WEBVTT 1 00:00:18.199 --> 00:00:21.679 Hey everyone, welcome to back to Local Ag, your spot 2 00:00:21.719 --> 00:00:26.679 for everything Bedford County AG. It's July ninth six. I'm 3 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:30.399 your host, Dorothy McIntyre with Bedford County Agricultural Advisory Board, 4 00:00:30.519 --> 00:00:33.880 and today is the twenty third episode. A big thanks 5 00:00:33.920 --> 00:00:36.840 to Mediate Squatch for making our local podcasts a great 6 00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:40.479 part of our community. Today we have it. We're sitting 7 00:00:40.520 --> 00:00:44.840 down with the faces behind dun Roaming Ranch, a fantastic 8 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:47.679 family and veteran owned farm right here in Monfel on 9 00:00:47.719 --> 00:00:51.399 Dickerson Mill Road. They're raising everything from goats to pasture 10 00:00:51.479 --> 00:00:56.479 raised poultry, hogs, beef, cattle and more. All this dedicated 11 00:00:56.520 --> 00:01:00.280 to high quality meats. Welcome Megan and Lewis. Do you 12 00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:03.119 go by Lewis or Lou? Half the time I hear Lou. 13 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:05.760 My wife calls me Lou. Everybody else calls me Lewis 14 00:01:06.239 --> 00:01:07.120 when I'm in trouble. 15 00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:13.280 Yeah, yeah, that's a classic there. So we know each 16 00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:15.640 other from the farmer's market and I'm so excited that 17 00:01:15.680 --> 00:01:18.519 you've been part of the market. What I'd like to 18 00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:21.560 know if you could tell me a little bit about 19 00:01:22.040 --> 00:01:24.959 how you came up with the name Done Roaming Ranch. 20 00:01:26.120 --> 00:01:28.799 So, actually my wife came up with it. We have 21 00:01:29.439 --> 00:01:32.760 been married twenty eight years and we've spent a lot 22 00:01:32.799 --> 00:01:36.079 of that time moving around with my job. So yeah, 23 00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:38.879 I worked for did twenty years in law enforcement and 24 00:01:38.959 --> 00:01:42.879 after that I went to US for service. So we've 25 00:01:42.920 --> 00:01:46.319 moved around quite a bit. And so when we got here, 26 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:50.760 my wife said, I'm done moving. So she said, I'm 27 00:01:50.760 --> 00:01:52.959 going to call it done Roman Ranch. We're done Roman. 28 00:01:53.079 --> 00:01:55.840 So that's how the name came about. 29 00:01:55.920 --> 00:02:00.519 So it's so collaborative a little bit. Or was it 30 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:01.200 all you, Megan? 31 00:02:02.040 --> 00:02:03.400 I think it was pretty much all me. 32 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:06.159 Yeah, too many. 33 00:02:05.959 --> 00:02:07.359 Moves, yes, right. 34 00:02:07.840 --> 00:02:13.599 So so thank you for your service. Marines. 35 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:15.400 I was in the Marines for seven years. 36 00:02:15.479 --> 00:02:20.400 Yes, thank you very much for your service. So I'd 37 00:02:20.439 --> 00:02:25.319 love to know the journey from Marines to look law 38 00:02:25.400 --> 00:02:29.000 enforcement to forestry And how did you come to farming 39 00:02:29.080 --> 00:02:30.240 with all that background. 40 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:33.840 Well, I grew up in West Virginia and I grew 41 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:37.639 up on a farm. My grandfather raised draft horses, and 42 00:02:37.719 --> 00:02:40.759 so I you know, I guess farming and all that 43 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:44.360 is in my blood. You know, my wife she grew 44 00:02:44.439 --> 00:02:47.879 up in Pennsylvania and she grew up around horses, and 45 00:02:47.960 --> 00:02:50.439 you know, I guess we've all gravitated to the farm, 46 00:02:50.800 --> 00:02:54.879 even though we've moved around so many times. Every place 47 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:57.599 but Alaska we had a farm, did you really, Yes, 48 00:02:57.840 --> 00:03:00.879 So we've always been in the farming business or some 49 00:03:01.400 --> 00:03:04.840 shape or form. Our daughter was a barrel racer with horses, 50 00:03:04.960 --> 00:03:08.000 and so, you know, we've done a little bit of everything. 