Harmony Shepherdess

Food Freedom Playlist

March 2024 West Virginia Legalizes raw milk with no strings attached in House Bill 4911 which cites that “sales of raw milk are permitted in West Virginia as long as the containers are clearly labeled as ungraded raw milk.  What’s more is that the bill gives the seller of that raw dairy immunity from suit or liability.

Again, March 2024: USDA Responds to public pushback and reinstates Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling for meat products nationwide.

Correcting dishonest legislation that allows imported meat and poultry to be marketed “product of USA”.

Yet again, March 2024: Judge removed the Pennsylvania Department of Agricultures strangle hold on the Amish Farmer, re-establishing Amos Miller’s right to serve private members in 49 of 50 states.

May 2024: The Louisiana Raw Milk Bill passes the House with a vote of 95 to 0. If passed by senate and signed into law, the bill will bring the USA down to just 5 states that prohibit the sale of Raw milk, down from 25 states in 2006.

Enacted in 2017 and revised in 2023 MAINE FOOD SOVEREIGNTY ACT: cites that “local food producers in communities with food sovereignty laws are to remain exempt from state licensing and inspections of food produced, sold, and consumed locally.”

Why am I listing all of these victories shotgun style?

Because I want to remind you that activism makes an impact.

About 8 weeks ago I launched what ended up being an 8-video series that began by highlighting some massive and disturbing overreach is it pertains to state and federal agencies against private farms. The series concluded with me having a 1-1 sit-down with a member of US Congress; asking point-blank questions how can we as concerned citizens be proactive in re-establishing essential civil liberties.

If you missed any of those videos, I’m going to link the entire playlist down below.

But as I have shared this video series, I have realized it can be really easy to fuel an imbalance and isolate our focus on our opponents advancements.  And while I do believe it is strategic to know when and how our enemies are advancing… Providing continuous exposure to the aggression of our opponents might  leave some feeling that activism is ineffective, our efforts are futile, and we might as well go belly up in a bunker waiting for a massive EMP attack.

I have felt this because, while a majority of my comments section is full of proactive people who are excited to lie building their farms or supporting local food as a means of activism and cultural kickback: I started getting comments from people encouraging me to go build an armored ark, give up because at max we have a year before the world is on fire, or don’t get married because my children will inherit nothing but microchips in their forehead.

And I am calling out these negative comments because this is the mindset that opponents of liberty want us to assume: they want us to belly up in a bunker (or armored ark) with no progeny and no one to obstruct their ongoing efforts to totally overtake culture and society.

So this video is to help you refocus on a fundamental truth: and that is that standing in the gap for what is right makes a difference. Period.

In addition to being a biblical concept, it’s akin to Newton’s 3rd law: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Exercising our duty to peacefully protest what is wrong, petitioning government authorities on behalf of what is right, and probably most importantly: just walking the walk by re-establishing our own small farms and supporting local food.

THESE are things that obstruct the pathway of those who would do us ill. And these are things we must continue to do.

Citation for Food Freedom Victories:
https://www.marlerblog.com/lawyer-oped/a-legal-history-of-raw-milk-in-the-united-states/

https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2024/03/11/usda-finalizes-voluntary-product-usa-label-claim-enhance-consumer

https://www.wboy.com/news/west-virginia/west-virginia-politics/raw-milk-bill-passes-in-west-virginia-house-of-delegates

Bellevue Dorper stud in MILLMERRAN QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIA:

• WHERE: Today I am touring Bellevue Grazing Company, an award winning, 6000 acre Dorper Stud in Millmerran, QUEENSLAND Australia. Stud is the term used for a registered breeding stock operation, and the goal at Bellevue is to provide the best grass-based Dorper genetics in all of Queensland.
• RAINFALL IS AROUND 24″ ON AN AVERAGE YEAR, but this year the region has been in an exceptionally challenging drought, with only 8.4” of precipitation within the last 12 months.

In this video we are going to learn:

• How Bellevue Dorper produces award-winning carcasses on FORAGE ONLY, despite navigating in an exceptionally dry climate.
• How and why the Curtis family transitioned from conventional chemical agriculture to organic standards in 2015.
• And finally we are going to get a front row seat as the Curtis family masterfully coordinates their 20th annual on-farm stud sale. Which I found was not simply a sale, but an incredible extension of Australian Hospitality.

FACTS:

In Northeast Texas with average rainfall at 47” annually, achieving a stocking rate of 2-3 sheep per acre and remaining 100% grass fed is possible. However, with rainfall of 8” or less, the numbers are inverted, with a requirement of 3-4 acres per sheep to remain a 100% grass fed operation.

