
agri-Culture
Rick and Elara of Backyard Green Films travel across the United States in their travel trailer, Bessie, to share the stories and wisdom of people committed to sustainable agriculture. They interview a diverse range of voices, including scientists, geneticists, organic farmers, and ranchers, each driven by their own 'call of the land.' The podcast aims to uncover and share these compelling stories while highlighting the importance of stewarding America's land. Listeners are invited to support the show through Patreon.
Episodes

Ep 256 Kevin Oldenburg: Wheels and New Deals with FDR the Tree Farmer
Send us Fan MailLove him or hate him, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, mostly known as FDR, was a person known for many things -- being the longest serving President; being born into the wealthy elite class, yet remembering the little people; defying expectations by running the country from a wheelchair; marrying extremely well by bagging Eleanor, a much-loved lady; and the alphabet soup of social progr

Ep 255 The Rugged F Sharp
Send us Fan MailLook Sharp, people! Dr. Frank Sharp, that is, a Longhorn rancher from . This guy not only is integral to the Cattlemen’s Texas Longhorn Conservancy (CTLR), but he also knows his stuff, as he “wrote his doctoral dissertation on Texas Longhorn cattle, his research focusing on Texas Longhorn history, symbolism, genetics, and preservation.” We hope you follow our links to visit the

Ep 254 Bobbin and Weavin’ with the Magnificent MacAusland’s
Send us Fan MailI love Canada! That’s been the refrain in the car on this trip. We’ve been Milling About on the Emerald Isle, our new co-opted name for Prince Edward Island, the Canadian province. We stayed in Belfast (the PEI one, not the other one), and enjoyed a phenomenal week touring the gentle green fields of potatoes, birdwatching and shell finding, chatting in yarn shops, learning the i

Ep 253 Susan's Shire: CNCH - - Guild Summary
Send us Fan Mail"Shire" and "guild" refer to a wide variety of subjects, ranging from Tolkien's fictional hobbit homeland to real-world administrative districts in the UK, video game factions, and even historic trades. But, today we are talking about CNCH, otherwise known as Conference of Northern California Handweavers. Don't let the name fool you. According to thei

Ep 252 The Aquifer Progression, The Hades Factor and The Road to Ogallala
Send us Fan MailWe all know that water is precious, and that the soil is important, but do we really know what happens when we take both of them for granted? We should know our history, because the Dust Bowl occurred less than a century ago. We might start treating the Ogallala Aquifer like the source that waters 25% of the agricultural production in the entire country, instead of like a drinkin

Ep 251 Farm To Film Fest: Are We In Heaven? Nope - We're in Iowa.
Send us Fan MailWe just returned from Iowa, after attending the Farm to Film Fest. Our film "A Connecticut Farmer and the King's Cow", was selected as one of the films to screen over the weekend event. The thing that stood out us, while in the town of Washington, was that it's obvious at this festival and the town itself, is that they love the arts.You know we gotta say it &quo

Ep 250 Susan's Shire: But I Would Walk Five Hundred Miles...For Art
Send us Fan MailI just returned from my journey to Scotland and loved every minute that I spent there. From the cobbled streets of Edinburgh, to the Glen Cruitten House, and of course my workshop with Moy Mackay. I'm so excited to share my stories with you on this episode.Links:https://glencruittenhouse.com/dev/https://www.moymackay.com/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EdinburghSupport the show

Ep 249 The Real Deets: A Black Mark for Splendid Behavior
Send us Fan MailWe’re back in Texas! For Texas Wool Week, mind you, but that’s not the focus today. Our topic could be almost anything, because Texas is a place chock full of people filled with fortitude, gracious hospitality, and a reverence for the history they’ve lived in full color. They take pride in combinations of peoples and cultures like almost no one else does, and their trails and pa

Ep 248 Susan's Shire: I'll Take The High Road To Scotland
Send us Fan MailSusan has some exciting news to share in this episode. A new program with her students and a trip of a lifetime to the Highlands to study with renowned fiber artist Moy Mackay.Links:https://www.moymackay.com/https://plymagazine.com/about-us/meet-the-team/https://plymagazine.com/https://glencruittenhouse.com/dev/Support the show

