Ranching Returns Podcast

Dr. Richard Watson started a grazing dairy business in 2007 which has since expanded to 3 sites totaling over 2000 acres with a capacity to milk over 2500 cows. He is now working on developing a milk processing facility to vertically integrate his business to capture the premium that his grazing model offers but has so far been challenging to capture! We dive into what it took to build his first d...

Kit Pharo has built an incredibly successful ranch and seedstock business as one of the top ten in the seedstock 100 for several years in a row and serving thousands of customers over several decades! I asked Kit to share with me some of his reflections on that experience and what he sees as important traits and actions for somebody who wishes to build a successful business of any kind! Lots of wi...

Fortunate to have the opportunity to have a collaborative podcast with Jared Knock and Justin Fruechte, hosts of the Roots and Ruminats podcast. We discuss everything from our respective operations, to managing diverse farms, farm succession, improved perennials vs. natives vs. annuals and so much more! Check out Barn2Door at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.barn2door.com/herdquitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and receive a free acade...

Will Harris is one of those guys who pioneered much of regenerative agriculture, direct to consumer marketing, vertical integration on the family farm level and so much more! It's an honor to get to share some of what he's learned with you through these conversations. You can hear more of his story on episode 55 or better yet buy his new book "A Bold Return to Giving a Damn". Che...

Stories like Drews are some of my favorite to share on this podcast! Drew didn't grow up on a family ranch, but over the course of the last 15 years or so has built up a successful grazing business which he now does full time and purchased several hundred acres in northern Missouri. To sign up for Wally Olson's online sell/buy marketing class go to www.ranching.fyi/wallyolson Check out Bar...

Gage Iverson is a rancher who has successfully grazed his cowherd all winter long for several years in a row in an environment where so many think it's not possible! Take a listen as we discuss his experience, what it's done to improve profitability and his tips for somebody wanting to do the same thing! Check out Barn2Door at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.barn2door.com/herdquitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and receive a free ac...

For many, when they look at the economics of their cow/calf enterprise and see the lack of profitability, their assumption is that the cow/calf business is not for them. Dallas shares that the average cow/calf producer is not profitable, however, top producers have found it to be incredibly profitable. So we discuss how to improve the profitability of cows by reducing direct costs, increasing gros...

Ryan and his family have decided to make the shift from cow/calf to stockers to improve the profitability of their Montana ranch and they are jumping all in! He talks about the why, the how, and so much more in this conversation! Resources Mentioned: Dirt to Soil - Gabe Brown Ranching for Profit Herd Quitter Podcast Working Cows Podcast Ranching Reboot Podcast Check out Barn2Door at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.barn2d...

Jesse and I discuss tips for managing many different obligations, we discuss his experience with TCU Ranch Management. But most of our time is spent on his ranch enteprises, grazing management and how he is being compensated for his management with carbon credits through Grassroots Carbon. I believe this is the first time I have ever discussed carbon credits and I learned a lot! Learn more about c...

Merry Christmas!! In episode 101 we discussed Trevors decision to switch from cow/calf to custom grazing. We catch up a year later to discuss how his first year running a large herd of stockers has gone for him. Before we discuss this year, we go into depth on an enterprise analysis on his cow/calf enterprise and why this decision made sense for him and how it's allowed him to make a nearly $150,0...

For the 150th episode I listened back to the top 5 episodes by listens and clipped some of my favorite parts of those conversations. There is so much great stuff in each of these episodes! Check out Barn2Door at ⁠⁠⁠www.barn2door.com/herdquitter⁠⁠⁠ and receive a free academy class ($99 value) if you sign up. As always, check us out at Herd Quitter Podcast on Facebook and Instagram as well as at ⁠ww...

Chad Peterson has a wealth of experience in a variety of different grazing based enterprises now in multiple states. We discuss many of his learning experiences over the years and why he currently runs a stocker operation in Montana. We talk about ultra high stock density grazing, forage utilization, supplement feeding stockers, and so much more! Check out Barn2Door at ⁠⁠⁠www.barn2door.com/herdqui...