Closing thoughts: 

One of my biggest takeaways from Bellevue Grazing Company was the data driven approach that Sophie takes to raising her flock. To see lambs that produced award winning carcass quality in such difficult conditions was almost unbelievable. Another principle Sophie mentioned was that of the bottom 5%. Identifying and culling the bottom 5% of your flock every year will year OVER year reduce your input and strengthen your genetics

“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”

Psalm 24:1

Touring Regenerative Sheep Farms in Australia:

I packed up and left my farm in Northeast Texas and here is why:

I am often asked: does regenerative agriculture and rotational grazing work in desert conditions, or are the benefits confined to areas of high rainfall?

To find the answer I visited Southern California, one of the driest areas in the USA, then flew across the ocean to Australia, the driest inhabited continent on the face of the earth, to bring you a first-hand look at raising sheep on Pasture in desert conditions.

Each sheep farm I visited raises meat sheep on 100% forage, with no grain input, and all with as little rainfall as 8-21 inches per year.  What’s more is that each sheep farm has developed unique and profitable direct to consumer sales streams. Sales streams necessary to avoid middle-men and commodity sale barns which often squeeze producers out of profits.

This travel and video series was made possible by your support of my new book: the Basics of Raising Sheep on Pasture. My book is for beginners launching their own flock on 30 acres or less. Through it I teach the basics of raising, rotational grazing, and lambing a small flock of sheep.

This series of VIDEOS, which will be releasing between now and December 10th is for you. Because I wanted to use your support of my book to continue to provide a high level of education that will propel you forward as you raise your own flocks: whether large or small.

Also, I cam back with a bundle of souvenirs from Australia for one of you. Just hit the thumbs up on this video and leave a comment telling me which of the upcoming episodes you are most excited about!  This is for US residents only and I’ll pick a winner on December 10th, A few days after I plan to post the final video of this tour.

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I was able to travel with 3 of my siblings who helped me film at each location. 

The trip started at the DFW airport where we flew from Dallas to Los Angeles.  

Despite the temptation to stay and stalk celebrities, we exited Los Angeles pretty quickly.

Boek House/Shepherdess Land and Livestock:

We drove to our first film location which was in the Ojai Valley about 1.5 hours north of Los Angeles. I have an entire episode coming on the tour of Shepherdess Land and Livestock, led by Dylan Boeken.

A few of the highlights of this tour include:

-How Shepherdess Land and Livestock uses small ruminants and targeted grazing to mitigate wildfires in southern California.

-How they get paid to GRAZE thousands of sheep via these contract grazing agreements.

-How Dylan runs a thriving direct to consumer forage-fed lamb business in Ojai Valley just 3 years after launching into agriculture and without owning any land.

The full episode from Ojai Valley is scheduled to Release December 7th here on the channel, so be watching for it because there is SO MUCH amazing information on both grazing in a brittle environment and marketing lamb.  At each stop I did a reverse book signing and asked each ranch managers sign my book, I am so excited to see how many signatures this copy will accumulate over the next few years.

We had one extra day to enjoy Southern California. We had the most incredible accommodations, thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Ojai Retreat. The retreat is just a quick 1.5 hour drive east of Los Angeles and is incredible getaway.

Flight time from LA to Brisbane was 17 hours 55 minutes, with one layover in FIJI, which was pretty exotic.  Lots of guys in skirts.

They served us three meals onboard, which really helped with our food budget, but not enough to justify the acid indigestion they produced, so we opted out of the airplane meals on the flight home. 🙂

Then, after 17 hours and 25 minutes, we landed in the land down under and took our first steps onto international soil and broke into our food budget to enjoy an Australian trademark.

Bellevue Dorper and White Dorper Stud:

We headed inland to our farm tours after a few days on the Gold Coast. The first stop was Millmerran at the incredible Bellevue Dorper Stud. Stud is the Australian term for a registered breeding stock operation. Sophie’s family transitioned from a Merino wether operation, to a Dorper Stud about 20 years ago.  The transition was a smashing success in light of the failing value of wool as a commodity and the rise in popularity of the Dorper as a shedding hair breed.

A few of the highlights of this tour include:

-Seeing the Bellevue Dorper Genetics that produces award-winning carcasses on FORAGE ONLY.

-Watching Bellevue masterfully coordinate their annual Stud sale.

-Learning about how Sophie transitioned the farm from conventional to organic agriculture 15 years ago.

-Getting a look at what forages are keeping the flock in amazing condition despite an extreme drought, wherein they have seen less than 8” of rain in the entire year.

The full episode from Bellevue Dorper is scheduled to Release December 1st here on the channel, so be watching for it because there is SO MUCH amazing information shared.

