Grassfed Life

During the workshops and via email, we've gotten a lot of questions on one subject which we have never really covered before, until today, fencing. If you have listened to the last 5 episodes on sheep, you will know that there are a lot of different opinions on fencing and a lot of different approaches to using those fencing systems. Today we will take a look at fencing from a 10,000 foot view discussing how to approach establishing permanent fence if you are a new farmer and/or are putting fence onto new land. What type of fence should you go with, and why? Should you install it yourself, or pay someone to do it. When you are starting out are a lot of scenarios which could play out when it comes to fence, and like most things on the farm it comes down to… What's your context? Where do you want to go with your farm? How much money and time do you have to spend? Once you know those then the specifics fall into place. Today's episode will be a high level look at permanent fencing. Next week we'll have someone from Premier One on to talk specifically about the ins and outs of portable electronic fencing. Then, down the line we'll follow up on this subject with a more specific look at the hardware, materials, and specs that go into producing Darby's preferred type of fence - hi-tensile.

Get exclusive content each week with the Grassfed Life Insider.

Learn more at https://www.grassfedlife.co/insider

Grassfed Life Courses:

https://farm-business-essentials.teachable.com/courses

Today's episode is the second pre-mortem of Darby evaluation the economics and mechanics of really taking on a grass fed lamb enterprise.

We'll call this episode the informed pre-mortem coming after the mini-series with three other grazers raising lamb.

A lot has changed in this last month. Like you Darby's learned a lot, or at least enough to ask the right questions now.

In this episode, Darby will share his current and update thoughts and concerns on raising lamb looking at current worries, things he was glad he heard now, and questions that he still needs answered.

He'll also look ahead to 2018 and talk about if lamb is a fit on his farm next year or not, and why.

Today it's a more informed look at starting a new enterprise…

Why I would or would not raise grassfed lamb - The Upside, The Downside, and the Risks - The Economics and Mechanics of Raising Grass Fed Lamb - Part 2.

Get exclusive content each week with the Grassfed Life Insider.

Learn more at https://www.grassfedlife.co/insider

Grassfed Life Courses:

https://farm-business-essentials.teachable.com/courses

Today, let's start by going back go back in time to Eastern Europe in the 1980's. To a country that no longer exists.

It was a country where the economy was centrally planned

One where the prices of basic goods and services were set by central government planners

The German Democratic Republic, better known to us in the west as East Germany.

It was there at that time during that Cold War, when a young man fulfilled a boyhood fascination and became professional government registered shepherd.

It was job that would put that young man in charge of 1000 plus sheep at a time, having to move them from field to field; a task that may sound simple, but one that's enormously complex.

That's how my guest today, shepherd Ulf Kintzel got his start in shepherding.

In this episode, Ulf is going to share his 30 years of experience with sheep.

Get exclusive content each week with the Grassfed Life Insider.

Learn more at https://www.grassfedlife.co/insider

Grassfed Life Courses:

https://farm-business-essentials.teachable.com/courses

For today's episode we are going over to the land of sheep, New Zealand to talk to small scale farmer and grazer Jodi Roebuck of Roebuck Farm.

Jodi has a unique story... he started out as a vegetable gardener vegetarian and somewhere along the way he took notice of the regenerative effect grazing animals can have on the landscape. With that seed planted he took some knowledge from Joel Salatin and grazing cattle to start grazing a small flock of sheep on his home farm.

Since then he's gone on to grow his flock to around 100 sheep which he now grazes on his home farm, and several leases in his area of Taranaki.

Get exclusive content each week with the Grassfed Life Insider.

Learn more at https://www.grassfedlife.co/insider

Grassfed Life Courses:

https://farm-business-essentials.teachable.com/courses

Today's episode is the first of three straight episodes focusing solely on raising lamb.

For this episode we are going to go to rural Pennsylvania to talk to livestock farmer Kinley Coulter of Coulter Farms.

Like many of you, Kinley didn't come from a farming background, and he started farming without any previous farming experience.

He was working as an engineer in the 90s, then his wife had kids and they started a family. At that point they realized that they needed to change things in life, because their first priority was now raising kids.

With that in mind they bought a farm in Pennsylvania, and Kinley started his farming journey.

From the beginning the focus of their farm has been 100% grassfed and organic. They have raised lambs on pastured for over 10 years.

It's a journey that started out really easy with some beginners luck, and then got really rough when reality caught up with them.

Over the years they have a lost a lot of sheep along the way, but they have learned a lot, and now they aren't losing many sheep it all.

For them grassfed lamb is an enterprise that works, and after hearing this one, you may decide that it could also work for you.

Get exclusive content each week with the Grassfed Life Insider.

Learn more at https://www.grassfedlife.co/insider

Grassfed Life Courses:

https://farm-business-essentials.teachable.com/courses

Raising grassfed lamb has been one of the most requested topics over the past 6 months.

