Jake And Friends
Jake And Friends
Episode 58 - Hiccup Farm with Austin & Brittany Steen
Austin & Brittany Steen join to discuss their desire to start a farm in Pike County, AL called Hiccup Farm!
Austin is a CPA and a former disgraced Sigma Chi (Eta Phi) and Brittany runs most of the day to day operations of the farm.
I have first handedly purchased from them and will vouch for the quality of their products.
All right, everybody. Welcome back to another episode of Jake and Friends. Today we have Brittany and Austin Steen, and they are the proud owners of Hiccup Farm, which is located in Spring Hill, Alabama, not quite that far from Troy, I would say It's perfectly situated right in between Troy and Enterprise. Um, so y'all, welcome to the podcast. How's, how's everything going?
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Thank you. It's going good. It's good. We actually have a Troy address, even though we're in Spring Hill, but
Track 1:Oh, really? Troy goes out that far.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Mm-Hmm. Yeah, we don't have a, uh, there's no post office in, in Spring Hill, so,
Track 1:okay, now you, you led me so you, so y'all are zone for Troy City schools then? Or is it like, no, no, no, no, no. It doesn't work like that. Is it one of those weird things where it's like we have that address, but we.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:No, we're, we're Pike County, actually. Mm-Hmm.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:I figured that's pretty far to be a choice City School.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Mm-Hmm. Pike County.
Track 1:You never know,
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:So I guess you guys are technically outside of the choice city limits, but have a choice. Address. yeah. that makes sense. I, I know for you, Jake, it doesn't make sense because, you know, Birmingham, you live such in a big city and you know, you're so in the Vesta, but you know, for us, you know, royal people, it's more a little bit different
Track 1:no. It's still the same thing because you have Hoover people who were like, I live in Hoover. And then they're like, where, which part? And they're like, you know, because you got your main, I'd say your mainland Hoover, which is like, you know, sort of west of I 65. I would say, hmm, a little bit north and a little bit
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:the mainland Hoover.
Track 1:It's mainly in Hoover. You people from Birmingham will know exactly what I'm talking, talking about. And then you've got like your Far West Hoover, you know, you've got your like, uh, your Black Ridge people who I would say those, your Rich Hoover people and you've got your second richest people and those are your Lake Wilburn people. And you've got your like early two thousands rich people and those are your Ross Bridge people. And they like kind of all live in different parts of Hoover. But then you've got your East coast, uh, Hoover people and those are like east of 4 59, uh, just west of two 80, or sorry, I shouldn't say east of 4 59, east of 65, south of 4 59. And that's like your heatherwood kind of folks, your Spain Park people,
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:I'm gonna be honest. I'm not following you at all. I wonder if any of our, I wonder if any of the podcast listeners are following you at all. Either, like,
Track 1:They are, they
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:like, comment on like social media or something. Let us know. Are you following Jake at all?'cause I'm not.
Track 1:So if you, if you pull out a, if you were to pull out a map of Hoover and you know, like highlight, I don't know if one
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:I'm not gonna do that.
Track 1:like, you wouldn't do that, but if you could and you like kind of threw paint, if you kind of threw paint on a map of Jefferson and Shelby County, then you would be like Hoover, somewhere right there where the
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:But you don't live in Hoover though, right? You live in the tta, right? That's like where all the upper class people live,
Track 1:but, but you have to drive through Hoover just to get to the Vestavia neighborhood that I live in. So Vestavia doesn't, it's like vest. The Vestavia I live in is here and then Hoover's all around it, and then you go across the street and there's more Vestavia. So I don't really know. And Brittany and Austin are already regretting making this decision.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:I'm just giving him a hard time because, uh, do you guys, I don't know if you guys know William Teal, but he's one of our best friends and. He lives in Pellum and he makes fun of Jake living in Vestavia all the time. So I'm just giving it right back to him.
Track 1:but Teal's got a bigger house than I do, and he paid more for his house than I do, and he gave his address
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:bro, you live in Vestavia though. You live in Vesta, dude,
Track 1:That's not, this isn't
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:anyways, yeah, we're not.
Track 1:so, uh, Austin, Brittany, will, will you just tell everyone a little bit about yourself and just sort of, you know, who you are, how y'all met, where you're from, that kind of deal.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Sure. Um, you, you start, yeah, you go ahead and start. Oh, okay. Uh, well, I'm Brittany. I'm from Tuka. Um, grew up there and came to Troy for school. We ended up meeting, um, at church. Uh, you were in. You were in your master's and I had, I was about to graduate. Um, we met at church, got married right after we graduated and ended up, ended up just really staying here, um, after graduation, um, had jobs and then it's kind of planted roots a little bit. So now we're here on the farm and I'm, I'm staying home, um, with the kids and doing whatever day-to-day tasks need done around here. And that's, that's about it.
Track 1:When you first
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:And I'm
Track 1:oh yeah, sorry, go
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:I'm sorry,
Track 1:No, I interrupted. I forgot.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:I just gonna say, I'm Austin obviously, and from the big city of Monroeville, Alabama. And, uh, came to Troy and haven't left. I came to Troy in 2011, so I've been here for over a decade now, which is pretty crazy. And, uh, she already covered, met Brittany at church. We got married. Um, had a couple different jobs here at town and now I'm a, a full-time CPA at a small firm here in Troy. That's what I do. Full-time while Brittany's here tending to the flocks.
Track 1:Nice.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Hey, I do have a question. you said you're from Mount Monroeville? Uh, I actually know people from Monroeville. Uh, do you by chance know like, uh, Logan Smith? He's a twin brother.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Yes,
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Yes. He's one of my really good friends. I teach in coach at Fair High School. He also teaches there. Um, and then do you know Tim Carter?
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Uhhuh.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:he is our head coach,
Track 1:Shout out to Burnt.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Yep. So
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:So,
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Munro people. I know, I know some RO people, so.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Logan Smith, uh, I actually graduated with him from Monroe Academy in a class, uh, of about 20. So we've met
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:on. Yes.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Yeah. I mean, I, I've known him since, uh, I mean, probably since we were like four, I guess.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:at that connection. Smitty, how about that?
Track 1:Look at that. We're not, I'm not the only one who knows people. Uh, I, I was always most fascinated about Monroeville, uh, and how all the towns like immediately adjacent to it are like, slap apple and burnt corn and like, what are some of the other ones that are just like
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:P Yeah, there's, there's no slap apple, pineapple
Track 1:what was the one that was
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:scratch, ankle. There it is.
