Barn & Soul by Dalby Farm

They once dotted every rural road—now, small farms are vanishing from our landscapes and our lives. What happened?

In this episode of Barn & Soul, we journey through the history of America’s small farms—from the golden age of agriculture to the rise of industrial farming—and take a closer look at how towns like Scituate, MA, were shaped by (and now struggle to hold on to) their agricultural roots.

You'll learn:

🌾 The surprising statistics behind the decline of small farms
🏡 How suburban sprawl, rising land prices, and global markets contributed
🐓 Why back...

🎙️ Barn & Soul – Where farming meets heart, history, and a mission to preserve the past for a more sustainable future.  Some survivors don’t wear capes—they wear hooves, horns, and silver-tipped fur.

In this episode of Barn & Soul, we uncover the untold stories of rare livestock breeds that defied extinction. From wild pigs marooned on Ossabaw Island to the hardy goats of New Zealand’s Arapawa Island—and even a rabbit breed saved by everyday backyard heroes—these animals are more than just rare. They’re resilient.

You'll learn:

🐖 The 400-year tale of the Ossabaw Island hog<...

🎙️ Barn & Soul Podcast: Episode 12 — "How Modern Farming Threatens Rare Breeds (and What We Can Do About It)"

Today, 95% of the world's food comes from just 30 species of plants and animals.
Behind that staggering number is a quiet crisis: modern farming is stripping away the genetic diversity that once helped humanity survive droughts, disease outbreaks, and food shortages.

In this thought-provoking episode, we dig deep into how industrial monocultures, GMOs, and high-yield livestock systems are reshaping our food landscape—and not always for the better. You'll hear how the rise of efficiency-based agriculture has endan...

🎙️ Barn & Soul – Where farming meets heart, history, and a mission to preserve the past for a more sustainable future. Episode 11 - Terms of Endangerment: What You Need To Know About "Rare Breeds"

🐐When you hear the word "endangered," you might think of tigers or polar bears. But across quiet pastures and small farms, rare livestock breeds are vanishing — sometimes faster than wildlife. In this episode, we're digging into the lesser-known side of conservation: saving endangered farm animals.

🔹We’ll explore:
-Why these breeds are disappearing
-How organizations classify and protect them
-What it takes to rescu...

🐐 BONUS EPISODE #2: Endangered but Extraordinary – Meet the Arapawa Island Goat | Barn & Soul Podcast

In this special Barn & Soul Bonus Episode, we’re diving into the story of one of the world’s rarest goat breeds: the Arapawa Island Goat. From mysterious 18th-century origins to their role in modern-day conservation, these unique animals are living pieces of history—and we’re honored to call a few of them family here at Dalby Farm.
🌿 Fast facts
✅ Fewer than 300 purebred Arapawas exist globally
✅ Descended from goats left by Captain James Cook in the 1770s
✅ Critically endangered as listed by The Lives...

🎙️ Barn & Soul – Where farming meets heart, history, and a mission to preserve the past for a more sustainable future. Episode 10: Love, Loss, and Legacy: Grieving Our Animals 🚨 Disclaimer: This episode discusses the emotional topic of animal loss and may be difficult for some listeners.

 🕊️Grieving an animal is a deep and powerful experience—yet so often, it’s minimized or misunderstood. In this episode, I open up about the reality of losing beloved farm companions, from goats to doves, and how these losses have shaped both my life and the philosophy of Dalby Farm.
We’ll explore real psycholog...

🎙️ 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
🔹 H...

🎙️ 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

🎙️ 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 epis...

🎙️ 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...

✨  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 r...

🎙️ 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 o...

🎙️ 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 e...

🎙️ 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 endangere...

🎙️ Barn & Soul – Where farming meets heart, history, and a mission to preserve the past for a more sustainable future. Episode 2: Roots & Resilience: A Brief History of Dalby Farm.

🕰️ Dalby Farm has stood the test of time, but how did it all begin? In this episode, we dive into the farm’s rich history, from its founding in 1861 by John Dalby as a chicken farm to its transformation into a sanctuary for rare and endangered farm breeds. I’ll share the key figures who shaped its evolution, including my grandfather’s hands-on craftsmanship and my mother’s unwavering passion for conserva...

🎙️ Barn & Soul – Where farming meets heart, history, and a mission to preserve the past for a more sustainable future. Episode 1: The Most Concerning Statistics About Farm Animal Extinction

🚨In this debut episode* of Barn & Soul, we dive into a crisis that fuels everything we do at Dalby Farm: the alarming extinction of heritage farm animal breeds. Did you know that nearly one-third of all livestock breeds are at risk of disappearing forever? Or that industrial farming has led to the extinction of over 1,000 breeds in the last century?

😬 Join me as we uncover some shocking statistics be...

Welcome to Barn & Soul, a podcast brought to you by Dalby Farm - where we will explore the heart of "pet farm" life, learn about critically populated (if not outright) endangered farm breeds, and highlight the deep connections between animals and humans which we strive to encourage and preserve.

The farm has been Kendall's (your host) family since 1861 but it wasn't always a sanctuary for endangered farm breeds or an educational venue for the community. This podcast will touch upon aspects of the farms history, offer insight and advice as it pertains to owning farm animals as...