2 things to consider: 1) Mini Water tower on the upper pasture. 2) Battery backup Power walls to ensure you have the power to run the farm & incubators in case of an outage!
I'm very proud of Abby and you for your patience with her. I think you can tell how much better she has been based on the birds comfort around her. When the goose felt comfortable enough getting inside of her personal space and not being concerned of being attacked. The chickens are eating contently beside her even when she does go to sniff them. That implies they don't see her as a direct threat/predator.
If you haven't been warned yet, in a couple weeks to maybe a month and a half or so from now, the amount of heat and moister flung north from the gulf of Mexico due to El Nino, has a VERY high likelihood of popping the polar vortex, which would shoot a ton of frigid polar air southward similar to the weather event that froze Texas a few years ago. If that happens, you and I are looking at getting an absolute POUNDING of snow. The weather is changing and the experts have no idea what to expect anymore, but that's looking like a good possibility according to some models. Stay informed and stay safe. Another successful year on the farm and I can't wait to see all your improvements over the next one!
@Fenthule just catching up on Morgan’s videos, oh how right you were! Polar vortex sure hit, some friends in Alabama have never had snow, got few inches that turned into ice across their farm. Ohio oh the wind chill was so cold, freezing actually! I’m in California, hour south of Sacramento, we are not much different since the vortex didn’t hit here but lowered our temps some & getting our normal Jan rain.
I feel sad you're only going to twice a week, but at the same time, do what's best for you, Morgan. Makes for a happier you. Our family is 100% behind that.
I feel like as Morgan progresses the content includes more data and the longer form communicates more. Twice a week posting is probably much more than just two days work.
Totally agree - Morgan’s videos are so good (unique camera angles, music that works amazing well, and storylines) they seem effortless which shows me the amount of effort that goes into them - twice a week is a good call and I will still look forward to every one
I'd rather see him get more done on the farm, be more relaxed, and make 2 really great videos than have Morgan stretch for a schedule that's not sustainable for him. I have too much to watch already!
I would release videos only on Saturdays or Sundays. Most viewers are at home and relaxing on the weekends. So we have time to enjoy your videos. On weekdays, everyone is working full-time jobs.
I think you are wise to avoid raising sheep. Most sheep herder's I've observed use a Border Collie to control them. They are incredibly focused on the sheep, but require tons of training to get good control. They also can tend to nip people if the run from them. Pigs are a great fit, IMO, for your farm. Love watching your adventures and progress.
So true about the nipping my little neighbor boy was riding his bicycle and he kept saying och and I didn't realize that my 14 year old border Collie mix was gently pinching his arm to heard him . Boots did not leave a mark on him but...... And she was only a quarter border collie. There's a lot to raising sheep they will pile one on top of another and run themselves to death against fences and all kinds of...... My fondest memories of Germany however are the sheep herders and they would on the Autobahn they would take their sheep up the hills and down the hills by the hundreds with their dogs doing all the work.
Every time I see those spikes on your gumboots, I feel satisfied that you are respecting your safety. Very important. As the lone farm worker, you are dependent upon yourself. I love that hoop-coop. Glad to hear of your plans.
For the hatchery, find walk in refrigerator panels, well insulated, easy to install and clean, they have a thin layer of stainless steel on them. Would also make it easy to tear down and move if you change plans. Some even include a simple insulated floor.
I use this on my farm; can find some cheap at restaurant auctions that come w/o the compressors. I converted one into a mushroom incubator room and it works great for only $250.
Since your barn is not insulated and freely ventilated I would suggest building completely new walls for your hatchery. That way you can insulate them without effecting any ventilation needs of the barn. Also condensation due to the large temperature difference will be reduced. Keep up the fabulous work you do and two videos a week is perfect.
I don't know what kind of wood your new barn is made from or if it's been treated in some way already. But here in Norway we stain the outside walls as soon as possible. The patina will appear anyway, but to avoid damages and ensure that the stain adheres properly we stain quickly. This is when Norway spruce is used.
Not surprised at all that you're cutting back on videos. They are time consuming and you have lots of projects going on. Also, I love that you're going to stain and not paint the barn. The wood is lovely and the stain will not only help the wood but show it off.
3/4" minus gravel or 3/4' crusher run (depends on location for the term) would be great for that track on the side. Avoid wood chips in the mix, they soak up water, swell & can inhibite drainage. Avoid any landscape cloth underneath, when the pot holes show up using the tines on a box blade behind the tractor to regrade, will just rip it up & make a hell of a mess!
Lol was gonna recommend the minus, too. I would add though that if he is a little worried about aesthetics, do NOT do 2" clean on top of the minus layer. Takes forever to settle and if you're just walking along not paying attention, you can easily trip over 4" rocks that had a slim enough profile to get through whatever was used to sift the gravel.
Given that Vermont appears to be trending toward a waterlogged cycle, at least laying down some crushed concrete and gravel for your access road sounds like a really good idea. If bringing in a crew for that, you may want to think about setting up a drained area at exits to hoop coop to minimize mess/icing danger there, and possibly drainage for barn roof run off. I really like idea of staining new barn, that wood is too gorgeous to hide.
Your plans for next year sound great. Can't wait to see them go into effect. Also, being the dog trainer I am, it's always heartwarming to see Abby and the progress you've helped her make. So good to see you being so on top of things. Abby's reaction to your correction was absolutely perfect. You've found the sweet spot for correcting her - not too harsh, not too soft - and her reaction of immediately stopping, sitting, then seeking reassurance was great. Kudos to you for all the hard work you've put in with her. It definitely shows.
You do not want to add wood chips to your farm road, scrape off the loam, lay down a base of crushed stone, and then a layer of course gravel. Any biomass breaks down to become mulch which will hold water in any road, that is why you never bury tree stumps in a road. What about raising Rhode Island Reds which are winter hardy and produce nearly an egg per day. Do you have enough drop in elevation in the stream to do microhydro to produce electricity?