51 00:03:08.039 --> 00:03:10.280 But I started in West Virginia. I joined the Marines, 52 00:03:10.800 --> 00:03:12.360 and after I got out of the Marines, I started 53 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:15.719 in law enforcement. And then towards the end of my 54 00:03:15.800 --> 00:03:18.879 law enforcement career, I met my wife and we got married, 55 00:03:18.919 --> 00:03:21.479 and I got a job with US for Service. And 56 00:03:21.520 --> 00:03:24.000 one of my jobs with the for Service was a firefighter, 57 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:26.759 So I got to go out west into summers and 58 00:03:26.759 --> 00:03:29.560 and fight a lot of fires and met a lot 59 00:03:29.560 --> 00:03:32.919 of neat people doing that, and with that I got 60 00:03:32.919 --> 00:03:35.000 to see different parts of the country. So we we 61 00:03:35.080 --> 00:03:38.240 decided we would start moving around, and we took a 62 00:03:38.280 --> 00:03:41.560 job in West Virginia, and then we I transferred to Louisiana, 63 00:03:41.680 --> 00:03:45.120 and then we transferred to California and then to Alaska, 64 00:03:45.680 --> 00:03:48.319 and then we wanted to retire here back in Virginia 65 00:03:48.319 --> 00:03:51.879 where we all started. So when the job came open, 66 00:03:51.879 --> 00:03:54.400 I transferred back to Virginia, and this is where we 67 00:03:54.479 --> 00:03:58.680 actually retired, you know. And my you know, my wife's 68 00:03:58.680 --> 00:04:03.599 been so wonderful being you know, transferring and starting new 69 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:06.319 jobs and ending new jobs and starting new jobs. So 70 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:09.560 I just can't say enough about her. She's just been 71 00:04:09.639 --> 00:04:12.639 so wonderful being by my side. And and you know, 72 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:14.879 doing that career with us and our kids got to 73 00:04:14.919 --> 00:04:17.160 see a lot of the world or a lot of 74 00:04:17.160 --> 00:04:17.759 the country. 75 00:04:18.240 --> 00:04:20.319 You were able to show the kids the world. 76 00:04:20.399 --> 00:04:22.519 Yeah, and at the time they didn't like it, but 77 00:04:22.560 --> 00:04:24.680 I think now they look back at it, they see 78 00:04:24.720 --> 00:04:27.519 a lot of that life experiences that they received. And 79 00:04:27.839 --> 00:04:29.439 as a matter of fact, our son just told us 80 00:04:29.480 --> 00:04:30.839 a couple of weeks ago, he said, I'd like to 81 00:04:30.879 --> 00:04:33.879 move back to Alaska because he's here in Virginia. Okay, 82 00:04:34.040 --> 00:04:36.800 So it did have some impact on him. And we 83 00:04:36.920 --> 00:04:40.920 enjoyed moving around. And when we got here. It's kind 84 00:04:40.920 --> 00:04:43.279 of a funny story. I came down earlier from Alaska 85 00:04:43.319 --> 00:04:48.160 and because she still had to finish out our teaching agreement, 86 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:51.079 and we looked around at farms here and we must 87 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:54.480 have spent two weeks looking at farms, and eventually, you know, 88 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:56.879 she saw one, this one farm and it said they 89 00:04:57.040 --> 00:04:58.879 raise gypsy werner. 90 00:04:59.439 --> 00:04:59.839 And what's that. 91 00:05:00.199 --> 00:05:03.399 It's a type of horse. Okay, and she always loved 92 00:05:03.399 --> 00:05:05.040 those type of horses. Shed let's go down and look 93 00:05:05.079 --> 00:05:07.480 at the horses. And when we pulled in the driveway, 94 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:09.079 she said, this is it. I was like, well, it's 95 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:11.639 a little above our budget, but you know, and we 96 00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:13.399 talked to the people and they worked with us and 97 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:15.800 we ended up buying the farm. But it was the 98 00:05:15.920 --> 00:05:18.120 very last farm we looked at before she was supposed 99 00:05:18.160 --> 00:05:19.079 to go back to Alaska. 100 00:05:19.240 --> 00:05:24.519 Okay, okay, yeah, so you enjoyed this part of the area. 101 00:05:24.360 --> 00:05:25.319 Then I do. 102 00:05:25.480 --> 00:05:29.680 Yeah, yes, cool, so nice, that's pretty interesting. So did 103 00:05:29.720 --> 00:05:32.040 you look outside of Bedford County or was Bedford County 104 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:35.199 kind of like ground zero for you that you wanted 105 00:05:35.240 --> 00:05:36.439 to be in this area? 106 00:05:36.839 --> 00:05:39.480 We actually looked in all the way up to Louisbourg, 107 00:05:39.560 --> 00:05:40.319 West Virginia. 