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Choosing to Farm: New Generation Stories

Choosing to Farm: New Generation Stories

By Jennifer Colby

Stories and interviews by first and returning-generation farmers and ranchers about why they’ve been attracted to farming or ranching for their livelihoods.
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Ep. 1.17 Is Choosing to Farm Enough? with Jenn Colby

Choosing to Farm: New Generation StoriesApr 30, 2022

00:00
01:21:45
Zan and Kimberly Walker-Goncalves Circle Back to their Roots
Mar 27, 202401:11:26
Nicolle Ferrier Breeds Fowl for the Future

Nicolle Ferrier Breeds Fowl for the Future

I've wanted to quit about a hundred gazillion times, a lot- a lot. But I want to do what I love. So that is the key, right? To do what we love. And this is what I love to do.  It comes with difficulties and it comes with rewards. I have to be able to handle both and know both.

 

Nicolle Ferrier and family moved from Southern California to central Vermont to experience a more relaxed lifestyle, but soon found themselves creating a farm and business with plenty of excitement. They raise six different types of unusual and heritage fowl, from game birds to emus (in order of size), caring for each animal personally. They ship eggs, chicks, and birds across the country, connecting with experienced fowl enthusiasts and new owners to support them with guidance and advice.


Nicolle’s email

Sugar Feather Farm website

Sugar Feather Farm X/Twitter

Sugar Feather Farm Instagram

Sugar Feather Farm Facebook

Sugar Feather Farm Youtube


Sugar Feather Farm Go Fund Me

 

New England Grazing Network web site

 

Vermont Grass Farmers Association web site

 

Whole Human web site

 

About RIM

 

Choosing to Farm Patreon link

 

Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm!

The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I’m here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show!

Feb 15, 202401:12:57
Jon Turner Helps to Heal

Jon Turner Helps to Heal

There is a legacy throughout my family of having at least one member who served in all major conflicts back to the Revolutionary War. The other side of that coin is they were all farmers, homesteaders and innovators of their time from Eastern Tennessee and Kentucky. 

 

In 2009, my wife and I kept grew our first garden in a community growing space in northern Vermont.  There was a moment of clarity and renewed sense of purpose after being recently discharged from the Marine Corps with multiple combat deployments, that encouraged further exploration into food production.  Over a decade later, we now manage 10 acres of land and implemented practices deeply rooted in agroforestry, agroecology and whole systems thinking.


Wild Roots Community Farm is a diversified operation dedicated to community resilience through food systems education, wilderness survival, and self-rescue.


We are a part of the fabric which molds and shapes our landscape, and if we take moments to observe how natural systems function- their patterns, existing wildlife, how weather moves and reacts to topography and micro-climates, etc., we can make decisions that increase our ability to adapt to the internal and external forces of a food system.  

  On the farm we raise pigs, goats and chickens, grow annual vegetables and various tree crops in our pasture that is managed by rotating species. Through service-learning projects with community partners, we have built dedicated wildlife corridors to support native pollinators and songbird habitat. Wild Roots Community Farm is also the host site for a nature based early education program, Wrens Nest Forest Preschool.  


Wild Roots Farm email

Wild Roots Community Farm website

Wild Roots Farm Instagram

Fieldcraft Farmer Instagram

 

Accipiter Fieldcraft email


Yestermorrow Design School

 

Heroes and Horses program

 

Future Farmers of America (FFA)

 

Farmer Veteran Coalition

 

Guardian Revival

 

Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports

 

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Association

 

Five-minute meditation link


Intro to Breathwork video

 

New England Grazing Network web site

 

Vermont Grass Farmers Association web site

 

Whole Human web site

 

Choosing to Farm Patreon link

 

Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm!


The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world. After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I’m here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show!

Feb 07, 202401:03:26
Jenn Colby Finds Her Purpose

Jenn Colby Finds Her Purpose

Your humble host has been through some stuff the last few years. At a recent food system gathering event this fall, the call went out inviting folks to tell their stories of transition and transformation. How we went from the old to the new. What we overcame, and what we learned. How our world view changed.  I’m still very much a farmer and will continue to be, but the last few years have shown me a new path helping others. That’s why I’m here.


Jenn’s email

Chris Sargent email

Whole Human website

About RIM page

 

Jenn delivering the talk on YouTube (with some jumps)

 

Choosing to Farm Patreon link

 

Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm!

The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I’m here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show!

Feb 07, 202419:12
Ridge Shinn Thinks Big Picture

Ridge Shinn Thinks Big Picture

We could actually look into the animal, the live animal, see intramuscular fat and tenderness. We also had these tools, linear measurement tools that we could actually physically measure the animals and began to find almost in any group of cattle the right kind of cattle that would make a delicious piece of meat.

