Don't you love it when people say something exciting, positive, motivational and then...  add in the BUT! We just announced last week that new episodes are on the table - here's the BUT.

Chicken Thistle Farm CoopCast

New Episodes Coming... BUT...

All great stories need to come to their rightful conclusion...  join us for the Alpha of the Omega with the hosts of the Chicken Thistle Farm Coopcast!

Episode X

As the year draws to a close, we share some thoughts about life that has transpired since our last episode on March 31st... Farming has been a lot of fun and a lot of hard work.  We have shared some of our highest highs and lowest lows as a result of our farming endeavours. We hope we have cultivated some ideas and new farmers and look forward to the unknowns a offers!

CoopCast 0163 - A reflection on the year & Auld Lang Syne

The fine legslative geniuses in MD keep the bees safe -  Soon your bacon will be genetically engineered -  And we review the piece of movie garbage known as Batman vs Superman

0162 Bees in Maryland, Bacon Genetic Engineering and Batman v Superman

Want to get people fired up and yelling for no reason - mention raw milk...  which we did and this episode dissects the fun that follows. But before we got to that conversation we talked about spring planting plans and the beehives!

0161 Spring updates, beehives and a conversation about raw milk

This episode is mostly listener questions that we answer about our hoop house, construction methods, and gardening inside the hoop house.  We also touch on garden planning and winter beekeeping. Hoop house hoop bender - http://www.lostcreek.net/ Hoophouse book -   

0160 Hoophouse construction, winter bees and garden planning

This entire episode is dedicated to the 2016 Farm Meeting where we discuss the vegetable gardens, seeds, chickens, pigs, ducks and all things farm related.  After deciding we were going to cut back on the farm in 2016 this meeting helped us put it all into perspective in terms of what we are and are not going to be doing. CHeck us out on social media to join in the conversation - facebook.com/chickenthistlefarm, @chickenthistle on Twitter...Or - follow Farmer Andy @farmerandyman on Twitter and Instagram!

0159 Farm meeting recap (plans for the 2016 farming season)

From the farm this week we share a few updates (but it's a slow season for a slower year).  We also discuss our seed order, country of origin labeling of meats (WHO), beekeeping and review Star Wars Links that matter include :  We ordered from Burpee Seed - no special link or promocode...  but if you DO order from them - tell them you heard about them on our show - we put our name in the link to maybe get some attention from their web people!!! (at this time looks like new visits get 20% off!) Forbes (Teeve Torbs) link about the change in country of origin labeling of imported meats Local Harvest: Kelli's StichFix signup link - do it - she appreciates it!

0158 Vegetable seed order, country of origin of meat and Star Wars

This episode is the last broadcast for 2015.  So Merry Christmas everyone! We talk a bit about update around the farm and how it's a bit strange to not have so much "farm" to worry about.  We also answer some Facebook listener questions about the trees we planted, the fields, the berry patch and other things left unsaid around the farm. Then we conclude with a mention of a few of our favorite things - things for the farm, things in our personal life and favorite wines and spirits. Farmer Kelli's list includes offering this signup referral to any and all listeners who want to try out her new favorite service - 

0157 Farm updates, listener questions and a few of our favorite things

After the Thanksgiving turkey wore off we decided to get back to the farming podcast...  and we talk about the most recent pork cuts we picked up.  We then talk about some of the food we made for Thanksgiving and deer season and Farmer Andy shares the Thanksgiving morning story of his big buck! We wrap up the episode with Farm U on E. coli O157:H7, what it is, where it comes from and Dr. Farmer Kelli shares a resource (cdc.gov) to learn more about infectious diseases and foodborne diseases.

0156 Pork cuts, a deer season story and a Farm U on E. coli O157:H7

This episode we talk about the taking of the pigs to the processor, some updates from around the farm and about deer season... and the highly anticipated tomato round up from the vegetable garden.

0155 Pigs to the processor, deer season updates and vegetable garden tomato roundup

After posting that we were taking a pig to the processor and hurting some folks feelings...  we decided we didn't really care.  Toughen up folks.  So we make fun of them. Then we talk about the deer season to date and update people on the honey harvest from our first year of bees. In general - it's a bunch of farm updates.

0154 Processing a pig and people's feelings, bow season, bees and honey

We return with pig, chicken, bee and vegetable garden updates.  We then talk a bit about a discovery about the stiffness of your arrow and the placement of a broadhead shot (yeah - giggle if you want) as it pertains to archery / bowhunting.  And the nwe conclude with some listener emails and a discussion about a sugar free diet.

0153 Farm updates, sugar addiction and bowhunting tips

In this episode we just shae some udpates and clarification about the fate and future of the farm.  We also talk a bit about some of the veggies we discovered still thriving in the gardens.

0152 Farming updates from pasture and vegetable garden

In this episode we return to the coopcast to discuss the future of our farm and all the different enterprises we have in play.  

0151 A Return to the Farm and a discussion about the future

Sharing our small farm stories and skills along our farming, gardening and homesteading journey. Visit the farm for an informative and sometimes irreverent tour through our garden, livestock pastures, chicken coop, beehive and greenhouse as we live - pasture to plate. Farming topics free range around pastured heritage pigs, broiler chickens and pastured eggs, heritage breed turkeys, an heirloom vegetable CSA and garden, high tunnel / hoop house / green houses, organic and traditional gardening, farm infrastructure, tractors, sustainable energy, being self sufficient, permaculture, food preservation, bees, beekeeping and even fence mending.

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Chicken Thistle Farm CoopCast

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