The good thing for me in 2024 i get to watch your video's if i live that long....Cause i am close to the end of my life,now in my 80's... Thanks Morgan and you and your Wife all the best in the New Year 👍 Old Shoe🇺🇸
Thanks for sharing your ideas! Because of a project I'm working on, two things came to mind when I listened to your list: 1. Maybe reconsider allowing cattle to get into running water from the spring, as they will add nitrogen and germs to the water from their soilings. The water or soil conservation people for your area should be able to offer guidance if needed. 2. In regards to road building, from my own experience I've learned that soil compacts from the weight of (anything) on it which decreases its porosity and thus water drains slower if at all. Adding organic material, surprisingly, does not increase porosity, but increases water retention and makes muck. So, you might do best biting the bullet and using a river gravel which has varying sizes of sand and rolled stones with no sharp edges that could cut feet or cause a twisted ankle. It ends up laying flat with use, but remains porous due to the sand, thus it drains. And I think if you put roof gutters on the barn you will be truly amazed how dry the area around the barn becomes. You may actually use it more and be able to use the stored water from the roof! Happy New Year blessings to you and yours!!
Catching up here,,, I love that Bruce the Goose went from trying to fit in to the IT Goose to the gals! Good going Bruce! Seeing Bett the silkie standing there by the door, just want to hug her! ❤ Sounds like you will be busy, the weather changing is strange but expected. Will look forward to your 2 videos! You sure got some great advice in these comments! Happy, healthy, blessed 2024 to You & Alison & allll the feather & furrbabies! ❤️🙏🤗
Gosh it's bonkers thinking that right at the start all you had was a duck house, not even a proper fence and Pablo barncat, feels surreal to see the level of progress you made. 2024 will be a good year, go get 'em!
Your barn is gorgeous, and staining instead of painting will actually enhance it’s beauty by highlighting the wood grain! I’m not a farmer, and don’t know anything about sheep, but foregoing the sheep seems smart, as you would also have to get into shearing, and is there a big enough market in your area to make it a profitable venture? You already have experience and knowledge with the other animals you are raising, so bringing another species into the equation, especially when you are the sole farm worker would be a dramatic increase in your work load!
I was wondering what you were going to do with the paint job, but staining it ain't such a bad idea. It will really bring out the natural beauty of the timbering.
This is true El Niño year. The space weather has been pretty crazy, too, which is translating into weird extreme weather, and huge surf and high tides. It's been a while since we've seen this combination (2004-2005-2006, or there abouts). We have high tides and huge, damaging surf here in California. It happens every time we get this without a cutoff low off the coast or along the coast. We'll have higher tides in January and May, too. Those on the coast will need to adapt, again. We're in the middle of it, so adjust accordingly. This seems like it's going to be a big El Niño year, so heads up! Have a great day! More crazy weather coming. Here we go! BTW, my grandson loves his hat. He's wearing it everywhere! Great to see your book doing so well! It's a classic! I can't wait for the next one! ❤ from California!
About the road from the upper field to the cow barn...French drain!! You need a french drain running beside the road, to pull the water away from the travel path and to prevent puddling.
Look at all the lovely things that we’ve provided for him by watching and subscribing! It’s wonderful to see someone earn a sustainable living from RUclips. It’s extremely frustrating to know RUclips is worth over $30 billion when they demonetize so many channels, essentially stealing from them as far as I’m concerned!
I am thrilled to hear about your plans for the post and beam barn - I would have been sad to see it painted red - preserving the look of the wood while protecting sounds like the right call - it is a thing of beauty and I hope every time Morgan and Alison look at it in years to come they will still get a little zing of joy !
Just thinking out loud. Given your poultry oriented operation, have you considered raising turkeys in time for thanksgiving and maybe Christmas? It’s a seasonal do and done sort of thing.
A local farmer used to do this near me (uk) He decided how many birds he wanted to rear and stuck to it. Generally we ordered the following years bird when we collected that years bird, otherwise he had a late summer cut off, so he could rear what was needed. We took ours in feather as I had a plucking machine, but for a charge they could be fully dressed.
@@trippinggauntlet4520 maybe take orders with deposit and desired weight and order poults early fall in time to grow them out in stages for desired weight stages for thanksgiving and maybe Christmas ?
@@karenfay4545 Absolutely, although he shouldn't promise an exact weight, with live animals that's nigh on impossible to do, you can't just stop feeding them. Ours generally would be within a 5 lb range, although one year our desired 20 ish pounder was 32 lbs LOL. We just took a single breast off that one for Xmas Dinner it was 8 lbs.
@@trippinggauntlet4520 I got a turkey from a local farmer. I put down a $35 deposit with a fixed price/pound for a partial farmer's input costs, and the rest was due when I got the bird. The final weight was determined the final price. My turkey (14.5 lbs) ended up being a total of $85 (-$35 down payment so $50 due). It was delicious!
The problem with raising turkeys is that ones you seen in the supermarkets can't breed without help. By help I mean the toms have to be milked, then the females have to be inseminated by hand. That is not something I would want to have to do.
More trail cam videos please! It's interesting to see what happens in the back of the farm. It will also be reassuring to understand what's living back there especially if you intend to winter the cattle in the back.
We all have ancestors who were farmers and its a privilege to be allowed to tag along and see what that life is like. You seem to be such a sweet and considerate person. Thanks for uploading your journey to youtube. Looking forward to what you have to show us during 2024. :)
Back in the caveman days, all our ancestors were gatherers and hunters. Eventually, they became farmers. They grow and raise food. Now we have grocery stores.
yah ~ open a convenience store in one side of your barn & maybe a drive in screen on one of the outsides of the barn ~ only not cars but lawn chairs ~ and year round camping ~@@LaoSoftware
Have you thought of building like a cutout in the wall of the barn closer to the floor to sweep the used bedding from the chick area out of, maybe into a chute that empties into a compost bin? Would be easier than chucking it out the window and more efficient since it would be going directly into a compost system.
That list sounds great for 2024 projects! I think building up your cattle herd is much more ideal than trying to wrangle sheep into the mix. I look forward to watching things transpire on the farm in the coming year! Thanks for being awesome as ever Morgan! 💖
GSF is my favorite YT channel. I know that because I watch your videos immediately when I see them posted (the memorial to Molly Murder Mittens being an exception; had to brace myself for that one). So two long form videos a week instead of three makes me go *Waaaah,* but that is in no way a complaint, just a wail. I love the list of projects for 2024: so many exciting things will be happening! One thing I wonder if you've considered - not for 2024, of course, but maybe 2025 - is putting another workshop/shed out on the upper pasture. It is quite a schlep from the current barn(s) to there, and having some basic supplies and tools near to hand in case of an emergency might be a good thing. Also a toilet there might be nicer than going on the pasture, particularly when the weather is bad.
