the-north-east-of-scotland-1490003
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-55244660
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/
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We concluded the World Devon Congress adventure with the State that put these cattle on the map – okay, they’re on the flag, anyway. We had a wonderful tour through the Green Mountain State of Vermont, on our way to meet up with Anson Tebbets, Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets. This lovely man took a walk down the lane on his family farm to talk about the finer things in agricultural life that are represented in Vermont – maple syrup, socks, adult beverages and ice cream, just to name a few. He believes in those who produce our food and fiber products, and works to support them with legislation, funding and promotion, and, of course, his valuable time.
Vermont is a quietly beautiful agricultural state that is definitely worth a visit – even if you don’t have time to hit the Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour (though we strongly recommend it). These hills are alive…with the taste of maple…and cider…and wool…and pickles…and…
Links:https://agriculture.vermont.gov/administration
https://agriculture.vermont.gov/agency-agriculture-food-markets-news/12-vermont-companies-running-2020-good-food-award
https://agriculture.vermont.gov/agency-agriculture-food-markets-news/fifteen-vermont-companies-running-2022-good-food-award
https://www.lancasterfarming.com/farming-news/dairy/american-milking-devons-the-perfect-breed-for-this-vermont-homestead/article_aec3cc10-0ef7-11ef-929b-83733b95d1f5.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Vermont
https://darntough.com/
https://www.benjerry.com/
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/
https://skinnypancake.com/
https://thetipsypickle.com/
https://cabotcreamery.com/
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Backyard Green Films is now in Florida, getting ready to start the World Devon Congress 2024. But first (and last), our podcast with the butcher. The place where everything ends – everything that is ordered medium rare, anyway.
A.J. O’Neil is the perfect one to encapsulate almost everything that is fantastic about why Devons are popular. He’s a member of Red Devon USA, and a wonderful addition to their friendly and active Board of Directors. He’s sometimes serious, sometimes quiet, but always a family-oriented guy. He talks with us about O’Neil’s Quality Devons, O’Neil’s Quality Foods, and the joys of beef bacon. Maybe not so much on that last one, but it cannot be stressed enough by all, so we put it in there. There was bacon, though.
Head over to the Backyard Green Films YouTube channel if you want to see the man in action himself, but be warned - if your kids don’t know where the burger comes from, this will be an educational experience. He IS a butcher, after all.
Links:
https://www.reddevonusa.com/oneils_quality_devons
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Our stay at Clockwork Cottage was one of the quiet delights of our UK trip in August of 2023. The Peak District in England is well known as being a day-hiker’s destination filled with rolling emerald fields, ancient stacked stone walls, and sheep, sheep and sheep. There are those amazing things, yes, and found aplenty, but for the Backyard Green Films crew the hills were alive with the breeze blowing through the grass, and the sound of…Dexters! Dexter Cattle, that is.
This smallest native breed is originally from Ireland, but found in other places now. It might be hard to imagine a lovelier place for them than here, though. And the Full English Breakfast and super soft beds had nothing to do with it, I’m sure.
Our sincere thanks to Stephen Adcock for taking the time to speak with us in the midst of a busy farm day (and his wife Sharon, who introduced us to Full English Breakfast – can’t forget that).
Links:https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/41677221?source_impression_id=p3_1711931704_prSMSEwVpqzI9XTVhttps://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/visiting/things-to-do/getactive-walking
https://www.dextercattle.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/clockworkcottage/
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Steve Montgomery of Lamppost Farm is our guest on today’s podcast, coming to you from a stop on the Devon Congress pre-tour - Columbiana, Ohio style this time. Steve and his family raise Devon Cattle, Coopworth Sheep, pigs, turkeys and a partridge in a pear tree (okay, no partridges, but there are more chickens than you can safely count). Their goal is to make and teach connections between living things, but the annual flock of Lamppost interns can tell you that they learn how to do the sweaty part on the farm as well.
These are just plain good solid people who open up their hearts and farm to those in need, wanting to make a difference. As the Narnia bunch would tell you, when life gets rough, it’s always lovely to have someone who’s willing to leave the lamppost burning so others can find their way home. C.S. Lewis would be proud.
Links:http://www.lamppostfarm.com/
https://whatnerd.com/movies-with-hidden-meanings-deeper-metaphors/
https://iep.utm.edu/plato/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plato
https://historycooperative.org/norse-mythology/
https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/gods/
https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/gods/apollo/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewis
https://www.cnn.com/style/article/keep-calm-poster/index.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien
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Andrea Tibbets of Clover Brooke Farm is our guest on today’s podcast. We usually see her at the New York State Sheep & Wool Festival (Rhinebeck), but since at that fine event we see her running the Camelid Barn and running the Leaping Llama contest and running the Spitters’ Club and…well, just plain running, we decided it was way past time to visit her home turf. For a walk.
One of the most peaceful things you can do, we found, is to take a hike through Hyde Park with a llama on a leash. It sounds like something for people with way too much time on their hands, but were schooled about 10 minutes in, when Zen and an overall feeling of wellbeing descended. We are converted, and will recommend a camelid stroll to anyone who just need a little bit of peace. Peace, with a tippy tappy song in our hearts, that is.
Links:https://cloverbrookefarm.com/
https://sheepandwool.com/events/competitions-shows/leaping-llamas/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhapsody_in_Blue
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043278/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
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It’s another stop on our Devon Pre-Tour run. This time, we’re bringing you the sights and sounds from a delightful and delicious visit to Lakota Ranch in Remington, Virginia. Lakota is the home of Jeremy Engh, President of Red Devon USA, Dr. Jerry Engh, the founder of the herd itself (and Jeremy, for that matter), and Patty Engh, who runs them both, we’re fairly sure.
We had a visit that included pasture rotation avec spicy herding dogs and spicier cows, a 30-year old Devon cow with calf (yes, we said that correctly), a stunning and mouthwatering winery luncheon experience (thank you, Chef Tim at Early Mountain Winery – what an amazing spread!), a hilltop hike to meet a tolerant bull and a world-travelling vet, and…well, we could go on, but we’ll let you hear for yourself. And you can not only hear, but also see parts of it as well if you go to our Backyard Green Films YouTube channel. We’re going to have to put it in a few episodes, as this visit was a two-day adventure and it was hard to put the camera down. The hospitality of the Devonites was phenomenal, yet again. Wow.
Links:
https://www.britannica.com/place/Mason-and-Dixon-Line
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_in_the_American_Civil_War
https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/old-dominion/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Chancellorsville
www.reddevonusa.com
www.milkingdevons.org
https://reddevonusa.com/lakota_ranch
https://www.earlymountain.com/
https://youtu.be/VhI0L26rs_E?si=tmESo1d41eJiUY4Y
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Don’t you love talking to people who know their stuff? While crashing the Kilnsey Show in Yorkshire on our UK trip last August, we came across Clive Richardson, Field Officer for the Jacob Sheep Society. It was a spontaneous tailgate conversation, but we magically ended up with not only someone who raises some of the most interesting-looking sheep you’ll ever lay eyes on, but he was a truly well-spoken and well-researched man. He has more than one book on his author creds page, and we’re thinking it might be well worth a trip back across the pond. He did write about Fell Ponies, after all.
Links:
https://site.jacobsheepsociety.com/clive-richardson-pic/
https://site.jacobsheepsociety.com/
https://www.facebook.com/jacobsheepsocietyuk/
https://site.jacobsheepsociety.com/breed-standard/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_sheep
https://www.southwestfarmer.co.uk/news/4523265.top-wool-award-jacob-sheep-breeder/
http://bideaweefarm.com/
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It’s the Devon Congress 2024 - Coming soon to an east-coast back road near you (if you live on the east coast and are there in April, that is). This April, people are coming from all over the world to celebrate the Devon Cattle breed and all of its many shapes and sizes. And if you live in the U.S., 400 years of Devon history is something even more amazing to celebrate.
Red Devon USA is the host organization for this amazing road trip, and they gave us a little taste of the families and farms that would be on the tour (Okay, not a little taste. Lots of tastes. They feed you constantly.). We visited in December, so there will be teeth chattering coming through the mics. The hearts were warm, though, and hospitality abounded!
We’re starting with Bob and Diana VanKirk of 4 Seasons Farm in Tyrone, Pennsylvania. On this visit there was pot roast, a Pink Lady Razor (Rick forgot his – thank you, Diana), and a pregnancy progression. They were two of the most welcoming people we’ve met, and a wonderful start to the Devon Congress in April.
Links:https://www.4seasonscattle.com/
https://www.reddevonusa.com/
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It’s time for the mashup! The Dutchess County Sheep and Wool Growers’ Association once again hosted 30,000 (plus) attendees at the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival, and we were there to see (and interview, and livestream, and…everything) all of it! Maybe lots of it. Part of it. Okay, so we got what we could again this year, but this is the kind of wonderful occasion that we still haven’t seen most of, no matter how much we run or how many relatives we co-opt to help out.
You can visit the Backyard Green Films YouTube channel to see the livestream part for yourself, and we’ll be posting new videos for you to see as we edit them in the upcoming year. We’re working on cloning editor Rick, but still can’t get the copy right yet (get it? Copy? Editor? Still jet lagged, we think).
Links:https://www.dcswga.org/
https://sheepandwool.com/
https://greatbaywoolworks.com/
https://www.daisyandcloverdesigns.com/
http://www.helderherdwyckfarm.com/index.html
https://www.dreareneeknits.com/
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Here at Backyard Green Films, we’re getting ready to celebrate the 400-year anniversary of the Devons coming to America with our Plymouth to Plimoth documentary. In preparation for this event (and our film!), we spoke with Tom Begley, Deputy Director for Collections Research and Public Engagement at Plimoth Patuxet Museum. Doesn’t the site of the Pilgrim connection seem like a wonderful podcast for today’s Thanksgiving holiday? We thought so, too.
In addition, we hope you join us in April and May, as we follow the Devon World Congress tour 2024. People come from all over the world to celebrate the glories of the beef side of the Devon Cattle breed, and the American Milking Devon side of the family will be there, too. More excitement to come in the upcoming year, we assure you.
Thanksgiving is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate both our differences and our similarities, all with good food and good company. We send our best wishes, and grateful thanks, to all of our listeners and our sponsors.
Links:https://plimoth.org/
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Our podcast guests today are Jeri Robinson Lawrence and daughter Irina Lawrence Mathias. This hardworking mother/daughter team has contributed a few soundbites in between Points A, B, C and X in the rush of the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival every year, but as they’re the ones that everyone needs something from at all times, a relaxed moment has been hard to come by with these two.
So we went to the mountain (so to speak, although it’s southern Pennsylvania just west of the Susquehanna River, so there were a few hills in there). They have plenty of things available on their website for anyone who might want some delicious shades, colors, and types of fiber, but the physical location of the farm and shop known as Flying Fibers is a place for the senses.
Sheep (mostly Shetlands, with a few Leicester and Wensleydale in the mix), chickens, dogs, cats, toddlers, and what seems like every other creature in Noah’s Ark are napping, creating, munching, gamboling or just sitting picturesquely on this little homestead, with green pastures surrounded by waving wheat and banks of bee-covered lavender. We don’t know how they trained all the critters to perform so beautifully for the cameras (but not the husband, I’m afraid – he ran when we pushed “record”), but the visuals were absolutely lovely. The scents were fantastic too -- lavender AND lanolin included.
Our Shetland mascot, Jane, could not have a better home with better people. And the world is a better place because of pretty much everything connected with this little spot of heaven.
Links:
https://www.flyingfibers.com/
https://www.shetland-sheep.org/
https://sheepandwool.com/
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You know how there’s always someone who not only goes the extra mile, but looks good while they do it? And does it with a genuine smile, to top it off. That’s Christine Hulse, from Hulse Hill Farm. Just outside of Cooperstown on a little slice of heaven, this tireless woman has set up shop (and her farm shop). She excels at all things she puts her mind to: She runs a blissful farm stay B&B and is a hostess extraordinaire; she’s a businesswoman and the co-owner of her fiber company Clean Cashmere; she’s a member of the Board of Directors for the Cashmere Goat Association, and she’s gracious as all heck. And, of course, every animal on the place seems to think she’s Dr. Dolittle. Martha Stewart, look out.
We’ve met the hubby and think he’s pretty darn nice as well, but he’s going to have to step lively to keep up with this one, because she’s as fantastic as could be. He probably agrees with us, we think.
(And did we mention that she understands the blissful joy of organic cotton sheets, good coffee and real half and half? Zen, defined.)
Links:
https://hulsehillfarm.com/
https://www.cleancashmere.farm/
https://cashmeregoatassociation.org/
https://americangoatfederation.org/
https://www.goatusa.org/
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On today’s podcast, transport yourself to the lonely, glorious green pastures of the eastern side of Scotland. We have a lovely conversation with Jillian McEwen of Lunan Bay Farms, and among many of our topics, we spoke of the joys of farming on the shores of the North Sea, the differences between her Cashmere and Boer goats (two of her three varieties), some out-of-the-box ideas to diversify goat farming, and the ways goats can contribute to education. Never thought those words might go together, right?
Frankly, between Jillian’s gentle Scottish brogue, the salt-laden breezes in our hair, the sun on our faces, and a very sweet and friendly Cashmere leaning in to be petted, it was sometimes hard to stay focused on the conversation, but this is one very interesting lady.
Links:https://www.lunanbayfarm.com/
https://cashmeregoatassociation.org/
https://www.britishgoatsociety.com/about-us/breeds/cashmere/
https://www.rbst.org.uk/
https://sheepandwool.com/
https://www.cleancashmere.farm/
https://hulsehillfarm.com/
https://elder-statesman.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cashmere_goat
https://www.goatusa.org/
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Elara and I met Phil Pass last month on our travels in Scotland at the House of Tartan in Crieff. We struck up a conversation with him and noticed that they had a Go Fund Me campaign that said Keep Scottish Bonnets Alive in Scotland. He described what it was for and so we grabbed our camera and mics and said this is too important and you need to tell us all about this.
THE STORY:
We've just lost Scotland's last Bonnet production line.
The one that's been making Traditional Scottish Headwear in Stewarton, East Ayrshire for the last 178 years. (That's a Yes. We've just lost the last production line making this quality product in Scotland, in the UK, or anywhere else in the World.)
Stewarton itself is known as ‘the Bonnet Toun’ and has been since the 1600’s, so we’re also losing the last Bonnet Maker in Bonnet Toun.
THE PLAN:
To establish a new mini factory to continue making these products in Stewarton. Where visitors to The Bonnet Factory will be able to see the hats being finished, learn about the area's history of bonnet making and buy Scottish headwear products whilst there.
We are looking for your help with immediate funding to set up this new Bonnet Factory & Shop and start training some younger workers. Urgent action is needed to preserve this craft and its skills while we still have one or two highly experienced folk (albeit semi-retired) to teach them! This will not happen without you.
We need help to preserve this important piece of Scotland’s history; win back lost export sales and keep 'Making Bonnets in Bonnet Toun'.
Now is the only chance we’re going to get to keep this truly iconic Scottish Product alive. (And thank you so much to all those wonderful folk who have already given!!!)
Gies a hand?
Links:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/keep-scott...
https://www.houseoftartan.com
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As we continue the Tartan & Tweed tour in the United Kingdom, Elara follows up last week's interview with Barry's partner Chris Sander. Chris takes Elara on a tour of the farm and their prized rams and ewes. Chris discusses the different colors of the Leicester Longwool and his affinity for the black color.
The group is getting ready for a couple of shows in Buck County and Dorset over the weekend. If you notice the picture of Chris, I believe they did fairly well.
www.bbc.co.uk
www.llsba.co.uk
www.rbst.org.uk
www.leicesterlongwool.org
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We're excited to announce that we're in the midst of our Tartan and Tweed Tour 2023! The one stop we couldn't miss along the M-1 was a visit to Leicester, home of Robert Bakewell - the man who transformed agricultural practices as we know them today.
Our conversation is with Barry Evans, custodian of a flock of one of the most famous examples of Robert Bakewell's efforts: The Leicester Longwool Sheep. Barry talks with us about the history of this breed and the organization that is dedicated to preserving it, with a (partial) list of the breeds that we can say we know and love, thanks to the Lustrous Leicester Longwool.
www.bbc.co.uk
www.llsba.co.uk
www.rbst.org.uk
www.leicesterlongwool.org
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The big UK trip is almost here, and we’re prepping for the Edinburgh Castle Tattoo with a visit to the National Western Stock Show, and the Scottish Highland Cattle show. Those bagpipes and tartans get us every time, no matter what the event.
In today’s podcast, we grabbed a moment in the cattle barns with Audra Hall of Clearwater Spring Highlands in Brighton, Colorado. Audra was somewhere between the fluff and fold cycle that goes on in a mad rush before the annual show and sale. Elara was mesmerized by the flow of Highland Cattle hair in the big barn fans (Have you ever seen the winds moving over a lush grassy plain a few months after a generous rainy season? It was like that.). And then bagpipes, too. With all of that glorious color, culture and sound – well,, a more fitting preparation for next month’s visit we couldn’t imagine.
We’ll be posting all along on the trip, and we hope you join us on our adventure back to the homeland of many of our most important agricultural breeds. What do we call it? Tartan and Tweed Tour 2023. The Rose and Thistle Tour. The Borderland Bonanza.
The possibilities are endless, and we hope you send in suggestions for naming our adventure!
Links:https://www.cshnaturalbeef.com/
https://www.highlandcattleusa.org/default.aspx
https://www.mshca.org/
https://www.edintattoo.co.uk/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Scottish_breeds
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1217209/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091203/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112573/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://nationalwestern.com/
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Today we have a (Elara-has-had-too-much-coffee-and-dirt) podcast interview with Andrew Conroy, B.S., M.S., PhD, who is a two-time Fulbright Scholar, professor at the University of New Hampshire, and man who can claim way too many other accomplishments to mention here.
Dr. Conroy has wrote the book on oxen (Really. He wrote more than one, and you can follow the link below to buy them for yourself). On more than one continent, he is the guy that everyone mentions when someone wants to know more about how to hitch draft animals up to do something.
Please join Elara and Dr. Conroy as they talk about the good doctor’s journey through a life in oxenland, and the joys of different breeds and places. You’ll have to imagine them surrounded by shady green pastures, with two curious Kerry Cattle and a very energetic young dog providing the background excitement.
Links:https://colsa.unh.edu/person/andrew-conroy
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=drew+conroy&crid=7QKW74K109WD&sprefix=drew+conroy%2Caps%2C162&ref=nb_sb_noss
https://fulbrightscholars.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chianina
https://extension.umn.edu/planting-forages/alfalfa-establishment-steps-maximize-yield#field-selection-703010
http://milkingdevons.org/
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So first...today you'll be hearing from Anne DeRousie, a board member of the breed organization known as Red Devon USA, who also happens to be the resident history buff. We love those. Our conversation took place on a beautiful balmy and slightly breezy day, straight from the lush green pastures of her Adventureland Farm, in the Fingerlakes region of New York State.
You'll hear more from other members of Red Devon USA this year, and more about their Bowman Left, in terms of breeding selection. You'll hear about how members from all over the world are meeting up together next year on a whirlwind tour to celebrate the beefy side of the Devon genealogy; and how they've invited their Milking Devon brethren along at the end of the trail for a big meetup in Plymouth, Massachusetts next Spring. They've invited us, too, and we're planning on taking them up on the kind offer.
Links:
https://reddevonusa.com/node/10
https://reddevonusa.com
https://reddevonusa.com/node/89
https://www.advdevoncattle.com
https://plimoth.org
https://m.facebook.com/people/World-Devon-Congress-and-400-year-American-Devon-celebration/100078195616690/
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In all of the mad rushing about around the country, sometimes we forget that there are some really fantastic things close to home. This week’s podcast celebrates that with a trip to nearby Ramona for the Family Farm Expo, put on by the folks at Roobeez. As holds true to many of the critters you’ll find there, this event is a combination of things. Chicken meetup and poultry swap, sure, but also filled with little booths displaying lovelies like handcrafted soaps, fresh herbs, honey products, local winery and brewery samplers, and pretty much anything you can make or grow on a farm. There are workshops to boot.
Today we bring you a conversation with Ashley Hahn, a coordinator at Roobeez and mad scientist of a chicken breeder. Thanks to her and her efforts at Little Lane Farm, we get to use the words “Candy corn Frizzle Polish” today. How fun is that?
Links:https://www.roobeez.com/
https://www.roobeez.com/roostersrising
https://www.instagram.com/little_lane_farms_sd/
https://www.facebook.com/p/Little_Lane_Farms_SD-100068990572491/
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Straight from the Clairmont neighborhood Garden Walk, growing maven DeLayne Harmon will join us today on our podcast to tell us more about the how one earns the title “Master Gardener.”
It’s a happy and sad one for us today, but especially in this month, reminders of growth and regrowth are ever-present.
Happy May Day to the ladies of our lives – flowers, feathers, and family.
Links:https://www.mastergardenersd.org/
https://clairemontonline.com/page-18602
https://www.sdfarmbureau.org/san-diego-agriculture/
https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/san-diego-county/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_(United_States)
https://californiawaterblog.com/2023/05/07/tulare-basin-and-lake-2023-and-their-future/
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/26/californias-reappearing-tulare-lake-could-remain-for-two-years.html
https://endextinctionsandiego.org/
https://holidappy.com/quotes/31-Quotes-About-May-Month-of-Merriment
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Today we speak with Dale Cunningham, who is the patient and personal man responsible for training the equine portion of the patrol. Second, we have Officer Emily Herbpst, who rides a mustang and is a small but mighty person who I have the feeling “don’t take no guff off a bartender.” (Thank you, Mr. McMurtry).
We got to meet them and their horses Ollie and Maverick at this year's National Western Stock Show in Denver. They were very gracious with their time to speak with us about the horses and Mounted Patrol unit. One of the most important things that these units do is what we saw them doing in spades at the National Western this year. They are incredibly effective goodwill ambassadors. They make the whole idea of the police department approachable. Young people and old, English speaking or Spanish or German, whether someone is from the city or a rural area – you name it, we saw all types of people come up and hold a hand up to the equine officers for a sniff. They were thronged. And with the horses there, people kind of forgot to be so reserved in front of the officers, who were all there in full gear with holstered gun and taser and pepper spray and bullet proof vests. In many towns, policing used to be more about the guy that keeps an eye on the community, but is a part of the community, walking about doing rounds on patrol. The officer in small towns often knew not only where you lived, but was likely to take you home to your mother for punishment if you gave him cause. How did we ever get away from all of that? It’s kind of sad, really. The police are supposed to be here as members of our communities, but often times all we hear about is the bad stuff.
Links:
https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/11/health/officer-hops-police-department-bunny-wellness/index.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuba_City,_California
https://web.archive.org/web/20110615005241/http://www.farmersalmanac.com/blog/2006/10/05/the-10-best-weather-cities/
https://denverpolicefoundation.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exmoor_pony
https://www.facebook.com/denverpolice/posts/dpd-mounted-patrol-continues-to-provide-positive-outreach-to-the-community-while/393186547414240/
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This week Rick is in England filming on our upcoming docu-series Plymouth to Plymouth. Unfortunately I couldn't go with him, as some of you may have heard that I broke my foot and had to have surgery, but I hope to get to visit there soon.
He met up with John and Bonnie Hall from the American Milking Devon Cattle Association and they set out to speak with some of the farmers about the Red Ruby Devon, which is where the Milking Devon cattle originated from in the Devon area of England. In 1623 the King sent a young Devon bull and three heifers to the New World from Plymouth, England to what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts and the rest they say is history.
This week's podcast we hear a conversation that John and Bonnie have with Sally Everton. Sally raises 10 Devons on her farm and is a member of the Devon Cattle Breeders Society.
Links:
https://www.redrubydevon.co.uk
http://www.milkingdevons.org
https://reddevonusa.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayflower
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Devon_cattle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Milking_Devon
https://plimoth.org
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It’s the season! Okay, so it could be many seasons, but the Easter holiday is upon us and everything is bursting with life, so we’ll concentrate on the cute stuff like Spring and fluffy sheep. And the one we have today is definitely fluffy, but only if unshorn.
Today we’re talking with Erin Bradt of Helder-Herdwyck Farm about the Herdwick Sheep. This sturdy little creature has a different look, a perpetual smile, and some serious survival creds. Viking lore, Beatrix Potter, the National Trust, the beauties of The Lake District and more are connected to this breed over in Jolly Old England. We met up with Erin at the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival, where she is doing her part to bring attention to this fascinating animal. Establishing a new breed on this continent is no small thing, and we tip our collective cap to her.
We’ll bring you more on this animal and others this Summer, straight from their homeland. Stay tuned, because after years of saving and hoping, Backyard Green Films is going to trace some of our favorite heritage breeds to their source in person this time - British style.
Links:http://helderherdwyckfarm.com/index.html
http://www.helderherdwyckfarm.com/our-american-herdwick.html
https://www.herdwick-sheep.com/
https://sheepandwool.com/
https://www.visitwales.com/things-do/nature-and-landscapes/national-parks/mountain-ranges-wales
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wooly_Willy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herdwick
https://www.rbst.org.uk/watchlist-overview
https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-Herriot
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/britain-lake-district-immortalized-beatrix-potter-beloved-landscape-180968736/
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In honor of Spring, lambing season and all things herding, today we’re welcoming Tayan Albrandt and Willow the Border Collie to our podcast. It’s only fitting to return the favor, since we met them when Willow did a stint as the door greeter at the Event Center during the National Western stock dog trials. Tayan and Willow spoke with us for a quick moment before their cattle herding moment in the sun (Okay so it was freezing snow, but you know what we mean). Willow was not only extremely well behaved during the entire interview, but kept watch on every noise, movement, and emotion in the entire busy room, all from her perch on a very high chair. It was like sitting next to a very sweet and friendly radar dish, without the blipping part.
These two intelligent young people have a bright future, and hopefully many more NWSS trials to come (okay, so they’re not both people, but this breed is smarter than the average human, so we’re going to give them that).
Links:https://livestockentry.nationalwestern.com/results/308/stock-dog-intermediate-cattle-trial?custom_result_or_division=Division&custom_result_or_division_id=155
https://nationalcattledog.com/national-western-cattledog-trial-2022/
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/border-collie/
http://www.bordercolliesociety.com/
https://www.bordercolliesociety.com/akc-standard/
https://www.britannica.com/animal/canine
https://bordercolliehealth.com/smooth-coat-border-collie/
https://www.frommfamily.com/r/12807
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We hail our friend, the tireless vet
A humbler man we’ve never met
And praise he’ll very rarely get
From cow or sheep or avocet
John Ewing is the dear man’s name
The Stock Show is his claim to fame
(And cheetahs and some real wild game)
But fields a fearsome rugby game
We leave you with this kindly man
(with bison he has also ran)
We now are veterinary fans
The whole darn agri-Culture clan
Links:
https://nationalwestern.com
https://bisoncentral.com
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Jim Matheson, Executive Director of the National Bison Association, took a few moments to speak with us during the Buffalo and the Bison loadouts (No, we’re just being goofy – both are now accepted in common speech, as you’ll hear). We don’t know if he knows Ted Turner, but he does know his marketing stuff, and is a great representative of this wild and wooly breed of livestock. They might seem like the new kids on the block in the world of protein, but they’ve been on this continent longer than any of us newcomers. The general human population is only now discovering the health and land-regenerative benefits of this awe-inspiring creature. Join us for a conversation on the chilly grounds of the Event Center at the 2023 National Western Stock Show.
Links:https://bisoncentral.com/bison-perfected-by-nature/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_bison
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_bison#cite_note-10
https://www.tedturner.com/2017/07/bison-enthusiasts-gather-ted-turners-ranch/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_heaviest_land_mammals
https://www.explore.org/livecams/currently-live/plains-bison-grasslands-national-park-cam-1
https://www.explore.org/livecams/currently-live/plains-bison-grasslands-national-park-cam-3
https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=buffalo#B5544800
https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/news/its-bison-not-buffalo-and-other-american-bison-facts
www.nationaltoday.com (for bison month)
www.dakotabuffalo.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_bison
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There were many exciting things at this year’s National Western Stock Show, but one of the highlights was the group meeting up on the side pens of the Event Center. The Bison people were there in force, and the critters they came with stole the show, even if it was 25 degrees and snowing. Especially since it was that cold, because in the frigid air the already impressive and feisty beasts were breathing out steam from their nostrils like something out of The Hobbit.
Today, we’re sharing a conversation we had with Chad Kremer, President of the National Bison Association, Herd Manager for Custer State Park in South Dakota, long-time bison ranch owner, and title holder of the National Western’s Most Interesting Mustache. He was also a super nice guy, and a true representative of All Things Good about South Dakota. After speaking with him, it looks like another roundup might be in our filming future -- Buffalo style, so it looks like we’re going back.
Done with capitals yet? Wild, Wooly, and Untamed. With that, we’ll put our foot down (but gently)
(And as a side note – how many people can legitimately say they’re president of the NBA? How cool is that?)
Links:www.kremerbuffalo.com
https://kremerbuffalo.com/blog/
https://www.nps.gov/articles/15-facts-about-bison.htm
https://gfp.sd.gov/parks/detail/custer-state-park/
https://gfp.sd.gov/buffalo-roundup/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_bison
https://www.fws.gov/about/region/mountain-prairie
https://bisoncentral.com/
https://www.nps.gov/articles/15-facts-about-bison.htm
https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/American-Bison
https://www.rei.com/blog/camp/yes-there-are-still-bison-in-america-heres-where-to-see-them
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We’re back from the National Western Stock Show, and we thought we’d exit January with mules (no…backside-of-things jokes today, though it was tempting). Mules are some of our favorite animals, and not just because they have names like “50 Shades of Foxy.” The aptly-named Foxy and her owner Tabitha Holland of Signature Equine take a moment to bring 50% horse, 50% donkey and 120% of gorgeous muleness out of the stall to speak with us about the combinations that make life wonderful.
We’ll be talking more about the glories of blending strengths this year, so stay tuned. It’s gonna be an exciting year!
Links:www.signatureequine.com
https://nationalwesterncomplex.com/
https://nationalwestern.com/
https://www.resynergyfoundation.org/
https://americangoatfederation.org/
http://milkingdevons.org/
https://www.ctlc.org/
http://www.valaisblacknosesheepsociety.org/
https://www.savingsuffolks.com
https://sheepandwool.com
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Today, we’re speaking with Christy, who is an old friend of mine. This podcast came into being, because last October, Christy and her son Luke met up with us in Rhinebeck for the New York State Sheep and Wool festival. On one of the evenings when we lifted our tired feet off the floor, we had a conversation about taxes and accounting, as often happens, and it migrated into the joys of the Schedule F – Farm Income, and went from there. I hope today’s content is a little bit interesting even to those of you who do NOT actually file a farm return, because it turns out that climate issues, drought, and economic pricing unsurely are not the only challenges in agriculture. You have to deal with retirement issues in ways many others don’t.
Links:
https://www.irs.gov
https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs-search?search=F
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i990sf.pdf
https://www.halterproject.org
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Well as you might know (or maybe not), Elara does let me get out on my own every once in a while. This past Fall, my brother and I went on a cross country road trip from San Diego, CA to Rhinebeck, NY. We were headed back to New York to film the NY Sate Sheep and Wool Festival and I thought it would be great to do a brothers road trip. My brother has not gotten to see much of the west and so I wanted him to see some of this great country's sites. There are many that we visited from Yellowstone, Tetons, The Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Deadwood, SD, and Devils Tower. As we were driving through South Dakota we saw a sign for the World's Only Corn Palace, so we looked at each other and said we've got to check this place out. It's located in Mitchell, SD and also happens to be the hometown of Senator George McGovern, who by the way was instrumental in the creation of the United Nations-run World Food Program. As we walked in to look around, I said to my brother that we need to get an interview about this place and find out its history. There we were connected to Doug Greenway, the director of the Corn Palace and he was gracious enough to give us a few minutes of his time and to give us brief run down of this buildings origin.
Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_Palace
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_McGovern
https://cornpalace.com
https://sheepandwool.com
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The New York State Sheep & Wool Festival was just last month, and it’s Thanksgiving already. We’ve got a podcast for you from the wild and wooly, festive and colorful event.
If you’re in a work truck or jeans ad with all of those good looking farm people tossing bales of hay around, you might get the impression that anyone who produces food or fiber in America is…well, pretty vanilla. And considering how many of our ag products are an amalgamation of cultures and peoples throughout our history (corn, beans, pigs, horses, cattle, turkey, cranberries, squash…), maybe we’d be smart to stop and think about how diversity has made us strong.
The BIPOC booth at Rhinebeck represented a slice of an underrepresented category in most of the visible ag press these days, and we were glad these delightfully different took time out from the crowd questions to answer some of ours (the gorgeous combinations of fiber and an aqua-color to (hand) dye for were developing right there in their breed barn booth. Delicious). BIPOC is an acronym that stands for Black, Indigenous and People of Color, and though some might wonder if this podcast will be politically correct – not so. We hope you hear it and do your own thinking about why representation is so important to agricultural diversity of all types. Our strength in humanity is in our many shapes sizes, and colors, and we hope you celebrate them all with us.
Links:https://sheepandwool.com/
IG: @theknottycat
IG: @viva_acres
IG: @anne.choi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Sisters_(agriculture)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayflower
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We’re (almost) all back from the New York State Sheep & Wool Festival, aka “Rhinebeck,” to those in the fiber universe. It was (largely) a success, as our Livestream event went (mostly) as planned. You can watch the workshops, shows and other snippets for yourself on our YouTube channel if you missed the lively weekend, and see the fantastic Fall colors that were on display as a backdrop for the Camelid and sheep parades and cashmere goat judging (or was the cashmere goat jumping? Nope – that was the llamas). Equipment auction? Got that, too. We hope you tune in to see a little bit of all that for yourself.
Want to volunteer for the 2023 show? Follow the links to be included in the ranks of the brave, hardworking people that have kept this thing going since 1980.
On the podcast today we have a conversation with one of the main movers and shakers of this undertaking. Claire Houlihan is President of the Board of Directors for the Dutchess County Sheep and Wool Growers Association, a fantastic nonprofit that focuses on education and promotion of all things fiber. We think that there’s no better way to do that than the New York State Sheep & Wool Festival, and we hope to see you there in 2023.
(Minus the urgent care visit next time, though, if possible.)
Links:https://www.dcswga.org/about
https://www.dcswga.org/
https://www.dcswga.org/volunteer-your-time
https://sheepandwool.com/
https://www.youtube.com/c/BackyardGreenFilms/featured
https://battenkillfibers.com/
https://www.cornwallyarnshop.com/
https://hvtextileproject.org/history/
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/michelle-hinchey
https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-signs-new-york-textile-act-strengthen-new-yorks-manufacturing-industry#:~:text=Legislation%20%28S.8741A%2FA.9649A%29%2C%20named%20the%20New%20York%20Textile%20Act%2C,animal%20fibers%20that%20are%20grown%20in%20New%20York.
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This past weekend we attended the NY State Sheep and Wool Festival, also known as Rhinebeck...which of course is in Rhinebeck, New York. It has become an annual pilgrimage for Rick and I. We love coming back to the Hudson Valley this time of year, there's a brisk in the air, the fall colors are beautiful, and the sheep people are in town...not only the sheep people, but the goats, angora rabbits, llamas, musk oxen, and alpacas too. It's just wonderful!
Today's guest is Mary Badcock. Fiber artist, handspinner, and wool judge. She is an extraordinary person, who has traveled the world in the name of fiber, and has been attending Rhinebeck for over 35 years.
If you're not familiar with this event, here's a little information about it. The first festival was held in 1972 and it's been held every October since at the Dutchess County Fair grounds. It started out with just a few people wanting buy, trade, and sale there fiber products and animals and has grown to have an annual attendance of 35,000 plus people.
Links:
https://sheepandwool.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_State_Sheep_and_Wool_Festival
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber_art
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_spinning
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This month is the traditional time to celebrate Halloween, so we have a creepy crawly podcast for you this time around. Maia Holmes from The Bug Zoo at Colorado State University sits down to talk turkey with us. Oops – that’s next month. Maia sits down with us to talk about all things insects, what the Bug Zoo does, and why these poor critters are completely undeserving of the reputation they have and the reaction they engender. She reminds us that it’s not just the bees that can be a friend to man. After all, if you think Halloween is scary, just try thinking about life would be like without little scavengers picking up all of our crumbs. The Horror!
We would just like to note that for this one, we lasted an hour without visibly scratching in the little room of a thousand bugs. We hope you’re proud.
And thanks again, Franck. You’re a prince among men. And we're not even standing in the Weed Lab when we say that.
Links:https://www.colostate.edu/
https://stem.colostate.edu/events/the-csu-bug-zoo/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelob
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls066408737/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starship_Troopers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linnaean_taxonomy#:~:text=The%20Linnaean%20classes%20for%20plants%2C%20in%20the%20Sexual,8.%20Octandria%3A%20flowers%20with%208%20stamens%20More%20items
https://web.archive.org/web/20150801154338/http://iczn.org/
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Franck-Dayan
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R5WBGBS?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_0&storeType=ebooks&qid=1665005969&sr=8-1
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/which-crops-plants-are-pollinated-by-honey-bees.html#:~:text=Which%20Crops%20Are%20Pollinated%20By%20Honey%20Bees%3F%201,pollination.%20...%202%20Great%20...%203%20Modest%20
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Today we’re bringing you a conversation from the exotic location of…San Diego! The American Sheep Industry Association’s annual meeting this year was held in our home city, and we managed to be at home to catch it.
Today, we’re speaking with Scott Stewart, Managing Director for the National Livestock Producers Association. He discussed how this national nonprofit organization helps its members through one of the more prickly parts of agriculture – the financial side of the equation. Their mission statement includes words like “advocacy” and “fair, competitive markets,” not to mention the “financial services” part. And who doesn’t smile when they hear something like “The Sheep & Goat Innovation Fund?” Just imagine what that might include. Small ruminants need new computers, too (Okay, maybe not, but you’ll find out when you listen).
Two quick thank you’s on this one: To Scott Stewart, for wearing that lovely vest. Wow. And to P.A. Emily, for our closing sound effects. All of you sheeple will recognize that one from the barn at 3:00 a.m. in lambing season, I’m sure.
Links:https://www.sheepusa.org/newsletter/2022-asi-annual-convention
https://nlpa.wildapricot.org/
https://nlpa.wildapricot.org/Sheep-&-Goat-Fund
https://nlpa.wildapricot.org/Leadership
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We’re back from our trip to the San Juan Islands, which can comfortably be said to be one of the most beautiful places on the planet. It’s full of natural beauty and interesting creatures, so on the way over to geographical bliss, you’ll stand on the windswept deck of the Anacortes ferry, viewing and smelling glorious the forested stretches of Sitka spruce, western red cedar and shore pines which blanket the shoreline of the Salish Sea and the Olympic Peninsula. You’ll be amazed by the local residents – things like seals, Bald Eagles, migrating salmon, Orcas, and Akhal-Teke horses.
Wait. What? The beautifully exotic horse from Turkmenistan? Yep, they were there too. The ever-gracious Amrita Ibold set up an amazing visit, which not only included a visit to the so-friendly-they-could-be-dogs Akhal-Teke horses themselves (favorites from our last visit), but also a truly exotic interview with Gul Muhammet and his friend, representatives and leaders from the Turkmenian community in Seattle. To top it off, there were authentic costumes and tack for our cameras to capture, and a beach and forest ride featuring the amazing equines. As an experience, it will be hard to top this one in the BYGF universe.
Turkmenistan is not too far from Ukraine, another place we hear a lot about these days. As you listen to today’s podcast, we hope you might think about the people who can appreciate the current impact of all of those things we hear on the news, and write in history books. Keeping the “Culture” part of agri-Culture is what it’s all about. It’s the “living” part of our living history.
Links:http://www.akhalteke.cc/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salish_Sea
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkmenistan
https://www.britannica.com/place/Turkmenistan/Turkmen-tribes-and-Russian-invasion
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Fall might seem to be the beginning of the end for some things - leaves, the start of move toward the final season of the year, and a dormant time. But for some, it is a time of beginnings; a new school year, and the move toward a new life. What do I want to do and where will I go? Like farmers, the decisions that a student makes might impact their path for the next 50 years.
We have one of those with us today. Kyley Abrams is just starting her second year at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (SLO), as an Animal Science major. She loves horses, is learning about goats and pigs, and got to castrate a sheep in her first year. Things will only get more exciting from here.
We're on the ferry to the San Juan Islands to visit Amrita Ibold on this visit, but stopped for a moment on the ferry to enjoy the ride and talk with someone who has the whole vast ocean of possibilities ahead.
Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkmenistan
http://www.akhalteke.cc
https://wsdot.wa.gov
https://www.calpoly.edu
https://www.visitsanjuans.com
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David Kline is one of the Plain People, but to us he is anything but boring. He’s a naturalist, writer, farmer and all-around interesting man. He joined us at the 2021 Horse Progress Days exhibition in Mt. Hope, Ohio.
Links:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A7UPDPK/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
https://horseprogressdays.com
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Last fall Elara and I had the opportunity to travel to Colorado and go to CSU in Ft. Collins. There we met up with Professor Frank Dayan who teaches and studies Plant Physiology, Biochemistry, Mode of Action, and Biosynthesis. He had a 20-year career as a research plant physiologist for the USDA-ARS, before coming to Colorado State University. He and the team at the weed lab (no not that kind of weed) are a fascinating bunch, who love what they do. So, please enjoy our conversation with Frank Dayan and what you can learn from studying weeds.
Links:
https://agsci.colostate.edu/people/directory-page/personnel-information/?userName=fdayan
https://agsci.colostate.edu/weedscience/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weed_science
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This week's episode is with guest interviewer ABGA Executive Director Katie Carruth, as she speaks with Judge Phil Myers about the ins and outs of grading livestock in the ring.
Links:
https://www.abga.org
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James Reams (1956-2022)
So many songs to sing; and so little time to sing them. That was the mantra of James Reams, beloved and well-known Bluegrass performer and song writer. Because of his driving promotion of Bluegrass and Americana music, he had earned several nicknames durning his lifetime that reflected his contributions to the genre; Kentucky Songbird, Father of Brooklyn Bluegrass, and Ambassador of Bluegrass.
Unfortunately for those of us who loved him, and the many people who were impacted by his zest for life and music he has passed on. On June 17th at 4:30 in the afternoon he passed away, at home surrounded by family and friends who loved him. Just a few days before his death, he commented to those sitting by his bed, “Dying – this gives me an idea of a new song.”
James who was raised in the hills of Appalachia, was exposed to bluegrass from the time he could walk. At an early age he showed a talent for writing and performing the music of the region. James spent many an hour watching the regional variety show “Cas Walker Farm and Home Hour”. The Farm and Home Hour featured many of the pioneers of bluegrass and launched many emerging stars. This, along with his father’s love of bluegrass had a profound effect on him.
Kentucky Songbird
James earned the nickname Kentucky Songbird by building an extensive library of work during his three-decade career and ten album releases. IBMA nominated him as Emerging Artist of the Year. The same year he was also nominated for Recording Event of the Year for his album James Reams, Walter Hensley and the Barons of Bluegrass.
His latest album release occurred early in 2022. It is a massive 2 CD release with thirty songs - Like a Flowing River & Soundtrack Album on Mountain Redbird Music. This highly anticipated project follows the release of a documentary film from the previous year. The documentary celebrates the long musical performing and song writing career of James.
Father of Brooklyn Bluegrass
This James identifier was conferred on him because of his role in being a founding father of the Park Slope Bluegrass Oldtime Music Jamboree in Brooklyn, New York. This music event started in 1998, was organized by James, along with his long-time partner Tina Aridas.
The event was a glorious celebration of bluegrass music. It accomplished this by combining live performances and workshops over a two-day period in September each year. The event was popular and attracted top performers from the northeast, and hundreds of participants every year.
Ambassador of Bluegrass
James promoted the spread of bluegrass beyond the release of his albums and extensive touring. A major accomplishment of his was the releasing of two documentary films that sought to spread the music he loved to people who otherwise not had an opportunity to sample this foot-stomping music. In 2021 the documentary of James’ bluegrass life in was released, Like a Flowing River: A Bluegrass Passage. The film that captures the spirit of what it means to be a musician, documenting all of the twists and turns that occur on a musician’s journey.
On top of the previously mentioned accomplishments, James was also an ex-president of the Arizona Bluegrass Association. James has been a busy contributor to bluegrass from the early days of his career. His passion for music can be seen in his everyday life. You can be sure if there is a kitchen table in heaven, James will be sitting at it singing a soulful tune.
Music from Mountain Redbird Music
Links:
http://www.jamesreams.com
https://bluegrasstoday.com/james-reams-passes/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Reams
https://www.youtube.com/user/MrJamesReams
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We won’t be bringing you our typical podcast for the next few weeks, because we’re doing a Bowman left. Those of you who are regular listeners might remember that that’s the swerve in plans we tend to do if we find something interesting to pick up. Sometimes that’s sudden, sometimes expected, but either way it’s a departure from our norm.
We’re about to get on a plane to head to Grand Island, Nebraska, because this week is the 2022 American Boer Goat Association’s National Show. Last year we had an exhausting but truly fun time running around filming all week in the barns, and the show ring and the surrounding farms, all on behalf of the ABGA.
Links:
http://triplewgenetics.com/
https://www.abga.org/
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The Chowchilla FFA has earned the title of State Champions for Dairy Cattle Evaluation, and we have two of those proud titleholding individuals with us today. Mr. Brad Bitter, FFA Advisor, and his student Sydney Alexander politely allowed us to waylay them for a quick conversation amid the bustling halls of the 2021 FFA Convention.
Staying true to the nature of Californians, there’s no shortage of topical variety - Though we are Californians, after all, so we did include drought, fire, water, cows, and dropping off the western coast in the next big one (okay, not that last part, but yes to the rest).
It takes all types to make a world, and California has examples of nearly everything. Variety is the spice of life.
Links:https://sites.google.com/chowchillahigh.org/chowchillaffa/home
https://sites.google.com/chowchillahigh.org/chowchillaffa/ffa-advisors?authuser=0
https://convention.ffa.org/
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We met up with Paul and Darlene Miller from Windy Creek Farm in New York while we were at the annual North American Suffolk Horse meetup at the Ashtabula County fairgrounds in Ohio. As usual we were on our way to Horse Progress Days and decided to take a Bowman left.
There aren’t that many Suffolk Punch horses around anymore. It’s really a shame, because a rich history, smarts, and hardworking traits all in one compact package aren’t as common as you would hope anymore. We enjoyed our get-together for many reasons last Fall at The North American Suffolk Horse association’s annual gathering – the Punchers, we might call them. But the thing that truly made it memorable was to meet a group of people who encapsulate those characteristics that we see in the horse itself. They show an appreciation for the history of their breed. They’re hardworking, but not showy about it; And they do it all with intelligence, compassion and grace, in one small but mighty organization.
We’re looking forward to the Fall, Ralph, and we plan on meeting up with you, Ken and Val, the (this couple’s name here), and the rest of the small but mighty Suffolk Punchers at the Ashtabula County Fairgrounds in October. And if you arrange to have us experience that thundering rain again, we’ll turn up the microphones.
Links:
https://www.suffolkpunch.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffolk_Punch
https://ricelandmeadows.com
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Have you ever seen one of those commercials for an all-American heavy-duty truck, with an all-American cowboy or farmer? They’re usually off-loading dirty-but-not-too-dirty hay into a field, parked on a majestic mesa, with the sun shining about. There’s not a lot of sweat, and perfectly-placed dirt on all the faces. No dirt on the cows, either. It’s lovely and stirs the patriotic soul. But the glories that can be achieved with a model, perfect lighting and a 20-person crew are not the reality of what actually happens on a farm. It’s dirty. It’s difficult. And it’s really, really hard work with really long hours, seven days a week.
Sometimes you meet people who are the epitome of all that, without the aid of the makeup girl or the continuity department. You know them when you see them, and they don’t usually talk much about it, they just do it. They built our agricultural production system in this country. Today, we have an impromptu tailgate conversation with one of those people.
Jeremy Michaud, from East Hardwick, Vermont is the head of the Michaud family, Kingdom Creamery, and Clair-A-Den Farm. He is a no-nonsense man, with a strong love of family and the commitment it takes to raise a human being with solid values. He is a perfect example of the best characteristics of the multipurpose American Milking Devon Cattle breed, because he gets right down to business, and does as much as he can to move forward in good times and bad.
(Though we do have to say that in our 90-degree weather last weekend, we did wish we had a 20-person crew and an air-conditioned star trailer).
Links:http://milkingdevons.org/index.html
https://www.kingdomcreameryofvermont.org/
http://afs.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/milkingdevon/index.html/
https://www.vtfarmtoplate.com/organization/kingdom-creamery-of-vermont
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Every once in a great while you meet people who are just plain special. The Hostetler Family and the company they run, Mountain Meadow Wool, is a true family affair. Now, we aren't talking of just the related kind, but the Hostetler's run their business and treat everyone who works for them as family. Rick and I saw this first hand as we filmed there in Buffalo, Wyoming last week. So, today we bring you part two of our story from Mountain Meadow Wool. We speak with Karen's son Ben, as he takes us through some of the day's adventures at the mill. Ellen who was our extraordinary tour guide through the facilities, explaining how things operate and introducing to some of the wonderful workers who help produce their products. So, please sit back and listen to the sounds of the mill in full operation and the people who love what they do.
Links:https://mountainmeadowwool.com/
https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/most-famous-national-parks-set-visitation-records-in-2021.htm
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/annual-visitation-highlights.htm
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/highlights.htm
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We’re back from the cold and snowy north. Our trip to Mountain Meadow Mill in Buffalo, Wyoming was delightful, and today we’re bringing you a conversation with Karen Hostetler, its founder – who is also the matriarch of a fast-growing clan of Hostetlers.
They were a truly nice bunch, and we’ll definitely want to go back again after this trip (even after next week’s podcast with Ben, aka Hostetler #2). The Wyoming and Montana regions are full of many things, even though many people don’t think of what surrounds one of the country’s most famous and majestic National Parks. Sheep ranching, Basque and other history, and more things than we can quickly mention abound in this area, so we’ll be back. Maybe we’ll have to buy another sweater, too, just in case it gets cold again.
Links:https://mountainmeadowwool.com/
https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/most-famous-national-parks-set-visitation-records-in-2021.htm
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/annual-visitation-highlights.htm
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/highlights.htm
http://toprams.com/catalog.htm
https://www.shepherdslane.com/
https://mountainmeadowwool.com/collections/apparel/products/mountain-merino-wool-hoodies
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We’re back on the road, and we’re celebrating this Spring burst of energy with a giveaway from Premier 1 Supplies. Joe Putnam will give us a quick check in on the shipping news, and we tell you how to put your hat in the ring for the freebee.
And next time…not just the old run of the mill. Literally.
Links:https://www.premier1supplies.com/
https://www.ctlr.org/
https://www.abga.org/
https://www.milkingdevons.org/index.html
https://www.sheepusa.org/
https://www.heritageyak.com/board
https://www.holistichooves.com/about
https://www.shepherdslane.com/
https://mountainmeadowwool.com/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
In honor of all of us surviving an overload of people, places and holidays in the news this month, we’re giving you another conjunction – the FFA and the Collegian FFA and Farm Bureau Chapter Ag Club at SUNY Morrisville. And a Mustang. And a tractor. And 60,000 kids (okay, we didn’t have the 60,000 kids on the mic, but they were all there in the background somewhere in the building).
The practice of agriculture is not just only a “raise either cows or pigs or wheat or corn” thing anymore for today’s youth. The field is wide open (so to speak), and the future is theirs to shape.
Links:https://www.morrisville.edu/?msclkid=20dfb492c11711ec8394a404619d3355
https://astronomy.com/observing/sky-this-week/2022/04/the-sky-this-week-from-april-15-to-22
https://www.afar.com/magazine/northern-lights-making-rare-appearance-in-the-us-right-now
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
https://convention.ffa.org/2021-convention-streaming/?msclkid=59b77265c11411ecacb1180480baeddf
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Every once in a while life and art intertwine. This week we bring you James Reams, who is a musician and artist who started life off in Kentucky, traveled to Wisconsin and had a long career in New York. He has been named the Kentucky Songbird and the Ambassador of Bluegrass, but he started life off on a farm. We caught up with James in Arizona this week, where we sat down with him to talk about his background and how farming and music have some similarities. Both are an art form.
Links:
http://www.jamesreams.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Reams
https://www.facebook.com/jamesreams.barnstormers/
https://bluegrasstoday.com/rough-around-the-edges-from-james-reams/
https://www.bluegrassunlimited.com/article/like-a-flowing-river-soundtrack-album/
https://www.amazon.com/music/player/albums/B09LZ7Z7FF?ref=sr_1_1&keywords=James+Reams+like+a+flowing+river&crid=3ADURMU6V091K&sprefix=james+reams+like+a+flowing+river%2Caps%2C259&qid=1649871513&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.com/James-Reams-Flowing-Bluegrass-Passage/dp/B08DCVLTQX/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3ADURMU6V091K&keywords=James+Reams+like+a+flowing+river&qid=1649871513&sprefix=james+reams+like+a+flowing+river%2Caps%2C259&sr=8-2
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
This week we are in Oregon at Shepherds Lane and it's lambing season - again. There's no sleep for a shepherd at this time of year, and Joy Dally tells us all about it. A shepherd's life isn't an easy one, and we're getting a crash course in the glorious highs and sad lows of a real reality show - life on a farm. We are following her as she goes and we hope you follow along with us this Spring.
We couldn't have a better shepherdess to guide us.
Links:
https://www.shepherdslane.com/
https://mountainmeadowwool.com/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We've mentioned that we are going to start to periodically check in with some people we've met along the way, bringing you a moment of conversation. The ag update, so to speak. Sometimes it's a farmer, sometimes it's a research scientist, and sometimes it's a supplier.
Today we are speaking with Joe Putnam from Premier 1 Supplies.
Links:
https://www.premier1supplies.com
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
In the spirit of that impromptu moment that often happens in the Bowman universe, today we're going to bring you a quick conversation that occurred at the National Western Stock Show this January. You might know that the draft horses hold a special place for me, and there are very few things that are as majestic and glorious as a full hitch at speed thundering around the ring. One of those hitches this year was driven by a woman named Audrey Popoff, from Colton, California.
And since March is officially Women's History Month, I think it's only appropriate for you to hear this one today. From the National Western Stock Show 2022, here's Champion Draft Ladies Team Driver, Audrey Popoff, of Unhitched Ranch.
Links:
https://unhitchedranch.com
https://nationalwestern.com/horse-shows/horse-exhibitors/horse-show-results/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clydesdale_horse
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Small ruminants are the bedrock of agriculture in much of this little ball of rock we humans inhabit. That said, here in North America they can be an afterthought for much of the population. We think that's going to change.
Whether they're used for meat or fiber (or even as pack animals these days for a trek through the wilderness), we believe the time has come for us to rexamine the "lost category" of small ruminants. This year, one of the themes we'll be following at Backyard Green Films is the use of these animals in our agricultural production systems; How sheep, goats, and other small ruminants can help us to maximize our potential output and minimize some of the environmental issues we're dealing with today (think climate change, wildfires, drought, and the need for all of those cozy socks).
Today we're bringing you a panel discussion with a group that's working to help out those in the goat universe, whether they be milk or meat or fiber production, pack animals, or even the desire to educate the consumer base about the benefits of this diverse species. Join us as we speak with Tom Boyer, Tammy Fisher and Randy Dusek about what the American Goat Federation does, and why this just might be the Year of the Goat, no matter what the calendar says.
Links:
https://americangoatfederation.org
https://www.abga.org
https://www.sheepusa.org
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Today’s excerpt is from a now-public domain book called Everybody’s Standard Poultry Guide, Second Edition, Volume I. It was Published in 1919 by Everybody’s Poultry Magazine Publishing Company, Hanover, PA. The copy I have in my hand was a bit of a romantic present from my hubby, because he knows I love old books. This book is a beautiful thing, though. The pages are so old, they have a buff patina that looks like they have been dipped in tea, and every time I turn a page it emits that really great old bookstore smell. The language is slightly formal, but not so much that I can’t relate to it; It’s just enough to easily be able to imagine a weary farmer sitting in the light of an oil lamp, writing out the draft on an old beat up farmstyle kitchen table.
These words here are over a hundred years old, and a few things have very much changed. But it’s truly amazing how many of the basic things in farm life are very, very much the same.
We hope you enjoy going back to the past with this week’s reading from Everybody’s Standard Poultry Guide, edited by H.P. Schwab.
Links:
https://archive.org/about/
https://archive.org/details/cu31924003148800
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Model_T
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We bring you another episode of our Fencepost Ruminations talk with Tammy White from Wing and a Prayer Farm in Shaftsbury, Vermont. It's March and Tammy is taking a few minutes from her day to share what's happening at her farm this month. Whether early in the morning or late at night, you’ll get an intimate glimpse into her conversation that occurs between a human and her animal. For all of you real and pretend farmers out there, this one’s for you.
Links:
https://www.wingandaprayerfarm.com
https://www.etsy.com/shop/wingandaprayerfarm
https://www.instagram.com/wingandaprayerfarm/?hl=en
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/37078001
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
This week we travel back to Indiana for the 2021 Future Farmers of America National Convention. There we met up with our good friends from the American Boer Goat Association, who loaned us a couple of roving reporters from the Junior ABGA, Logan and Alaina. They interviewed FFA Star Farmer Emily Acevedo from Bradford FFA in Florida who says her agriscience journey started in the sixth grade when her show goat unexpectedly gave birth at the Florida State Fair. Next up Elara spoke with Nate Perry, Managing Director for Hopper Institute for Ag Studies, Huntington University and Jesse Kimmel ABGA member and Adjunct Professor at Huntington University.
Links:
https://www.ffa.org
https://www.abga.org
https://www.huntington.edu
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boer_goat
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Watching the Winter Olympics this week made us think back to last Fall and the Future Farmers of America's National Convention. Well, you might say to yourself, "What do the Army, the FFA and the Olympics have to do with each other?" You'll find out as we speak with Lt. Col. Quint and his associate Jane Tyler, as they introduce us to 2020 Tokyo Olympian Sgt. Phillip Jungman.
Links:
https://www.ffa.org
https://recruiting.army.mil/army_marksmanship/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillip_Jungman
https://www.teamusa.org/usa-shooting/athletes/Phillip-Jungman
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
When you’re the guardian of a living creature – human, livestock or other -- there are some really tough decisions to make. Do I homeschool or do the public option? Do I do surgical intervention or see how they do on their own? Do I breed, cull or slaughter (not on the human side, obviously). In these days of technical innovation, there are some fantastic tools out there to help us make decisions, but not only are they expensive, they’re sometimes hard to figure out. Whether it’s SAT scores and a Myers-Briggs test or genome mapping for parentage and production traits, it’s often difficult to know where to start.
Today, we’re speaking with Ted Kalbfleisch, Associate Professor at the University of Kentucky. He understands the logistical challenges that arise from the attempt to start the genetic testing path, and the cost and paperwork that often gets in the way of progress. He has an idea for gathering genetic information that incorporates the benefits of the grass-roots concept (ha – get it?), working together to help the little guys get started on the path toward the holy grail – genetic mapping, and all the secrets it holds. He has written a grant to get there (with some really great news on that this week), and all it might take is an email in his inbox, if you want to be a part of it.
Links:https://gluck.ca.uky.edu/person/ted-kalbfleisch
https://nationalwestern.com/
http://www.ca.uky.edu/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Fencepost Flights of Fancy? Ruminations from the Field? Upside-down Bucket Talks? My Favorite Way to Ruminate? No matter what we end up calling these monthly segments, they’re bound to be interesting, and we hope you pitch in to give suggestions on your favorite name.
We’re going to bring you a few moments from the lives of those in the agricultural community (read: farmers and ranchers and the like), in their own words. Whether early in the morning or late at night, you’ll get an intimate glimpse into those conversations that occur between a human and his or her animal. Or stalk of corn. Or maybe the fencepost or the dirt, depending upon how deep they are into sleep deprivation in lambing or calving or harvest season. For all of you real and pretend farmers out there, this one’s for you.
Links:
https://www.wingandaprayerfarm.com
https://www.etsy.com/shop/wingandaprayerfarm
https://www.instagram.com/wingandaprayerfarm/?hl=en
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/37078001
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
This past weekend we went to the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado. Have you ever wondered what it takes to put on a show like this, especially one that runs for 3 weeks? Well we had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Kelly Lombardi, the Director of Volunteer Services to explain just how many volunteers and staff it takes work in front and behind the scenes to pull this historic stock show off.
Links:
https://nationalwestern.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Western_Stock_Show
https://www.denver.org/milehighholidays/national-western-stock-show/
https://www.colorado.com/articles/national-western-stock-show
https://www.historycolorado.org/national-western-stock-show
https://nationalwestern.com/about/history/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
In this week's episode, we sit down with four breed organization members. We have representatives from the World Heritage Yak Conservancy, American Boer Goat Association, Cattlemen's Texas Longhorn Registry, and American Milking Devon Cattle Association to discuss genetics, small farms, and what makes their livestock breeds so unique.
Links:
https://www.heritageyak.com
https://www.ctlr.org
https://www.abga.org
https://www.milkingdevons.org
https://livestockconservancy.org
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Our book selection:
The Trail Drivers of Texas (University of Texas Press)
Killing of “Billy the Kid” (Pg. 240-242)Links:https://utpress.utexas.edu/
https://utpress.utexas.edu/books/huntra
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Goodnight-Loving-Trail
https://www.thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/fort-griffin-state-historic-site
https://www.thc.texas.gov/search?query=cattle+trail&form_token=&form_id=search_form&cx=004905124693252667962%3Asxyaskemxxg&ie=UTF-8
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We’re starting off the podcast year on a beautifully sunny but slightly chilly day in Connecticut. Cam (Cameron) and Chip (Chester) Falkowski of C&C Back Achers Farm join us for a conversation about the wonderful combinations that can occur when you play with the ingredients a little. Scottish Highland and Belted Galloway Cattle, American Boer and Cashmere Goats (though they don’t mix the cattle and the goats – ha, ha), and multiple generations in this great family - all blending together to make a successful mixture.
Their farm is located in countryside straight out of a magazine, and the animals dotting the hills do nothing but add to the glory. We might have to go back to film again – even if we have to make something up. They were just that nice, and it was just that fun.
Links:
https://backachersfarmct.com
https://www.facebook.com/people/CC-Back-Achers-Farm/100006162618146/
https://abga.org
https://abga.org/jabga/
https://www.highlandcattleusa.org
https://beltie.org
https://cashmeregoatassociation.org
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We are a little goofy at this time of the year. So, Elara and I put a little ditty together to start this week's episode off, but it's not about Jack and Diane. It'll go down as a classic. We look forward to bringing you more fun and exciting episodes from our adventures in the upcoming year, but we won't give up our day jobs. Happy New Year!!
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We give you the Real Origin Story (so we’ve heard) of Santa’s sled, and the valiant beasts that pull it.
Happy Holidays, everyone.
