At Farm Life Farm, we have a unique opportunity to share more than just farming knowledge.  We also offer medical training with an emphasis on First Aid Training that pertains to the farming lifestyle.                   Troy earned his Emergency Medical Technician Certification in 1999.  Sarah followed in 2006.  Troy Became an EMS Instructor and American Heart Instructor in 2018.  Sarah earned her AHA and Stop the Bleed Instructor Certifications in 2020.  She also holds a Safe Sitter Instructor Certification.                    We have both worked in Commercial Emergency Medical Services for many years while also serving our town as volunteer Firefighters and EMT’s and farming our land.  This life experience allows us to provide real-world experience to our training programs.    Get your hand cut off trying to clear a log out of your brush hog?  We will show you how to sew it back on one vessel at a time with nothing more than needle, thread, and whiskey.   O.k., I am Joking...that would be a time to ask for help from an actual doctor, and maybe, a helicopter.                    One of our goals here is to increase the knowledge base of everyone when it comes to farming and first aid.                    As an example, what is tetanus, how do you get it, and what preventatives are available?  When I pose this question during our first aid classes, the most common answer we get is that it is in rusty metal, but nobody has ever told us that it is a bacteria.    Yes, tetanus is a bacterium that lives in soil, not on rusty metal.  What generally happens is that a human is playing in the dirt and finds a jagged piece of rusty metal in the dirt that cuts you.  The dirt that gets into the wound has tetanus in it.  The bacteria finds your warm moist flesh much better than the cold ground and moves in.   Where would you rather live?  Now let’s think of our body as a home.  If a troublesome person you have dealt with before walks up to your porch.  You see them and immediately tell them to go away.  You had been exposed to this threat and wont let it happen again.  However, the first time that troubled soul interacted with you, there was no way to know they were a threat.                    Luckily we have a vaccine for this...a real vaccine, tried and true, with possible side effects being acute and mild.  The Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis) is an old school dead (deactivated) Bacterial Vaccine.  This means that the bacteria is in there but it has been paralyzed.  This allows our white blood cells to recognize the intruder and develop antibodies for that bacterium.  Next time you get cut in the dirt, the tetanus in the soil will still get into the wound but now the body is ready.                    Whenever contagion enters our bodies, they immediately begin to reproduce/replicate.  Some contagions that have never been in that human before will be recognized as an invader quickly.  The immune system sends fluid with white blood cells to the area of infection and creates an antibody to destroy the bacteria or virus.                    We are now in a race.  Will the contagion replicate faster than the body can produce antibodies.  If the body can, the swelling dissipates and the problem is gone.  If the contagion can reproduce faster than antibodies can be created, that human gets sick.                   I have just spent the last 500 words praising the Tdap vaccine.  This is one of the few I believe in.  In the 60's a new type of medication therapy was created called MrNA.                            I need to stop for a moment and mention the gas lighting we now experience on the internet.   In November of 2020, Sarah and I were working commercial EMS.  We were on 24 hour shifts at about 50 hours a week.  We both became sick with what seemed like an upper airway viral infection.  It lasted about a week and then we were fine.  The pandemic began in earnest with heavy "advertising" (some called it news coverage) in December of 2020.  We helped some seriously sick people...Oxygen saturations in the 80's was the most common symptom that all our patients had.  By April, the world was terrified and began lapping up the "cool aid" about all of us dying.  However, anecdotally, we were seeing a decrease in seriously sick patients.  Our patients were suffering more psychosomatic symptoms that would subside as we calmed them and explained that it was mutating to a less virulent infection.  Again anecdotally, those of our patients that stayed home and refused transport got better.  Those that went to the hospital did not.                   As an instructor, I spend a great deal of time researching for presentations.  I spent most of my free time researching the sars-covi-2 (covid 19).  The summer of 2020, the internet still held answers and truth.  I was able to find the Liquid nano-particle, covi-1 & 2, and MrNA patents.  Dr McCullough's research and warnings as well as all of Dr Zelenko’s warnings about the virus and the treatments.  