108 00:05:40.439 --> 00:05:41.920 Did you really down. 109 00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:45.879 Into Appomatics area? We were just we had an idea 110 00:05:45.920 --> 00:05:49.160 of what type of farm we wanted and we just 111 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:52.000 couldn't find it. And it just, you know, I believe that, 112 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:54.120 you know, God directed us to that point. 113 00:05:54.199 --> 00:05:56.279 You get on that land and it's just like this 114 00:05:56.399 --> 00:05:59.439 is it? Yes, we did that with the land, not 115 00:05:59.519 --> 00:05:59.920 the house. 116 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:03.000 That was even more important that the wife liked it. 117 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:06.519 So yeah, yeah, Now you still have horses though, right 118 00:06:06.839 --> 00:06:08.959 I do? Yes, how many horses do you have? We 119 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:11.759 have three on the property to donkies. Do you ride 120 00:06:11.800 --> 00:06:14.199 them still or yes? Yeah, you ride too. 121 00:06:14.519 --> 00:06:14.560 No. 122 00:06:15.639 --> 00:06:17.959 I grew up on horse farms, so they're just hay 123 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:19.399 burners to be Yeah. 124 00:06:19.480 --> 00:06:21.920 See my husband just he had horses growing up, and 125 00:06:21.959 --> 00:06:26.959 he just he's like, no, never doing it again. So 126 00:06:26.959 --> 00:06:31.120 so looking on your social media, you mentioned that you 127 00:06:31.160 --> 00:06:35.000 have a commitment to raising clean animals, which is what 128 00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:40.040 you raise basically at the farm with additional value added products. Correct, 129 00:06:40.120 --> 00:06:44.040 tell me about why you want them to be clean 130 00:06:44.040 --> 00:06:45.439 animals and how do you achieve that. 131 00:06:46.040 --> 00:06:48.800 Sure, there's a little story on that. In West Virginia 132 00:06:48.839 --> 00:06:50.600 when we lived there, we had a farm. We actually 133 00:06:50.600 --> 00:06:55.560 had a USDA processing poultry processing facility on our farm, 134 00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:58.639 and before we opened that, we went around and we 135 00:06:58.680 --> 00:07:01.079 went to like the Amish, and they taught us how 136 00:07:01.120 --> 00:07:03.920 to do the checken and the poultry and stuff like that. 137 00:07:03.959 --> 00:07:08.000 And then we went to a big producer and I 138 00:07:08.040 --> 00:07:11.759 didn't like the way the major producers process their meat. 139 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:15.360 And that's all I'll say about that, but it drove 140 00:07:15.480 --> 00:07:18.519 us to wanting to raise our own meat. So we 141 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:21.319 started out just raising our own meat, and then so 142 00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:23.199 many friends came to us and said, you know, can 143 00:07:23.199 --> 00:07:25.480 we buy some, can we? So we we've kind of 144 00:07:25.519 --> 00:07:28.240 turned it into a business. But it's to us, it's 145 00:07:28.279 --> 00:07:33.279 it's it's important to raise the animals, you know, humanely. 146 00:07:33.639 --> 00:07:36.439 You know, like for example, this hot weather we just 147 00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:39.959 had last week, we put fans out on our our 148 00:07:39.959 --> 00:07:42.959 meat checkings just to keep them cools. I mean, you know, 149 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:46.920 it's important that you treat the animals correctly so that 150 00:07:47.000 --> 00:07:50.959 they provide what you know they should provide for us. 151 00:07:51.160 --> 00:07:55.360 And uh, you know it's very important that we put 152 00:07:55.399 --> 00:07:59.199 into like everything we produce. We produce as I before, 153 00:07:59.160 --> 00:08:00.600 we're going to put it on our own table. 