Logan Mannix along with his father, uncles and several cousins run Mannix Family Beef in Montana. They have a diversified, large scale, vertically integrated beef operation. Currently they run 1250 cows, background calves, and grass finish and market 400 head of beef direct to consumer as well as to several wholesale markets. We discuss everything from his family and ranch history, to genetics, wi...

Amos and his wife Tina have a diversified business in Northeast Iowa where they crop farm, run livestock, sell cover crop seed and offer custom seeding as a service. In this episode we discuss how cover crops can be used on high value tillable land to increase the profit of the operation, how to integrate them with crops and livestock and much more! Resources Mentioned: Ranching for Profit School...

Matthew ranched like most people in his area but after learning a little about low input ranching and regenerative management and it's potential to help improve production and profitability he began to transition his cow herd and management to improve. He shares many of the learning lessons he experience transitioning over 500 cows to a low input genetics and designing fence and water infrastr...

Many say that today it's impossible to become a full time farmer or rancher if you aren't born into it or marry into it. But I've got three past guests Sage Askin, Vannie Collins, and Christopher Baggot on who have each built from scratch their own successful operations within the past 15 years. They come from different starting points but share diverse experiences and enterprise mixes that includ...

Connor is a grazier in Wisconsin who at only 24 years old is already a full time farmer and a land owner. He has a diversity of livestock enterprises including custom grazing, cow/calf and heifer development. We discuss enterprise selection, where to invest capital, accessing land and much more! Resources Mentioned: Gregg Judy NRCS Office Neighbors Check out Barn2Door at ⁠⁠⁠www.barn2door.com/herdq...

John spent several years moving from farm to farm taking advantage of opportunities to build equity in land and cows until he got to where he is today. John owns 300 cows and 500 acres and operates his own successful grazing based dairy with his wife in Tasmania, Australia. We walk through his story, discuss the risks associated with debt and growth and talk about his operation. Resources Mentione...

I brought back three past guests who all are working to develop composite genetics that will offer adaption to the heat, humidity, and parasite pressure that many ranchers in the US face while not giving up the performance or quality that our purebred angus, red angus and hereford cattle provide. We dive into the different breeds they are using which include: Mashona, Romosinuano and Corriente cat...

Joel Salatin is one of the most popular farmers in the world. He has written 16 books, is the editor of the Stockman Grass Farmer, and owns and operates the popular Polyface Farm. We discuss his farm, how he monetizes agritourism and education on his farm and learn tips to creating a successful direct to consumer enterprise as well as how to change the food system to a more local food production a...

Rachel and her husband farm and ranch in Nebraska and have a diversified operation consisting of no-till crops, organic crops, cow/calf enterprises as well as a grass finishing and direct to consumer business. We discuss these different enterprises as well as the blessings and challenges that come with raising a family on a farm! Resources Mentioned: Joel Salatin - Family Friendly Farming Joel Sal...

Elaine is an internationally known farm transition expert! The topic of transition is something that every farmer will have to deal with at some point and very few have a plan. She walks through 3 of the important conversations that need to be addressed before a transition can take place. Resources Mentioned: Dick Wittman - Wittman Consulting Elaine Froese Books Farm4Profit Podcast Check out Barn2...

Tom is author of the book "Ranching Like a 12 Year Old" where he shares his story of developing a ranch template to help simplify the management of a ranch to improve lifestyle and to allow for the opportunity to scale. He shares how this model allowed him to build a ranch custom grazing thousands of animals and also how to grow more grass than many think is possible! Lots to learn in th...

Chris is a first generation farmer who has managed to grow a large and successful direct marketing enterprise and grazing based farm on row crop land in Indiana. Just in that statement their are a number of things many would say are not possible or at least are extremely difficult to do. Take a listen to learn how he did this and so much more! Resources Mentioned: Allan Savory - Holistic Managemen...

I get questions from folks quite often via email or social media. I appreciate people reaching out and over the years a few questions have come up multiple times that I thought might be nice to address via the podcast. I'm happy to share more in depth on any one topic or address some of the others. Respond to the poll on the podcast or reach out to let me know if you enjoy these Q&A format...