Ranching Returns Podcast

On this weeks episode we take questions from listeners and ask them to Kit Pharo. A few of the questions he answers are: - If you were starting from scratch today, what would you do? - Why don't more producers use composite bulls when most are not breeding registered cattle or show cattle? - AI or Bulls - Heat tolerant bull program - Cactus Feeders calf buy-back program - What percentage of bulls...

In a recent PCC discussion group there was a conversation around where is the ideal location to run cow/calf pairs in the United States. Overall, every area has advantages and disadvantages, but Jim Gerrish who has a unique perspective having worked with ranchers in 43 states and visited ranches in 49 states has his views on some of the best places. We discuss this as well as why it's important to...

In 2019 Landan took over his family's ranch which had been managed in a high input, low profit manner for a number of years. He immediately worked to make changes improving grass management, buying low input genetics, reducing direct costs and overhead expenses and as a result has shown a profit every year since starting. Definitely an episode worth listening to if you have the desire to make a mo...

Brian Alexander, also known as the Red Hills Rancher on social media joins me to discuss his history in ranching and his ranch in the Red Hills of South Central Kansas. We talk about fire, grazing management, succession planning and much more! If you haven't heard of it, be sure to check out his podcast the Ranching Reboot Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts!  Resources Mentioned: Nationa...

To often people are convinced that finding success in agriculture is impossible because they can't find opportunity in their back yard. Andrew and his family were unwilling to accept that they couldn't run a profitable ranch business and did what many of us would never consider and sold their land in Ohio and moved to Oklahoma to start a new ranch in a new environment that was more suited to their...

Will Harris is one of those people that I have looked up to as long as I've been involved in this regenerative world. He's got an amazing story of transitioning his farm over from commodity livestock production to a regenerative, diverse, direct to consumer business. The market millions of dollars in grass fed and pasture based meats and poultry raised on their 3200 acres in Bluffton, Georgia. The...

Jason joined me again to follow up on our conversation from episode 52. We discuss further the idea of reducing inputs and how it relates to veterinarians. We also discuss principles that apply to being a successful cattle producer, principles like developing cattle that are adapted to your environment, calving with nature, advancing your herd genetics through strict culling, and so much more!&nbs...

Doug Peterson has an extensive history working in the NRCS for over 32 years, consulting for Understanding Ag, and owning and operating his own grass farm in Missouri. We discuss what he learned through his career, and go in depth on the principles of soil health and how they can be applied in a grazing farm. And we discuss his own grazing operation and how he has improved his grass management and...

Jason Salchow is a custom grazier, bull developer and veterinarian from Missouri. We discuss his shift to custom grazing as a primary enterprise for his farm, how he began developing bulls for PCC, and what that process looks like. And then we just touch on the topic of how low input philosophies apply to veterinarians, although there is more to come on that topic in a future episode! No doubt tha...

Jason Rowntree is a professor at Michigan State University in their Animal Science Department studying low input beef production and regenerative agriculture. He shares how they have increased production on their grasslands, reduced expenses and increased profit on the beef farm and also shares the exciting and important work they have been doing around carbon sequestration in grasslands! Resource...

Luke Perman and his family run Rock Hills Ranch in North Central South Dakota. He shares why they have the diversity of enterprises they do, from cow/calf, to stocker to a custom sheep grazing enterprise and how each of those enterprises add value to the whole ranch. We also discuss the social aspect of a ranch management from engaging your employees, to being intentional about how the ranch impac...

Louis Martin knew very young that he wanted to be a ranch manager, and recognized early on that there is a big difference between managing cows, and managing a business than runs cows. He took every opportunity to learn from skilled mentors and advisors, and educated himself on the keys to business management rather than just animal science. His career took him from managing ranches in Texas, to U...

Allen has an incredible resume filled with research, production experience and consulting experience world wide which has given him insight into some of the most successful farm and ranch businesses around the globe. In this episode, Allen shares a ton of solid practical advice that he's learned on how to build more successful farm and ranch businesses. We talk about combining herds to reduce labo...