It was all there.  Amazing information for somebody that has spent most of their lives treating and transporting people in the American healthcare system.  Sarah and I were true believers:  Until 2020.  Today, I search for these things and cannot find them.  At the time, as a believer in our system, I did not bother to save copies.  Now it is all gone.  Scrubbed from the interwebs.  The sheeple must remain fleeced.                   The Tdap is a vaccine.  The Covid shot is not.  The covid shot is a therapeutic medication.  Did you know the definition of “vaccine” changed in 2020?  It used to state that a vaccine was a prophylactic that stopped the transmission of a contagion.  Now it is defined as a preparation that stimulates an immune response.  The MrNA based covid shot is exactly that.  It stimulates an immune response.  For some people this may present as a new allergy to peanuts (one of my ambulance partners).  It may be a continually stuffy nose (this is my burden)  Do you remember the news touting it as “safe and effective”?  Then they said it “stops the transmission”, and then they said we will all still get the virus but “it won’t be so bad”.                  Just for fun, lets look at the national vaccination schedule from 1970 and the 2024 Connecticut schedule                 I n the 1970s, the following vaccines were routinely recommended for children born between 1963 and 1971 in the United States:  Smallpox: Although smallpox vaccination was routinely given in the early 1950s, it was no longer recommended after 1972 due to successful eradication efforts. The last reported case of naturally-acquired smallpox was in Africa in 1979, and in 1980 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared smallpox eradicated.  DTP: A combination of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis  Polio: An oral live attenuated poliovirus vaccine  Measles: A routine vaccination in the 1970s  Rubella: Also known as German measles, a vaccine was introduced in 1970. In 1972, a combined measles-rubella vaccine (MR) became available.  Mumps: A vaccine was developed in 1967, and in 1975 a combined measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine came into general use in Canada. Dr. Maurice Hilleman combined the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines into a single vaccination in 1971.  A total of 6 Vaccines in 1971.  Nothing given at birth!!!   STATE OF CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS FOR ENROLLED STUDENTS IN CONNECTICUT SCHOOLS 2024–2025 SCHOOL YEAR Hepatitis B: 3 doses, last one on or after 24 weeks of age  ( First shot at 2 hours old  along with erythromycin ointment on the eyes for chlamydia prevention.  Heb B and Chlamydia are Sexually Transmitted Diseases that are tested for prior to birth.  Why are we giving these medications to our babies??? )  DTaP: 4 doses (by 18 months for programs with children 18 months of age) Polio: 3 doses (by 18 months for programs with children 18 months of age) MMR: 1 dose on or after 1st birthday Varicella: 1 dose on or after 1st birthday or verification of disease Hepatitis A: 2 doses given six calendar months apart, 1st dose on or after 1st birthday Hib: 1 dose on or after 1st birthday Pneumococcal: 1 dose on or after 1st birthday Influenza: 1 dose administered each year between August 1st-December 31st (2 doses separated by at least 28 days required for those receiving flu for the first time) KINDERGARTEN Hepatitis B: 3 doses, last dose on or after 24 weeks of age DTaP: At least 4 doses. The last dose must be given on or after 4th birthday Polio: At least 3 doses. The last dose must be given on or after 4th birthday MMR: 2 doses separated by at least 28 days, 1st dose on or after 1st birthday Varicella: 2 doses separated by at least 3 months-1 st dose on or after 1stbirthday; or verification of disease. 28 days between doses is acceptable if the doses have already been administered. Hepatitis A: 2 doses given six calendar months apart, 1st dose on or after 1st birthday Hib: 1 dose on or after 1st birthday for children less than 5 years old Pneumococcal: 1 dose on or after 1st birthday for children less than 5 years old GRADES 1-6 Hepatitis B: 3 doses, last dose on or after 24 weeks of age DTaP/Td: At least 4 doses. The last dose must be given on or after 4th birthday. Students who start the series at age 7 or older only need a total of 3 doses. Polio: At least 3 doses. The last dose must be given on or after 4th birthday MMR: 2 doses separated by at least 28 days, 1st dose on or after 1st birthday Varicella: 2 doses separated by at least 3 months-1 st dose on or after 1stbirthday; or verification of disease. 