Renee Woods presides over a first - generation , female - trial farm that ’s situated at nearly 10,000 feet in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado .
NamedMountain Woods Farm , the venture was start with a small act of chicken and has grown to house a mix of animals include Nigerien Dwarf Goats , Kunekune Pigs and a range of poultry . The animal are kept safe by the in - house livestock guardian dog — and Woods now also consults and assist train on - site eye tooth for other farmers .
We talk to Woods about farming at altitude and the grandness of farm animal guardian dogs . We also got the Georgia home boy on a certain canine call Mae .
Read more : Want to start keeping goats ? Here ’s what you require to know .
An Introduction to Farming
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“ Born and raised on the east coast , I ’ve always loved fauna and hump I desire to commit my spirit to care for them in some capacitance , ” says Woods when asked how her interestingness in farming began .
After snag a job out of college at a reproduction veterinary clinic—”that ’s right , my job was to make puppies!”—she traveled a path that take in general miscellaneous animal medicine at an AAHA recognize veterinary hospital .
“ Goats and cattle were my absolute favorite patients , ” she recalls . “ And I knew one mean solar day I would have my own pasture full ! ”
When an chance to relocate to Colorado do up , Woods “ made my dream of starting a farm a reality . ”
Farming at 10,000 Feet
The placement of Woods ’s farm at virtually 10,000 feet in high spirits affects the way she run it . “ Variables such as mood , incline and our terrain are unique compared to most other farms , ” she explains . “ Our winters are long [ and ] we normally see our first snow in October and our last snowfall well into June . ”
Woods adds that thrill spikes “ are a must ” when carrying essential items to the pastures , and that the commonwealth helped determine the form of animals she want to raise .
“ I had to choose for cold hardiness , animals that were comfortable with an impressive slope and that prosper on our jolty terrain , ” she say .
Woods add together that some benefit of farming at altitude let in the lack of external sponger , the feeling of privacy and the “ never ending sassy hatful breeze . ”
The Importance of Livestock Guardian Dogs
“ My livestock guardian dog are the single most of import and undivided most valuable part of my farm , ” says Woods . “ Without them , I simply could not put up stock here with our marauder load . ”
Read more : Here are some tips for choosing farm animal guardian animals for your farm .
Get to Know Mae
Mae is one of the key stock protector dogs on Mountain Woods Farm . Woods pronounce that , if Mae could compose , she ’d contribute “ prefers to work with cows ” on her resume .
In particular , Mae has organise a strong shackle with a heifer describe Daphne . But , Woods adds , Mae will “ ferociously protect any of her charges with the same drive and enthusiasm . ”
A Rewarding Farming Lifestyle
“ I frankly can not imagine doing anything else , ” says Woods , reverberate on her alternative to consort a farm .
“ I arouse up each solar day before sunrise excited to tend to the animate being and the farm , and I go to seam exhausted and fulfilled every single evening . While many people would be intimidate by the amount of employment , it motivates me . ”
