Barn & Soul by Dalby Farm
Welcome to Barn & Soul, a podcast brought to you by Dalby Farm - where we will explore the heart of "pet farm" life, learn about critically populated (if not outright) endangered farm breeds, and highlight the deep connections between animals and humans which we strive to encourage and preserve.
The farm has been Kendall's (your host) family since 1861 but it wasn't always a sanctuary for endangered farm breeds or an educational venue for the community. This podcast will touch upon aspects of the farms history, offer insight and advice as it pertains to owning farm animals as pets- and arguably most importantly - share vital information about these endangered farm breeds; what their roles are in our past AND why they're needed in our future.
New Episodes: Wednesdays at 9PM EST
#barnandsoul #farmlife #weloveanimals #petfarm #hobbyfarm #educationalfarm
đź”” Subscribe for more farm life insights, rare breed conservation, and the behind-the-scenes of running a small farm! Remember, all the animals on our farm our PETS! They live out their days as educational ambassadors to our community far & wide! Please follow us here on Youtube!
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At least 50% of all shop revenue directly helps fund the care & upkeep of our 160 year old educational family farm and all the endangered breeds who live there.
Barn & Soul by Dalby Farm
Barn & Soul Podcast: Episode 24 - The Cost of Care: A Personal Reckoning with Animals, Land and Life
🎙 Barn & Soul Podcast - Where farming meets heart, history, and a mission to preserve the past for a more sustainable future. Episode 24: “The Cost of Care: A Personal Reckoning with Animals, Land and Life”
In this episode, I don’t stick to the usual form. I’m speaking honestly about the heartbreak and discouragement I feel watching the way humans treat animals, land, and the natural world. From the relentless development of open space in Massachusetts and across the East Coast, to the industrial pressures on the meat industry, to the flood of plastics that choke our ecosystems, it’s a lot to witness.
I explore what it feels like to care deeply for creatures with nervous systems and feelings, only to watch them ignored, exploited, or displaced. I share hard numbers about land loss and development, the impact on animals, and why it all feels overwhelming right now. This episode is a cry for help, a candid look at environmental grief, and a reminder that these feelings are valid.
If you’ve ever felt despair looking at the state of the planet, or wondered how small farms and local stewardship fit into a bigger picture, this one is for you. It’s not solutions-focused, it’s honesty-focused.
đź“š Resources and Bibliography
Official statistics / government
USDA NASS (2022). Census of Agriculture: Female Producers (Highlights PDF). U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service. https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Highlights/2024/Census22_HL_FemaleProducers.pdf
USDA NASS (2022). Census of Agriculture general portal and demographic tables (includes data on producers, gender, age, and farm characteristics). https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (2024). Massachusetts Climate Report Card: Natural and Working Lands Sector. https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-department-of-environmental-protection
Research and scholarly articles
Penn State University (2024). Coverage of study on the “triple burden” of invisible labor as a major stressor for farm women. Search “triple burden farm women Penn State” via Penn State News
MDPI, Núñez, P. G. (2020). Rural women’s invisible work in census and state records: Recognition and visibility. Land 9(3), 92. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/9/3/92
FAO / UN (2022). Global livestock impact overview. http://www.fao.org/livestock-environment
Environmental and land-focused resources
Mass Audubon (2015). Losing Ground: Open Space in Massachusetts. https://www.massaudubon.org/our-conservation-work/land-conservation/losing-ground
Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC). Massachusetts land parcel database, parcel-by-parcel development data. https://www.mapc.org/
Gulf of Maine Research Institute (2013). State of the Gulf of Maine: Coastal Land Use and Development. https://www.gulfofmaine.org
Plastic and pollution context
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Marine Debris Program overview. https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/
EPA (2022). Plastics: Material-Specific Data. https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-a