Kermit Blackwood
In the Brooder
- Nov 7, 2017
- 3
- 12
- 14
Hi, my name is Kermit (really). I'm a dad and a farmer, a ranching ecologist, life-time student, sustainable agriculture practitioner and local food appreciator. I was brought up on a working cattle and horse ranch in Eastern California/Western Nevada. These days I divide my time geographically depending on where work or/and climate obliges. A ranch in Eastern California and farm in Southern Vermont are my primary residences.
I've been actively involved in sustainable agriculture since 1993; curating initiatives in New England and abroad. I'm in planning stages for a sibling local food movement, (built on what we've succeeded in Vermont and New York), back home where I grew up in the Eastern Sierras. This model centers around the creation of USDA kitchen and other necessary facilities enabling locals to prepare their food products for sale. The purchase of local food establishments follows. Ecological landscaping and farm education initiatives geared toward growing a sustainable agricultural economy in the region are primary objectives of this latest undertaking.
Experimenting with sustainability on historic farmland and other forms of educational experimentation are my passions. Taxonomy, biogeography, animal behavior and exhibit/enclosure design are subjects I never tire of and intend to continue to research the rest of my life. I've been working with captive wildlife for many years. Bird and mammal species are what I'm most experienced with but work with bees and aquaponics as well.
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
I was about eight years old when I procured my first chicken flock, which I actually commandeered from my older cousins that also lived on the ranch. They were very ordinary chickens. I had a concept of different breeds of chickens but until I read an old National Geographic magazine article on "domestic fowl of man" or something to that effect, I had no idea that poultry species are so diverse or the great antiquity of their domestication.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
~160 + waterfowl, landfowl, ratites and various species of domestic poultry, including geese and turkeys.
(3) What breeds do you have?
Wyandotte, barnesvelder, fayoumi, ohiki, pavlovskaya, rapa nui, Incan basket and Mexican silkies (Huastec). Have been developing "new heritage" breeds including a reconstitution of the South American quetero and propagation of "copper scotch", "sugar bush", "Windham Hill bleu foot", "Obsidian" beginning in 2002. The history of domestic animals/plants (ethnobiology) and the cultures that developed them are endlessly fascinating to me. Conservation of heirloom lineages of cultural heritage livestock breeds is key. I'm a firm believer in genetic banking and really enjoy working in collaboration with other enthusiasts in selective breeding projects.
(4) How did you find out about BackYardChickens.com?
BYCF is at the foundation of backyard chicken movement. I learned about it through Feathersite.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Ecotourism, the study of history, painting, binging on cable series and pie, everything rugby, maple syrup sugaring, meditation, videography.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
5 kids ages 4 to 27 in age, 4 boys and 1 girl. My favorite pets include a duck named Sweet Pea and mini donkey named Hambi. My favorite camel's name is Dahshure. I have also made a pet of a wazilla named Kritter and a weird looking frizzle chicken named Mr. Singe as well as his daughter Madelyn. My favorite geese, which are pets (big flock) are hatchery stock white Chinese. Their names are Lily, Edgar, Harold and Petal. The rest of the flock is in itself a sort of pet but I hand-reared the aforementioned white Chinese in 2016 and 2017.
I love East Indies and muscovy ducks and cannot help but name them and fuss over them.
My work is behind the scenes in the media universe, mostly as writer, script doctor, collaborator, director and producer.
I am animal husbandry nerd that enjoys learning and sharing what's been learned. I keep a number of species both wild and domestic and have done so since childhood.
I've been actively involved in sustainable agriculture since 1993; curating initiatives in New England and abroad. I'm in planning stages for a sibling local food movement, (built on what we've succeeded in Vermont and New York), back home where I grew up in the Eastern Sierras. This model centers around the creation of USDA kitchen and other necessary facilities enabling locals to prepare their food products for sale. The purchase of local food establishments follows. Ecological landscaping and farm education initiatives geared toward growing a sustainable agricultural economy in the region are primary objectives of this latest undertaking.
Experimenting with sustainability on historic farmland and other forms of educational experimentation are my passions. Taxonomy, biogeography, animal behavior and exhibit/enclosure design are subjects I never tire of and intend to continue to research the rest of my life. I've been working with captive wildlife for many years. Bird and mammal species are what I'm most experienced with but work with bees and aquaponics as well.
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
I was about eight years old when I procured my first chicken flock, which I actually commandeered from my older cousins that also lived on the ranch. They were very ordinary chickens. I had a concept of different breeds of chickens but until I read an old National Geographic magazine article on "domestic fowl of man" or something to that effect, I had no idea that poultry species are so diverse or the great antiquity of their domestication.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
~160 + waterfowl, landfowl, ratites and various species of domestic poultry, including geese and turkeys.
(3) What breeds do you have?
Wyandotte, barnesvelder, fayoumi, ohiki, pavlovskaya, rapa nui, Incan basket and Mexican silkies (Huastec). Have been developing "new heritage" breeds including a reconstitution of the South American quetero and propagation of "copper scotch", "sugar bush", "Windham Hill bleu foot", "Obsidian" beginning in 2002. The history of domestic animals/plants (ethnobiology) and the cultures that developed them are endlessly fascinating to me. Conservation of heirloom lineages of cultural heritage livestock breeds is key. I'm a firm believer in genetic banking and really enjoy working in collaboration with other enthusiasts in selective breeding projects.
(4) How did you find out about BackYardChickens.com?
BYCF is at the foundation of backyard chicken movement. I learned about it through Feathersite.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Ecotourism, the study of history, painting, binging on cable series and pie, everything rugby, maple syrup sugaring, meditation, videography.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
5 kids ages 4 to 27 in age, 4 boys and 1 girl. My favorite pets include a duck named Sweet Pea and mini donkey named Hambi. My favorite camel's name is Dahshure. I have also made a pet of a wazilla named Kritter and a weird looking frizzle chicken named Mr. Singe as well as his daughter Madelyn. My favorite geese, which are pets (big flock) are hatchery stock white Chinese. Their names are Lily, Edgar, Harold and Petal. The rest of the flock is in itself a sort of pet but I hand-reared the aforementioned white Chinese in 2016 and 2017.
I love East Indies and muscovy ducks and cannot help but name them and fuss over them.
My work is behind the scenes in the media universe, mostly as writer, script doctor, collaborator, director and producer.
I am animal husbandry nerd that enjoys learning and sharing what's been learned. I keep a number of species both wild and domestic and have done so since childhood.
. So glad you have joined us at Backyard chickens 
Wow, what a resume, we are impressed 
Glad to have you joining us 
What an awesome intro...