  Ridge Shinn is the Executive Director of the Northeast Grass-fed Beef Initiative (NGBI). He also is the co-founder and CEO of Big Picture Beef, recently launched to produce Northeast grass-fed beef for Northeast customers.  He has been a leader in the shift from feedlot production to raising cattle on a diet of 100% grass and forages – no grain. In addition to raising a large herd of grass-fed Rotokawa Devon beef cattle in Massachusetts, he was the Vice President of a Connecticut slaughterhouse and founded a successful meat company, Hardwick Beef. He has developed markets and distribution systems for 100% grass-fed beef throughout the northeastern United States and has consulted all over the US and for the Argentine government on the production and marketing of grass-fed beef. His work has been recognized in Time Magazine, Atlantic Monthly, New York Times, Wine Spectator and Smithsonian.

Ridge Shinn email

Northeast Grassfed Beef Initiative website

Ridge’s book: Grassfed Beef for a Post-Pandemic World

 

Old Sturbridge Village website

 

American Milking Devon Association website

Livestock Conservancy website

 

EatWild website

 

American Devon Cattle Association website

 

Hardwick Beef website

 

North American Devon Association website

 

Big Picture Beef website

 

Alliance Pastorale Wikipedia page (click translate)

 

Gathering of Good Graziers Event Information

 

Northeast Pasture Consortium web site

 

Choosing to Farm Patreon link


Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm!


The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I’m here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show!

Jan 13, 202401:20:15
John Roberts Part 2: Finding a Purpose Serving Farmers

John Roberts Part 2: Finding a Purpose Serving Farmers

I'm excited that the pandemic--for all its negativity--also said, “Hey, wait a minute. We need to concentrate on food resiliency”.  We need to encourage these small diverse farms because the big operations, the five huge companies that sell 99 % of the meat in this country, failed us. For what reason? The structure, this food system structure failed us.

 

John Roberts was appointed by the Biden Administration to serve as the State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Vermont in February 2022.

 

Roberts immigrated to Vermont from Great Britain in 1974 after earning his Bachelor of Science degree in farm management.

 

He managed Shelburne Farms in Vermont until 1977 and then started his own dairy farm in Cornwall, Vermont, which was managed by his family until 2012. Roberts worked for the Vermont Agency of Agriculture as a water quality specialist for over six years and as the Executive Director of the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition, which he joined in 2020.

 

He continues to serve as a select board member for the town of Cornwall and was a delegate to the New England Dairy Promotion Board. Roberts also served terms on the Vermont Water Resources Board, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, Board of the Vermont Land Trust, Vermont Brown Swiss Association, and as Chair of the Vermont USDA FSA State Committee. Roberts also served in several state and national committee positions for the National Beef Promotion Board and the Grazing Land Conservation Initiative.

Roberts’ wife is a nurse and they have been married for 47 years. They have four children, all married, residing in various states across the country, with four grandchildren and another on the way. He enjoys bird watching, hiking, wood working, and photography.


Vermont USDA-FSA web site

 

Champlain Valley (VT) Farmer Coalition

 

Vermont Required Ag Practices for Small Farms

 

Sustainable Dish web site

 

UC Davis Frank Mitloehner brief overview of dairy emissions video

 

Bill Murphy Greener Grass on Your Side of the Fence book

 

Gathering of Good Graziers Event Information

 

Northeast Pasture Consortium web site

 

Choosing to Farm Patreon link

 

Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm!

The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I’m here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show!

Jan 06, 202444:55
John Roberts Part 1: Falling in Love with Farming

John Roberts Part 1: Falling in Love with Farming

We'd rebuilt the milking parlor, which hadn't been operating. We've done all of this sort of stuff. When we came to close the sale we had two years of numbers to show that we actually knew-vaguely knew--what we were doing. We were off and running. We were here from 1977. We’re still here. We sold the farm, and we kept 10 acres, but we farmed until 2012.


John Roberts was appointed by the Biden Administration to serve as the State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Vermont in February 2022.

 

Roberts immigrated to Vermont from Great Britain in 1974 after earning his Bachelor of Science degree in farm management.

 

He managed Shelburne Farms in Vermont until 1977 and then started his own dairy farm in Cornwall, Vermont, which was managed by his family until 2012. Roberts worked for the Vermont Agency of Agriculture as a water quality specialist for over six years and as the Executive Director of the Coalition, which he joined in 2020.

 

He continues to serve as a select board member for the town of Cornwall and was a delegate to the New England Dairy Promotion Board. Roberts also served terms on the Vermont Water Resources Board, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, Board of the Vermont Land Trust, Vermont Brown Swiss Association, and as Chair of the Vermont USDA FSA State Committee.