Our final farm tour of the trip was Macintyre Brooke Lamb. The name of this farm manager was also Sophie. Sophie and her husband are first Generation farmers, raising Australian White Sheep and marketing the meat direct to consumer. They market and sell through their website and newsletter using a boxed lamb format. Amazingly, Macintyre Brooke sells out of it’s fresh boxed lamb every month.  This is an incredible bright spot for Sohpie and her family, BECAUSE

Between drought and inventory surplus, the Australian Sheep industry is taking a huge hit in 2023. Many Australian ranchers are citing that it is close to becoming more profitable to slaughter and bury their sheep, than to pay the transport fees to market.  It’s a very sad time to consider, but Sophie’s direct to consumer lamb sales program has allowed her to continue to garner premium pricing on her lamb, even in the most difficult market conditions.

The full episode from Macyntire Brooke Lamb is scheduled to Release on November 24th here on the channel, so be watching for it because there is SO MUCH amazing information shared.

Before Leaving Australia we enjoyed a 10 mile hike through Lamington National Park. 

Our final experience was And the third and final was an incredible hot air balloon tour of the scenic rim, sponsored by Hot Air Australia. A gourmet breakfast followed at O’Reilly Vineyard, which made it truly the perfect ending to the trip of a lifetime!

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17

Download my ➡️$100K Worksheet HERE: https://bit.ly/3part100K

Joel Salatin produced an article that I read a few months ago. To summarize the article, he said that each new homestead craze sees a 6 year cycle: 2 years of honeymoon phase, 2 years for reality to set in, and 2 years for you to burnout, sell out and get out.

I was kind of saddened but could really resonate with that article.

WHY? Because this year was an incredibly tough one for me as far as feelings of burnout.

I am going to tell you why I hit such a severe season, how I chose to adjust rather than quit, and 2 hard rules I set for myself to make sure my farming effort really stands the test of time.

Too much too fast:

Ok, so here is why I hit such an intense season: I over-diversified my farm in too short a period of time.

While I never told you guys about it formally, I expanded the farm with a micro cow-calf operation, a dairy goat herd, and feeder piglets… all within the space of a few months. (To be fair the pigs were my brother’s undertaking, so besides logistics and herding them after a breakout, I was not involved)

Within a year of this expansion, the pigs were digging up the pasture, the goats were really frustrating in terms of contentment and rotational grazing, and we hit a couple of major and minor droughts that caused that micro cow-calf herd to put way more pressure on my pasture than was healthy.

The sheep continued to do great. My revenue with them actually tripled from 2022-2023. This was primarily because I was actively cultivating a market stream for them, where I was not as much with the other animals.

I hit last summer I had something like 150 animals on farm counting and some of them just weren’t earning their keep. The cows cash flowed too slowly to keep up with the supplemental hay that I needed to keep them through the winter, and I don’t really have ideal brushy landscape satisfy the goats, nor the audience to consume goats milk. So I really felt like I was spinning my wheels with no real product to show for it.

I made it through the summer and took a real step back once autumn hit. I chose to adjust rather than quit.

I looked at the cows and said my objectives here are to raise Grassfed Beef. I am going to eliminate the costly, risky cow calf operation and switch back to buying feeder steers.

I looked at the goats and said I will not keep 15 dairy goats, I will keep 3.

I looked at the pigs, which were actually in my frying pan.

And I looked at my sheep and said I am going to keep my 40 ewes with the highest reproductive rates.

WOW. I feel so good with these adjustments. I am back to my original energy and focus, while maintaining a reasonable and manageable level of diversity.

2 hard rules I set for myself to bake sustainability into my farming endeavor:

1: I have to have clarity on what I want out of that animal before I commit to it. I did this with the sheep, but really failed to do it for the cows and goats. IT’S NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO SAY: I AM GOING TO RAISE MEAT RABBITS FOR FOOD FREEDOM. YOU NEED TO SAY: I WANT 25 LBS OF MEAT OFF OF MY GROUP OF BACKYARD MEAT RABBITS EVERY YEAR. Knowing what your expectations are gives you a measuring stick for each effort and when you feel burnt out you can step back and say, “OK, am I burnt out because we are just doing a great job of making strides toward this goal, or is this animal dead weight and could I be spending my time better?”. Downsizing if your objectives are not met is good stewardship of your time and energy. Which are both resources with as much value as topsoil.

2: Is something that I actually established way back: I am not allowed to make any significant DE-stocking decisions from June to mid-august. June and July are typically the most intense months for the farm and I find myself saying at least once in June or July that I want to quit. So I make all of my decisions after August 15th when the dust settles and my rational brain returns. I say: “what do I want to do again, and what do I want to do never again?”

So this is it! I want to encourage you guys in the fact that adjusting is not the same as quitting.

We are all in this race for a reason, but sometimes we put weights on ourselves that we weren’t meant to carry. And when we get tired, that doesn’t mean we are disqualified or that we should quit the race, it means we need to evaluate, drop some weight and keep running.