This blog is about life on and the concerns of a pasture-based livestock farm on a hillside of the Schoharie Valley in Schoharie, New York, USA.
My name is Bob, and I am the principle farmer. My wife’s name is Jen, and she is the reluctant, occasional farmer. Since February 2010 one of my younger brothers, Peter, has been working with me full time on the farm. He lived with us in 2010 and recently moved to an apartment down in town, but is still working on the farm.
We raise pigs and sheep on rotational and strip grazed pastures. We aspire to the highest welfare standards and to produce the best quality “everyday” pork and lamb that we are able to (“everyday” is distinguished from the high end specialty breeds and gourmet products).
I am thirty-seven years old. When I was eighteen, I was sure that it would be all down hill from there. I never would have believed that I would be entering the prime of my life at thirty-five. Farming, however, has improved not only my physical health and shape but also my mental health. I still struggle with depression, anxiety, anger, and frustration, but my vision of life and the world has been much improved by farming.
This year will be my first year full time on the farm. I no longer have a day job, part-time or otherwise. I am quite anxious about that as I am not positive that the farm can support me and my brother both. We’ll just have to see.
July 3, 2008 at 3:13 pm
I’m sitting in a small Mexican carry-out in Baltimore, enjoying some real hispanic food and researching Tunis sheep when I ran across your page. It is just so refreshing and real. I’ve been wanting to get into the goat and possibly sheep business. You’ve given me a good look at the day to day life of a more traditional farm, thankfully not a mass production factory farm. Looking forward to reading more!
January 31, 2010 at 1:46 pm
spoke with your great aunt carmel today. during the conversation she told me about the article in the “t.u’.i read it online. you’re a fine caring fellow nephew . i love you.
love uncle jim
January 31, 2010 at 2:18 pm
You made my day! Reading the 1/17 Times Union article and finding your blog has been a real blessing to me. It brought back memories of my uncle’s farm which I visited many times as a child.
Your care and concern for your animals comes through so clearly. Hopefully, your blog will be an encouragement to others to bring their family farms back to life.
February 2, 2010 at 4:41 am
Hi Uncle Jim and Barb!
It’s so nice to see you leave comments on my blog, and what nice comments.
Aunt Dorothy actually called me to tell me how proud Nonni would have been to see the article.
I hope all is well.
With love from your nephew,
Bob
July 22, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Hello, I am the Livestock Education Society. Please visit my website for more information.
I was reading information about the sheep and deworming. You should only deworm when your sheep’s eyelids are pale and not red. If they are red, they should not be dewormed, as that just builds resistance to the worms currently in your sheep’s intestines. In addition, you should cull any sheep that you have to deworm, that way you can produce a strain of Icelandic sheep that are parasite resistant. Also, since you sell your animals for slaughter, you should look into selecting animals for thier adjusted weaning weights. It helps with getting animals to slaughter weight faster, aka younger lambs will be slaughtered producing tastier, tender meat.
December 2, 2010 at 5:16 pm
Hi Bob,
It is your old neighbor Alison Husted here. I live outside of Philadelphia and I run into Larissa on a fairly regular basis (we live just a few towns apart and both work in the city). She has told me all about your farm and pointed me to your website, and I am fascinated by all that you are doing. I just wanted to saw congratulations on your success as a farmer, it sounds like an incredibly hard but rewarding job.
Alison
November 10, 2011 at 3:44 pm
I’m about to run out of credit Lolita Nudes
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