Links:
https://www.bing.com/search?q=A+Visit+from+St.+Nicholas&efirst=0&ecount=50&filters=tnTID%3a%2217C301C5-FC14-4bbc-A7A5-242874C90864%22+tnVersion%3a%224371033%22+Segment%3a%22popularnow.carousel%22+tnCol%3a%2235%22+tnOrder%3a%22bc2683e4-dec3-4a71-9c65-e6f85ac2fa90%22&form=HPNN01
https://www.bing.com/search?q=‘A+Visit+from+St.+Nicholas’&FORM=OTDHYL
https://poets.org/poem/visit-st-nicholas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Visit_from_St._Nicholas
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
This week we would like to thank all of the farmers and ranchers who work so hard to bring food to our tables. Unfortunately most of the time these hard working people are not thanked enough. We all have stress with our jobs, but for many of us we don't have the added challenges of weather, trade embargoes, and how that's going to affect the price of their crops this year. While we were at the FFA National Show this year we had the opportunity to speak with Abby Heidenreich from the Purdue Extension Farm Stress Team and how and what they do to help farm families deal with some of these issues.
According to Sean Brotherson, professor and extension family science specialist North Dakota State University. “Farming happens to be one of the more stressful occupations that people engage in in the United States,” and “There’s research that suggests it’s consistently among the top 10 most stressful [and dangerous] occupations.”
Farm families are under increased stress each year. It's becoming chronic and has taken a toll on farmers and ranchers, resulting in mental health concerns. This should concern all of us. Agriculture is the bedrock of our economy and we depend on farmers for our daily needs.
So, as we sit down for our holiday dinner this year, take a moment and thank that farmer or rancher who helped put that food on your table.
Links:
https://extension.purdue.edu/farmstress/tag/abby-heidenreich/
https://bangordailynews.com/2020/01/06/homestead/what-are-the-causes-of-stress-among-farmers/
https://farms.extension.wisc.edu/articles/farm-stress-decision-making-during-challenging-times/
https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/publications/kids-family/farm-stress-fact-sheets-stress-management-for-farmers-ranchers
https://www.farmaid.org/blog/fact-sheet/why-farmers-face-unique-threats-from-stress/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tools-for-todays-farmers/id1531729490
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We’re not taking you to church, but we are going to a monastery (you never thought we’d start a podcast with that one, I bet).
Join us, as we talk to Mother Katherine at the Holy Myrrhbearers Monastery in Otego, New York. Join us, and over 50 sheep, 12 goats, 3 chickens, and a guardian dog. And Mother Katherine runs the whole livestock department, if you believe that.
One of the most interesting people we’ve ever met. All that, and her fellow sisters knit a mean pair of woolen socks – to order. Call them if you don’t believe us, or if you want some, too. (607) 432-3179
Links:https://holymyrrhbearers.com/monastery.html
https://www.oca.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sephardi_Jews
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monastery
https://www.thegrowlerguys.com/belgium-and-beyond-the-trappist-breweries-and-beers/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Asclepius
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We talked a month ago about the cost of that comfy sweater from the knitting side of things, but now we’re going to go back a little bit further. The Sheep itself (or goat, or llama, or…). But that’s not the only thing we need to trace in that regard. There’s the shepherd, which sprang into existence at the moment the sheep was domesticated.
Our podcast today brings back Tammy White, of Wing and a Prayer Farm in Shaftsbury, Vermont. Little did anyone know, but among her many other talents, Tammy is a writer. Her article “The Cost of Farm Yarn” was published in Taproot Magazine’s Issue 36, and not only were they kind enough to give permission for us to broadcast it, but we have the author herself reading it. As an extra, Taproot is going to send us the pdf’s with all of that juicy cost breakdown to go with it (you accounting people are salivating, I’m sure), and we’ll post it on the Backyard Green Films YouTube channel.
For all you shepherds who watch your flocks (and herds) every cold, dark night of the year, this one’s for you.
Links:https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/domestication/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah
https://taprootmag.com/products/issue-36?variant=31025619763258
https://www.wingandaprayerfarm.com
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
A thanks to all of our listeners, sponsors, and especially all of the people who bring food to our tables each day....The Farmers
Links:https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062622/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM25-lz1Yms
https://www.theeisenberggroup.com/
https://www.dutchessfair.com/the-fairgrounds/all-events/new-york-state-sheep-wool-festival/
https://www.virtual.sheepandwool.com/41
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
In this week's episode we sit down with Becky Serres, a retired employee of Ft. Robinson State Park in Crawford, Nebraska. We were at Ft. Robinson to film the Longhorn roundup and ran into Becky as she volunteered to saddle up her horse and help herd these 125 head of cattle to their winter pasture. The Ft. Robinson herd is one of the last few publicly-owned herds of the original style of longhorns remaining in the U.S., what we might call CTLR cattle.
Besides the longhorn herd, there is plenty of history at this park as well. In August 1873, the Red Cloud Agency was moved from the North Platte River to the White River, near what is now Crawford, Nebraska, in the northwest corner of the state. The following year in 1874, the area became a military camp at the agency site. From 1874 through 1948 it housed Native Americans to German POW's, was remount station during WWI and training dogs and pack animals for the Italy Theatre in WWII.
Becky Serres worked there for 30 years, until her retirement last year. She love's the history that her great state of Nebraska and especially that of Ft. Robinson. So, please sit back and enjoy our interview with Becky Serres.
Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Robinson
http://outdoornebraska.gov/fortrobinson/
https://stateparks.com/fort_robinson_state_park_in_nebraska.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_Horse
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Soldier
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Some of us associate Cornell University with the famous birding department and nest cams (that’s you, Elara). Some might think of Cornell as the home of the Cornell Small Farms Program newsletter (also Elara). And some might think of Cornell as the school with the neat restaurant program (El…wait - what?!?). No matter what you associate with this prestigious Ivy-League school, it’s probably good. Way back in 1868 Ezra Cornell said “I would found an institution where any personal can find instruction in any study.” We think the university took that to heart, with excellent results.
Dr. Jeffrey Perry’s presence at the 2021 FFA convention was a perfect match, because not only is he a guy with really interesting ties, he’s a guy who is obviously cuckoo (still on birds a little) about education. He spoke with us about Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, about the University as a whole, and why it’s a great place to be. Here is one man who obviously epitomizes the CALS webpage statement: “Intellectual Exploration: We work together to provide new answers and ask new questions.” …no matter what the field might be, we might add. And here we thought they were just about birds.
Links:https://cals.cornell.edu/jeffrey-perry
https://www.ffa.org/
https://convention.ffa.org/
https://www.audubon.org/content/pacific-flyway
https://www.audubon.org/conservation/project/california-working-lands
https://www.cornell.edu/about/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornell_University
https://www.dfa.cornell.edu/accounting/investedfunds/currentltiprates
https://finaid.cornell.edu/detailed-breakdown-of-estimated-cost-attendance
https://news.cornell.edu/content/nobel-laureates-affiliated-cornell-university
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Kristy Meyer, FFA media and communications spokesperson extraordinaire, is today’s podcast guest. She welcomed us graciously at the 2021 FFA convention in Indianapolis, Indiana (once we could find a place to stand behind the 55,000 teenagers and a gargantuan harvester, that is).
But we have other stars of the show as well – The Interns. Backyard Green Films enlisted (drafted, coerced…) the help of two young people who we hope will make future appearances in the agri-Culture universe. Logan and Alaina of the JABGA came with us to find out more about what opportunities are available to an enterprising young person at this venue – whether it be universities, the military, or an independent media production company. Or a really big nationally-known organization, for that matter. The FFA showed an interest in poaching our interns as well - not that we blame them.
Thank you, girls, for a lovely weekend. We’ll stand in a field with you any day. Or on a convention floor (But we prefer the field, if we have a choice).
Links:https://www.ffa.org/
https://convention.ffa.org/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristy-meyer-02448a3
https://abga.org/jabga/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Wait – I thought knitting was relaxing. Now we have to do math?!? Well, that’s especially true if you knit for a living, which is hard to do if you want to survive. Because if beautiful handwork becomes something that’s just a pastime, then “past” will become the key word. Then the cost will be immeasurable. It is a skill we cannot lose, so Elara is doing her part, and faithfully buying a hand-knit sweater. And a hat. And shawl. And fingerless mittens.
Join us on our podcast, when we speak with Lis Barsuglia-Madsen, knitter extraordinaire, straight from the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival 2021. What does a bookkeeper talk to a knitter about? Debits and credits. Cost. And in the end, the bookkeeper completely ignores the bottom line and buys the gorgeous thing anyway.
Wool: $100
Buttons: $14
Keeping the skill of knitting alive: priceless.
Links:http://scandinavianweaveandknit.com/
https://www.virtual.sheepandwool.com/41
https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/inventions/newtons-cradle.htm
https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/18/business/container-port-record-backlog/index.html
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Before heading to the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival 2021, we did a farm visit to speak with one of the participants of that grand event. Siri Swanson (sheep shearer, farmer, butcher, educator and overachiever, among other things) gave us a tour of Yankee Rock Farm. When she and her partner Colin are not running around the country shearing sheep, she plies her farming trades on three or four different sites near the Green Mountains of Vermont. She has to do multiples in order to make it work, and “work” is the operative word. The beautiful four-legged residents she raises include both Border Leicesters and Finn Sheep, and (speaking of multiples) we learned some interesting new ways to increase the sheep population quickly. For this one we had to think intensely to remember what comes after “quads.”
Rhinebeck is over, but the interviews are not. This one is one that gives us hope for the future of agriculture, and the new generation of people who do it.
Links:https://www.yankeerockfarm.com/
https://www.virtual.sheepandwool.com/41
https://web.archive.org/web/20130718022110/http://hhr.highlands.com/default.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_River
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Tear_of_the_Clouds
https://darrp.noaa.gov/hazardous-waste/hudson-river
https://www.epa.gov/superfund/what-superfund
https://www.nps.gov/places/hudson-river-valley-national-heritage-area.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Airways_Flight_1549
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Tammy White, of and at Wing and a Prayer Farm. Custodian of one of the “finalist” places Elara wants to have her Elara’s ashes spread when the time comes.
(Or maybe we’ll just hope that in the next life we come back as a Shetland Sheep in Vermont.)
Links:
https://www.wingandaprayerfarm.com/
https://www.virtual.sheepandwool.com/41
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
From Sustainable Solano’s website…
“We are a grassroots, countywide movement uniting people through work that aims to serve the future of Solano County, to promote ecologically regenerative, economically and socially just communities in a world that works for everyone. Sustainable Solano has grown out of decades of dedicated community work that started with community gardens and has grown to include an emphasis on creating sustainable, regenerative environments, community capacity building, supporting local food systems and building youth leadership and workforce skills for a better future.”
That’s definitely right up our alley, and perfect for those that want to support their local food supply. But can they cook? The answer is undoubtedly “Yes!”
Listen in to this week’s podcast, as we chat with Chef Stephanie Oelsligle Jordan – Sustainable Solano’s Program Manager, Chef Extraordinaire, and spreader-of-the-good-vibes (and yummy cold lentil salad on a warm summer night). We met at a farm screening of the Holstein Dilemma documentary (the Ag and Art Film Fest in Vacaville, California is again right up our alley), and were truly impressed with the yummy offerings.
Follow the links to make your own at home. Here is a recipe and support-your-local-farm-system combination that gives back – to your heart and your stomach.
Links:
http://sustainablesolano.org/
http://sustainablesolano.org/our-team/
http://sustainablesolano.org/local-food/
https://agandartfilmfestival.com/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
It’s Donkey Season again!
If you don’t know why it’s Donkey Season, you’ll have to listen to the podcast intro to find out. But not only do you get your curiosity satisfied on that count, you get to hear one of our favorite interviews in its entirety. Dr. Amy McClean (B.S., M.S., Ph.D., thank you very much) gives us a quick lesson on the joys of the donkey universe – and we didn’t even have to pay tuition at UC Davis to hear it (Although we have to say we are tempted to go look at the course catalogs, because she was pretty interesting even without the big donkey standing there).
Join us in a windy, chaotic, informative, thought-provoking, bray-filled and stimulating chat with a very smart lady, straight from Bishop Mule Days 2019. As conversations go, it was one of our very favorites.
And Elara would like to note that she got through the written intro without one inappropriate-yet-suitable reference. Don’t say she has no self control. You bet your…sweet bippy.
Links:https://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/people/faculty/amy-mclean
https://ce.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/symposia-article/2021-donkey-welfare-symposium
https://muledays.org/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Goats were brought over to this country almost exactly five centuries ago. For something that has been around so long, it’s amazing that this animal has flown under the radar of popular consumer taste for most of its residency here in North America. But goats have a lot to offer to the agricultural universe, as the rest of the world has known for thousands of years. That realization is finally hitting our production markets, and it’s due to the efforts of people like our guest today.
Randy Dusek, President of the American Goat Federation, was gracious enough to sit down with us (okay, so we stood in the goat pasture) to talk about the amazing animal that is the goat. On The Lazy S-T Ranch in the San Angelo area of Texas, Randy raises the powerhouse meat producer known as the American Boer Goat. He also has about 100 head of Hereford’s – the bovine type – and is busy helping to create The Cattleman’s Guide to Raising Goats, which outlines the benefits of having these two non-competitive critters pastured together. Randy is tireless in his efforts to help people to learn about these amazing animals, and about as patient a guy as we’ve met. We’ll be speaking with him again in the future about not only the American Boer Goat, but about all of the breeds of goat that he faithfully represents.
Just a note here: We know there are dairy goats, and fiber goats, and meat goats, and even brush control goats, but pack goats? That was a new one to us. Future podcasts are on our radar for something as interesting as that sounds. Randy, we’re coming back to test your patience again soon.
Links:www.americangoatfederation.org
www.abga.org
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
It’s that time of year again, and we can hardly wait. The super extravaganza known as The New York State Sheep and Wool Festival is back in 2021. Okay, so we just call “Rhinebeck” because, after all, it’s tons easier than remembering the acronym. But it’s here!
Running up and down the aisles of the livestock barns was one of the joys of our filming lives, and the people we spoke with were fascinating. One of those moments was our conversation with Kim and Jack Mastrianni from Maple Frost Farm in Langdon, New Hampshire. Not only was Jack wearing a deliciously chunky sweater (do not touch the personal textiles, Elara), but Kim has a history connection that is truly something to speak about. And, of course, there was that gorgeously soft and fluffy Leicester Longwool sheep standing there. That one was safe to pet, even if the sweater wasn’t.
We’re whetting your appetite by bringing you a podcast that will help tide you over until October 16th and 17th, when Rhinebeck comes alive in the virtual realm - and in-person. You bet your sheep it does.
Links:https://www.virtual.sheepandwool.com/41
https://www.leicesterlongwool.org/new-page-1
http://www.maplefrostfarm.com
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Everything starts with a kernel of something – whether it’s an idea, a business, an organism or hope. And sharing? Well that can make it truly powerful. In today’s podcast, the seed is all of those things, both literally and metaphorically. Ken Greene of Hudson Valley Seed Company has germinated a little packet of seeds into something truly wonderful.
Maybe it was Ken’s experience as a librarian; Maybe it was because he sees the representation of culture and history and art and people in the seeds he shares. But no matter why, this man has brought knowledge and beauty and history and stories of the life around us to others, all encapsulated in a little brightly-decorated packet of seeds. They’re perfect for planting, or for sharing with someone you love.
Or someone you don’t love. Sharing is good, people. Please pass it on.
Links:https://theheirloomexpo.com/
https://hudsonvalleyseed.com/
https://hudsonvalleyseed.com/pages/history
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
If you put power in a small package, sometimes you can get incredibly efficient output. We’re bringing you a conversation today that’s all about that idea, straight from Mt. Hope, Ohio - Horse Progress Days 2021.
Bob Erickson brought his team in from Westview, Wisconsin, and he was a constant sight at this fantastic event in the midst of Amish farm country. He was everywhere with his (somewhat) little pair of donkeys, plowing away right next to the big boys. They chugged along at a good clip up and down the rows, showing everyone that sometimes efficiency is just as important as mass in getting things done. And both Bob and his donkeys had character to boot.
Links:https://www.ruralheritage.com/messageboard/frontporch/14741.htm
https://horseprogressdays.com/
https://www.ctlr.org/
https://abga.org/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
It’s hot. How hot? Damn hot. And we’re on the road again, so staying cool and calm can be a challenge sometimes. But our favorite weapon in the war on bakewear is - cotton (Ha – get it? Yes, we do amuse ourselves sometimes.)
Cotton is not only a clothing staple (Ha – we did it again!), but it is a certified spa moment to some of us. There’s nothing like the feel of real cotton to make you feel cool, relaxed, and calm. What most people don’t realize is that how you grow it and manufacture it can make the difference between a sustainable fabric and one that is on the “bad” list.
At our 2019 visit to the Heirloom Expo in Santa Rosa, California, we stopped by the Harvest & Mill Organic Clothing booth for a quick conversation with Natalie. She explained why cotton is not always just cotton, and why sustainability is not just a touchy-feely thing – it’s good for you, too. She was also very patient with Elara’s distraction, with all of those richly-colored and beautifully soft socks laid out on the table.
If you were lucky enough to have inherited a set of old-style cotton percale sheets from someone born before 1950, then you, too, will understand the allure of one of the most perfect fibers in all creation. Bliss.
Links:https://www.harvestandmill.com/https://theheirloomexpo.com/https://www.rei.com/https://www.columbia.com/
https://www.eddiebauer.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_fiber
https://ejfoundation.org/news-media/clothes-and-climate-is-cotton-best
https://worldcottonday.com/
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/agric_e/wcd2020_e.htm
https://cottonusa.org/events
https://www.icac.org/Home/ProtectingCotton?MenuId=70
https://thefabricofourlives.com/
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001072/?ref_=ttls_li_st_1
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
To the best chicken ever! RIP Flipper
Links:https://www.mypetchicken.com/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/
https://cartershay.com/
https://www.bhwt.org.uk/hen-health/health-problems/lash-eggs-salpingitis/#:~:text=Causes%201%20Lash%20eggs%20result%20from%20an%20infection,lash%20egg%2C%20and%20she%20may%20or%20may%20
https://the-chicken-chick.com/illustrated-glossary-of-essentia/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
A truly interesting couple on the Mas Vacas Tour 2021, Part 2 (or is it 3 now?) was James and Debbie Farr of Farr Cross Ranch. They sat down with us (okay, so the people stood, but some of the cows were prone) in the hot, breezy, lush and green fields of Terrell, Texas…
WAIT. Lush green fields? Texas? We’re expected to believe THAT one?!?!
Yep – and we have visuals to prove it. James and Debbie live in an area just east of Texas that is fortunate enough to be in a sweet spot, as far as rain is concerned this year. And that’s a good thing, because it’s all about the grass, according to James. He’s an Original Longhorn fan, sure, but he’s a guy with a business perspective on the issue. Rate of gain, marketability, and the realities of beef production are his focus. He’s a guy with a business bent and a vision, and one of those that’s hoping to combine the realities of business in beef production with genetic potential in the CTLR universe.
For a location shoot, this one couldn’t have been prettier. That’s a good thing, because the nice footage somewhat mitigated the loss of the portable mics somewhere on 160 acres of lovely green grass. The next time Elara rides on the back of the ATV, she will hold on to the gear bag a little tighter, for the sake of her marriage.
And just a side note – If you want to see some truly snazzy custom handmade western boots, check out our links for Debbie’s company, Mercedes Boots. You won’t get these at your local shoe store -- even in Texas.
Links:http://www.farrcrosslonghorns.com/
https://www.ctlr.org/
http://mercedesboots.com/
https://www.ctlc.org
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Everything is made up of an interesting combination of ingredients, whether it be flora, fauna or food.
Melissa Guerra, the Kitchen Wrangler and cultural foodie extraordinaire, can look at a delicious meal and not only see the food, she sees the history behind it. The Culinary Institute of America graduate and James Beard Award finalist is a powerhouse personality with a keen brain that thrives on finding the delicious connections between people, history and food. She shares all that knowledge on her YouTube Channel and blog site, and searches out new ways to bring meaning to eating - the thing we usually do three times a day, but don’t think about as much as we should. We can personally attest to the delicious nature of her recipes, and hope that you feel the urge to find out more so you can do the same.
Life as a foundation-family Texan (okay, before it was Texas, actually) only got spicier when Melissa married Kiko Guerra, who is an artist of renown and descendant of a Spanish land-grant family himself. The two of them together are an exercise in appreciation for the timeless beauty that life holds, whether it be on the canvas or in the kitchen.
Links:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral
http://www.chemistryexplained.com/Fe-Ge/Gardening.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canary_Islands
http://www.melissaguerra.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGinnoR5309RkGOPnoDzuLA
https://www.jamesbeard.org/awards
https://www.ciachef.edu/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Culinary_Institute_of_America
https://shop.pbs.org/WC7332.html
https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/saddle-up/
https://www.americancowboy.com/people/dons-53141
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Huge spiral springs, metal arms, long tendril-like wires, and bright yellow cogs with fingers were only a few of the things in the Pioneer Equipment booth at Horse Progress Days. It may seem like we were under attack by the Mechanical Spiders from Mars, but Doug Scheetz, Marketing Director extraordinaire, walked us through the danger unscathed.
Okay, so it was really just the interesting new equipment available in the horse-drawn farm implement universe, but it looked like something scarier when we first hit the booth. Doug explained the old, the new, and the improved things that are being displayed this year at Elara’s new favorite annual event. All of this paraphernalia can do your work lickity split when hooked to a team of horses, a tractor, or an enterprising set of teenagers (okay, maybe not that, but don’t tell me you parents didn’t think about it for a minute).
We had a visual portion on this one as well, so we hope you get a chance to head over to our Backyard Green Films YouTube Channel for a look at the mechanical wonders for yourself.
Links:https://horseprogressdays.com/2021-hpd/
https://pioneerfarmequipment.com/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
There are some who think that the decline of modern culture (not a statement, people – just a theory argued by some) is due to the fact that sitting down at the table for dinner isn’t common anymore. We sit on the sofa in front of the TV, ingesting something we’ve microwaved quickly, instead of sitting at the table with our family, eating something that took time to put together. And there’s some meat to that argument (ha). Didn’t food used to taste better at the table?
Today, we’re bringing you a conversation with Glenda Groff, blogger and author of the website and cookbook “Around The Family Table,” who has the “putting food together” thing down pat. We met up with this hard-working lady in the Homemaker building at Horse Progress Days in Mt. Hope, Ohio this month. Her story is an interesting one, and today we’ll bring you some snippets from the busy moments between her seminars, where she was lecturing on the mouthwatering joys of sourdough. We tested some samples, just to be sure she was telling the truth. And then some more, to make sure we weren’t mistaken. She has also graciously allowed us to read her book’s introduction, so you know the story of how she got started. And a recipe. Yum.
She’s a not just an author, blogger, cook, baker and overachiever. She’s also a chemist, and a farmer, when you think about it. Follow our links on the Sourdough Microbiome, if you don’t believe us.
Links:https://horseprogressdays.com/2021-hpd/
https://aroundthefamilytableblog.com/
https://aroundthefamilytableblog.com/2019/01/10/no-knead-whole-wheat-sourdough-bread-thm-e/
https://ndnr.com/naturopathic-news/seventh-day-adventists-have-better-health/#:~:text=A%20recent%20study%20found%20lower%20rates%20of%20premature,compared%20with%20individuals%20in%20the%20general%20U.S.%20population.
https://adventisthealthstudy.org/studies/AHS-1
https://adventisthealthstudy.org/studies/AHS-2
https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.32571
https://time.com/4086900/baby-fae-history/
https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20090323/7-rules-for-eating
https://michaelpollan.com/books/food-rules-illustrated-edition/michael-pollan-counts-down-his-favorite-new-rules/
https://asm.org/Articles/2020/June/The-Sourdough-Microbiome
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Are we happy with more? Not always (unless it’s more dirt, in which case there’s a direct translation for some of us dirt hoarders).
Today we bring you an interview from one of our newly-favorite events. Daniel Wengerd, General Coordinator for Horse Progress Days 2021, sits down and talks with us about the planning behind an undertaking like this, and how a team of “Plain People” (you’ll find out what that means if you listen) worked together to create something that is incredibly complex, yet seems so simple. That’s no small feat with something that involves 40,000 people, 400 horses, and 40 tons of manure, among a lot of other interesting things. Okay, so maybe the manure was an estimate, but what little was visible went to good use, we can assure you.
There will be more upcoming podcasts from Horse Progress Days 2021, and we’ll be going back again to this fabulous rotating event, no matter which midwestern vowel state it’s in next year. It’s simply one of the most enjoyable events we’ve covered, with some of the nicest people we’ve met. And they had manure spreaders. Life is good.
Links:https://horseprogressdays.com/2021-hpd/
https://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/IND43894785/PDF
https://lancasterpa.com/amish/
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/progressive
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20year%20of%20our%20Lord
https://www.suffolkpunch.com/
http://standardbreds.ustrotting.com/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Independence is a beautiful thing, isn’t it? We usually associate that with being alone or apart, but it can also be something a little different, especially in the economic community.
This week we celebrate July 4th here in the U.S., the anniversary of the signing of our Declaration of Independence, way back in 1776. That little piece of paper means a lot to a great number of people, and it fundamentally changed our way of life on this continent.
One of the historic precursors of that document is an event we all learned in elementary school. The Boston Tea Party sticks in many people’s minds as representative of much of why we broke apart in the first place, and to many, it was about freedom and economics. Money (in whatever form) is another little piece of paper that means more than it looks like at first, and within our agricultural system, small farmers and ranchers feel that more than most.
We’re not asking you to dump the figurative tea in the harbor today – actually just the opposite. You can speak with your dollars, and give independence to small farms across the country, if that’s what you believe in. Buy with purpose, and make it count. It might not mean much to you, but it might mean everything to someone else, and preserve their ability to be self-sufficient.
And the beauty of it is that it preserves ours as well.
Links:https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/american-revolution-history
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(United_States)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolutionary_War
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Tea_Party
http://www.boston-tea-party.org/
https://www.ucf.edu/news/7-influential-protests-in-american-history/
https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/montgomery-bus-boycott#:~:text=The%20Montgomery%20Bus%20Boycott%20was%20a%20civil%20rights,as%20the%20first%20large-scale%20U.S.%20demonstration%20against%20segregation.
https://cattlemensdays.com/
https://silktreefarm.com/Silk-Tree-Farm-Meat-Shares-c47071262
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Why am I here? What day is it? What planet are we on, anyway? Those questions and more…
Today’s podcast comes to you from a hotel room in Ashtabula, Ohio. After a crazy month (or two or…) of travel, we’re asking those existential questions of the hotel room ceiling. It’s hard to keep track of all of those things when the world is spinning faster and faster, it seems, and most especially when a road seems more like a fast way to get somewhere and less like an enjoyable ride.
But we found a man that reminds us of the meaning one might find at the beginning, end and all things in between. Ralph Rice of Riceland Meadows is an author, blogger and North American Suffolk Horse Association member, but might just be more of a philosopher than any of the above.
We truly enjoyed our NASHA get-together, and most especially our conversation with Ralph, because sometimes, we all need a reminder of why we do what we do, and why it just might be important to travel at Draft speed, instead of lightspeed.
Links:https://ricelandmeadows.com/
https://www.suffolkpunch.com/index.php
https://horseprogressdays.com/2021-hpd/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
I’m from California, so that means that I surf every day, eat granola and salad all the time, am a dyed-in-the-wool leftist, and drive a hybrid, right? Well, a few of those things might be true, but some are not. And in the same way people think about the “laid-back state” residents as only one type, we all have preconceived ideas about a place and its residents.
Texas has the same image problem. The variety in Texas is amazing, whether that be people, music, lifestyle or just about anything. Today’s podcast features one of those residents, Mr. B.J. Rankin, who has life experience in running an educational district, military training operation, and a Longhorn cattle ranch. We see a pattern here, and asked him what those things have in common.
We also unearthed one or two interesting facts about this man, one of which is an item on his bucket list. Not what we expected, that’s for sure. In Texas, we learned to expect the unexpected.
Thanks again to the CTLR and all of its many and varied members. It was a wonderful start to the Mas Vacas 2021 Tour, and we’ll definitely be back.
Links:https://www.ctlr.org/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/billy-jack-rankin-77154088
https://www.centraltrack.com/100-to-81/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We’re very happily back on the road again this summer -- and this week we’re also back on the banks of the Platte River, in Grand Island, Nebraska, where it’s 95-104 degrees outside. We’re filming the American Boer Goat Association’s National Show, held at the Fonner Park fairgrounds, which, by the way, is the place where you can also find the annual Nebraska State Fair.
The ABGA is an organization that helps its members to find opportunities in the marketing, education and commercial industry for the hearty little ruminant known as the American Boer Goat. The ABGA is a family-oriented bunch, and kids are a plentiful as adults at this get-together. Whether it be the serious business of livestock husbandry and prepping for the show ring, or the fun-and-games of the costume contest (or anything in between), this week definitely goes down as one of the most enjoyable shows we’ve covered. Smiling faces are common here, and we love it. We have a game of our own today, in celebration of that.
It’s a giveaway podcast today, and we also have an exciting announcement in the Backyard Green Films universe. Stay for Rick’s closing for all the details. Because, after all…
Life’s a Boer.
Links:https://abga.org/
https://abga.org/jabga/
https://fonnerpark.com/
https://visitnebraska.com/
https://www.grand-island.com/
https://visitgrandisland.com/events/sandhill-cranes-migration.html
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Today, we’re reading the words of Charles Goodnight and W.J. Wilson, as excerpted from “The Trail Drivers of Texas,” by the University of Texas Press. You may know these men better as Captain Call (played by Tommy Lee Jones) and Pea Eye (aka Timothy Scott).
Lonesome Dove meets “The Trail Drivers Bible,” in the hope that it inspires you to quest for more from The University of Texas Press, and all that history has to offer.
Links:www.utexaspress.com
https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Larry-McMurtry/547
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096639/?ref_=ttloc_loc_tt
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096639/trivia/?ref_=tt_ql_trv
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0779850/?ref_=nm_mv_close
https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/larry-mcmurtry
https://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-year/1986
https://www.thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/fort-griffin-state-historic-site
https://www.ctlr.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodnight%E2%80%93Loving_Trail
https://texashillcountry.com/top-five-lonesome-dove-quotes/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Texas_Ranger_Division
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonesome_Dove
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Goodnight
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Loving
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Cattle-trails.jpg
https://www.centraltrack.com/100-to-81/
https://texasheritageforliving.com/texas-travel/lonesome-dove-trail/
https://www.emmys.com/shows/lonesome-dove
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/western-trail
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We spoke with Will Cradduck, manager of the Official State of Texas Longhorn herd at Fort Griffin, Texas. We stood among herds of Longhorn Cattle in the midst of an old Texas cattle trail, straight out of Lonesome Dove. We crossed the Pecos, and headed home.
To my father the cattle rancher and historian, and the recently departed Larry McMurtry – our best wishes that you are resting in peace. Happy trails to you both.
Links:https://www.thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/fort-griffin-state-historic-site
https://www.ctlr.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodnight%E2%80%93Loving_Trail
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/26/books/larry-mcmurtry-dead.html
https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/memorial-day-history
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Texas_Ranger_Division
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonesome_Dove
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Goodnight
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Loving
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Cattle-trails.jpg
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2017/10/15/army/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_the_Great
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Mas Vacas! More cows for us on our 2021 summer tour this year. But beef this time, because it’s what’s for dinner (no offense to the wonderful Milking Devon peeps).
Since Sam Elliot’s voice and a bushy mustache, spurs and boots should now be in the forefront of your mind after that last sentence, it seems to be a great time to announce our trip to Texas. We’re on a long-overdue trip to investigate the historically-correct Texas Longhorn, and to meet the people of the CTLR who raise these perfectly adapted animals.
We start with Lonnie Rodriguez, from Alpine, Texas. He is a man who not only has lived much of the life immortalized in the Hollywood western, but has actually been IN Hollywood westerns, and has trained actors to pull off the riding part convincingly. Those stunt riders who ride like they were born in the saddle? This is one of those guys. Without the Hollywood attitude. And he cooks a mean breakfast burrito, to top it off.
