Hi friends! Today we’re talking about youth livestock programs, gaining wisdom by learning from experience, and the importance of teaching kids about livestock and where their food comes from. Whether kids are involved in a formal program or have their own projects on the homestead, farm, in the back yard, or even a rented space at a nearby farm, raising livestock can be a life-changing experience for kids. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Related Episodes: 12 | Raising Kids and Livestock? Teach Life Lessons, Build Character, and Strengthen Your Relationships While Raising Animals 18 | Interview with Sage Bradshaw on Life with Livestock and 4-H Projects PART 1 19 | Interview with Sage Bradshaw on Life with Livestock and 4-H Projects PART 2 70 | How Livestock, Chores, and Good Mentors Create Resilient, Confident Kids Who Are Prepared for the Challenges Life Brings 75 | How Livestock Shaped My Life and Why I’m Here to Help You Get your farm fresh meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about winter grazing and the different ways you can feed your livestock in a sustainable, regenerative way while meeting their needs and promoting nutrient cycling and land improvement. We’ll define terms like swath grazing, bale grazing, cover crop and residue grazing and discuss how each of them could benefit your management system. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Related Episodes: 28 | Winter Feed for Livestock: Calculate How Much Hay You Need and a Strategy Save Money 35 | Winter Hay Feeding Evaluation: Meeting Nutritional Requirements of Goats and Reducing Hay Waste 42 | Surviving Extreme Cold with Livestock When Your Animals Aren’t Adapted to Freezing Temperatures Get your farm fresh meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about preparing for winter on the ranch and homestead, and what we do to make sure the animals and people are taken care of through the cold winter months. We’ll talk about livestock feed and water, general fall clean up that makes winter work easier, and a quick overview of what we prepare for our family that supports us through the winter as well as the rest of the year. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Related Episodes: 28 | Winter Feed for Livestock: Calculate How Much Hay You Need and a Strategy Save Money 31 | Are Winter Heat Lamps Bad for Chickens? How to Prepare Your Flock for a Comfortable Winter 36 | What We Miss the Most While Building Our Off-Grid Life 49 | 3 Strategies to Make the Best Use of Bulk Meat Storage and Avoid Freezer Overwhelm Get your farm fresh meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about selecting replacement bucks, the criteria we use to qualify bucks as breeding stock, and we’ll walk through the sorting process and how we handled it this year. I’ll also be sharing some interesting things we observed while sorting and how it’s going to affect future decisions and data collection. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Mentions: 46 | Early Banding vs Late Banding in Buck Kids: Will Your Goats Be Healthy if You Band Them Early? Related Episodes: 24 | What Is That Smell? The Bucks are In Rut! Should You Buy a Buck to Breed Your Does or Is Leasing a Better Option? 38 | Buck Management That Will Keep You, Your Goats, and Your Neighbors Happy 62 | The Buck Effect: What Is It, What Causes It, and How It Affects Goat Herd Management Get your farm fresh meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/
Hi friends! Today’s episode is a little different. I’ve been deep in thought as I’m sure many of you have been also, reflecting on all that has happened recently. I want to share some of what I’ve been thinking about, particularly as it relates to why I care so much about raising livestock, healthy food, and self-sufficiency, as well as what’s coming up for our ranch, the meat business, and this podcast. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Related Episodes: 01 | The Story Behind "Get Goat Wise" and How I Went from Ranch Kid to Homesteader 25 | Concerned About the Food Supply? Simple Ways to Ensure That Your Family Will Be Fed in the Event of a Food Availability Crisis 49 | 3 Strategies to Make the Best Use of Bulk Meat Storage and Avoid Freezer Overwhelm Get your farm fresh meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/
Hi friends! It’s time for a chicken episode! Today we’re talking about what to do with all those roosters you ended up with after buying straight run chicks this year – because that was all you could find, right? We’ll talk about options to deal with this year’s roosters as well as long-term strategies for your flock, including rooster management and setting goals for meat and egg production. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Mentions: 41 | What Type of Meat Bird Should I Raise? Cornish Cross, Hybrid and Dual-Purpose Explained Related Episodes: 06 | What Livestock Should I Get First? My Top Pick for Your First Homestead Animals 31 | Are Winter Heat Lamps Bad for Chickens? How to Prepare Your Flock for a Comfortable Winter Get your farm fresh meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about handling stress before butcher, and how it can affect meat quality. We’ll talk about the meat science behind stress and I’ll give you practical tips you can use to make sure you and your animals are prepared for hauling on butcher day. You’re already putting in the work to raise your own meat, and with a few management practices you can make sure that meat will be the highest quality possible. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Related Episodes: 25 | Concerned About the Food Supply? Simple Ways to Ensure That Your Family Will Be Fed in the Event of a Food Availability Crisis 49 | 3 Strategies to Make the Best Use of Bulk Meat Storage and Avoid Freezer Overwhelm 54 | Butchering Meat Goats: How Much Meat Do I Get from a Goat Compared to Other Livestock Species? 57 | The Ideal Weight and Age for Butchering Meat Goats to Get Premium Quality Meat Get your farm fresh meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/
