🎙️ Barn & Soul – Where farming meets heart, history, and a mission to preserve the past for a more sustainable future. Episode 9 - The Role of Farm Animals in Human History, Are We Forgetting It?

For thousands of years, animals weren't just companions—they were our partners in survival. But as technology surged forward, did we lose sight of the role they played?
In this episode, we explore:
🔹 Oxen, plows, and power — how draft animals revolutionized early agriculture
🔹 Chickens in war zones?! — the surprising military history of poultry
🔹 Spiritual symbolism — pigs, goats, and sheep in ancient cultures
🔹 How rare heritage breeds preserve our past
🔹 Real-life stories from our own animals at Dalby Farm, including:
  🐐 Arapawa Island Goats — island survivalists with a wild legacy
  🐖 Ossabaw Island Hogs — descended from Spanish explorer pigs
  🐇 American Blue & Chinchilla Rabbits — bred for utility, now endangered
  🐓 Australorp Chickens — record-setting egg layers with Australian roots
  🦃 Royal Palm Turkeys — prized for their beauty and calm nature
  🐑 Shetland Sheep — tough, tiny sheep with a Scottish soul
We also talk about why teaching the next generation about rare breeds matters more than ever—because a compassionate future starts with understanding the past 🧡
🎙️ Whether you're a fellow farm soul or just curious about the hidden history behind the animals we love, this one's for you.
🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a question for a future episode!

New Episodes: Wednesdays at 9PM EST


📚 References & Sources:
🔹 Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand – Arapawa Island Goat
https://www.rarebreeds.co.nz/arapawa.html
🔹 The Livestock Conservancy – Arapawa Goat
https://livestockconservancy.org/heritage-breeds/heritage-breeds-list/arapawa-goat/
🔹 University of Georgia Marine Institute – Ossabaw Island
https://ugami.uga.edu/ossabaw-island/
🔹The Livestock Conservancy – Ossabaw Island Hog
https://livestockconservancy.org/heritage-breeds/heritage-breeds-list/ossabaw-island-hog/
🔹American Rabbit Breeders Association
https://arba.net/
🔹The Livestock Conservancy – American Blue Rabbit
https://livestockconservancy.org/heritage-breeds/heritage-breeds-list/american-blue-rabbit/
🔹The Livestock Conservancy – American Chinchilla Rabbit
https://livestockconservancy.org/heritage-breeds/heritage-breeds-list/american-chinchilla-rabbit/
🔹The Livestock Conservancy – Australorp
https://livestockconservancy.org/heritage-breeds/heritage-breeds-list/australorp/
🔹Oklahoma State University Breeds Archive – Royal Palm Turkey
https://breeds.okstate.edu/poultry/turkeys/royal-palm/index.html
🔹The Livestock Conservancy – Royal Palm Turkey
https://livestockconservancy.org/heritage-breeds/heritage-breeds-list/royal-palm-turkey/
🔹Shetland Sheep Society (UK)
https://www.shetland-sheep.org.uk/
🔹North American Shetland Sheep Association
https://www.nassasheep.org/
FAO DAD-IS Breed Database
https://www.fao.org/dad-is/
🔹 Clutton-Brock, Juliet. Animals as Domesticates: A World View. University of California Press, 2012.
🔹Serpell, James. The Domestic Dog: Its Evolution, Behavior and Interactions with People. Cambridge University Press, 1995.
🔹 McNeill, J.R. & McNeill, William H. The Human Web: A Bird's-Eye View of World History. W.W. Norton & Company, 2003.
🔹 Smithsonian Magazine – “How Animals Have Shaped Human History”
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/
🔹 National WWII Museum – “Animals in War”
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/animals-war
Louv, Richard. Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-🔹 Deficit Disorder. Algonquin Books, 2005.
🔹Children & Nature Network
https://www.childrenandnature.org/
🔹National Wildlife Federation – “Why Kids Need Nature”
https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resou

🎙️ Barn & Soul – Where farming meets heart, history, and a mission to preserve the past for a more sustainable future. Episode 8 Saving the Most Endangered Goat in the World: The Arapawa Island Goat 🌍