Track 1:Scratch ankle. I mean like, come on. You can't make that up. That's even worse than slap apple. I don't know where there's a slap apple, but anyway, maybe I just forgot it was scratch ankle. Um, Brittany, when you met Austin, did he, was he able to identify trees or was that how he wooed you? Was he like, Hey, that right
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:was
Track 1:there spruce.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:ability to identify trees, actually. No. Yeah, he definitely, one time, uh, we were riding in the car and we were just dating. She pointed out, she said, I love it when the wisteria blooms. And I said, that's,
Track 1:That's the one right there.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:That's it.
Track 1:That's awesome. Um, well, so sort of kinda walk me through, or I guess before we sort of dive into like how the story began, will you just sort of like plug kind your, your farm and like what it is you do? I guess I would think of it as like an elevator pitch. You know, like if someone doesn't listen past the 20 minute mark of this episode, what, how can they think like, oh, this is who Hiccup Farm is.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:You got this. Okay. Um, okay, well our big sellers right now are is our lamb. Um, that's what we're really focusing on. So if you're interested in purchasing some ground lamb or um, lamb chops, um, we have that available. And it was farm raised, um, right here on our property. Um. Um, and they can follow us on Facebook Hiccup Farm, and we have an Instagram too. But, um, I do a lot of posting on Facebook, try to keep up to date, um, like what we have on hand and how you can, uh, purchase from us. And we're working on a website, but we don't have a date and that'll be out yet. So Facebook is the best way to find this really.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:We can try to share that on our social media too for the listeners there.
Track 1:are on Instagram too, so it'll be, it'll be easy. Um, so will you just sort of walk through, kinda like, I, you first met Austin where you're like, you know what, there's a man I would slaughter chickens with. Like, we will you walk through like how that, uh, sort of transpired.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Yeah. Never in my life did I think I would be slaughtering a chicken. Um, he brought that up first and that was something, I guess we kind of. Started to look into, like once we moved out, um, to this property in Spring Hill, like looking at how to be more, um, sustainable, like have our, grow our own food. Um, vegetables obviously in a garden. But what about meats too? We didn't have any kind of livestock, um, or fencing for livestock at that point. So chickens were the easiest way to get started. And I was, I think I was opposed to it at first. Um, I was okay with like laying hens, you know, like eggs. That's great. But it was kind of, it was hard to get on board at first with raising our own pasture raised and meat chickens. Um, I mean it's, it is sad when you think about it, like what the process of how the meat gets to your table, but I think it's, it's also good to honor that and understand that whole process. So I eventually got on board and now I wouldn't change anything about it. Like, I'm so happy we do this. Um, I don't wanna go back to, to not raising our own
Track 1:Yeah.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:How many
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:and if, if, I mean, the chickens is a pretty extreme example. Um, that's probably the most extreme thing we do. Yeah. But I mean, we're really just, you know, homesteading and, uh, a really small farm, uh, here, and that, that wasn't a stretch for either one of us. We both knew that we wanted to do that and we lived in town for a little bit, um, just because when we got married, that's, that's kind of what we could afford. And there wasn't anything available. Um, we weren't sure where we wanted plant roots yet, but she and I both grew up basically like one generation removed from full-time farming. Um, like my dad grew up on a, on a farm. Um, and then every generation before him did, and her dad also grew up on a dairy farm. And I guess it's in our blood if, if, if you will. And we wanted to do that. Uh, we just weren't sure how or what it would look like. Um. But we always knew we wanted to live out on a little bit of land and, and do something, you know, raise, raise something. Mm-Hmm.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:So do you guys have like chicken houses? Like do you have multiple chicken houses? Like how does that look?
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:No, we, so actually our property did have egg houses on it. They did years and years ago. Raised chickens till late eggs here. But we, those are not in, in use anymore. We tore'em down. Um, and we raise it different, differently than in like a chicken house. Like what you would think of, um, conventionally raising chickens. Um, we raise'em on pastures, so like they're, they see sunshine all day of their, every day of their life. Um, they see the grass in the knot, the fresh grass. Yeah. They, they're always out there and have access to the outdoors, um, to graze as they want to. Whereas in a chicken house, you would never have that.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:do you guys see a difference, like when it comes to the chickens? Like is there a difference between like a chicken that you eat from a chicken house or you guys chicken? Like is there a difference or like, is there a process? Like how does that look?
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Well, you can ask Jake Jake's loyal customer
Track 1:I'll,
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:likes that. Um,
Track 1:yeah.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:I mean, I, I, I would say yeah, for sure. Um, just the, the fact that which we do supplement with grain, um, I mean, chickens live off a, a grain type feed, so we feed'em a lot, but the fact that they're able to eat grass and eat bugs and scraps, just various things like that, changes our diet. Their diet from a typical chicken in a chicken house and they're, they get more exercise and they don't eat 24 7. Um, you know, most chicken houses keep the lights on. And then they eat constantly and they grow really fast. And our chickens grow really fast. It is the same breed. And so they, uh, we slaughter'em at like eight weeks. So they're, they're raised very, very quickly. Uh, grow very fast. Um, but I think it's, it's more tender, more juicy. I mean, it, it is really kind of a, uh, it's like a bulletproof chicken. It's hard to mess it up if you, if you cook it.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Gotcha. Because I was thinking like, you know, I, I duck hunt down here. And so like the different types of ducks are, they all taste different based off of their diet. Um, and so wood ducks to me taste the best because their diet is nothing but just a grass and like all really good green vegetables and stuff like that. So, um, yeah, a lot different than like other birds that
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:a.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Yes. So that's cool.