154 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:04.000 Yeah, as you say, everything you produce. So you have 155 00:08:04.120 --> 00:08:06.600 all this meat with the goats and the chickens and 156 00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:10.399 the hogs. But I also know some of the other 157 00:08:10.439 --> 00:08:16.040 things that you do, like the shagbar syrup and the 158 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:19.680 maple syrup that's unique to this area. There are people, 159 00:08:19.720 --> 00:08:23.199 but usually it's higher up in the Shenandoah Valley. Did 160 00:08:23.240 --> 00:08:26.360 you do this in other areas where you were living 161 00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:28.079 or did was this something new here? 162 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:30.839 Well, when I grew up in West Virginia, my uncle 163 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:34.679 tapped maple trees, and I remember a fond memory from 164 00:08:34.919 --> 00:08:38.120 childhood of setting up all weekend and cooking off maple 165 00:08:38.200 --> 00:08:41.759 sap to maple syrup. So we were kind of blessed 166 00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:44.600 when we drove around the farm and we found all 167 00:08:44.600 --> 00:08:49.559 these old large sugar maples, and so, what was it 168 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:52.240 two years ago or three years ago? We started tapping them, 169 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:56.360 and we made some last last year just for us, 170 00:08:57.000 --> 00:08:59.279 and then this year we started making some to sell. 171 00:08:59.320 --> 00:09:02.600 But we have about fifty maple trees on our farm 172 00:09:02.840 --> 00:09:06.200 and they produce a lot. I mean this year was 173 00:09:06.279 --> 00:09:08.480 kind of a unique year. We only had one week 174 00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:11.960 of harvest. Usually have three weeks. Do you really have, Yeah, 175 00:09:11.960 --> 00:09:13.759 And it's based on the weather. I mean it's got 176 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:16.679 to be below freezing at night and above freezing during 177 00:09:16.720 --> 00:09:19.240 a day for the sap to run, and we only 178 00:09:19.279 --> 00:09:21.039 had like a week of that this year, so we 179 00:09:21.080 --> 00:09:23.639 didn't produce as much as we did the year before that. 180 00:09:23.759 --> 00:09:27.840 But although it is very delicious, we use it all 181 00:09:27.879 --> 00:09:31.240 the time, right, and hopefully you have some so we 182 00:09:31.240 --> 00:09:32.720 can tell people where they can get it. 183 00:09:33.000 --> 00:09:35.639 We still have a couple of gallons left of this year. 184 00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:38.639 And then I make what's called hickory bark syrup, which 185 00:09:38.679 --> 00:09:41.639 it's made from the shag hickory tree, and you make 186 00:09:41.639 --> 00:09:43.600 it into a tea and then you cook it down 187 00:09:43.639 --> 00:09:46.159 and add Now that's the only thing it has sugar 188 00:09:46.200 --> 00:09:48.480 added to it, because it doesn't have sugar in the 189 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:52.159 natural like maple syrup has sugar in the sap. Yeah, 190 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:54.679 the hickory bark doesn't have a sugar in it, so 191 00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:57.039 we do add sugar to that. And I love it 192 00:09:57.080 --> 00:09:59.679 as a coffee creamer. She eats it on her ice cream. 193 00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:02.600 Oh, that's a good one to think about. 194 00:10:02.840 --> 00:10:03.519 Yeah. 195 00:10:03.639 --> 00:10:06.600 Along with that, you also have a market garden that 196 00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:09.799 you've been producing from, too so, and you do some 197 00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:13.360 value added you're doing some baking, Megan a little bit. Yes, 198 00:10:14.360 --> 00:10:17.039 that the zucchini bread seems to go pretty well at 199 00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:17.519 the market. 