28 days between doses is acceptable if the doses have already been administered. Hepatitis A: 2 doses given six calendar months apart, 1st dose on or after 1stbirthday GRADE 7-12 Hepatitis B: 3 doses, last dose on or after 24 weeks of age Tdap/Td: 1 dose for students who have completed their primary DTaP series. Students who start the series at age 7 or older only need 3 doses of tetanus-diphtheria containing vaccine, one of which must be Tdap Polio: At least 3 doses. The last dose must be given on or after 4th birthday MMR: 2 doses separated by at least 28 days, 1st dose on or after 1st birthday Varicella: 2 doses separated by at least 3 months-1 st dose on or after 1stbirthday; or verification of disease. 28 days between doses is acceptable if the doses have already been administered. Hepatitis A: 2 doses given six calendar months apart, 1st dose on or after 1st birthday Meningococcal: 1 dose Revised 1/3/2024 • DTaP vaccine is not administered on or after the 7th birthday. • Tdap can be given in lieu of Td vaccine for children 7 years and older unless contraindicated. • Hib is NOT required once a student turns 5 years of age. • Pneumococcal conjugate is NOT required once a student turns 5 years of age. • Influenza is NOT required once a student turns 5 years of age. • HepA requirement for school year 2024–2025 applies to all Pre-K through 12 th graders born 1/1/07 orlater. • HepB requirement for school year 2024–2025 applies to all students in grades K–12. Spacing intervals for a valid HepB series: at least 4 weeks between doses 1 and 2; 8 weeks between doses 2 and 3; at least 16 weeks between doses 1 and 3; dose 3 must be administered at 24 weeks of age or later. • Second MMR for school year 2024–2025 applies to all students in grades K–12. • Meningococcal conjugate requirement for school year 2024–25 applies to all students in grades 7–12. • Tdap requirement for school year 2024–2025 applies to all students in grades 7–12. • If two live virus vaccines (MMR, varicella, MMRV, intranasal influenza) are not administered on the same day, they must be separated by at least 28 days (there is no 4 day grace period for live virus vaccines). If they arenot separated by at least 28 days, the vaccine administered second must be repeated. • Lab confirmation of immunity is only acceptable for HepA, HepB, measles, mumps, rubella, andvaricella. • VERIFICATION OF VARICELLA DISEASE: confirmation in writing by a MD, PA, or APRN that the child has a previous history of disease, based on family or medical history.     We had given 15 shots to 70’s era kids.  We give 72 shots to today’s kids. We do not have a choice.  If your child will be going to a public school, you will inject your child 72 times by 18 years of age.  College adds more such as the human pamploma virus.  Every internet search clearly states that HPV’s are completely treatable and most are eradicated by the immune system on its own.                  Why do so many vaccines now appear on the schedule?  Money…the answer is not the wellbeing of our children.  It is that once your medication appears on the vaccine schedule, your pharmaceutical company is guaranteed to make lots and lots of money.  The vaccines that have made it onto the schedule will be paid for by Medicaid and by private insurance alike.  Billions of dollars.                 At the moment Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company, manufactures Ozempic.  Ozempic is currently being looked at for some severe side effects such as stomach paralysis.  It lowers blood sugar by paralyzing your Gastrointestinal system.  One of the things I teach in EMT classes is that the body empties the G.I. system when in crisis.  The digestive system uses as much energy as our brain…20% respectively.  When we are in shock, the body shunts blood from our extremities to our core organs.  If the stomach contents remained in the body with no digestive energy, the food will rot.  Rotting   food creates poisons that will, well, poison you.  Now there is a medication that will cause this rotting situation by design.  Novo Nordisk is currently lobbying to have the FDA approve Ozempic for children 6 years old and up.  With the initial request being approved for study, Novo’s stock is going up, even after a multi-billion dollar buy back.  This is a $1,000.00 per month cost and it is a lifetime prescription.  So a grand a month forever, or at least until it kills you.  If our Food and Drug Administration approves it, our Medicaid dollars will pay for this for every child found to be overweight and it will be paid for forever.                  We need to be wary of our medical advice.  This is so sad.  I have been transporting patients in the American medical system for 25 years.  As I write this, I am on duty on an ambulance.  For the first 20 years of this career, I have believed in the system.  I no longer do.  There are now times that I feel downright guilty over what I do.  The FDA committees are filled with executives and scientists from big pharma.  They work for big pharma, move to the NIH or the FDA, then go back to the private drug company.  It is interlocking directorships.  Eisenhower warned of the government military complex.  We now have to worry about the government pharmaceutical complex.  95% of current “studies” held by our government agencies are funded by big pharma.  