Ep 247 Leslie Amick: Whimsy, Tension, and Woodland Lore
Send us Fan MailLeslie Amick is an artist and naturalist. A love of nature and the beauty surrounding all of us influences all of Leslie's work. She loves to explore the flora and fauna by creating likenesses using textiles. Mostly wool, the sculptures she creates not only highlight a particular beast or plant, but gives them a sense of being. Her sculptures are described as whimsical most of

Ep 246 Susan's Shire: The Upcycle, Recycle Incident at slowfiber
Send us Fan MailThis month Susan stopped by one of her go to places for her crafting...slowfiber in Monterey, CA.Jaki Canterbury is building a community. Sharing maker skills, supplies and time. At slowfiber, the classroom is available, the shop is full of sustainability treasures and the ideas are boundless. Jaki says... You bring what you don't need and then get what you do need in the BUY

Ep 245 Live from the PA Farm Show: WHYPA
Send us Fan MailFor today's episode, we are at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. We sat down and had a discussion about pork (since it was Pork Day at the show) with Courtney Gray, Executive Director for the PA Pork Producers Council. Links: https://www.whypapork.com/https://www.sonofabutchershow.com/Support the show

Ep 244 Susan's Shire: Star Wars to Stranger Things; Pop Culture and Art
Send us Fan MailHello Everyone and a Happy 2026!This month Susan sits down to discuss all things pop culture and the influences it's had on her art and life and maybe yours. So, cue up your Betamax deck and reminisce about what inspired you and your crafts.Links:https://www.mosshollowhill.comhttps://www.starwars.com/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_Thingshttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt457

Ep 243 Taconic Distillery: 2025, and It’s Di-Still in the Barrel
Send us Fan MailIt’s our last podcast of 2025 already. In honor of what’s left in the barrel at the end of the year, the best way to enjoy both is to drink up with Paul and Pierce of Taconic Distillery. For this one, we have a video on the Backyard Green Films YouTube channel to go with this one, in case your imagination needs a visual boost. For the taste buds, you might want to head to the Hu

Episode 242 Susan's Shire: The Joy of Handmade Gifts
Send us Fan MailOn this episode Susan discusses the joy of making gifts. Whether that be a handmade felted ornament, a special song, or holiday memories.Links:https://youtu.be/fGmAekTPD5c?si=Sg45IZ3I5Ukd7HfLhttps://www.mosshollowhill.com/Support the show

Ep 241 Thankful This Thanksgiving For Our Farmers - so God Made a Farmer
Send us Fan MailAnd on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, "I need a caretaker" -- so God made a Farmer. --Paul HarveyLinks:https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/PDFFiles/Paul%20Harvey%20-%20God%20Made%20A%20Farmer.pdfhttps://www.collierswcd.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013_02_Gazetteer.pdfhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_HarveySupport the show

Ep 240 Susan's Shire: NY State Sheep & Wool Festival 2025 (Rhinebeck I Love You!)
Send us Fan MailFor this month's podcast I travel to Rhinebeck, NY for the NY State Sheep & Wool Festival. I met so many wonderful and talented people...I was totally geeking out. With my cameraman Oscar in tow, the two of us interviewed some amazing talent, from rug hooking to fine art. So please sit back and enjoy this month's episode of Susan's Shire.Links:http://www.ravensga

Ep 239 Rhinebeck Farmers Market: We Run a Muck, Not Amok!
Send us Fan MailMuck, glorious muck! Sounds funny, but it’s true. The “muck” found north of NYC and south of the capital city may look like black dirt to some, but it’s more like black gold to those who know – and that’s not a Clampett reference. The agricultural region known as the Hudson Valley grows almost everything like nowhere else, due to this phenomenal resource.Join us today as we spea

Ep 238 Susan's Shire: From Yarn to Fiber to Rhinebeck
Send us Fan MailThis month Susan discusses the difference between a yarn festival, a fiber festival and everything in between. Susan just returned from the Lambtown Festival in Dixon, CA and will be heading to Rhinebeck, NY for the 45th annual New York State Sheep and Wool Festival. She gives us a little history about some of these festivals and what inspired her down the path of fiber arts and th

