We're still here! MIke joins Spence &amp; they catch up. There's been a lot going on since our last recording in June (!).  We talk about the CFAP 2. If you're an independent poultry farmer, there's money you can apply for to make up for Covid losses.  Thanks for listening!

We're still here! MIke joins Spence &amp; they catch up. There's been a lot going on since our last recording in June (!).  We talk about the CFAP 2. If you're an independent poultry farmer, there's money you can apply for to make up for Covid losses.  Thanks for listening!

FF 058 - CFAP 2 - Covid Food Assistance Program 2

We're moving on up pluckerwise at Across the Creek Farm. We need to upgraded our plucker &amp; luckily we know a guy (hint: it's Mike).  We also catch up with Mike about his new tractor, and catch up about goings on here at the farm. 

We're moving on up pluckerwise at Across the Creek Farm. We need to upgraded our plucker &amp; luckily we know a guy (hint: it's Mike).  We also catch up with Mike about his new tractor, and catch up about goings on here at the farm.

FF 057 - Pluckers & Processing

We got some big news here at Across the Creek Farm, even as we adjust to life in these crazy pandemic times. Mike &amp; Spence catch up &amp; Spence shares the big news &amp; the story behind it. We had some internet issues in this episode, so we apologize for any sound quality issues Got a question or comment? Shoot us an email at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com

We got some big news here at Across the Creek Farm, even as we adjust to life in these crazy pandemic times. Mike &amp; Spence catch up &amp; Spence shares the big news &amp; the story behind it. We had some internet issues in this episode, so we apologize for any sound quality issues Got a question or comment? Shoot us an email at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com

FF 056 - New Land, New Plan

It's been awhile &amp; since the last episode &amp; the pandemic has popped up. Things have changed very quickly on the farm &amp; the we've had to pivot - no restaurant sales but the online delivery site is booming. We start off with an update on Mike's cotton patch goose hatching project &amp; it's time for the springtime pullet run plus more! We had some internet issues...so apologize for any gaps.  Got a question - email us at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com 

It's been awhile &amp; since the last episode &amp; the pandemic has popped up. Things have changed very quickly on the farm &amp; the we've had to pivot - no restaurant sales but the online delivery site is booming. We start off with an update on Mike's cotton patch goose hatching project &amp; it's time for the springtime pullet run plus more! We had some internet issues...so apologize for any gaps.  Got a question - email us at <a href="mailto:fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com">fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com</a>

FF 055 - Pandemerrific

It's been a minute. Spence &amp; Mike are back after a rest &amp; catch up what's been going on. The USDA's made some puzzling choices over the term pasture-raised, we've been putting up fence,  basketball ended with a bang, we had a bad coyote attack on our goat herd, are finalists for a goose grant, and are taking a break from the piggies.  Thanks for listening. Leave us a review if you get a chance. 

It's been a minute. Spence &amp; Mike are back after a rest &amp; catch up what's been going on. The USDA's made some puzzling choices over the term pasture-raised, we've been putting up fence,  basketball ended with a bang, we had a bad coyote attack on our goat herd, are finalists for a goose grant, and are taking a break from the piggies.  Thanks for listening. Leave us a review if you get a chance.

FF 054 - Winter Time Catch Up

Mike updates us on his geese empire &amp; Spence is getting the goose fever - who knows maybe the holler will be a honking in 2020! In other news, there's been a series of run ins with "animal rights" people among our friends in the pasture poultry &amp; independent farm community, including at our own farm with a local cat-lady. Spence talks about it - it's a little looney - and how he handled it for better or worse.  Give us a review or shoot us an email at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com. 

Mike updates us on his geese empire &amp; Spence is getting the goose fever - who knows maybe the holler will be a honking in 2020! In other news, there's been a series of run ins with "animal rights" people among our friends in the pasture poultry &amp; independent farm community, including at our own farm with a local cat-lady. Spence talks about it - it's a little looney - and how he handled it for better or worse.  Give us a review or shoot us an email at <a href="mailto:fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com">fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com</a>.

