Working Cows - Regenerative Ranching to Maximize Profitability and Soil Health

Steve Kenyon a grazier and educator in Canada joined me to discuss how he manages every year to prepare for a drought. We talked about his approach to grazing in good years and drier years and how he thinks about grazing given the history of a given paddock’s management.

Audio File Download Link Aaron and Tara Helmick joined me to talk about the journey they have been on toward radically transforming their business. We talk about what facilitated that change, how they decided which direction to head, and some of the lessons they have learned on the road less traveled. Sponsor:PerformanceBeef.com Relevant Links:Ranching for ProfitSoil Health AcademyRFP Online Registration

Aaron and Tara Helmick joined me to talk about the journey they have been on toward radically transforming their business. We talk about what facilitated that change, how they decided which direction to head, and some of the lessons they have learned on the road less traveled.

Roger and Betsy Indreland of Indreland Angus near Big Timber, MT joined me to talk about the journey they have been on to rejuvinate soil health on the landscape they manage. We talk about the use of different soil ammendments and how they have kickstarted their soil health and their plan to use grazing to maintain the gains they have seen in production and landscape health.Take the Survey:https://bit.ly/2ZfpXnX

Wyatt Donald is a key decision maker at Cayuse Livestock Co. near Big Timber, MT. This is a ranch that manages land in multiple locations with people from outside the family in different states. We talked about the what goes into management of all those moving parts.Sponsor:PerformanceLivestockAnalytics.com

Aaron Berger, an Extension Educator from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, joined me to answer a listener question regarding ranching as a side hustle. How do we do it well? What are the challenges? What enterprise lends itself to fitting into a side hustle?

Margaret Byfield is the Executive Director for American Stewards for Liberty an organization committed to protecting property rights. Specifically they focus on helping agriculturalists respond to Federal overreach into their lands and operations.

Jared and Marion Wine are first generation stocker operators from near Corpus Christi, TX. We talked about what it takes to get started as a first generation couple. We also talked about how they are using technology like Performance Beef and social media as part of their operation.

Chad and Crystal Berg are living nomadically and working to develop a platform where ranchers can develop relationships with the end consumers of their beef. They sat down with my wife and I to talk about a wide range of subjects from property rights, to beef consumption in urban areas, to the role of the church in society.

Ryan Noble, a rancher in Eastern Colorado, joined me to discuss how they make use of the information contained in EPDs. We talk about what the numbers mean and what numbers matter most when trying to organize a profitable ranching business.

Dr. Jonathan Lundgren is and agroecologist and the CEO of Blue Dasher Farm near Estelline, SD. He joined me to discuss the role of bugs on the landscapes we managed. We talked about how to invite beneficial bugs and how to mitigate the damage of less desirable bugs.

Derek Schwanebeck welcomed me into his office to talk about what they have been doing with Corriente cattle on their ranch in the Sandhills of Nebraska. We talked about the advantages and disadvantages as well as why they are getting out of cow/calf all together.

Hugh Ingalls is a rancher along Stoneville Road in western South Dakota. He was born in 1929 and has been managing his family ranch for nearly 70 years. We sat down at his kitchen table to talk about some of the history he has witnessed and lived.

Spud Lemmel has been making management decisions on the prairies of western South Dakota for nearly 70 years. I sat down with him to discuss how ranching has changed in that time and how it has stayed the same. We talk about living in sheep wagons, and fighting fires, as well as why it is more difficult to get started now.

David and Janet Paul have been partners in life, agriculture, and family for nearly 60 years. They have been through lean times and times of plenty. We sat down to document a portion of that history in part of a new series.

My Beautiful Wife, the mother of my children, and my best friend Miranda Conry joined me today to talk about some of the challenges we have been facing in the 2021 drought season. We talk about grazing strategy, culling strategy, and custom grazing strategy.

Shanon Sims a rancher from McFadden, WY. He joined me to discuss the motiviations and process of starting to raise the bulls they use in their operation.

Dallas Mount, CEO of Ranch Management Consultants, joined me to discuss some strategies and resources for succession success. We talked about how to start the conversation, restart the conversation, and when to start the conversation. We also touched on an upcoming opportunity to attend a Succession Planning Workshop hosted by RMC and taught by Dallas Mount and Dave Pratt.