🏴‍☠️ What do pirates, British sailors ⚓, and a rugged New Zealand island 🏝️ have in common? They all played a part in the story of the Arapawa Island Goat—one of the rarest goats on Earth, with fewer than 1k left worldwide in 2025. 😱

In this episode, we explore:
🔍 The mysterious origin of the Arapawa breed
🌿 How they survived in isolation for centuries
🚨 Why they’re critically endangered today
🐐 Stories of Sheldon (our current buck) & Saturn (our first baby Arapawa, born at Dalby in the early 2000s)
💚 Why preserving this breed matters—for biodiversity, for education, and for future generations
Arapawas are more than just rare—they're living history. And at Dalby Farm, we’re doing everything we can to protect them. 🫶

🎧 Tune in, learn something new, and maybe fall in love with an underdog goat. Don’t forget to like, subscribe & share if you believe rare breeds deserve a future too. 💫
#BarnAndSoul #ArapawaGoat #RareBreeds #HeritageFarm #FarmLife #ConservationMatters #DalbyFarm #EndangeredSpecies #AnimalLovers


🔔 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!

🥰Find us on Instagram & Facebook @DalbyFarm

🛍️ Shop our Online Country Store! https://www.dalbyfarm.com/country-store
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 – Where farming meets heart, history, and a mission to preserve the past for a more sustainable future. Episode 7- Reconnecting with What We’ve Forgotten | Barn & Soul Podcast.

✨ In this reflective episode, we explore something quietly urgent: our fading connection with animals, nature, and the parts of ourselves that once felt wild, grounded, and whole.
Why does holding a baby goat matter?
What happens when kids grow up without touching the earth or bonding with animals?
And how can farms like Dalby help plant seeds of empathy that grow for a lifetime?
This episode shares why nature-based programming isn’t just cute—it’s essential. For our children. For the future. For all of us.

🧠 Topics include:
– The role of sensory connection in childhood development
– Why we’re becoming emotionally disconnected from nature
– How animal care fosters empathy and emotional regulation
– What Dalby Farm is doing to inspire the next generation of protectors
Whether you’re a parent, teacher, animal lover, or just someone longing to feel a little more connected again, this one’s for you.

📚 References & Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Louv, Richard. Last Child in the Woods
American Psychological Association – Pets & Mental Health
➤ https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2011/pets
Chawla, Louise. “Significant Life Experiences…” Environmental Education Research, 1998
Harvard Health – The Health Benefits of Pets
➤ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-health-benefits-of-pets
Children & Nature Network
➤ https://www.childrenandnature.org
Journal of Pediatric Nursing – Animal-Assisted Interventions
National Wildlife Federation – Green Time for Kids
➤ https://www.nwf.org/Kids-and-Family/Connecting-Kids-and-Nature/Health-Benefits
🦙 Learn more about Dalby Farm’s rare breed mission and educational programming:
👉 www.dalbyfarm.com
💚 Like, share, and subscribe if you believe in the power of animals to change lives.
Until next time, take care—and don’t forget to appreciate the rare and wonderful things in life.
#BarnAndSoul #DalbyFarm #NatureConnection #AnimalTherapy #Podcast #ChildhoodDevelopment #RareBreedConservation #NatureEducation #EmpathyThroughAnimals


🔔 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!
Find us on Instagram & Facebook @DalbyFarm
Shop our Online Country Store! https://www.dalbyfarm.com/country-store
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 – Where farming meets heart, history, and a mission to preserve the past for a more sustainable future. Episode 6
Hollywood vs. Reality: The Truth About Farm Life.

🎬 From dreamy farm scenes in Babe and Charlotte’s Web to the curated calm of social media reels, today we’re pulling back the curtain on how farming is portrayed—and misrepresented—in pop culture.

🐔 What does real farm life look like behind the filters and the fiction? What do animal movies get right… and where do they go wildly off course? And why does it matter? In this episode, we explore:
• The impact of romanticized farm imagery
• How influencers shape perceptions (guilty as charged!)
• What Clarkson’s Farm, The Biggest Little Farm, and Gunda get right
• The real emotional, physical, and financial toll of running a working farm
• And how this all affects animal empathy, policy, and small farm survival.
If you’ve ever dreamt of trading city life for a barn and a pasture, or if you just love animals and want to see them honored honestly—you’ll love this one.

