by Ethan
on February 11, 2014
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Don’t forget about the upcoming Practical Farmers of Iowa Farminar featuring “The Beginning Farmer,” Ethan Book.
If you are interested in farming or the world of food in general you have probably heard something about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). It is a topic of debate for many in the food and farming industries, and it is even something that crosses my mind from time to time. In fact, it is a topic that I have been thinking a lot about lately. To be completely honest I have actually been thinking about whether or not it would be a good thing for our farm to make the transition to Non-GMO feeds for our farm. I can’t explain exactly why this is a direction that I began thinking about, because honestly I haven’t paid much attention to the debate. Maybe it is just my contrarian attitude or maybe it is because my “gut” is just telling me to think about it. Either way I wanted to take some time on today’s show to talk a little bit about my thoughts on the possible move from GMO hog/chicken feed to a ration using Non-GMO grains.
In fact I didn’t just want to stumble my way through 20 minutes of talking about something I knew very little about so I decided to do some research. The fruits of my reading research are in the links below, but to be completely honest I don’t know if any one article convinced me completely of anything … except for maybe one …
Ethan’s Amazing Research on the Topic of GMO vs. Non-GMO Feed From the First Three Pages of the Google Search Results
Here is the article that made the most sense to me … at least when it came to my unscientific mind.
- “The Post-GMO Economy” :: From “Modern Farmer” this article talks about a farmer in my general neck of the woods who has made the switch from GMO crops to Non-GMO crops … mostly from a financial point of view.
As you can tell from reading the articles you can find all sorts of evidence to prove either side of the argument, which is why I’ve come to the conclusion that sometimes you just need to go with your gut and the experience of those that you trust … or at least that is what I lean on sometimes.
Finally, here is the link to the blog post from farmer/listener Chris who took the time to e-mail me this week.
As always, I want to thank you so much for listening and supporting the show with your encouragement and reviews on iTunes! I am continually working to produce a better show, and I’m thankful for all of the listeners sticking with me as I learn. If you do enjoy the show, don’t forget that you can subscribe on iTunes and leave a five star rating and review (by clicking the link). If you are an Android phone user you can also subscribe on the free Stitcher App. It is so very encouraging to know that people are listening and enjoying the show!
I would love to hear your questions, show ideas, or comments about the show. Feel free to shoot me an e-mail! As always you can follow along with “The Beginning Farmer” and Crooked Gap Farm by checking out these links …
{ }
by Ethan
on February 5, 2014
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Have you ever had one of those moments where you wanted to communicate the thoughts rolling through your head, but you couldn’t seem to get them from your brain to your words in a coherent manner? Well, today’s episode of “The Beginning Farmer Show” was one of those moments for me! After attending a Niman Ranch Regional Producers Meeting (which was awesome), and remembering a couple events that have happened along the way in my farming journey (watching King Corn & going to Washington D.C.), my mind was churning with thoughts about the perceived competition between pasture-based (or organic, or antibiotic free, or non-GMO, or … you get the idea) farms and conventional farms. I’ve come to the point where I’m less concerned with the differences and more concerned about producing great meats in a sustainable (emotionally, physically, financially) way. If you make it through this rambling episode of the show I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject! One feedlot owner/manager that I quoted on the episode said that if Americans demanded grassfed beef than they would produce it. Do you believe that?
Don’t forget about the upcoming Practical Farmers of Iowa Farminar featuring “The Beginning Farmer,” Ethan Book.
As always, I want to thank you so much for listening and supporting the show with your encouragement and reviews on iTunes! I am continually working to produce a better show, and I’m thankful for all of the listeners sticking with me as I learn. If you do enjoy the show, don’t forget that you can subscribe on iTunes and leave a five star rating and review (by clicking the link). If you are an Android phone user you can also subscribe on the free Stitcher App. It is so very encouraging to know that people are listening and enjoying the show!