FF 052 - When Animal "Rights" Folks Don't Respect Farm Boundaries

Spence recaps attending a Farmer Veteran Conference in Austin, TX &amp; so unexpected connections made with the Active Duty Army there. We talk about the new APPPA pasture raised turkey video, and Mike's foray into preserving a rare American goose breed.  Got a question or comment? Hit us up at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com

Spence recaps attending a Farmer Veteran Conference in Austin, TX &amp; so unexpected connections made with the Active Duty Army there. We talk about the new APPPA pasture raised turkey video, and Mike's foray into preserving a rare American goose breed.  Got a question or comment? Hit us up at <a href="mailto:fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com">fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com</a>

FF 051 - Farmer Vet Conference, Turkeys, & Mike's Cotton Patch Geese

Our online store is off the ground! Across the Creek Farm needed an way to reach retail customers - so Spence (yes...Spence) built a online store/delivery service using a farmer designed platform, Grazecart. There's other options available - we discuss.  Feel free to leave us an itunes or other review or shoot Spence an email at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com with any questions. 

Our online store is off the ground! Across the Creek Farm needed an way to reach retail customers - so Spence (yes...Spence) built a online store/delivery service using a farmer designed platform, Grazecart. There's other options available - we discuss.  Feel free to leave us an itunes or other review or shoot Spence an email at <a href="mailto:fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com">fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com</a> with any questions.

FF 050 - Online Farm Stores: Experiences & Options

It's been a minute, but we're still chugging along here at the farm. As we cross into fall, Spence gives an update about how things are going - a farm delivery service using Grazecart nears, hay is in, chickens are in short supply when a month ago we were worried about a surplus, and Spence details the great turkey disaster of 2019 (thanks USPS)...Mike's mic was out, so it's pretty much all Spence this go around. Thanks for listening!

It's been a minute, but we're still chugging along here at the farm. As we cross into fall, Spence gives an update about how things are going - a farm delivery service using Grazecart nears, hay is in, chickens are in short supply when a month ago we were worried about a surplus, and Spence details the great turkey disaster of 2019 (thanks USPS)...Mike's mic was out, so it's pretty much all Spence this go around. Thanks for listening!

FF 049 - Fall farm catch up

As summer comes to an end, we've had our first really troublesome predation on our flocks - the culprit: a trash panda of course! But we finally got the profit stealing poultry bandit.  Spence &amp; Mike discuss dealing with singular troublesome predators &amp; the importance of staying on top of predation.  Note: the cover pic for this episode is the set up that caught the lil' villain

As summer comes to an end, we've had our first really troublesome predation on our flocks - the culprit: a trash panda of course! But we finally got the profit stealing poultry bandit.  Spence &amp; Mike discuss dealing with singular troublesome predators &amp; the importance of staying on top of predation.  Note: the cover pic for this episode is the set up that caught the lil' villain

FF 048 - Dealing with Problematic Raccoons

Join Spence the Fighting Farmer for weekly episodes  giving an honest peak behind the scenes at Across the Creek Farm, a first-generation full-time sustainable pastured poultry farm located in the hill &amp; hollers of NW Arkansas that Spence started after coming home from war.

Authentic real life trials and tribulations of a veteran owned pasture based farm.

El Jefe

Thanks for sharing your awesome experiences and relevant advice.