Roberts also served in several state and national committee positions for the National Beef Promotion Board and the Grazing Land Conservation Initiative.

 

Roberts’ wife is a nurse and they have been married for 47 years. They have four children, all married, residing in various states across the country, with four grandchildren and another on the way. He enjoys bird watching, hiking, wood working, and photography.


Vermont USDA-FSA web site

 

Mycoplasma bovis in cattle


Champlain Valley (VT) Farmer Coalition

 

Vermont Required Ag Practices for Small Farms

 

Gathering of Good Graziers Event Information

 

Northeast Pasture Consortium web site

 

Choosing to Farm Patreon link

 

Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm!

The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning generation farmer myself, I’m here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show!

Jan 06, 202453:46
Tricia Park Uses Holistic Management to Drive Her Decisions

Tricia Park Uses Holistic Management to Drive Her Decisions

“My husband had been fascinated by Scottish Highlanders. We would drive by this place and you'd have to stop, get out of the car and like look through the woods to see them. And I was like, they're just big, shaggy horned beasts.  I don't know about horns, you know, and it was like, oh my gosh.  They wanted to sell the herd. They were getting older, had health problems. They wanted it to go somewhere local. A young family. I'm like, well, we're young, we're a family,  maybe we could buy some calves. I didn't want anything to do with moms.  I will buy some calves. So I come home and made the mistake of telling my husband about this. He's like, let's buy the whole herd.”

 

Tricia Park is a former volunteer EMT & Medic. She is a USAF veteran (ground equipment mechanic), serving three years in turkey & then four years in the NY Air National Guard. She’s been a grocery store night manager, legal assistant, house cleaner, insurance data processor, and editorial assistant. Now she’s a farmer, soap & salve maker and recent baker for their farmstand. Tricia is Holistic Management practitioner and mentored for four-plus years for Beginning Women Farmers with Holistic Management.

 

Creekside Meadows is 150 acre diversified farm in Madison County NY, in the hills southeast of Syracuse, raising 100% Grassfed Beef, Pasture/Woodland Raised Pork, seasonal vegetables, popcorn, soaps, baked goods, and firewood. The farm started as a homestead raising their own food and slowly expanded to sell meats to whomever wanted it.  Tricia and her husband of 30 years, Matt, moved from the original 26-acre homestead and purchased a new farm twelve years ago. 


Socials

Creekside Meadows Farm website

Creekside Meadows Farm email

Creekside Meadows Farm Instagram

Creekside Meadows Farm Facebook

 

Holistic Management online courses

 

Gathering of Good Graziers Event Information

 

Northeast Pasture Consortium web site

 

Choosing to Farm Patreon link

 

Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm!

The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I’m here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show!

Jan 03, 202401:17:44
Erin Meding Grows a Farm

Erin Meding Grows a Farm

“I did not grow up in a farming family. I grew up in a small town in the Midwest…there's no one in my family that has ever farmed. I'm pretty sure most of my siblings think I'm crazy.”

 

Erin and Charles Meding purchased their 27 acre slice of heaven in 2008 and raised their now grown children in the Sunapee Region of NH. They transformed a run down little ranch (900 square feet) into their current farmhouse, built a 3 story barn and established too many gardens to count.  They currently have horses, Nigerian dwarf does, chickens, cats and dogs.  They grow and preserve a large amount of their food and a good portion of herbs for their apothecary and business, Divided Sky Farm Botanicals (under Divided Sky Farm, LLC). They  currently sell their herbal products at Farmer's Markets and Erin teaches herbalism classes on the farm.


Socials

Divided Sky Farm website

Divided Sky email

Divided Sky Botanicals Instagram

 

Northeast Medicinal Plants book

 

Wild Wisdom of Weeds book

 

The ONE Thing book

 

Northeast Pasture Consortium web site

 

Choosing to Farm Patreon link

 

Leave us a review at Choosing to Farm!

The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I’m here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show!

Dec 13, 202301:11:28
Cameron Pedigo Farms for the Right Reasons

Cameron Pedigo Farms for the Right Reasons

“I'd watch the deer, how they would interact with the cows and turkeys and, you know, other animals. I've always been a keen observer of nature. That started young. That's kind of like the foundation. I didn't realize that's what laid the foundation, except for like, 20 years later.”

 

Currently Cameron is the farm manager of Anchorage Farm - Registered Romneys. For the past 6 years, he’s been farming the Hudson Valley, NY, following 4 years of service in the Navy and then pursuing his bachelor's degree in NYC. His journey into farming began at a dairy farm in Poughkeepsie, NY, where he found his path through the Heroic Food program. Centering on regenerative agriculture, local food systems, and ecology, his focus has been on fostering sustainable practices and nurturing his environment.