I would love to hear your questions, show ideas, or comments about the show. Feel free to shoot me an e-mail! As always you can follow along with “The Beginning Farmer” and Crooked Gap Farm by checking out these links …
{ }
by Ethan
on January 29, 2014
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
**It looks like I made a “draft saving” mistake when I posted this yesterday and somehow we ended up with the wrong opening paragraph … I guess I’m still a beginning blogger too 😉
When it comes to a direct-to-consumer farm one of the most important “hats” that you will wear is that of farm communicator. You can’t just build your farm and then expect people to show up, because this isn’t “The Field of Dreams”. We are always working to communicate with our farm friends … talking about our story, sharing some of the benefits of our products, comparing notes on great recipes, and so much more. In the 21st century there are many great ways to communicate through technology (we take advantage of as many as possible), but at the end of the day I don’t know if there is anything better than a good face-to-face conversation. On today’s episode I share some of the ways that we communicate and what we are talking about when we do communicate!
How We Communicate With Our Farm Friends
- Blogging :: One of the few things I did right as we started this farming journey was the starting the blog. This is a great way to practice telling your story and to share the journey.
- Farm Website :: It doesn’t have to be fancy, it doesn’t have to be the best one on the block, but it sure is nice to have one to share with people when they ask about your story or how to purchase your products.
- Facebook Page :: This one is a given in 2014, but it is very important that you make use of it in the best way possible. We’ve found that pictures, questions, and posts that allow your farm friends to interact are much better than posts that are just advertisements.
- E-Mail List :: This is one of the most important pieces of “online communication” we have because the people that sign-up for the e-mail list are folks that really want to hear from us. We use this to share recipe ideas, farm news, and opportunities to purchase our products.
- Face-to-Face Communication :: Nothing beats a good old fashioned conversation when it comes to sharing the story of your farm. But, even more important is the opportunity to listen to your customers and learn what matters to them.
Don’t forget about the upcoming Practical Farmers of Iowa Farminar featuring “The Beginning Farmer,” Ethan Book.
As always, I want to thank you so much for listening and supporting the show with your encouragement and reviews on iTunes! I am continually working to produce a better show, and I’m thankful for all of the listeners sticking with me as I learn. If you do enjoy the show, don’t forget that you can subscribe on iTunes and leave a five star rating and review (by clicking the link). If you are an Android phone user you can also subscribe on the free Stitcher App. It is so very encouraging to know that people are listening and enjoying the show!
I would love to hear your questions, show ideas, or comments about the show. Feel free to shoot me an e-mail! As always you can follow along with “The Beginning Farmer” and Crooked Gap Farm by checking out these links …
{ }
by Ethan
on January 22, 2014
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
The shed that wasn’t big enough!If you are a beginning farmer or a farmer that is looking to grow their operation you are well aware of the fact that land access is one of the number one issues facing beginning farmers. I know that we we began looking for land it was overwhelming. Not only was it difficult to find anything for sale that was actually in our area and in our price range, but there was a million other things to consider. Which bank will finance it? How far away from the job in town is too farm? Is it better to have a smaller piece of land with a house or a bigger piece with no house? Those are all questions that we faced, but looking back on the purchase there are so many other things that I should have considered or wish that I would have considered. So, what you will find below are my thoughts on what sort of things to think about when you are buying the farm … or renting a farm.
Seven Things to Think About When Buying Land
- As Much As Possible :: Very rarely will you ever talk to a farmer who tells you that they wish that they had less land, so always look for as much as you can handle. [continue reading…]
{ }
by Ethan
on January 15, 2014
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
One of the things that I love most about farming is that there is always something new going on. One day you might be baling hay on the tractor and the next day you will be running the chainsaw and building fence through the woods. It is a occupation and way of life that always has you learning new skills, working outdoors (in weather both good and bad), and above all it keeps you on your toes! But, one thing that is true on a direct-to-consumer farm is that you will often find yourself doing as much marketing and selling as you do “farming”. On today’s episode I wanted to talk a little bit about the process of our direct marketing farm from the beginning until our product is in the consumers hands (or on their grills … or in their tummies). Luckily it only takes six easy steps … of course most of the year all of these steps are occurring simultaneously!