Hi friends! Today I’m going over the numbers from our 2025 kidding season! We’ll talk about our challenges, victories, and the things we learned this year and I’ll be sharing the actual production numbers from our herd. We’ll comb through the data, pull out the important stuff, and talk about what worked great and what we’ll change for next year. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Mentions: 26 | Is My Goat Old Enough to Breed? How To Decide When Your Does Are Ready Have Their First Kids 16 | The Results Are In! Our 2024 Kidding Season Numbers for the Meat Goat Herd, and What You Should Be Keeping Track of in Your Herd Get your farm fresh meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/
Hi friends! Today I’ve got an update from County Fair, and then we’re talking about a management decision we’re making to sell some of the goat herd. We’ll talk about the factors influencing the decision, which goats we’re selling and why, and how it will help us improve our herd long term. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Related Episodes: 30 | Livestock Decision-Making: What to do When You Make a Wrong Decision and How to Use that Information to Make Progress Get your farm fresh meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/
Hi friends! It’s almost time for County Fair here, and with that comes a lot of reflecting about the kids and their growth doing livestock projects. Today we’re talking about the power of animals and livestock in the lives of our kids, and how responsibility, work ethic, and good mentors can launch kids into a new level of self-confidence doing hard things even when they don’t want to or think they can’t. Whether you are interested in 4-H, FFA or giving your kids the responsibility of raising livestock outside of a formal program, this episode gives insight into some unexpected benefits when kids grow up raising animals. All the Best! Millie Related Episodes: 12 | Raising Kids and Livestock? Teach Life Lessons, Build Character, and Strengthen Your Relationships While Raising Animals Get your farm fresh meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about another way to make money with goats – grazing for hire. We’ll talk about the infrastructure you need and different ways you can use the goat herd you already have to bring in some extra income while grazing your goats for other people to help clear out overgrown forage or mitigate fire risk. I’ll talk about our experience grazing for hire, what was challenging, what we loved, and what I think the future holds for this income option. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Related Episodes: 13 | Using Electric Fence with Goats? What You Need to Know to Keep Your Goats Contained and Alive with Electric Netting Get your farm fresh meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/
Hi friends! Last week we talked about all the reasons to start with terminal livestock if you’re a beginner or just getting started raising farm animals. Today I’m going to dive into that a little deeper and talk about why you should start with smaller livestock like sheep and goats instead of cattle. We’re going to talk about meat and dairy and risk management, especially through those beginner phases where lots of mistakes and learning happen. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Related Episodes: 67 | Why Beginners Should Start with Terminal Livestock First 06 | What Livestock Should I Get First? My Top Pick for Your First Homestead Animals 47 | How to Adjust to the Flavor of Homegrown Meat and Eggs Before You Raise Your Own Get your farm fresh meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about all the reasons to start with terminal livestock if you’re a beginner or just getting started raising farm animals. I’ll explain the advantages to starting with meat animals rather than breeding stock, and how those animals will be your best teacher and set you up for success with your future breeding herds. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Related Episodes: 06 | What Livestock Should I Get First? My Top Pick for Your First Homestead Animals 47 | How to Adjust to the Flavor of Homegrown Meat and Eggs Before You Raise Your Own Get your farm fresh meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about what’s happening in the beef market, and what that means for future meat prices. I’m sharing advice from a local rancher on how to build a good relationship so that buying directly from a farmer or rancher works long-term. Mostly, though, I want you to make a plan now to take at least some control over your food supply so you can weather whatever storms come your way. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Related Episodes: 49 | 3 Strategies to Make the Best Use of Bulk Meat Storage and Avoid Freezer Overwhelm 47 | How to Adjust to the Flavor of Homegrown Meat and Eggs Before You Raise Your Own 45 | Health Benefits of Ruminant Red Meat, Grass-Fed vs Grain-Fed, and Special Characteristics of Goat Meat Get your farm fresh meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about what to watch for once you’ve gotten your baby goats through that first critical week. We’re talking about the most common problems we see in the first month after goat kids are born, what to watch for, and what to do. I’m also sharing about a big loss we had this year, what we learned from it, and I’m reminding myself that it’s only a failure if you don’t learn something. Listen in and learn how to keep those goat kids healthy until they’re ready to wean. