Dizzy Goat Farms

Progress report from the farm this week! 👇
​🌱 More rows officially planted.
🌾 Potatoes and onions got a heavy blanket of mulch for w**d control and moisture retention.
We had our first pepper ready to harvest.
🥒 Cucumber tower experiment is a go!
🦆 ...and the ducks are back!
​Growing season is officially in full swing. ☀️

Big news from the pasture and beyond 🌱🎙️

One of Our founders, Jonathan Smith, was featured on the latest episode of the Your Ultimate Life Podcast with Kellan Fluckiger, released May 26!

The conversation dives into:
• Why we launched Dizzy Goat Farms after years in corporate life
• Building a nonprofit farm focused on fresh food access and community resilience
• The growing disconnect in modern communities and how technology has changed human connection
• Creating purpose after becoming empty nesters and searching for something more meaningful
• The importance of volunteering, local involvement, and “getting your hands in the ground”
• Learning to farm from scratch, embracing failures, and documenting the journey honestly
• How small local actions can inspire larger national movements around food security and community support

One quote from the episode really captures the heart behind Dizzy Goat Farms:

“I think we’re losing a sense of community in the world right now. And some of that is technology and some of that is choice.”

If you’ve ever wondered why we’re building this farm and nonprofit, this episode tells the story behind it. 🚜💚

🎧 Listen here:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7tOSVzh6Wy85nC6IFsrDe2?si=fwNtNFoLTDajsHt3NKqqGg

YouTube / Website:
https://www.yourultimatelifepodcast.com/1118

Apple Podcasts:
Search “Your Ultimate Life Podcast Episode 1118”

Please comment and leave a review if so inclined:)

Thank you to everyone supporting Dizzy Goat Farms and helping us grow something bigger than a farm. 🌾🐐

Why a Corporate IT Executive Started a Farm to Feed Strangers Most people dream about “giving back someday.” John Smith actually did it. After years in corporate IT, moving from Arizona to Hawaii to Illinois, John and his wife…

🇺🇸 Memorial Day on the farm 🌱🐐

This weekend was a fun, get your hands dirty, productive, and meaningful day here at Dizzy Goat Farms.

We planted:
🌽 Corn
🎃 Pumpkin
🫘 Pinto & Black Beans
🧅 Bunching Onions
🥒 Zucchini
💛 Yellow Squash
🎃 Butternut Squash
👑 Queen Squash
🛸 Peter Pan Squash
🍂 Additional winter squash varieties

Every seed planted today represents future meals, future harvests, and future opportunities to give back to our community.

Not everything went perfectly though. Our John Deere S140 mower decided Memorial Day was the perfect day to throw its belt, so we weren’t able to finish mowing the remaining acreage before sunset 🚜💨

Still, progress is progress, and we’re grateful for every step forward.

Most importantly, today we remember and honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. Their sacrifice gave us the freedom to build, grow, gather, and serve our communities.

Volunteer signups will officially open later this week, and we can’t wait to start growing alongside all of you. 🌱

Dizzy Goat Farms respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you share with us.

Information collected through volunteer forms, event registrations, donations, email sign-ups, or other communications may include your name, phone number, email address, emergency contact information, and volunteer interests. This information is used only for farm-related communication, scheduling, volunteer coordination, safety purposes, donation records, and updates about programs or events.

Dizzy Goat Farms does not sell, rent, or trade personal information to third parties. Information may only be shared when required by law or when necessary to support farm operations, safety, or approved nonprofit services.

Photos or videos taken during volunteer activities or events may be used for educational, promotional, social media, fundraising, or marketing purposes unless a participant requests otherwise in writing.

Reasonable steps are taken to protect submitted information, but no online or electronic system can be guaranteed completely secure.

By submitting a form or participating in activities with Dizzy Goat Farms, you acknowledge and agree to this Privacy Policy. Questions regarding privacy or data usage may be directed to [email protected].

Got back from Vermont on Sunday and joined Kelly Smith out at the farm to get some more planting done. We planted our salad and herb raised garden beds, tomatoes, and checked in on our previous work. Potatoes, Jalapenos, onions, and Radishes are doing well. Just before we left our wild ducks paid us a visit. More planting this week!! Then after getting some work done had a nice dinner at The FourNine

Another week getting things done out at the farm. Had some help from Nik again getting hay and finishing the raised garden bed builds. Took a few pauses to enjoy the ducks and especially the new baby ducks living on our pond. On mothers day my mother-in-law Carla Rotering came out and helped me fill the last two raised beds so we are ready to get our planting done in the next week or so.

We now have a utility trailer for the farm!! No truck though so we have put our RV to work. Our farm truck has a bedroom, full kitchen and a potty. Thanks Nik for helping me pick it up and getting the John Deere loaded.

Carla Rotering and Jon Smith from Dizzy Goat Farms were volunteering at Decatur Craft Beer Festival today. Fun to get out and meet folks.

🌱 Happy Earth Day from Dizzy Goat Farms 🌎

Today is a reminder that the smallest seeds can grow into something that nourishes not just our bodies, but our communities.

At Dizzy Goat Farms, we believe caring for the land goes hand-in-hand with caring for people. Every row we plant, every tree we nurture, and every harvest we share is part of a bigger mission: to grow food with intention and make it accessible to those who need it most.

Earth Day isn’t just a moment for us, it’s part of the daily rhythm. It’s in the soil under our boots, the pollinators we protect, and the hands that come together to volunteer, grow, and feed.

🌿 Volunteer. Grow. Feed. 🌿

Join us in making a difference one seed, one meal, and one act of care at a time.

Last weekend Kelly Smith and I got some w**d barrier in place on 500 ft of rows. Its was a bit chilly amd the wind made it an adventure. Hoping these will pay off later in the season. Planting some this weekend and building raised beds.