Six Steps From the Farm to the Family Table
- Step #1a & 1b :: Birth of Livestock or the Buying of Livestock
- Step #2 :: Raising the Livestock
- Step #3 :: Processing
- Step #4 :: Inventory and Storage
- Step #5 :: Advertising and Marketing (Communication)
- Step #6 :: Selling
Don’t forget about the upcoming Practical Farmers of Iowa Farminar featuring “The Beginning Farmer,” Ethan Book.
Tuesday, February 18th 7:00 – 8:30 PM CST
Making Niche Pork Work for You at Any Scale
Link mentioned in this episode …
Amy Palanjian writes about our Crooked Gap Farm Meat CSA
As always, I want to thank you so much for listening and supporting the show with your encouragement and reviews on iTunes! I am continually working to produce a better show, and I’m thankful for all of the listeners sticking with me as I learn. If you do enjoy the show, don’t forget that you can
subscribe on iTunes and leave a five start rating and review (by clicking the link or the image on the right). If you are an Android phone user you can also subscribe on the
free Stitcher App. It is so very encouraging to know that people are listening and enjoying the show!
I would love to hear your questions, show ideas, or comments about the show. Feel free to shoot me an e-mail! As always you can follow along with The Beginning Farmer and Crooked Gap Farm by checking out these links …
(if you are interested in the music in this episode check out my brother’s record label, Historic Records)
{ }
by Ethan
on January 8, 2014
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Good news for all you iOS users. You now should be able to download “The Beginning Farmer Show” on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod! I finally tracked down the issue that was keeping that from happening, so hopefully this will be more convenient for some.
One of the questions I get all of the time is how do you pay for the farm. There are plenty of questions about raising livestock, marketing, or working the land, but above all people are most interested in how to make it work financially. My advice is always simple … save up your money and pay for the farm. We do have a manageable mortgage, but when it comes to the things that make the farm go (livestock, equipment, structures, etc.) I make it a point to pay for them instead of financing them. That does mean doing things on a shoe-string sometimes or at least making some savings in other areas. Here are five things that I’ve found to be able to farm on a shoe-string.
5 Tips For Farming on a Shoe-String
- Do it yourself with your own two hands …
- Eat low on the hog …
- If you have to heat, heat with firewood …
- Pay for it with your money instead of the banks money …
- In the end you most likely will find contentment …
If you have an input on the topic be sure to leave a comment below or send us an e-mail.
As always, I want to thank you so much for listening and supporting the show with your encouragement and reviews on iTunes! I am continually working to produce a better show, and I’m thankful for all of the listeners sticking with me as I learn. If you do enjoy the show, don’t forget that you can
subscribe on iTunes and leave a five start rating and review (by clicking the link or the image on the right). If you are an Android phone user you can also subscribe on the
free Stitcher App. It is so very encouraging to know that people are listening and enjoying the show!
I would love to hear your questions, show ideas, or comments about the show. Feel free to shoot me an
e-mail! As always you can follow along with The Beginning Farmer and Crooked Gap Farm by checking out these links …
(if you are interested in the music in this episode check out my brother’s record label, Historic Records)
{ }
by Ethan
on January 1, 2014
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Happy New Year! As 2013 has come to a close and 2014 has begun I thought it would be fun to take some time on today’s episode and answer some listener questions that have come in lately. Over the years of blogging my journey to farming and now podcasting I have been humbled by the number of encouraging e-mails and messages I have received. I’ve been trying my best to stay on top of them and respond, but lately I have been ask quick to respond as I would like. Hopefully this will make up for some of my slow responses … and get some discussion going! I’d love to hear your thoughts on todays listener e-mails.
Today’s Listener Feedback/Questions …
- How about smells and samples at the Farmers’ Market?
- Raising a few pigs for yourself without purchased corn/soybeans?
- How do you price your pork so that you can make money?
- Any on-line suggestions for chicken tractor plans?
- What sort of certifications do you need to sell poultry or eggs?
- What do you think of partnering with others in a farming venture?
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode …
If you have an input on the topic be sure to leave a comment below or send us an e-mail.
