Big Dawg Farms is a small working farm in Sedalia, Colorado. We raise cashmere and angora goats; chickens; ducks; and a pair of Australian Shepherds who we hope to breed in the fall of 2015. We will offer goat cheese; fiber; free range chicken eggs; free range ducks eggs; ducklings; all sorts of homemade goods, including sauces, rubs, soaps, lotions and candles; and carefully hand-blown eggs shells for painting, a la the Ukrainian art of Pysanka.
We are relatively new to farming. Some of our ideas are ingenious. Others are painfully out of whack. But it’s never boring, and almost always entertaining.
Who are we?
Ryc is the engineer and the chef, finding solutions to whatever animal maintenance or building issue arises, and expanding our edible offerings, such as delectable rubs and sauces, on a regular basis. He is also thoroughly familiar with snow management. When he is not overseeing this hobby farm of ours, he is the vice president of digital technology for the largest cable company in the world, Liberty Global. (Sound incongruous? It does to us as well – and yet, it works.) He travels to Amsterdam for his employer on a regular basis. In not unrelated news, his wife complains about his absence, also on a regular basis.
Sandra is a social media consultant and a writer. She also holds down the fort – there would be no farm without her. She’s the Cheese Whiz – not originally a life goal, but enjoyable nonetheless. She hails from Mobile, Alabama, and owning and driving a plow truck was not on any bucket list she ever wrote. SCUBA diving was. Lots of diving. It’s difficult to dive in landlocked Colorado, but rafting is a decent substitute. (Colorado does have the fifth highest rate of certified divers, and if you want to become certified, these guys are the best teachers – and have the most wonderful dive trips – we’ve seen in Colorado.) Most of the stories on this site will come from her, so be prepared for whining about the snow; not-so-subtle hints to send wine (no h); and pictures from warmer places lucky relatives live. Her volunteer work occasionally interferes with farm management – you might hear about that as well.
Nic. who founded The Manasi Project. a not-for–profit to help kids around the world. Check it out at http://www.manasiproject.org.
Nic – our teenager – has a nonprofit worth checking out, The Manasi Project. He is a rising senior in high school, hoping to be an Eagle scout, and will probably be in college before I remember to update this page. He helps with goat wrangling, flock management, and dog spoiling. Especially dog spoiling.
We plan to add to our farm over the next few years, so stay in touch to see what’s next.