200 00:10:17.720 --> 00:10:24.279 Yeah, seeing we have an overabundance of zucchini. Yeah, so all. 201 00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:28.720 Right, let me think about what else we can talk about. Now, 202 00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:32.799 there is a specialty that you make for the Thanksgiving 203 00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:36.879 Christmas time. I'd love to hear about how that came 204 00:10:36.919 --> 00:10:40.679 about and how people can get obtain that or reserve 205 00:10:40.720 --> 00:10:43.639 that for this season. So tell me about the Traducans 206 00:10:43.639 --> 00:10:44.080 that you make. 207 00:10:44.200 --> 00:10:46.159 So that's a unique story. Like I said, we lived 208 00:10:46.159 --> 00:10:52.840 in Louisiana and traduccan is a traditional Louisiana dish. And 209 00:10:53.039 --> 00:10:54.720 what intraducing is a lot of people hear it and 210 00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:56.440 they go like, what is that toterducan? You know? And 211 00:10:56.519 --> 00:11:00.879 it's it's a de bone chicken in side a d 212 00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:05.200 bone duck inside a semi d bone turkey, and then 213 00:11:05.240 --> 00:11:08.720 it's combined and it's baked together, so almost all of 214 00:11:08.759 --> 00:11:11.320 it is d bone meat. And if you've ever had 215 00:11:11.320 --> 00:11:13.919 a duck, duck is kind of an oily meat, so 216 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:16.879 it gives moisture to the rest of the meat. And 217 00:11:16.919 --> 00:11:19.759 when we were in Louisiana, we tried one and we've 218 00:11:19.799 --> 00:11:23.159 never had anything else for Thanksgiving since then. Really, it's 219 00:11:23.399 --> 00:11:27.120 just such a unique and amazing tasting animal. 220 00:11:27.679 --> 00:11:30.200 And was there stuffing inside the chicken or is it 221 00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:31.240 just all the meat? 222 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:35.120 So a true Louisiana whichur duck and has stuffing in it. Okay, 223 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:38.000 I don't put stuffing or seasoning in it, just because 224 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:40.200 when I made them for friends, you know, they want 225 00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:43.799 to add their own seasoning, their own stuffing, so that 226 00:11:43.879 --> 00:11:46.639 way you can make it your own unique thing. But 227 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:50.320 the traditional Louisiana dish does have stuffing and also has 228 00:11:50.360 --> 00:11:52.759 cage and spices in it. The one I make it's 229 00:11:52.840 --> 00:11:55.519 just meat, okay, and then you know, you cook it 230 00:11:55.639 --> 00:11:58.519 or we smoke cars and it just seals in that flavor. 231 00:11:58.600 --> 00:12:02.799 And you know, I'm made it probably what ten years 232 00:12:02.840 --> 00:12:06.279 ago for Thanksgiving and everybody comes over. You got to 233 00:12:06.279 --> 00:12:09.840 make one for me. So I've been making them unofficially, 234 00:12:09.960 --> 00:12:12.000 you know, for years now. But so this is your 235 00:12:12.000 --> 00:12:12.799 first year we're going. 236 00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:15.360 To all this is the first year that you're going 237 00:12:15.399 --> 00:12:18.279 to you're doing reserves. I guess you have to. 238 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:21.840 Yeah, they're pretty time consuming, you debuting. 239 00:12:21.639 --> 00:12:24.879 And imagine everything. So, uh, chicken thighs for me, take 240 00:12:25.080 --> 00:12:28.440 a little. I'll do an entire turkey and chicken and 241 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:29.759 duck would be crazy. 242 00:12:29.960 --> 00:12:32.720 So we're taking we're taking reservations and we'll deliver them. 243 00:12:32.759 --> 00:12:34.919 You know, like the week or two weeks before Thanksgiving. 244 00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:35.840 They will be frozen. 245 00:12:35.879 --> 00:12:36.120 Okay. 246 00:12:36.120 --> 00:12:37.519 I was going to ask all they fresh or frozen. 247 00:12:37.759 --> 00:12:40.679 They'll be frozen. You know. I got a person that's 248 00:12:40.679 --> 00:12:43.120 going to a farm that's going to provide the ducks 249 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:44.960 and then we raise the chickens in the turkeys. 