Ep 039 Wing and a Prayer Farm: Dreaming in Black and White? Go Buy Valais. (The Metal Band Poster Sheep. Thank you, Slade.)

The behavior of individuals and groups seems to be in the news a lot these days. The same concept in the natural world might not hit the news quite as often, but it’s just as important. Any farmer or rancher will tell you that the more you know about what your plants and animals are telling you, the more effective your response can be, and the more you both can produce together. Leaves wilting usually means, “Water, please.” Ears back on the horse usually means “I’m un...

22 Kesä 202044min

Off to New Mexico. High desert all around, blue mountains behind, dry breezes, and the infamous sheep-pig. All of that and more are found in this podcast, even if some parts of that last sentence sound less than plausible. It was there that we met Zach and Ethan, two brothers who raise the rare but deliciously fatty Mangalitza (or Mangalica or Mangalitsa, depending on who you ask). This is a Hungarian breed of pig that is well-known for hitting the top of the pork cha...

15 Kesä 202037min

Here’s a list for you: - Hobbits Otters Wedding shawls Ragnor Dogs Killer Whales Archeological ruins Oil Puffins 80’s rock bands (okay, this one is a little loose) The Ikea catalog Ponies So, what do these things have in common? This podcast, and the Shetland Islands, way, way (way) North of the North Scotland mainland (Did we mention it was up North?). In fact, the Vikings - Scandinavians, if you’re politically correct – made a pit stop in the 8th and 9th century on their way to ...

8 Kesä 202026min

Belgium is a beautiful place in the Low Countries of Western Europe. Rich with art, culture and a globalized economic worldview, it has had more than it’s fair share of trauma throughout its history. It has been known as both the Crossroads and the Battlefield of Europe, and the strategic importance of this country has caused it to be used as either a tactical objective or a runway throughout its history (Just ask the Romans, the French, the Germans, the British, the Americans, th...

1 Kesä 202050min

As we come to you on this Memorial Day 2020, we would like to pay remembrance to not only the men and women who have given their lives in service of our country, but also to the animals who did as well. Up until the last century, horses probably took the brunt of the wartime hit, and most severely in World War I. Though they were used primarily in cavalry units in prior wars, and still used in that way later, they were most commonly used for logistics - supply wagons, draft horses for ambulan...

25 Touko 202015min

It’s Heritage Breeds week at The Livestock Conservancy. This organization is one that you hear about on our podcast frequently, and for good reason. They are on the front line in the battle against extinction for some of the traditional agricultural breeds in the U.S. and abroad. The Conservancy’s mission is to do “research, education, outreach, marketing and promotion, and genetic rescues,” so we have a backup in place for animals in our agricultural production system.&nbsp...

18 Touko 202042min

The Six Degrees of Separation concept didn’t start with Kevin Bacon, believe it or not. We can thank Hungarian writer Frigyes Karinthy in 1929 for that idea. But regardless of who started it, it’s very much a home truth that humankind and all of the things in our periphery seem to be connected in some way with just a few steps, if you just look to see how. In walks Mary. Mary Carter McConnell, that is: Anthropologist, historian, research specialist, horse and dog breed...

11 Touko 202045min

Yep, it’s A Bug’s Life, come alive. Collecting seeds is a long-term gig, but it has to be done if the colony (that’s us humans) wants to survive. And even if you’re not on a little island or surrounded by hungry grasshoppers, there’s a reason to collect as many good seeds as you can, so the colony can be healthy and successful through the winter and the upcoming year. Everyone is finally having to pay attention, whether they want to or not, to the supply chain and th...

4 Touko 202056min