Great Podcast

The Fighting Farmer Podcast with Terrell Spencer

Despite the cold outside, brooders around the country will be heating up as spring is just around the corner.  Today, we talk about heating your chicks in the brooder, sharing our experiences about heat lamps vs brooder jets. Enjoy the podcast? Leave us a review to help others find us. Got a question? Hit us up at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com

Despite the cold outside, brooders around the country will be heating up as spring is just around the corner.  Today, we talk about heating your chicks in the brooder, sharing our experiences about heat lamps vs brooder jets. Enjoy the podcast? Leave us a review to help others find us. Got a question? Hit us up at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com

FF 037 - Heating the Brooder

Our old boar, Wilbur, came to the end of his breeding days recently. What do you do with an intact boar that weighs over 800 lbs?  In this episode, Spence talks about the science of boar taint - a potential off-flavoring found in some intact boars &amp; shares how butchering a massive old boar turned out.  Like the podcast? Give us a review on your favorite podcast. Got a farming question - shoot it to me at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com

Our old boar, Wilbur, came to the end of his breeding days recently. What do you do with an intact boar that weighs over 800 lbs?  In this episode, Spence talks about the science of boar taint - a potential off-flavoring found in some intact boars &amp; shares how butchering a massive old boar turned out.  Like the podcast? Give us a review on your favorite podcast. Got a farming question - shoot it to me at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com

FF  046 - Boar Taint in Pigs

We brought in a portable sawmill &amp; cut the oaks we had felled this winter for siding for the store. Spence explains what board &amp; batten siding is, what he's learned about working with green lumber, and talks with Mike about where a small sawmill would fit in the farm's future

We brought in a portable sawmill &amp; cut the oaks we had felled this winter for siding for the store. Spence explains what board &amp; batten siding is, what he's learned about working with green lumber, and talks with Mike about where a small sawmill would fit in the farm's future

FF 042 - Working with Green Lumber: Board & Batten Siding

Time to answer some listener questions! Also, Mike is planting some pumpkins...or should we say punkins. Probably! Got a farming question for Spence - email him at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com. If you dig the show, feel free to leave us a review. 

Time to answer some listener questions! Also, Mike is planting some pumpkins...or should we say punkins. Probably! Got a farming question for Spence - email him at <a href="mailto:fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com">fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com</a>. If you dig the show, feel free to leave us a review.

FF 044 - Q&A - Cornish Cross vs Heritage Breeds & The Dynamics of Freezing Meat

Want to know about breeds of chickens that are raised for meat? No seriously - do you REALLY want to know about broilers? If so, this is an in depth review. We look at a 3 breed study that I did on farm for some researchers that's being submitted for publication...and also we got broilers out on pasture!

Want to know about breeds of chickens that are raised for meat? No seriously - do you REALLY want to know about broilers? If so, this is an in depth review. We look at a 3 breed study that I did on farm for some researchers that's being submitted for publication...and also we got broilers out on pasture!

FF 012 - Nerdin' Out on Meat Chicken Breeds

We got bit by the cash flow bug here at ATC Farm recently. Cash flow is a challenge that nearly every for-profit farm has to constantly stay on top of an manage. We didn't and it bit us in a bit of a bind. Spence &amp; Mike talk to us about it. 

We got bit by the cash flow bug here at ATC Farm recently. Cash flow is a challenge that nearly every for-profit farm has to constantly stay on top of an manage. We didn't and it bit us in a bit of a bind. Spence &amp; Mike talk to us about it.

FF 047 - Cash flow, it's a killer!

In this episode Spence &amp; Mike answer some listener questions. Sorry about the rough audio on Spence's end - it works itself out after the first few minutes.  Do you have a question? Email us at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com.

In this episode Spence &amp; Mike answer some listener questions. Sorry about the rough audio on Spence's end - it works itself out after the first few minutes.  Do you have a question? Email us at <a href="mailto:fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com">fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com</a>.

