Chicken Thistle Farm CoopCast

Latest Episodes:

0105 Pregnant pigs, wormings pigs, buying a half pig Mar 26, 2014

Show notes

This weeks updates include more cold weather and some updates about the animals around the farm. The pigs and chickens are doing well but all of us are done with this cold weather. We also talk a bit about the business of farming and what we still need to do on that said with regards to customer emails and notifications. In the Coopcast Community we have a breif tutorial on searching old coopcast episodes so you can find things you might have missed or are interested in. Brent had a question about worming pigs and we answer it and point to Coopcast 091 There was a listener who asked about deer fencing and food plots to keep the deer out of his garden. Rebecca had a question about turkey feed and turkey poults Gail blew in with a question about finding half a pig to purchase and what goes into that decision

0104 Vulcan Blizzard and the Farm, prepping for weather, frozen water pipe Mar 12, 2014

Show notes

This episode was recorded live during the Vulcan Blizzard event! THe updates of course revlove around the blizzard and how we prepared for it. We also talk about the coldest day ever recorded in March and the frozen pipe it casued. Farmer Kelli talks about these events and her CSA decision.In the CoopCast Community we talk about some iTunes reviews, listener emails and some general questions we received.

0103 A new tractor store, a day in the life of a farmer, eating out of season Mar 06, 2014

Show notes

As the bitter cold continues to make #farmerandy rage, we discuss the weather... We also talk about a "major award", a new Tractor Supply store and living life on a frozen farm. Actually we detail a day in the life of the farm in the middle of winter around here. It's not overly exciting but it's honest. Then this week we have a Farmers Choice segment talking about what we are eating and why this time of year. We discuss the balance of food we have put up vs what we buy from the store and what is still left in the root cellar. Then #farmerandy regails the episode with tales of calorie counting using Lose It on his iPhone and how crazy the notion of barcoded food strikes him.

0102 Farm animals in the cold, winter greenhouse garden, farm meeting Feb 26, 2014

Show notes

This weeks updates include a folloup about the eveil seeds that Johnny is selling and why we will continue to buy from Johnny Seeds. For your reference, here's the list of seeds they get from We discuss how the endless cold this winter has impacted the pigs and chickens and how we deal with cooped up critters on a free range farm. Kelli gives an update on the Ag assessment while Andy complains...In the Veggie Patch we pretned that it's gardening season and talk about artichokes, managing mice and voles in the greenhouse, and how we heat (or dont) and water the greenhouse.Farmers choice is the conclusion to the 2014 farm meeting. The agenda items include our plans for:Egg layers Pigs Broilers Turkeys

0101 Selecting garden seeds, winter farming updates, lard pie crusts Feb 13, 2014

Show notes

The updates are a little thin this week as we watch temps falling and the snow piling up. Mostly we talk about keeping warm and the successful insemination of our pigs. In the community we pick up on the Monsanto conversation last week and some new comments about companies like Johnny Seed and Territorial and the internet myth that they buy their seeds from Monsanto. We also talk about our process for selecting seeds and why we pick the seeds we do. ()In the "We eat Good" segment this week we talk about making pie crusts from lard and how great they really are!

0100 Farming discussions: Monsanto, work-farm-life balance, thanking the listeners Feb 05, 2014

Show notes

With 100 episodes behind us we thought it was appropriate to look back at the thoughts and opinions of our farming podcast (farmcast)? and spend most of the episode focusing on the reason why we do what we do - it's all for the listeners! We talk a bit about some listener favorite topics and some recent ones like Monsanto's decision to use some conventional crossbreeding techniques. While this isn't a giant 100th episode extravaganza, it's a fun look at the whys behind why we do what we do and why we live pasture to plate.

099 Swine artificial insemination, agricultural assessment, Annual farm meeting Jan 22, 2014

Show notes

The Updates around the Farm this week focus on the big event of artificial insemination and the unexpected surprise we had with the "scheduled" standing heat. We also share our thoughts on FreshBooks as an accounting tool for farming (short version - run away). We discuss out first free range Cornish birg from last years day ranging experiment and share the experience thus far with the tax related agricultural assessment. In the Veggie Patch it's seed ordering time. We continue the discussion from Facebook with those veggies we can't live without. The best of the best on the Rowboat of Goodness (better than the silly Ark of Taste) In our Farmers Choice segment this week the Annual farm meeting part 1 - CSA plans and how we are not doing a CSA like in the past... this year will be different!

098 Farming in a polar vortex, seed starting lights, delicious farm recipes Jan 15, 2014

Show notes

We are back at the coopcast in 2014. We enjoyed our break but are glad to be back. While we were gone we had the coldest weather we have ever had while farming as the polar vortex descended on NY. We also had our annual farm meeting and other fun events. Tune into this farm fresh coopcast for the latest news from the homestead! In the Veggie Patch (which is frozen over) we are going to talk a bit about some seed starting tips and techniques as people are looking towards spring already. Farm Fresh Recipes in our food segment include two new dishes we made over Christmas and thought were delicious: Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad - Mario Batali's Arista alla Porchetta -

097 Farming in the bitter cold, moose fencing and a special thanks Dec 18, 2013

Show notes

This is the last CoopCast of the year! We expect to be back with another episode January 8th, 2014. So on with the farming updates and the bitter cold and endless snow here on the farm. We talk a little about how the pigs and chickens are doing in this brutal cold. If you haven't checked it out - visit our Facebook page and see the story of the #elfonafarm... To celebrate the holidays we have a community segment where we talk about: The recent FDA and antibiotic use ruling brought up by Daniel- We pick on Nancy (again) for calling Andy, Randy Pam asked us about reusable canning lids that we discussed in episode 030 Tori has a question about electric fencing, goats, moose and bear Kyle asked a good thinking question about predator control In our last segment we discuss all the people and businesses who make what we do possiable. A special thanks to Pine Creek Feeds, Joe's Meat Market, Welp Hatchery and of course Farmtek (if you listen to the episode you will get a coupon code good for $25 off $75 or more!)... and of course we thank our customers! Finally - it's that time of the year to nomiate your favorite podcasts - so please take moment to give us your vode on Sticher Radio here - Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

096 An agricultural assessment, farm based accounting software, recipes Dec 12, 2013

Show notes

The Farming Updates this week are few and far between. We do celebrate the fact we got our 1st Easter egg just in time for Christmas. We talk about Belle standing or not and the challenges of a new gilt in heat as well as Kelli's plans for the farm undergoing an agricultural assessment. We also discuss some simple online accounting packages for managing our farm - from Quickbooks (bad) to Freshbooks (great).In the Farmers Choice segment brought to you by FarmTek (check out the segment for a coupon code to save you $25 off any order of $75 or more!) - we talk a few Christmas gift ideas as well as recipies and how we approach getting things from the pasture onto the plate.

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