Craig Guffey of Swearngin Angus in Lawrence, KS joined me to share his perspective on the EPD. We talk about it’s origins, how it has been misused and misunderstood. We also talk about the alternatives and what to look for in a profitable cow.

Steve Campbell joined me again to talk about an out of the box approach to delivering minerals to cattle. We talk about the things affecting cow health as well as the things to avoid when looking for quality cattle minerals.

Troy Bishopp is a farmer, a husband, a father, and a grandfather. He joined me to discuss the process of moving from a dairy with forage to a custom grazing business in central New York. We talk about the differences between farming in the East and ranching in the West. We also touch on some the myths about the differences between the two regions.

Austin Troyer is a first generation rancher in Ohio. He and his wife have gotten their start by finding undervalued land and putting the work in to make it usable. We talk about the process of obtaining these leases as well as getting them ready for livestock and finding the right class of livestock to take advantage of the topography and forage.

Greg Christiansen of Grandview Livestock in Eastern Kansas joined me to discuss the benefits and challenges of incorporating goats and sheep into a commercial cattle operation. We talk about how goats are good for land than trends toward brush as well as the opportunities that exist to incorporate goats into land that is currently only being grazed by cattle.

Elaine Froese is a farm coach with 30 years of experience helping families facilitate healthy relationships. She joined me to discuss the process of getting the succession planning discussion started as well as some realistic goals and expectations. We also take some voicemails about getting people to join in the discussion and what to do when someone wants to change the agreement.

Mother-Daughter pair Leann Schafer and Chelsey Erdmann are Proud 5th and 6th generation on the farm, feedlot, cow-calf, and Purina feed dealership operation in central North Dakota. Their family farm got its start in 1893. Today it continues to be a family business with four generations involved daily. The opportunity to work close to and see family every day is the best part of their business. After working off farm following college, Chelsey left a job she enjoyed to invest in her family farm dreams. Her grandparents’ retirement opened a role for her and her brother to get started farming. Both Chelsey and Leann are actively involved every day. During feeding season they run the feed wagon, get their hands dirty and make the important decisions. The balance in their family business with a variety of perspectives is part of what makes it work and keeps it well rounded.

Craig Thompson and Gordon Decker joined me to talk about how agriculture is a great place for men in crisis to experience life change. We talk about how they are approaching this at Rockside Ranch as well as future expansion goals for the ministry.

Zack Smith joined me to discuss the progress on bringing the Cluster Cluck 5000 to market and scale the practice of Stock Cropping. We also talk about the economic benefits from the first year of the experiment plot.

Don Campbell is a legend of Canadian Holistic Management. He has been involved in all levels of Holistic Management International in Canada since the early days of it existence. Don joined me to talk about how HMI thinks about the grazing principles. We talk about how Don has seen the carrying capacity of his ranch nearly tripled with this management style. Don has a refreshing people first approach to management and grazing.

Justin Fruechte and Jared Knock, hosts of the new Roots and Ruminants podcast, joined me to talk about why they chose those two entities as their foci for their podcast. We also discuss the opportunities that exist on annual crop ground. To close out the show we answer a couple of questions from the private Facebook Group the “Working Cows Microbiome.”

Logan Pribbeno, a rancher at the Wine Glass Ranch in Southwest Nebraska, joined me to discuss their use of grazing exclusion cages. We talked about how and why they use them as well as what decisions are influenced by the process of range monitoring. Logan and I also discuss the advantages of being a second generation manager in a regenerative system.

James Rogers, a ranch manager and consultant, joined me to discuss the truth under regenerative agriculture. We talk about our understanding of God’s hand in designing a good world that works well when it is managed in a way that cooperates with the resources He provides.

Mike Seely, Co-Founder and CEO of Native Microbials, and Mallory Embree, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer at Native Microbials, joined me to discuss the products they currently have on offer and those they will be bringing to market early in 2022. We talked about how they work, how they are administered, and how they are different from the current regime of supplements on the market.

Austin Hart of Redd Summit Insurance joined me to discuss the benefits of Pasture Rangeland and Forage Insurance. We talk about how it works and some of the success stories and strategies Austin has seen employed.

Chad Conard is an engineer and rancher from Colorado. He joined me to discuss his process for training bulls to his style of stockmanship. We also discuss his approach to the bulls as well as how these practices can help us answer the questions of the #meatout crowd.