The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I’m here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show!


Links 


Anchorage Romneys website

Cameron email

Cameron Instagram

 

Heroic Food website

New York Farmland Finder website


Fred Provenza’s book Nourishment

David Epstein’s book Range

 

Episode Underwriter:

Northeast Pasture Consortium web site

 

Choosing to Farm Patreon link

 

 

Oct 21, 202301:10:00
Chris & Samantha Kemnah Find Less Labor in Dairy

Chris & Samantha Kemnah Find Less Labor in Dairy

“Neither one of us came from a farm family or any kind of money in our background. We've just kind of done it on our good credit. We've leased the farms that we've been on. We are hoping to be able to buy the farm we're on now.”—Samantha Kemnah


“The seasonal intensity of growing vegetables got old. My seventh year, I was like, I should quit last year. Because it was just, between the weather--the hot weather--I run hot as it is just temperature wise.--and my attitude is hot. I'm short tempered. You throw on top of that 90 degree weather -- and no rain--and I'm a bear.”—Chris Kemnah


Chris and Samantha Kemnah began their farming journey at the same time as their parenting journey in 2007, with a vegetable CSA and a few chickens. They added a few more animals (and kids) over the years, and by 2012 raised grassfed beef, pastured pigs, heritage turkeys, chickens for meat and eggs, and had two family dairy cows. They sold everything via CSA model. Due to some marketing burnout, they switched to dairying in 2016, and now sell certified organic, grass-fed milk to Organic Valley.


Clover Bliss Farm email

 

Dr. Dehtloff’s book Alternative Treaments for Ruminant Animals

 

Choosing to Farm Patreon link


The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about telling origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world. After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I’m here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success. Want to help? Like, share or review this episode! Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show!

Sep 30, 202301:18:21
Brad & Emalee Buttrey Find Real-Life Challenges

Brad & Emalee Buttrey Find Real-Life Challenges

“We did have the sense to look and say, you know, God created ruminant animals to take advantage of grass and low input. You know, if we've got a grass base, and we take care of that, that's as low input as you're gonna get versus hauling in feed.”—Emalee Buttrey


“There's a lot of challenges that you just don't come across in the classroom or the textbook.” –Brad Buttrey


Raised in McEwen, TN on a small cattle operation, Brad developed a keen interest in reproduction, learning to AI while in high school. He earned both his B.S. (UTM '05) and M.S. (KSU '07) in animal science and has managed cattle in Kansas, Texas, Louisiana, and Tennessee. A lifelong learner, Brad implemented regenerative practices, including multi-species grazing, and is continuously improving the operation and our land management.

 

As a rural kid from Plant, TN Emalee always loved the outdoors. During her undergrad days at UTM ('03), she became interested in ruminant nutrition and pursued her M.S. (TAMU '06) and Ph.D. (WTAMU '11). An educator for nearly 20 years, she has worked with livestock, producers, and students from across the U.S. Emalee enjoys connecting with customers by sharing the BERG story and products with each one.

BERG Livestock email

BERG Livestock website

BERG Livestock Instagram

BERG Livestock Facebook


SARE Custom Grazing Guidelines

 

Choosing to Farm Patreon link

The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about sharing the origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I’m here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode!  Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show!

Aug 15, 202301:13:35
Nicole & Jeremiah Vernon Talk Time, Family and Vulnerability

Nicole & Jeremiah Vernon Talk Time, Family and Vulnerability

“I have a specific memory of the first time we ever did sheep, I was so mad at my parents, we were going to kill the sheep. And then fast forward like an hour into it. And I came running into the house holding a sheep tongue and being like, Mom, check this sheep tongue out.”—Jeremiah Vernon


Vernon Family Farm (VFF) is a 1st generation, pastured livestock farm on the Seacoast of New Hampshire. Established in 2014, VFF works hard to provide wholesome, delicious food to their community through their farm store and their agritourism events. Located on 33 conserved acres in Newfields, NH, along the Piscassic River and route 87, the farm raises nonGMO pastured chicken, lamb, pork, grass-fed beef, vegetables and cut flowers. Show Note Links:

Vernon Family Farm email

Vernon Family Farm website

Vernon Family Farm Instagram

Vernon Famiy Farm Facebook

NH Farmstrong Program 

Brene Brown's book Daring Greatly

Choosing to Farm Patreon link

Thanks to this episode’s sponsor! New England Grazing Network *****

The Choosing to Farm podcast is all about sharing the origin stories, learning from the journeys, and creating connection among first-and returning-generation livestock farmers and ranchers across the US and the world.  After nearly 30 years working professionally in agriculture as well as being a returning-generation farmer myself, I’m here to share stories, tips and resources to help livestock farmers and ranchers heal our relationship with success.  Want to help? Like, share or review this episode!  Want to help even more? Join our Patreon to support the show!