Track 1:Yeah, I, I'll, I'll second that and I'm not, I'm not a homer, so I don't want you to think, and I, I'll sort of like bridge the gap of like kind of how, kind of why I asked you guys to be on this podcast. So like, I remember, I guess it was, I think we were just talking about this right before we started. It was probably a couple years ago and it was the first season, I guess y'all were raising chickens and I think y'all did it in the, did y'all do it in the fall then? Is that your fir or did y'all do the spring? Um, y'all may have done the spring, some spring chickens, and I didn't get on board for whatever reason, but my coworker at the time, her parents have a farm and they just raise cattle and they just like, they only, they don't raise it commercially, they just raise it for them and their family. And then just like a handful of people who they sell to. And one day my coworker was like, Hey, uh, do y'all want to get in and like split a cow with me? And she was just telling us about how their parents raised cattle and how it's different than what you can get at the store. And we're like, sure, whatever. We'll, all, it was like four of us. Like, we'll split like a cow's, not a big deal. Um, it was at the time, you know, it was like, I was thinking that's kind of a lot, but then you break it down the price and you're like, oh, that's not that bad at all. Um, and so we were like, we'll try it. And if we hate it, we'll, I. You know, never do it again, and then ended up loving it. Now I'll tell you, like Parker, your question was like, can you tell a difference between the meat? And it's like, yes you can. Because if you were to get ground beef from the store and then get ground beef from where, you know this, it's called Hardy Farms in case anyone wants to know in Atmore, Alabama, not too far from scratch ankle. But, um, but it's, uh, like if you were to like brown some meat in a pan with like the regular ground beef, like the amount of grease that comes off is just like you have to drain it. Like that's why they tell you to drain it. But if you were to do the same thing with like the fresh beef, like youre, you really don't have to drain it. There's like almost, it's just very lean anyway. Um, and Sote was telling me that he was gonna raise some chickens and I was like, what? I was like, I was like, I was. Can I try some? I think, I can't remember if I initiated it first, if you asked me, but I was interested as soon as you told me.'cause I was like, I've been looking for a chicken guy. And I was like, I was like, there's no way I'll find a chicken guy. But if I just ask the guy who can, you know, wear boots and, and wranglers and identify trees in the woods, then, then that's the, that's the guy who's most likely to, to raise chicken. So I tried some and I just tried a little bit and I was like, man, this is great. And then I told Stein, I was like, I'll be your number one. I was like, I'll be your number one customer as long as you do this. Um, and I do mean that. So I'll vouch for you and say that I do think there's a great, uh, a big difference. Um, so, so will you kind of, um. Walk through when you decided, you know, like, Hey, we we're gonna start this farm. Like, what's the first step? Like obviously land is, is the first step. Like you're like, well, I gotta have it, you know? Um, maybe that is, why don't you tell your own story instead of me guessing it?
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Yeah. Um, you know, like I said, we've always wanted to do this and, uh, so we moved here in 2021, so that kind of gives you a frame of reference. When we got here and we were already starting, uh, like pre covid, like starting, we were processing our own deer at that point. We, we tried to grow like a garden in town, like in raised beds and stuff like that. Um, and then Covid happened and I. I really wanted to get into, to farming for just more of your, I guess, self-sufficiency. She was more excited about like the health, a aspect of it. Um, and so we really started looking then and, uh, you know, I, I don't, I don't know what really led to it. Like I, I'm really into real estate. I like it. I always look at it and we knew we wanted to do this, and then I, I just happened to find this property and I rode by it, and it was a dump. I mean, it was all grown up. Um, you couldn't see the house from the road. Um, but I, I looked at it and I walked around and I was like, man, this, this place is awesome. And it was a steal, like, it, it would hurt your feelings if, if I told you how cheap it was. And, um, I brought Brittany out here. I got a real estate agent that I work with a lot, and I got Brittany out here and she is like, no, not doing this. And, uh, I, and even, even the real estate agent was like, man, that ain't working. I, I was like, I'm telling y'all both. It is. And we ended up buying it. And, uh, I, I got out here, I had a tractor at the time, and I got out here and I started like bush hogging and cleaning up even before we closed. Like, I got permission from the guy that owned it to do that. And, um, you know, before you knew know it, it, it really, it came around. Um, so yeah, that was the first stop, uh, like place to start is, is finding somewhere. But, um, I guess if there's somebody out there listening, even if you live in Vestavia, you know, you can, you can start where you're at. Mm-Hmm. Um, I wanted to grow rabbits in our backyard in town. Brittany didn't want to eat a rabbit, so we never did. But like, you know, there, there are things you can do, like you can homestead, uh, in town for sure, even, even in Birmingham. Um, so I would say start wherever you are and then have some goals and, and try to try to reach those. I don't know if that answered your question
Track 1:no. Yeah. No. I mean, starts with a desire and then you gotta have land and you're like, now what do I get? Uh, so the fir the, the, there's the first thing y'all are just like, let's just start with like vegetables and just like see what kind of, what kind of grains or whatever we can grow. Do y'all experiment with anything or is it just pretty much like squash, you know, your typical strawberry? Uh, can you go strawberries in South Alabama?
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:yeah. Well, uh, the house was unlivable, so the first thing we did is we had to have a place to live. Mm-Hmm. Um, so the first year we did not have a garden. We like that first summer, we didn't even think about how can we grow something.'cause we had to focus all of our energy into making this a livable space. And we, we closed on the house after gardening season too. So it was, it was good timing. We were able to knock out a bunch of the house. Uh, in the late summer, fall, and winter. Mm-Hmm. Um, but yeah, that was the first start was actually we started with chickens before the garden, I think. Did, yeah. Mm-Hmm. We, we got our chickens. Yeah. Um, and we actually had a room that was unfinished back here that we weren't living in as is completely unfinished. And that's where we put like our brooder for our, our first flock of baby chicks inside. And we never did it again, because that was an awful experience. Don't do that.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:So how was it with, like you said, you have children. How many do you have? How many children do you have?
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:we have two,
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Okay. How old are they?
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:uh, Marys, three and Calvin is
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Okay, so was all this happening, you said you moved out there in 2021? Correct. So you had at least a 3-year-old then. So how was it with children?
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:yeah, we actually moved out here on her first birthday, so that was it. And on, like, she's, she's so good with the flow. It was really easy to kind of tag her along with whatever we were doing out here. Um, it, you know, slowed down some things, but you learn how to, how to manage that. Like you learn how to, how to just do both. Um, and you call in people for help when you need it. Um, but it's been fun to have the kids around. They enjoy being in the garden now and digging in the dirt or trying to plant seeds, um, helping me pick carrots and stuff. So they, they love that
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Oh yeah.
Track 1:Do you ever think, um, like sometimes I'll have this thought, but do you ever like look outside and you're like, this is the way God intended for me to live?
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:for sure. For sure.