Given that, and given Darby's interest in taking on a potential grassfed lamb enterprise today's episode and the next few are dedicated to raising lamb on pasture.

We'll start out this series with Darby going through what he currently knows about lamb, what his assumptions are, and what his concerns and worries are.

He'll talk about why he's interested in adding lamb to his farm, and what goes into a decision like this - adding a new species that you aren't that familiar with to your farm.

This is an enterprise that Darby is seriously looking to start on his farm, so this episode will be an inside look at what goes into a decision like this.

I will then follow up this episode with several interviews with some current grassfed sheep and lamb grazers - ones that do this for a living, and have done this for a living for a long time.

They'll fill in all the gaps and details that aren't in this episode. Then I will circle back with Darby and see if his thoughts have changed.

If you're playing a long at home, you can do the same.

You may be hearing lamb, and thinking lamb, I am not into raising lamb, this isn't relevant..

Hold up and give it a chance.

Don't worry. These shows will still be valuable. Over the next few episodes you'll learn about evaluating a business idea, low stress animal handling, building soil, rotational grazing pastures, building and establishing pastures, and marketing products. All concepts talked about in the context of lamb, but universally applicable to most other grazing animals.

Before we get into this one, take a sec to think about lamb in your context. Are you interested in raising them - why or why not? What factors would you consider when starting a new enterprise.

Then see how those questions might get answered and how those assumptions might change as we go through this series.

Keep in mind as we go through this episode today, this is Darby talking about what he knows now about lamb, knowing that it might be right and it might be wrong. Don't take anything in this episode as gospel when it comes to the mechanics of raising lamb.

Today it is Darby evaluating what he knows, doesn't know, and what he doesn't know that he doesn't know.

Get exclusive content each week with the Grassfed Life Insider.

Learn more at https://www.grassfedlife.co/insider

Grassfed Life Courses:

https://farm-business-essentials.teachable.com/courses

In this episode we touch on a variety of topics from have a homestead milking cow, to rotational grazing and establishing a pasture, to what to look for when purchasing land.

Enjoy it - Beyond Homestead with farmers and authors of The Independent Farmstead Shawn and Beth Dougherty.

Get exclusive content each week with the Grassfed Life Insider.

Learn more at https://www.grassfedlife.co/insider

Grassfed Life Courses:

https://farm-business-essentials.teachable.com/courses

Today we will be looking at what's involved with on farm processing from what's a typical day like to what equipment is needed to what are some of the advantages of processing on farm.

Overall, it's an in-depth look at on farm poultry processing from someone who does it, and does it really well.

I think it's safe to say that by the end of this episode you will either be saying nope, not for me, or I really see the benefit in this, where can I learn more... and that's the goal.

Get exclusive content each week with the Grassfed Life Insider.

Learn more at https://www.grassfedlife.co/insider

Grassfed Life Courses:

https://farm-business-essentials.teachable.com/courses

Today we will take a look at part time farming, or farmsteading, looking at what's possible and how viable of an option it really is.

It's a model that fits nicely in between homesteading and full time farming. It's a model that might be more financially approachable now, it's a model that might not require radical lifestyle change, and it's a model that might pay you something to produce your own food.

And maybe best of all it's an option that gives you a lot of future options.

Get exclusive content each week with the Grassfed Life Insider.

Learn more at https://www.grassfedlife.co/insider

Grassfed Life Courses:

https://farm-business-essentials.teachable.com/courses

Today we'll be going to Zanesville, OH to talk to farmer Greg Burns of Natures Image Farm.

Greg's journey began one day out of the blue, in a way that you wouldn't expect, and in a way that you could say was by the grace of god.

Imagine living the American dream.

Owning your own business, living in nice house in a subdivision with a well-kept yard, money to buy everything that you need and more. It's the good life.

Then one day you're driving down the road on the Connecticut, New York border in your truck and suddenly everything changes in an instant.

It was in that instant where it all went wrong that sent Greg's truck airborne on the highway, tumbling in mid-air, slowing down time, and flashing his life before him. It was an instant that left him upside down on the road wondering if he was alive or dead.

It was an instant that left bystanders saying, I can't believe you are alive!

It was an instant the changed the course of life of Greg Burns.

READY TO START YOUR OWN LIVESTOCK FARM?

The Farm Business Essentials Online Course is here, and it's not just a piece of the puzzle. FBE is a complete step by step A to Z system to plan, market, and grow the farm enterprise that's right for you. Built by a farmer for farmers just like you - https://www.farmbusinessessentials.com

Profitable Pastured Poultry Course: https://www.farmbusinessessentials.com/poultry

Lots more free content at Grassfed Life: http://bit.ly/2D5gRJX

Subscribe: https://apple.co/2hayYod