Aug 09, 202301:13:14
Troy Bishopp Part 2: Taking Risks and Being Realistic
Jul 22, 202336:13
Troy Bishopp Part 1: From Guinea Pig to Linger Grazing

Troy Bishopp Part 1: From Guinea Pig to Linger Grazing

Jul 17, 202353:25
Karen Hoffman is Peaceful by Nature
Jul 08, 202301:11:48
Bobbie Jean Booth Becomes an Accidental Farmer
Jun 24, 202301:13:17
Kate Osgood is All or Nothing
Jun 10, 202301:10:53
Nick Weinstock Goes from Foodie to Farmer
Jun 07, 202301:16:26
Becky Harhaj Balances Calm and Chaos

Becky Harhaj Balances Calm and Chaos

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


Rebel Rooster Farm email

Rebel Rooster Farm website

Rebel Rooster Farm Instagram

Rebel Rooster Farm Facebook

 

Grasstravanganza info:

https://grasstravaganza.morrisville.edu/

 

Drop a review at www.choosingtofarm.com

 

 

May 09, 202301:00:24
Hank & Heather LeTarte Listen to Their Customers
Apr 29, 202353:56
Carly Farmer Sticks With It
Apr 22, 202301:03:43
Matt Kovarik Thinks Outside the Box
Apr 15, 202301:08:29
Katie Steere Finds Her Dream Life
Apr 08, 202352:56
Brent Beidler Chooses Not to Farm
Apr 01, 202301:09:57
Driving Chat: Agritourism

Driving Chat: Agritourism

Feb 09, 202334:44
Katelyn Duban Connects Rural Women

Katelyn Duban Connects Rural Women

“From what I’ve learned, it's always best to learn from other people. Learn from people who have been doing this before. If you can find a mentor in the field that you are interested in, I think that's the best thing you can do for yourself.  I think it's super important for folks who have the knowledge, to share that knowledge."

Katelyn Duban was born and raised in Southern Alberta, Canada and married into agriculture in 2016. At the time, it was not her intention to be an active member of the farm but she quickly found a passion for the farm life. Katelyn continues to develop her skills as a grain farmer on and off of the field.

As an avid podcast listener, Katelyn found herself searching for a podcast that shared the important roles women in agriculture provide for the industry. When she could not find a podcast that met her criteria she began working on her own podcast. In the spring of 2019 she launched The Rural Woman Podcast.

Since then, Katelyn has shared the stories of incredible women involved in all parts of agriculture from farming, ranching, homesteading, agribusiness and beyond.

Wild Rose Farmer website

Wild Rose Farmer Instagram

Wild Rose FarmerEmail

Some resources mentioned in this episode:

Five-Star Farmstays Course—New Cohort starts February 13! Use code FFSF100 for $100 off the registration cost before 2/1

Young Agrarians(Western Canadian Territories)

Additional links:

Support the work at https://www.patreon.com/Choosetofarm

Share the show with friends or leave a review through www.choosingtofarm.com

Follow my IG at Jenn Colby (@hwfarmvt) • Instagram photos and videos

Jan 28, 202301:04:29
Jessica Newman Starts With Why
Jan 11, 202301:11:10
Season 2 Trailer
Oct 01, 202201:54
Keeping It Simple with Jascha Pick
Jul 12, 202201:19:51
Ep. 18: Learning and Leading in Business with Dallas Mount

Ep. 18: Learning and Leading in Business with Dallas Mount

May 26, 202201:03:13
Ep. 1.17 Is Choosing to Farm Enough? with Jenn Colby

Ep. 1.17 Is Choosing to Farm Enough? with Jenn Colby

“I think sometimes the choice to farm also means that folks choose not to have a life. They may not recognize it as that. Sometimes the choice to farm or ranch doesn't necessarily automatically set them up for that. Responsibility weighs really heavily on the shoulders of farmers and ranchers. I think everyone deserves to have a life but I really think that farmers and ranchers deserve to have a life. I just don't know if that always happens. And I don't know if the choice to farm is actually enough.”

We can look at how we farm and ranch, we can look at all the technical stuff. We can change a lot of things about our business. But if we don't look at ourselves and actually start to change from the inside, then well, we're going to be in the same place. And I don't know if you want to be in the same place.

Four years ago, I didn’t want to be in the same place. It took a different perspective and some work, but I’m on a new path and the load on my shoulders is a lot lighter.

A little bit of a different episode today. Enjoy, friends.