Track 1:So what about it? Yeah, go ahead, Stan.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Um, yeah, I mean, yeah, definitely. I, I've been thinking, preparing for this podcast and it's just like, uh, you know, God, God put Adam in the garden and told him to work. Um, so that was man's purpose, was to fellowship with God and, and work a garden. And, um, you know, of course we apply that to any job that we have.
Track 1:Sure.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:you know, Christians are, are good, hardworking people should be. Um, but there's something just like really especially redemptive about working outside and like, growing things from like, I mean, not nothing but it, it's like almost nothing. You know? It, it's like, like you, you have a little corn seed or an okra seed. Okra seeds are tiny and they make this huge plant and, uh, which of course it's all, all God that does it. But it's, it's cool to see. It's cool to see us. It's much more satisfying than, than doing tax returns. I'll say that.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:There. You're right though. There is something about like, even like I'm a teacher, so like God has used me in amazing ways in my own classroom, but there's something about growing something like, or being out in the land and it's just like something in us, like you're saying, like this God given that's like just makes you feel, uh, like this is what I'm supposed to do. Like this is, this is a gift and it's so good. So yeah, you're, you're on point with that one.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Well and it really forces you to rely on God too and like trust him in that too. Because you can can plant it, you can water it and fertilize it, but I mean, you're not making it grow. You're really just trusting that God will let the sunshine on it and the rainfall when it needs to, and that he will give the growth to it. Um, we can, we try to do things, but we know that it's God that gives, gives the growth there.
Track 1:Yeah.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Yep.
Track 1:Um, so will you walk through a little bit about what separates the way you guys do? Well, I guess will you just say like, well, I think I've already answered that, but will you just go through like what differentiates, like the way you guys do things versus the way someone who's in the commercial space will do it and just sort of like highlight those, I guess, either similarities or differences or both.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Yeah. Um, first of all, I wanna say like, from the get go, as far as like ag goes, and I, I guess you would call us in the regenerative ag space, uh, we're not the smartest or the most experienced out there. Um, there's a lot better voices to listen to if you really want to get some firsthand knowledge than us. So I'll say that from the get go. And I also from the get go, like. I don't think anybody that does conventional ag is like really our enemy at all. Like if you're an Iowa corn farmer or you know, even a Pike County chicken farmer with big chicken houses, um, I mean, all farmers are in it, in it together. And people in Iowa grow a lot of corn because Americans eat a lot of high fructose corn syrup. You know, that's just, that's what it is. They're making a living. They're, they're producing what people are buying. And, um, we're producing a more, uh, niche product. Um, we've talked a lot about chickens, but we don't really sell a lot of, a lot of chickens. That's, uh, it's really labor intensive. I couldn't do it and work full time.'cause it, I mean, it would be, you know, I'd have to take a, a day off every single week to, to get it all done. So, uh, lamb is our, our major product, which is, you know, very, very, um, niche. Um. Americans don't eat a whole lot of land. Uh, and so I'm, I'm kind of losing my train of
Track 1:No, you're good.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:but talking about what makes us different. Yeah, yeah. Um, really, I, I would say the big thing that makes us different, other than the fact that we're, we're raising sheep. And when you tell somebody that in Alabama, they look at you like what? You know, because there's, in Pike County there's a little bit of row cropping, there's a lot of cows, there's a lot of chicken houses, there's some folks with goats, but not many people around here have sheep. So you get funny looks from the get go. But typ, sorry, go ahead. Typically, like when people hear, you raise sheep, like they think of a wool sheep and we do not raise wool sheep. We have hair sheep, so we don't have to shear them. They do a lot better in this kind of climate. Um,'cause it's obviously hot down here. So they're geared up for this kind of weather. Um. And bred for their meat production. So they're specifically, you know, made for meat. Yeah. But what, what, what differentiates us from, um, like a, a cattle farmer as far as we're, we're both raising animals that graze, right. So, so what's different, um, is we're pretty heavy on rotational grazing. So if you have 40 acres, we might break it up into, um, eight, five acre parcels and move them. Uh, as soon as they get done eating one five acre parcel, we move them to the next. Whereas a cattle farmer might break it up into two 20 acre parcels or not at all. And, and the goal of that is, um, soil help. So it eats the, uh, the grass down real quick, dumps up a bunch of manure, uh, where they were, and then you move it onto the next spot, uh, versus cows that they'll. Preferential preferentially graze what they want, and they'll overgraze some good grasses and they'll leave some bad grasses that, that they don't necessarily like as much. And so what happens over time is you get more of the grass they don't like and then they overgraze the grass, they do like, and there's not as much as much of it. Um, and they like it because it's more nutritious. So, uh, I guess our grazing method is really on, on soil health and, uh, parasite resistance. Mm-hmm. So parasites that kill, especially sheep, but cows are as well, are, are found, uh, in the stomach and they all have parasites, but the more they eat that manure load over and over and over, you know, they're poop in the grass and the worms get in the grass and they eat it, and more and more worms get in their gut and that eventually kills'em. So by moving it, it gives that parasite time to go through the lifecycle and die without being injustice and getting back in his stuff.
Track 1:I was, uh, it's cool. Your two things I was gonna, what I was hoping to talk about when you brought regenerative, like stuff, you sent me a video of your chickens one time and I think, I guess I don't know how big the area was. Let's say it's like 50 feet by 50 feet and you like, you know, showed the overtime like where you had been moving them and like the, you sort of walked through like. Where you just had'em, like all the grass was like eaten down. And like a few days prior to that, you showed the next patch of grass and it looked like there's maybe just a couple specks of, you know, like grass trying to regrow. But then like the far, the farther you go back and like the older, the patch of grass getss, like the, the more lush the grass gets. So you like literally see this, um, like picture of like, well this is what I'm doing, like this is working. I just thought that was really cool and that was when I was hooked, I was like, this is it man. This is the
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:man, it, it was cool because, so that was my spring clock and, and they were done about May and so we had the whole grass grow and season ahead of them. And I did that in my hayfield and all year you could just see those squares where I moved the chickens.'cause,'cause we moved chickens, you know, every other day just when they, they get a good bit of manure down, we move them and it was just so much thicker there in that 50 foot stretch than the rest of the hay field. It was, it was cool.