Ep 237 Nick Forrest: I’m Holding Out for an Gyro
Send us Fan MailSheep are cute and fluffy and produce that wonderful stuff from which many sweaters are born. But there’s another side to them that doesn’t get mentioned quite so often. Lamb is an incredibly common meat in most other countries of the world, but not so much in America.Nick Forrest is trying to change that direction, to capture the possibilities of a multipurpose animal that fits

Ep 236 Susan's Shire: Introduction
Send us Fan MailExciting news for fiber enthusiasts! We're thrilled to announce a dynamic collaboration between Susan Shirley, a creative figure in the fiber arts community, and the creators of the popular agri-Culture podcast. Together, we're embarking on a journey each month to bring you captivating stories and insightful interviews from the diverse and fascinating world of fiber. So,

Ep 235 Mark Winslow: Winslow is Not Just a Corner in Arizona
Send us Fan MailMark Winslow is from West Falmouth, Maine, where one member or another of his family has farmed on Marston Homestead since the 1790’s. That seems like a pretty traditional bunch, and moving around doesn’t seem to be applicable.But that’s not necessarily so. We met up with Mark and his oxen demonstration at the American Milking Devon conference in Tunbridge, Vermont. And these bo

Ep 234 Yarn Farm Kingston: The Days of Wine and Knitting
Send us Fan MailWe search for peace in this chaotic month, and find it in a little shop in Kingston, New York. The Yarn Farm is made those who like the company of kindred spirits to ply their craft, sure. It’s also great for those who might want to stop for a quick skein or an artsy crafty yarn-ish item, as well. But for those of us who might find Zen in an adult beverage, a perfect charcuterie

Ep 233 John Garcia: You’re In the Farming Now!
Send us Fan MailToday, we meet up with John Garcia of Dancing Sun Farm. We were able to grab a moment of conversation with him at the lively meetup known as Texas Wool Week, held in the wild weather days of March at Sheepwalk Ranch in Bandera. Cold, wind, sun, warmth – we had it all. After all, this IS Texas.After 29 years in the U.S. Army, John began his second career in service, but this time

Ep 232 California Agritourism Summit: It’s Not Just the Beach – It’s the Farm, Too
Send us Fan MailAny time you put the word “summit” in something, it mentally becomes bigger than you previously thought. A conference on steroids, in most people’s minds. And when you do an ag-related summit in California, that notion of grandeur can be well deserved, even when you take away the size of the state itself. The sheer amount of agricultural exports that the producers in California

Ep 231 Dr. K: When You Garden, You Can Never Really Be Alone
Send us Fan MailIn what started out as a May Day date (that’s a truckload of compost in Rick and Elara’s world), a visit to San Pasqual Valley Soils struck black gold (again, compost). In one of the most fortuitous spontaneous Backyard Green Films conversations yet, an extremely knowledgeable dirt farmer by the name of Craig Kolodge, PhD (“Dr. K.” to pretty much everyone) gave an impromptu interv

Ep 230 Catching H2O: There's Rain In Store
Send us Fan MailOn today's podcast we meet up with Brook Sarson from CatchingH2O. We followed Brook as she took a passel of learners and UCSD's Director of the Bioregional Center, Keith Pezzoli, PhD, on a tour of a greywater and rain catchment project that her company had recently installed. Water management is a favorite topic for us here at Backyard Green Films. With efforts like the

Ep 229 Kiko Guerra: The Artistry in the Ordinary
Send us Fan MailWe’ve been hunkering down for the last few months now on the traveling side of our Backyard Green Films universe. 2024 was a doozy of a year for us in many respects, so we had to take a few moments to catch our breath this winter. Enrique Guerra, also known as “Kiko,” is our guest today, and he’s pretty much royalty in Texas Longhorn Cattle circles. Kiko is the son of another Enr

Ep 228 Brent Zimmerman: This Dorpers For You
Send us Fan MailNow, if you hear me talk about Rhinebeck, you might think today's guest is going to focus on wool. Nope! Not really. Sheep, yes, hair yes, but mostly wool, no. Our podcast guest today is a lovely man named Brent Zimmerman, and as I introduce him I'm kind of hard pressed to call him one thing, though you could definitely call him a sheep farmer.Links:https://www.facebook.c

Ep 227 Happy Holidays No Matter Which Song You Sing
Send us Fan MailMusic by Charlie Recksieck to usher us into the New Year.Support the show

