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We're still here! MIke joins Spence & they catch up. There's been a lot going on since our last recording in June (!).  We talk about the CFAP 2. If you're an independent poultry farmer, there's money you can apply for to make up for Covid losses.  Thanks for listening!

We're moving on up pluckerwise at Across the Creek Farm. We need to upgraded our plucker & luckily we know a guy (hint: it's Mike).  We also catch up with Mike about his new tractor, and catch up about goings on here at the farm. 

We got some big news here at Across the Creek Farm, even as we adjust to life in these crazy pandemic times. Mike & Spence catch up & Spence shares the big news & the story behind it. We had some internet issues in this episode, so we apologize for any sound quality issues Got a question or comment? Shoot us an email at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com    

It's been awhile & since the last episode & the pandemic has popped up. Things have changed very quickly on the farm & the we've had to pivot - no restaurant sales but the online delivery site is booming. We start off with an update on Mike's cotton patch goose hatching project & it's time for the springtime pullet run plus more! We had some internet issues...so apologize for any gaps.  Got a question - email us at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com   

It's been a minute. Spence & Mike are back after a rest & catch up what's been going on. The USDA's made some puzzling choices over the term pasture-raised, we've been putting up fence,  basketball ended with a bang, we had a bad coyote attack on our goat herd, are finalists for a goose grant, and are taking a break from the piggies.  Thanks for listening. Leave us a review if you get a chance. 

Mike updates us on his geese empire & Spence is getting the goose fever - who knows maybe the holler will be a honking in 2020! In other news, there's been a series of run ins with "animal rights" people among our friends in the pasture poultry & independent farm community, including at our own farm with a local cat-lady. Spence talks about it - it's a little looney - and how he handled it for better or worse.  Give us a review or shoot us an email at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com.   

Spence recaps attending a Farmer Veteran Conference in Austin, TX & so unexpected connections made with the Active Duty Army there. We talk about the new APPPA pasture raised turkey video, and Mike's foray into preserving a rare American goose breed.  Got a question or comment? Hit us up at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com

Our online store is off the ground! Across the Creek Farm needed an way to reach retail customers - so Spence (yes...Spence) built a online store/delivery service using a farmer designed platform, Grazecart. There's other options available - we discuss.  Feel free to leave us an itunes or other review or shoot Spence an email at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com with any questions.   

It's been a minute, but we're still chugging along here at the farm. As we cross into fall, Spence gives an update about how things are going - a farm delivery service using Grazecart nears, hay is in, chickens are in short supply when a month ago we were worried about a surplus, and Spence details the great turkey disaster of 2019 (thanks USPS)...Mike's mic was out, so it's pretty much all Spence this go around. Thanks for listening!

As summer comes to an end, we've had our first really troublesome predation on our flocks - the culprit: a trash panda of course! But we finally got the profit stealing poultry bandit.  Spence & Mike discuss dealing with singular troublesome predators & the importance of staying on top of predation.  Note: the cover pic for this episode is the set up that caught the lil' villain

We got bit by the cash flow bug here at ATC Farm recently. Cash flow is a challenge that nearly every for-profit farm has to constantly stay on top of an manage. We didn't and it bit us in a bit of a bind. Spence & Mike talk to us about it.     

Our old boar, Wilbur, came to the end of his breeding days recently. What do you do with an intact boar that weighs over 800 lbs?  In this episode, Spence talks about the science of boar taint - a potential off-flavoring found in some intact boars & shares how butchering a massive old boar turned out.  Like the podcast? Give us a review on your favorite podcast. Got a farming question - shoot it to me at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com

Got our first cutting of hay in - woot! Spence gives a farm update & then we talk about the wobbles - things that are off in our life that we can't see ourselves and the value of having someone speak into our blind spots whether in farming or life in general. 

Time to answer some listener questions! Also, Mike is planting some pumpkins...or should we say punkins. Probably! Got a farming question for Spence - email him at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com. If you dig the show, feel free to leave us a review. 

In the midst of historic flooding locally, we've been faring well. Just busy & a little wet, and our hearts go out to those who've really taken it on the chin.  On another note, we had a great crop of baby goats this year - wonderful, especially after the problems of last year. We tried some different things and...they worked! We talk about them on the podcast

We brought in a portable sawmill & cut the oaks we had felled this winter for siding for the store. Spence explains what board & batten siding is, what he's learned about working with green lumber, and talks with Mike about where a small sawmill would fit in the farm's future

Across the nation it's been a crazily wet spring. Spence & Mike chat about the dealing with the wet and Spence goes on tangents going over the advantages of broiler housing that he's seen as well as dealing with the occasional tornados...fun times! Like the Podcast - give us a review! Got a question - shoot us an email at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com.     

Spring has sprung and birds are on pasture! An important principle of pastured poultry is movement for the health of the birds and even more so the pasture.  Spence & Mike talk about it, and the increasing faux-pasture fixed models that big companies are using to cash in on demand by the consumer. Thanks for listening! Give us a review or shoot an email w/ any questions at acrossthecreekfarm@gmail.com

Today Spence & Mike kick around selling commercially. Plus, stories about fried chicken & chicken meatballs & polenta at some terrific restaurants.  Got a question you'd like answered? Shoot it over to fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com and we'll cover it in a future episode. Give us a rating on your podcasty thing of choice if you get a chance. 

Recently a tiny snail went extinct in the Ozarks. It's not the first critter we've lost - with the largest being a huge species of elk and the flashiest being the Carolina Parakeet - a foot tall lime green parrot! Is this something we should concern ourselves with, practically what do we lose? What about the faith aspect. Spence & Mike discuss it.