Track 1:And another, another thing, I was listening to a different podcast and they were talk, you were talking about like parasites and manure and stuff. And I was talking about this one beetle that, uh, well, I guess I think it's a D beetle for, for like cows. And so like, it'll dig like a little cone into the ground, like a few feet in the ground. It'll like burrow down in there in the manure. Like it'll take the manure and just like. Just like fertilize it deep in the ground. Um, and like over time it'll just produce like lush grass. And is the guy who was, he was a farmer and he was talking about it, he was like, you couldn't pay anybody to, to do that. You know, like, but God, but God did it for free. And by creating this insect to do it for you, um, I just think, uh, do you, do you think that like, we're gonna get back to, and, and, and again, I know you said that like farmers aren't like pitted against each other's like, you know, regenerative versus commercial or anything, or I guess more local farms versus commercial farms. But do you think that this country is ever gonna swing back to like, you know, the pre-World War II era of, of, uh, you know, how we consume our food and how, where we get our food from?
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Okay. Yeah, I think Brittany's ready to talk about this. Um, maybe I'm ready for there to be a shift like that. Like, I think, I think people are starting to see the benefits of it, um, more and more. And I don't know, little by little we're kind of moving that way. We were actually talking about this the other night, and I don't know what that will look like. Like if it will. What kind of shift will actually happen, you know, what will make us turn to that? Um, whether it is like a negative kind of thing or, or like everybody is finally influenced positively to see the benefit. Um, but I think there will be a big shift one day. I would like there to be least maybe that's just hopeful thinking really. Um, you hope there is at least. Yeah.'cause it's, you know, our, our health is a, a population, you know, a US population that is pretty bad and, you know, I'm not a super fit healthy guy, but like we, we pretty clean foods for the most part. You know, we don't eat out a lot. We don't eat a lot of processed foods. A lot of our meals are like a hundred percent grown here, or at least in the county. Um, if it's something we don't grow, like we buy our hogs local and we buy our, our beef local. So. Um, a lot of it is, is really local, so I, Mm-Hmm. There should be a change for sure. Um, I heard somebody say it is kind of funny if you look 50 years ago, 90% of the food in our grocery store didn't even exist. Well, neither did our obesity and diabetes rates and, and things like that. And all the diseases that us as a population are coping with today that they weren't as prevalent back then.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:So I got a question. Um, so Austin, you're a CPA and Brittany, you're a stay-at-home mom. So, but, but you guys have obviously a ton on your plate just with that right there. And then you add on, you know. Going to church, uh, getting your family involved in that. Uh, ha having friends and all on top of all that stuff. You have your farm. Um, what is like God, like, kind of taught you guys? Um, like,'cause for me, like I'm a, uh, like I'm in, I'm getting my uh, EDS right now. So like, uh, I'm working on school, but I also have two children and I have a coach and I teach and all this other stuff. And I'm like a very type A planner. Like, I like to get all these things done and get all checked off my list. Um. But I, I, I sometimes struggle with, um, I don't get overwhelmed very much, but I always think about all the things I gotta do. And I don't take time sometimes to just sit down on the ground and play with my boys or go on the trampoline and play with them. So what has God like kind of taught you guys, like during this time of having children, all that involved and having the farm, uh, to how to manage all that together?
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:I think first thing is that you are, you cannot do it all. Like there's gonna, you have to sacrifice something. Um, sometimes that's, the house is not as clean as I want it to be. Um, and that was a hard lesson for me to
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Preach
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:moved out.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:me too.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Cleaning the house and taking care of our home in town, which was smaller, um, and obviously less property to moving out here and trying to do all of this. I was so overwhelmed and just upset that I couldn't do it all to the standard that I wanted it to be done to. Um, so that was a hard adjustment, but that has, I, I, I feel like I have become a lot more relaxed about it and like been able to let go, um, when I cannot get to a project. And I think part of that is just like naturally in motherhood, especially when you have littles. Like you can't, like, your attention can't always be at every single thing. Like you have these two little people that you have to look at first, um, and meet their needs before you do something else. Um, so just learning to balance that and be okay when I can't get to one project has, has been helpful.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Hmm.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Yeah, I'm, and I'm very much the same way. Like a, obviously an accountant type A I don't like to start a project, I can't finish, but I've just had to learn, like, sometimes you can't get everything. Like you can't get all the grass cut in a day, you know, you just can't do it. So I've just had to learn that. And, um, you know, as far as kids, like, I try like really hard to spend intentional time with the kids. And a lot of times that's just, we're outside, you know, and, and dad's doing something and they're running around and I'm just kind of making sure they're, they're not getting hurt, but we're, we're spending time together outside, uh, now in the winter when it's dark, that's not a great example of that. But, you know, come July when I get home from work at five, we're going outside and we're gonna be doing stuff until dark. So, and a lot of weekends too, it'll be, he's, if he has to bush hog or something and he's in the tractor, like one of the kids will always ride with him. They, they love that. Mm-Hmm. And just sitting there with dad.
Track 1:Yeah, I think that's really cool because you're like showing your kids, like I don't just sit around, I, I've determined there are two types of people in the universe. There are couch sitters and there are non couch sitters. Like you are either gonna come home from work and like sit on the couch till it's time to go to bed or you are not. Um,
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Which one are you? Smitty?
Track 1:I'm not a couch sitter. I'll sit on the couch after thing when it's like the last
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:I don't, I don't know Jake, when the, I think you've changed. Yes. I You've changed. You've changed in a good way.'cause you used to be a couch. A couch shooter. We'd be like, Hey man, what you wanna do? I don't wanna chill. Chill. But it's
Track 1:do nothing. Part of that was like, we had to work out every day in high school, you know, for baseball. And then I get to college and I'm like, this is the first time in my life I don't have to like, abide by a 6:30 AM to like 8:00 PM schedule. You know? I was like, I just wanna hang out.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Just hang out.
Track 1:But no, I, I do think it's cool that you're like showing your kids like, like, I like, I like you can do whatever you want with your life, but like, we're not gonna sit here and be lazy, like we're gonna get after it. Um,
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:yeah.
Track 1:so have you experienced like, any setbacks when it comes to like, like what are some pitfalls that you're like, oh, I didn't realize that was a thing until I started
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Well, I mean, you know the name of our farm, right?