Definitely think if you are cutting back to two videos a week, then you should make sure one of them is released on Saturday mornings. Also good on you for realizing its not the right time to try out sheep. I think your choices of more chickens, more cattle, and doing another round of feeder pigs is very smart. They are quite a good synergetic trifecta on the farm, and if you do bring in a dairy cow, thats a great way of supplying even more feed for your chickens and pigs produced on farm, as well as more chickens means excess eggs and birds can be used to also feed the pigs. Also, I really like the idea of a separate yard/area to keep some of the cattle during the winter months. Especially your bull and steers, there is little reason to have them near the barn if there are other options, especially if the bull is not getting access to breed any of the cows. Hopefully you don't only add more highlands, I do really think diversifying your herd more makes a lot more sense, and since you only use a HL bull, a jersey for milking (with a heifer calf) would be super smart, as well as trying to bring in some cows to produce a good amount of meat steers each season (ie. long haired southern polls would be a good option) would be smart. You'd still be producing pure HL, while also increasing your capacity to produce steers, and having 1-2 jerseys for milk production would be optimal.
It might be good to think about drainage options - for the land, and possibly some type of guttering - in case wet snow and rain becomes a norm. Not necessarily a project for next year, but something to think about for the future? Either way, sounds like you have a lot planned for next year and I look forward to seeing what happens.
All these projects Morgan, don’t spread yourself too thin. It is pretty cool though that now you can put all your energy into things you want to do. Makes the work seem more like a hobby not a grind. I am so happy to see where you are at now. I started watching to have “company” while I was working from home during the beginnings of COVID. You are living the dream, not saying everything is easy, but your there, your where you wanted to be when you started down this path.
Kind of sad about only two a week, but I understand you have lots of other things to keep you busy, like taking care of the farm and animals, which is no small feat, and editing takes up an incredible amount of time no matter how much you don't mind doing it. Lots of projects on the horizon, they all sound like good ideas, can't wait to see them. Hope the weather improves, it's looking awfully muddy,lol. Morgan, thanks for taking us along to discuss what's coming up for Gold Shaw Farm. Wishing you and Allison a Happy New Year!🎆 🎉🎈
Oooh… a whole gold Shaw series!!! That’s going to be so fun. Lots of exciting plans. We need to really get some sort of plan for our tiny homestead in 24 🌱
Hello Morgan! At least the rain replenishes the water table…. I am sure you have considered that when you build your brooding room in the garage, you will need a vapor barrier to protect the walls (and insulation) from condensation damage. I think you made the right decision regarding the introduction of sheep, too. Happy New Year, Morgan and Allison and the farm family!
❤ Thanx, Morgan, for the 2024 preview. It looks like it will be very busy and productive year. Happy New Year, 2024 to you, Allison, and all GSF channel subscribers. ❤
Hi Morgan I have mentioned before that you have no poultry nesting boxes. Do you notice how your chickens prefer to lay inside your small chicken coop? So many boxes available give the chickens no privacy. I believe all your birds , ducks, geese and chickens would love to have enclosed nest boxes with thick straw beds and down lining. Have only a small opening just big enought to let in a bird.Such a box will maximise your chance to get naturally hatched birds. It is easy to access these boxes because the tops can be hinged. Sloping tops will make it difficult for the birds to perch on the boxes. Keep the boxes off the ground as it makes for warmer nests. I believe these boxes will encourage the ducks to lay in the box. Big enclosed private boxes for the geese. Good luck.
Suggestions > 1 place large air filled balls [ basketball size maybe, black if you can find them]. In the cattle water troughs. Cattle can push to reach water. Helps with keeping water surface breakable and heat in when minimizing water to air contact. Could get creative > use 1 Gallon jugs that you paint insides black. [ use grade school safe paints , but you just coat the inside, and cap back on ]. 2. wrap those troughs with insulation or black thick plastic sand filled bags. 3 Small tarp on floor of baby chicken brooder. [ don't make one large area better to have 2 smaller areas]. Then add straw [or shavings]. For cleaning You can then fold sides half way and roll the tarp,[ think egg roll style]. Tie it closed to move it to your compost area etc. Less messy then shoveling out a window. Save your back! You could lower tarp down the stairs using pullys. 5. I hope you get the big barn at least painted. To protect the aging weathered wood. Am glad to hear the gutters to big barn is on the list.
Nowhere near a farmer, but just love your channel, so I'll be happy with everything you do in the new year Absolutely wonderful update! Glad to hear you're so conscious about what you're actually doing vs what is "content". The Sheep idea while new and cool and fun, def doesn't fit in your farm structure I agree, and that's ok. Glad to hear pigs are back and I hope they made some fertile land, and good eats for you in the past year. 1,2,4,6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12 all seem like normal progression for what you do and like to do on your farm. Keep it up dude! You're def living the farming life and us city folk love living vicariously through your vids!
Its rainy here too but we do get this warmth every year in late December here and everyone's still shocked when it happens LOL. I start my hibernation when the snow starts though :) hubby takes care of the out doorsey stuff so I can stay warm
I hope you have a wonderful and successful 2024 New Year. You missed 1 thing on your list of things to do. Stay organized and pick up after yourself. This will make your wife very happy 😊. I am also sad that you are only going to do 2 videos per week. My request is to please tell us the date you took your videos. I am guessing that it takes you a couple of days to edit them. ❤ from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦
Hi Morgan, I'm glad you are sticking with what you know and have already learned. It's a plus you really enjoy it as well. I could see raising a few lambs if you wanted for the freezer but other than that, nah. We typically buy the lambs from the kids when they have their FFA or sales /shows.
I personally can't wait to see where the farm goes in 2024 and beyond. I think not adding sheep for the coming year was a good idea, with your plans to expand your cattle herd, expand your chicken flock, and really get into pork production, and your other projects, adding sheep to the far would only add more to your already pretty full plate. I'm excited to see how the new year goes and I can't wait to keep watching you into the future.
Hey Morgan, good to see you. If you have spoiled hay, straw…. Toss it in the outside chicken area so they’re not slipping, and easier on you and dogs. In spring just rake it up for compost. I’m in Mass., with all the rain… I’ve found I can use the dirty chicken hay in the garden. I use it in the rows between and it gets washed and tossed in the garden in a few weeks. Chicken breeds…. Thoughts on Icelandics? The couple up in Alaska really like them.
Love the plan! It's smart to skip sheep for now to go commercial with pigs, seeing as you have the space, knowhow and feed available. You will have plenty of work maintaining & growing your cattle herd, forging ahead with more pigs, and setting up your bird nursery, along with beautification. It's smart to plan that in. You're trying to build on what you have without overextending. That's exactly where I'm at with things in my life right now.
