A Real Disappointment

The Goat Cast just received news that the USDA has made a decision regarding the planting of GE alfalfa. Apparently the agency is not concerned with the public's opinion and has moved forward with lifting the moratorium on planting. More information can be found Here.

The Goat Cast Episode Three

Episode three

Listen to the show: Episode Three—The Goat Cast

Topic: Plans for 2011

• Farm around

– New tracking goals for 2011

+ Egg totals

+ Milk totals

+ Garden yields

+ Meat yields

• Garden

– Shared land

- Food bartering with neighbors

- Two plots

- More asparagus

- Stuff to store away

- Tomato plans

- The cellar (food storage)    

• The animals

- New shelters and a pond

- Better hay storage

- Goat milking classes

- Chicken slaughtering class

- The pig

- Cheese 

- Charcuterie 

Living in the Past

A while back I created a video that shows how to build a goat stanchion (milking stand). It's a vital piece of equipment needed for collecting milk from goats. It cost over $300 for a manufactured one, but this one works just as well if not better and cost $40 or less to make.

Check it out at the following link: Stanchion video

I'll have the next episode of the goat cast up shortly.

Thanks for listening.

Josh

The Goat Cast Episode Two

Episode Two

Listen to the show: Episode two—The Goat Cast

Topic: Ducks

• Our ducks

How many ducks we have

What breeds we keep

Why we keep ducks

Marketing duck eggs locally

You can typically keep ducks in areas where chickens aren't allowed

Higher internal body temp resistant to parasites

Noise?

They like to make a mess of the water

Ducks are harder to pluck

Things to do with duck meat: confit, foie gras, duck bacon, duck prosciutto

• Interview with Christy Brown

Intro: When it comes to poultry Christy Brown has been a wonderful mentor. The wealth of knowledge that we've been able to obtain from her has been invaluable. It's a pleasure to bring this interview to you guys because not only am I interviewing an expert in the poultry community, but a great friend as well.

About the Sunnybrooke Poultry Farm

How ducks compare to chickens  (Eggs, Meat)

Buying a duck (Prices)

What age ducks start laying at 

What ducks eat 

Caring for ducks year round (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter) 

Kinds of ducks

And much more…

Christy Brown (Sunnybrooke Poultry Farm)
sunnybrookefarm.com
sunny_brooke_farm@yahoo.com

• Conclusion

Episode One

Listen to the show: Episode one—The Goat Cast


Episode one show notes

Intro: Food, Farm, Local life

Topic: The Goat Cast

• Inspiration 

• Subject matter

• Who I am and why I'm doing this

• Show format

– Intro

– Audience call in

– Farm around

– Feature (food, farm, localism)

– Feature 2 (News/Scott talk, Interview, Event)

– Conclusion 

Scott talk
– RoundUp ready Alfalfa: 
(Though no decision has been made it seems that the USDA is moving forward on the approval. The Goat Cast hopes that the USDA will make the proper final decision by banning GMO alfalfa and forcing Monsanto to destroy all of the current test fields.)
RoundUp Ready Alfalfa-CFS Article
Congressional hearings over super weeds: 
Congressional hearings about Monsanto's superweeds problem (Part 1)
Congressional hearings about Monsanto's superweeds problem (Part 2)
– Food labeling
– Food Satisfaction 


Conclusion

Call the show by visiting www.thegoatcast.blogspot.com

And so it Begins

:: Episode one ::

The Goat Cast begins.

Here we go. In this flagship show I'll introduce both the show and myself. We'll talk about why I've decided to do the show and outline some of the basic sections. My hope is that this will become a learning resource for other people that are interested in food, farm, and localism. Thanks in advance for listening.

Josh