Bridging the Gap between Textbook, Livestock and the Farmer - Thank you from JSW Farms & Blue Paradise Dairy

Monday, July 14th was a privilege I won’t soon forget.  I will ruminate on for days and days! as well as reading material - 

I had the opportunity to spend the day with some of the kindest and most professional individuals—thank you all for sharing your time, your knowledge, and your openness with me.

Some of them have been long-time mentors, and all of  helped reaffirm the importance of bridging the gap between textbook knowledge, livestock science, and the daily realities of farming. It takes all three to create a full-circle view of what it means to raise animals with care and intention—and yes, even market the end result.

From where I stand as a small producer, loving this life and every messy, rewarding part of it is non-negotiable. When farmers lose that connection—when they stop caring—the quality, the outcomes, and ultimately, the farm itself suffers. I’ve seen it too many times.

The academic side of this work—your side—helps farmers like me add structure to that love. It teaches us to understand the science behind our choices, and sometimes, to disassociate just enough emotion to make better decisions. Without that, I wouldn’t have the confidence to create products like Lucy’s Lavender Patch or Peaches & Mango. That balance between heart and head is everything.

I’m excited about the opportunity to run test groups here at the farm using your feed formulations. I believe I can match most ingredients through our local feed store.  And getting back to using DHI again - 

I’ll be reaching out to a few of you directly as I move forward, especially as I’m very interested in seeing more research around bacteria, listeria, and environmental stressors—particularly the impact of weather on herd health and behavior. Tho your farm is set up quite differently, our climate is about the same 

Again, thank you for taking the time for me. Your work matters deeply to small farmers like myself.

Your dairy barn reminded me very much of my late Aunts - in Ravenna, Michigan - the windows are the same 

- Goat producers are a smaller group and very different than " the beef cattle world,"  known for higher profits

So glad you see their value!  

P.S. I really think you need a few hogs to feed -  milk-soaked feed—it’s the best pork you’ll ever eat. 

Creating the other red meat… yum.