Track 1:Hiccup? Yeah.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Yeah. So yeah, we, we experienced a lot of setbacks. It is actually like the contractor that was helping us renovate our house. He always joked like, man, you need to call this place Hiccup Ranch. And I wanted to go with that, but Brittany wanted to go with Hiccup Farms, so that's what we agreed on. But, um, yeah, I mean, it was, it, it was just, I guess we named it like that is be because hiccups always happen. Like there's always problems. And we just decided to treat'em as temporary problems and, and work our way through'em. And hiccups are only temporary and you know, so are, so are these problems that we, we work our way through. So yeah, there's been, I mean, tons of setbacks. I, we can probably give you some ex specific examples. Um,
Track 1:Yeah.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:our first flock chickens, they were chicks and, uh, we put pine shavings in there with'em that had been out,'cause we already had the pine shaving. So I said, well, let's just use those. Well, they had a bacteria or a mold on them that you couldn't even see, but it caused a respiratory infection. And we lost like half of our chicks first week. And that was like our first flock. And we're like, wow, we're, we're pretty bad at this. But we, you know, we, we kind of stuck with it and like kept researching, kept calling people, kept asking and figured out, oh, it's the pine shavings. And so we cleaned it out, sanitized everything. And we lost a couple of more that were already really sick, but as soon as we did that, they were good to go and we hadn't had a problem since.
Track 1:So is the pine, is it that particular type of pine shaving or were, did you just like leave it out too long and you didn't use fresh pine
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Right? Yeah. They, they had gotten wet. Mm-Hmm. Yeah. And we bought, we bought some lambs from a guy. Mm-Hmm. We bought, brought'em here. They were healthy when we got'em, but they all had coccidia
Track 1:What's that?
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:they look it's like a, a bacteria. Yes. A bacteria. I mean, it's, it's not a worm, but it's, it's similar to a parasite. Mm-Hmm. Um, but man, they, they just started dropping like flies after two weeks, like every day one would die. And, uh, you know, the guy was a, a standup business guy and I told him, I was like, Hey man, my sheep are healthy. The ones I already had, I. And I've lost all but two of the ones I bought from you. And he, you know, he gave us our money back, which he, he didn't have to do. So, um, kudos to him for doing that. But that was a huge setback, you know, that was not fun to deal with. That was hard. Like dragging dead sheep out of the field before going to work every day. Like that was, that was
Track 1:And you, you're not eating those.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:no Uhuh, no. If you find'em dead, it's best
Track 1:You're like,
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:the kind of stuff you don't think about. Like you just, it's like, oh yeah, I'm gonna raise my own, you know, sheep, and then there's all these setbacks. You're like, holy cow, never thought about that.
Track 1:Yeah. It's gonna be so good. There's gonna be, I'm gonna have bible verses next with my morning coffee and I'm gonna sit on my patio and then just like wash the sheep graze. And I'm like, this is such a life, Austin, I'm so glad we did this. And then there's three dead
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:It never.
Track 1:like, oh, uh, um. Yeah. Go. Where's, oh, I just, so what goes into like a typical day of, uh, sorry, I thought I heard these are, see these are the kind of things we're not editing out. I heard something, I, I looked down to read my phone to like go to the next question and then I thought someone was gonna say something, so then I paused. Because I don't wanna
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:And that's the kind of setback when you're not in person, but you know, you make due, you make due.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Hang.
Track 1:so, well, you kind of, I know you kind of went through this a little bit, like, I guess what goes into like a typical day, let's say like a typical, let's like a typical weekday where you gotta work Austin, and then like a typical, a typical weekend day when I guess when you're in season for whatever it is that you're doing.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Well, Brittany should probably talk about the typical weekday. Um, you know, sometimes I'll do some chores in the morning, but typically Brittany. Brittany does, especially this time of the year when it's like in, in December, January, uh, there's not much daylight when I'm here, period. So Brittany handles most of it. So what? Yeah. Um, well, as long as everything is going okay and we don't have, you know, coccidia or whatever other bacteria and parasite problem, um, as long as everybody's healthy things are pretty easy, um, I'll take the kids out with me after we eat breakfast and get ready and we'll go feed the dogs. We have, um, a guardian dog out there with a sheep, so we'll go feed him. Um, I try to just make sure I lay eyes on the sheep and, and make sure that everybody's there or, um, you know, make sure that they're okay. Um, check the waters if we need to go around to the goats and the cats and the chickens. Um, just, you know, hitting everybody, making sure they're fed and watered. And then, um. Okay. That's, that's it for my mornings. And every now and then, you know, we'll go back out in the day to, um, you know, check as needed. Right now we're getting close to lambing, so I've been trying to go out a little more during the day just to check on the girls and see if like there's any sign, like if they're about to start lambing or not. Um, but typically that's just our normal day. In the summer it looks a little different. We're a little more hands-on just because we have the garden. So we'll do all those chores in the morning. And then a lot of times we're like going right back out and spending most of the day outside, whether that's like picking things in the garden or, you know, tending to some of the weeds and watering things out there. Maybe that's bringing it in and preserving it in whatever capacity we need to, but that's, yeah. Summer's way more involved, like,
Track 1:Mm-Hmm.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Uh, well, this past week when it was super cold, I got up every day just so Brittany didn't have to get out with the kids, and I did the chores. But typically if it's not freezing cold, cold, they do that. But in the summer, you know, I'll get up when it's nice in the morning, cool. In the morning, weed the garden, and then Brittany's out working in it a lot during the day and summertime, like when it, when we're cutting hay, sometimes I'll come home from work early at four o'clock and I'll cut hay until eight o'clock and then have to bail it on the weekends. Um, so summers are, are a lot more busy for both of us, but the weekends are, are pretty much when we get most of our work done. Mm-Hmm. And we're not, we're not crazy about it. We, we still have, like, we went to see family out of town this weekend. Mm-Hmm. But most weekends, like we're getting big stuff
Track 1:Mm-Hmm.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Like, we went out of town, but we also. Um, vaccinated. Vaccinated our sheep'cause they're about to give birth and you have to give them, uh, a shot to get some medicine. Uh,'cause the lambs drink it through the colostrum after they're born. So we did that and I drove like a bunch of fence posts. Um, like I was out in the cold all, all weekend, you know, it was 35 degrees was the high Saturday and I was out there all day. But, uh, yeah, we do a lot of work on the weekends, but the weeks are, we kind of just do what we have to
Track 1:Yeah. Um, will you tell me a little bit about the grant that you guys got and like how that, how that worked? How did you apply for it or did, did you apply for it? How, what, what all goes into that?
