Background: On any given day, Caitlyn can be found outside working on various farm tasks, or just visiting with the goats. Originally a city girl who was hoping for a degree in Veterinary Medicine, she found that her true passion in life is getting dirty on the farm, and providing good, wholesome food for people. She lives on slightly over one acre of land, and farms it in an intensive method, using Joel Salatin’s techniques as a guide. Over the last five years she has watched the fertility of the land spring up to a level in which the one acre can provide enough food for many families. Cattle would be the ideal large livestock to have, since people like beef and cow milk, but since she only has one acre to work with, Caitlyn has successfully used dairy goats instead. The goats graze small areas at a time, and then chickens and rabbits follow in their wake; each adding their own fertilizer to the pasture, and benefiting from the fresh grass and clean air.  

Besides farming, Caitlyn has also found that she enjoys teaching, and delights in sharing her knowledge through various workshops and classes throughout the year, on topics such as goat care, spinning, knitting, herbs, and small scale homesteading. Her desire is to teach people that you don’t necessarily need a large amount of land to be self-sufficient, or to have a supply of good, clean food. She’s managing to do it on one acre, and now wants to teach others to do it too.  

When asked what her occupation is, Caitlyn will often laugh and admit that she’s not really sure. A jack of all trades, and master at none, she dabbles in this and that. Farmer, writer, goat raiser, herbalist, aspiring cheese maker, spinner, teacher — if pushed for a simple answer, she will say that she’s a grass farmer; pure and simple.  

Personal History: Caitlyn was born in Virginia Beach, Va., and lived in Mississippi and New Mexico before finally moving to Oregon, where she has lived for the last fifteen years.  

Current Projects: Teaching a rogue goat named Heidi to do draft work, writing her first book, and learning to play her instrument the “Strumstick.” 

Other Fun Facts: I’m still a few months shy of being 20! I dearly love to sing, and can often be found singing old Celtic songs and ballads while working outside. Overall, I tend to be a rather quirky character; I don’t like driving, I’m left handed, I want to live off grid, and am as stubborn as they come. I think Carhartt deserves a medal of honor for their coats, and I like wearing rubber boots from Wilco. Strange bird, am I.  

More Places to Find Me on the Web: You can check out my daily updated blog called, ‘To Sing With Goats.’