Aaron Berger, a UNL Beef Educator and host of the BeefWatch Podcast, joined me once again to discuss supplementation strategy. We talk about how to find the best supplements in your region, when to supplement as well as different ways to think about delivering those supplements.

Wayne Knight, Interim Executive Director for Holistic Management International, joined me to talk about the practical impacts holistic management has had on his land, his family, his community, and his finances. We talk about selecting the right animals and measuring the right outcomes to facilitate better decision making. We also touch on how holistic goal setting facilitate a resolution to a difficult situation.

Dallas Mount, CEO of Ranch Management Consultants, joined me to discuss The Grazing Principles as taught at the Ranching for Profit school. We talked about stock density, herd effect, recovery period, and even answered some question from the Working Cows Microbiome.Sponsor:Field Work Talk

Daniel Griffith drawing on life in his Wildland the acclaimed author and poet, emergent conservationist, and Savory Institute Hub Leader, Educator, and Consultant provides a poetic portrait of the powers, magic, and rich abundance harvested by learning the language of connection and the restorative powers of Relationship.

Ken Charfauros, a local meat processor and entrepreneur, joined me to discuss his three phase vision for expanding the local meat processing capacity in Western South Dakota. We discussed his desire to see the return of the local butcher and his desire to educate people capable of producing a consistent and quality meat product regardless of species.

David Kleinschmidt is an educator and consultant with Understanding Ag. He joined me to discuss the Law of the Maximum and the Law of the Return as an alternative to Liebig’s Barrel or the Law of the Minimum. We talk about what we should measure and how we should think about how we can influence the results of those tests.

Brian Alexander, AKA Red Hills Rancher, and CK Wisniewski joined me to discuss the launch of their new “Ranching Reboot” podcast in partnership with PastureMap. The Ranching Reboot podcast will focus on the stories of those doing unique things in ranching and give them an opportunity to share and pay forward the lessons they have learned.

Hadley Hill is a ranch manager at Askin Land and Livestock near Lusk, WY. He has had an unconventional history as it relates to ranching. He joined my wife and I to detail that history and some of his key takeaways from the different contexts in which he has worked.

My wife, Miranda Conry, and I sat down each night during Ranching for Profit and captured our thoughts about the day, what surprised us, what we learned, and how people in the class influenced us. This episode closes out with some reactions from our fellow class members.

Miranda Conry my Beautiful, Wife, Mother, and Friend joined me to talk about the challenges, mentally, emotionally, and logistically of leaving town to go to Ranching for Profit. We talked about what we are looking forward to what we are hoping to learn and what we are dreading about the process of leaving land, animals, and people behind for a week.

Peter Ballerstedt, a forage ambassador and grass based health advocate, joined me to discuss Liebigs Barrel. This is the idea that no matter how good the system is it will never be any better than the shortest stave in our barrel. We talk about common short staves as well as what we can add to our resources to improve those limiting factors.

Curtis Evelo, Grazier and Auto Body Repair, man joined me to talk about how he thinks about the process of starting over on a new piece of ground. We talk about his history of management, the challenges of leasing land, and the process they plan to work through in the work of regenerating their new piece of land.

David Neason is a horse trainer, day working cowboy, and dog observer. We talk about what it means to be a dog observer as well as how to communicate effectively with your working ranch dog.

Dylan Biggs, stockmanship educator and rancher from Alberta, joined me to talk about how to foster and maintain a healthy and productive bond with your working ranch dog. We talk about how to discipline and reprimand as well as the importance of teaching your dog “yes” and “no.”

In this episode I talk about the greatest asset we have to pass on. SPOILER ALERT: it’s not land, money, or genetics. I also chat about the lessons, some more painful than others, in my immediate families first season of making our own management decisions.

Jeff Ramseyer a regenerative farmer from Ohio joined me to talk about a new opportunity to reboot some crop land and overgrazed pasture. Jeff gives me a bit of an education on Ohio agriculture and then we talk about the history of the piece of land he has the opportunity to manage and what he plans to do to influence the landscape in a more healthy direction. WCP Patreon:Patreon.com/WorkingCows Link Mentioned:Regenerative Farmers/Ranchers Facebook Group More Information Relevant to Jeff’s Context: Wooster Population: 26,000 people Wooster Median Income: $46,000 Precipitation: 2016-30.87 2017-37.51 2018-44.53 2019-44.10 2020-33.19 (up to now) Average: 39.83” per year