FF 025 - Q&A Pasture Rotation Freq & Auto Feed lines

Most family farms are multi-faceted and rely on multiple enterprises. It's really important that these enterprises work together - and not be discordant. Spence &amp; Mike talk about what that means practically on the farm. Also, we got our first haying is over - but not without the usual hitch! Also, thanks for the kind reviews lately. Want to reach us - email Spence at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com

Most family farms are multi-faceted and rely on multiple enterprises. It's really important that these enterprises work together - and not be discordant. Spence &amp; Mike talk about what that means practically on the farm. Also, we got our first haying is over - but not without the usual hitch! Also, thanks for the kind reviews lately. Want to reach us - email Spence at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com

FF 022 - Complementary Farm Enterprises

Chicken farming as we know it is a fairly recent development - but it's older than people think. We take a quick look at the evolution of modern poultry industry - especially focusing on the impacts of the World Wars to set up the growth of modern day chicken farming. A different take - but from a former soldier turned farmer, what do you expect!  If you dig the Fighting Farmer, give us a review. If you have any poultry or general farm life questions, shoot us and email at fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com Thanks! 

Chicken farming as we know it is a fairly recent development - but it's older than people think. We take a quick look at the evolution of modern poultry industry - especially focusing on the impacts of the World Wars to set up the growth of modern day chicken farming. A different take - but from a former soldier turned farmer, what do you expect!  If you dig the Fighting Farmer, give us a review. If you have any poultry or general farm life questions, shoot us and email at <a href="mailto:fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com">fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com</a> Thanks!

FF 024 - History of the Modern Poultry Industry

It's never good when the cops call you to let you know your shop went airborne - into the powerlines &amp; settling in the hiway! This'll throw off your day/week &amp; then other stuff happens - and it's usually not good.  On a positive note, we answer a question from Allen S. in MS about getting started in pigs &amp; the new auto-feeder line we installed is AWESOME! Got a question for us about farming? Shoot me an email - fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com. If you like what we're doing, please give us one of those sweet, sweet 5-star reviews on iTunes so that others can find us. 

It's never good when the cops call you to let you know your shop went airborne - into the powerlines &amp; settling in the hiway! This'll throw off your day/week &amp; then other stuff happens - and it's usually not good.  On a positive note, we answer a question from Allen S. in MS about getting started in pigs &amp; the new auto-feeder line we installed is AWESOME! Got a question for us about farming? Shoot me an email - <a href="mailto:fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com">fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com</a>. If you like what we're doing, please give us one of those sweet, sweet 5-star reviews on iTunes so that others can find us.

FF 011 - I'll Fly Away - One Crisis Causes Another

Carla &amp; I just drove over 1200 mi one way to PA to pickup a trailerload of pullets. Why not just start our own laying chicks? Dollars yo - and Mike and I discuss the economics of getting a small flock up and going. Also, if you're looking for a pullet source - we talk about that too.   

Carla &amp; I just drove over 1200 mi one way to PA to pickup a trailerload of pullets. Why not just start our own laying chicks? Dollars yo - and Mike and I discuss the economics of getting a small flock up and going. Also, if you're looking for a pullet source - we talk about that too.

FF 016 - Economics of Pullets vs Starting Hens

In this episode, Spence talks about farming with kids. Spence &amp; Carla started the farm about the same time as they started their family. Farming with kids has been a challenge for sure, but it's pretty awesome - not only for the kiddos but for the parents as well. Mike shares about an upcoming project he's got planned for his son this summer - plus new sausage types - Mexican chorizo and sage &amp; fresh ginger sausage!  

In this episode, Spence talks about farming with kids. Spence &amp; Carla started the farm about the same time as they started their family. Farming with kids has been a challenge for sure, but it's pretty awesome - not only for the kiddos but for the parents as well. Mike shares about an upcoming project he's got planned for his son this summer - plus new sausage types - Mexican chorizo and sage &amp; fresh ginger sausage!

FF 010 - Farming with Kids

What do you do when you saturate your market's demand fo whole birds? We tackle it in this episode - cut ups, hot wings, ground chicken &amp; chicken sausage and more. Also - got the hay cut and we finally got the goats and had a run in with the long arm of the law!  

What do you do when you saturate your market's demand fo whole birds? We tackle it in this episode - cut ups, hot wings, ground chicken &amp; chicken sausage and more. Also - got the hay cut and we finally got the goats and had a run in with the long arm of the law!