No other country allows pharma to advertise.  Whether you watch streaming or terrestrial cable, you hear and see medicine advertisements.  Those commercials list the side effects in long lists of problems including death.  We hear it and assume that if the medicine killed people, it would not be approved for use.  We then ignore the side effect warnings as being overblown.  Remdesivir is a medication that was trialed in 2018 in the Republic of Congo as an ebola treatment.  The trial also tested three other treatments.  The Remdesivir group died at a rate of over 30% and was discontinued.  The study posted on the NIH website simply states that the trial was ended due to twice as many subjects dying at 28 days as compared to 15% of the other medication subjects.  The other drug was put on a shelf and ignored until Covid.  In early 2020 Remdesivir became the only drug with an emergency use authorization for Covid-19 treatment.  You can read the initial study on the NIH website.  The study does not state morbidity rates.  It does state that symptoms went away 30% faster.  It does not state what it is 30% faster.  It does not state if those that died are included in that 30% number.  This is something they can do…a dead person does not have symptoms.  They are not lying.  They are just leaving out some details.  The study also mentions that hydroxychloroquine was also tested in their initial trial.  There is no reference to the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine.  There is absolutely not any reference to Ivermectin.  There is no indication that the study was peer reviewed at all, regardless of it being independent or not…no peer review at all.                 This would not be so bad if there was no demonizing of other treatments.  The ONLY Approved treatment during the plandemic was remdesivir.  Our EMS protocols were also changed to stop us from using nebulized medication and CPAP.  We were supposed to just give them oxygen and transport to the hospital.  The hospitals would perform rapid sequence intubation.  This is where the patient is given a sedative and a paralytic and then intubated and put on a breathing machine.  One of remdesivir’s worst side effects was kidney failure.  Patients would go in for breathing problems, die within 10 days of arrival, then be marked down as a covid death, not kidney failure or organ failure.  Then the federal government would pay the hospital thousands of dollars for each covid death.                 My father in law died of kidney failure on December 20, 2020.  He had kidney disease.  He had diabetes.  He smoked three packs a day, took 60mgs of hydromorphone every day due to diabetic neuropathy, ate nothing but processed foods, and drank 40 or more ounces of coca cola daily.  He did not interact with anyone but family in 2020.  He did not have covid.  He never did.  Yet as my wife said goodbye to her father, she had to advise the doctor that if marked it as a covid death, we would sue.  The death certificate was crumpled up and thrown away.  The certificate we hold today states kidney failure.                    What happened to  us between December of 2019 and today is criminal.  This will go down in history as the most evil, unnecessary medical crimes ever committed.  The aids epidemic of the early 80’s is the second most criminal medical crime ever committed.  Did you know that Anthony Fauci was in charge of both?    The truth is now coming out in dribbles.  We now know without a doubt that this virus was created in a lab in Wuhan China.  We know that President Obama, of all people, banned Dr. Fauci and his NIH/NAID from performing gain of function research on American soil.  We now know that the NIH continued to fund gain of function research but moved it to China and Ukraine.  We now know that one of the things that caused Russia to fully invade Ukraine was this research.  We know that the first targets Russia had in Ukraine were the bio-labs.  Every one of them was destroyed in the first week of the invasion.  Putin will go down in history as a savior, not the devil.  The only way to find anything truthful about the war in Ukraine right now is to use a vpn, go to Eastern European countries (virtually) and either read in that native language or have the ability to translate the documents you find there.  This is not the way it should be.  We should have full access to the truth.  What we have is full access to what they want you to read.  We need truth.  Without it we die.  At this time in history, there are myriad groups working day and night to cause exactly that.  Death.  Our food has been designed to poison us.  Our medications are created to manage symptoms, not cure disease.  Cures for cancer are out there.  Mostly found in foods and herbs.  A friend of mine works for a big pharma company.  He is more than happy to admit that they do not research existing cures unless they see profit at the other end.  The money is in maintenance, not cures.