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Related Episodes: 43 | How to Treat Entropian or Inverted Eyelids in Baby Goats 52 | What’s in My Kidding Bucket and the Supplies You Should Have On Hand When Your Goats Kid 59 | Get Ready for Kidding: Last Minute Details that Support a Successful and Fun Kidding Season Get your farm fresh meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about how to avoid overwhelm and make real progress on your journey to healthier food, self-sufficiency and homesteading. We’ll talk about the power of focusing so that your progress is sustainable over the long term, creating real impact and lasting change in your life. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Mentions: 04 | Avoiding Homestead Comparison: The “Good, Better, Best” of Homesteading and Your Definition of Best Related Episodes: 47 | How to Adjust to the Flavor of Homegrown Meat and Eggs Before You Raise Your Own 49 | 3 Strategies to Make the Best Use of Bulk Meat Storage and Avoid Freezer Overwhelm Get your farm fresh meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about the unique way we got started with our own livestock, and how you can do the same. Spoiler: We didn’t inherit anything! We’ll talk about ways to get creative and start increasing your self-sufficiency no matter where you live or what resources you have. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Mentions: 10 | 5 Tips to Raise Bottle Goat Kids That Thrive Related Episodes: 47 | How to Adjust to the Flavor of Homegrown Meat and Eggs Before You Raise Your Own 49 | 3 Strategies to Make the Best Use of Bulk Meat Storage and Avoid Freezer Overwhelm 58 | Don’t Make This Mistake When Choosing Your First Livestock Animals: Focusing on Breed Only 61 | How to Build a Simple Off-Grid Water System with a Solar-Powered Pump and Water Storage Get your farm fresh meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@getgoatwise.com See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about the buck effect, what it is, why it happens, and why we didn’t see it in our meat goat herd this year. I’m walking you through my thought process evaluating why it didn’t happen, how it has affected our kidding season, and what that means for our goat herd. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Mentions: Buck Effect Instagram Reel (ranch humor and lots of marking paint) Related Episodes: 53 | Livestock and Land Management that Works WITH Your Environment and Resources, Not Against Them 38 | Buck Management That Will Keep You, Your Goats, and Your Neighbors Happy 29 | Are Your Goats Too Fat or Too Thin? How to Body Condition Score and Adjust Your Feeding Strategy for Healthier Goats 28 | Winter Feed for Livestock: Calculate How Much Hay You Need and a Strategy Save Money Get your farm fresh meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com/pages/collection-page Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@getgoatwise.com See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about off grid water and digging a little deeper into the options you have for a solar water system. We’ve had our system going for nearly 5 years, and it’s pretty much maintenance free, which is really nice. Water is so important in every aspect of our lives, and the last thing you need is to have water issues when you’re trying to do so many other things to get your off-grid place up and running. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Mentions: 15 | The Most Important Lesson We Learned Going Off-Grid, and How You Can Do the Same Thing to Simplify Your Off-Grid Plan 09 | The Most Important Nutrient for All Livestock is WATER, Time-Saving Tips for Meeting Animal Requirements, and How We Do It Off-Grid Get your Goat Meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com/pages/collection-page Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@getgoatwise.com See what’s happening on the ranch: www.instagram.com/dry.creek.livestock
Hi friends! We’re in the thick of kidding season, and today I’m sharing about a new kidding experience I had a couple days ago, assisting a doe with a posterior (breech) kid. We’ve had lots of breech kids before, but never one that I couldn’t safely get the back legs repositioned, so this was a new one. Goats never stop teaching me new things. I’m also sharing some tips on how to be prepared for emergencies before they happen, which is vital. Let’s get to it! All the Best! Millie Mentions: Fill Your Freezer with Premium Meat: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com/pages/collection-page Goat Medicine, 3rd Edition (affiliate link) Other Related Episodes: 52 | What’s in My Kidding Bucket and the Supplies You Should Have On Hand When Your Goats Kid 50 | Get Ready for Kidding: Order Your Tags in 4 Easy Steps Get your Goat Meat here: https://drycreekheritagemeats.com/pages/collection-page Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community Connect with me: Email: millie@getgoatwise.com See what’s happening on the ranch: www.instagram.com/dry.creek.livestock *As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Tiffany Ford
Thank you for these tips! We've raise some dairy goats for over 5 years on a few acres, but just moved to a bigger ranch and are starting into meat goats and eventually a dairy cow and other animals. Your podcast is super helpful.