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Austin should talk about it. Yeah. Brittany told me to talk about this, but, uh, yeah, so it is a, um, it, it's a really cool program. So it's not a government grant, uh,
Track 1:So you don't have to pay it.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:government.
Track 1:Yeah. Sorry, go ahead.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Well, yeah, it's a grant so we don't have to pay it back, but like, I, I don't know. There, there's really not a whole lot of government grants out there. There's some stuff like, it's, it's mostly cost sharing, but this was just like a, you know, you sign an affidavit that you're not gonna steal the money and we'll give it to you basically. Um, but we had to apply for it. It was for young and beginning farmers, so you had to started farming within the past two years or plan to start within the next year. And it was Alabama ag credit that did it. So shout out to them. And, uh, so Alabama Ag credit is obviously a, it's not a bank, it's a, it's kind of government backed in a way, but, um, they lend money to farmers. So a lot of chicken houses and land loans, uh, timber loans, cattle loans are done through Alabama Ag credit. Um, it's just a. A way to access financing for farmers, because it's a lot more difficult and a lot more expensive, um, for farmers to finance things at, at a traditional bank. And so this AG credit decided, their board, um, decided a couple of years ago that it was difficult for people to start farming, which it is. We can talk more about that later if you want to. It's, it's very difficult to get started. And they said each year we want to give out five,$10,000 grants to, uh, young and beginning farmers. And so we applied and there was like 50 something people that applied and they gave out five of them. Uh, so I was, I was pretty excited that we got it. Yeah. And, uh, it was cool. They, I mean, it was, it was an awesome time. They, they got a, a venue in Raymer, Alabama, which is just from Montgomery, so it wasn't far trip for us. And they had a, a cool presentation and they had all the, the winters there and they had some past winters there. And we got to. Kind of talk about our farm a little bit and hear everybody else's. And it was cool because different ag industries in the state were all represented. You know, there's some poultry farmers there, cattle farmers, uh, uh, bee a purist or Yeah, that's what she was, yeah. And, uh, yeah, sat summa farm. So that, that was cool. Different, different areas of ag in the state were all represented. Um, and we used the grant to buy a, uh, sheep handling system. So it's like a chute. You run'em through that we can give'em shots, check their help, trim their feet, sort'em, uh, things like that. And that was, that was a huge blessing because you can't run to tractor supply and buy sheep equipment in Troy. No one has sheep. Yeah. So, uh, we actually somebody, they shipped it from North Dakota or South Dakota down to Georgia, and I drove over to Georgia to pick up all this equipment and bring it back. Uh. But it's been awesome to have.'cause we, we can't, yeah. I mean, we can't, we realized how we realized how badly we needed it when they started to get so sick when we bought that flock that got so sick because it was so hard to catch the sheep. We needed to, to separate'em out, you know, from their flock in our, all we had was like the little shepherd's crook to run'em down and catch like a leg if you can. Um, we're tackling them or whatever, just to try to make sure we could give them the medicines they needed to survive. Like even though they were sick, I mean, unless they were, they're good at hiding their sickness. They're good at putting on a good, good show and just giving it their all and running up until the time when like it's time for them to go. Um, so it's hard to catch'em. But, um, yeah, that, that made us realize we needed to get serious and do something about that.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:How'd you find out about that grant?
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:You know, honestly, I think it was just like Alabama Ag social media account.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Hmm.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:I really think that's, that's how it was. And yeah, just applied it. It was a pretty big application. Like I had to type up a formal business plan with projections, which I, that was way in my wheelhouse, you know, so I, I enjoyed doing it. Um, but, you know, it was, it was an intense application. It wasn't, you know, just filling out a few boxes.
Track 1:Do you own a farm? Yes or no? Do you wanna start
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Yeah.
Track 1:Um, so what, what, what's like the future like for y'all? Or I guess I, I don't know. You may not think that far in the future. Like, hey, we're just enjoy, we're content where we're at right now and like that's where we wanna be. But like, have you thought any about like, well, maybe we could grow this even more. Or what are some different types of animals we could raise that would, you know, help, uh, you know, coincide with the lambs and the chickens we raise now?
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Yeah, you probably have a better plan than I do. Um, yeah, I would, I would say, you know, we got into sheep because it was a, it was a less intimidating livestock start with, you know, 200 pound ram versus a 2000 pound bull. You know, it, it just seemed a lot, lot safer for our, our first livestock. So that's how we got into it. But once I learned more about it, worked with'em and kind of saw the numbers behind it, at least on, on paper. So, in theory, um. Sheep are a lot more profitable per acre than than cattle. So, uh, I guess we kind of had plans we would eventually graduate, if you will, into cows. Um, and we, we still might get some, but I think we really want to grow the sheep operation. You know, goal is to get, you know, at least in, I say near term goal next 5, 6, 7 years, have about 200 to 300, uh, U MAMA use, I guess, if you will. And, um, I mean, if we do that we'll, we will have to either lease or buy some more land. But I think the, the demand is there. Uh, I used to have these stats kind of readily available in my head, but I forgot'em. Um, but like the US demand for, for lamb is, is about eight, 8 million head of lambs somewhere in that neighborhood. And we only produce 2 million. So we import the majority. Um, of the lamb to meet demand, and it's, it's coming from New Zealand, Australia primarily. Um, so I, I think the demand is there and I, I think lamb is a, a growing commodity. Uh, you know, we're used to our, our chicken, we're used to our beef, but, um, America's getting more diverse and people outside of America eat a lot of land. Americans don't, but everywhere else in the world, they eat a ton of it. So, um, I mean, I think there's a lot of opportunity out there. Um, I mean, really the sky's the limit. You can, there, there's people that have better models out there. Like I, I told Brittany, I wouldn't mention'em, but like white Oak pastures in Georgia, they've got an awesome model. Like they started just like us, a small farm, family farm, regenerative, and then they ended up building a, um, uh, a slaughterhouse butcher shop and they've got cabins out there. They do classes like ag classes and gardening classes and. They ship meat all over the country. I mean, they're, I guess they're kind of like industry standard, um, as far as the industry we're in.
Track 1:Mm-Hmm.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:the sky's really the limit, but we really kind of wanna run with this, this sheep operation as long as we can see where it takes us.