Can you post more garden videos I know Allison isn’t a fan of The camera but she has a way of how she speaks and how she loves her garden it gives me hope for my own small balcony garden. I would love to know I any more tips and tricks she y’all have. A time capsule short or video of your garden from the start of the year to the end of the year would be amazing if possible. 😊 love this channel!
Will you need to weasel/raccoon proof the nursery as well? I can imagine how tempting all those little, fluffy baby birds would be. And raccoons, etc can squeeze through amazingly small holes
Can't wait for the pond thing!! This is my personal favorite. Are you going to make it like a permanent pond with fish and stuff??? I hope you do. I saw a couple of RUclipsrs here who have their own pond, or I'd even call it a lake. This has got to be so much fun. Boating around in your own pond, fishing in your own pond, letting your waterfowl swim around in an actual real lake! Ahh man. You live the dream!
With a pond sizeable enough you could even dedicate a portion of it to solar panels, which actually perform better closer to the waters cooling effect, and work to stop the water from evaporating as fast, plus you can even grow certain food underneath it hydroponically. Certain things like strawberries for instance benefit from the shade as well. Water is the key to life, and water management is crucial to fighting climate change imho. Places are going to have to learn to adapt to changing water levels by either storing shrinking amounts of it, or finding ways to get rid of it - ideally by having it soak into the ground as much as possible.
Cutting back on videos is very smart. Better time management and sanity is key. Also it'll likely allow for higher viewership on videos that may be slightly higher quality (?) since you won't be stressing so much on quantity. Good luck
For the road, put down filter fabric and stone on top that you can roll down. The filter fabric slows down the loss of the stone. You would need to add and re-roll the stone, maybe once a year.
I had a feeling sheep wouldn't happen. Especially with the current vet issues and how much they breed and love to randomly die, it didn't seem like the kinda stuff you'd be adding so soon. Not to mention they would require some of the real estate that the cows currently use, especially for the winter moths, I guess. Yay for the return of the pigs! Also, since you already deal with so many birds, do you think turkeys are a possible addition? You already have all the infrastructure and they are prepared for the local weather. On the other hand they are very big and might harm some of your smaller birds, and they also are yet another grain/veggies animal that doesn't really eat grass. I wonder if there are some low-effort grains you could produce there for your birds, kind of like you did with the hoop coop during the warm months and the random crops.
Morgan, you have made SO much progress in all areas of your farm! I’m proud of you. How many Toby Dog of Gold Shaw farm books have you sold? I bought one & the illustrations are great & the story is told in an unusual way. I love your sense of humor in this book.
10:03 maybe aquascape waterfall or pond , like open aviary maybe ? blake exotics has it house on the hill has it . they look very good nearly no maintenance . for cattle you can have heated automatic Waterers made for cattle and equine , so you don't have to worry about hose freezing and all .
Quality over quantity imo. My heart palpitated when you said less videos (my assumption was like 1 video per month). LOL I like the new schedule mentioned in the video
I agree no sheep and work on cattle. Yeah pigs - I’m sure Allison is happy. Can’t wait to see the chicken hatching turns out. Staining the barn will be beautiful. Did you draw up plans for hatching room? Can’t wait til you share it. Twice a week is good and totally support your decision ❤ thanks Happy 🎉 new year
For the road project may I suggest fleece or astroturf. It helps with mud if you don't want asphalt or stone. (Cows' hoof don't like pebbles, and concrete, they can get stuck in there causing problems)
I'm glad you've given a pass on the sheep raising, at least for the moment. It's a huge time commitment with a lot of learning required for each new animal and from what I've seen with sheep on other channels, the margins are slim until you scale up larger than you'd want to right away. I think the pigs are more versatile as they eat a lot of things that would normally go to waste and convert it into meat weight pretty easily.
With your moisture issue along the road or even in your fields, you might consider looking into field tile. Perforated plastic pipes buried underground that water will seep into and you can direct the pipes to where you want the water to go like your ponds or out to the creek.
2 things to consider: 1) Mini Water tower on the upper pasture. 2) Battery backup Power walls to ensure you have the power to run the farm & incubators in case of an outage!
He is a part of the solar co-op on property next door.
What about a new barn kitty? I know it’s a chore but maybe it would be a good idea ❤
He also already has battery backups for the house. He's mentioned a couple times, he has Tesla power walls in the basement.
@@newnece09 Shhhhh, cat distribution system works without our input.
I'm very proud of Abby and you for your patience with her. I think you can tell how much better she has been based on the birds comfort around her. When the goose felt comfortable enough getting inside of her personal space and not being concerned of being attacked. The chickens are eating contently beside her even when she does go to sniff them. That implies they don't see her as a direct threat/predator.
If you haven't been warned yet, in a couple weeks to maybe a month and a half or so from now, the amount of heat and moister flung north from the gulf of Mexico due to El Nino, has a VERY high likelihood of popping the polar vortex, which would shoot a ton of frigid polar air southward similar to the weather event that froze Texas a few years ago. If that happens, you and I are looking at getting an absolute POUNDING of snow. The weather is changing and the experts have no idea what to expect anymore, but that's looking like a good possibility according to some models. Stay informed and stay safe. Another successful year on the farm and I can't wait to see all your improvements over the next one!
@Fenthule just catching up on Morgan’s videos, oh how right you were! Polar vortex sure hit, some friends in Alabama have never had snow, got few inches that turned into ice across their farm. Ohio oh the wind chill was so cold, freezing actually! I’m in California, hour south of Sacramento, we are not much different since the vortex didn’t hit here but lowered our temps some & getting our normal Jan rain.
I feel sad you're only going to twice a week, but at the same time, do what's best for you, Morgan. Makes for a happier you. Our family is 100% behind that.
Same
I feel like as Morgan progresses the content includes more data and the longer form communicates more. Twice a week posting is probably much more than just two days work.
Totally agree - Morgan’s videos are so good (unique camera angles, music that works amazing well, and storylines) they seem effortless which shows me the amount of effort that goes into them - twice a week is a good call and I will still look forward to every one
I'd rather see him get more done on the farm, be more relaxed, and make 2 really great videos than have Morgan stretch for a schedule that's not sustainable for him. I have too much to watch already!
I would release videos only on Saturdays or Sundays. Most viewers are at home and relaxing on the weekends. So we have time to enjoy your videos. On weekdays, everyone is working full-time jobs.
