PASA's 17th Annual Farming for the Future Conference
Nearly 2,000 people from 39 states and 8 countries attended this year's successful conference. It was such a whirlwind event that I took very few pictures. The Everything Small Ruminants pre-conference track was sold out. Sheep & goat farmers learned about nutrition, managing pasture & browse, sustainable sheep farming, fiber production, managing parasites and my personal favorite, prescribed grazing which was presented by Kathy Voth of Livestock for Landscapes.
Dr. Steve Hart from Langston University's E (Kika) de la Garza Institute for Goat Research gave a demonstration on how to prepare and read your own fecal tests for parasite egg counts using a McMasters slide. 
Dr. tatiana Luisa Stanton from Cornell University's Extension gave an informative presentation about managing goats and sheep on pasture and browse.
One of the funnest parts of the conference this year was the entertainment on Thursday evening. Adrienne Young, a very talented singer & musician from Nashville. On Saturday night after the conference, I had a chance to sit down and talk with Adrienne and her boyfriend about their beliefs in and dedication to sustainable agriculture.
Snow, Snow and More Ice
Nearly 2,000 people from 39 states and 8 countries attended this year's successful conference. It was such a whirlwind event that I took very few pictures. The Everything Small Ruminants pre-conference track was sold out. Sheep & goat farmers learned about nutrition, managing pasture & browse, sustainable sheep farming, fiber production, managing parasites and my personal favorite, prescribed grazing which was presented by Kathy Voth of Livestock for Landscapes. 
Dr. Steve Hart from Langston University's E (Kika) de la Garza Institute for Goat Research gave a demonstration on how to prepare and read your own fecal tests for parasite egg counts using a McMasters slide. 
Dr. tatiana Luisa Stanton from Cornell University's Extension gave an informative presentation about managing goats and sheep on pasture and browse.
One of the funnest parts of the conference this year was the entertainment on Thursday evening. Adrienne Young, a very talented singer & musician from Nashville. On Saturday night after the conference, I had a chance to sit down and talk with Adrienne and her boyfriend about their beliefs in and dedication to sustainable agriculture.Snow, Snow and More Ice
Winter just won't give up. Poor Jess has had school canceled three times in less than a week due to snow & ice. You would think she'd be excited, but it decimated her spring break and extended her school year. Pax, the Great Pyrenees pup in training, looks over the fence and asks when all this white stuff is going away so she can roll in the brown stuff and do her Chocolate Lab immitation.
Goatie Visitors
Bella & Jazzy have come for a 'visit' with the buck while their farmers have gone to Australia for a few weeks. The bleat with an Aussie accent.Hay Day
I wish the barn was big enough to store all of the hay we need to over-winter, but about February our stores run thin and it's time to rustle up small bales out of someone else's barn.Tractor Supply's Out Here Magazine
For the next few months when you visit Tractor Supply, chances are you'll see a familiar face on the cover of their spring issue of Out Here magazine.Kidding Season, Round Two
It started again on Sunday morning when I went out to feed & milk. Kay had a fresh pair of twins on the ground--both does. These kids are out of the BIJO buck owned by Earl Martin.
And when I went out for the evening feeding & milking, Mischievous had another set of twins--a buck and a doe.
You're a cover girl!!! That's so cool, Sandy. Please don't forget us little people, OK?
ReplyDeleteSo what's it like being a cover girl anyway. I want that dog even if it does do a mean chocolate lab impression.
ReplyDeleteHi, just a total stranger here. I found your website and blog via Out Here Magazine and wanted to stop by and say Hello. My husband and I bought a fixer-upper farm about 4 years ago with dreams of accomplishing all that you all have, but we are still such rookies.
ReplyDeleteI'm truly amazed at how much you all have accomplished in 8 years!
Anyway, I blogged a little bit about your story on my blog. It all came up because my 6 year old saw the cover of the magazine and he thought it was me for a second. (It will crack you up - basically I think it's because we both have on a green shirt!) Nonetheless I'm glad that he did because it made me read your story more carefully and check our your sites.
What a wonderful story. You all are really inspirational!