250 00:12:45.080 --> 00:12:47.559 Oh yeah, I was going to ask you how many 251 00:12:47.559 --> 00:12:48.840 have you made in the past? 252 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:53.200 Then, Oh, I probably made a couple of hundred for real. Yeah, 253 00:12:53.240 --> 00:12:56.279 I mean it seems to grow every year, you know. Okay, 254 00:12:56.600 --> 00:12:59.279 I have a friend out in Utah that I have 255 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:02.399 to mail one. So I met him on fire and 256 00:13:02.759 --> 00:13:05.120 we made one on fire one time, and he goes, 257 00:13:05.480 --> 00:13:09.240 I won't eat anything else, So I mail him one 258 00:13:09.320 --> 00:13:09.840 every year. 259 00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:17.279 That's pretty cool. That's pretty cool, all right. So on 260 00:13:17.320 --> 00:13:20.720 your social media also you talk about how you prioritize 261 00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:24.639 the farm connection. And I know that you're at the 262 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:27.600 farmer's markets. Do you open up the farm to anybody 263 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:30.480 that they could come to the farm, see the farm, 264 00:13:30.519 --> 00:13:33.399 and pick up product at the farm or is it 265 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:35.440 just solely at the farmer's market at this point. 266 00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:37.200 No, we have a lot of people that come to 267 00:13:37.240 --> 00:13:40.559 the farm and buy stuff from us, you know, due 268 00:13:40.559 --> 00:13:44.120 to biohazards, you know, especially with poultry with avian flu, 269 00:13:44.559 --> 00:13:47.279 we don't give farm tours. I mean, driving down our 270 00:13:47.320 --> 00:13:50.200 driveway you can see the animals, right. A lot of 271 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:52.120 people want to show up and go, tick me out, 272 00:13:52.200 --> 00:13:54.279 let me hold the ducks or the chickens or whatever. 273 00:13:54.320 --> 00:13:56.639 And you have to be careful because we have a 274 00:13:56.679 --> 00:13:59.360 closed herd. So I don't give any antibiotics. I don't 275 00:13:59.399 --> 00:14:03.720 give any medication to any of my animals. Everything is natural. 276 00:14:04.440 --> 00:14:08.159 It's not certified organic because we've never went. 277 00:14:08.039 --> 00:14:11.759 Through that, the organic work. 278 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:15.240 But yeah, we have a lot of people that come 279 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:17.279 to the farm. They'll email or call me and say 280 00:14:17.559 --> 00:14:19.240 do you have this, and we'll get the order ready 281 00:14:19.240 --> 00:14:21.120 for them, and when they pull up, we'll give them, 282 00:14:21.399 --> 00:14:21.679 you know. 283 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:25.440 And they can see everybody outside the fence. Just inside 284 00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:25.799 the fence. 285 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:29.399 Yeah, we have about a quarter mile driveway. That's beautiful 286 00:14:29.480 --> 00:14:32.159 drive there tons of animals on both sides. 287 00:14:33.080 --> 00:14:33.519 Yeah. 288 00:14:33.559 --> 00:14:35.960 And you also, I think you sell some of the pullets, 289 00:14:36.039 --> 00:14:36.519 is that right? 290 00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:39.759 We do. We We've raised laying chickens for a couple 291 00:14:39.799 --> 00:14:42.639 of years now and sell. I think we have Rhode 292 00:14:42.679 --> 00:14:45.240 Allen reds and black sex thunks right now. They're almost 293 00:14:45.320 --> 00:14:46.799 ready to. 294 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:49.080 Say they're available right now. If somebody wanted to purchase them, 295 00:14:49.759 --> 00:14:55.879 that's great, that's great. So how do people get connected 296 00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:59.840 to you if they wanted to come over to the farm, 297 00:15:00.120 --> 00:15:01.480 or find you at the farmer's market. 298 00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:05.519 Sure, so we are on Facebook. My wife does TikTok 299 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:09.759 videos all the time there. I love those. So a 300 00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:12.360 lot of people have been enjoying those two are our 301 00:15:13.559 --> 00:15:16.039 number of followers have increased. I think that's what they 302 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:18.159 call it. I'm a not a very tech savvy person. 