300. Shawn and Beth Dougherty on Building a Self-Sustaining Farm

How can a small farm thrive with minimal off-farm inputs, using only what nature provides to create a sustainable, self-sufficient ecosystem? In this episode of the Thriving Farmer podcast, Michael is joined by Shawn and Beth Dougherty, who have mastered the art of farming by relying on natural systems and resources to sustain their diverse, thriving farm. Using intensive grazing as their primary source of food energy, Shawn and Beth raise a diverse range of livestock producing most of the food, and feed, on their farm. Don't miss this episode where they share valuable insights on regenerative farming, adaptive genetics, and making economically sound decisions for long-term sustainability. Episode Highlights: Fertility Program: What constitutes the fertility program on the property [1:48] Pig Feed: What do they feed their pigs? [7:58] Adaptive Genetics: What they know about adaptive genetics in farm animals [21:04] Pig Breeds: Which breeds of pigs do better than others? [30:33] Book Rationale: The rationale behind writing their book [35:46] Farm Setup: How their farm is currently set up [51:16] Economic Decisions: How Shawn and Beth make the most economically sound decisions on the farm [1:05:14] Trades: How all 8 of Shawn and Beth’s children got into their trades [1:26:45]   300th Episode GIVEAWAY! Enter for a chance to win Shawn and Beth's book, The Independent Farmstead, along with a $100 credit to our store Farm on Central.    About the Guest: Shawn and Beth Dougherty have been farming together since the 1980’s, and for the last twenty years in eastern Ohio, where their 27-acre home farm was designated by the state as ‘not suitable for agriculture’. Using intensive grazing as the primary source of food energy, they raise dairy and beef cows, sheep, farm-fed hogs, and a variety of poultry, producing most of the food, and feed, on the farm.  Concerned that farming is so often dependent upon multiple off-farm resources, from feed, fuel and fertilizer to water and electricity, their ongoing project is to identify and test the means by which farming was done for centuries with a minimum of off-farm inputs. Their research has led them to identify grass conversion, especially the daily conversion of grass into milk by dairy ruminants, as a key to whole-farm sustainability, combined with the integrated nutrient feed-backs that are possible with a community of diverse animal and plant species, domestic and native. They are the authors of The Independent Farmstead, Chelsea Green Press 2016.   Learn More About Shawn and Beth: Website: One Cow Revolution Facebook: Like on Facebook Their Book: The Independent Farmstead - On Amazon   The Thriving Farmer Podcast Team would like to thank our amazing sponsor! Here at the Farm on Central, garlic is one of our staple overwinter crops. We use it in everything—garlic salt, infused honey, fire cider—you name it! But now, you can grow your very own garlic, straight from our farm to your garden. We offer seed garlic with three amazing varieties: Music, German White, and German Red. These varieties thrive in zones 2-7, and with a little extra care, they'll do great in zones 8-9, too. Plus, we’ve got free shipping on our 1lb, 3lb bags, 10 lbs and discounts for bigger orders. Get your seed garlic today at shop.farmoncentral.com and get ready for your own fresh garlic harvest next summer! Happy planting!