Episode 242 Susan's Shire: The Joy of Handmade Gifts

If you put power in a small package, sometimes you can get incredibly efficient output. We’re bringing you a conversation today that’s all about that idea, straight from Mt. Hope, Ohio - Horse Progress Days 2021. Bob Erickson brought his team in from Westview, Wisconsin, and he was a constant sight at this fantastic event in the midst of Amish farm country. He was everywhere with his (somewhat) little pair of donkeys, plowing away right next to the big boys. They chugged alo...

31 Aug 202123min

It’s hot. How hot? Damn hot. And we’re on the road again, so staying cool and calm can be a challenge sometimes. But our favorite weapon in the war on bakewear is - cotton (Ha – get it? Yes, we do amuse ourselves sometimes.) Cotton is not only a clothing staple (Ha – we did it again!), but it is a certified spa moment to some of us. There’s nothing like the feel of real cotton to make you feel cool, relaxed, and calm. What most peop...

24 Aug 202120min

To the best chicken ever! RIP Flipper Links: https://www.mypetchicken.com/ https://www.backyardchickens.com/ https://cartershay.com/ https://www.bhwt.org.uk/hen-health/health-problems/lash-eggs-salpingitis/#:~:text=Causes%201%20Lash%20eggs%20result%20from%20an%20infection,lash%20egg%2C%20and%20she%20may%20or%20may%20 https://the-chicken-chick.com/illustrated-glossary-of-essentia/ Support the show

17 Aug 202118min

A truly interesting couple on the Mas Vacas Tour 2021, Part 2 (or is it 3 now?) was James and Debbie Farr of Farr Cross Ranch. They sat down with us (okay, so the people stood, but some of the cows were prone) in the hot, breezy, lush and green fields of Terrell, Texas… WAIT. Lush green fields? Texas? We’re expected to believe THAT one?!?! Yep – and we have visuals to prove it. James and Debbie live in an area just east of Texas that is fortunate enough to be in ...

12 Aug 202143min

Everything is made up of an interesting combination of ingredients, whether it be flora, fauna or food. Melissa Guerra, the Kitchen Wrangler and cultural foodie extraordinaire, can look at a delicious meal and not only see the food, she sees the history behind it. The Culinary Institute of America graduate and James Beard Award finalist is a powerhouse personality with a keen brain that thrives on finding the delicious connections between people, history and food. She shar...

4 Aug 202152min

Huge spiral springs, metal arms, long tendril-like wires, and bright yellow cogs with fingers were only a few of the things in the Pioneer Equipment booth at Horse Progress Days. It may seem like we were under attack by the Mechanical Spiders from Mars, but Doug Scheetz, Marketing Director extraordinaire, walked us through the danger unscathed. Okay, so it was really just the interesting new equipment available in the horse-drawn farm implement universe, but it looked like something sca...

27 Juli 202118min

There are some who think that the decline of modern culture (not a statement, people – just a theory argued by some) is due to the fact that sitting down at the table for dinner isn’t common anymore. We sit on the sofa in front of the TV, ingesting something we’ve microwaved quickly, instead of sitting at the table with our family, eating something that took time to put together. And there’s some meat to that argument (ha). Didn’t food used to taste better at the table? Toda...

20 Juli 202126min

Are we happy with more? Not always (unless it’s more dirt, in which case there’s a direct translation for some of us dirt hoarders). Today we bring you an interview from one of our newly-favorite events. Daniel Wengerd, General Coordinator for Horse Progress Days 2021, sits down and talks with us about the planning behind an undertaking like this, and how a team of “Plain People” (you’ll find out what that means if you listen) worked together to create something that is incredibly...

14 Juli 202144min