You’ll be hearing from Rick and Lonnie again as they start a new project in telling the story of how the Vaqueros helped to shape this continent. Until then, we hope you enjoy meeting a man who is the real deal in a Hollywood western adventure. Script not included.
Links:https://www.ctlr.org/index.html
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0735400/?ref_=fn_al_nm_7
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Many countries use stamps as a way to tell people about their culture and their history, all in a little corner of a piece of paper. It’s a great PR opportunity to have a publicly-visible thing that can be very personal to those that send, and those that receive, and maybe some others along the way.
Today, on May 17, 2021, it’s only fitting that Mount Vernon, Virginia (the home of George Washington’s…donkey) will host the United States Postal Service and their new release of the Heritage Breed Stamp series. It is a much-anticipated and much-needed PR boost to help celebrate some of the amazing diversity our agricultural universe holds, and these are but a few of the animals that reflect our cultures, our peoples, our differences and our strengths:
-The Mulefoot Hog
-Wyandotte Chicken
-Milking Devon Cow
-Narragansett Turkey
-American Mammoth Jackstock Donkey
-Cotton Patch Goose
-San Clemente Island Goat
-American Cream Draft Horse
-Cayuga Duck
-Barbados Blackbelly Sheep
Stamps are kind of like DNA, are they not? A story of where we’ve been, where we’re going, and who we are, all wrapped up in a little thing that does its job every day, but often is taken for granted. A very intimate, personal thing that has meaning and purpose and connection. Sounds like a heritage breed DNA parallel to me.
We hope you support your postal service and your agricultural history by buying a set of the new Forever Heritage Breeds stamps, beautifully photographed by Aliza Eliazarov (who has promised to be on an upcoming podcast – stay tuned!). Why not send a little piece of meaning and connection to someone you love?
Links:https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2021/0416ma-new-heritage-breeds-forever-stamps-available-may-17.htm
https://link.usps.com/the_list/old-stock/
https://www.netaonline.org/episode/holstein-dilemma
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8736632/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.usps.com/
https://www.mountvernon.org/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
The Backyard Green Films universe this week:
Our San Diego Screening of The Holstein Dilemma documentary is here.
The exciting new Heritage Breed Stamp Series at the USPS hits next Monday.
We have a shot at something big. Holy Cow.
Links:https://www.netaonline.org/about-us
https://www.netaonline.org/episode/holstein-dilemma
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062622/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8736632/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.usps.com/
https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2021/0416ma-new-heritage-breeds-forever-stamps-available-may-17.htm
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
It’s that time again – Bishop Mule Days. We’re going to bring you back to that wild adventure with an interview with Bill Garrett, of Garrett Jackstock. He came all the way from Stillwell, Oklahoma to show off his gorgeous ass. We would know, because we looked (ba-dum-dum)(And yes, we will take every cheap and easy shot we can on this one).
Mule days is a wild, colorful celebration that highlights all the differences that can occur when you cross a donkey and a horse. Mules come in all shapes and sizes - big, small, short, tall, brown, white, spots, stripes (well, maybe not stripes, but for the zedonk people I’m sure that exists somewhere). There is variety everywhere you look in Bishop this month, whether it’s the equines or the people you go to see.
We’ll be heading east this month while Bill is heading west, so we’ll probably cross somewhere on the I-10. We’ll put our hand out and wave as soon as we see those big ears sticking out the side of the trailer. They’re irresistible. So join us for today’s podcast, where Bill shows us his…donkey (Mammoth Jackstock, to be specific). He has been breeding them and heading to Bishop for more years than many of you have been alive, and can name names to prove it. All rated G, of course.
Links:https://www.garrettjackstock.com/
https://muledays.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mule
https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2020/1117-usps-announces-upcoming-stamps.htm
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Every once in a while we meet someone who is unabashedly direct. Straightforward. Sometimes even to the point of becoming – dare we say it – politically incorrect. Not in a mean way, and completely without malicious intent; it’s just that they don’t pull their punches, and they tell you what they think. It can be refreshing sometimes, can it not?
You can have some really substantive conversations with people who are willing to be plain spoken, and some even better ones with people who are also passionate, hardworking, and believe in a really good cause. In this case, we’re referring to Elwood Quinn of La Ferme Quinn, just outside of the city of Montreal, Canada. We had a chance to speak with him in 2016 at a Livestock Conservancy conference, where he was representing Rare Breeds Canada.
Elwood is retired now from Farming and his Director duties, but we have no doubt that he’s still as hardworking and feisty as ever. We’re looking forward to having our border with our neighbors to the North open soon, so we can go see how he’s doing, and get an in-person update on life on a Canadian farm. Maybe we’ll pick fresh strawberries and asparagus while we’re there at La Ferme Quinn. We’ll be very direct on that request, to be sure, eh?.
Links:https://www.quinnfarm.qc.ca/
https://www.lafermequinn.qc.ca/histoire.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Depression
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greatest_Generation
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3659388/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Captain_America
https://pulses.org/what-are-pulses
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_depression
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
This week is the funeral of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. He was a man that dutifully served in the less-glorious position of Queen Elizabeth II’s consort for over 70 years. His funeral procession included his faithful team of Fell Ponies, pulling the carriage that used to zip along the royal estates under Prince Philip’s guidance.
So it is truly ironic that we had our podcast release prepped today for an interview on the Cleveland Bay horse, a breed that has a much more famous patron, and often gets more attention. Kind of like…well…(ahem). We don’t feel too guilty about it, though, as the Cleveland Bays are a critically-endangered breed, and need as much visibility as they can get.
We’ll definitely bring you more on the sturdy and easy-keeping Fell Ponies in an upcoming podcast, but in the meantime, here is Gabrielle Gordon to tell you about the glorious, majestic, sensible, hardy and versatile equine we know as the Cleveland Bay Horse.
Links:https://clevelandbay.org/wp/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_Bay
http://www.clevelandbay.com/about-cb-horses
https://royalcentral.co.uk/uk/prince-philips-beloved-carriage-horses-take-their-place-in-the-quadrangle-158695/
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-45061341
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Philip,_Duke_of_Edinburgh
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cumbria-56692935
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/prince-philips-cap-gloves-and-whip-placed-on-carriage-in-tribute-to-his-love-of-sport/ar-BB1fKX8U?ocid=uxbndlbing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fell_pony
https://fpsna.org/
https://www.fiddleheadpony.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ClevelandBayHorse/posts/congratulations-to-gabrielle-gordon-as-her-purebred-mare-gg-geneva-is-confirmed-/2247139258732127/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
What to choose and what to keep
The thought in Springtime fends off sleep
With breed or farm or film or seed
You must choose well or won’t succeed.
Links:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culling
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Infrastructure. Is it a “sexy” word for most people? Definitely not. But to some of us, the truly exciting part is that effort now can often translate to big gains in the future. Building something that will last long after you’re gone takes time, focus, thought, and usually quite a bit of money.
You might think we’re talking about all that stuff with the massive stimulus spending swirling in the news this week, but that’s not a pile we want to step in, over or through (how many zeros are in a trillion, anyway?). But it does bring up a point – why is infrastructure investment important? The answer is, whether it be an investment of time, or thought, or capital, when you spend on things that will improve an item or a quality of something over time, the benefit can be magnified in the future. The guy we’ll talk about today did just that, and he changed the face of agriculture forever.
Elaine Shirley met up with us in Colonial Williamsburg back in 2016 to give us a grand tour, replete with history. We’re bringing you her story of the Leicester Longwool sheep breed and its founder, Englishman Robert Bakewell. You might not have heard of him before, but his influence on agricultural genetics and perpetuating breed typing had lasting impact on not only the concept of scientific management in farming, but our view of genetics in all fields of study. If you get an immediate mental picture of a specific breed type when one is named (e.g. German Shepherd dog), Bakewell might be the guy you should thank. All that, and his Leicester Longwools sometimes glow like a lightbulb when you put them in the sun.
And speaking of thanks -- Elaine – you’re a true champ. Nankins and Devons and Leicesters – Oh, My!
Links:https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/
https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/learn/rare-breeds/
https://www.ans.iastate.edu/about/history/people/robert-bakewell
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Bakewell
https://www.leicesterlongwool.org/
https://www.leicesterlongwool.org/an-open-letter-from-dr-phillip-sponenberg
https://www.thoughtco.com/millions-billions-and-trillions-3126163
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=biggest+global+economic+crisis+in+history
https://www.history.com/topics/great-depression/new-deal
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infrastructure
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
If I say, “The glories of Spain,” you may think of modern cathedrals, or historic armadas, or Inigo Montoya. But no matter what you think of when Spain is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind might not be “livestock.” If you live in North America, though, maybe you should put that one in the mental hopper, because when Ponce de Leon came over to Florida in 1521 looking for the fountain of youth (here set up a colony somewhere in there too), things fundamentally changed over here. Horses, cattle, pigs, sheep, chickens – the whole shebang was on the boat. Not all of them made it, though, because they had to contend with heat, humidity, bugs, panthers, heat, snakes, and humidity, among other things. Florida: Adapt or die.
One of the things that did make it was starter stock for the sturdy, smart, smooth-gated equine that became known as the Florida Cracker Horse. It not only survived, but thrived, and became known as a superior cow pony in the swampy wild land that was Florida of old - before Disney tamed it, of course.
Stephen Monroe (the Cowboy Poet) is our guest today, and he’ll tell us about these amazingly well-adapted animals, and how their history is our history. And he’ll talk a little bit about the heat, too. And the humidity.
Links:https://www.fdacs.gov/Agriculture-Industry/Livestock/Cattle-Bovine/Cracker-Cattle-and-Cracker-Horse-Program
https://web.archive.org/web/20130111135339/http://www.floridacrackerhorses.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Cracker_Horse
https://floridacrackerhorseassociation.com/
http://www.floridacrackercattle.org/about.shtml
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030242952755
https://www.history.com/topics/exploration/juan-ponce-de-leon
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/na-comanche/
https://www.fdacs.gov/
https://www.thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/fort-griffin/history/legendary-longhorns
https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/park-information/official-state-longhorn/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
There are not many things that everyone (other than Big Bang’s Leonard) can get behind, but a visit to the Creamery is one of them. For us, that was Face Rock Creamery in Bandon, Oregon. Beautiful green pastures, cranberry bogs along the roadside, the fog drifting through the trees, the smell of the salt air off the ocean…
And dairy products.
Brad Sinko, Head Cheese Maker at Face Rock, put his OSU Microbiology degree (and previous brewing experience) to great use to mix flavors and ideas, and came up with new mixes to stir the cheese lovers in all of us. He knows his stuff, and has put a truly individual stamp on the products he makes. And the American Cheese Society agrees, because he has won more than a few national first-place awards already.
We came for the Face-2-Face sheep-and-cow cheddar, but stayed for the cheese curds. And the Porter wedge. And the blue, and cloth-wrapped, and...every other cheese and delicious charcuterie item you might think of. They’re really good at cheddars, but don’t stop there, so it was really difficult, okay? Just the cheddars included Peppercorn, Horseradish, Vampire Slayer garlic, Cranberry Walnut, Applewood Smoked…We can go on and on, but needless to say we ate like cheeseboard aficionados for two days after our visit. And then it was all gone (sob).
We’ll be back again for the locally-produced cranberry ice cream. We’ll have to do another interview and podcast then, and will report back. The things we do for our listeners…
Links:https://facerockcreamery.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-sinko-53b73965
https://facerockcreamery.com/collections/cheddar
https://www.facebook.com/langloiscreamery/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We met up with Woody Babcock and Cora Wahl on our trip to the glorious coast of southern Oregon last week. They took us on a tour of Woodrow Farms, their spanking clean and efficiently-run farm nestled within a stone’s throw of the Pacific Ocean. Green pastures, bald eagles, East Friesians, herding dogs, vacuum pumps and a big refrigerator. Sound incongruous? Not so when you run a sheep dairy. And there’s a creamery component, which we can always get behind in the Backyard Green Films and agri-Culture podcast universe. We do our research for the common good, after all.
We got to hear a few previously-unheard phrases that have stuck with us: “Lambie Jammies” and “Bummer Lamb.” Tune in to the podcast to find out more about that, and about these two hardworking young dairy farmers. They’re making a strong go of it, and it couldn’t happen to nicer people. And for all of you who wondered “How do you milk a sheep, and is it that much different from a cow?” This one is for you. We have visuals on our Backyard Green Films YouTube channel, if you want to see the dairy process and the sheep-dotted fields (and meet the farmers) for yourself.
Rick and Elara haven’t decided to move to Oregon yet like most of the rest of the Southwest U.S. residents, but between the green pastures, delicious creamery products, and super-nice people, it’s looking like a great idea.
We hope you join us for a visit to Woodrow Farms, along the windy green pastures of Langlois, Oregon. This just might be as close as you’ll get to Donegal County, Ireland while standing in North America.
Links:https://www.wildriverslamb.com/woodrowfarms
https://www.facebook.com/langloiscreamery/
http://afs.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/friesianmilk/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Friesian_sheep
https://www.wildriverslamb.com/
https://www.shepherdslane.com/
http://toprams.com/
https://www.capitalpress.com/ag_sectors/dairy/new-sheep-dairy-opens-in-sw-oregon/article_9690c098-c844-11e9-bd0f-77e9e7b82118.html
http://www.sheep101.info/dairy.html
https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/map-where-are-irelands-sheep-located/
https://traveloregon.com/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
(to the tune of “Green Acres”)
(Elara)
Shepherd’s Lane is the place for me
Lambing season is a thing to see
Sheep spreading out so far and wide
Keep San Diego just give me that countryside.
(Rick)
No – a living’s what we have to make
Wool products are (all that we can take)
We’ll bring beer and coffee across the line
But please remember Martin says we’ll pay some fines.
(Elara)
Those sheep are cute...
(Rick)
That point is moot!
(Both)
Shepherd’s Lane…we are here!
Links:https://www.shepherdslane.com/
http://toprams.com/
https://www.valaisblacknosesheepsociety.org/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
My Pet Chicken(s)
10 Years
6 Wyandottes (2 silver laced, 2 golden laced, 2 red-laced blue)
2 Americaunas
2 Australorps
1 peeping box
A lifetime of memories
Links:https://www.mypetchicken.com/
https://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/which-breed-is-right-for-me.aspx
https://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Baby-Chicks/Blue-Laced-Red-Wyandotte-p738.aspx
https://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Baby-Chicks/Black-Silkie-Bantam-p252.aspx
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
From Merriam Webster:
Cost (noun):
1.
(a) The amount or equivalent paid or charged for something (price);
(b) The outlay or expenditure (as of effort or sacrifice) made to achieve an object
2. Loss or penalty incurred especially in gaining something
Cost (t. verb):
1. To have a price of
2. To cause to pay, suffer or lose something
3. To estimate or set the cost of
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“Exotic” is a word that is relative. In my case, that means the relatives in Belgium might think a D’Uccle bantam chicken is pretty normal, but to me here in California, it was more like seeing something from an African safari (Okay, we took a few liberties there, but the concept is sound).
Today’s podcast is with Tom Watkins, President of Murray McMurray Hatchery. This company has been shipping chicks across the country for over 100 years now, and have the process down pat. But what you might not know is that they also supply the “exotics” – things like pheasants, guineafowl, peafowl, quail and doves. All of those may be common to some, more like an animal off the Serengheti to others, but interesting either way. It’s chick season, so Tom Watkins is a pretty busy guy these days, and we appreciate his willingness to sit down with a Zoom chat with us to kick things off in both a standard (chickens) and exotic (we’ll let you decide) manner.
And all this, even without the phrase “Mail Order Free Exotic Chick.” How’s that for a racy-sounding podcast?
Links:https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/index.html
https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/history.html
http://www.fao.org/dad-is/en/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096542/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
It’s chick season, so we’re starting off with what you need to start off with before you begin. In other words: Infrastructure. Doesn’t sound glorious, but it is, especially when you factor in the Nest-O-Matic.
We’re bringing you a conversation with Joe Putnam of Premiere 1 Supplies, recorded at the Linn County Expo in Lebanon, Oregon, home of the 2019 Mother Earth News Fair. Joe was kind enough to talk to us about how you, too, can put together a containment system for your feathered friends, and all without an electrical engineering degree. Plug and play, baby. Or plug and contain, or plug and repel, whichever way you look at it (a little electricity humor, there).
Joe also talked a little bit about the Nest-O-Matic (we bought two of them for our home flock, who were developing bad egg eating habits), the supply table (Elara the nerd was excited), and watering systems (always a necessity). Since Premiere 1 also sells all kinds of other non-chicken equipment, Joe and Elara joined up for a quick conversation with Bill from Shasta Ranch, where both of them got to discuss ear tags and sheep chairs, fencing and FAMACHA, and - of course - compare shepherd’s crooks. Rated G here, folks – get your mind out of the gutter.
There are lots of visuals on this one, so if you’d like to go to the post of our video, you can see it on our Backyard Green Films YouTube channel.
Links:https://www.premier1supplies.com/
https://www.wormx.info/famacha
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/deck-chair?criteria=sheep+chair
https://www.lcfairexpo.com/
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/nest-o-matic-galvanized-nest-box-with-roll-out-tray?cat_id=246
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focaccia
https://youtu.be/2jiQG40Gf-c
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Today we’ve reached a momentous day here at Backyard Green Films. This is the 100th episode of the agri-Culture podcast, which is a pretty big deal for us. When we started this whole podcast idea, we had no idea that we’d still be doing this almost two years after we started. And it coincides with the final touches on our film, for which I’m pleased to say we’re in the process of finalizing distribution.
Both of the film and our podcast have been a long road we’ve travelled, and it has been and continues to be one of the most difficult and joyous things in my life. But thinking about the last five years of the film and the 100th episode of our podcast have put me in a rather emotional state at times this month. Today’s podcast is about the spirit of those beginnings and endings and everything in between. Very much like the cycles of agriculture itself, when you think about it.
Links:
https://www.cityfarmersnursery.com/
https://nationaltoday.com/january-holidays/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yohanan_ben_Zakkai
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-jewish-arbor-day-1516925347?reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
https://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/judaism/2000/01/plant-a-tree-it-can-be-a-spiritual-event.aspx
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/tu-bishvat-ideas-beliefs/
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Have you ever delved into logistics? We haven’t much either (except for a required course for a BS in Business, which involved a lot of spreadsheets, chaos theory, and 42 reams of paper). The parts and pieces of how to get the things we need where we need them isn’t something we think about a lot – until it actually matters to us. But in agriculture, the process of logistics is critical, and it starts with the animal itself. The best supply chain in the world isn’t going to help you much if the thing you’re supplying doesn’t fit the needs of the consumer. It’s a long-term commitment when you raise animals, and getting said critter from the birth stage to the end product is sometimes the simpler part of the equation.
Today, we have Part 2 of our podcast from Shepherd’s Lane farm in Lebanon, Oregon. , surrounded by multitudes of little wooly gray bodies, and talked with us about his Gotlands, sheep in general, and the intricate dance that is necessary to maintain genetic lines that produce something marketable, and not just pretty. Or hardy. Or pest and disease resistant. Or productive. Or true to breed requirements. Or…well, we won’t go on, but there’s a ton of stuff to consider when breeding sheep, before you ever get to the feed and manure part (And you thought farming was just about feeding and caring for the little guys).
We then move out to the green, green grass of the side pasture, where Joy showed off her herding skills, though maybe the Border Collies were doing some work, too. All that gorgeous gray shining in the sunlight was a beautiful thing to see, so we’re going to put a video up on YouTube for you on this one.
Stay tuned for our next visit with the Dallys - lambing season on Shepherd’s Lane for the Valais Blacknose project (new home of the amazingly cute panda muppet sheep). We’ll find out if the world IS black and white, and not just shades of gray. We do love those little curly charcoal-colored Gotlands though, so we hope it’s both.
Links:https://www.shepherdslane.com/thedallys
https://www.etsy.com/shop/shepherdslane
http://www.toprams.com/
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Every meet people who are just plain easy to be with, the minute you meet them? That’s Martin and Joy Dally of Shepherd’s Lane farm and Super Sire Ltd. We have decided to park Bessie on their front lawn to commune with the sheep at least twice a year, if we can get away with it. Okay, so maybe that’s too much to subject them to, especially when they were such wonderful hosts. But it was idyllic to be on their Oregon farm in the fall, with Teeswaters, Gotlands and Valais Blacknose sheep dotting the pastures all around. Toss in chickens, peacocks, herding and livestock dogs, fields of green grass and a wool room to die for, and we hope we can push for maybe once a year, if we’re nice about it.
Today is Part 1 of 2 of our podcast with the Dally’s. These two overachievers have a full and busy life running the farm, going to trade shows, traveling across the country and overseas to find new stock, producing wool, and periodically running a Laparoscopic A.I. Sheepalooza (our new favorite phrase). They have the teamwork down pat, though, and that really makes the difference.
We’re really looking forward to seeing their new venture -- the Panda Muppets (okay, they call them Valais Blacknose) -- next month when lambing season starts. Until then, our trip to Shepherd’s Lane was so delightful, we brought home some sheep to remember the delightful experience. Okay, maybe not all of the sheep. But our living room chairs have never looked so lovely.
Links:
https://www.shepherdslane.com/thedallys
https://www.etsy.com/shop/shepherdslane
http://www.toprams.com/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
For some people, an idyllic childhood was all about birthday parties, sleepovers and soccer games. And while those are undoubtedly a fixture for many, for others it was also about cleaning manure out the rabbit hutches and picking green beans until your fingers won’t move anymore. Idyllic, you might question? Yep – one of the best ways to grow up, at least the future me has determined. Having agriculture as a part of daily life when you’re young teaches many great life lessons, and shapes us, our work patterns, and our view of the world.
Our podcast guest today has this perspective in common with your host, having grown up in a family that probably also hatched duck eggs in the guest bathroom and knew how to use a manure fork (thank you for your patience, Mom). Libby Henson comes from a family of agriculturalists at the genetic level. She said her father, Joe Henson, “was born an actor, but ran away to be a farmer,” and practiced that vocation robustly, both in the animals they raised and in his activism. He started Britain’s Cotswold Farm Park in 1971 and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust in 1973. Libby’s brother Eric is also a conservation farmer, showing up on the BBC’s Countryfile show on the telly every week.
Libby is a force of nature, and outstanding in her field (never gets old, that one). Her resume includes titles like first Director of The Livestock Conservancy, Co-founder and Co-director of Grassroots Pedigree Software Solutions, and Very Smart British Lady (okay, we took some liberties with that last one). Our conversation took place in November of 2017, so in addition to learning about her important work, we’ll get her perspective on a few ag things starting to hit the news at that time. Funny how things change, but stay the same – they keep coming around again and again. Kind of like the production patterns of zucchini.
Links:
https://home.grassroots.co.uk/meet-the-team/
https://home.grassroots.co.uk/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1jOFhCkt38
https://www.rbst.org.uk/
https://www.livestockconservancy.org/
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-34456953
http://cotswoldfarmpark.co.uk/adam/about/
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Welcome to the New Year, and goodbye to the old. This is the time of year where we often look back on the past, even if it’s usually just in the form of the “best of and worst of” lists. We’re no different, but instead of the past year, we’re looking back to the last 500 (plus 1) years. Half a century is a long time, but it’s an anniversary to be commemorated for today’s podcast guest: The Galiceno horse.
These little horses are little. Did we say that twice? It’s because they are definitely that – as in, the size of a pony (but unquestionably look like a horse). Even so, they pack a power punch in the “capacity” realm. They arrived with Hernan Cortes in 1519 when he invaded Mexico, and originated from genetic stock from Northwestern Spain. Even at 12 or 13 hands and about 700 pounds, they can carry a 200-pound person all day long over rough terrain. Maybe all that fortitude comes from laboring in the Mexican silver mines, or maybe it’s from its development as a true land-race breed over the last century. But either way, we hope this highly-endangered animal keeps going into the future. There are said to be less than 200 in existence, most of them non-breeding, so that’s a real concern.
Join us as we talk to biologists Rick and Pat Blaney and Heidi Reinhardt at Suwannee Horse Ranch in Live Oak, Florida. We’ll find out more about these wonderful little equines with stamina, quickness, intelligence, and a beautifully-smooth running walk gait. And you don’t need a three-foot mounting block to get in the saddle, either.
And unlike some horsepower of Spanish lineage, they turn on a dime (that’s a gentle dig at the Mustang car). A car joke – Rick can be so proud.
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/Galicenos-of-Suwannee-139480129479917/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/galiceno
https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/fossil-horses/scientific-names/
https://www.galiceno.org/index.html
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Winter is a pretty bleak time most everywhere right now. And even though it just started, this year it seems like the gray skies are going to go on forever. Yes, there’s a none-too-subtle parallel to the difficulties on planet earth right now.
But Spring is coming. Sooner or later, winter will end, and a new season will arrive. We can all take a lesson from those that have learned from the practice of agriculture, and gaze out at the bareness, but imagine things as they soon will be - full and green and bursting with life. The winter has been a cold one, but we just have to remember the words of Hal Borland: “No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.”
A very, very Happy New Year to all of you, from Rick and Elara and Backyard Green Films. We hope you join us in our hope for an early Spring.
Links:https://archives.yale.edu/repositories/11/resources/1667?stylename=yul.ead2002.xhtml.xsl&pid=beinecke:borland&clear-stylesheet-cache=yes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hal_Borland
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/beatles/herecomesthesun.html
https://genius.com/Electric-light-orchestra-mr-blue-sky-lyrics
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We’ve been waiting four years to say it: We’re done.
Well, “done” once the technical, legal and distribution people have their say, but we’ll be handing it over to them within the next two weeks. We’ll make sure to keep you posted on how to see the film in the upcoming months. We’d like to thank you, our audience, for sticking with us here at Backyard Green Films, and for sharing the journey with us on this road.
But as we wrap up this film and start to think about what might be on the road ahead, we want to say a special thank you this Christmas to the people who allowed us into their lives, and shared their stories with us. The real stars of our Wonderful Life are the farmers, ranchers, scientists, veterinarians, fiber producers, breeders, butchers, and everyone else having to do with the creation, nurturing, and distribution of agricultural products that we love to talk about. As we’ve learned on a planetary scale in this tumultuous year, we need everyone the agricultural supply chain, and need them desperately. It’s often a thankless responsibility, but always a critical one.
In the words of Clarence the angel, in one of our favorite movies, “Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. And when he isn’t around he leaves and awful hole, doesn’t he?”
Go watch the movie, please. It’s a Wonderful Life. And it’s truly wonderful because you shared yours with us.
Links:https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038650/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://parade.com/1105524/alexandra-hurtado/its-a-wonderful-life-quotes/
https://backyardgreenfilms.com/
https://backyardgreenfilms.com/the-holstein-dilemma/
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This week we take you back to one of our earliest interviews, and one of our most formative experiences in the Backyard Green Films universe. We learned the fundamental joy of buying handmade things, and doing so face to face. And when we say that, we actually mean face-to-face not only in the kitchen where the soap was made, but with the farmer who made it and the goat who produced the milk for the ingredients. Holy cow (or, in this case…okay, you get it). How often do you get to thank a goat in person for the product of their labor? It was a first for us.
Our farmer, Cathy Bardsley, gave us the grand tour of her Silk Tree Farm in Little Compton, Rhode Island, where we got to meet Red Wattle Hogs, Spanish and Nigerian Goats, Narragansett turkeys, and Black Jersey Giant and Dorking chickens. As if that weren’t enough, we were treated to the scent extravaganza that is Cathy’s kitchen/soap and candle factory. This is where we learned the joy of buying Christmas presents that meant something bigger than the present itself. Every candle and every bar of soap became a way for us to not only do that gifting thing we always do every year, but it became a way to back up our belief in small farms with something a little more tangible. Spending, baby. It’s inevitable this time of year, but this time it had a higher purpose.
So go buy stuff. When was the last time you heard that? We’re not advocating indiscriminate expenditures, but if you are gifting this year, we hope you consider the small farmers across America, and how they might benefit from your dollars. Everyone wins on this one.
Links:https://silktreefarm.com/
https://www.svffoundation.org/
https://slowfoodusa.org/ark-of-taste/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We haven’t talked about horses for a while, and they’re definitely one of our favorite creatures, so today we’re off to Wisconsin, to talk about one of the most majestic animals in the equine world: The Friesian. Native to Holland and beloved by film producers everywhere for their striking looks, there’s a very long history on these animals, and they have gorgeous movement to boot.
We met up with Nicole Porter Salvato and her husband Dan on their beautifully-remote hilltop ranch in western Wisconsin. Prairie Sky Sanctuary has beautiful trees, mushrooms in the woods, gorgeous pastures filled with butterflies and flowers, yaks, thoroughbreds, and Friesians, of course. And though the blue above seems to go on forever in the daytime, it’s a dark-sky location that’s hard to beat, for all of you astronomy buffs out there (And they have yak cheese, so we knew we were truly in Wisconsin).
In talking to an epigenetics expert (among the other bases of knowledge Nicole has in her very interesting brain), you would think our conversation today would be about the yaks she raises, and the groundbreaking genetic research she is doing (No, Sunny Hill Ranch, today we’re focusing on horses. Sorry about that.). Nope! Those elegant, prancy, high-stepping ebony horses are the thing today.
On a related but unrelated note: As we’ve been binge-watching TV series this year, one of our many topics of conversation with Nicole and Dan left us wondering about a concept from Beforeigners (thank you, HBO). When does an organism that we artificially bring from one time or place into another something different? If you bring an Old Norse person (read “Viking”) into Oslo in the current day, is he still a Viking? Even if he shares the same basic genetic material as what’s there now, are the modern-day newbies something different altogether? Will they react the same way as the ones on the ground? And if we apply this question to our obsession with artificial insemination today, are the animals we create in this way still the same animals? No one knows for sure yet. But it’s worth a thought or two and a rousing intellectual discussion. Or twelve, if you were on the mountaintop at Prairie Sky that day. Sheer bliss.
Links:https://www.prairieskysanctuary.org/
https://www.prairieskysanctuary.org/new-page-1
https://www.psr.onl/
https://fhana.com/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8332130/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASr0n5LnWnU
https://www.cdc.gov/genomics/disease/epigenetics.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valkyrie
https://modernnorseheathen.wordpress.com/2017/11/06/what-types-of-horses-did-the-vikings-ride/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160808123849.htm
https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/viking-dogs-followed-their-masters-valhalla-008944
https://skjalden.com/viking-farm-animals/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
When we went to Martin and Joy Dally’s Shepherd’s Lane Farm in Oregon last month for a Laproscopic A.I. Sheeping Bonanza last month, the one thing we didn’t think we’d come home thinking about was…cheese. Not that we’re complaining, of course. The people we met there were enough to keep us busy interviewing for days, and we’re going back for the lambing part, so we obviously didn’t get enough.
Dr. Joe Klopfenstein, DVM, DABVP, sat down to talk with us in a bustling pasture with dogs and kids and sheep and peacocks all around, to talk about why he was there on the farm, what his students are learning, and what things other than wool and lamb chops that sheep are good at producing. He has promised to take us on a tour when we return to this beautiful state, as he said that Oregon is not just well-known as the home of microbrews and wine, but also of sheep, in all their producing glory. Since different varieties of sheep lead to different varieties of wool -- and now, of cheese (Pecorino, anyone?) – that works in our favor. Once you can figure out how to milk them, that is. Dr. Joe has promised to explain that one as well.
Links:https://vetmed.oregonstate.edu/people/joe-klopfenstein
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sheep_milk_cheeses
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecorino_Romano
https://www.cypressgrovecheese.com/cheese/soft-ripened-cheeses/humboldt-fog/
https://www.shepherdslane.com/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
What are you thankful for? It seems like the Thanksgiving table will be pretty empty, and pretty bleak for many people this year. And what kind of hope is there in the midst of so much death and pollution and destruction and isolation in the world today? What are we supposed to learn here, anyway?