As always, I want to thank you so much for listening and supporting the show with your encouragement and reviews on iTunes! I am continually working to produce a better show, and I’m thankful for all of the listeners sticking with me as I learn. If you do enjoy the show, don’t forget that you can
subscribe on iTunes and leave a five start rating and review (by clicking the link or the image on the right). If you are an Android phone user you can also subscribe on the
free Stitcher App. It is so very encouraging to know that people are listening and enjoying the show!
I would love to hear your questions, show ideas, or comments about the show. Feel free to shoot me an
e-mail! As always you can follow along with The Beginning Farmer and Crooked Gap Farm by checking out these links …
**Special Note :: A few users are experiencing issues downloading the show on iTunes. If you have any experience with podcasts and how they can play nicely with iTunes I would love some suggestions.**
(if you are interested in the music in this episode check out my brother’s record label, Historic Records)
{ }
by Ethan
on December 25, 2013
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Merry Christmas! This time of the year can be very frustrating on the farm with all of the snow, cold, firewood cutting, short amounts of daylight, and so much more. But, it can also be a season where you can slow down and reflect on the many blessings of your life and farm. Balancing family, off farm jobs, and all the work associated with the farm can be very difficult throughout the year and often times it seems like things don’t really slow down in the winter. The nature of the season (snow, cold, etc.) though often forces you to slow down and one of the things that I’m trying to do this year is make the most of those moments. Living on the farm has blessed our family with a beautiful place for the kids to play and roam. The kids enjoy all seasons on the farm, but sometimes (especially when there is snow on the ground) it seems like winter is their favorite time of the year.
As a special treat I took some time this week to ask all four kids what their favorite part about winter on the farm was. Their answers are precious and made me very proud … plus, I think we have a family of podcasters in the making! Then I wanted to share one of my favorite Christmas stories. I first heard this story back in 2007 and thought it was a beautiful picture of Christmas on a farm. The story comes from the December 1953 issue of “The Farm Journal”. If you’d like a copy of the story you can find it in Christmas In My Heart Volume 22 (affiliate link).
If you have an input on the topic be sure to leave a comment below or send us an e-mail.
As always, I want to thank you so much for listening and supporting the show with your encouragement and reviews on iTunes! I am continually working to produce a better show, and I’m thankful for all of the listeners sticking with me as I learn. If you do enjoy the show, don’t forget that you can
subscribe on iTunes and leave a five start rating and review (by clicking the link or the image on the right). If you are an Android phone user you can also subscribe on the
free Stitcher App. It is so very encouraging to know that people are listening and enjoying the show!
I would love to hear your questions, show ideas, or comments about the show. Feel free to shoot me an
e-mail! As always you can follow along with The Beginning Farmer and Crooked Gap Farm by checking out these links …
**Special Note :: A few users are experiencing issues downloading the show on iTunes. If you have any experience with podcasts and how they can play nicely with iTunes I would love some suggestions.**
(if you are interested in the music in this episode check out my brother’s record label, Historic Records)
{ }
by Ethan
on December 18, 2013
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
With Christmas only one week away I thought it would be fun to share some gift ideas for the beginning farmers in your life (or the future farmers … or lovers of farms!). The items on this list are mostly in the $30 or less range with only a couple of exceptions. All of the items are available on Amazon
(the links are affiliate links and help support “The Beginning Farmer Show”), but many of them can also be found at your local farm store or hardware store. The other thing you may notice about the list is that it is mostly focused on a gift list for a farmer in the colder winter climates. Mittens are a great thing for a farmer in Iowa, but not so much for a farmer in Georgia … so … if you live in the warmer climates I would love to see your suggestions for those last minute Christmas gifts.
10 Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Beginning Farmer
(or Future Farmer or Lover of Farms)
As always, I want to thank you so much for listening and supporting the show with your encouragement and reviews on iTunes! I am continually working to produce a better show, and I’m thankful for all of the listeners sticking with me as I learn. If you do enjoy the show, don’t forget that you can
subscribe on iTunes and leave a five start rating and review (by clicking the link or the image on the right). If you are an Android phone user you can also subscribe on the
free Stitcher App. It is so very encouraging to know that people are listening and enjoying the show!