Ep 226 Stephen Monroe: Withalacoochie. Okefenokke. Wampanoag. Caloosahatchee.
Send us Fan MailMost people commemorate Thanksgiving today, and all things associated with this holiday. There will be some celebrating family, some marking the day with food, and some praying at the altar of football. Some will be remembering the Pilgrims, and the earliest arrival of Europeans bringing colonists and their livestock to North America. NOT!Stephen Monroe schools us on a common mi

Ep 225 Oh Yeah, We Went Back To That Sugar Shack
Send us Fan MailWe were in the mood for something sweet, so we thought it was time for a visit to the sugar shack. We packed up our gear and headed back east to Westbrook, CT to our friends John and Bonnie Hall at Maple Breeze Farm. There we saw the whole process of making that sweet maple syrup. Just in time for the maple glazed ham at Thanksgiving. Links:https://www.facebook.com/p/Maple-Breeze-

Ep 224 Barb’s Knitted Knockers
Send us Fan MailOctober is not only a great time to celebrate fiber (what with the Lambtown and Rhinebeck festivals, just to name a few), but it’s also Breast Cancer Awareness month. How do we get both things in one podcast? Knitted Knockers!Barbara Demorest is the Feisty Lady with Fortitude who took a horrible event in life and made it into something that has helped millions to cope with the ra

Ep 223 James Metcalfe: All Creatures Bleat and Shawl
Send us Fan MailEvery once in a while you meet a person you’ve read about in a book. It might not be the actual person, but is the personification of a character that is so accurate, it might as well have jumped out straight from the pages. Today, our podcast guest is one of those. James Metcalfe lives on Hardenclough Farm, “in the heart of the beautiful Peak District [with a] flock of pedigree

Ep 222 All of the Hills on the Edge of the Lake
Send us Fan MailWe’re back from the North American Hill Sheep Show in Escanaba, Michigan. This inaugural event showcased some British Hill Breed Sheep and some not-quite-Hill Breed Sheep, of course, but there was more to see, hear and smell. Lovely vendor booths with soft woolens and fragrant soaps in abundance, sheepdog trials with panting puppies, food trucks (with some mighty fine brisket, th

Ep 221 Hexham Auction: Hadrian’s Mule
Send us Fan MailWhere do we go for fun? Well, all kinds of places, but fish hatcheries, farm shows, and livestock auctions are on the list. Today, we’re taking you back to jolly old England (almost Scotland, actually), to a little town called Hexham. It lies at the foot of Northumberland National Park and a stone’s throw (literally) from Hadrian’s Wall. This is as charming a hamlet as you migh

Ep 220 Shetland Sheep Society(UK): Sing Me a Song of a Sheep that has Gone - Everywhere
Send us Fan MailLocated in the southern portion of Scotland, Lanark might be best known in agricultural circles for those big guys from the area around the River Clyde, and to history buffs as the first place local resident William Wallace drew his sword in earnest. We love heavy horses with a passion, but the sheep need to have their day, too. Last September, Lanark Agricultural Centre saw Shet

Ep 219 Across Dry Creek and Over the Horizon
Send us Fan MailIn life, there are talkers and doers. Of the doers, many of them have a characteristic known as “True Grit,” and today’s podcast guests are in that category.Millie and Stacy Bradshaw own Dry Creek Livestock, and a few hours north of Salt Lake City, these two intrepid souls are building a place to call home on the windswept plains and low hills of Utah. On their ranch you’ll find

Ep 218 Horse Progress Days: We’re Happy to be Left in the Dust
Send us Fan MailIt’s time for Horse Progress Days! It’s one of our favorite events of the year, and this July it was held in Lancaster County, PA - just in time for the height of a national heatwave. Everyone soldiered on through, though, with nary a complaint to be found from this stoic bunch. It was a good thing everyone pushed through the heat until the close of the day, because the HPD orga

Ep 217 Erin Bradt: Helder Herdwyck Handful for a Happy Half Hour
Send us Fan MailIt’s time for a talk – a Shepherd’s Talk, that is. Every year, the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival has this popular segment available for shepherds, wannabe shepherds, ecologists, historians, and people who are just plain interested in fiber production from the ground up. Today’s talk is with Erin Bradt, of Helder Herdwyck Farm, where she talks about not just these fantast