Lets talk sheep. We started with a Dorset ewe and a Rambouillet Ram which made beautiful babies. Our Rambouillet ram became aggressive over time and actually killed one of our pregnant ewes. That was obviously not acceptable and we had to replace him. While searching for a new ram, we decided that wool was not desirable as we do not use it for anything. We also wanted a ram that would produce meat lambs with good temperment, good growth rates, and no wool. We landed on a katahdin ram and found one as a lamb that we were able to hand feed and raise ourselves. Our first birthing with the three dorset/rambouillet cross ewes and our katahdin ram, we had three lambs from two ewes...our youngest ewe was not ready and is now pregnant. Time will tell how they mature. We intend to cull our lambs at 7months old which will make them ready for christmas. Lets talk pork! We have a plan... In the previous post, we discussed our two breeds of pigs. The Kune grows slow but is friendly and does not root much. Yorkshires grow fast and big but are not friendly or easy to manage. After a tremendous amount of research, we found that with a few specific details, we might be able to create a hybrid that will contain the best of both animals. Now the Yorkshires produce larger piglets than the Kune. The Kune teen Gilt will most likely not work out well. To quote one old pig farmer we discussed this with, "well you'll probably kill her but they are your pigs." Many would take that advice and stop right here. That conversation continued. We do not intend to use a gilt. We have our Kune Sow that has four litters under her belt and is very large for a Kune. Our Yorkshire boar will be mature in three months. We will update posts throughout this process.

What breed of pig should you raise? What is your purpose for raising them? How much will you interact with your hogs? what type of enclosure will you have for them? There are many factors to choosing a pig breed. Lets discuss the Kune first. KuneKune's originated in Australia and spread across the world. Kune's are very docile and friendly. They are often kept as pets as well as a food source. Kune's will graze like sheep and will live comfortably with other livestock. Kune's are a smaller breed and grow slowly. Average maturity for slaughter is one year. Kune's are also considered a Lard breed. This means that they readily produce fat. This is great for anyone like us that makes soap or sells rendered lard to bakers. Kune piglets need small amounts of grain to manage how much lard they produce. They do not root much, though they will root some if there are abundant grubs or other delicious insects under the roots. Piglets will be about 100Lbs at the end of there first year. Kune's will continue to grow slowly after the first year. For example, our Kune boar was 6 years old when we slaughtered him and his hanging weight was 200Lbs. These pigs have short little legs and a compact body. Next we will describe the Yorkshire The Yorkshire pig, also known as the English Large White, originated in the county of York in England in the 18th century . The breed was developed by crossing a large white pig from North England with a smaller, white Chinese pig. Yorkshire pigs are solid white with erect ears. Yorkshires will grow up to 700Lbs for a breeding boar. Yorkshires grow fast and are normally harvested at 6 months with a weight of 200-300Lbs. These pigs are tall and long. Yorkshires are not lard pigs. Meaning that you will generally have a lower ratio of fat to meat which most Americans feel is better...I do not as fat is delicious and contains needed nutrients. Yorkshires also root. They dig like a backhoe. They will get under your fence. they will eat through your wooden fencing. Yorkshires are not very friendly either. They are big and strong and opinionated. Not to mention that your Yorkshire is most likely the smartest creature on your farm. Those are the basics of the two breeds we raise. One of the initial questions was about your pigpen. In our "field Rotations" post, we discussed how our Kune's graze like sheep. They are as happy to be eating grass and plant-life as they are grain. OK, maybe they like grain better, but still they will graze happily and need very little grain. If you do not have the ability to graze your pigs, then food scraps and grain will be constantly needed. Yorkshires will graze as well but not nearly as much. Yorkshires want the insects in the ground much more than the grass above it and they will work hard to get them. Now that sounds terrible, unless you have land that needs to be cleared. In that case, the Yorkshire is a great option. They will clear land better than goats as the Yorkshire will eat and destroy roots So, in closing, there are so many details to factor in when choosing a pig to raise. There are also several other breeds available. Each breed has its benefits. As I prepare to end this post, I began thinking about their anatomical differences. I mentioned above that the Kune is short and compact while the Yorkshire is tall and long. I am a big fan of making my own charcuterie. Capicola is quite possibly my favorite salumi. This cured meat is the Copa or neck muscle. The Kune does not have a neck...they are a giant head on shoulders. The length of the Yorkshire provides more neck and three or four more ribs than the Kune. Bacon however is better from the Kune but there is less of it than the Yorkshire will produce.