Nathan "Bub" Daugherty and his wife Lakayah have an incredible story of hard work, sacrifice and determination that has resulted in developing a lifestyle that they enjoy! Bub spent years working overtime in a coal mine saving money and investing in land and livestock, heeding the advice of past generations and financial advisors. Today they farm full time running chicken barns and cattle on pastu...

Pete Bauman has a range of experience working with grasslands but in his role as SDSU Range Field Specialist he works one on one with producers and grassland managers across South Dakota working to improve the grasslands and increase plant diversity as well as production and profitability of the grazing enterprises. He discusses the importance of mindset as well as some practical ways we can impro...

This week I am doing a solo episode to discuss how using the philosophies of Kit Pharo and other regenerative ranchers and farmers we transitioned our farm to a position that didn't require to full time people leading to me getting an off farm job working for the Sustainable Farming Association, or in other words, how Kit Pharo got me fired! I also discuss briefly the Sell/Buy marketing class I at...

Kat Weinert along with her husband Sean, interviewed in episode 5, have an incredibly unique story of starting a ranch from scratch. Today, Kat shares her tips and tricks for managing a ranch while raising 4 kids while her husband works of the ranch and she runs a photography business. If doing all of that at once makes you feel like your not doing enough, I am right there with ya! She shares her...

Everybody wants to have a competitive advantage in this industry, but most think it's not possible, or don't have time to discover some of the competitive advantages that are available to them. Kit shares how having a cost advantage and a differential advantage can set your ranch business apart from the rest and help you create a sustainable business for the next generation! As always, check us ou...

Ryan Schmid is an entomologist at Ecdysis where he researches the importance of insects and the roles they play in our ranch businesses and our grassland ecosystems. He shares some pretty cool data and fun facts and shares practical ways that we can increase insect abundance and diversity on our own farms and ranches! Resources Mentioned: The Prairie Pioneer Arthropods of Canadian Grasslands Ecdys...

Andree and Bianca Soares of Star Creek Land Stewards have built a solid service based grazing business where they manage 7200 sheep and goats in California. They strategically graze in highly populated areas as well as along fire roads for fire prevention to help protect towns and communities during wildfires. They also graze targeted areas for invasive species management. They discuss the many as...

Taylor Collins has an awesome story of building a national food brand from scratch, selling and then starting a regenerative ranch from scratch in Texas along with his wife Katie. He shares a ton of value that should get anybody excited about the potential of raising food regeneratively, and the potential we have to impact our lands and soils! Resources Mentioned: Force of Nature Dirt To Soil - Ga...

Cody has a pretty unique story of doing what many would not be willing to do and moving his family farm and ranching business not once, but twice! First ten miles down the road, and second to another state! Hear his journey and the reasons why he made each transition. He demonstrates how to make decisions holistically with a focus on not only the financial or environmental aspects of the business...

Patrick Robinette didn't grow up on a farm but when he had the opportunity to move back to his in-laws family farm in North Carolina he took the opportunity. They immediately began the transition from conventional crop farm, to conventional beef producer, to a grass-finished beef producer. Today he and his family business produce, process and market grass finished beef all over the country! Listen...

After continuing to hear great feedback on the episodes we have based around sell/buy marketing, I had Doug Ferguson come back on for another episode to go more in depth on this business plan. We learn how to talk to your bankers, how to use your cattle as a college savings plan, and so much more. If you want to learn more, Doug has a Sell/Buy Marketing Class coming up December 8-9 in SE Nebr...

Duke Phillips built a ranch management business managing nearly 300,000 acres across the American West starting with nothing more than a truck and trailer, a few horses and twenty cows. Listen in to hear Duke's fascinating story and don't miss the many great tips that we can all learn from and apply to our own ranches and journeys. Resources Mentioned: Allan Savory Western Land Owners Alliance As...