Ep 216 Our Favorite Principal – by Farr.
Send us Fan MailOn this podcast episode Bruce Farr of Farrview South Farm, American Milking Devon Cattle breeder (and a teamster!), sits down with John Hall, the President of the American Milking Devon Cattle Association. They discuss the history of the breed, characteristics they appreciate, and some non-traditional ideas for a very traditional breed.If you want to see the man himself (and the tw

Ep 215 Theresa Walker: The Great Bay Tobacco, Humous Brownie Caramel Insulation Institution
Send us Fan MailThis week, we’re speaking with Theresa Walker of Great Bay Wool Works and her lovely natural-colored ovine assistant Hazel (okay, so hubby Patrick did a little bit of modeling, too.). We learn about natural-colored sheep, geography in New England, a bit of why New England and Old England feel familiar to each other, and much more. This is one of those where Rick had to keep sayin

Ep 214 Dunlouise: Outlander, Lowlander, Highlander - Angus
Send us Fan MailWe’re going down memory lane, and back to the beginning of all things for today’s podcast. In this case, it means the start of something that has grown into a behemoth in the world of Agriculture. Originally from the shores of Scotland near Aberdeen, the cattle breed known as “Angus” has become the powerhouse breed by which all things are measured. Today we’re going back to the

Ep 213 Anson Tebbetts: The Darn Tough Cherry Garcia Donkey Run
Send us Fan MailWe concluded the World Devon Congress adventure with the State that put these cattle on the map – okay, they’re on the flag, anyway. We had a wonderful tour through the Green Mountain State of Vermont, on our way to meet up with Anson Tebbets, Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets. This lovely man took a walk down the lane on his family farm to talk about the finer things in

Ep 212 A.J. O'Neil: Six Degrees of Bacon
Send us Fan MailBackyard Green Films is now in Florida, getting ready to start the World Devon Congress 2024. But first (and last), our podcast with the butcher. The place where everything ends – everything that is ordered medium rare, anyway.A.J. O’Neil is the perfect one to encapsulate almost everything that is fantastic about why Devons are popular. He’s a member of Red Devon USA, and a wond

Ep 211 Stephen Adcock: Ipstone Patchwork Clockwork Dexter Farmstay
Send us Fan MailOur stay at Clockwork Cottage was one of the quiet delights of our UK trip in August of 2023. The Peak District in England is well known as being a day-hiker’s destination filled with rolling emerald fields, ancient stacked stone walls, and sheep, sheep and sheep. There are those amazing things, yes, and found aplenty, but for the Backyard Green Films crew the hills were alive wi

Ep 210 Steve Montgomery: …and We’ll Leave the Lamppost on for Ya
Send us Fan MailSteve Montgomery of Lamppost Farm is our guest on today’s podcast, coming to you from a stop on the Devon Congress pre-tour - Columbiana, Ohio style this time. Steve and his family raise Devon Cattle, Coopworth Sheep, pigs, turkeys and a partridge in a pear tree (okay, no partridges, but there are more chickens than you can safely count). Their goal is to make and teach connectio

Ep 209 Clover Brooke Farm: We Love Leaping Llamas – But Today We’ll Just Walk
Send us Fan MailAndrea Tibbets of Clover Brooke Farm is our guest on today’s podcast. We usually see her at the New York State Sheep & Wool Festival (Rhinebeck), but since at that fine event we see her running the Camelid Barn and running the Leaping Llama contest and running the Spitters’ Club and…well, just plain running, we decided it was way past time to visit her home turf. For a walk.O

Ep 208 Lakota Ranch: Jeremy is Running for Congress 2024
Send us Fan MailIt’s another stop on our Devon Pre-Tour run. This time, we’re bringing you the sights and sounds from a delightful and delicious visit to Lakota Ranch in Remington, Virginia. Lakota is the home of Jeremy Engh, President of Red Devon USA, Dr. Jerry Engh, the founder of the herd itself (and Jeremy, for that matter), and Patty Engh, who runs them both, we’re fairly sure. We had a vi

