OK, that's it. I want to be about 30 years younger and have a farm with rabbits and goats, chickens and worms. Well, maybe not chickens, but I need the rest. And piles of compost. But no deer that can jump my fences.

And grow that wonderful heirloom lettuce and all those tomatoes.

Another great interview.
Thanks Dave and Chris!

That was fun and I appreciated the explanation of the cause of the potato famine.

That too. You know, Zuzu, I hadn't even thought about the potato famine and realized after the podcast that the only thing I know about it was the painting: The Potato Eaters, Van Gogh. I always thought that was the saddest painting, just a tear jerker; still I never bothered to understand a thing about the famine.

We learn the oddest things here at ATP.

Yes. It's a haunting painting, but I hadn't ever connected it with the potato famine.

I knew about the consequences of the famine, but had never looked into the causes. The story is a great way to remember the definition of the term "genetic diversity."

It is a good way to remember the definition.

The Potato Eaters painting was done long after the famine and it was done in the Netherlands, not Ireland anyway. It's the only painting that Van Gogh did that he really liked, but nobody else liked it. He tried to defend it to his critics by saying that he wanted to depict the peasants as they really were because they had tilled the soil with their own hands and were eating the food that they had grown on their own. He admired gardeners, said they were the most honest of people because they provided for themselves and depended on no one else.

I know, Zuzu, it has nothing to do with the famine. But to me I connected the two. Obviously I was more concerned about Van Gogh than I was about the famine.
Till now.

Weird as he was, there were some admirable things about Van Gogh.
I don't like that painting much either, but I always remembered it.

TMI I'm sure.

I'm SO happy that you guys enjoyed the interview! I could have talked with Dave forever! LOL :D

And I think I could have listened forever!
Thank you so much, Chris.
Let's do it again real soon, OK?

I'm game! I totally enjoyed myself. :D The ONE thing I wish I could have expounded on was the question on if I was an "expert" in these subjects.

Expert is a funny word...people use it subjectively. On one hand, because I'm successful at the topics that I write about (for the most part :D), I guess that's one type of "expert." But the truth is that I find it hard to relate to myself in that way because I *literally* learn new things about gardening every single day. And that feels less than expert somehow.

Chris, do you also spin wool from that gorgeous goat, the one in the photo I saw on your website?
Great site, too.

Yes! Yes! I'm new to spinning this year but have wanted to do so forever. I'm *in love* with the craft/art of spinning & mesmerized by the latest art yarn out there that take this traditional craft to new heights.

The lovely lady goat on my site is my only fiber goat, Betty White. My daughter gave her to me this last Christmas (she adopted her from a local rescue). I'm planning on adding to the herd, but for now my two Nigerian Dwarf goats are her playmates. :D

Betty White is beautiful. (Both of them )

Homesteading, you are, and taking it to new heights, too!

I'm anxious to learn about your vertical veggies.

Oh, thank you! That goat is a sweet soul...I adore her :)

I can't wait for this book to come out (geeezz...I just want to see a cover...I usually see a couple of ideas before this, so I'm anxious, LOL -- writers are weird.)

Ummmm . . . I know a little bit about weird writers.
And artists.

Hurry December and your book!