303 00:15:18.279 --> 00:15:21.639 So but you can email us or you can call us. 304 00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:24.399 You know our phone numbers five four oh nine three 305 00:15:24.519 --> 00:15:28.759 zero nine six nine five seven, and you know we're 306 00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:30.679 on Facebook, and just reach out to us. 307 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:31.320 There it is. 308 00:15:31.879 --> 00:15:39.200 Yeah, that sounds great, let me see it. So this 309 00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:41.399 was a quick one. But I guess it's because we 310 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:44.879 know each other. I don't know. You know, but you're 311 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:49.000 at the Bedford Farmers Market on Saturday mornings and that's 312 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:50.759 eight to one or eight to noon. 313 00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:51.879 It's eight to noon. 314 00:15:53.080 --> 00:15:57.240 And Benita Farmers Market also that on Wednesdays eight to noon. 315 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:00.679 Anywhere else? Are you in any of the small shops 316 00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:02.759 or anything, or just at the farm at this point. 317 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:05.080 Just at the farm right now. It's you know, we 318 00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:08.519 we haven't having a hard time sometimes keep up with 319 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:10.759 the orders we have. Now we haven't. Really that's a 320 00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:14.360 great thing. It is, especially the chicken. A lot of 321 00:16:14.360 --> 00:16:16.879 people love the chicken we produce, and uh. 322 00:16:17.120 --> 00:16:18.600 Which which type of chickens? 323 00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:22.279 So we do we do the Cornish crosses, and you 324 00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:23.759 know a lot of people have had problems with the 325 00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:26.799 Cornish crosses, with the leg problems and stuff, and and 326 00:16:26.840 --> 00:16:30.799 we've kind of created a thing that keeps them walking. 327 00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:33.279 And as long as you can keep them walking, you 328 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:36.279 don't have as many leg problems. Okay, So you know 329 00:16:36.360 --> 00:16:38.000 a lot of people call me and say, well, you know, 330 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:40.960 I'm doing what's my chickens are doing this? And and 331 00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:44.120 I try to explain to them, you know, what's going on. 332 00:16:44.440 --> 00:16:46.679 You know, why they're having so much leg problems. If 333 00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:48.720 you put the feed in the water right next to 334 00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:52.399 each other, they don't move. Literally, that's all they do 335 00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:54.399 is they eat and drink and poop, and that's that's 336 00:16:54.440 --> 00:16:58.279 about all they do. So yeah, but we've we lose 337 00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:02.080 very few now, you know, compared to twenty years ago 338 00:17:02.120 --> 00:17:05.720 when we first started this, you know, and a lot 339 00:17:05.720 --> 00:17:08.240 of that is you know, experience, and a lot of 340 00:17:08.279 --> 00:17:11.680 it is reading and you know, my wife, we try 341 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:13.799 to use every part of the chicken too. So this 342 00:17:13.960 --> 00:17:17.200 is just a couple of weeks ago she goes, you know, 343 00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:21.279 we always feed the feet to the pigs, and she goes, 344 00:17:21.559 --> 00:17:23.759 she did some research and found out they're really good 345 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:27.839 for dogs. So now we produce a dehydrated chicken feet 346 00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:32.759 and she's she researched that what is it? Peanut, butter, 347 00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:38.000 banana and carrot and are also very good for the dogs. 348 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:40.680 So we now coat some of those chicken feet with 349 00:17:41.240 --> 00:17:44.519 that mixture and dehydrate them. And you know, the first 350 00:17:44.519 --> 00:17:46.720 thing everybody says that the farmer's market was like, well, 351 00:17:46.720 --> 00:17:50.440 you can't feed chicken to a chicken bows to a dog. Well, 352 00:17:50.440 --> 00:17:53.759 the dehydration process makes them to where they don't splinter. 