Maple sugaring is a big deal here in Adirondacks. The season usually begins in March, when the nights are still cold, but the daytime temperatures are above freezing. This week, we will wash our buckets so that they’ll be ready to collect the sap once it starts to flow. To learn more about the maple … Continue reading Healthyish Pancakes
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Everyone has been talking about the drastic rise in egg prices here in the U.S. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of eggs has increased 120% from January to December of 2022. Now, I’m just a small scale farmer from the Adirondacks, but I happen to be a farmer who has studied … Continue reading U.S. Egg Prices Explained
If you’ve been reading our blog for a while, you may remember our post from last year about Virgilio. He was the first farmer we ever lent to through Kiva, a platform that allows ordinary people like us to help folks with limited access to capital by crowdfunding micro loans to start or grow their … Continue reading Funding a Loan to a Farmer in Need (2022)
You’ve just purchased your first pasture raised turkey (or chicken, or duck, etc.), and now you’re probably wondering: what’s the deal with the dark spots on it? Rest assured, there is nothing wrong with your bird! Ink spots on one of our pasture raised turkeys. Dark spots, also called ink spots, are just small amounts … Continue reading Ink Spots on Pasture Raised Poultry
Two and a half square feet: that’s the amount of space per bird that is recommended by the National Turkey Federation. Their guidelines are actually published in pounds per square foot, but two and a half square feet per bird is what 15 lb/ft2 boils down to when you consider that an average tom weighs … Continue reading Why You Should Be Eating Pasture Raised Turkey and Where to Find One
Angora goats produce the lustrous fiber called mohair (not to be confused with the fiber called Angora, which is produced by Angora rabbits). The use of mohair is mentioned in texts dating to 1571 BCE. The breed was developed in what is now Turkey and was exported to France and Spain during the sixteenth century, … Continue reading All About Angora Goats
We used to sell all of our goat kids as pets… Until we realized how poorly pet goats are often treated. Many people will buy goats when they’re adorable youngsters, but aren’t willing to tolerate their adult behaviors, or keep up with routine hoof trimming, or pay for costly feed, mineral supplements, and veterinary expenses … Continue reading Why We’re Raising Goats for Meat
I was recently asked to identify what I perceive as the five greatest issues facing sustainable animal production for my Diversified Animal Production class, and I thought I'd share it here too! Here's my list: 1. Availability of cheap, unethically produced substitute products: It's hard for me to wrap my head around, but there are … Continue reading Top 5 Issues Facing Sustainable Animal Production
A little over a year ago, we took a leap and acquired our farm's first ever livestock guardian dogs. Yes, I said dogs as in more than one! We purchased TWO Great Pyrénées puppies within a couple months of each other. We're sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly about our experiences with our … Continue reading Lessons from Our First Year with Livestock Guardian Dogs
Farmer's markets have ended, which means that we have officially reached the time of year when we have entirely too many eggs. As in, every member of our family could eat eggs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and we would still have extra. Pretty much anyone who has a large number of chickens knows what … Continue reading Too Many Eggs? Try One of These!