057: Homestead Dairy in the Desert with Dani Welton

There is no doubt that climate plays a major role in the plans of everyone on the homesteading path. In regions with harsh winters, homesteaders must contend with frozen soil and limited growing seasons, while in more arid climates, water scarcity and heat become critical concerns. The success of any homesteader is strongly tied to their ability to adapt and innovate in response to the unique climatic conditions of their location. Today I welcome Dani Welton who, along wih her husband and 5 kids, homestead on the outskirts of Phoenix, AZ. They seem to have maximized on their strengths and overcome the challenges of raising livestock in the hot, dry Sonoran Desert. Since 2015, they have tried a lot of things and currently have a focus on cattle, having both a small dairy and beef herd on their three and a half acres. TOPICS DISCUSSED: * How her family got their start on their homestead 9 years ago and all the things they’ve tried over the years. * What drove them to get started with homesteading and some of the early challenges they had to overcome * The division of labor on their property and the importance of having their kids involved in process of raising food * What resources she leaned on in the early days before there was an abundance of online options for learning * Her passion for dairy cows and how they rotationally graze their cattle * How they made things work with what they’ve had along the way and slowly improved systems over time * The different ways she uses milk and makes dairy products on her homestead * Dani shares a ‘happy accident’ that ended up being a family favorite cheese recipe * She shares the details of her Home Dairy Recipes E-Book BUY DANI'S HOME DAIRY RECIPES E-BOOK: https://msha.ke/daniwelton CONNECT WITH DANI ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/dani.welton/ SHOP AT AZURE STANDARD: https://www.plansandprovisions.com/azure