Are you looking to start or improve your livestock breeding with Farm Life Farm? Well, you've come to the right place! Here are top tips for successful livestock breeding that will help you achieve your goals. Start with Healthy Stock: When it comes to breeding livestock, it's crucial to begin with healthy animals. Make sure to select breeding stock that are free from diseases, parasites, and genetic defects. This will help ensure the health and productivity of your future generations. Proper Nutrition: Providing your livestock with a balanced diet is essential for successful breeding. Make sure they have access to high-quality feed, fresh water, minerals, and vitamins. Consult with a veterinarian or animal nutritionist to create a diet plan tailored to your animals' needs. Maintain Clean Living Conditions: Cleanliness is key when it comes to livestock breeding. Regularly clean and disinfect living areas to prevent the spread of diseases and parasites. This will help keep your animals healthy and reduce the risk of breeding complications. Keep Detailed Records: Keeping track of your breeding program is essential for monitoring progress and making informed decisions. Record important information such as breeding dates, birth outcomes, health records, and any observations. This data will help you identify patterns, track success rates, and make adjustments as needed. Implement Proper Breeding Practices: Whether you're breeding naturally or using artificial insemination, it's important to follow proper breeding practices. This includes timing breeding cycles correctly, monitoring reproductive health, and ensuring proper mating techniques. Consider seeking advice from experienced breeders or consultants to optimize your breeding program. Monitor Reproductive Health: Regularly monitor the reproductive health of your livestock to ensure successful breeding. This includes observing heat cycles, checking for signs of pregnancy, and addressing any reproductive abnormalities promptly. Work closely with a veterinarian to support breeding success and address any health issues that may arise. By following these top tips for successful livestock breeding at Farm Life Farm, you can improve the health and productivity of your animals while achieving your breeding goals. Remember, patience, dedication, and proper management are key to a successful breeding program. Good luck with your livestock breeding endeavors!

Are you looking to immerse yourself in the world of diverse agriculture and livestock farming? Look no further than Farm Life Farm, nestled in the picturesque landscape of Prospect Mountain in Bantam, CT. At Farm Life Farm, the focus is on a wide range of agricultural practices, from breeding sheep, rabbits, turkeys, ducks, and chickens to producing high-quality meat and eggs. Their commitment to sustainable farming practices is evident in every aspect of their operation. One of the standout features of Farm Life Farm is their lumber mill, where timber is milled to perfection. This additional service sets them apart from traditional farms and allows for a holistic approach to land management and utilization. Visitors to Farm Life Farm can expect a variety of services to engage with. From livestock breeding and sales to farm tours and visits, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you are interested in purchasing farm-fresh meat and dairy products or looking to expand your knowledge on livestock care, Farm Life Farm has you covered. In addition to their offerings, Farm Life Farm has a comprehensive online presence, complete with an events calendar, blog, and the ability to place orders directly through their website. This seamless online experience allows visitors to stay informed about upcoming events, explore farm updates and stories, and easily make purchases. Overall, Farm Life Farm is more than just a farm – it's an educational experience waiting to be discovered. With a commitment to quality, sustainability, and excellence in all that they do, Farm Life Farm is a beacon of innovation in the world of agriculture and livestock farming. So, what are you waiting for? Plan your visit to Farm Life Farm today and immerse yourself in the diverse and enriching world of agriculture.