Ep 207 Clive Richardson: Kilnsey, Kilnsey, Have You Any Spots?
Send us Fan MailDon’t you love talking to people who know their stuff? While crashing the Kilnsey Show in Yorkshire on our UK trip last August, we came across Clive Richardson, Field Officer for the Jacob Sheep Society. It was a spontaneous tailgate conversation, but we magically ended up with not only someone who raises some of the most interesting-looking sheep you’ll ever lay eyes on, but he

Ep 206 A Little Devon About Bob & Diana
Send us Fan MailIt’s the Devon Congress 2024 - Coming soon to an east-coast back road near you (if you live on the east coast and are there in April, that is). This April, people are coming from all over the world to celebrate the Devon Cattle breed and all of its many shapes and sizes. And if you live in the U.S., 400 years of Devon history is something even more amazing to celebrate.Red Devon

Ep 205 Bobbin and Weavin' – The 2023 NYSS&WF Rhinebeck Mashup
Send us Fan MailIt’s time for the mashup! The Dutchess County Sheep and Wool Growers’ Association once again hosted 30,000 (plus) attendees at the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival, and we were there to see (and interview, and livestream, and…everything) all of it! Maybe lots of it. Part of it. Okay, so we got what we could again this year, but this is the kind of wonderful occasion that w

Ep 204 Tom Begley: Howdy Pilgrim. Tom, Turkey, and the First Thanksgiving
Send us Fan MailHere at Backyard Green Films, we’re getting ready to celebrate the 400-year anniversary of the Devons coming to America with our Plymouth to Plimoth documentary. In preparation for this event (and our film!), we spoke with Tom Begley, Deputy Director for Collections Research and Public Engagement at Plimoth Patuxet Museum. Doesn’t the site of the Pilgrim connection seem like a wo

Ep 203 Jeri and Irina: The Non-Expendable Dependables (Don't Tell Sly)
Send us Fan MailOur podcast guests today are Jeri Robinson Lawrence and daughter Irina Lawrence Mathias. This hardworking mother/daughter team has contributed a few soundbites in between Points A, B, C and X in the rush of the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival every year, but as they’re the ones that everyone needs something from at all times, a relaxed moment has been hard to come by with t

Ep 202 Hulse Hill Farm: Mr. Whipple – Please Don’t Squeeze The Cashmere
Send us Fan MailYou know how there’s always someone who not only goes the extra mile, but looks good while they do it? And does it with a genuine smile, to top it off. That’s Christine Hulse, from Hulse Hill Farm. Just outside of Cooperstown on a little slice of heaven, this tireless woman has set up shop (and her farm shop). She excels at all things she puts her mind to: She runs a blissful

Ep 201 Jillian McEwen: Clair de Lun(an Bay)
Send us Fan MailOn today’s podcast, transport yourself to the lonely, glorious green pastures of the eastern side of Scotland. We have a lovely conversation with Jillian McEwen of Lunan Bay Farms, and among many of our topics, we spoke of the joys of farming on the shores of the North Sea, the differences between her Cashmere and Boer goats (two of her three varieties), some out-of-the-box ideas

Ep 200 Phil Pass: All Things Must Pass...But Not The Scottish Bonnet
Send us Fan MailElara and I met Phil Pass last month on our travels in Scotland at the House of Tartan in Crieff. We struck up a conversation with him and noticed that they had a Go Fund Me campaign that said Keep Scottish Bonnets Alive in Scotland. He described what it was for and so we grabbed our camera and mics and said this is too important and you need to tell us all about this.THE STORY:We&

Ep 199 Leicester Longwool: Everything's Not Always Black and White
Send us Fan MailAs we continue the Tartan & Tweed tour in the United Kingdom, Elara follows up last week's interview with Barry's partner Chris Sander. Chris takes Elara on a tour of the farm and their prized rams and ewes. Chris discusses the different colors of the Leicester Longwool and his affinity for the black color. The group is getting ready for a couple of shows in Buck Cou

Ep 198 Can He Bakewell or What? The Lustrous Leicester Longwool
Send us Fan MailWe're excited to announce that we're in the midst of our Tartan and Tweed Tour 2023! The one stop we couldn't miss along the M-1 was a visit to Leicester, home of Robert Bakewell - the man who transformed agricultural practices as we know them today.Our conversation is with Barry Evans, custodian of a flock of one of the most famous examples of Robert Bakewell'