The answer: We learn from Fungi (mushrooms, to most of us). This amazing organism has been around long enough to be in the fossil record, and has been doing the same thing for as long as we can tell. It creates life from death; Healing, from injury and disease; Networks of benefits between organisms like itself, and completely unlike itself; and fractal communication, way before we ever thought up the internet. It’s why communities that work together often thrive, especially in times that seem less than hopeful.
We might look at the ground beneath our feet and see a pile of dead dirt, but it’s teeming with life, and renewal, and hope. Fungi are the largest organisms on the planet, in more than one way. It’s almost like magic.
Our podcast is a little different this week -- basically a big promo for a film that made us cry, and hope. After watching Fantastic Fungi, we wish the same emotional experience for you with this one. Fungi (and the story of those that pursue them) are agricultural products we wholeheartedly recommend that will make you feel full of hope, even if there’s no ingestion required.
And yes, we’ll be bringing you more from the Mycelium Movement and Mycoremediation to a podcast soon. It’s Magic.
Links:
https://fantasticfungi.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Fantastic-Fungi-Brie-Larson/dp/B08DK21H6T
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8258074/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungus
https://fungi.com/
https://fungi.com/blogs/articles
https://www.amazon.com/Mycelium-Running-Mushrooms-Help-World/dp/1580085792
https://mushroommountain.com/tradd-cotter/
https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Mushroom-Farming-Mycoremediation-Experimental/dp/1603584552/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=organic+mushroom+farming&qid=1606168335&s=books&sr=1-3
https://www.facebook.com/extraharvestshare/
http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141114-the-biggest-organism-in-the-world
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
There is finally a chill in the air! Some of us here in warmer climates look forward to the time each year when cold weather arrives, so we can cozy up on the sofa in front of the fireplace without melting from the heat outside. 60 degrees is probably a very reasonable temperature to start up the fireplace, we think. But in other places, cold is a constant reality, and it is not to be taken lightly, especially in the area of food production.
In the far north in places like Alaska, farmers and ranchers have not only said cold to deal with, but you also have some rather large predators on your list (Who on earth wants to deal with a polar bear in the chicken coop at 4:00 a.m., anyway?). If those weren’t challenges enough, the supply of new lines and new breeds is either far, far away or very, very expensive to bring in to the region. Genetic bottlenecks might be the end of your herd, even if you survived the previous perils.
Our podcast guest today is Sabrieta Holland, a veterinarian plying her trade just north of Anchorage. We met her at Sheepalooza (a.k.a. Martin and Joy Dally’s Valais Blacknose Laparoscopic-A.I. Week). Sabrieta was there to add to her store of knowledge about artificial insemination, and to find new breeds and genes that might do well in Alaska to contribute to the stability of the regional food and fiber supply.
If you’re a farmer, distance on the final frontier can be as deadly as harsh weather and polar bears might be -- unless you’re smart enough to figure a way around it with today’s technology, and have the help of a forward-thinking vet. We’re pretty sure we found one.
P.S. We'll eventually Take Off to the Great White North. Beauty, eh? We’ll yak with you soon, Steve and Anita.
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/Knik-River-Veterinary-Services-157007904339714/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmer,_Alaska
http://alaska.gov/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuyamaca_Mountains
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mammals_of_Alaska#:~:text=%20List%20of%20mammals%20of%20Alaska%20%201,and%20instinctively...%204%20See%20also.%20%20More%20
https://aksbdc.org/client-profiles/coyote-trail-farm-and-fiber-mill/
https://www.homesteadcreameryinc.com/whats-difference-regular-milk-a2a2-milk/
https://www.bing.com/maps?q=elmandorf+afb+alaska&form=QBLH&sp=-1&pq=elmandorf+afb+alaska≻=8-20&qs=n&sk=&cvid=B86C5D318518467390FE1AB350B4CA3D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Jm4LoOaAWI
http://www.valaisblacknosesheepsociety.org/
https://www.sunnyhillranch.com/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
2020 has been a year filled with catastrophic disasters of all types, and the only thing unclear is which movie we’re reenacting at the current moment. Backdraft meets Twister meets 2012, with a dash of the Day after Tomorrow and a near miss by Armageddon. If those weren’t crazy enough, there were a few reports of brushes from Orca and Jaws tossed in for variety, with slices of Yul Brenner and Chuck Heston in The Ten Commandments (Locusts and plagues, no less). I could point you to news stories showing all of those things this year.
Both the man-made and natural disasters we’re now facing are something we feel helpless against, at least at the scale we’re facing now, so how does one combat all of that? The answer might be to combat the things you can, and survive the ones you can’t. It’s one in the “win” column if you get off Isla Nublar alive, whether or not the T-Rex is still standing when you leave.
So how does one survive? Preparation is the best weapon we have. And for those of us who also have non-human living things to protect, the difficulty level goes way, way up when responding to an emergency (ever tried to catch a panicked chicken?). Chaos theory gone wild. Today, we have just the person to tell us about how to go about it. We’re bringing you our conversation with Julie Atwood of The Halter Project, who started by training first responders in safe animal emergency response, but broadened the scope, now offering education and resources for the rest of us.
We have a visuals up on our Backyard Green YouTube channel, if you would like to see. Training EMT’s to save a plastic horse (in preparation for the real thing) has to be seen to get the full impact of the scope of the task. We’ll let you insert your own mental C.G. disaster of choice in the background on that one.
Links:https://www.halterproject.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos_theory
https://www.britannica.com/science/chaos-theory
https://www.sdhumane.org/support-us/volunteer/emergency-response-team.html
http://www.actforlibraries.org/hurricane-naming-convention/#:~:text=Hurricane%20Naming%20Convention.%20The%20storms%20that%20the%20United,cyclone%20in%20the%20Southern%20Pacific%20and%20Indian%20oceans.
https://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/tcp/
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/05/16/tornado-alley-flawed-concept/
https://jurrassic-wolrd.fandom.com/wiki/John_Hammond
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/06/14/876002404/locusts-are-a-plague-of-biblical-scope-in-2020-why-and-what-are-they-exactly
https://www.fire.ca.gov/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls002913604/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
With the past weekend in the rearview mirror, we’ve wrapped up October, Halloween, and the craziness of voting here in the U.S. -- at least for most of us. Some will still be dealing with both the last little bits of voting in person and leftover Halloween candy for the rest of the week, and both might be somewhat traumatic for us in some way or another. But we’re feeling lighter already and a little slaphappy, so we’ll bring up some ideas that seem far apart, but are actually connected (just like people). Green monsters, Silicon Valley, Waffles, Death Valley, The high-intensity vapor lamp, and laundry detergent.
In celebration of the last big event in October, The Donkey Welfare Symposium (virtual this year), we wanted to include an interview with Erick Lundgren. This gentleman is studying donkeys, but not in the everyday husbandry sense. He’s looking at the broader ecological impact of the animals we use, when the humans drop out of the picture. Ever wonder where all the wild burros come from in the U.S.? Some of the agricultural animals that we have domesticated, imported, used, and then set loose have adapted and thrived. Are they pests, or contributing members of their ecosystem? Erick is collecting data to determine that answer. If you saw him at the seminar this weekend, or even if you didn’t we hope you enjoy our interview with this field scientist who studies megafauna and their impact on the environment. We didn’t offer him any waffles when we met, via Zoom. This guy does some serious traveling.
Links:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=qgdLndsAAAAJ&hl=en
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_degrees_of_separation
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0126029/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2016/11/17/barron-park-donkey-perry-returns-home
http://www.donkeywelfaresymposium.org/
https://www.facebook.com/DonkeyWelfareSymposium
https://www.aspcapro.org/resource/ten-ways-donkeys-are-different-horses
https://www.mercurynews.com/2015/11/27/palo-alto-donkey-is-a-true-screen-gem/
https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2016/10/04/beloved-palo-alto-donkey-dies-at-32
http://barronparkdonkeys.org/donkeys/perry/
http://barronparkdonkeys.org/about/park-history/
https://patch.com/california/paloalto/palo-altos-resident-donkeys-perry-jenny-receive-2k-donation
http://www.paloaltohistory.org/bol-park-donkeys.php
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=3872
http://www.paloaltohistory.org/bol-park-donkeys.php
http://www.mulerescue.org/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
It’s donkey time again! The Donkey Welfare Symposium was a wild one last October (there were libations and tattoos and singing farriers and speakers from exotic ports of call), and it looks like this year’s virtual conference will follow that theme. “Donkeys in the Wild” is kicking off virtually on October 30 -31, 2020, and we’re celebrating by bringing you our interview from last year’s event with Jessica Anselment. This intrepid soul is the author of two donkey-related children’s books and a blog called, “A Donkumentary” (follow below for links).
Jessica spoke with us about her own rescued donkeys, and talked about the many reasons why donkey rescue and education are so important. She also advocates for the Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, which is a pretty big organization. Their main facility in San Angelo, Texas “is home to 1,000 donkeys at any time,” with satellite adoption centers and sanctuaries across the country. They work with Federal and State authorities to remove animals from public lands, take charge of abused and neglected animals, give them time to adjust to their new situation, and find adoptive homes where they can thrive. Think about the logistics on that one, folks. There’s more to it than just getting one recalcitrant beast in a trailer for a quick move.
The donkey is an often-misunderstood animal that might just be smarter than us in some things. This leaves us asking…who’s the ass here, anyway? Whatever your answer, we think that’s a compliment.
Links:http://www.donkeywelfaresymposium.org/
https://www.facebook.com/DonkeyWelfareSymposium
https://adonkumentary.com/
https://donkeyrescue.org/our-rescue/
https://www.aspcapro.org/resource/ten-ways-donkeys-are-different-horses
https://www.facebook.com/pg/donkeyadoption/videos/?ref=page_internal
http://donkeyrescue.com/books-and-film.html
https://www.talentigelato.com/
http://www.mulerescue.org/
https://www.facebook.com/spanacharity/
https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=10710
https://donkeyrescue.org/contact-us/links/
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/arethafranklin/rescueme.html
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
It’s alive! And kicking. Or squirming, as it were. Either way, it’s not pretty, and is akin to the horror films that many might be ingesting this month. In the true spirit of the upcoming Halloween observances across the land, we’re going to bring you a podcast filled with gruesome tales of things growing where other things don’t want them to grow. John Hurt will not participate, and neither will Kurt Russell, and no one’s body parts will end up anywhere other than where they started on this one.
That said, we’re going to bring you our virtual conversation with Dr. Scott Bowdridge, Associate Professor of Food Animal Production at West Virginia University, who talks to us about the infamous Haemonchus contortus, aka “HC” or “The Barber Pole Worm.” This innocent-sounding parasite is responsible for internal egg laying, bloodletting, and death by exsanguination – all the same things you’d get with Kurt and John, but without the acid drool. Dr. Bowdridge’s long (long long) term study of HC and the enhanced immune response of the amazingly resistant St. Croix sheep might be the key to helping small and large producers around the world to solve one of animal husbandry’s big problems. It’s no small task to do what might be a 30-year study, but this man is the guy to do it. For all we know, an understanding of this enhanced immune response might be the key to saving more than the small ruminants of the world -- the scary times we live in today are evidence of that. The good doctor won’t need a flamethrower for this horror flick, but a microscope will come in handy.
All you sheeple out there – there are some links below that might be helpful, and Dr. Bowdridge was kind enough to commit to another interview, so send your topics to us and we’ll go down the rabbit hole with you.
A video of this podcast can also be found on our YouTube channel, with a few slides from Dr. Bowdridge’s collection and a few extra visuals for flavor. But not in the John-Hurt-dining-room-table kind of flavor. Well, maybe a little of that. It is the Barber Pole Worm. Be warned – things might get scary.
Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA3OTmLdLas
https://bowdridge.davis.wvu.edu/
https://www.davis.wvu.edu/faculty-staff/directory/scott-bowdridge
https://www.davis.wvu.edu/
https://www.wormx.info/
http://nsip.org/
https://www.researchgate.net/lab/Scott-Bowdridge-Lab
https://www.davis.wvu.edu/files/d/425731d2-ee9a-4ffb-86b1-22453ed11b76/bowdridge-cv-current.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haemonchus_contortus
https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/moon-phases/en/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084787/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078748/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/g12107335/best-classic-halloween-movies/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084787/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Rock and roll music and the combination and recombination of genetics have so many commonalities, and not just on the math end of things. They both started with older things and brought in new things, and are constantly bringing in more influences to make something old stronger, or something new and different. We all march to a different drummer, after all, so there is a beauty in how the pieces go together no matter which you prefer. The music of the spheres can mean a perfect guitar solo, a flock moving in concert, or a fertilized ova, depending upon who is doing the conducting.
In this week’s podcast we speak with Susie Wilson of SuDan Farm. We met this wonderfully informative shepherd over the belly of a sheep at Shepherd’s Lane Farm, during the Great American A.I. Rally (okay, so it was more of the Valais Blacknose assembly, but there were a lot of things going on, so we’ll take liberties). We followed up with her at her farm in Canby, Oregon, and got a chance to see the strikingly rabbit-like ears of the Border Leicester sheep in its natural farm flock environment. Border Leicesters weren’t the only breed on site -- or species for that matter – and we have a wonderfully informative podcast for you today. And, for a few lucky listeners, free stuff, as Susie was not only extremely generous with her time, but also with her wool products. Listen to our podcast for more details.
Rest in Peace, Eddie Van Halen. Imported from the traditions of Europe, combined into something new and different. A grand conductor in your version of the music of the spheres.
P.S. We worked a long time to get that Van Halen/A.I.-related title as clean as we could. This is, after all, only Rock and Roll. But we like it.
Links:
http://www.sudanfarm.com/
https://www.ablasheep.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Van_Halen
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Van_Halen
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/eddie-van-halen-20-greatest-guitar-solos-778991/ice-cream-man-1978-784277/
https://www.shepherdslane.com/ http://www.toprams.com/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Introduction:
We’re on the road again (albeit with a little bit more “distance” in our distance these days). This week we’re celebrating our new favorite color – “Gotland Gray.” We’re bringing you a conversation from last year’s Sheep and Wool festival in Rhinebeck, New York, where Amy Corey of Little River Farm told us a little bit about the characteristics and history of the Gotland – the petite-with-a punch-sheep. And Amy is pretty good at pronouncing those Swedish/Viking/Russian words, too.
Well, maybe these guys are considered a medium-sized sheep, but they gain quite a bit of attention in the pasture, no matter what size you think they are. The striking coats come in 50 shades of gray (we won’t go there), with a lustrous curl that is as soft as it looks. And yes, we got to touch one, so we know for sure. You don’t need to take our word for it if you want to see one for yourself; just go to our Backyard Green Films YouTube channel to see them “in person.” Our wallets will be a bit lighter after a visit to the Shepherds Lane farm store, because we’re bringing some of that gorgeous color wool home to roll around in (again, we’re not going there). Elara is planning her socks already.
In an upcoming podcast we’ll speak with Martin and Joy Dally here at Shepard’s Lane in Oregon, to tell you a little bit more about what it takes to get a Gotland -- and other breeds of sheep -- across the pond to the U.S. these days. If you’re not bringing them on Viking ships, that is.
Links:
https://sheepandwool.com/
https://www.littleriverfarmstore.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotland_sheep
https://americangotlandsheep.org/
https://spinkandco.com/7-properties-of-wool/
https://www.livescience.com/52755-sheep-facts.html#:~:text=%20%20%201%20Ovis%20ammon%20%28argalis%29%2C%20with,nivicola%20%28snow%20sheep%29%2C%20with%20four%20subspecies%20More%20
http://www.sheep101.info/sheeptypes.html
https://www.sheepandgoat.com/
https://extension.umd.edu/agsploration/students/resource-links
http://afs.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/
https://www.britannica.com/animal/sheep
https://www.shepherdslane.com/
http://www.toprams.com/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
No, we’re not in India for this one, if you wondered about that after that title. We’re closer to Rhinebeck, New York for this week’s podcast. On October 17-18 the New York State Sheep & Wool Festival will be held – albeit virtually – so we’re taking you back to remember the fun from last year. We’re celebrating all things fiber, including the beloved cashmere sweater.
Okay, so this podcast is not so much focusing on the sweater (that’s Elara’s vote), as it is focusing on the goat. That is a slang term for the Greatest Of All Time to many, and we think the cashmere produced by some breeds of goat is pretty amazing, at least when it comes to that wonderful feeling you get when you wear it at just the right dressy occasion.
Our guest is Pam Haendle, of Hermit Pond Farm in New York. She brought a wonderfully educational booth and the sweetest little goat to Rhinebeck for the mad gathering. She was gracious enough to speak with us about her goats, her kids (ha), and what on earth cashmere and pashmina are, anyway. It’s all about the marketing.
We have a book to recommend as well, for all of you fiber people out there (no, we’re not paid for this, but we have high hopes eventually). Ever wondered what all that corgi hair might look like in a cable knit? Corriedale? Buffalo? Yak? We found out. We kid you not - we bought the book.
Remember that we’re posting daily on the Backyard Green films YouTube channel, so tune in for more visuals from the livestock barns, arenas, and vendor halls at Rhinebeck 2019. Or you can join us on the 17th and 18th as we follow the virtual version of the New York State Sheep & Wool festival 2020. Think on the bright side - no traffic this year!
Links:
https://sheepandwool.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pam.haendle
https://hermitpondfarm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/hermitpondcashmeregoats/
https://cashmeregoatassociation.org/
https://cashmeregoatassociation.org/post.php?pid=17
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cashmere_wool
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camelidae
https://threadcurve.com/types-of-sweaters/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashmir_(song)
https://www.google.com/search?channel=tus2&client=firefox-b-1-d&q=kashmir+lyrics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horatio_Spafford
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Is_Well_with_My_Soul
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0543790/?ref_=nmls_hd
https://www.storey.com/books/the-fleece-fiber-sourcebook/
https://www.amazon.com/Fleece-Fiber-Sourcebook-Fibers-Animal/dp/1603427112/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=fleece+and+fiber&qid=1601245442&sr=8-2
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Justin Morgan DID have a horse. And it was a beauty. One of the quintesenntially American breeds, the Morgan horse sprang from the loins of a stallion named Figure, a.k.a. Justin Morgan(‘s) Horse. And that was not the only Spring that Sprung, as anything that trots or drives in North America probably can thank Mr. Morgan, piano teacher and blacksmith on-the-side for participating in the cancellation of debt through livestock trading, leading to a subsequent horse breeding career (for Figure, not Justin, mind you). Standardbred, American Quarter Horse, and Tennessee Walking Horses have all been influenced by Figure, not to mention the Hackney in jolly old England. This little horse was cleanly-built muscle, but could pull all day and still not seem tired. Logging? Check. Racing? Check. Trotting? Check. And boy, did those genes carry forward, for both temperament and looks.
Today is Part 2 of the Morgan Horse Story. Well, Part 2 of what we now know might be 427 parts, but we’ll save those for future podcasts. We won’t go down the lineage rabbit hole today, but will take a few minutes to talk about one line: The Government Morgan. We visited the historic barn at the UVM Morgan Horse Farm in Weybridge, Vermont, where we spoke with Sarah Fauver and Kimberly Demars about the goals of a Morgan Horse breeding program. We also stood and admired the absolutely gorgeous Willoughby, in the stall and in the ring. He patiently took time away from his busy beauty pageant and stud schedule just to meet with us (or we’d like to think so). Just like a Morgan Horse – a cheerful disposition, no matter what kind of work he has to do.
Links:
https://www.uvm.edu/cals/morganhorsefarm/staff
https://www.uvm.edu/cals/news/breed-apart
https://www.uvm.edu/cals/news/historic-uvm-morgan-horse-farm-announces-new-leadership-and-new-opportunities
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6690/justin_morgan
http://afs.okstate.edu/breeds/horses/morgan/index.html/
https://www.storey.com/
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/morgan
https://www.uvm.edu/cals/morganhorsefarm/history
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
This week is the first part of two on the indomitable little powerhouse horse known as the Morgan. Justin Morgan probably would have done just fine as a composer and the local town clerk, but he did have an equine that became much better known than he was (thank you, Marguerite Henry).
We met up with Pam McDermott of Dawn Wind Morgans in Myrtle Creek, Oregon in the summer of 2017. Pam graciously sat down and spoke with us about the connection she feels with this little horse with a big heart, and why she does her best to help to save this endangered breed.
Next week we’ll continue the story with another Morgan interview from the opposite side of the continent, but the western half of the U.S. is feeling the pain of raging wildfires this week, so our hearts are in Oregon with Pam and her fellow Oregonians, even if we are not. Please join us in sending positive thoughts to all those agriculturalists and foodies we’ve met with over the last few years that are feeling the pain of potential evacuation, even as we speak.
Karen, Bide a Wee Farm (Newberg, OR) http://www.bideaweefarm.com
Harless, Cozine Springs Ranch (McMinnville, OR) http://www.cozinespringsranch.com
Joy and Martin, Shepherd’s Lane (Lebanon, OR) https://www.shepherdslane.com
Bill and Lori, Shasta Ranch (Klamath Falls, OR) http://www.shastaranch.net
The Shockeys (Applegate, OR) https://ferment.works/
Adam Danforth (Ashland, OR) https://www.adamdanforth.com
Camas Davis (Portland, OR) https://www.pdxmeat.com/about
Jared Flood, Brooklyn Tweed (Portland, OR) https://brooklyntweed.com
Emily, Twisted Yarn (Portland, OR) https://twistedyarnshop.com/
Tyler and Elizabeth, Heart 2 Heart Farms (Sherwood, OR) https://www.heart2heartfarms.com
The Portland Highland Games (Portland, OR) https://www.phga.org
Mother Earth News Fair (Albany, OR) https://www.motherearthnewsfair.com
Tillamook Factory (Tillamook, OR) https://www.tillamook.com/visit-us/creamery
Links:
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/13/inslee-wildfires-climate-change-413593
https://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/information/firemap.aspx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armillaria_ostoyae
https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/pendleton_woolen_mills/#.X1_IYot7kkk
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
The Labor Day holiday here in the United States is a time to remember the contributions of the everyday workers to the building of our country, and to tip our hats to the labor movement. The first week in September is the point in time to remember other things as well – the unofficial end of summer, the start of school, and the moment where it becomes gauche to wear white in the traditional fashion universe. Having come from Eastern stock, there’s more than a little of that last traditional part built into Elara’s mental dress code (okay, so maybe not just in dress).
But tradition vs. the move forward is kind of a tough one. Do we remember why we start to do things a certain way, and stay that way, or do we jump into the future full tilt? Is improvement really improvement, or do we not even know that until years later when we can’t undo it? Advances worked beautifully with the Improved Meyer Lemon, but not so much with DDT. Progress and adaptation to new conditions are important, and in the world of agriculture that can mean huge opportunities to stand out, but also many difficulties for heritage breeds and seeds.
So we’ve decided, why can’t we have both the old and the new? Remember the past and keep it alive and intact, but adapt for the future. It seems like that way might hold better options for us, in case we need to take the proverbial Mulligan. After all, the agricultural “improvement” in this fashion statement analogy might turn out to be something like the infamous DayGlo trend…a little less permanent a forward change than we want it to be.
P.S. RIP, Northgate. I’ll keep the Omneykey ULTRA, so we have it for the apocalypse. They sure don’t make ‘em like they used to.
Links:
https://time.com/5658699/white-after-labor-day/
https://www.thurrott.com/forums/general-discussion/hardware/thread/northgate-omnikey-ultra-keyboard-first-look
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northgate_Computers
http://www.americanbuckeyepoultryclub.com/
http://www.americanbuckeyeclub.org/Home_Page.html
http://www.americanbuckeyepoultryclub.com/BuckeyeHistory2.html
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/buckeye-chicken
https://www.bing.com/search?q=politics+definition&qs=n&form=QBRE&sp=-1&ghc=1&pq=politics+definition≻=8-19&sk=&cvid=BFA27DF6FDC04ACEB48DA00BC2A07606
https://www.caryfowler.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cary_Fowler
https://www.milkingdevons.org/
https://www.honeyhilldevons.com/
https://www.facebook.com/americanmilkingdevoncattleassociation/?ref=py_c
https://reddevonusa.com/devon_cattle
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
The Great American Cattle Drive 2020 was an exciting trip for us, with farm visits to see American Milking Devons, Ancient White Park Cattle, and Yaks. Wait – Yaks? Okay, so the “Cattle” in “Cattle Drive” part was a little fast and loose on the list near the end (we try not to limit ourselves, if you can tell). The genus “Bos” does include cattle, aurochs, bison and yaks, but yaks, including “Bos grunniens” are technically not in the “cattle” clump, so we stretching GACD a little. With a name meaning the “grunting yak” (the domesticated version, anyway), you’ve got to step off the beaten path a little.
Suzanne Drumm of Bentwood Alpacas and Yaks gave us an up-close look at a yak herd, and we were captivated. That’s an impressive feat, as it was July in New York, but these animals are ones you just have to see to get your head wrapped around. Board member of IYAK (volunteer, no less), restaurateur, fiber producer, and nice human being -- it’s people like Suzanne that make things like GAC(&Y)D memorable for us. Even if we didn’t make it to Alaska, Steve.
We’ll post a few videos soon on our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/BackyardGreenFilms/videos), but until then, we hope you enjoy the conversation with the truly gracious Suzanne Drumm.
Links:
http://www.bentwoodalpacasyaks.com/
https://www.iyak.org/leadership-team
https://www.sunnyhillranch.com/
https://www.milkingdevons.org/
https://twitter.com/BkyrdGreenFilms
https://www.facebook.com/BackyardGreenFilms/
https://www.instagram.com/backyardgreenfilms/
https://www.youtube.com/backyardgreenfilms
www.backyardgreenfilms.com
https://sheepandwool.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yak_fiber
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bos
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_yak
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
As we watched the news and saw the fires ravaging over one million acres in California this past week, all Elara and I could think of were some of the people we've met along our journeys, and their proximity to the danger zone.
The fires in the west have only gotten worse each year. Whether you believe in climate change or not, there is one thing for certain...weather patterns are changing. If it's severe rain and flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes, or fires...it not only affects people, but their livestock, crops and their livelihood. This in turn affects you...the consumer. So, today we are bringing you a couple of interviews from two people who raise livestock in Northern California. As we release this podcast, they might have to evacuate their home or place of business at any minute.
Links:
https://www.metzerfarms.com
http://www.klearyfield.com
https://www.fire.ca.gov
https://livestockconservancy.org
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We’re back! When all was said and done, the Great American Cattle drive chalked up 8,500 miles, 22 states, 38 days and a partridge in a pear tree. And everything the caretakers (nieces and nephews) were in charge of was still alive upon our return – plus a few extra as-yet-to-be-determined biting things inhabiting the house. We still don’t know what those are, but we do know that when things change in nature – subtractions (us) and additions (the kids) – it can sometimes impact everyone’s general environment until the balance is once more restored.
The Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa is working on just this “balance” concept. This non-profit organization not only saves seeds, grains, fruits, berries and other crops, but it redistributes them, too, so their diversity can bring the elasticity needed to not only a healthy ecosystem, but a healthy food supply. One of the things they do well is to look at the big picture, which is why their Homestead Farm also is using heritage animals as well as plants. In this case, the animal breed is one that we’ve been wanting to see for about 3 years now, and a cross-country trip through Iowa was just the opportunity.
Jim Edrington, the Facilities Manager at Seed Savers, took us right into the fields with the wonderfully (somewhat still) wild Ancient White Park Cattle (We’re not sure he had all of those cute calves out there just for great footage, but we’d like to think so). This very rare breed is one of the most genetically distinct in the cattle world. It has a history in the thousands-of-years-range, and the recent stuff in their lineage reads like an action thriller as well. That’s pretty apt, as they’re still one of the less-domesticated domesticated breeds of cattle out there, and are definitely not for beginners. Their calm but wary demeanor was in full view when we visited, and it was easy to imagine these beauties on the pastures and in the forests of England eluding the nobles that hunted them as game. Self-sufficient, thrifty, great foragers, excellent mothers, and apparently not cowed (ha) by an ATV carrying a film crew in their pasture. These are the perfect pasture restoration and conservation grazing animals for the Seed Savers Exchange, and they are doing that job beautifully.
Links:
https://exchange.seedsavers.org/
https://www.seedsavers.org/visit
https://www.seedsavers.org/contact
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-edrington-2b8b1340
http://www.bbar.com/Stewardship/white-park-cattle
https://www.rbst.org.uk/white-park
http://afs.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/whitepark/index-2.html
http://afs.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/britishwhite
http://afs.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/americanwhitepark/index.html/
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/ancient-white-park
https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/life-uh-finds-a-way
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Rick, Elara, Little Mule (newly named car) and Bessie (not-quite-newly named trailer) are nearly home after almost 6 weeks on the road on the Great American Cattle Drive 2020. After a quick detour across historic Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and California, they have decided that they definitely have the good life travelling in the modern age. Especially with air conditioning.
The Oregon Trail. The California Trail. The Mormon Trail. The Bozeman Trail. The Pony Express Trail.
At least this time Elara didn’t eat it halfway across, due to Cholera (all of you 70’s and 80’s gamers got that one, we’re sure).
Links:
https://www.nps.gov/oreg/planyourvisit/maps.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platte_River
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/photo/trails-west/ https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/oregon-trail-ruts http://milkingdevons.org/ https://classicreload.com/oregon-trail.html
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Backyard Green Films is on the route home on the Great American Cattle Drive 2020, with another 2,000-odd miles to go. As it happened, we recorded this episode from the banks of the Mississippi River, only an hour from Pepin, Wisconsin. Some of you might know that spot as the original starting point for Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the beloved Little House books. Her adventure with a wagon pulled by oxen was much more difficult than ours should be, and any kind of of journey is a big idea to tackle. But pioneer girls had to be tough in those days, and apparently that characteristic still lives in the spirit of the American girl.
Our podcast today is with Andrew Van Ord, of Ox Hill Devon Farm in northwestern Pennsylvania. He breeds Milking Devons, makes equipment for oxen, and passes on the family skill set — driving (oxen) — right on into the next generation. Andrew was the last of our American Milking Devon Cattle Association interviews on this trip, and he helped us to get a new perspective on what it meant to be a teamster, the outside-the-standard-box uses for cattle in all kinds of pulling adventures, and where he thinks it might go in the future. And he practices what he preaches. When we got to the farm, Andrew’s daughter Lily — and her little heifer — were already up and working to pull a tire up and down the gravel road in front of the farmhouse, with a stubborn fortitude and a pioneer spirit that was hard to miss. Who says a girl (and a heifer) can’t play the same game as the big boys (steers)?
As we leave the banks of the Mississippi River, and drive our own little wagon westward, we are grateful for reminders of the past, the ability to live in the present, and the possibilities for the future. And the reminder that they can often live in one place, if we let them.
Westward, ho!
Links:
www.oxhilldevons.,ocom
www.milkingdevons.org
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We're still GACD - Great American Cattle Drive, that is.
Today, we'll bring you a visit with a family that we think is peachy keen, absolutely fabulous, and the cat's meow (and yes, there were cats there, too). Three generations of the Freier Family hosted us for a delightful morning at Every Season Farm, learning about life on a dairy farm (and mini science lab) in the rolling hills of Seneca Falls, New York.
With the patriarch starting the milk jug rolling, and a pediatrician and an E.R. physician in the next generation, it's no wonder that the third generation of Freiers wowed us with their current progress and future potential in both agriculture and science. Two budding veterinarians, a potential agricultural engineer and a future ag law environmental specialist bustled about in the milking barn while we grilled (interviewed) Dr. Dale (Jr.).