Some resources mentioned in this episode:

Books:

The Success Principles: How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be by Jack Canfield and Janet Switzer

Other Useful links:

Support the work at https://www.patreon.com/Choosetofarm

Got comments, questions or ideas? Email me at choosingtofarm@gmail.com

Follow my IG at Jenn Colby (@hwfarmvt) • Instagram photos and videos

Loving the pod music? Follow Chris Sargent at Chris Sargent (@chrissargentguitar) • Instagram photos and videos

Apr 30, 202201:21:45
Ep. 1.16 Margaret Chamas Part 2 and Listener Comments
Apr 23, 202246:38
Ep 1.15 Margaret Chamas Part 1
Apr 11, 202259:36
Ep. 1.14 Abbie Corse
Apr 11, 202201:19:03
Ep 1.13 Ashlyn Bristle & Abraham McClurg

Ep 1.13 Ashlyn Bristle & Abraham McClurg

“The jobs that I worked were a pickle factory and a spinnery and an apple orchard, All of those were learning how to operate in a system watching how other people create systems and deal with the logistics of production. I think now that's made me a pretty strong systems thinker. I'm good at being strategic and good at looking at the entire large moving sort of juggernaut of the farm and identifying where it's not working.”—Ashlyn Bristle

Ashlyn Bristle and Abraham McClurg come from a variety of backgrounds in art, education, cooking, and non-profit management. They met at a dance and “have been dancing ever since”. Their dance has included homesteading, renting land, buying a steep hillside farm, and growing a business through the stresses of COVID. Along the way, they’ve focused on setting up good systems, balancing farm time and couple time, and figuring out what enterprises they’ll keep doing and which they’ll drop.

Rebop Farm media:

http://www.rebopfarm.com

Rebop Farm email

Rebop Farm Instagram

Some resources mentioned in this episode:

New England Grazing Network

NOFA Vermont (Jen Miller)

FAMACHA—parasite management technique

Books:

Range: Why Generalists Thrive in a Specialized World by David Epstein

Other Useful links:

Join our mailing list at www.choosingtofarm.com to get insider stuff!

Support the podcast through http://www.patreon.com/choosetofarm

Follow my IG at Jenn Colby (@hwfarmvt) • Instagram photos and videos

Loving the pod music? Follow Chris Sargent at Chris Sargent (@chrissargentguitar) • Instagram photos and videos

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Mar 27, 202201:21:38
Ep. 1.12 Jenn Colby on Leadership, Introverts, and Being a Real Farmer

Ep. 1.12 Jenn Colby on Leadership, Introverts, and Being a Real Farmer

“It feels scary to work with a dangerous animal, but it's within our wheelhouse. To do something that is unknown--to reach out, to ask for help, to admit we don't know--to go into that sort of dark place outside of our circle of control and our circle of knowledge into some nebulous “out there”, so that we can make that circle bigger--THAT’s scary. I gotta tell you, once you open that door, once you open that circle, it's COOL. It's really cool. You sort of see the world in a different way. And feel lighter.”—Jenn Colby

A fun two-solo-minis in this episode, with host Jenn Colby. First, a Chore Chat…headphones on, chores in the background set of observations and ruminations around the topic of leadership and what makes a leader, or even how leadership skills can be developed. Is this something you think about much in farming or ranching? I sure do! There are plenty of leaders around us all the time in agriculture, who just don’t see themselves that way.

The second mini is the story of my first sheep and the moment of clarity I had—after years of raising animals—that NOW I was finally a REAL farmer.

Some resources mentioned in this episode:

Howling Wolf Farm website

Books:

The Vision Driven Leader by Michael Hyatt

The Success Principles: How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be by Jack Canfield and Janet Switzer

Other Useful links:

Follow the show: Choosing to Farm web site

Got comments, questions or ideas? Email me at choosingtofarm@gmail.com

Follow my IG at Jenn Colby (@hwfarmvt) • Instagram photos and videos

Support the work at https://www.patreon.com/Choosetofarm

Loving the pod music? Follow Chris Sargent at Chris Sargent (@chrissargentguitar) • Instagram photos and videos

Mar 19, 202254:50
Ep. 1.11 Jesse McDougall Part 2
Mar 12, 202258:23
Ep. 1.10 Jesse McDougall Part 1
Mar 06, 202201:02:11
Ep. 1.9 Christian Wiedemann

Ep. 1.9 Christian Wiedemann

“I think part of the reason that I have pursued a career in real estate development in addition to being involved with my family’s [ranch] business is because there’s so much overlap…if you don’t understand the land piece, then you’re missing a big piece of the picture.

