![Gate to Plate Myotonic Goat Chat with Renard Turner]()
October 18, 2022
Special Guest Renard Turner of Vanguard Ranch Natural Gourmet joins Cindra Kerscher and Brittany Sweeney to chat about the process of moving Myotonic meat goats from pasture to consumer.
Renard Turner was born into a career Air Force family. When his father was stationed in California at Travis Air Force base, he attended Armijo High School in Fairfield, California, where he was introduced to vocational agriculture. He later went on to study agricultural science and engineering, including in-depth histories of all commercially raised domestic livestock breeds, cattle, sheep, horses, swine, and poultry. He loved it, so much so that during this time, Renard also participated in livestock judging contests as a member of The Future Farmers of America.
Renard’s passion for agriculture remains to this day. He and his wife Chinette own Vanguard Ranch (https://vanguard-ranch-natural-gourmet.com/) in central Virginia, where they have raised registered Horned Dorset sheep, Karakul sheep, Kiko goats, Spanish goats and horses. Currently they raise Myotonic goats, white utility king squabs, and organic herbs and vegetables. He is passionate about conservation and responsible breeding of functional animals. To Renard, the old genetics are special and must be preserved.
Big thank you to Manna Pro for sponsoring Goat Chats this month! Learn more about how Manna Pro is Nurturing Life at https://www.mannapro.com/promotions/nurturing-life-2022.
October 4, 2022
Special Guest Dr. Phil Sponenberg joins Cindra Kerscher and Brittany Sweeney to talk about the past, present, and future of Spanish goats.
D. Phillip Sponenberg, DVM, Ph.D., is Professor of Pathology and Genetics at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech University. His breed conservation endeavors include technical advisor for The Livestock Conservancy as well as extensive work in Latin America. This work has been pivotal in saving several endangered livestock breeds.
Big thank you to Manna Pro for sponsoring Goat Chats this month! Learn more about how Manna Pro is Nurturing Life at https://www.mannapro.com/promotions/nurturing-life-2022
![Poitou Donkey Chat with Natasha Sprengers-Levine]()
September 20, 2022
Special Guest Natasha Sprengers-Levine from Blue Wood Farm and Vineyards (https://bluewoodfarm.com), chats with Charlene Couch and Brittany Sweeney about critically-endangered Poitou donkeys nutrition and reproduction.
Natasha Sprengers-Levine is the COO of STRIDER, the largest equestrian bookings platform and software services provider for the horse industry. She is a United States Pony Club graduate and USDF Silver and Bronze Medalist who holds a BA in Political Science and Philosophy from the University of Vermont, where she was captain of the Dressage Team. Natasha currently operates a dressage training business at Blue Wood Farm & Vineyard in Verbank, NY where she also oversees the care and management of her family’s four Poitou donkeys. Blue Wood Farm has been home to Poitou donkeys since 2011 and successfully foaled out a jenny in 2018.
Big thank you to Manna Pro for sponsoring Donkey Chats this month! Learn more about how they are nurturing life at https://www.mannapro.com/promotions/nurturing-life-2022.
August 22, 2022
Special Guest Dayna Burtness of Nettle Valley Farm (https://www.nettlevalleyfarm.com/) joins Brittany Sweeney and Samantha Gasson from FACT (foodanimalconcernstrust.org) to chat about niche marketing and creating a community around your farm.
Dayna Burtness farms full time at Nettle Valley Farm and does most of the day to day farm management and livestock care. She grew up near the Twin Cities but is actually part of the the 6th generation in her family to farm in Houston County, MN. Nettle Valley Farm is a 70 acre farm in Spring Grove, MN, where Dayna and her partner Nick Nguyen raise pastured pork and try to increase the resilience and biodiversity of the land they steward, be good neighbors, and pay it forward whenever they can.
Big thank you to Manna Pro for sponsoring Marketing Mondays this year! Learn more about how Manna Pro is Nurturing Life at https://www.mannapro.com/promotions/nurturing-life-2022
![Cayuga Duck Chat with Jon Alden]()
August 16, 2022
Welcome to Duck Chats! Special Guest Jon Alden, Breeding Flock Manager at Hoover's Hatchery (https://hoovershatchery.com/), joins Jeannette Beranger and Brittany Sweeney to chat about Cayuga ducks, listed as Watch on the Conservation Priority List.
Growing up on a small farm in central Illinois, Jon first got into chicks when he bought his first 12 from the local farm store, which quickly turned into 20 chickens, and a few ducks. His passion for poultry quickly expanded to more birds, leading him to attend the University of Arkansas, pursuing a degree in Poultry Science. From there Jon worked at a couple other poultry outfits before joining Hoover’s Hatchery in 2018, where he oversees all the breeders at Hoover’s while working to expand our selection to include more variety that we believe will appeal to our customers.
Big thank you to Manna Pro for sponsoring Duck Chats this month! Learn more about how they are nurturing life at https://www.mannapro.com/promotions/nurturing-life-2022