The whole family has "truly likeable overachiever" written all over them. While we were there we were treated to a draft display by two teams and two Frieres and a grant writing discussion from a lad young enough to have recently received his driver's license. We learned that there is the intellectual equivalent of a "poultry bowl" Jeopardy! competition, at which one Freier excelled (humble though he was about it). A blue-ribbon bunch all around, and not just with the Virginia State Fair and showing their Milking Devons. We will definitely have a Part 2 Podcast of this get-together, but...
After all that, we felt it was important to cover the "milking" part of "Milking Devons," and this was the perfect place to do it. Dr. Dale and his intrepid crew are in the midst of studies on the output, content and nutritional values in the milk they gather, and the information might just bring some interesting insights into variances of production due to genetic diversity, even within a single breed.
We hope you enjoy listening to the hustle and bustle of a milking barn, filled with kids, kittens, cows and camaraderie. What a joyous time we had.
P.S.
Got Milking Devon?
Links:
www.everyseason.farm
www.milkingdevons.org
www.livestockconservancy.org
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We’re still in the Northeastern United States on our Great American Cattle Drive. This is the area where much of our country’s important paperwork is kept. The Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the documents in the Hall of Records, and the Milking Devon Herdbook, Volume 8. We just had to add that last one and take another little teasing dig at John Hall, President of the American Milking Devon Cattle Association, who owns the only copy (we know of) of that particular book. Those documents we just mentioned sound pretty impressive, don’t they? But really, when it comes down to it, paper and the things written on it are just carbon and words. Dead trees and ink. So why is it such a big deal to keep records, and preserve them over time?Writing things down serves to remind us of the meaning and value that might be lost when we forget, and need a little nudge. When one generation fades away, and another rises. When the initial excitement of a new business fades, and gives way to daily transactions and difficulties. It’s a contract between parties, that clarify an understanding of terms, like purchasing a car or getting married. The documentation of the specifics of value, like a certificate of authenticity on an important piece of artwork. The family tree that decides who lives in Windsor Palace and gets to wear the big hat. Our written words -- or the electronic equivalent these days –are the formal representation of the meaning and value of things that people shed blood, sweat and tears to establish. They are kept to remind us of those things in the present and the future.So when we're dealing with our agricultural breeds and seeds, with the food that nourishes us, that keeps us alive, that represents hundreds or thousands of years of culture and history and evolution, doesn't it make sense to dedicate a little paper to that? And who's going to do that thankless task? The registrars! Every breed organization has one, and they are custodians of one of the most important jobs any breed organization has: Documentation.
Today, we bring you Bonnie Hall, who valiantly volunteers her services for this important (and often thankless) task for the American Milking Devon Cattle Association. We know that someday, 200 years from now, someone will want to buy or sell a Milking Devon. They will have a paper trail to follow, and Bonnie's name will be on that book.
Links:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/423156.King_of_the_Wind#:~:text=King%20of%20the%20Wind%20is%20the%20perfect%20example,itself%2C%20they%20simply%20added%20its%20heart%20and%20soul.
https://www.amazon.com/King-Wind-Story-Godolphin-Arabian/dp/1416927867
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_the_Wind
https://www.milkingdevons.org
http://www.maplebreezefarm.com/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We made it! We have completed our cross-country trip west to east for the first leg of The Great American Cattle Drive (“GACD” has a distinctive ring to it, don’t you think?).
We start the film shoot with the American Milking Devon Cattle Association in New England today, but it was fitting that we began our run with a podcast recorded halfway across the country, in Monument, Colorado. We stopped for 24 hours to have a conversation with Rollie and Paula Johnson of Three Eagles Ranch, and to hunker down our new (used) trailer Bessie in their driveway. The socially-distanced hospitality didn’t end there, as they not only ran a cord for us to have power, but they thawed an amazing steak for us to experience on the back porch, overlooking the road that is now a modern one, but that many took in the early days of the expansion of this country.
The next day, Rollie and his hardworking ranch hand Dulce gathered the largest team of oxen I have ever seen at that close distance (the sheer mass was amazing), hitched it to an actual 1800’s wagon, and he, his wife Paula and Dulce donned their period costume and set out driving the oxen and wagon across across the back pastureland. All this, so we could get the real experience of what it was like on the cattle drives and pioneer movements of the old days. I was exhausted after 10 minutes in the heat and dust (and a shoe-full of burrs), and I was just holding a camera. My admiration for the fortitude of the people in the 1800’s increased with every moment, especially since Rollie said that in real life, the people walked. All the way.
The Milking Devons used as oxen were the perfect animal for this time, and Rollie will tell you why. Next week, we’ll bring you Part 2, where Rollie tells of the history of the people moving across the country, and how — whether it be the commonality of Indian attacks, the lack of oxen, or the riding in the wagon part — the movies didn’t always get the facts right. And he would know, as you can tell if you look for him in Netflix’s “Godless.”
Because in that day and age, whether you were Gus and Col on the arduous trek north, the pioneer filled with fortitute headed west, or the dirt farmer that stayed in place and fed both as they passed through, it’s all about the drive, baby.
Links:
www.flyingw.com
www.facebook.com/americanmilkingdevoncattleassociation
www.threeeaglesranch.com
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5516154/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105038/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/140963.O_Pioneers_
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
At last, we’re on the road.
We’re going to interview wonderful people doing important conservation work, who also strive to ensure our food supply.
And we chose a name for our new (used) trailer. It’s a natural fit, as it all started with The Holstein Dilemma.
There’s will be challenges — especially over 7,000 miles for a road trip in July during a pandemic — but life is good.
Thank you for being a part of it.
Links:
Www.backyardgreenfilms.com
Www.milkingdevons.org
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Maps? Check
Masks? Check
Gloves? Check
Disinfectant foot bath? Check
Disinfectant for surfaces? Check
Remote clip-on mics? Check
Press passes? Check
MPAA Safe Filming Protocol List? Check
A month’s worth of food and supplies? Check
Bathroom in the trailer?......Check.
Goodbye, dear and faithful Maggie (our beloved teardrop trailer). Thanks for your good and faithful service, and we will miss you on The Great American Cattle Drive 2020
Our new (to us) trailer just came back from a pre-road-trip checkup at the RV shop, and we will send more pics on Instagram this week for the final choice of name on the 1990 Bigfoot fiberglass clamshell trailer. Interior is a soft mauve, with Big 80’s purple and pink stripes on the side.
Thanks to all of you for your wonderful suggestions!
We’re back on the road, and gratefully able to earn our pennies again to support part of our filming adventure. We’re no strangers to the need for biosecurity measures, especially after the last four years of farm visits, but we’ve added a few more precautions out of an abundance of caution. We’re packing a month’s worth of food, supplies, batteries, and the like, and hope to bring you on-the-ground (definitely not in-a-plane-or-airport) stories of the brave workers on the front lines of our food supply system. And yes, this month’s theme is “Moo!” (not “Moot” please).
Links:
https://backyardgreenfilms.com
https://www.youtube.com/backyardgreenfilms
https://backyardgreenfilms.com/podcasts/
https://facebook.com/backyardgreenfilms
https://www.instagram.com/backyardgreenfilms/
https://twitter.com/BkyrdGreenFilms
GreatAmericanCattleDrive2020
GACD2020
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
The behavior of individuals and groups seems to be in the news a lot these days. The same concept in the natural world might not hit the news quite as often, but it’s just as important. Any farmer or rancher will tell you that the more you know about what your plants and animals are telling you, the more effective your response can be, and the more you both can produce together. Leaves wilting usually means, “Water, please.” Ears back on the horse usually means “I’m unhappy with something – back off.”
But an animal’s personal life experience might make all the difference in the meaning of similar signals, even within species and breeds. When my chickens peck my leg, it means, “Pick me up, because I want to be held,” but someone else might think, “The poultry are attacking!” That type of thing can cause a very important miscommunication error for humans, leading to an improper reaction. It’s not so bad with a chicken signal, but not so good with a Longhorn. Animals are individuals, just like people.
In today’s podcast, we bring you Ben Hart, from our interview at the Donkey Welfare Symposium in Davis, California last year. He is an animal behaviorist, lecturer, trainer, and author that started his equine experience with heavy horses, but now works mostly with donkeys and mules (and people) for one of the UK’s leading equine charities, The Donkey Sanctuary. He uses his mad equine whispering skills to understand not just the species and breed, but the animal’s individual experience. He takes each “patient” on its own merits, and never assumes that the animal is the one that needs to learn something – the people have to give a little, too. If you watch the news these days, I think it’s obvious that we can all learn from that.
Links:
http://www.hartshorsemanship.com/
http://www.hartshorsemanship.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=controller.viewPageAbout
https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/
https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/what-we-do/for-professionals/behaviour
https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/who-we-are/our-people
https://donkeywelfaresymposium.homestead.com/
http://research.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/node/443
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Off to New Mexico. High desert all around, blue mountains behind, dry breezes, and the infamous sheep-pig. All of that and more are found in this podcast, even if some parts of that last sentence sound less than plausible.
It was there that we met Zach and Ethan, two brothers who raise the rare but deliciously fatty Mangalitza (or Mangalica or Mangalitsa, depending on who you ask). This is a Hungarian breed of pig that is well-known for hitting the top of the pork charts for taste. It is also known for hitting the hairstyle charts as well, and looks – I kid you not – as if there was a poodle somewhere in its ancestry. This is not a result of the fallout from neighboring White Sands missile range, as these pigs have looked this way since they arrived on the continent.
All teasing about historical nuclear testing aside, this is a remote area. Lonesome, beautiful, dramatic and still, this is not an area for the faint of heart to practice the art and science of agriculture. Inputs and outputs can be somewhat limited and expensive, so there’s a solution to that, which is big in this neck of the (non)woods of the Southwestern United States. Sustainability.
“Meeting the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” That’s the definition of “sustainability” used by many organizations, including the U.N., smart businesses, and well-known economists. Sounds like the basic concept of intelligent agriculture, at least to us. And to these hardworking farming brothers, the third-generation to live on this land, it’s a way of life. Especially if you raise the infamous Hungarian sheep-pig.
Okay, Mangalitza. But we just like to say, “sheep pig.” Bet you’ll do that all day now.
Links:
https://www.mangalica.com/en/characteristics-of-the-mangalica-breed/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangalica
https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/development-agenda/
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/sustainability.asp
https://modernfarmer.com/2014/03/meet-mangalitsa-hairy-pig-thats-kobe-beef-pork/
https://web.archive.org/web/20120210223557/http://www.agroservice.hu/mangainfo1.htm
https://quiviracoalition.org/regenerate2018/
https://conalma.org/usda-online-tool-marks-much-of-nm-as-a-food-desert/
https://gonm.biz/why-new-mexico/climate-geography
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Here’s a list for you:
-
Hobbits
Otters
Wedding shawls
Ragnor
Dogs
Killer Whales
Archeological ruins
Oil
Puffins
80’s rock bands (okay, this one is a little loose)
The Ikea catalog
Ponies
So, what do these things have in common? This podcast, and the Shetland Islands, way, way (way) North of the North Scotland mainland (Did we mention it was up North?). In fact, the Vikings - Scandinavians, if you’re politically correct – made a pit stop in the 8th and 9th century on their way to Iceland, and dropped off people and animals to this beautifully remote island chain in the North Atlantic. One of the many hardy animals that adapted to the lifestyle there over the last 1,000 years is the Shetland Sheep, one of the cutest little animals we’ve seen so far (Paloma the ewe’s tail was wagging like a dog when we met her, and that kept going for anyone that might pet her over the next hour). With super soft and very fine wool, they are very docile, petite, and thrifty on the feed requirements. This primitive breed is a keeper, especially for those that don’t want a lot of upkeep in the keeping part. If you’re a textile person, you can spin the finest of shawls with this one, with sheep and wool in practically every Viking color you can think of.
Judy Lehrhaupt is the owner of two flocks of sheep and a few sheep dogs as well, and she not only does the raising, herding and shepherding, but she’s a master spinner and a fleece judge. Ewe Can Do It is her farm, where she spins/spends her off-time when she’s not teaching school. We met up with her last Fall at the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival, and hope you enjoy listening to her as much as we did.
The little sheep from the Big Country (yes, couldn’t resist another 80’s music reference).
Links:
https://www.bing.com/maps?q=shetland+islands&FORM=HDRSC4
https://www.britannica.com/place/Shetland-Islands-Scotland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shetland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landrace
https://www.bing.com/maps?q=shetland+islands&FORM=HDRSC4
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2306299/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.history.com/shows/vikings
https://www.rbst.org.uk/Pages/Category/sheep-watchlist?Take=27
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/shetland
https://www.shetland.org/
https://www.wildlifeworldwide.com/locations/the-shetland-islands
https://www.shetlandwoolweek.com/free-knitting-pattern/
https://www.shetland.org/#videos-2
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Belgium is a beautiful place in the Low Countries of Western Europe. Rich with art, culture and a globalized economic worldview, it has had more than it’s fair share of trauma throughout its history. It has been known as both the Crossroads and the Battlefield of Europe, and the strategic importance of this country has caused it to be used as either a tactical objective or a runway throughout its history (Just ask the Romans, the French, the Germans, the British, the Americans, the Germans, and the Americans. Napoleon, too.).
Today, Belgium is still a crossroads, and is a leader in Europe’s globalized economic and political engine (and has great food, wonderful history, phenomenal art, waffles, and, of course, beer). It is also said that Belgium has a more populated ratio of people to land, for it’s size.
This might explain why the Brabant – the origination of our very popular Belgian Draft horse here in the U.S. – was what it was. For small-scale sustainable farmers who want a very gentle draft horse that can pull more than almost any other, pound per pound (did we mention it was the heaviest of all draft breeds?), this I said to be the one to pick. It's gorgeous and massively stocky and hits just the right note at a renaissance fair. Unfortunately, their calmness and strength have also put them at the top of the list for things like carrying Richard the Lionheart’s knights into battle, or towing cannons and artillery to the front lines in Russia for Napoleon.
During the World Wars, the shutdown of shipping corridors caused major limitations in importation of new livestock bloodlines, which had a huge impact on Brabants here in the U.S. Selection for trait in genetic isolation gave a fast rise to the dominance of the new breed that is now known as the Belgian Draft horse, a favorite at horse shows and with Amish farmers everywhere. But it all started with the Brabant. In Bruge (okay, maybe in Brabant, but it sounds good).
Exhilarating is not a word that might usually be used to describe a draft horse experience, but at Steve and Eunice Ward’s beautiful Colorado ranch, we spent an amazing afternoon that was just that. My heart still hasn’t recovered, in more than one way.
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/eunice.ward.73
https://www.theamericanbrabantassociation.net/
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/brabant-horse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWRscujkPxU
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_horse
http://www.belgianduccle.org/belgian-duccles.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgium
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ardennais
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draft_horse
https://www.storey.com/books/storeys-illustrated-guide-to-96-horse-breeds-of-north-america/
http://imh.org/exhibits/online/breeds-of-the-world/europe/belgian-draft-horse/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Belgium
http://sta
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As we come to you on this Memorial Day 2020, we would like to pay remembrance to not only the men and women who have given their lives in service of our country, but also to the animals who did as well. Up until the last century, horses probably took the brunt of the wartime hit, and most severely in World War I.
Though they were used primarily in cavalry units in prior wars, and still used in that way later, they were most commonly used for logistics - supply wagons, draft horses for ambulances, and as messengers. The value of horses, and the increasing difficulty of replacing them, was such that by 1917 some troops were told that the loss of a horse was of greater tactical concern than the loss of a human soldier.
By 1917, Britain had over a million horses and mules in service, but harsh conditions, especially during winter, resulted in heavy losses, particularly among the Clydesdale horses, the main breed used to haul the guns. During the First World War, thousands of these horses had been conscripted for the war effort, and after the war, breed numbers declined as farms became increasingly mechanized. This decline continued between the wars. And following the Second World War, the number of Clydesdale breeding stallions in England dropped from more than 200 in 1946 to 80 in 1949. By 1975, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust considered them vulnerable to extinction, meaning fewer than 900 breeding females remained in the UK.
War not only affects mankind, but our four-legged friends as well. So on this Memorial Day we thank everyone - human and animal - who sacrificed their lives.
Links and references:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horses_in_World_War_I
https://www.yprespeacemonument.com/horses-and-ww1/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clydesdale_horse
https://www.thebrooke.org/get-involved/every-horse-remembered/war-horse-facts
https://www.rbst.org.uk/
http://www.history.co.uk/shows/the-real-war-horse/articles/history-of-horses-during-wwi
http://spartacus-educational.com/FWWhorses.htm
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/03/horses-world-war/
http://www.bl.uk/world-war-one/articles/animals-and-war
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horses_in_warfare
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
It’s Heritage Breeds week at The Livestock Conservancy. This organization is one that you hear about on our podcast frequently, and for good reason. They are on the front line in the battle against extinction for some of the traditional agricultural breeds in the U.S. and abroad. The Conservancy’s mission is to do “research, education, outreach, marketing and promotion, and genetic rescues,” so we have a backup in place for animals in our agricultural production system. Diversity gives us choice, elasticity, and frankly, a greater awareness of our history and culture.
Please tune in for this podcast with an author, a historian, a veterinary scientist, a field researcher, a zoologist, a conservationist, and a public speaker. And by the way, it’s all the same person. If that weren’t enough, we can also say that she’s also an agriculturalist with two or three heritage breed flocks and herds in her backyard (I’m still trying to pronounce “Crevecoeur” properly, so as to minimize the wincing from the French speakers who might be listening. My apologies, before, during and after.).
Jeannette Beranger is Senior Program Manager at the Livestock Conservancy, and she joins us to talk about what she does, why it’s important, and why fashionista chickens and horses that can go swamp diving without hysteria might be a good thing. And other interesting things, of course, but they’re not as fun to say as “swamp diving ponies.”
Happy Heritage Breeds week, everyone, and we hope you enjoy our summertime porch interview with Jeannette Beranger.
Links:
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/what/
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/about/internal/staff
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/crevecoeur
https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AJeannette+Beranger&s=relevancerank&text=Jeannette+Beranger&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_2
http://www.fao.org/dad-is/en/
https://www.motherearthnews.com/biographies/jeannette-beranger-the-livestock-conservancy-senior-programs-manager
https://www.facebook.com/CrevecoeurConservation/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054698/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
http://marshtacky.info/mt/
http://www.fao.org/publications/sowangr/en/
http://www.fao.org/poultry-production-products/production/poultry-species/chickens/en/
http://www.fao.org/animal-production/en/
https://www.howtopronounce.com/french/cr%C3%A8vecoeur
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
The Six Degrees of Separation concept didn’t start with Kevin Bacon, believe it or not. We can thank Hungarian writer Frigyes Karinthy in 1929 for that idea. But regardless of who started it, it’s very much a home truth that humankind and all of the things in our periphery seem to be connected in some way with just a few steps, if you just look to see how.
In walks Mary. Mary Carter McConnell, that is: Anthropologist, historian, research specialist, horse and dog breeder, specialist in the study of humankind, and just about the reference for good reading material I’ve ever met. She has plenty of manure on her shoes by the back door, so she’s not just a book-learning-only type girl. Much of our interview was conducted in the field, Mary with a bucket in her hand and her Cherokee and Choctaw herd surrounding her. She explained each animal to us -- genetic line, physical attributes and behavioral characteristics, and talked about why the horses were regionally selected over hundreds of years.
We came away from this interview with a new respect for the breeding savvy of the Native American peoples, the historic significance and history of these beautiful equines, the human and agricultural losses during in the Trail of Tears, and, of course, worshipful adoration of an amazing woman who is one of the nation’s top preservationists of history, both conceptual and biological.
Links:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropology
https://web.archive.org/web/20160719000140/http://www.imh.org/exhibits/online/what-we-theorize-when-and-where-domestication-occurred#
https://whatscookingamerica.net/History/PotatoHistory.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato
https://www.history.com/topics/immigration/irish-potato-famine
https://www.nap.edu/read/1398/chapter/1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frigyes_Karinthy
https://web.archive.org/web/20080908122706/http://www.cipotato.org/pressroom/press_releases_detail.asp?cod=55
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080129160727.htm
https://www.midsouthhorsereview.com/articles.php?id=5109
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Famine_(Ireland)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestication_of_the_horse
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/rappahannock-news/20190221/281530817299432
https://www.google.com/search?channel=tus2&client=firefox-b-1-d&q=mary+popping+song+something+about+mary
https://en.actualitix.com/country/amsu/south-america-potato-import.php
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Yep, it’s A Bug’s Life, come alive. Collecting seeds is a long-term gig, but it has to be done if the colony (that’s us humans) wants to survive. And even if you’re not on a little island or surrounded by hungry grasshoppers, there’s a reason to collect as many good seeds as you can, so the colony can be healthy and successful through the winter and the upcoming year.
Everyone is finally having to pay attention, whether they want to or not, to the supply chain and the concept of food security. The Victory Garden concept that our grandparents and great-grandparents talked about has finally hit home, and it seems like everyone is realizing that a home garden might be a really good thing. So what’s the best way to safeguard success? With things that work really well in your own space. Local. Adapted. And tested to be successful in the regions where you plant them.
If you’ve seen the movie, you know that Flik, Atta, and the colony understand the amount of work it takes to bring food into our larders, to support a community. You have to start early in the year with growing and the harvest, to be successful, On top of that, what grows on one little island space might not be the same as something that thrives a few miles away. But with a little bit of individuality, hard work, and utilization of the strengths each one of us might bring through the differences in all of us (read: diversity), we’ll make it.
The San Diego Seed Company sells locally adapted seeds are just that concept, come to life. Today, we’ll speak with Brijette Pena, who strives to find proven regional plants for plentiful and healthy harvests. San Diego is the perfect area to test the boundaries of garden elasticity, with greatly varying microclimates, terrains and soil quality. Not only does San Diego Seed Company sell seeds, but they offer classes, seed cleaning services, run test gardens, and are active in the community space with generous donations of time, educational services and product to schools and other local organizations.
Because when the last leaf falls, it’s a good thing to have the pantry stocked. These are the people to help us do just that.
Links:
https://sandiegoseedcompany.com/
https://www.nlc.org/the-30-most-populous-cities
https://sandiegoseedcompany.com/our-history-and-quality/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego
https://www.caryfowler.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svalbard_Global_Seed_Vault
https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1365-2745.12854
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120623/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
The whole planet is in the midst of an eruption of disease. Agricultural occurrences are no different than human epidemics, in terms of potential damage.
The British Isles are on the list of places that come to mind when the words “agriculture” and “outbreak” are put together, not because they have any more than the rest of the planet, but because their battles over the last 30 years have been a particularly media-rich affair. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as mad cow disease, and Scrapie (another transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, or TSE) hit Britain. They’re pretty powerful examples of the destruction that occurs in our food and economic systems from something like this.
But it’s not all bad. Humans have some pretty powerful tools to work with, and top on the list are conceptual ideas like collaboration, cooperation, information, and resource diversification.
Today we’re going to bring you a conversation with a guy that uses all of those tools in his daily life. John Wilkes is a business consultant and journalist who uses his life experience and expertise from both sides of the Atlantic to produce a balanced perspective on commercial U.S. livestock production topics. The first half of his life was on a traditional mixed farm in Shropshire, England, with a later stint in business and the restaurant industry. He married a colonist (read: American), and ended up living in Maryland, and writes a column for the UK Farmers Guardian called “View From The Hill.” We caught up with him in November 2016 at the Livestock Conservancy Conference in Amhurst, Massachusetts, where he was attending both as a member of the Board of Directors of the Conservancy, but also in his role as the North American Ambassador for the UK’s Rare Breeds Survival Trust. He has a broad base of knowledge about many areas of British and American agriculture, including commercial and small farm production, heritage and commercial breeds, import and export requirements, genetics, the food supply, and on and on. We hope you enjoy our conversation with a man that truly understands the power of collaboration.
Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-wilkes-0b533a26
https://www.fginsight.com/
https://www.fginsight.com/news/top-stories/view-from-the-hill-us-talks-tough-on-trade-with-eu-77283
https://www.rbst.org.uk/
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/about/internal/board
http://www.rarebreedscanada.ca/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rare_Breeds_Canada
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Livestock_Conservancy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rare_Breeds_Survival_Trust
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandemic
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bovine_spongiform_encephalopathy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrapie
https://www.rbst.org.uk/news/rbst-join-up-with-the-greatest-online-agricultural-show
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We have to admit – sitting at home is much more tolerable with the cool weather and rain we’ve had in California this year so far. If California has a stay-at-home order in place, it’s much easier with a crackling fire and a warm sweater. But we’re in mid-April, and those days are soon to be gone, so we’ll take this last moment to remember warm wools and thick sweaters.
We bring you a visit with Jeri Robinson-Lawrence. She and her daughter Irina run Flying Fibers, a brick-and-mortar yarn shop in Landisville, Pennsylvania, with an online portal for those of you who might want premium wool but don’t want to get on a plane right now. Jeri and her daughter specialize in British fibers and breed-specific blends, grown both here and in that island from which they originated. On top of that, she raises some pretty rare breeds of sheep, including Wensleydales, Leicesters, Shetlands and Teeswaters.
Jeri is an example of a person that has profoundly been impacted by the Covid-19 lockdown in more than one life area, so the going-into-her-store part is important. You can’t actually do it, because she is one of those who had to close the front door (though the online portal is still busily filling orders). If that wasn’t enough to deal with, they had to move their fiber classes online. The ability to import or export products (including wool and genetic material) has experienced some disruption for most people in America, and she’s no doubt one of them. Jeri is a teacher, so you can imagine the bobbing and weaving with the chaos in the educational system. And she’s the volunteer go-to girl running the sheep barns for the New York Sheep and Wool Festival held every October in Rhinebeck, NY. We’re sure that’s still up in the air, until further notice (and it’s not a little event, let me tell you).
So we are thrilled to bring attention to the basics of one of the most comforting stay at home things that we can possible imagine – the soft, warm (and sometimes cool), cozy, homey feel of wool -- at least until summer hits next week, that is.
After the podcast, we urge you to please visit Flying Fibers to find out more about this wonderful farmer, shop owner, craftswoman, teacher, and tireless volunteer. Thank you, Jeri and the Wensleydales, for a Grand Day Out at the NYS S&WF 2019.
Links
https://www.flyingfibers.com/
https://www.flyingfibers.com/covid19-qa
https://sheepandwool.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wensleydale_sheep
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluefaced_Leicester
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wensleydale_cheese
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_and_Gromit
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104361/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We are constantly amazed at our agricultural system, and how fast and how far it seems to have come since the early days. And when people use the phrase “early days” with regard to agriculture in America, the usual mental picture has to do with Pilgrims, a multicultural exchange, squash, corn, and a turkey. But the turkey, although it is one of the few agricultural items in our food system that actually existed here before most of us, has not become the meat-producing animal that has come to represent America. It seems that that particular title goes to the beef industry. We can thank John Wayne, the Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Sam Elliot for indelibly stamping herds of majestic beef cattle in our minds as being part of our national identity. It is what’s for dinner, anyway.
The Pilgrims did bring cattle with them. The Milking Devon, as we have found, came over in 1623, and is a wonderful bovine that produces milk, beef, and pulls that plow while it’s at it. But the Plymouth colony wasn’t the first. That honor goes to the Spanish, and they beat the Pilgrims by over 100 years.
Spanish cattle arriving in this country in boatloads in the early 1500’s established what has become the quintessential American agricultural animal. True to the landrace concept, those original foundation herds did what all of us did. Arrived, adapted to the environment and thrived, or died trying. The ones that made it started as one thing, but as they moved across the country over hundreds of years, they became something else. In Hispaniola, Mexico and Texas, they became Texas Longhorn Cattle. In Florida, they became the Florida Cracker Cattle.
And in the southeast states of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia, they became the Pineywoods Cattle. Today, we are bringing you a conversation with Bruce Petesch of Tangled Oaks Farm in Siler City, North Carolina, who raises this endangered breed, one of the oldest in our history. It was here before John Wayne, before the Angus, before the railheads, and before the Pilgrims. Plus, it’s really good at handling not just the heat, but the humidity. Georgia in August. That’s the true measure of something to be admired.
Links:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criollo_cattle
https://www.ushistory.org/us/3a.asp
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Plymouth,+MA/@41.8881638,-70.7749408,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89e4b9efe1b22d71:0xe99070cab6ea2e23!8m2!3d41.9584457!4d-70.6672621
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/pineywoods
https://www.history.com/topics/immigration/america-promised-land-season-1-episode-1-spanish-ranchers-bring-cattle-to-texas-video
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Cracker_cattle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispaniola
https://www.pcrba.org/
https://6b934cd0-f6fe-4ea6-a870-cb38602597f1.filesusr.com/ugd/9a1eae_583f1ccb7aac4d9f9319f8d52c192c21.pdf?index=true
https://www.pineywoodscattle.us/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We are big fans of Wallace and Gromit, thank you, so we’d like to take this opportunity to say that “A Close Shave” is not going to be an issue here. Shaun (read, “Shorn”) can rest easy on this one, as there’s no Knit-o-Matic in this episode. How can that be, when we’re talking about sheep? The St. Croix, to the rescue.
The St. Croix sheep is a hair sheep, which was a new thing for us. No wool at all. It therefore is the perfect breed for ranchers and farmers wishing to raise lamb for consumption, but do not want to deal with the shearing part every six months or so. On top of that, the breed is parasite resistant (including both worms and flystrike), has great teeth and hooves, likes to browse, and they have really, really cute babies. Ask Elara, who got to hold one on her visit (check the pic). If you don’t like them when they’re little for some reason, then check out the adults. The females are year-round fertile and attentive moms. The males not only have an extremely majestic roman nose in their profile shot, but they have a mane like a lion. We are not making this stuff up.
We met Bill and Lori Marion at the Mother Earth News Fair in Albany, Oregon on a baking-hot August day, and talked about the joys of St. Croix’s. We had such a good time with these well-spoken people that they invited us (okay, so we begged) to come up on our next trip through Southern Oregon to visit them at Shasta Ranch, their beautiful spread on the California/Oregon border. Amazing bird watching, interesting wildlife, gracious people, a ride on the four-wheeler, a respectful conversation with a guardian donkey, and it all was topped off by holding a baby lamb. For us, it doesn’t get any better than this, and Elara almost went home with a new pet. Maybe she’ll have more luck convincing Rick the next time they hit the Oregon border.
Links:
http://www.shastaranch.net/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUzSanllyXU
https://weatherspark.com/y/398/Average-Weather-in-Albany-Oregon-United-States-Year-Round
https://www.motherearthnewsfair.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAfCzRrse2U
https://stcroixsheep.org/
http://www.stcroixhairsheep.org/about-st-croix/history-of-st-croix-sheep/
http://afs.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/stcroix
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/st-croix
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_and_Gromit
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address from November 1863 was a document that outlined Lincoln’s attempt to unify the country in a time of war. It might feel a little like that right now, during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, where we are discovering that we can work together, or not. As in the time of Lincoln, people are fighting a brave fight, and some are perishing.
We often look to our governments to protect the public good, organize things and help us stay safe. That’s especially true now, from what we hear on the news. Sometimes it’s a discussion about the positives, sometimes the negatives, because there can often be a tendency for any large organization to degrade into a bureaucratic quagmire. But it’s not always like that, because governments are made of people.
Today, we bring you Julie Gauthier, DVM, one of the many people we have interviewed who works for, partners with, consults with, or provides expertise to the government body we know as the United States Department of Agriculture, or USDA. Julie is a veterinary epidemiologist and co-author of “Chicken Health for Dummies,” and is the go-to expert on poultry, especially rare breeds. She gave us a tour of her North Carolina farm, including a great opportunity to see and film the Myotonic or “Tennessee Fainting” goat (Elara got up close and personal, but did not ask them to faint). Want a full-sized turkey that actually fits in a little 1940’s refrigerator? She’ll tell you about the Beltsville Small White, a heritage breed turkey developed by the USDA for just this purpose. Today’s monster fridge in most American kitchens has evolved from its tiny origin, and the USDA’s scientists keep moving along with our current needs, developing new breeds for our new lifestyles.