Christian Wiedemann is the 5th generation on his family’s ranch, located near San Francisco. He grew up hosting school field trips for cattle branding events, and watching the increased interface between the suburbs and their livestock-land management. He went away to school, working in renewable energy and real estate. After a failed effort at a family management transfer, Christian is pivoting in a new direction—working to solve the challenge (and often disconnect) of land values and livestock businesses.

Christian’s question for our listeners to consider: “What if it was possible to purchase ranchland in a way that provides an attractive return for investors, improves the health and productivity of the land, and enhances local communities?". What would that look like?

Please send him your thoughts—he’d truly like to know!

Christian’s media:

newlegacycompany.com

christian@newlegacycompany.com

Some resources mentioned in this episode:

Executive Link Program by Ranch Management Consultants

Other Useful links:

Follow the show, ask questions, write a review, support us at www.choosingtofarm.com

http://www.patreon.com/choosetofarm

Follow my IG at Jenn Colby (@hwfarmvt) • Instagram photos and videos

Loving the pod music? Follow Chris Sargent at Chris Sargent (@chrissargentguitar) • Instagram photos and videos

Feb 26, 202251:33
Ep. 1.8 Kristen Judkins

Ep. 1.8 Kristen Judkins

“So I went around on the farm tour and I went to check out all their barns and I spent like eight weeks almost every day going to visit somebody, talking about their sheep. Going from barn to barn I realized, ‘Oh, everybody does this really differently.’

Kristen Judkins didn’t expect to become a farmer, in fact, she’s not even sure she’s comfortable with the term, but she moved to Vermont and fell in love with fiber arts. Then the Great Goat Giveaway happened…well, she’ll tell that story.

As a solo farmer starting from scratch, she’s had a lot to figure out. Starting with goats and now raising sheep, Kristen has learned plenty from her neighbors, listened to shepherds all around the region, and experienced the full range of emotions that farming can bring. She balances farming with her other career and—one of my favorite topics—thinks that vacation is something all farmers need for their mental health.

Gilead Fiber Farm web site

Gilead Fiber Farm Facebook

Gilead Fiber Farm Instagram


Some resources mentioned in this episode:

Grandview Farm

Books:

The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery

Other Useful links:

Follow the show, ask questions, write a review, support us at www.choosingtofarm.com

http://www.patreon.com/choosetofarm

Follow my IG at Jenn Colby (@hwfarmvt) • Instagram photos and videos

Loving the pod music? Follow Chris Sargent at Chris Sargent (@chrissargentguitar) • Instagram photos and videos

Please note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Feb 19, 202201:12:02
Ep. 1.7 Tip Hudson
Feb 12, 202253:20
Ep. 1.6 Austin & Maggie Troyer
Feb 05, 202201:09:15
Ep 1.5 Jinny Hardy Cleland

Ep 1.5 Jinny Hardy Cleland

“Problem solvers make the best farmers. If you’re not a problem solver, it makes your farming life so much harder.” 

I’ve known Jinny Cleland of Four Springs Farm in Royalton, Vermont for more than 20 years, which is about half of the time she’s been farming. We’ve had great long talks about farming, business, faith (she is a Christian Scientist), and much more while processing turkeys together. When you are elbow-deep in bird carcass and wet feathers, you really get to know a person. 

I have great appreciation for the way she embraced farming from a very different background, the lessons she has learned, and how her enterprises have evolved to better fit her desires, skills and profit targets over the years. It feels like we all talk a lot about getting farmers and ranchers onto the land, but we don’t go back often enough and ask them how that went. 

As Jinny says, “We only know what we know; it doesn’t matter how smart we are. If we haven’t had exposure to it, we don’t know.” 

Some resources mentioned in this episode: 

Four Springs Farm web site
Jinny’s contact info: 802.763.7296, fourspringsfarm@gmail.com 

Other Useful links mentioned:
Onpasture.com grazing news & information you can use now
Producer’s Voice
Southern Soil podcast 

Follow the show: www.choosingtofarm.com 

Got comments, questions or ideas? Email me at choosingtofarm@gmail.com 

Follow my IG at Jenn Colby (@hwfarmvt

Support the work at https://www.patreon.com/Choosetofarm 

Loving the pod music? Follow Chris Sargent's IG at Chris Sargent (@chrissargentguitar

Jan 29, 202254:17
Ep 1.4 Matt Skoglund

Ep 1.4 Matt Skoglund

On first thinking about ranching bison, Matt said he thought “I’m a kid from suburban Chicago, I could never do that.” And then he went on with his day. As he describes it, “I didn’t entertain the thought of it, really. But then months later, it was still there.” 

Matt Skoglund didn’t start as a ranch kid or even a kid from the country. He had a couple of different careers before deciding in 2017 with his wife Sarah to find a ranch and begin raising bison outside Bozeman, Montana. In 2018, North Bridger Bison was born. Along the way, Matt has learned a lot about working with bison, finding and accessing property, that great people are everywhere, and a sense of humor and humility is essential for this type of work. 

