Most people probably think of farmers' markets when they want to buy the freshest, best tasting fruits and veggies, but farmers' markets can also be an excellent place to find the freshest, best tasting meat and poultry as well. There are many compelling reasons to buy meat directly from local farmers, including: 1. Ensuring that … Continue reading Why You Should Be Buying Meat Directly from Local Farmers
Category: Thoughts on Agriculture
It seems like there’s been more and more talk about PFAs lately, but what are they? PFAs is an abbreviation for per- and poly- fluoroalkyl substances, a class consisting of thousands of different chemicals. These substances can be found in all sorts of products, from cosmetics, to clothing, to paint, to non-stick cookware, to fast … Continue reading Keeping PFAs Out of Our Food System
I don’t get to travel as often as I would like to, but when I do, I am naturally drawn to agritourism destinations. I like to think that this is because agriculture and the food system are my passion, but it could be that I’m just not good at leaving my work at home. Whatever … Continue reading Agritourism Through a Different Lens: White Stallion Ranch in Tucson, AZ
The United States has a big literacy problem, but I don't mean the reading and writing kind of literacy. What I'm referring to is agricultural literacy: an understanding of where food comes from, how it is produced, and how it affects our quality of life. The gap between the public and agriculture seems to grow … Continue reading Agritourism as a Solution to the Growing Disconnect Between Americans and Their Food
The issue of antibiotic use in food producing animals is not as black and white as it may seem. There are a lot of brands out there today that boast claims of "no antibiotics ever" or "raised without antibiotics" on their packaging, but what do these claims really mean? Should people avoid buying other products … Continue reading How We Use Antibiotics on Our Farm
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
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
Let’s talk about a BIG issue that small farmers everywhere are confronted with: access to capital. In the United States, starting a farm generally costs hundreds of thousands of dollars (for acquisition of land, equipment, inputs, etc.) But agriculture is a business that just doesn't bank well. It's a cash intensive business, with low return … Continue reading How We’re Helping Small Farmers Gain Access to Capital
Preface: I'm just wrapping up my second semester of graduate school. I was asked to write a one page reflection on my changed, enlightened, or steadfast views on sustainable agriculture, which I am sharing here on the blog! I can confidently say that I am finishing this semester with a changed view of what it … Continue reading Sustainable Ag: What It Is, and What It Isn’t