Good and bad, we’re all in this together. That includes the USDA and the wonderfully gracious people we have met that are connected with that big government branch. Because while we’re all familiar with the phrase, “…of the people, for the people,” we’d like to add another part in there, with regard to the USDA. “Made up of working people…just like us.”
Links:
https://www.nass.usda.gov/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beltsville_Small_White
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fainting_goat
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Agriculture
https://www.pastemagazine.com/business/almond-industry/the-billion-dollar-california-almond-industrys-blo/
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/production-and-inspection/inspection-and-grading-of-meat-and-poultry-what-are-the-differences_/inspection-and-grading-differences
https://www.producereport.com/article/new-mexico-now-top-us-pecan-producer
https://www.grandin.com/
https://www.ars.usda.gov/people-locations/person/?person-id=479
https://www.ars.usda.gov/pe
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Food. It’s what’s for dinner. Unless it’s not.
Well, that sounds self-evident, but as we know from history, food is the one thing we have a hard time living without, and when we say that, we mean it gets ugly, and fast. Humans become a little more animal and a little less “human” when food gets scarce.
So now is a great time for an old concept: The Victory Garden. It’s an idea that shows its value again, and again, and again. Whether it’s my grandparents during World War I, my parents in World War II, or the modern day moment, growing a garden for food independence is a really good idea that keeps proving itself.
Not only that, but growing a garden helps us to feel better. It helps us to do our part and reduce the load on the food production and distribution system. Gardening is great exercise, and gets us out in the fresh air. We get to know our neighbors as we swap veggies and fruits, and keep the community connection going strong. It’s a morale booster, because not only are we doing our bit for God and Country (so to speak), but it helps us mentally to keep calm and carry on. It helps us to identify with food producers across the country, and to be more patient with them as they face challenges from every direction. It helps to make us self-sufficient in our own little world. And it tastes delicious. And all of that comes from a seed, and a little bit of dirt. Whether you’re in a small urban lot across the street, or in the middle the wide plains of Kansas, it’s something that can unite us all.
So go plant something and swap with your neighbors – I dare you. For humanity’s sake.
Links:
https://covid19.ca.gov/
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/civic_responsibility/smithsonian_siyc_fall07.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Carver
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Famine_(Ireland)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donner_Party
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Chinese_Famine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_garden
https://extraharvestshare.wixsite.com/mysite
https://www.facebook.com/extraharvestshare
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Dugan Tillman-Brown and Firefly Farm in North Stonington, Connecticut. Our second Holstein Dilemma film interview ever, and the moment Elara fell in love.
There were so many things we talked about on that lovely day in July, standing in that sunny and grassy pasture with a herd of amazingly picturesque Randall Cattle. Birds chirped in the trees and the insects lazily buzzed about. The cows, with their panda color points and horns curving like halos around their heads, were watchful of someone new in their paradise. The little spotted young calves cautious, but curious of the newcomers.
Dugan spoke to me about the Randalls and how their thriftier nature, good mothering ability and easy keeping worked beautifully for small family farms. How the pastures had become measurably healthier and drought tolerant with the cattle, their nicely dispersed manure, the free choice minerals, and dung beetles all helping to improve balance and increase soil elasticity and aeration. And then, the moment happened. It was as if my husband, the second camera man, and 250 pounds of audio and video equipment ceased to exist. Love.
I have always been enthusiastic about the opportunities nature gives us, if we just work with it instead of against it. I am happiest when I am up to my elbows in healthy, vibrant, heavily amended soil, sitting in my garden with a chicken on my lap, or listening to horses or cattle munching on hay while inhaling the wonderful barn smell of animal, sawdust, manure and old wood. But standing in that pasture that day, head next to Dugan as we bent over a pile of fresh manure and talked about how the dung beetles made such an impact, my passion for all of those things deepened into a long-term love affair with the potential agriculture has to change our lives in a hugely positive way.
Dugan showed us the whole farm that day, including pastures with Mulefoot and Guinea Hogs and Dorking Chickens. We had a difficult time picking just one for our podcast, but we are taking a snippet a from the place it all started. Here is a conversation about Randall Cattle, one of the rarest breeds in the world. Less than 500 of these animals exist in the world, but the numbers are slowly growing, thanks to the valiant efforts of a group of farmers and ranchers who have decided to fight the good fight.
One of the farms leading the charge is Firefly Farm in North Stonington, Connecticut, one of the vanishing number of small family farms in the country. There is much to admire about Certified Humane status was not enough for this family farm. It is a bastion of small breed preservation, and
All this, and of course they named the farm Firefly. No doubt, this family aims to misbehave (thank you, Joss Whedon) in the best possible way.
Links:
http://www.firefly.farm/about-us.html
http://www.firefly.farm/what-makes-us-special.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randall_cattle
https://certifiedhumane.org/firefly-farms-2/
http://www.cynthiasrandallcattle.com/
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/randall
http://www.randallcattleregistry.org/
https://firefly.fandom.com/wiki/Quotes
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303461/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We can’t seem to escape news of the latest disease outbreak, no matter which decade we’re inhabiting. MERS, SARS, Covid-19, Spanish Flu, Zika, plague, typhoid, or leprosy for humans. In poultry parlance, we have Marek’s, Newcastle, Avian Pox…and the list goes on. There’s always something floating around that affects both humans and non-human animals, and sometimes it’s kind of terrifying.
When humans feel scared of something we feel unprepared to handle, throughout history we have looked for heroes to come to our rescue, either to do actual battle, or to just create a mythology to make us feel safer. Real or historical, we make them larger-than-life because we feel protected by them. St. George and the dragon. Joan of Arc. Superman, Thor and everyone else with a cape against the alien monsters from outer space. We have a cultural fascination with knights and superheroes for a reason, because they are the ones we can look to when things look dark.
We may think that the fight is just between Luke Skywalker and the Emperor, but it’s not just one battle that’s truly important. We’re in a war. Big picture. It’s the Rebel Alliance struggling against the Empire. Our best hope to save humanity from an overwhelming and constant threat is not just Luke. It’s not just Han Solo and Princess Leia, or any one person. It’s the collective efforts of many, pooling resources and working toward a solution that understands the world in which we live. We need the Force to win the big war.
And in this war, science and scientists are our secret weapons. Scientific Knowledge is the Force that unifies all things in our world. If we ignore it, only those that might cause us harm will use it, but it also can be our biggest strength.
And when humanity wins this battle, and the next, and the bigger war, it will be thanks to the true unsung heroes of every age known to man: The scientists. Our real-life heroes are working together on a daily basis, so we can strengthen the Force (long metaphor, I know) and survive. Their contributions to understanding have allowed us to fight based on facts, proof, and data.
Because when you point a gun at a werewolf, you don’t want to have lead bullets in the chamber.
Our guest today is Dr. Charles Calisher, PhD, author and Hanta Virus Hero. Please follow the links to his CV and his book to find out more about this accomplished man. That doesn’t say all of it, but it tells you a lot.
Links
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/20/3/13-1889_article
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Charles_Calisher2
https://www.mailman.columbia.edu/research/center-infection-and-immunity/charles-h-calisher-phd
http://independent.academia.edu/CharlesCalisher
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/80504.Charles_H_Calisher
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/avian-in-birds.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poultry_disease
https://morningchores.com/chicken-diseases/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandemic
https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/full/10.1146/annurev-ento-031616-034951
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Estimate to date , 2016-2020. Over…
50-75,000 ground miles
40 air trips
12 festivals, conferences and events
125 interviews
CA, NY, NC, VA, OR, CO, FL, CT, RI, WA, MT, WY, UT, ID, NH, NM, AZ, OK, AR, KS, DE, PA, KY, MD, MN, MA, NV, MO, NE, VT, WI, WV. I’m sure we missed a couple here on the list, but we’ve seen them all.
We’re exhausted and happy, and will continue on that path in the future. Thank you all for being a part of it.
Links:
https://backyardgreenfilms.com/
https://www.youtube.com/backyardgreenfilms
http://www.shastaranch.net/
http://www.pcrba.org/id17.html
https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/
https://www.facebook.com/meganroxhensley
http://www.livestockconservancy.org/
http://www.quinnfarm.qc.ca/
https://www.rbst.org.uk/
https://home.grassroots.co.uk/meet-the-team/
https://www.pleasantgroveakhaltekes.com/contact-us.html
http://www.akhal-teke.org/
http://www.cozinespringsranch.com/
https://www.oneblubirdstudio.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Lazy-BD-Donkey-Farm-191729521010323/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We continue the second half of our food adventure in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with Cherie Montoya, owner of the Farm & Table restaurant. Her life and career path supporting the importance of local, healthy, community-based food might be genetic, or it could be environmental. There’s no way of knowing which, in this instance, as both influences could factor heavily.
Her family has a history in the Rio Grande Valley for over 300 years. Her grandparents and their garden and orchard heavily influenced her appreciation for fresh foods straight from the back door (as well as for the joys of tamales and empanadas made from scratch and hot from the oven – yum!). Her father’s passion for the traditions of land stewardship, water management, history, and farming in a regenerative manner gives a fresh and local supply source that supports the mission and goals of the Farm & Table restaurant. It doesn’t get more local than a greenhouse and farm you could step out and touch from the dining area in the restaurant.
Edible New Mexico agrees with the results, and has recognized Farm & Table with the Local Hero Best Restaurant Lifetime Achievement Award. If that weren’t enough kudos, Cherie is also the recipient of the Olla Local Hero Award for “her work in creating innovative, vibrant, and resilient local food systems in New Mexico.” That’s really important, as this area is considered a “food desert.” No, it’s not just about the landscape, and yes, we will talk about what that concept means in the future. If you follow our links to the Farm & Table website, you can venture into their “About” section, which says it all. “What We Value” lists their priorities, and they are good ones: Local food. People. Land and Water. Hospitality.
We would say that this is our kind of place, but it’s more than that – it’s everyone’s kind of place. Cherie and her staff do their best to make their restaurant a community – from the dirt to the dining room – for everyone who is a part of the experience. That’s community, in the most delicious manner.
Links:
https://farmandtablenm.com/about/
https://farmandtablenm.com/menus/
http://www.ediblenm.com/
https://chefscollaborative.org/
http://butchersmanifesto.com/
https://quiviracoalition.org/butcher/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Whether or not you’ve heard, Albuquerque, New Mexico is one of the foodie centers in the U.S., and we can attest to that fact after our visit. You may think the balloon festival is the big draw, but really, you need to stay for the vittles.
Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm sits on 25 acres in the historic city of Albuquerque, and encapsulates the concept of sustainable ecotourism in the lovely Santa Fe Style of architecture. This working organic farm includes beautiful accommodations, a lavender farm with artisan products, beautiful views of the Sandia Mountains, and gardens galore, all with a preservation mindset. Unfortunately, we only were there for the shoot, not the stay (Though marital negotiations will occur in the future in that regard in the Bowman household).
Fortunately, we had the opportunity to speak with Jonathan Perno, Executive Chef at the on-site Campo restaurant. His 10-year-plus tenure has helped to put Campo on the Good Food 100 list, which highlights restaurants that help to build more transparent and impactful food systems across the food chain. Biological systems, farmers, ranchers, restaurants, purveyors, and the environment all win with this mentality, and it starts with chefs that practice their art with a higher purpose. And a delicious one, from what Rick experienced.
Jonathan has been nominated five times as a semi-finalist for a James Beard award. He has a holistic mentality and understands the connection between the food he prepares and the soil from which it springs. His menu planning and execution incorporate all parts of the process of creating food artistry, including the sourcing, treatment and husbandry of the plants and animals he uses in the kitchen. And it’s obviously working in a most delicious manner.
Links:
https://lospoblanos.com/about/los-poblanos
https://lospoblanos.com/dining/our-team/
https://chefscollaborative.org/
https://chefscollaborative.org/join-us/business-members/
https://chefscollaborative.org/event/save-the-date-meat-matters-new-mexico/
https://quiviracoalition.org/butcher/
http://goodfood100restaurants.org/
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We often talk about animals, and we talk about food, but very rarely do we actually discuss the middle part – how one turns into the other. Before you run screaming in a panic, don’t worry, we’re not going to discuss the nitty gritty in detail here, either. We are, however, going to bring you a conversation with one of the rock stars in the world of butchery.
Camas Davis is a magazine editor, outside-the-box thinker, leader, speaker and author of the memoir, “Killing It,” in which she discusses her adventures in the world of meat. She has studied butchery and charcuterie in southwest France, and has brought that education and all of the delicious possibilities along with it back to our shores.
She sits down to speak with us about how a transparent process is necessary for a healthy food system, and how she uses experiential education (you get to eat the homework at the end of the class…) to help connect farmers, butchers, chefs, restaurateurs, and consumers, so that we all can have a stronger understanding of what we ingest and what it took to get it to our plates. Responsible meat consumption also means that we try to learn how to utilize more of the animals we raise, not just the top two or three parts that everyone can name. If you’ve ever enjoyed Mary Roach’s gastronomic adventures in “Gulp,” Camus that might be right up your alley.
Camas is also the Executive Director of the Good Meat Project, founder of the Portland Meat Collective, and a self-professed “Meat Thinker.” That alone should draw you in, just to find out what she might mean by that.
Links:
https://goodmeatproject.org/about
https://www.pdxmeat.com/
https://www.pdxmeat.com/about
https://www.pdxmeat.com/instructors#camas-davis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butcher
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charcuterie
http://maryroach.net/gulp.html
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21814351-much-ado-about-mutton
http://www.muchadoaboutmutton.com/
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/wwii-food-america_n_1398132
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
All of us can get focused on our preconceptions as representative of the whole, and since Scotland has some serious personality and history behind it, that country has generated its fair share of stereotypes. That’s applicable to geography, history, personality and the like. Think of how quickly our mental picture encapsulates our preconceived ideas of all things Scotland, and its amazing exports.
Entertainers and actors like Sean Connery, Gerard Butler, Rose Leslie, Ewan McGregor, Robbie Coltrane, Brian Cox, Craig Ferguson, Alan Cumming, Karen Gillian and Billy Connolly. Musicians and music, like Ian Anderson, Big Country, the Bay City Rollers, The Average White Band, David Byrne, Nazareth, Gerry Rafferty, Bonn Scott, AC/DC’s Young brothers and Simple Minds, to name a limited few.
Poets and authors like Robbie Burns, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, J.M Barrie, Kenneth Grahame, Walter Scott, and Alistair MacLean. And of course, Adam Smith.
There are movies and movie visuals, like Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Express journey over the Glenfinnan Viaduct. Mel Gibson’s William Wallace, a blue-faced cry of “Freedom!” and the muddy, bloody fields near Stirling. Brave, with flaming hair and (not quite flaming) arrows, but feistiness galore all the same. Rob Roy, with Liam Neeson at his best, before everyone started getting kidnapped. One of our personal pop culture movie favorites, The Highlander, with Sean Connery as co-lead and Queen’s soundtrack blazing behind the majesty and mud of the Highlands in the 16th century. James Bond, as long as we’re talking about Mr. Connery. And, of course, 14,673 versions of Macbeth and Mary Queen of Scots.
Our view of Scotland and agricultural exports are no different. There’s the Angus, the Angus and the Angus. While that might be a breed that has dominated the U.S. beef industry for a really good reason, there are more agricultural exports than that out of Scotland, and we’re here to bring you one of them. And it’s not the terribly cute and hairy one that first comes to mind.
Join us, for Martha Neale of Windmist Farm in Jamestown, Rhode Island, where she talks about why she enjoys raising the Scottish Belted Galloway cattle. Whether you call them “Belties,” “Panda Cow,” or the terribly appropriate “Oreo Cow,” they are a fine addition to the Scottish exports we have come to know and love.
Links:
https://www.jamestowncommunityfarm.com/windmist-farm/
http://afs.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/beltedgalloway/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Scottish_breeds
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_Age
http://www.angus.org/
https://www.americancowboy.com/ranch-life-archive/top-5-beef-cattle-breeds-24440
https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/400/400-803/400-803.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claiborne_Pell_Newport_Bridge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_Scotland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Scottish_musicians
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
“Squirrel!” If you’ve seen Disney’s animated film, “Up,” then you realize the world of meaning behind what seems like a simple noun. It’s that tendency to get distracted by something that looks or smells or tastes so fascinating that you immediately stop mid-sentence and go screaming off down the rabbit hole in a different mental direction. And your dear host has that characteristic in spades, because nearly everything seems to be interesting. Yes, that makes me the dog. And I won’t Squirrel again by running down the “Harry Met Sally” reference, but those of you who get that one, really get it. The distraction of curiosity can be both positive and negative, because it leads to some really amazing topics, but sometimes has you lost in those little blue links in Wikipedia until your spouse says, “Honey, it’s 2:00 a.m. Time to put down the iPad and go to sleep.”
It also has you going to the National Western, visiting the draft horse shows, then drawn to the barns to talk to the good people at Y-Bar Hitch with the Suffolk Punches that looked great in the ring, invited to Gunnison to the rodeo later that year, finagling travel 6 months later to film the hitch-up for the parade at 5:00 a.m., quizzing Ken Spann during the process about haying with horses and teamsters, and being invited to speak with a local legend - the father of the person we originally went to film (okay, Ken’s “invited” is more like “Elara wrangled…”).
But that curiosity brought us to a truly wonderful conversation, and we deeply enjoyed our time with Lee Spann, lifelong and dedicated rancher of Spann Ranches, Inc., in Gunnison, Colorado. This man was able to stay focused on continuing a 140-year-old tradition, sustaining a family ranch in a challenging climate. He has personally brought beef to our food supply for over 80 years. He's not a commercial for trucks, or tobacco, or even beef itself. He is the real deal, people. And Lee, this squirrel thanks you.
Links to get you started…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hereford
https://www.facebook.com/Spann-Ranches-Inc-319821818056441/
https://www.facebook.com/ybarhitch/
https://www.cattlemensdays.com/
https://nationalwestern.com/
http://www.liveauctions.tv/ViewEmbedVideoChat.aspx?AuctionID=7905
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Disambiguation
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1049413/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098635/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
http://www.liveauctions.tv/ViewEmbedVideoChat.aspx?AuctionID=7901
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We’re continuing the adventures in Colorado agriculture science with the USDA’s ARS, NAGP*. Confused? Don’t be. Dr. Phil Purdy, Physiologist extraordinaire, decodes any confusion that the acronyms might cause into something practical and meaningful with on-the-ground common sense in the field of assisted reproductive technology and fertility studies. Part of his job is to collect germplasm on small animals and large. Cow, sheep, pig, chicken, mammal, bird, fish, bug – if you can name a species used in United States agriculture, he has probably collected it. And we’re not just talking about sperm and eggs anymore. Those are definitely included, but also embryos, organs, gonads, and tissue (gesundheit) as well.
But he does the long-term-study-and-analysis part too, so he’s not just a pretty face that leaps tall buildings in a single bound. Dr. Purdy and Oogie McGuire are continuing years of fertility studies on the Black Welsh Mountain sheep to find out what might be most successful and what variables are important. They are using Oogie’s Lamb Tracker Program, Dr. Purdy’s portable laboratory, a supermarket checkout scanner, animal microchips, surgical tubing, PVC piping, and a very large stick to collect information and do long-term data mining to help improve breeds and save agriculture as we know it from a world crisis. (BTW, all things in this paragraph were true, and some a little bit exaggerated, but I bet you won’t guess which.)
But from our three-day adventure shooting footage at Desert Weyr of the artificial insemination (A.I.) collection, examination and storage process, we can say that Dr. Purdy does leap fencing and animal chutes in a single very-high bound as necessary, no cape included. And cranky, randy, very large horned rams notwithstanding.
(*United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service, National Animal Germplasm Program, in case you didn’t have it memorized already.)
Some links to get you started…
https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/fort-collins-co/center-for-agricultural-resources-research/paagrpru/docs/animal/phil-purdy/
https://www.ars.usda.gov/people-locations/person/?person-id=33783
https://www.ars.usda.gov/people-locations/people-list-offices/?modeCode=30-12-30-05
https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/project/?accnNo=433404
https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/fort-collins-co/center-for-agricultural-resources-research/paagrpru/docs/animal/animal/
https://www.ars.usda.gov/news-events/news/research-news/2009/sheep-breeding-improvements-arise-from-ars-university-research/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_insemination
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0749072015306460
https://desertweyr.com/
https://desertweyr.com/ai-class-results/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_W
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Eggs and sperm and seeds and hair
They’ll take ‘em all, collect with care
They might be used when earth goes south
Or critters die from hoof and mouth
Or climate change or scary bugs
Cuz not all things respond to drugs
A backup place is just plain smart
For when we need to hit restart
But even if it’s just for breeding
And better stock is what you’re needing
Corrective genes are ready now
If nature tweaks your Holstein cow.
In fact, the Penn State guys were here
(and not for Colorado beer)
The genes from long-lost Holstein sires
And coordination with suppliers
Dr. Blackburn hooked them up
To reassemble Buttercup
Long-lost sperm they took and thawed
The science fiction geeks were awed
They named a firstborn calf for Harvey,
Of course we think that’s just plain marvey.
But store your germ now in the bank
And later them you’ll have to thank.
So if you need some bovine stock
Or chickens for a healthy flock
They’re over in a big steel vat
The cryolab is just plain phat
And that’s not all there’s fish and plants
With turkeys, sheep and bees (no ants)
A Noah’s Ark - but modern day
To save from agricultural decay
Fort Collins is the place to go
Outside of Denver, plan for snow
These scientists ensure our food
Our food supply can be renewed.
And Harvey Blackburn is our guy
Geneticist a mile high
We hope that all of our podcasts spur your curiosity, so we’ve included these links for you to start your quest. https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/fort-collins-co/center-for-agricultural-resources-research/paagrpru/docs/animal/harvey-blackburn/
https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/fort-collins-co/center-for-agricultural-resources-research/paagrpru/docs/animal/national-animal-germplasm-program-nagp/ http://www.fao.org/home/en/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Agriculture https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/fort-collins-co/center-for-agricultural-resources-research/paagrpru/docs/animal/harvey-blackburn/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Leningrad https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/fort-collins-co/center-for-agricultural-resources-research/paagrpru/
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It’s that time of year again – off to Colorado for the annual National Western Stock Show. Every January, the streets of downtown Denver ring with the shouts of cowboys and cowgirls, the jangle of harnesses, the creak of wagons, the roar of classic tractors, and the clop, clop, clop of both shod and unshod hooves. There are usually some excited kids yelling, “Look at the llamas, Mom!” in there, too, and the whole thing is followed up by some very busy street sweepers.
After the Longhorn parade, the whole crew moves over to the National Western Center, for 16 days of shows, sales, rodeos, food and manure. Not necessarily in that order. The parade starts the whole shebang at Union Station on January 9th, 2020, with the grounds open for excitement on the 11th.
In Part 2 of the National Western podcast, we’ll tell you the history of the show and the site. It was birthed from simple beginnings in the late 1800’s as a place where cowboys and ranchers brought livestock to buy and sell, which could be then shipped via the major railhead by the river. For some reason I imagine something like the love child of Lonesome Dove and a Barret-Jackson auction run by John Wayne, Warren Buffett, Ted Turner and The Accountant, set in a mosh pit next door to the Amtrak station at happy hour.
From that time until now, both the National Western Center and the National Western Stock Show gained a little structure and nonprofit status, a set date and some administrative support, some obviously tidy organizational principles, and a truly varied cast of characters. Over the last 100 years and more, it has expanded exponentially into something bigger than life. Rocky Mountain bigger, as in $155 million annual economic impact and 600,000-700,000 (plus) attendees, depending upon the vagaries of severe weather in the mile-high city and whether the Broncos are in SuperBowl contention.
And, top on our list, our wonderful expedition in January of 2018 ended with one of the (few on our journeys) most perfect snowfalls we have ever experienced.
For more information, here are some links to get you started.
https://nationalwestern.com/about/history/
https://digital.denverlibrary.org/digital/collection/p15330coll22/id/67993 (aerial photos of the stockyards from the Denver Public Library)
https://nationalwesterncenter.com/about/what-is-the-nwc/history-about-the-site/ (history of the National Western Center)
https://colorado.gov/agmain
https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/
https://choosecolorado.com/key-industries/food-agriculture/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denver
Our Social Media Links: Twitter @BkyrdGreenFilms
Instagram @backyardgreenfilms
FB BackyardGreenFilms and Youtube.com/BackyardGreenFilms
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I've got me a hankerin’ that may be irrational
I'm wanting to go back again to the National
Western that is, and we've been there now twice
But two times it seems aren't enough to suffice.
There's cowboys and cowgirls and rodeo riders
The food court last year had these great little sliders
The animal auctions are quite a big deal
In nationwide coverage they’re traded with zeal
The two-hitch-jump sled pulling sure was amazing
But some people there spent the whole time just grazing
With llamas and sheepdogs (and of course then the sheep)
There seems to be barely enough time to sleep
There’s teams of huge draft horses thundering by
And colorful yak flags against the blue sky
Some riders weren't frightened of looking like fools
In racing ‘round barrels on cantankerous mules
But the livestock for us was the best kind of draw
And my feet even now have just started to thaw
The cows and the horses are just the beginning
The blue-ribbon heifer and Highland bull winning
In Denver we’ll yearn for the longhorn parade
I’m hoping that soon reservations are made
Either way, we will bring you a slice of the show
And hope that you also then might want to go.
For more information, here are some links to get you started.
https://nationalwestern.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Western_Stock_Show
http://www.dundonaldhighlands.com/index.html
https://highlandcattleusa.org/default.aspx
https://www.sunnyhillranch.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ybarhitch
https://nationalwesterncenter.com/about/what-is-the-nwc/history-about-the-site/
http://www.iyak.org
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
It’s almost that time of year. Chilly air, crackling fire, and the holiday roast goose is on the table. Well, maybe up until the Cratchit dinner in Dickens, but not so much anymore here in the U.S. And why is that? We don’t know, to be honest, as this is said to be one of the tastiest birds used for human consumption.
And even better, the goose is a multipurpose animal. It is said to be a great forager for grasses, bugs, and the scattered grains that might be left in the fields after the fall harvest. It’s the cleanup animal that gives back, in the form of (sometimes messy) fertilizer and (definitely messy) family holiday get-togethers. Geese are used as an early warning system on military bases in Europe, whiskey warehouses in Scotland, and are said by Livy to have given the alarm when the Gauls invaded in 390 B.C. They’re pretty good at the confrontation part, too, and can do some fairly nasty physical damage when they get vexed.
We’re meeting with John Metzer of Metzer Farms, in Gonzales, California. Ducks, geese, chickens, or pretty much anything fowl (ha) is his bailiwick, and he’ll talk about all of the above with us from his farm in the beautiful Salinas Valley agricultural region. We also get his opinions on biodiversity, and thinking outside the box in marketing. He runs one of the premier hatchery providers in the country, and taught us one or two things in there that were new experiences to us.
What on earth is balut, anyway?
For more information, here are some places to start…
https://www.metzerfarms.com/index.cfm
https://vric.ucdavis.edu/virtual_tour/salinas.htm
https://center-of-the-plate.com/2017/12/06/why-we-eat-goose-at-christmas/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guard_goose
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
We hope that our podcast you click in.
As we talk of some cute little chickens.
In Colonial times
(Are you sick of these rhymes?)
It’s Nankins this week that we’re pickin’.
Join us this week, as we talk all things colonial (okay, maybe just the livestock) at Colonial Williamsburg. Elaine Shirley, the manager of the Rare Breeds Program, walks us through on a wonderful tour of the horses, cattle, and chickens (and more) that were used by the early settlers. This living history museum in Virginia is a great place to walk back in time and see what life was like on a daily basis in 17th and 18th centuries -- heritage breeds included. And you can quaff beer in a tavern, fire a musket, ride in a carriage, and quiz George Washington about his life. Not kidding on that last one, actually. Elara asked him about his…donkey, the American Mammoth Jack.
But today, we’ll focus on the Nankin chicken – a true bantam that is about as friendly, cute and active as they come. And it’s a bird that’s broody, so it’s often used to sit on other chickens' eggs in the coop. A dove-sized chicken sitting on a full-sized batch of eggs. How’s that for a funny mental picture? Elaine gives us the skinny on these little birds, and the reason they’re on the tour.
We’ll bring you more from our visit to Colonial Williamsburg in the future, but until then, we urge you to find out more. Here are a few links to get you started.
https://colonialwilliamsburg.com/
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/nankin
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Well, it’s that time again - the 60’s and 70’s are back. Yes, bell bottoms have been in and out again six times now, but that’s not what we mean. We’re referring to the fact that people in this generation are becoming active and vocal participants in their future. Some of us might get up and cheer, some of us might roll our eyes, but you have to admire that they’re doing something.
The National Western Stock Show is coming up in January, so we’re highlighting a quick interview from our adventure there last year. The annual American Highland Cattle Association members were there for their annual show and auction (bagpipes included, thank you), and we spoke with a young lady who is not only going places in business, but who made a big impression at the show and sale with her prize heifer.
We hear from her as to how her experiences growing up at Seawind Meadows Farm on Cape Cod have shaped her view of conservation and resource management. She also talks about how Scottish Highland Cattle have been a part of that learning curve, and her thoughts on how heritage breeds can be a part of a more efficient future for all of us.
We think that’s better than pervasive apathy and “yeah, sure, whatever” any day of the week.
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
(To the tune of “My Prayer,” by The Platters)
When the Summer has gone,
and the weather is changing
When the sunshine has gone,
I head straight to my hearth
And here at the hearth, I will sit.
While you knit.
My prayer is some knitwear from you
To keep me warm through the day
with a pattern divine
My prayer is a sweater in blue
with some cables dark gray
And a hip length waistline
Tonight while I’m freezing my toes
Oh, knit me a thing, so I can go out to the snow.
My prayer and the sweater you craft
Will take away all my chills,
and block this horrible draft
I’ll have a soft thing to wear
at the end of my prayer
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It’s that time of year again. The Day before Black Friday. Football. The beginning of a week off from school. The big day to be in a room with all the relatives for more than 20 minutes, then recover from the experience. And I think there’s something in there about being grateful for something or other, too.
Okay, we’ll be serious now. It’s Thanksgiving here in the U.S., so of course we’re talking turkey. Heritage breeds, of course. We’re going to share parts of our conversations with five of those who can talk turkey with the best of them. You’ll hear shared experiences from North Carolina, British Columbia, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New York. We’re all over the map for this one.
The turkey is even more important to us at BYGF, because it’s one of the few domesticated agricultural animals in our production system in the U.S. that actually started on this continent, then was exported everywhere else, instead of the other way around. There is evidence that people have been eating turkey on this continent for the last 3,000 years or so. We’ll be doing that this week as well, just to keep tradition going.
Happy Thanksgiving, world.
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Dr. Francisco Javier Navas Gonzalez, DVM, PhD, Professor at the University of Cordoba in Spain. You would think that all of those letters behind his name would cause him to be less than approachable, but that’s definitely not the case. He was one of the people at the Donkey Welfare Symposium that was pretty hard to separate from the 42 fans constantly wanting to talk to him, and with good reason. He is…The Most Interesting Man in the Donkey Research World.
Okay, so he just talks like that guy in the ads. What he really is is the Indiana Jones of the Donkey Research World, and one of his professional goals is to figure out where your ass came from. Literally. The Nubian Desert in Sudan, in case you were interested, and about 5,000 years ago, is the next part of the answer. We’re sure he has used traditional research methods like lots of reading and DNA testing and the like, but he has also delved into historical representations in art, architecture, and archeology, and studies in history and anthropology. This very bright professor travels the globe as a part of his quest, and then comes back to the University and grades papers. Sounds like Indy, no?