Some resources mentioned in this episode: 

North Bridger Bison website
North Bridger Bison Instagram
North Bridger Bison Facebook 

Referenced people:
Roland Kroos, Holistic Management consultant www.crossroadsranchconsulting.com
Caroline Nelson, rancher @bigskycaroline

Books:
Let My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard
Buffalo for the Broken Heart by Dan O’Brien
Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
Small Giants by Bo Burlingham
Nourishment by Fred Provenza 

Resources:
Stockman Grass Farmer
On Pasture 

Podcasts:
Mountain & Prairie 

Other Useful links:
Follow the show or support the work:
Choosing to Farm web site
Got comments, questions or ideas?
Email me at choosingtofarm@gmail.com
Follow my IG at Jenn Colby (@hwfarmvt) • Instagram photos and videos
Loving the pod music? Follow Chris Sargent at Chris Sargent (@chrissargentguitar) • Instagram photos and videos

Please note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Which I will likely use to buy more books to share with you!

Jan 22, 202201:10:25
Ep. 1.3 Jenn Colby & Chris Sargent
Jan 15, 202201:02:08
Ep. 1.2 Randy & Lisa Robar
Jan 08, 202251:12
Ep 1.1 Marc & Cheryl Cesario

Ep 1.1 Marc & Cheryl Cesario

“I would say the overarching of all of this is actually understanding that this is a business. Right? It’s great, it’s farming, it’s pastoral. It’s all these things., but at the end of the day, this is a business and a business needs certain things to exist and function.”—Cheryl Cesario

Thanks for joining our inaugural episode, featuring Marc and Cheryl Cesario of Meetingplace Pastures in Cornwall, Vermont. Marc and Cheryl have been farming at their current location since 2009, joining their personal and business lives together right from the start. They currently graze cattle and sheep through a combination of owned and [mostly] rented land, but have run through different enterprises since their start. As the Cesarios discuss...farming, business, family, and life are all works in progress, though the specific challenges have evolved over time.

Enjoy!

Some resources mentioned in this episode:

Meeting Place Pastures - Home

Ranching for Profit: Ranching For Profit School – RMC (ranchmanagement.com)

Ranching as a business: Ranching as a Business - YouTube

Simon Sinek: Start With Why

Robert Kiyosaki: Rich Dad Poor Dad: The #1 Best-Selling Personal Finance Book Ever

Jim Collins: Good to Great

Michael Gerber: The E-Myth Revisited | Michael E. Gerber Companies (michaelegerbercompanies.com)

Other Useful links:

Follow the show: Choosing to Farm: New Generation Stories • A podcast on Anchor

Got comments, questions or ideas? Email me at choosingtofarm@gmail.com

Follow my IG at Jenn Colby (@hwfarmvt) • Instagram photos and videos

Support the work at https://www.patreon.com/Choosetofarm

Loving the pod music? Follow Chris Sargent at Chris Sargent (@chrissargentguitar) • Instagram photos and videos

Jan 01, 202201:12:03
Chore Chat: Intentions

Chore Chat: Intentions

When we do physical work, lots of us think deep thoughts. I recorded this mini episode as an experiment...what sort of deep thoughts come out on the topic of setting intentions, in the middle pf chores? 

Let me know if you like this format...and I would love to hear your thoughts about other topics for a Chore Chat!

For more than 25 years, I’ve been working with farmers on all kinds of production, natural resource, business, and success issues. What I’ve come to realize is that it’s rarely animal health or production skills that cause folks to fail or succeed. It has a lot more to do with the NON-farming side of being business owners. The upshot is that no one taught us this, and there’s a lot to learn about from other industries. I’ve been digging into this over the past few years and have a few lessons to share.

Even if you don't want to join the Choosing to Farm FB group, I recorded the Zoom presentation and there's even a workbook for you to download and use.  Want the recording link and PDF file? Zip me an email at choosingtofarm@gmail.com

"Start with what you want to create, and start with how you intend to show up in 2022."


Other Useful links:

Follow the show: Choosing to Farm: New Generation Stories • A podcast on Anchor

Got comments, questions or ideas? Email me at choosingtofarm@gmail.com

Follow my IG at Jenn Colby (@hwfarmvt) • Instagram photos and videos

Support the work at https://www.patreon.com/Choosetofarm

Loving the pod music? Follow Chris Sargent at Chris Sargent (@chrissargentguitar) • Instagram photos and videos

Dec 28, 202120:19
Preview Mini-Ep 0.1 Why Choosing to Farm?
Dec 18, 202114:35