I think you are wise to avoid raising sheep. Most sheep herder's I've observed use a Border Collie to control them. They are incredibly focused on the sheep, but require tons of training to get good control. They also can tend to nip people if the run from them. Pigs are a great fit, IMO, for your farm. Love watching your adventures and progress.
lol
So true about the nipping my little neighbor boy was riding his bicycle and he kept saying och and I didn't realize that my 14 year old border Collie mix was gently pinching his arm to heard him . Boots did not leave a mark on him but...... And she was only a quarter border collie. There's a lot to raising sheep they will pile one on top of another and run themselves to death against fences and all kinds of...... My fondest memories of Germany however are the sheep herders and they would on the Autobahn they would take their sheep up the hills and down the hills by the hundreds with their dogs doing all the work.
I appreciate that you display Celsius temperatures when you mention the Fahrenheit equivalent. Thanks
Wow! That's a LOTTA projects! But, if anyone can do it, you can. Wishing you all the best in 2024.
Every time I see those spikes on your gumboots, I feel satisfied that you are respecting your safety. Very important. As the lone farm worker, you are dependent upon yourself. I love that hoop-coop. Glad to hear of your plans.
I have those spikes. They're awesome for walking on ice. Everyone in an area prone to ice should have them
I love my Yak Trax.
Love my spikes. If you live anywhere with ice, keep a pair in house and car!
Loved them when I was a college student in Pittsburgh. Definitely saved me from falling more than once
For the hatchery, find walk in refrigerator panels, well insulated, easy to install and clean, they have a thin layer of stainless steel on them. Would also make it easy to tear down and move if you change plans. Some even include a simple insulated floor.
I use this on my farm; can find some cheap at restaurant auctions that come w/o the compressors. I converted one into a mushroom incubator room and it works great for only $250.
Since your barn is not insulated and freely ventilated I would suggest building completely new walls for your hatchery. That way you can insulate them without effecting any ventilation needs of the barn. Also condensation due to the large temperature difference will be reduced. Keep up the fabulous work you do and two videos a week is perfect.
Yup…the hatching room will be insulated and have an air intake for circulation
❤ HAPPY NEW YEAR MORGAN & ALISON & ANIMALS ❣wishing yous health, joy , prosperity, & peace. ❤
I don't know what kind of wood your new barn is made from or if it's been treated in some way already. But here in Norway we stain the outside walls as soon as possible. The patina will appear anyway, but to avoid damages and ensure that the stain adheres properly we stain quickly. This is when Norway spruce is used.
Not surprised at all that you're cutting back on videos. They are time consuming and you have lots of projects going on. Also, I love that you're going to stain and not paint the barn. The wood is lovely and the stain will not only help the wood but show it off.
3/4" minus gravel or 3/4' crusher run (depends on location for the term) would be great for that track on the side. Avoid wood chips in the mix, they soak up water, swell & can inhibite drainage. Avoid any landscape cloth underneath, when the pot holes show up using the tines on a box blade behind the tractor to regrade, will just rip it up & make a hell of a mess!
Lol was gonna recommend the minus, too. I would add though that if he is a little worried about aesthetics, do NOT do 2" clean on top of the minus layer. Takes forever to settle and if you're just walking along not paying attention, you can easily trip over 4" rocks that had a slim enough profile to get through whatever was used to sift the gravel.
I will happily watch all the barn cat footage you will post.
I look forward to 2024 on the farm.
Given that Vermont appears to be trending toward a waterlogged cycle, at least laying down some crushed concrete and gravel for your access road sounds like a really good idea. If bringing in a crew for that, you may want to think about setting up a drained area at exits to hoop coop to minimize mess/icing danger there, and possibly drainage for barn roof run off.
I really like idea of staining new barn, that wood is too gorgeous to hide.
I love that barn. Justin did such a great job! Glad you’re able to use it the way you want.
Your plans for next year sound great. Can't wait to see them go into effect. Also, being the dog trainer I am, it's always heartwarming to see Abby and the progress you've helped her make. So good to see you being so on top of things. Abby's reaction to your correction was absolutely perfect. You've found the sweet spot for correcting her - not too harsh, not too soft - and her reaction of immediately stopping, sitting, then seeking reassurance was great. Kudos to you for all the hard work you've put in with her. It definitely shows.
You do not want to add wood chips to your farm road, scrape off the loam, lay down a base of crushed stone, and then a layer of course gravel. Any biomass breaks down to become mulch which will hold water in any road, that is why you never bury tree stumps in a road.
What about raising Rhode Island Reds which are winter hardy and produce nearly an egg per day.
Do you have enough drop in elevation in the stream to do microhydro to produce electricity?
The good thing for me in 2024 i get to watch your video's if i live that long....Cause i am close to the end of my life,now in my 80's...
Thanks Morgan and you and your Wife all the best in the New Year 👍
Old Shoe🇺🇸
Thanks for sharing your ideas! Because of a project I'm working on, two things came to mind when I listened to your list: 1. Maybe reconsider allowing cattle to get into running water from the spring, as they will add nitrogen and germs to the water from their soilings. The water or soil conservation people for your area should be able to offer guidance if needed. 2. In regards to road building, from my own experience I've learned that soil compacts from the weight of (anything) on it which decreases its porosity and thus water drains slower if at all. Adding organic material, surprisingly, does not increase porosity, but increases water retention and makes muck. So, you might do best biting the bullet and using a river gravel which has varying sizes of sand and rolled stones with no sharp edges that could cut feet or cause a twisted ankle. It ends up laying flat with use, but remains porous due to the sand, thus it drains. And I think if you put roof gutters on the barn you will be truly amazed how dry the area around the barn becomes. You may actually use it more and be able to use the stored water from the roof!
Happy New Year blessings to you and yours!!
Catching up here,,, I love that Bruce the Goose went from trying to fit in to the IT Goose to the gals! Good going Bruce! Seeing Bett the silkie standing there by the door, just want to hug her! ❤ Sounds like you will be busy, the weather changing is strange but expected. Will look forward to your 2 videos! You sure got some great advice in these comments! Happy, healthy, blessed 2024 to You & Alison & allll the feather & furrbabies! ❤️🙏🤗
Gosh it's bonkers thinking that right at the start all you had was a duck house, not even a proper fence and Pablo barncat, feels surreal to see the level of progress you made. 2024 will be a good year, go get 'em!
Thanks for saying, "I don't know" I believe fewer than 5 times. I for one appreciate it. Never the less I enjoy your videos.