FF 021 - Beyond the Whole Bird - Adding Value to Pasture Poultry

It's midnight and you're watching radar as the rain comes in - by 1 am you're out in a hoopcoop with a flock of chickens &amp; a bale of hay weathering a storm! In this episode we talk about the late night described above &amp; about how our pasture's health &amp; soil tilth is helping protect our flocks. Also, Mike &amp; Spence discuss factoring labor into the cost of chickens/farm enterprise - and if there's a better way to assess your labor on the farm. We think there is!

It's midnight and you're watching radar as the rain comes in - by 1 am you're out in a hoopcoop with a flock of chickens &amp; a bale of hay weathering a storm! In this episode we talk about the late night described above &amp; about how our pasture's health &amp; soil tilth is helping protect our flocks. Also, Mike &amp; Spence discuss factoring labor into the cost of chickens/farm enterprise - and if there's a better way to assess your labor on the farm. We think there is!

FF 013 Riding Out a Late Night Storm & Hard Work 

Spring is here &amp; you could work 24 hours a day and never get all your farmwork done - especially if you're bootstrapping a farm start-up. Fixing the daily immediate crisis that arise without short-changing the long-term vision of the farm is hard enough - now add on the more important demands of family, personal needs (cause remember your a human being too - right?), and maybe your faith &amp; it's easy to get overwhelmed. Guess what - you're perfectly normal - we went thru it too, and talk about it in this episode.

Spring is here &amp; you could work 24 hours a day and never get all your farmwork done - especially if you're bootstrapping a farm start-up. Fixing the daily immediate crisis that arise without short-changing the long-term vision of the farm is hard enough - now add on the more important demands of family, personal needs (cause remember your a human being too - right?), and maybe your faith &amp; it's easy to get overwhelmed. Guess what - you're perfectly normal - we went thru it too, and talk about it in this episode.

FF 017 - Farming to Live or Living to Farm

The grind of summer is rolling over farms across the nation. Spence &amp; Mike talk about some season specifc farm observations - from the value of the boys' labor when they're not around, chickens eating horsenettle (!) an prickly, pesky week, and other plants, airsacculitis in broilers, plus troubleshooting a common scalder issue that will sink your operation over time and a whole lot more. Got a question for us? Email fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com

The grind of summer is rolling over farms across the nation. Spence &amp; Mike talk about some season specifc farm observations - from the value of the boys' labor when they're not around, chickens eating horsenettle (!) an prickly, pesky week, and other plants, airsacculitis in broilers, plus troubleshooting a common scalder issue that will sink your operation over time and a whole lot more. Got a question for us? Email <a href="mailto:fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com">fightingfarmerspence@gmail.com</a>

FF 023 - Summer Farm Observations 

From an bitterly cold start to spring to a ridiculously hot finish of springtime, growers from all across the country are facing late summer temps early. After troubleshooting heat issues with processing customers the past week Spence, with Mike riding shotgun, hit the basics for keeping poultry alive during heatwaves. Especially useful for beginning farmers. 

From an bitterly cold start to spring to a ridiculously hot finish of springtime, growers from all across the country are facing late summer temps early. After troubleshooting heat issues with processing customers the past week Spence, with Mike riding shotgun, hit the basics for keeping poultry alive during heatwaves. Especially useful for beginning farmers.

FF 20 - Hot Weather Poultry Care

The first successful Spencer morel hunt means spring is here (despite what the windchills say). Mike talks about cooking spring trout &amp; his upcoming Muscovy duck project inspired by our friend Eli - who will never listen to this because he's Mennonite - but you will and we hope you enjoy!

The first successful Spencer morel hunt means spring is here (despite what the windchills say). Mike talks about cooking spring trout &amp; his upcoming Muscovy duck project inspired by our friend Eli - who will never listen to this because he's Mennonite - but you will and we hope you enjoy!

FF 015 - Morels & Muscovies

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