Track 1:Yeah. Um, what, I guess second to last question is like, what did the vegans think? Have you ran into any vegan haters
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Yeah. In Spring Hill, have you ran into any vegans
Track 1:There's not many probably in Pike County to run into.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:man, they, they're probably a hundred people dumping fake blood on themselves every day when I go to work out in front of our house. And it's awful.
Track 1:like,
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:blocking your driveway?
Track 1:What happens when you're done with that and you go home and you're like, that was a good day. And you're like, how long does it take you to get the blood off? Uh, I'm just kidding.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:I don't really, I know a few folks that have like tried to be vegans, but I don't know any like
Track 1:Who opposing you?
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:vegans. Yeah.
Track 1:Um
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:like, well, I, I don't, I guess I don't personally know many or any vegans, but I feel like a lot of them probably do it for like humane reasons. Like they don't like to see the animals raised this way. And if you just see like how a farmer ra, at least a small farmer, I can't speak for everybody, but small farms like ours, like we are there for the good of the animal. You know, we're not here to harm it because one, like we're trying to make a profit with that, and we do care and, and nurture these animals on a daily basis. Um, so like if there's, they are raised in a, as the, as best of an environment they can be. Um, so I guess. I'm losing my train of thought here, but that argument of vegans opposing, um, I guess meat, um, I don't know. I feel like it should be more of their opposing, like the, the bigger system. Um, I guess I could really go down with the rabbit trail there, like conventional farms and how, just how America raises most of their food, um, or markets most of their food. Um, I could, I could probably tie that in, like what she's, she's saying, um, so like, whether you're a vegan or vegetarian or I only eat this, I only eat that. Like if you have a kind of a moral high ground as far as food goes. So like if you live in New York City and you're only eating organic apples from California, you know, and they're the manpower and the. The fuel, I guess the carbon footprint, if you will, of getting those apples over to you. Like you're making a huge impact. Mm-Hmm. On, on the environment, eating those. So, um, I guess one thing, if, if anybody is still listening at this point to us is like a big takeaway. Something I like to say, and I probably didn't come up with it, but like, shorten your food supply chain. So like, eat as local as possible. Um, and that's gonna be more challenging for people in New York versus people in Birmingham versus people in Troy. But, um, you know, we try to eat as local as possible and that's, that's better for the environment, whether you're eating, like I eat a ton of meat. Mm-hmm. Ton of it. Love it. But it's making less of an impact, um, environmentally than, than somebody in New York City that's only eating organic stuff from California. I mean, just,
Track 1:Yeah.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:yeah, that's, that's all I'd say about that. I guess.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:So, so one more question. Um, let's say that somebody is listening is really interested in buying something from you guys. I know you guys mentioned like Facebook is like a real big and you're working on a website. What is, are you guys selling and what is the best way they can get in contact with you?
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Um, right now lamb is what we have available. Sometimes in the summer when we're gardening, we'll have, um, a little bit too much. We typically garden for our family, and when we have too much, we'll advertise that we're gonna, we'll sell some green beans. Um, whoever wants a pound of green beans, let me know. Um, but the best way they can contact us is probably through our Facebook or Instagram. Um, and yeah, we'll list out what we have available there. Um, we do have an email too, actually. There's also, if you've. Um, heard of Sweet Grown, Alabama we're on there as well, and I think my cell phone number's on there so they can reach out to me there as well. And that's, you know, that's just us. We're, we're really small and we're really just starting. Um, you know, there's a lot of, lot of producers that, that ship meat, um, Mm-Hmm. And I, that's kind of where the, the meat industry is going. Like, if you wanna be successful, you need to have your own brand and you need to ship it direct to consumer. And we want to get there, but it's, it's an economies of scale challenge and it's really expensive to ship meat and we don't have the brand yet. So one day we, we want to be there. Um, but in, in the time being, we're, we're pretty much just, you reach out to us, we'll meet you in Montgomery or, or wherever. We'll, we'll do whatever we can to get it to you. Um, we just appreciate the support now.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:That was my next question. So if I wanna buy something, how do I get it? Like, so
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Yeah. Yeah.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:makes sense.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Well, I mean,
Track 1:I can
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:it's challenging
Track 1:I, I,
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:or we can meet.
Track 1:I can say if you live in Birmingham, you can reach out to the Jake and Friends podcast and I will deliver it to your front door, uh, because I'll be picking up. Because there's this high chance I'll pick up my own mate from Austin. So I'm already gonna meet you and then I can drive it all back. And if you live in Fairhope, then I can, uh, you can figure that out for
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Now this, this is what we can do. My parents still live in Troy. We have the next mayor of Troy, Dan Smith. He's also in Troy with Diane. Uh, we can contact, I can meet him halfway, maybe like Greenville or something. And there's, there
Track 1:How's Greenville? Halfway
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Well, more like, uh,
Track 1:More like Monroeville.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Evergreen.
Track 1:Monroeville is probably halfway between Mobile and Troy.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Mm. I think Evergreen is, that's where like our halfway point.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Yeah, we can definitely meet you.'cause we're, we're from over or I'm from over out west. We, we can make it happen for sure. Mm-Hmm. We'll make it happen.
Track 1:Uh. Thank you guys so much for, for hanging out with us tonight. I really, uh, I'm, I'm, I'm being for real when I say that, like, I really believe in what y'all are doing, and if I, if no one, if people wanna call me a liar, then they can open up my two freezers that I have in my garage and like my, the,
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:freezers. Wow.
Track 1:small freezers, but the meat I have down there will speak for, for itself as far as like, you know, where, where Al and I want to go, um, as far as like how we, how we view the food we eat now. Um, and so it's been, it's a lot of fun and it's like we've noticed a difference in just like the taste and how we feel when we eat it. And just knowing, like knowing the people you get your meat from or wherever, whatever you get, and like knowing where it comes from and knowing exactly like how, um, God ultimately provided that is something that we. Fully support. So
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Yep.
Track 1:doing what you're doing. Um, and yes, just wanna
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:you guys for joining us.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Yeah. Thank you. Thanks for having us. And Jake, thanks for being a loyal customer. You are our best customer, so I appreciate it.
Track 1:hey,
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:Hey,
Track 1:time.
parker-sanders--im-him-_1_01-22-2024_200658:I'm gonna have to join that train.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:Let us know.
Track 1:we'll see y'all.
austin-steen--dad-dee-_1_01-22-2024_200650:All right. Thanks. See ya. Bye.