😊😊😊 I plan to go back and rewatch an early farm video just to see how far you have come. ❤❤❤❤❤❤
Your New barn has a beautiful roof !!
Your barn is gorgeous, and staining instead of painting will actually enhance it’s beauty by highlighting the wood grain!
I’m not a farmer, and don’t know anything about sheep, but foregoing the sheep seems smart, as you would also have to get into shearing, and is there a big enough market in your area to make it a profitable venture?
You already have experience and knowledge with the other animals you are raising, so bringing another species into the equation, especially when you are the sole farm worker would be a dramatic increase in your work load!
Morgan, you & Allison have a BLESSED 2024, & a HAPPY NEW YEAR!🎉🎉🎉🎉🥳🥳🥳🥳
I like the way you are planning the work for the farm next year. You and your wife have come a long way with this farm.❤❤😊😊
I was wondering what you were going to do with the paint job, but staining it ain't such a bad idea. It will really bring out the natural beauty of the timbering.
This is true El Niño year. The space weather has been pretty crazy, too, which is translating into weird extreme weather, and huge surf and high tides.
It's been a while since we've seen this combination (2004-2005-2006, or there abouts).
We have high tides and huge, damaging surf here in California. It happens every time we get this without a cutoff low off the coast or along the coast. We'll have higher tides in January and May, too. Those on the coast will need to adapt, again.
We're in the middle of it, so adjust accordingly. This seems like it's going to be a big El Niño year, so heads up!
Have a great day! More crazy weather coming.
Here we go!
BTW, my grandson loves his hat. He's wearing it everywhere! Great to see your book doing so well! It's a classic! I can't wait for the next one!
❤ from California!
I really like your plans for the hatchery in your new barn. Added plus: the baby birds should be very safe from predators in this site
About the road from the upper field to the cow barn...French drain!! You need a french drain running beside the road, to pull the water away from the travel path and to prevent puddling.
Look at all the lovely things that we’ve provided for him by watching and subscribing! It’s wonderful to see someone earn a sustainable living from RUclips. It’s extremely frustrating to know RUclips is worth over $30 billion when they demonetize so many channels, essentially stealing from them as far as I’m concerned!
I am thrilled to hear about your plans for the post and beam barn - I would have been sad to see it painted red - preserving the look of the wood while protecting sounds like the right call - it is a thing of beauty and I hope every time Morgan and Alison look at it in years to come they will still get a little zing of joy !
Just thinking out loud. Given your poultry oriented operation, have you considered raising turkeys in time for thanksgiving and maybe Christmas? It’s a seasonal do and done sort of thing.
A local farmer used to do this near me (uk) He decided how many birds he wanted to rear and stuck to it. Generally we ordered the following years bird when we collected that years bird, otherwise he had a late summer cut off, so he could rear what was needed. We took ours in feather as I had a plucking machine, but for a charge they could be fully dressed.
@@trippinggauntlet4520 maybe take orders with deposit and desired weight and order poults early fall in time to grow them out in stages for desired weight stages for thanksgiving and maybe Christmas ?
@@karenfay4545 Absolutely, although he shouldn't promise an exact weight, with live animals that's nigh on impossible to do, you can't just stop feeding them. Ours generally would be within a 5 lb range, although one year our desired 20 ish pounder was 32 lbs LOL. We just took a single breast off that one for Xmas Dinner it was 8 lbs.
@@trippinggauntlet4520 I got a turkey from a local farmer. I put down a $35 deposit with a fixed price/pound for a partial farmer's input costs, and the rest was due when I got the bird. The final weight was determined the final price. My turkey (14.5 lbs) ended up being a total of $85 (-$35 down payment so $50 due). It was delicious!
The problem with raising turkeys is that ones you seen in the supermarkets can't breed without help. By help I mean the toms have to be milked, then the females have to be inseminated by hand. That is not something I would want to have to do.
Your ideas for 2024 sound exciting. Looking forward to those future videos.
Glad you like them!
Happy New Year to the Goldshaw farm family and fans!
Please do a calendar for 2025...please please please
More trail cam videos please! It's interesting to see what happens in the back of the farm. It will also be reassuring to understand what's living back there especially if you intend to winter the cattle in the back.
Happy New Year to you, Alison and all the farm critters!! (And your buddy, Alfred)
Happy new year!
We all have ancestors who were farmers and its a privilege to be allowed to tag along and see what that life is like. You seem to be such a sweet and considerate person. Thanks for uploading your journey to youtube. Looking forward to what you have to show us during 2024. :)
Back in the caveman days, all our ancestors were gatherers and hunters. Eventually, they became farmers. They grow and raise food. Now we have grocery stores.
yah ~ open a convenience store in one side of your barn & maybe a drive in screen on one of the outsides of the barn ~ only not cars but lawn chairs ~ and year round camping ~@@LaoSoftware
Bruce The Goose went from being the outcast to the lead gander, good job Bruce, I hope he lives a long life.~
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE AND I WISH YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have you thought of building like a cutout in the wall of the barn closer to the floor to sweep the used bedding from the chick area out of, maybe into a chute that empties into a compost bin? Would be easier than chucking it out the window and more efficient since it would be going directly into a compost system.
I support you and the decisions you make. I’m just here watching the ride
Hey buddy, if you can, make some more videos with the camera attached to the cat because it's always hilarious to see their routine! Hugs from Brazil.
I can't wait to see your new exciting plans come to fruition in 2024. Hope you had a relaxing Christmas, and heres to 2024 😊
That list sounds great for 2024 projects! I think building up your cattle herd is much more ideal than trying to wrangle sheep into the mix. I look forward to watching things transpire on the farm in the coming year! Thanks for being awesome as ever Morgan! 💖
GSF is my favorite YT channel. I know that because I watch your videos immediately when I see them posted (the memorial to Molly Murder Mittens being an exception; had to brace myself for that one). So two long form videos a week instead of three makes me go *Waaaah,* but that is in no way a complaint, just a wail.
I love the list of projects for 2024: so many exciting things will be happening! One thing I wonder if you've considered - not for 2024, of course, but maybe 2025 - is putting another workshop/shed out on the upper pasture. It is quite a schlep from the current barn(s) to there, and having some basic supplies and tools near to hand in case of an emergency might be a good thing. Also a toilet there might be nicer than going on the pasture, particularly when the weather is bad.