📲 Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and share to help support Dalby Farm’s mission to protect rare and endangered farm breeds.

🐐 Until next time, take care—and don’t forget to appreciate the rare and wonderful things in life.
#BarnAndSoul #FarmPodcast #FarmLifeReality #AnimalWelfare #SustainableFarming #HeritageBreeds #HollywoodVsReality #ClarksonsFarm #TheBiggestLittleFarm #Gunda #GoatLife #FarmAnimals #DalbyFarm #GooseLife #FarmEducation #AgricultureTruths

🔔 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!

Find us on Instagram & Facebook @DalbyFarm
Shop our Online Country Store! https://www.dalbyfarm.com/country-store
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.

✨ Bonus Episode! ✨🎙️ Barn & Soul – Where farming meets heart, history, and a mission to preserve the past for a more sustainable future. ❤️ All About Chickens: A Complete Guide to Raising Happy Backyard Birds

🎥Every 5 episodes or so, we’ll feature a special video episode offering in depth discussions and helpful visuals about an amazing animal or breed(s) here at Dalby Farm in Scituate, MA.

🐐🐓🦆 From rare breeds to farm favorites, you’ll get a closer look at the personalities who inspire everything we do. Keep an eye out—you won’t want to miss it!

Today:
🐔 Thinking about raising chickens—or just love these feathered friends? In this episode of Barn & Soul, we’re diving into everything you need to know about chicken keeping, from tiny chicks to sweet senior hens.
We’ll cover:
🐣 Brooder basics for healthy chicks
🏡 Setting up the perfect coop
🍽️ Feeding tips (and what treats to avoid!)
🥚 Understanding egg-laying and molting
🧼 Daily and weekly care routines
👵 How to help senior hens thrive
❤️ Why chickens make amazing, unforgettable pets

Along the way, we’ll share fun facts (like how chickens recognize over 100 faces! 😲) and simple tips to keep your flock safe, happy, and healthy. Whether you’re just getting started or knee-deep in feathers already, this episode will have you feeling confident and connected to the world of backyard chickens. 🧡

📚 Episode References:
Archer, G. (2019). "Natural behaviors of chickens: Dust bathing, foraging, and perching." Poultry Science, 98(10), 3995–4005.
Smith, C.L., & Zielinski, S.L. (2020). "Brain size, behavior, and cognition in domesticated chickens." Animal Cognition, 23(2), 407–417.
Nicol, C.J. (2015). The Behavioural Biology of Chickens. CABI Publishing.
Low, P.S. (2012). "The Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness." Presented at the Francis Crick Memorial Conference.

🔔 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!
Find us on Instagram & Facebook @DalbyFarm
Shop our Online Country Store! https://www.dalbyfarm.com/country-store
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 – Where farming meets heart, history, and a mission to preserve the past for a more sustainable future. Episode 5 - Farm Animals' Secret Language: How Do They Communicate?

🐓 Ever wondered what your chickens, goats, or sheep are really saying? In this episode, we decode the secret language of farm animals! 🐐 From clucks to bleats, learn how our farm friends communicate through vocalizations, body language, and more. 🦢💬

🎤 What You'll Learn:
• 🐔 Chickens have over 30 different vocalizations!
• 🐐 Goats recognize each other’s voices and use bleats for communication.
• 🐑 Sheep can remember human faces for years!
• 🦆 Ducks & geese have their own chatter and unique calls.
• 🧠 How understanding these signs helps with animal welfare!
If you’ve ever wanted to understand what your farm animals are saying, this episode is for you! 🎧
📲 Don’t forget to hit subscribe for more fun animal insights!
🔔 Turn on notifications so you never miss an episode!
Until next time, take care—and don’t forget to appreciate the rare and wonderful things in life. 🌟