I would love to hear your questions, show ideas, or comments about the show. Feel free to shoot me an
e-mail! As always you can follow along with The Beginning Farmer and Crooked Gap Farm by checking out these links …
**Special Note :: A few users are experiencing issues downloading the show on iTunes. If you have any experience with podcasts and how they can play nicely with iTunes I would love some suggestions.**
(if you are interested in the music in this episode check out my brother’s record label, Historic Records)
{ }
by Ethan
on December 11, 2013
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
One of the things I say about our farm (and it’s on one of our t-shirts that we have for sale) is that we are doing “Pioneer Farming”. The reason that I say that is because we have sort of built this farm from a blank slate that was basically a prairie and a little bit of woods. It almost felt like we were out there homesteading just like the Iowans that came before us, except that we had a few benefits that they didn’t have … things like gas, electricity, power tools, chainsaws, tractors, trucks, cement floors in our house, and other little things like that. But, as this winter starts off with a little more cold than usual I am reminded of our first winter on the farm five years ago and I’m thankful for just how far we have been able to come. I was also reminded of my childhood reading of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s book, The Long Winter
and her tales of a horrible winter spent on the plains of the Dakotas in 1880/81. After pulling out our copy and reading some of her memories I think our first winter wasn’t so bad after all … that was really some pioneer farming!
Nevertheless I do have some tips for handling winter on the farm, especially when it comes to livestock …
- Don’t bring livestock to your farm for the winter if you aren’t ready for them.
- High quality feed for your animals is a must.
- The combination of cold and wet can really be the worst.
- Water hoses can freeze even if you think you completely drained them.
- Windbreaks or shelters out of the wind are very important for your livestock.
- Know your neighbors, because you may need some help this winter.
- Have a good winter fence (preferably not electric unless you have a plan for shorting).
What are your favorite online resources for farmers? Comment below or send us an e-mail.
As always, I want to thank you so much for listening and supporting the show with your encouragement and reviews on iTunes! I am continually working to produce a better show, and I’m thankful for all of the listeners sticking with me as I learn. If you do enjoy the show, don’t forget that you can
subscribe on iTunes and leave a five start rating and review (by clicking the link or the image on the right). If you are an Android phone user you can also subscribe on the
free Stitcher App. It is so very encouraging to know that people are listening and enjoying the show!
I would love to hear your questions, show ideas, or comments about the show. Feel free to shoot me an
e-mail! As always you can follow along with The Beginning Farmer and Crooked Gap Farm by checking out these links …
**Special Note :: A few users are experiencing issues downloading the show on iTunes. If you have any experience with podcasts and how they can play nicely with iTunes I would love some suggestions.**
(if you are interested in the music in this episode check out my brother’s record label, Historic Records)
{ }
If you are interested in farming or the world of food in general you have probably heard something about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). It is a topic of debate for many in the food and farming industries, and it is even something that crosses my mind from time to time. In fact, it is a topic that I have been thinking a lot about lately. To be completely honest I have actually been thinking about whether or not it would be a good thing for our farm to make the transition to Non-GMO feeds for our farm. I can’t explain exactly why this is a direction that I began thinking about, because honestly I haven’t paid much attention to the debate. Maybe it is just my contrarian attitude or maybe it is because my “gut” is just telling me to think about it. Either way I wanted to take some time on today’s show to talk a little bit about my thoughts on the possible move from GMO hog/chicken feed to a ration using Non-GMO grains.
— A winter cap to keep you warm all winter long.
— The first film that I came across that really made me think about farming in the United States.
— On a cold day I will take mittens over gloves all of the time.
— Short days make for much work after dark and this is a tool that I use everyday.
— $60 chaps are cheaper than a hospital trip everyday.
— Another film to checkout this winter to be encouraged about agriculture in the United States.
— I carry these everyday and use them more than expected.
— Great for those projects that don’t need your good knife.
Join the Community