Beyond Barns

Bree Eastman joined me to discuss her path to bison studies, her research and seeing the world through both a Western lens and an Indigenous lens.  Bree Eastman is a second year master's student at Montana State University studying buffalo as a traditional Indigenous food source for the Great Plains Indigenous communities. Bree is a member of the Sičháŋǧu (Rosebud) Lakȟóta Sioux tribal nation of S...

I had a great conversation in May with Dr. Trudy Ecoffey, a previous Technical Service Director with InterTribal Buffalo Council (ITBC). She shares her passion and her unique path to the buffalo industry. As an added bonus, she said "Beyond Barns" is a very cool podcast! "ITBC is dedicated to the support of sustainable Tribal buffalo programs and provides the membership with technical assistance i...

I had a great time talking all things bison with Lydia Whitman. She's the Program Manager for the National Bison Association and has tons of great connections! I loved learning more about her path to this industry and hearing her personality shine. 

I took a trip to Ohio (virtually) to talk with Carie and Jarrod Starr - owners of Cherokee Valley Bison Ranch. I loved getting to learn how they started from ground zero and built up to what they have today. We talked about everything from transporting bison, testing agritourism ideas, and the camping option they have at Cherokee Valley Bison Ranch. If camping at a bison ranch isn't on your bucket...

Host Anna Poull shares the second part of her conversation with Chad Kremer. Chad manages the bison herd at Custer State Park as well as has a personal herd, Kremer Buffalo. He continues to share the wealth of knowledge he has earned through years of experience. Chad is happy to share more - find him at https://kremerbuffalo.com/ or https://gfp.sd.gov/parks/detail/custer-state-park/ . 

Chad Kremer joined host Anna Poull for an engaging and enlightening conversation about Custer State Park, bison herd management, and how the industry has changed. Chad is the Bison Herd Manager for Custer State Park and he has a personal bison herd with his family. He discusses what's similar and what's different about the two.  It was such a great conversation that there is a part two!

Dr. Phil Urso, Assistant Professor of Bison Studies at South Dakota State University (SDSU) joins host Anna Poull to kick off the Bison Topic Series. They discuss how Dr. Urso made his way to SDSU, bison basics, and what's coming in the future!

Tim Meagher joins host Anna Poull to close out the South Dakota Beef topic series. Tim discusses his work as the chief operations officer for Vanguard Hospitality and his efforts to use locally sourced products in the restaurants. They also discuss the costs and benefits of sourcing locally before closing out with what's coming in the future. 

Take a trip to South Africa with Beyond Barns host Anna Poull for this special episode!  In March 2025, I traveled to South Africa on a short-term study abroad experience with the Department of Animal Science at South Dakota State University. We visited various farmers, wildlife preserves, game farms, and a few sites about South Africa's history. It was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience! I...

Troy Hadrick joins host Anna Poull to talk all things data! Hadrick ranch has honed in on retaining ownership and using data to improve their herd. Troy and Anna also talk about transitioning management between generations and supplying local restaurants or grocery stores with South Dakota grown beef. 

Ashley Werning, with Werning Cattle Company, joins host Anna Poull to talk about cattle, kids, and good times. Ashley talks about both the show cattle and the commercial cattle industries. Her family works together for all things cattle, and she shares some insights into the benefits of raising kids in this industry. Towards the end of the episode, Ashley and Anna talk about some misconceptions, p...

Eric Jennings joins host Anna Poull this week. He provides an in-depth historical look on his family's farm before they discuss leadership, and South Dakota Cattlemen's. To close out this episode, they talk about connecting with people and groups outside of agriculture and growth opportunities in South Dakota.

Host Anna Poull is joined by Hunter Haberman and Riley Puck. Hunter and Riley share their background with beef and what they're researching for their theses. With good humor, they discuss what their favorite form of beef is and wrap up the conversation with a few insights into new technology.

Beyond Barns Host Anna Poull talks with Dr. Cody Wright, a professor in the Department of Animal Science at South Dakota State University. Dr. Wright shares what beef breed he's most similar to, how to help cattle manage cold weather, and common production cycles to bring a "burger backwards."