Happy New Year, Morgan, Alison, Toby, Abby, Pablo, Ginnie, Lil', and subscribers! What a wonderful community!
same to you & everyone else who loves these videos & this farm & these beloved people & animos ~
Happy Holidays to you and your whole family and farm animals! Best wishes for 2024! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜♥️
Definitely think if you are cutting back to two videos a week, then you should make sure one of them is released on Saturday mornings. Also good on you for realizing its not the right time to try out sheep. I think your choices of more chickens, more cattle, and doing another round of feeder pigs is very smart. They are quite a good synergetic trifecta on the farm, and if you do bring in a dairy cow, thats a great way of supplying even more feed for your chickens and pigs produced on farm, as well as more chickens means excess eggs and birds can be used to also feed the pigs.
Also, I really like the idea of a separate yard/area to keep some of the cattle during the winter months. Especially your bull and steers, there is little reason to have them near the barn if there are other options, especially if the bull is not getting access to breed any of the cows. Hopefully you don't only add more highlands, I do really think diversifying your herd more makes a lot more sense, and since you only use a HL bull, a jersey for milking (with a heifer calf) would be super smart, as well as trying to bring in some cows to produce a good amount of meat steers each season (ie. long haired southern polls would be a good option) would be smart. You'd still be producing pure HL, while also increasing your capacity to produce steers, and having 1-2 jerseys for milk production would be optimal.
It might be good to think about drainage options - for the land, and possibly some type of guttering - in case wet snow and rain becomes a norm. Not necessarily a project for next year, but something to think about for the future? Either way, sounds like you have a lot planned for next year and I look forward to seeing what happens.
All these projects Morgan, don’t spread yourself too thin. It is pretty cool though that now you can put all your energy into things you want to do. Makes the work seem more like a hobby not a grind. I am so happy to see where you are at now. I started watching to have “company” while I was working from home during the beginnings of COVID. You are living the dream, not saying everything is easy, but your there, your where you wanted to be when you started down this path.
Kind of sad about only two a week, but I understand you have lots of other things to keep you busy, like taking care of the farm and animals, which is no small feat, and editing takes up an incredible amount of time no matter how much you don't mind doing it. Lots of projects on the horizon, they all sound like good ideas, can't wait to see them. Hope the weather improves, it's looking awfully muddy,lol. Morgan, thanks for taking us along to discuss what's coming up for Gold Shaw Farm. Wishing you and Allison a Happy New Year!🎆 🎉🎈
If you search my name, you might also find something new I’ve started working on 🤫
Ok I will, thanks for the heads up!
Happy New Years!🎆🎉
Oooh… a whole gold Shaw series!!! That’s going to be so fun. Lots of exciting plans. We need to really get some sort of plan for our tiny homestead in 24 🌱
Hello Morgan! At least the rain replenishes the water table…. I am sure you have considered that when you build your brooding room in the garage, you will need a vapor barrier to protect the walls (and insulation) from condensation damage. I think you made the right decision regarding the introduction of sheep, too. Happy New Year, Morgan and Allison and the farm family!
❤ Thanx, Morgan, for the 2024 preview. It looks like it will be very busy and productive year. Happy New Year, 2024 to you, Allison, and all GSF channel subscribers. ❤
Your videos will NEVER be boring. I don't think you need to worry.
I agree 😊👍
Definitely!!!
ABBY CAME A LONG WAY YOUR FARM IS GREAT AND I LOVE YOUR VIDEO'S THANK YOU FOR SHARING
Hi Morgan I have mentioned before that you have no poultry nesting boxes. Do you notice how your chickens prefer to lay inside your small chicken coop? So many boxes available give the chickens no privacy. I believe all your birds , ducks, geese and chickens would love to have enclosed nest boxes with thick straw beds and down lining. Have only a small opening just big enought to let in a bird.Such a box will maximise your chance to get naturally hatched birds. It is easy to access these boxes because the tops can be hinged. Sloping tops will make it difficult for the birds to perch on the boxes. Keep the boxes off the ground as it makes for warmer nests. I believe these boxes will encourage the ducks to lay in the box. Big enclosed private boxes for the geese. Good luck.
Suggestions > 1 place large air filled balls [ basketball size maybe, black if you can find them]. In the cattle water troughs. Cattle can push to reach water. Helps with keeping water surface breakable and heat in when minimizing water to air contact.
Could get creative > use 1 Gallon jugs that you paint insides black. [ use grade school safe paints , but you just coat the inside, and cap back on ].
2. wrap those troughs with insulation or black thick plastic sand filled bags.
3 Small tarp on floor of baby chicken brooder. [ don't make one large area better to have 2 smaller areas].
Then add straw [or shavings]. For cleaning You can then fold sides half way and roll the tarp,[ think egg roll style].
Tie it closed to move it to your compost area etc. Less messy then shoveling out a window. Save your back! You could lower tarp down the stairs using pullys.
5. I hope you get the big barn at least painted. To protect the aging weathered wood. Am glad to hear the gutters to big barn is on the list.
It sounds like an amazing plan. Your new barn is beautiful.
Nowhere near a farmer, but just love your channel, so I'll be happy with everything you do in the new year
Absolutely wonderful update!
Glad to hear you're so conscious about what you're actually doing vs what is "content".
The Sheep idea while new and cool and fun, def doesn't fit in your farm structure I agree, and that's ok.
Glad to hear pigs are back and I hope they made some fertile land, and good eats for you in the past year.
1,2,4,6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12 all seem like normal progression for what you do and like to do on your farm.
Keep it up dude! You're def living the farming life and us city folk love living vicariously through your vids!
i will still watch most of the vidieos straight away. happy new year i hope 2024 is a really great year for you allison and your animals
Looking forward to 2024! Happy New Year and thank you for all of your help this year, I super appreciate it!
Happy new year!
Its rainy here too but we do get this warmth every year in late December here and everyone's still shocked when it happens LOL. I start my hibernation when the snow starts though :) hubby takes care of the out doorsey stuff so I can stay warm
I hear ya! I’m a big fan with your hibernation too.
Happy new year to you both. Thank you for all your video and for being so open and honest in them. Please keep weird chichen of Zen moment in 2024.❤️
I hope you have a wonderful and successful 2024 New Year. You missed 1 thing on your list of things to do.
Stay organized and pick up after yourself. This will make your wife very happy 😊.
I am also sad that you are only going to do 2 videos per week. My request is to please tell us the date you took your videos. I am guessing that it takes you a couple of days to edit them.