353 00:17:53.880 --> 00:17:59.119 They actually just almost go into a dust. And our daughter, 354 00:17:59.119 --> 00:18:02.559 our daughter said, well that gross feed and chicken. And 355 00:18:02.759 --> 00:18:05.599 it was kind of unusual to give it to our 356 00:18:05.640 --> 00:18:08.240 dogs the first time, but they loved it. I couldn't 357 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:11.119 leave how much. And I have a rut wilder. It 358 00:18:11.160 --> 00:18:14.960 has some joint problems and these are high in glucose, 359 00:18:15.000 --> 00:18:18.880 I mean glucose probably, yeah, and it really helps their joints. 360 00:18:18.880 --> 00:18:21.279 So wow, yeah, he just loves them. 361 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:23.519 So yeah, and you've gotten feedback. 362 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:25.880 Yes, we've actually sold quite a bit of the me 363 00:18:25.880 --> 00:18:28.119 and a lot of people really enjoy their dogs, really 364 00:18:28.200 --> 00:18:30.839 enjoy them so nice. Yeah. So it's been a good 365 00:18:30.839 --> 00:18:33.960 additu of trying to use everything from the chicken and 366 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:37.400 we and we do literally use everything from the chicken. Yeah, 367 00:18:37.960 --> 00:18:40.440 you know, anything that we can't make into a product, 368 00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:42.839 we feed it to our hogs and they that. 369 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:47.599 And there's the chicken jerkey that keeps on going out fast, 370 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:50.119 isn't it. And you just did a new flavor. 371 00:18:50.359 --> 00:18:53.759 We did two new flavors. We have jalapeno and tarioki. 372 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:57.680 We just added and we had we still have hickory 373 00:18:57.720 --> 00:18:58.839 mesquite and. 374 00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:03.400 Whist pepper, whiskey pepper, I think whiskey pepper yhiskey pepper. 375 00:19:04.039 --> 00:19:07.480 That seems to be the biggest hot cellars, the whiskey peppers. 376 00:19:08.279 --> 00:19:10.799 So you really do a lot on that farm. 377 00:19:11.079 --> 00:19:13.680 Well, you know, we were just talking the other days, like, 378 00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:15.920 you know, we retired just what a year ago, and 379 00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:18.559 it seems like we're working harder than when we were working. 380 00:19:18.279 --> 00:19:20.599 A full time job and doing this now, Megan, what's 381 00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:24.039 your favorite part of the farm, do you think or 382 00:19:24.079 --> 00:19:25.720 do you have a favorite? I do. 383 00:19:25.880 --> 00:19:27.759 I'm the one who goes around and plays with all 384 00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:30.960 the animals, I could see that. 385 00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:32.400 I could totally see that. 386 00:19:32.920 --> 00:19:36.119 But you don't name them, you said, I try not to. Yeah, 387 00:19:36.279 --> 00:19:38.799 it's too hard when they get in that trailer and 388 00:19:38.839 --> 00:19:42.160 go to processing. Yeah, I can understand that for sure, 389 00:19:42.599 --> 00:19:45.039 that's for sure. Thank you so much for coming out. 390 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:45.640 Well, thank you. 391 00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:48.759 I really appreciate you taking the time to tell people 392 00:19:48.759 --> 00:19:51.480 about your farm and about all the different things that 393 00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:52.039 you do there. 394 00:19:52.519 --> 00:19:55.960 And you know, Bedford is a great place. We love Bedford, 395 00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:57.880 isn't it, And we're glad it's our home. 396 00:19:58.079 --> 00:19:58.400 Yeah. 397 00:19:58.480 --> 00:20:01.519 Yeah, it grows on you. It's just it is a 398 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:05.319 special place. The people here, the the beauty of it, 399 00:20:05.319 --> 00:20:09.240 it's just amazing. The agriculture too, yes, you know, hopefully 400 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:11.880 you're you're finding other people that are doing similar things 401 00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:12.440