Ep 197 Audra Hall: Brave(ly) Flowing Lochs
Send us Fan MailThe big UK trip is almost here, and we’re prepping for the Edinburgh Castle Tattoo with a visit to the National Western Stock Show, and the Scottish Highland Cattle show. Those bagpipes and tartans get us every time, no matter what the event.In today’s podcast, we grabbed a moment in the cattle barns with Audra Hall of Clearwater Spring Highlands in Brighton, Colorado. Audra was

Ep 196 Dr. Drew Conroy: It Takes a Village to Do More Tillage
Send us Fan MailToday we have a (Elara-has-had-too-much-coffee-and-dirt) podcast interview with Andrew Conroy, B.S., M.S., PhD, who is a two-time Fulbright Scholar, professor at the University of New Hampshire, and man who can claim way too many other accomplishments to mention here. Dr. Conroy has wrote the book on oxen (Really. He wrote more than one, and you can follow the link below to buy t

Ep 195 Anne DeRousie: Row, Row, Your Red Cattle Ashore
Send us Fan MailSo first...today you'll be hearing from Anne DeRousie, a board member of the breed organization known as Red Devon USA, who also happens to be the resident history buff. We love those. Our conversation took place on a beautiful balmy and slightly breezy day, straight from the lush green pastures of her Adventureland Farm, in the Fingerlakes region of New York State.You'l

Ep 194 Ashley Hahn: It's a Candycorn Frizzle Polish World
Send us Fan MailIn all of the mad rushing about around the country, sometimes we forget that there are some really fantastic things close to home. This week’s podcast celebrates that with a trip to nearby Ramona for the Family Farm Expo, put on by the folks at Roobeez. As holds true to many of the critters you’ll find there, this event is a combination of things. Chicken meetup and poultry swap

Ep 193 DeLayne Harmon and Ella May – The Goddesses of Springtime and (re)Growth
Send us Fan MailStraight from the Clairmont neighborhood Garden Walk, growing maven DeLayne Harmon will join us today on our podcast to tell us more about the how one earns the title “Master Gardener.”It’s a happy and sad one for us today, but especially in this month, reminders of growth and regrowth are ever-present.Happy May Day to the ladies of our lives – flowers, feathers, and family.Links:h

Ep 192 The Mounties Down The Rockies
Send us Fan MailToday we speak with Dale Cunningham, who is the patient and personal man responsible for training the equine portion of the patrol. Second, we have Officer Emily Herbpst, who rides a mustang and is a small but mighty person who I have the feeling “don’t take no guff off a bartender.” (Thank you, Mr. McMurtry). We got to meet them and their horses Ollie and Maverick at this year&a

Ep 191 Red Ruby and the Milking Devon
Send us Fan MailThis week Rick is in England filming on our upcoming docu-series Plymouth to Plymouth. Unfortunately I couldn't go with him, as some of you may have heard that I broke my foot and had to have surgery, but I hope to get to visit there soon.He met up with John and Bonnie Hall from the American Milking Devon Cattle Association and they set out to speak with some of the farmers

Ep 190 Beatrix Potter vs. the Vikings
Send us Fan MailIt’s the season! Okay, so it could be many seasons, but the Easter holiday is upon us and everything is bursting with life, so we’ll concentrate on the cute stuff like Spring and fluffy sheep. And the one we have today is definitely fluffy, but only if unshorn.Today we’re talking with Erin Bradt of Helder-Herdwyck Farm about the Herdwick Sheep. This sturdy little creature has a

Ep 189 Did You See What I Herd?
Send us Fan MailIn honor of Spring, lambing season and all things herding, today we’re welcoming Tayen Albrandt and Willow the Border Collie to our podcast. It’s only fitting to return the favor, since we met them when Willow did a stint as the door greeter at the Event Center during the National Western stock dog trials. Tayen and Willow spoke with us for a quick moment before their cattle herd

EP 188 Dr. John Ewing: Must Have Been the Right Place (the other Dr. John)
Send us Fan MailWe hail our friend, the tireless vetA humbler man we’ve never metAnd praise he’ll very rarely get From cow or sheep or avocetJohn Ewing is the dear man’s nameThe Stock Show is his claim to fame(And cheetahs and some real wild game)But fields a fearsome rugby game We leave you with this kindly man(with bison he has also ran)We now are veterinary fansThe whole darn agri-Culture clanL

Ep 187 The Loadout (Thank you, Jackson Browne)
Send us Fan MailJim Matheson, Executive Director of the National Bison Association, took a few moments to speak with us during the Buffalo and the Bison loadouts (No, we’re just being goofy – both are now accepted in common speech, as you’ll hear). We don’t know if he knows Ted Turner, but he does know his marketing stuff, and is a great representative of this wild and wooly breed of livestock.