❤ from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦
Hi Morgan, I'm glad you are sticking with what you know and have already learned. It's a plus you really enjoy it as well. I could see raising a few lambs if you wanted for the freezer but other than that, nah. We typically buy the lambs from the kids when they have their FFA or sales /shows.
I have a 7 month old and am excited to finally see the book in paperback!
I personally can't wait to see where the farm goes in 2024 and beyond. I think not adding sheep for the coming year was a good idea, with your plans to expand your cattle herd, expand your chicken flock, and really get into pork production, and your other projects, adding sheep to the far would only add more to your already pretty full plate. I'm excited to see how the new year goes and I can't wait to keep watching you into the future.
Hey Morgan, good to see you. If you have spoiled hay, straw…. Toss it in the outside chicken area so they’re not slipping, and easier on you and dogs. In spring just rake it up for compost. I’m in Mass., with all the rain… I’ve found I can use the dirty chicken hay in the garden. I use it in the rows between and it gets washed and tossed in the garden in a few weeks. Chicken breeds…. Thoughts on Icelandics? The couple up in Alaska really like them.
Love the plan! It's smart to skip sheep for now to go commercial with pigs, seeing as you have the space, knowhow and feed available. You will have plenty of work maintaining & growing your cattle herd, forging ahead with more pigs, and setting up your bird nursery, along with beautification. It's smart to plan that in. You're trying to build on what you have without overextending. That's exactly where I'm at with things in my life right now.
So true!
Can you post more garden videos I know Allison isn’t a fan of
The camera but she has a way of how she speaks and how she loves her garden it gives me hope for my own small balcony garden. I would love to know I any more tips and tricks she y’all have. A time capsule short or video of your garden from the start of the year to the end of the year would be amazing if possible. 😊 love this channel!
All of your projects look great! You should be so proud of yourself and all of your hard work. Well done!
I hope continuing success for you, your farm and channel, and family! I’ll be here to check in when you upload
Will you need to weasel/raccoon proof the nursery as well? I can imagine how tempting all those little, fluffy baby birds would be. And raccoons, etc can squeeze through amazingly small holes
Can't wait for the pond thing!! This is my personal favorite.
Are you going to make it like a permanent pond with fish and stuff??? I hope you do. I saw a couple of RUclipsrs here who have their own pond, or I'd even call it a lake.
This has got to be so much fun. Boating around in your own pond, fishing in your own pond, letting your waterfowl swim around in an actual real lake!
Ahh man. You live the dream!
With a pond sizeable enough you could even dedicate a portion of it to solar panels, which actually perform better closer to the waters cooling effect, and work to stop the water from evaporating as fast, plus you can even grow certain food underneath it hydroponically. Certain things like strawberries for instance benefit from the shade as well. Water is the key to life, and water management is crucial to fighting climate change imho. Places are going to have to learn to adapt to changing water levels by either storing shrinking amounts of it, or finding ways to get rid of it - ideally by having it soak into the ground as much as possible.
Cutting back on videos is very smart. Better time management and sanity is key. Also it'll likely allow for higher viewership on videos that may be slightly higher quality (?) since you won't be stressing so much on quantity. Good luck
Just wanted to say yay for pigs again, I really enjoyed watching pig content. Happy new year everyone.
Yo Morgan. Keep on keepin on. Love watching your videos in the morning. ❤
For the road, put down filter fabric and stone on top that you can roll down. The filter fabric slows down the loss of the stone. You would need to add and re-roll the stone, maybe once a year.
Morgans videos make my day and make me wanna have a farm when I grow up hope your plans go we'll
I had a feeling sheep wouldn't happen. Especially with the current vet issues and how much they breed and love to randomly die, it didn't seem like the kinda stuff you'd be adding so soon. Not to mention they would require some of the real estate that the cows currently use, especially for the winter moths, I guess.
Yay for the return of the pigs! Also, since you already deal with so many birds, do you think turkeys are a possible addition? You already have all the infrastructure and they are prepared for the local weather. On the other hand they are very big and might harm some of your smaller birds, and they also are yet another grain/veggies animal that doesn't really eat grass.
I wonder if there are some low-effort grains you could produce there for your birds, kind of like you did with the hoop coop during the warm months and the random crops.
Watching you record in top of the barn, I can just imagine how awesome that timber smells. Plus the wet, moldy hay 😮
Morgan, you have made SO much progress in all areas of your farm! I’m proud of you. How many Toby Dog of Gold Shaw farm books have you sold? I bought one & the illustrations are great & the story is told in an unusual way. I love your sense of humor in this book.
Thats ok 2 videos a week it means better videos happy new year morgan adorable animals im excited to see what 2024 has for you
Thank you for another year of content and sharing your stories. Hope you have a great New years and see you in 2024!
10:03 maybe aquascape waterfall or pond , like open aviary maybe ? blake exotics has it house on the hill has it . they look very good nearly no maintenance .
for cattle you can have heated automatic Waterers made for cattle and equine , so you don't have to worry about hose freezing and all .
Your videos are wonderful ,never boring!! Love what you do, please don't change it too much!
Quality over quantity imo. My heart palpitated when you said less videos (my assumption was like 1 video per month). LOL I like the new schedule mentioned in the video
I agree no sheep and work on cattle. Yeah pigs - I’m sure Allison is happy. Can’t wait to see the chicken hatching turns out. Staining the barn will be beautiful. Did you draw up plans for hatching room? Can’t wait til you share it. Twice a week is good and totally support your decision ❤ thanks Happy 🎉 new year
I would make the hatchery room larger. Two videos is great. Happy New Year!
As a builder love the greenhouse your in !
Happy New Year
For the road project may I suggest fleece or astroturf. It helps with mud if you don't want asphalt or stone. (Cows' hoof don't like pebbles, and concrete, they can get stuck in there causing problems)
hope he sees this
I would totally advice you to look into turkey raising. Opens up a seasonal market and fits into your Poultry focused business
I'm glad you've given a pass on the sheep raising, at least for the moment. It's a huge time commitment with a lot of learning required for each new animal and from what I've seen with sheep on other channels, the margins are slim until you scale up larger than you'd want to right away.
I think the pigs are more versatile as they eat a lot of things that would normally go to waste and convert it into meat weight pretty easily.
Happy new year I hope you have a great 2024
With your moisture issue along the road or even in your fields, you might consider looking into field tile. Perforated plastic pipes buried underground that water will seep into and you can direct the pipes to where you want the water to go like your ponds or out to the creek.