Livestock farmer stories, tips, and resources for success.
Choosing to Farm: New Generation Stories

Recent Episodes

March 27, 2024

Zan and Kimberly Walker-Goncalves Circle Back to their Roots

We had bought this house in Brattleboro. We'd bought the truck. We bought the sheep. We bought dogs. We did all of this long before COVID hit, but then we were like, okay, this is our pandemic project.—Kimberly Kimberly and …
Feb. 15, 2024

Nicolle Ferrier Breeds Fowl for the Future

I've wanted to quit about a hundred gazillion times, a lot- a lot. But I want to do what I love. So that is the key, right? To do what we love. And this is what I love to do. It comes with difficulties and it comes with rew…
Feb. 7, 2024

Jon Turner Helps to Heal

There is a legacy throughout my family of having at least one member who served in all major conflicts back to the Revolutionary War. The other side of that coin is they were all farmers, homesteaders and innovators of their…
Feb. 7, 2024

Jenn Colby Finds Her Purpose

Your humble host has been through some stuff the last few years. At a recent food system gathering event this fall, the call went out inviting folks to tell their stories of transition and transformation. How we went from th…
Jan. 13, 2024

Ridge Shinn Thinks Big Picture

We could actually look into the animal, the live animal, see intramuscular fat and tenderness. We also had these tools, linear measurement tools that we could actually physically measure the animals and began to find almost …
Jan. 6, 2024

John Roberts Part 2: Finding a Purpose Serving Farmers

I'm excited that the pandemic--for all its negativity--also said, “Hey, wait a minute. We need to concentrate on food resiliency”. We need to encourage these small diverse farms because the big operations, the five huge com…

Recent Blog Posts

March 14-Vision Quest! A Live Online Opportunity

Do you feel like you’re putting one step in front of another in the same line every day, with no change in sight? Do you wonder what you might want to do differently…anyway? You’re not alone. Many of us want a dif…

Five-Stars Farmstay Course is Open!

Have you been thinking about adding overnight stays to your farm or ranch business? Here’s a way to help you host Five-Star Farmstays WITHOUT reinventing the wheel. You can add a steady stream of income to your farm or ranch that does not de…

About the Host

Jenn ColbyProfile Photo

Jenn Colby

Founder/Host

Jenn Colby has spent over 25 years helping livestock farmers find success and quality of life through non-profit, academic, Extension, and community roles. She writes, farms, consults, and hosts the Choosing to Farm podcast from her home base of Howling Wolf Farm in Vermont.