Working Cows - Regenerative Ranching to Maximize Profitability and Soil Health

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

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.

NOTE: Sorry about the audio issues during the intro I had the wrong microphone selected for the first 90 seconds. #stillarookie Anneliese Walker is one of the driving forces behind Walker Farms near the Twin Cities in Minnesota. They are direct marketing a host of proteins. As such Anneliese is uniquely qualified to discuss and lead others toward a more holistic approach to developing a better relationship with the end consumers of their products. To accomplish that goal she has set out to produce a new course aimed at helping people take an ecosystems approach to direct to consumer marketing. WCP Christmas Wishlist ;):WCP Amazon Wishlist Links Mentioned:Get the Free eBookAnnelieseWalker.com Guest’s Previous Episode:Ep. 153 George and Anneliese Walker – Stacking Enterprises

NOTE: Sorry about the audio issues during the intro I had the wrong microphone selected for the first 90 seconds. #stillarookieAnneliese Walker is one of the driving forces behind Walker Farms near the Twin Cities in Minnesota. They are direct marketing a host of proteins. As such Anneliese is uniquely qualified to discuss and lead others toward a more holistic approach to developing a better relationship with the end consumers of their products. To accomplish that goal she has set out to produce a new course aimed at helping people take an ecosystems approach to direct to consumer marketing.

Kathy Voth is the founder, publisher, and editor of OnPasture.com. Tip Hudson is the host and creator of “The Art of Range” podcast. They joined me to discuss what we have learned in building the online platforms and what it takes to sustain those platforms. Support WCP:WorkingCows.net/Support Links MentionedOnPasture.comArtofRange.com

Kathy Voth is the founder, publisher, and editor of OnPasture.com. Tip Hudson is the host and creator of "The Art of Range" podcast. They joined me to discuss what we have learned in building the online platforms and what it takes to sustain those platforms.

The Colorado Section of the Society for Range Management recently hosted a webinar series. This was a great opportunity to hear from many great minds in the industry. I was privileged to participate in a discussion with Tip Hudson, of The Art of Range Podcast, and Kathy Voth, of OnPasture.com, about building online communities. Follow WCP:Facebook.com/WorkingCowsTwitter.com/YPClayConry Relevant Links:The Art of RangeOnPasture.comCSSRM.org/Webinars

The Colorado Section of the Society for Range Management recently hosted a webinar series. This was a great opportunity to hear from many great minds in the industry. I was priviliged to participate in a discussion with Tip Hudson, of The Art of Range Podcast, and Kathy Voth, of OnPasture.com, about building online communities.

Subscribe to WCP:WorkingCows.net/subscribe Watch the “Hanna Ranch” Documentary: Hanna Ranch Official Trailer from Hanna Ranch on Vimeo. “Hanna Ranch” on Amazon Subscribe to Ag State of Mind:

The Colorado Section of the Society for Range Management recently hosted a webinar series. This was a great opportunity to hear from many great minds in the industry. I was priviliged to participate in a discussion following a screening of the "Hanna Ranch" documentary, a film that deals very honestly with issues around rural mental health.

Dave Pratt, CEO Emeritus of Ranch Management Consultants, joined me to discuss his new book “The Turnaround: A Rancher’s Story.” This book introduces and outlines many of the principles taught in the Ranching for Profit school. We also talk about what Dave has learned through the transition of Ranch Management Consultants and his thoughts on the passing of Stan Parsons, Founder of RMC. Follow WCP:Facebook.com/WorkingCowsTwitter.com/YPClayConry Book Mentioned: Attend RFP with Dave:RFP Registration Dave’s Previous Episodes:Ep. 114 Dave Pratt – Monuments to Tax Avoidance – November 4th, 2019Bonus Ep. 080 Dave Pratt – Disaster Recovery – April 1st, 2019Ep. 070 Dave Pratt – Owner Value – January 28th, 2019Ep. 041 Dave Pratt – Core Principles – August 6th, 2018Ep. 013 Dave Pratt – Customer Value – January 22nd, 2018

Dave Pratt, CEO Emeritus of Ranch Management Consultants, joined me to discuss his new book "The Turnaround: A Rancher's Story." This book introduces and outlines many of the principles taught in the Ranching for Profit school. We also talk about what Dave has learned through the transition of Ranch Management Consultants and his thoughts on the passing of Stan Parsons, Founder of RMC.