He is a big believer in conserving diversity, so of course we’re fans. Currently, he studies donkey behavioral and cognition genetics, quantitative genetics of functional traits and biostatistics. You’ll find all that and more on Researchgate.net. He actually makes all of that science sound interesting -- and he finds the Holy Grail in his spare time (okay, maybe not, but we think he probably could if he wanted to).
And remember -- in the Latin alphabet, “Donkey” begins with an “A.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Francisco_Navas_Gonzalez
https://www.facebook.com/DonkeyWelfareSymposium
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
Dirt or soil. No matter what you call it, it’s the one thing that in many ways is the beginning and ending of life for all of us. It’s beautiful, rich, and generous. It moves and breathes, gives us untold wealth, and is the place we look to keep us fed and alive. Usually. Unless it loses its balance.
One of our favorite childhood books starts out with a only mild inconvenience, due to rain. Dr. Seuss’ “The Cat in the Hat” stared with two kids who wanted a little less boredom and a little more excitement: “The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house. All that cold, cold, wet day.”
At the end of Dr. Seuss’ “The Cat in the Hat,” everything goes back to normal after Thing One and Thing Two destroy the universe, with the “excitement” part having been granted in a way that the kids never expected. But in real life, sometimes the metaphorical Thing One and Two are still running amok for months or even years afterwards.
In today's podcast, Heather, Marie and Jeri are speaking with us about dirt, soil, rain, and the long-term consequences you don’t really think about that can occur under our feet in that mysterious universe below. And they're not as easily fixable when Mom comes home (one more reference for all you Seussians out there).
Whether you hope, wish or pray for rain, this lesson is a great one for all of us in California who sometimes look at the sky and long for something wet to appear. Like we learned in “The Cat in the Hat”…wishing for something to alleviate the boredom, or the drought, can be a dangerous thing indeed when that wish is granted.
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The Akhal-Teke horse. The interviews with these animals (and the people who raise them) are still in the top-ten list of things that make us smile. Not that they are funny-looking, because words like “majestic,” “graceful” and “exotic” don’t begin to cover it. Words that describe them include: Move like a cat. Some glow like a lightbulb. Smart as a fox. Fleet as the wind. Loyal. Brave. Smooth. And they will go to the wall for their people.
This breed is all over the history books. To name a few tidbits...
--Originally from Turkmenistan, it was used by the Parthians and gave the Romans trouble all across the Middle East.
--Alexander the Great is said to have a connection with the breed.
--One of the foundation breeds of the Thoroughbred was otherwise known as the Byerly Turk. As in, the horse from Turkmenistan. Yep, that one.
--If you’ve seen the movie “Hidalgo,” you’re familiar with the distance races across the Middle East, in Turkmenistan’s neighborhood. The Akhal Teke excels at this type of race throughout history in the region.
--The Akhal Teke could be original cavalry breed, used across the desert for tribal raids. “Endurance” is their middle name.
--If you’ve heard of the Nez Perce horse (you might think of an Appaloosa), you’re familiar with the characteristics needed by military raiders using fast, smart and light horses that also need to be athletic enough to run all night. When the Nez Perce wanted to reinvigorate the bloodline of their breed, the Akhal Teke was the breed they chose.
But the reason we still smile when we think of them is because these amazing athletes are also the most amazingly friendly, curious horses we have ever met. Like 27 golden retriever dogs meeting you at the dog park, in the best possible way (look us up on our Backyard Green Films YouTube channel, if you don’t believe us). We hope you check out this exotic, friendly, fleet, beautiful, historic animal for yourselves. Hopefully you’ll be able to smile, too.
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)
The New York State Sheep & Wool Festival, held annually in Rhinebeck, New York. One episode is not quite enough. Twelve episodes wouldn’t cover it either, but two is all we’re giving you.
We continue the adventure with Amy Corey, who has managed to develop the most gorgeous charcoal colored sheep ever. Okay, so maybe the Gotland sheep breed has been around in Sweden for a bit longer than Amy has been alive, but we’ll give her credit for owning some beautiful sheep.
Next we meet with Angelo Ponce. His company, Lanart, supplies fair-trade products from Peru using mostly alpaca fibers. His felted animals were just about as cute as any we’ve seen. And where are you ever again going to see different breeds of livestock guardian dogs in 4 inch pocket versions?
Pam Haendle of Hermit Pond Farm showed us a few of her cashmere goats, then taught us a bit about the difference between cashmere and pashmina. We learned something new about fiber (and the effectiveness of good industry marketing) on this one.
Paula Garner lives in Connecticut, and raises one of the most endangered animals we have seen yet. The tiny Santa Cruz sheep hail from the Channel Islands off California, and The Livestock Conservancy says that there are only about 150 left in existence. Paula has risen to the challenge of military life, and represents a growing segment of farming today – veterans and their families.
We hope you enjoy Part 2 of Rhinebeck. We’re still tired. And happy.
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The New York State Sheep & Wool Festival, or Rhinebeck Fiber Fest, or The Dutchess County Fiber Fair, or NY Wool Fest, or...it goes on forever. Whatever you call it, it's pretty much a bucket list item for anyone who does anything with fiber. We don't know if the most impressive thing is that 50,000 people show up every year, or that 16 volunteers run the whole thing. Yes, a VOLUNTEER RUN event, believe it or not. Apparently those still exist. On top of that, it's one of the least expensive shows we've ever been priviledged to attend. All the more to spend inside the wool barn...
We visited them on their 39th year, and this festival was a doozy. We'll have to do our podcast in two episodes, or maybe three. We met people and talked about the many and varied topics that come up in the fiber world -- shepherds, growers, spinners, shearers, weavers, felters...again, it goes on forever. That's a good thing.
We'd like to tell you that we saw the whole fair, but we met such great people straight out of the gate (sheep people are fantastic!) that we didn't get far. Goat people, alpaca people, llama people, rabbit people, and livestock and guardian dog people are wonderful too, we soon found, but we didn't hit escape velocity from the sheep barn until 10:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, so we have vowed next year to start with the camelids this time. Or maybe the goats. Or maybe rabbits. By 2025 we should be able to hit the weaving barn. All that wonderful livestock was probably a good thing, as the 4,327 barns (okay, maybe just 49 or 50) with all things fiber-related for sale would have been an expensive venture, and we have determined that Rick had a narrow escape.
We understand that this thing is pretty big with the non-livestock people (that was tongue in cheek), and we will talk about that a little more next week. In the meantime, we hope that while you are listening you will picture the sweaters, fabrics, threads, colors, patterns, and styles, and thousands of people walking about the fair wearing the most scrumptious handcrafted items you could possibly imagine.
The sheep were wearing beautiful ones, too.
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Unless it adds to context, we're not usually name droppers. Okay, maybe sometimes when we're really excited about an interview (Temple Grandin) or person (Isabella Rossellini) that has used his or her power for good (Phillip Sponenberg), or maybe someone (Harvey Blackburn) that has done great things in their field of study (Cary Fowler) for the planet as a whole (One more? No – that would be too much).
But here, we're going to shamelessly use proper nouns, and our guests pretty much fit into all of our name-drop categories. What is the topic? Plants. Yep – humble little things that they are, they’re pretty much at the top of the list, as far as organisms of planetary importance are concerned. They make air for us, remove waste for us, feed us - the little things. Here are two gentlemen who probably know more than almost anyone in this field (yes, that was on purpose).
Our guests today are Dr. Peter Raven and Dr. Ari Novy, who got together with us to talk about their past and future work in the fields of botany, biodiversity, conservation, and concepts relating to plants and animals on our planet. We also talk about how the world is changing and how plants are changing with it, just like the rest of us.
So here’s the name-drop part, which is only a fraction of the collective experience of our guests:
Missouri Botanical Garden. UC Berkeley. UCLA. Stanford. Pontifical Academy of Sciences. The Vatican. The Pope (bunches of them). The Sierra Club. The White House. National Academy of Sciences. National Geographic.
San Diego Botanic Garden. NYU. Rutgers. U.S. Botanic Garden. Washington DC. Smithsonian. National Museum of Natural History. White House Council of Environmental Quality.
Dr. Peter Raven. Dr. Ari Novy. Maybe we are name droppers now. You have to admit, with these two very accomplished men, those are some names worth dropping.
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The free exotic chick. Well, doesn't that sound racy and exciting. It's actually one of our favorite live gameshows that you can play at home, brought to us by the people at Murray McMurray.
In this snippet from our Heirloom Expo 2019 run in Santa Rosa last month, we have an impromptu conversation with Tom Watkins, VP of Murray McMurray. The podcast can't bring you the visuals, so you'll have to imagine the warmly welcome smile on Tom's face as he talks to us, and the kids and adults coming by to look at the pictures of colorful chicken breeds from around the world. And I'm sure you can also imagine Elara's clutching said catalog, as she tried to figure out what chicken breed they might successfully add to give the Bowman flock some company (and how she might convince the hubby for just one more chicken).
We wrangled an invitation to Iowa to visit, and of course we'll bring you that one, but until then, here is our quick conversation with Tom Watkins of Murray McMurray.
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It has been a year now since we went to Farm Aid 2018 in Hartford, Connecticut, and our feet are just now recovering.
For those of you who have wondered what it may have been like, we thought we would give you a snippet of the experience. Our interviews, recorded live and uncut (somewhat uncut - it went ALL DAY LONG). We are giving you the introduction of the founders and their hellos, the overview of the purpose of the event, the welcome by the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, and interviews with the farmers and activists who came. And lots and lots of music.
We had the chance to meet up there with John and Bonnie Hall (Maple View Farm, the Milking Devon people podcast), and we found them in a vast sea of people on the lawn area (yes, we will post pics of trying to find them with camera gear in hand). We took a quick break from the press pit interview mayhem, and sat at a table with them and a few other local farming friends. We ate hot dogs and listened to farm stories and the sounds of musicians giving their all for a cause they believe in. We added up the combined farming experience sitting at that little table, and the number was over 175 years, most all of it on family farms inherited from great-greats. One of those gentlemen, Joe Greenbacker, was featured on stage, to help tell his story of why this year was the year they had to sell the dairy farm. His family has been farming in that area since the 1720's.
Farm Aid 2018 was an inspirational, bittersweet, awesome, sad, and positive experience for us. What a rush.
A note of caution: It was loud. REALLY loud - and we were away from the stage most of the time.
Additional Caution: This episode includes multiple BLEEPs. It was, after all, co-founded by John Mellencamp. We tried to follow along as best we could.
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And that's not the last time you'll hear those two words together, when you listen to the podcast. Maybe I'm purposely misdirecting you, as the wild ass was the origin of the breed we now know as the domesticated donkey, but it's fun to say and makes me feel like a more exciting girl. That said...
The Donkey Welfare Symposium. The recipe is like this:
1. 200 (plus) people passionate about donkeys, from both a professional and personal perspective.
2. Set the meeting at the University of Davis Campus, one of the biggest agricultural colleges in the U.S., located in the middle of one of the biggest farming areas in the U.S.
3. Include a day at the historic U.C Davis horse barn, with donkeys of all shapes, sizes and colors.
4. Do seminars on manicures, pedicures and massage (yes, there was a farrier and yes, donkey massage is a thing - again with the more exciting girl).
5. Have scientists and experts fly in from around the world to talk about one of the oldest domesticated animals (Egypt, 5,000 years ago is the answer to your burning question).
6. Include organizations dedicated to education, sanctuary and humane treatment.
7. Have lots of wonderful food. And an open bar. And a band. And more food. And more open bar. The singing farrier starts up, and we have it on tape.
This was one of our most exhausting, yet enjoyable film shoots. It was like the cross between a science lab, farm visit, U.N conference, SPCA meeting, genetics study, and a class prom. We hope they'll allow us back, as Elara did have a glass of wine, then cornered the really interesting PhD from the University of Cordoba (Spain) with esoteric questions on the history of donkey migration and evolution. He did escape eventually. We do not have that part of tape.
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The Heirloom Expo.
For a while now, this event has been held in Santa Rosa in the heart of a big community of artsy, crunchy, healthy people that like good food (and good wine, as all of you who have been to Napa and Santa Rosa can attest). People from around the world come to swap seeds, listen to experts in the field, and find interesting new things to grow.
If you go to their Facebook page, you'll find that the mission of the Heirloom Expo is "To educate on the benefits of organic locally grown non GMO foods. As well as preserve OUR food heritage and OUR right to good clean healthy food." Hundreds of vendors, thousands of heirloom varieties, speakers, workshops, art, music, movies, animals and food. Some seeds you're not allowed to keep or put in the ground without permission, believe it or not, so these people are fighting to keep food freedom alive. That is a really scary concept, when you think about it.
This event goes for three days, but we only managed to hit one of those on this trip. It's probably a good thing, or what little tread we have left on the bottom of our shoes would be gone. We greatly regret to have missed the talks by RFK Jr. and Dr. Vandana Shiva on Wednesday, but we have hope for next year, when we think they and other fantastic speakers might come back again. There is no shortage of interesting people who show up, that's for sure.
So it's not just your grandparents' squash anymore. Oops - yep, it is. And it's found in big piles everywhere in the main exhibit hall, surrounded by pumpkins taller than the average second grader. And we're very glad about that.
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Where we learned that Pennsylvania is not only the home of Penn State, but it has green pastures, wonderfully gracious and generous people, and steak to die for (sigh). Dirt that made you want to take your shoes off and run wild.
And Elara got to ride in the grain truck -- Rick the combine.
Oh. Any by the way, there were big, beautiful, fluffy, majestic Scottish Highland Cattle in various colors everywhere -- one of our absolute favorite animals so far. As far as breeds go, there can be only one (and thank you, to all you sci-fi fans who actually got that reference).
And the steak was really, really, really good.
(sigh)
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Temple Grandin is one of the most well-known and professionally-respected names in livestock production today, and has become a pop-culture icon. And for good reason.
You might know many things about her. She brought awareness to the general public of the issues relating to autism. She has such a great story that they made a movie out of her story (Claire Danes in the role). She is an author with numerous books to her credit. She is in great demand as a speaker, and travels around the world to speak on things dear to her heart. She teaches classes on livestock handling and behavior at CSU. She is a consultant to the livestock industry, and has revolutionized and redesigned livestock processing facilities ("slaughterhouses," to be blunt) in a way that has not only become a more humane thing for the animals, but has eased the handling process and become cost-effective for the commercial side as well. A win-win, when trying to bring about positive change, as demonstrated by the fact that half of the beef processing plants in North America are said to use facilities designed in part by Dr. Grandin. All of those things have become a part of her commonly-known story.
But what we found really interesting (among many, many things with this fascinating and highly intelligent woman) was that the thing that many people look at as a disability - being diagnosed with autism -- has become such an incredible strength for Dr. Grandin. She has the ability to observe life in detail, and get inside the head of the animals she is studying. By understanding things from the animal's perspective, she has discovered ways to figure out the "why" part of behavior in an innovative and insightful way.
Bringing animal products to our table is something we have done for thousands of years - but Temple Grandin has brought more "humanity" to it in our lifetimes and for the future. We don't know if she could have done it without her unique perspective.
Disability? Ha. We think not, and are thankful for it.
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Yak Butter Tea -- Three words you never thought would go in a sentence together. And they do, albeit briefly, in this episode of the podcast.
We visit the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado to meet up with Steve and Anita Hill, who hail from Sunny Hill Ranch, a self-sufficient farm specializing in raising yaks 100 wild miles outside of Anchorage, Alaska. At the show, we got to see these very hairy and very different animals in an up-close-and-personal way. Steve, Anita and the IYAK (everyone knows that stands for International Yak Association, of course) conference bunch were there with their animals, and they were so unruly and rambunctious, Elara almost leaned on one thinking it was a rug on the fence (All pertaining to the yaks, not the members). There were yak classes, yak judging, the selling of yak fibers, the tasting of yak jerky, and other yak-ish things like that.
We spoke with the Hills about the joys and pains of farming and ranching in the wilds of Alaska, having to deal with predators bigger than a breadbox (or even bigger than a SmartCar), and why they think the yak is a breed that has all the makings of being a perfect animal for low resource consumption and high food production in Alaska. All with the sights and smells and sounds of the Denver stockyards around us. Elara was in yak heaven (which is similar to regular heaven, except with more fur).
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Our food is alive - or can be. And it's often better for us if it is alive, as the popular rise of probiotics has shown. Science is now discovering that the human microbiome is an amazing place, and that each human being is a world unto itself for the creatures that inhabit it. Even if the little critters do tell us how to think sometimes (yes, that's a real thing).
Christopher and Kristen Shockey, fermentistas extraordinaire, sat down with us on a hot summer afternoon in southern Oregon. We had a delightful conversation about why they chose to settle where they did, why they choose to do what they do, and how fermented foods can bring never-ending diversity to our palates and our lives. Listening to their adventures in fermentation was like a trip around the world, without ever leaving the picnic table in the back yard. Judging from the vinegar and cider experiments in their workroom, their farm itself is a flavor bonanza as well.
They also discuss ways to expand the microbiotic universe within us, how it can be a very tasty endeavor, and why eating millions of creatures alive is a good thing (Well, they didn't say exactly that, but we're making broad sweeps here, as the "Dead Pickle" title should tell you). Ingesting millions of bacteria sounds weird, but if you have ever had a pickle, a glass of beer, a piece of bread, a slice of cheese, or a piece of chocolate, you probably can relate, whether or not you knew it. So drink more wine and beer. It's good for you, and expands your cultural horizons. Or so we choose to believe.
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Of all the sheep we have seen, this one has to be the most unusual. With bold spots and two horns or four (varied shapes, but reaching up toward the sky on the top set, curling in loops on the bottom set), this animal looks very much like something you would see on the tram tour at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. It is thought by some to be the sheep mentioned in Genesis 30, hence the origin of "Jacob" in the naming of the Jacob American Sheep. That Biblical reference is also said to be the to be the oldest mention of selective breeding (with Jacob's livestock breeding program, not the racy story about Jacob and Rachel and Leah, though Jacob obviously thought that applied as well in choosing a wife or two and starting a rather large family).
Karen at Bide a Wee Farm in Oregon was a wonderfully gracious host, and took us on a tour of her farm on a very hot summer day, discussing the Jacob American and Navajo Churro flocks and why she chose the breeds. She also tried to explain to us what seemed to be a Rubik's Cube-type puzzle of higher math for the components of the breeding decisions necessary in her flock. Maintaining long-term genetic health and vigor -- and the quest to meet a very exacting breed standard -- is not an easy thing when raising the Jacob American sheep, but we believe she is exactly the person to do it.
...And, we must say, we did get to see the largest llama we have ever set eyes on, three very happy dogs that our P.A. Emily got to play with for an hour and wild blackberries galore for her to eat, an introduction to an abattoir (a new one for us), and Rick came home with a crazy set of horns for the studio that look like something from the Star Wars Cantina. What a bizarre, exciting, exhausting, and truly interesting visit.
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Agricultural events - one of Elara's favorite things to do. Big or little, all shapes and sizes, there is usually no shortage of things to do, see, smell, pet, ride, eat and buy (but not necessarily in that order).
A smaller fair of 10,000 to 40,000 people is a much difference experience than a large, elbow-crowding, junk food bonanza of 500,000 to 2 million. Both types of experiences have something wonderful to offer, but at a smaller fair you can actually get a bit more hands-on with just about everything. A great representation of that concept is the Mother Earth News Fair series, which is held at various places around the country, and usually around five locations per year. The one we're going to share with you was held this last weekend in Albany, Oregon.
With this episode of the podcast, we thought we would bring you something a little more experiential, since that's what a fair is all about. You might periodically hear background noise of kids (human and goat), sheep, workshop speakers (and audience participation), log splitters, straw bale construction, food grilling, and the many other sounds of a lively event such as this. You will not hear the alpaca, as he didn't feel the need to contribute anything at all.
For our interviews, we took a tiny slice of the types of people you might meet here. We spoke with Janice Cox, author of books on beauty recipes you can make at home. Jim Reiland of the California Straw Bale Building Association. Joe Putnam of Premiere One farm supplies (and a visit with Bill Marion of Shasta Ranch for a fencing and "sheep chair" discussion), and Charlene Couch of the Livestock Conservancy. And of course, a very tired but happy Elara, obviously excited to see and hear it all. Until you hit the next agricultural event, hopefully this will help you feel like you were there.
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Of the breeds we have covered in the podcast, this has to be one of the most endangered ones yet, in terms of population size. With 400 individuals but only 250 breeding animals, the Newfoundland Pony is at a crisis point, if they are to be saved from extinction. They came to Newfoundland over the last four centuries and numbered 9,000 in the 1930's, but the exports to France for horse meat in the 1970's and the rise of the machine age took the numbers down to the very, very low spot they are in today.
It's more horse than pony, just of a smaller size. These horses are as much a representation of the melting pot concept as the average American or Canadian. They are smart, often change colors with the seasons, can withstand harsh summers and winters, can be used as sturdy little draft animals, and you can get back on them in the middle of a field without a stepping block.
And how many other horses can you think of offhand that became known for hauling seaweed down the beach (while no doubt watching the icebergs moving down the Atlantic coast as a backdrop while they did it)?
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John and Bonnie Hall are two of the most down-to-earth people we have met in our travels. They raise American Milking Devon Cattle (and produce amazing maple syrup) on Maple Breeze Farm in Westbrook, Connecticut.
The Milking Devons are called "American" now, but maybe that's because they no longer exist in their original home country of England. And yes, the yummy Devonshire cream you may have heard of comes from these animals. They are tri-purpose cattle, being used for milk, beef and as oxen (draft). They are one of the few animals left in the United States that holds that distinction, and there are said to be between 500 and 1,500 left in existance.
John's lineage, and the lineage of his cattle, can be traced back -- way, way, way back -- and if so inclined, John's great-great's might have hitched up the great-great's of his cattle to a cart to supply colonists with milk and meat. Both the family and the herd have been in about the same spot since 1635. Yankee stubbornness, as John would say.
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City Farmers Nursery is our idea of a good date. This nursery (and feed store, and aquaponics center, and hydroponics supply, and compost source, and...) has been around since 1972, and is smack dab in the middle of San Diego, the 8th largest city in the U.S. Owned and run by family members Bill Tall, Sam Tall and Rebecca Tall-Brown, the amazing business is often more like a field trip than a supply run.
It's a good date because you can get glass of fresh mint iced tea and biscuits and gravy at Nate's, the restaurant on site (and listen to live music on the weekends), then wander into the nursery to see what kind of drought-tolerant plants you might want to take home. It's a welcoming place to pick up supplies, talk to the pony, look at the turkey, pick out a new fruit tree, watch the bees zooming around the hives, or wander to the front desk to peruse Bill's extensive mental knowledge base for an esoteric horticultural question.
So...as if we didn't find enough reasons to go to City Farmers Nursery with all of that, we thought that the family-owned business would be a great interview and podcast topic. True family-owned businesses are becoming increasingly rare in today's world, and the merging of different generations is something that many areas of agriculture (and businesses in general) are facing. In this podcast, Bill, Sam and Rebecca discuss the challenges and the joys of merging their passions for work, life, and family roles with sweat, tears, laughter and honest communication. And with yummy biscuits from right next door, it is to be hoped.
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It's summertime, and the San Diego County Fair just finished it's annual run here in Del Mar, California. Since the event started with agricultural roots way back in 1880, and since we had a great conversation at the fair last year with The Friends of Farming bunch, we thought we would sit down with them for a podcast.
Eric Larson, Executive Director of the San Diego County Farm Bureau, was kind enough to have a conversation with us about the organizational purpose, and what they do to help farmers in San Diego. We also talked about why the non-profit organization Friends of Farming developed out of the Farm Bureau, and some of the great educational tours of San Diego farms that are a part of their membership.
The research for this interview was pretty eye-opening to us. San Diego is usually thought of as a hub for tourism, or biotech, or the military, or many other things, but agriculture? Not what usually comes to mind. And yet, our county is first in nursery plant production in the nation. First in Avocados. A national leader in certified organic growers. $5 billion in economic value. And more surprising numbers. We hope this podcast is an eye opener, for locals and tourists alike.
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Beef! Bar-B-Q! Texas!
Join us, as we visit with John and Debbie, two ranchers that raise the Texas Longhorn - a quintessentially American animal. We felt that our visits to Colorado and New Mexico to see this awe-inspiring creature were a fantastic way to celebrate America's Independence Day.
This animal is the epitome of some of the issues that arise with heritage breeds. It is one of the earliest agricultural animals brought to North America, and has experienced many of the same growing pains as the people who have come here. The challenges it has overcome, strengths it has developed, and adaptions to changing conditions are in many ways a perfect reflection of America's people, and its development as a nation.
With their eyes on the past and the future, these ranchers discuss the history and evolution of the Texas Longhorn, and the place for this animal in today's market -- and tomorrow's, as well.
Happy Fourth of July, America.
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What do fly fishing, blue eggs, the fashion industry, and the Romans in Britain have in common? Dr. Tom Whiting, of course. Our visit to Whiting Farms in Delta, Colorado was an eye opener. With about 100,000 chickens in one place it's an ear opener too, we can attest.
This quietly brilliant man pushes the edge of what new and old chicken breeds can bring to the table, and talks about how to jump to that future while preserving the past. Another mad scientist podcast awaits you in this episode, except this one has fishing, feathers, fashion, F1's, and dry heat (okay, so we lost the alliteration on that one, but temps were in the very dry 90's during our June visit to eastern Colorado, so we had to mention it).
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We are Penn State (rah, rah)!
So says Dr. Liu (backed up strongly by Dr. Dechow), in our 2017 interview with the mad scientists of the Penn State University, College of Animal Science. We spoke with them about their fascinating study on Holstein genetics and the impact of the Y-chromosome, which sounds like it could be a bit dry but was definitely not!
The good doctors go back in time in a Klingon warbird to bring back germplasm from the 1960's, and implant it in modern cows to see if they can help save the dairy universe (okay, so the Klingon Warbird isn't true, but the rest of it is). Their research study seems very much like something out of a sci-fi novel to us, and shows how far agriculture has come. These are two scientists that were extremely personable and tons of fun, despite all of the letters after their names. One of our most enjoyable days with the camera. And you get to find out the reason we call our documentary, "The Holstein Dilemma."
They really did come to do complex scientific study, but we don't think it's a coincidence that the football stadium is right close by.
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Most people would think the Dos Equis Man is the Most Interesting Man in the World, but we think it's very possibly Bob Quinn. Organic farmer, mad scientist, author, gardening aficionado, trombonist, savvy businessman, farming activist, philosopher, and all around tinkerer and out-of-the-box idea guy - that's Bob. And he cooks a mean lunch.
Please join us for this episode, where we talk with Bob about all of the interests above, his new book tour, his new business venture (and yummy treat) Kracklin Kamut, and the reasons he goes to Washington DC to fight for organic farming. We also hear his view on why organic farming holds the potential for long-term food safety, the exciting possibilities for both the health of individuals and a positive net impact on the broader economy, and how it can save the world (Okay, so maybe he didn't go that far, but we think it's possible after speaking with him).
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We traveled to Bishop, California for the 50th Anniversary of the Bishop Mule Days and boy what fun we had.
Every Memorial Day weekend since 1969, the town of Bishop, nestled on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains, comes alive with the annual presentation of Mule Days. There is no way to actually describe Mule Days. It is part mule show, part test of skills, and part Wild West show. It is an event the likes of which are held no where else in the world. Over the six days of the event, there are 14 shows featuring over 700 mules with their trainers, riders and packers. In excess of 30,000 fans converge on the Tri-County Fairgrounds and the Mike Boothe Arena to watch the events and visit the exhibitors. The fourteen mule shows consist of: Western, youth, English, cattle working, gaited, coon jumping, racing, musical tires, gymkhana, packing, shoeing, chariot racing, team roping and driving.
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On this Memorial Day we'd like to post a short interview with Dr. Cary Fowler and a story of remarkable bravery.
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The continuation of our delightful conversation with Doug Crabtree and Anna Jones Crabtree of Vilicus Farms in Havre, Montana. We talk about their efforts to establish and maintain an apprenticeship program to find and train new pioneers on one of the last farming frontiers left in America.
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We visited the frontier - or as close as we've been to it so far - for our visit with some of the organic farmers of Montana. Our visit with Doug Crabtree and Anna Jones Crabtree of Vilicus Farms was a kitchen table discussion about diversity, dryland farming, organic land management, and the deeper understanding of the possibilities of how to work with natural systems in our agricultural processes, instead of waging constant war against them. These are some of the last of the pioneers, and we hope you enjoy the podcast (Part 1 of 2).
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After visiting the Mother Earth News Fair in Kansas, we were lucky enough to take a walk through the fields of Prairie Turnip Farm and with Hank Will. Hank is an experienced agriculturalist, marketing specialist, soil preservationist, tractor aficionado, and to top it all off he is Editor-In-Chief at Mother Earth News Magazine. He has been involved with conservation of land and heritage breeds for years, and we were thrilled to "land" the interview. Elara had the time of her life.
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We were lucky enough to catch up with Adam in Albuquerque, New Mexico as he was teaching one of his many workshops. Adam Danforth is the James Beard award-winning author of two books, published by Storey Publishing, about slaughtering and butchering livestock. Adam trained at the professional meat processing program at SUNY Cobleskill, one of the only such programs in the United States, before going to work at Marlow and Daughters and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, both in New York. He leads experiential workshops worldwide on butchery and meat science. He is the American ambassador for the Butchers Manifesto and a board member of the Chefs Collaborative and the Good Meat Project.
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We had the great pleasure to interview Dr. Cary Fowler at his Over the River Farm in upstate New York. Dr. Fowler is perhaps best known as the "father" of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, described by former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as an "inspirational symbol of peace and food security for the entire humanity." The Seed Vault provides ultimate security for more than 850,000 unique crop varieties, the raw material for all future plant breeding and crop improvement efforts. He proposed the creation of this Arctic facility to Norway, headed the international committee that developed the plan for its establishment, and now chairs the international council that oversees its operations. He was gracious enough to spend the day with us and discuss his farm, heritage breed animals, biodiversity and of course seeds.
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Elara and I traveled to Paonia, Colorado, which sits fairly close to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Our interview is with Eugenia McGuire, otherwise known as "Oogie". She raises Black Welsh Mountain Sheep on her farm, which sits high above the town of Paonia. Oogie sells pretty much everything sheep, including mutton, horns, and wool in various forms like raw fleeces, roving, and yarn. She is a true steward of the land and these animals.
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We recently had the great pleasure of traveling to New York to visit Isabella Rossellini at her farm on Long Island. She is an actress, activist, author, and scientist. She recently earned her Masters Degree in Animal Behavior from Hunter College. She is beautiful, witty and a very talented artist.
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Stephen Monroe works for the Florida Department of Agriculture in Tallahassee, managing the Florida Cracker Cattle and Florida Cracker Horse herds. He is a learned historian, a witty conversationalist, and is know very rightly as "The Cowboy Poet." This was one of our most enjoyable and educational interviews, and we were sorry we had such a short time with him. We hope to go back again to visit him soon.
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We visited Mat Devader and his son Mathew of Rocky Top Ranch in Holton, Kansas. They raise a little bit of almost everything on their farm including Katahdin Sheep, Hereford pigs, and a wide variety of poultry. They represent the the true spirit of the American farmer.
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We traveled to Missoula, Montana recently to sit down with Bob Doxey of the Lazy BD Donkey Farm. Bob is an historian at heart and a character to boot, who fell in love with this majestic animal. He invited us into his home and made us feel at home as he told us the history behind the American Mammoth Jack Donkey.
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We traveled to Colorado this past year and attended the National Western Stock Show in Denver. While there, we met Val Barnica and Ken Spann, who were competing in the team pull events with their Suffolk Punch horses. After our short interview there, they invited us up to their ranch, The Y Bar Hitch, in Montrose, Colorado, to see their six-hitch team in action at the Gunnison Cattlemen's Days Parade, and to see their beautiful horses up close.
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