#BarnAndSoul #DalbyFarm #FarmAnimals #AnimalCommunication #HeritageBreeds #FarmLife #AnimalLovers #Goats #Chickens #Sheep #Ducks #Geese #FarmWisdom

🔗 Resources & Further Reading
* The Livestock Conservancy – Learn more about rare and endangered farm breeds: https://livestockconservancy.org
* Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) – Global reports on livestock biodiversity: http://www.fao.org
* American Poultry Association (APA) – Official breed standards for heritage poultry: https://amerpoultryassn.com
* National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) – Advocacy for regenerative farming: https://sustainableagriculture.net
* National Geographic – Studies on animal intelligence & behavior: https://www.nationalgeographic.com
* American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA) – Facts about goat behavior and care: https://adga.org
* ASPCA – Truth about free-range and cage-free labels: https://www.aspca.org
* Rare Breeds Survival Trust – Conservation of endangered livestock breeds: https://www.rbst.org.uk
🐓 Dalby Farm-Specific Breeds:
* Australorp Chickens – Once threatened, now thriving thanks to conservation.
* Royal Palm Turkeys – Excellent foragers with strong survival instincts.
* Arapawa Island Goats – One of the rarest goat breeds, with fewer than 500 worldwide.
* American Chinchilla Rabbits – Nearly extinct but known for their dense fur and docile nature.
* Shetland Sheep – Naturally water-resistant wool and highly adaptable.
📧 Want to be the first to know about farm updates? Subscribe to our newsletter!

🔔 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!
Find us on Instagram & Facebook @DalbyFarm
Shop our Online Country Store! https://www.dalbyfarm.com/country-store
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 – Where farming meets heart, history, and a mission to preserve the past for a more sustainable future. Episode 4 - Farm Myths Uncovered: Fact or Fiction?

🐷Are pigs really dirty? Do goats eat tin cans? Are heritage breeds outdated? In this episode of Barn & Soul, we're busting some of the biggest farming myths, from misunderstood animal behaviors to the vital role heritage breeds play in sustainable agriculture. Learn the real facts behind these common misconceptions and why small-scale, conservation-focused farming is more important than ever.
🔹 Why pigs are cleaner than you think 🐷
🔹 The truth about goats’ picky eating habits 🐐
🔹 Why heritage breeds are essential for biodiversity 🌱
🔹 What “free-range” and “cage-free” labels really mean 🥚
🔹 And more!
Join me, Kendall, as we separate some farm facts from fiction!
📖 References:
📌 National Geographic (2018) – Studies on pig intelligence 🧠
📌 Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (2020) – Livestock breed extinction rates 🌍
📌 ASPCA (2021) – Labeling differences between “free-range” and “cage-free” 🏷️
💬 Got a farm-related myth you want me to cover? Let me know! And if you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, review, and share with a fellow farm or animal lover.

🔗 Support our mission: Visit DalbyFarm.com & follow us on social media!
#BarnAndSoul #FarmMyths #HeritageBreeds #SustainableFarming #FarmLife #PigFacts #GoatWisdom #SupportSmallFarms

🔔 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!
Find us on Instagram & Facebook @DalbyFarm
Shop our Online Country Store! https://www.dalbyfarm.com/country-store
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 – Where farming meets heart, history, and a mission to preserve the past for a more sustainable future. Episode 3- Getting To Know Ewe: Dalby Farm Animal Family Superlatives (Part 1)

🐑From the biggest drama queens to the sweetest snuggle bugs, every animal at Dalby Farm has a personality all their own! In this episode, we’re handing out “superlatives” to our most talkative, mischievous, and heartwarming residents. Meet the escape artists, the loudmouths, the unexpected best friends, and the old souls who’ve left a lasting mark on the farm. Plus, learn fun facts about these rare and endangered breeds along the way! Tune in and get to know the Dalby Farm family—one quirky character at a time!

New Episodes: Wednesdays at 9PM EST
#barnandsoul #farmlife #weloveanimals #petfarm #hobbyfarm #educationalfarm


🔔 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!

Find us on Instagram & Facebook @DalbyFarm

Shop our Online Country Store! https://www.dalbyfarm.com/country-store
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.