Steve Campbell, a grazier and lecturer from Idaho, joined me to discuss some of the major takeaways from his two day school hosted by Wedge Tent Angus Ranch near Faith, SD. We talk about what to look for in grass-efficient cows as well as how to improve the cows we have through bull selection. Sponsor:Wedge Tent Angus Ranch Links Mentioned: Check out Steve’s Schedule or get a hold of him for a copy of the Bonsma LecturesTailorMadeCattle.comMilch Cows by Francios Guenon

Steve Campbell, a grazier and lecturer from Idaho, joined me to discuss some of the major takeaways from his two day school hosted by Wedge Tent Angus Ranch near Faith, SD. We talk about what to look for in grass-efficient cows as well as how to improve the cows we have through bull selection.

Nicole Masters joined me to discuss the purpose of weeds on the landscape. We talk about how to be patient and allow weeds to accomplish their job. We also discuss how to determine if the weeds are going to continue to increase or if they are merely bringing in nutrients in which our rangeland plants are deficient. Support WCP:WorkingCows.net/Support Nicole’s Book: Links Mentioned:IntegritySoils.co.nzWhen Weeds Talk by Jay McCaman

Nicole Masters joined me to discuss the purpose of weeds on the landscape. We talk about how to be patient and allow weeds to accomplish their job. We also discuss how to determine if the weeds are going to continue to increase or if they are merely bringing in nutrients in which our rangeland plants are deficient.

Michelle Reines is a leadership coach focused on equipping everyday leaders with the tools they need to level-up their leadership skills. We talk about Michelle’s bull ride that set her on the journey to improve here leadership toolkit. Contact WCP:WorkingCows.net/Contact Links Mentioned:Michelle’s BookMichelle’s Gift for WCP Listeners

Michelle Reines is a leadership coach focused on equiping everyday leaders with the tools they need to level-up their leadership skills. We talk about Michelle's bull ride that set her on the journey to improve here leadership toolkit.

Reilly Sasse, one of the minds behind Tomcat Mfg, joined me to discuss the benefits, challenges, and tools available to effectively water livestock. We talk about treating bad water, rehabilitating wells and windmills, and getting the most out of our water infrastructure.

Dallas Mount, CEO of Ranch Management Consultants, joined me to discuss his recent Profit Tips article “Having the Courage to Talk.” We talk about how crucial it is to improve our skills around handling difficult conversations. We also discuss some tools that can help us improve our skills.

Justin Rader of 100th Meridian Ranching joined me to discuss the advantages of leasing bulls for your cow/calf operation. We talk about the flexibility of this practice as well as the lengths to which they are going to ensure the health and safety of the bulls they lease.

Jim Gerrish joined me again to talk about the Four Laws of Ecology. We talk about what they are, how they can be a help to us and how we can make sure that we are working in sync with them rather than trying to fight the uphill battle against them.

George and Anneliese Walker of Walker Farms near Princeton, MN joined me to discuss the benefits and complexities of stacking multiple enterprises on the same ground. We talk about the roll chickens play on rangeland, the necessity of developing your market, and what it is that people buy when they buy our products.

Jason Mauck joined me to talk about how he is attempting to fix broken supply chains in manure and meat. We talk about the many different ways he is adding value to manure and meat as well as the space he is trying to create to help farmers and ranchers have better access to the end consumers of their products.

Zack Smith an Iowa farmer joined me to discuss his new production model called “stock cropping.” We talk about the “ClusterCluck 5000” the implement he and his partner have invented to stock crop the fields they manage. This is an exciting piece of equipment they are seeking to scale up and bring to market. This practice has massive potential to change the ecological and financial landscape of farming.