Ep 186 Chad Kremer: He Still Has a Home Where the Buffalo Roam
Send us Fan MailThere were many exciting things at this year’s National Western Stock Show, but one of the highlights was the group meeting up on the side pens of the Event Center. The Bison people were there in force, and the critters they came with stole the show, even if it was 25 degrees and snowing. Especially since it was that cold, because in the frigid air the already impressive and feis

Ep 185 Tabitha Holland and 50 Shades of Foxy
Send us Fan MailWe’re back from the National Western Stock Show, and we thought we’d exit January with mules (no…backside-of-things jokes today, though it was tempting). Mules are some of our favorite animals, and not just because they have names like “50 Shades of Foxy.” The aptly-named Foxy and her owner Tabitha Holland of Signature Equine take a moment to bring 50% horse, 50% donkey and 120%

Ep 184 Schedule F...Does Not Stand For That
Send us Fan MailToday, we’re speaking with Christy, who is an old friend of mine. This podcast came into being, because last October, Christy and her son Luke met up with us in Rhinebeck for the New York State Sheep and Wool festival. On one of the evenings when we lifted our tired feet off the floor, we had a conversation about taxes and accounting, as often happens, and it migrated into the joy

Ep 183 Thank You Listeners!
Send us Fan MailThank you to all who tune into our podcast and for supporting us!Support the show

Ep 182 King Corn: The World's Only Corn Palace
Send us Fan MailWell as you might know (or maybe not), Elara does let me get out on my own every once in a while. This past Fall, my brother and I went on a cross country road trip from San Diego, CA to Rhinebeck, NY. We were headed back to New York to film the NY Sate Sheep and Wool Festival and I thought it would be great to do a brothers road trip. My brother has not gotten to see much of the

Ep 181 The BIPOC Epoch
Send us Fan MailThe New York State Sheep & Wool Festival was just last month, and it’s Thanksgiving already. We’ve got a podcast for you from the wild and wooly, festive and colorful event. If you’re in a work truck or jeans ad with all of those good looking farm people tossing bales of hay around, you might get the impression that anyone who produces food or fiber in America is…well, pretty

Ep 180 Claire Houlihan: Madame President and the Fantastic Fiber Board
Send us Fan MailWe’re (almost) all back from the New York State Sheep & Wool Festival, aka “Rhinebeck,” to those in the fiber universe. It was (largely) a success, as our Livestream event went (mostly) as planned. You can watch the workshops, shows and other snippets for yourself on our YouTube channel if you missed the lively weekend, and see the fantastic Fall colors that were on display a

Ep 179 Mary (Badcock) Had A Little Fleece...
Send us Fan MailThis past weekend we attended the NY State Sheep and Wool Festival, also known as Rhinebeck...which of course is in Rhinebeck, New York. It has become an annual pilgrimage for Rick and I. We love coming back to the Hudson Valley this time of year, there's a brisk in the air, the fall colors are beautiful, and the sheep people are in town...not only the sheep people, but the g

Ep 178 You May Think You’re Clean, But You’re No Cockroach
Send us Fan MailThis month is the traditional time to celebrate Halloween, so we have a creepy crawly podcast for you this time around. Maia Holmes from The Bug Zoo at Colorado State University sits down to talk turkey with us. Oops – that’s next month. Maia sits down with us to talk about all things insects, what the Bug Zoo does, and why these poor critters are completely undeserving of the r

Ep 177 Scott Stuart: Helping Ewe and…You to Financially Thrive
Send us Fan MailToday we’re bringing you a conversation from the exotic location of…San Diego! The American Sheep Industry Association’s annual meeting this year was held in our home city, and we managed to be at home to catch it. Today, we’re speaking with Scott Stuart, Managing Director for the National Livestock Producers Association. He discussed how this national nonprofit organization hel
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