Working Cows - Regenerative Ranching to Maximize Profitability and Soil Health

As the regenerative space matures it becomes more and more apparent that one of the challenges is finding genetics that won't break the bank with their maintenance requirements. On the other side of the same coin a challenge can be finding a marketplace for grass-based genetics that you have raised. Cory Eft is seeking to solve that through his Astoria Livestock Platform. We discuss what drew him...

Emilie Hopson has spent years working in corporate HR. Now she has moved on to server ranchers with that expertise. She wants to help give ranchers the tools they need to grow thriving business that serve the ranchers, their families, their employees, and their communities. Sponsor: Remedi Animal Solutions Relevant Links: Agri-Culture

Gabe Wight had experience in fields where technology was deployed to help improve the effectiveness of the businesses in which he was involved. So he knew there was a way for technology to help his livestock business thrive as well. He developed Herd Advisor to help get his arms around the data he needed to help him make better decisions. Sponsors: Sunshine Bible Academy Ranch Right Relevant Links...

Pat Miletich struggled to breathe. For someone competing at the highest levels of Mixed Martial Arts that was a significant limitation. He found out that through detoxification of his body he could breathe better. This lead him on a journey about the connection between soil health and human health. Now he is on a mission to help farmers and ranchers detoxify their soil. Sponsors: Ranch Right Kip F...

The problem with most AI platforms is that they are more concerned about keeping you engaged than they are about giving you accurate well researched information. Ian Murdock trained Save. Ag on quality information from research papers and other sources to make sure that it gives accurate and relevant information to serve ranchers. Sponsors: South Dakota Grassland Coalition Sunshine Bible Academy K...

It's easy to love the idea of being a day working cowboy. It is less clear hot to survive and thrive financially while doing that. Crockett Carothers has found a way to do both. It requires a different way of thinking about how you use your time. Crockett has managed to create the margin whereby he can make a living and have time to day work.  Sponsors: Graze Magazine South Dakota Grassland Coalit...

Raising food is honorable and resonates deeply with us as humans. Much of worship throughout time has involved food. On top of that food can heal many of the diseases caused by our broken food system. Justin and Jenni Bajema are doing what they can to fix this broken system where they are. We discuss the reasons this work matters and resonates so deeply. Sponsor: Remedi Animal Solutions Ep. 371 El...

Finding cattle that are adapted to your environment goes a long way to generating and protecting profit. Ken and Jenny Stewart have recently acquired a herd of Aubrac Cattle and given their breadth of experience they are very excited about their ability to adapt to a plethora of different environments. Sponsors: Indreland Ranch Create Coaches Ranch Right Graze Magazine Relevant Links: XL Ranch

There are many challenges with passing the ranch on to the next generation. It is difficult financially because many times people need to live on the equity they have built. It is also difficult financially because of the pressure that development puts on ranches to make room for urban expansion. The South Dakota Ag Land Trust has a solution that can help with both of these aspects. Bill Eastman a...

Marc Walther joined me to discuss several of the products his company produces. Trey Schmidt has been testing these products on his ranch for some time, and he was able to offer his perspective on the effectiveness of the products. Relevant Link: Impact Fusion Brands

Morgan Mickel has been sharing his ranching story on YouTube for about four years. He joins me to discuss the logistics of running a large-scale western sheep operation. We discuss working with herders, lambing, using guardian dogs, and marketing. Sponsors: South Dakota Grassland Coalition Ranch Right Sunshine Bible Academy Indreland Ranch Relevant Links: Morgan Mickel on YouTube

Kip Fladland has been helping people get the most out of their ranch horse for decades. Today we are going to talk about the process of developing a connection with your horse and how to take your horse to the next stage of their training. Sponsors: Indreland Ranch Create Coaches Graze Magazine South Dakota Grassland Coalition Relevant Link: Kip Fladland Horsemanship

Joel Salatin gave a great talk about how to undo the consolidation in our nation's food system. As part of that talk he read a chapter of his unreleased book "Food Emancipation." He also discussed at length the circumstances that led us to where we are with regard to food in this country and how we can chart a better path forward. Sponsor: Remedi Animal Solutions Relevant Links: Rogue Food Confere...

Tom Shea has found that unconventional mentorships are key to finding your way in Regenerative Agriculture. His relationships have continued to shape his path forward in finding a way to be profitable. This has led him to take unconventional approaches like grazing solar farms and using technology to increase his effectiveness. Sponsors: Create Coaches Ranch Right Graze Magazine Sunshine Bible Aca...

How do we hear from God? The Bible is the Word of God. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament are where we can hear from God. But what about other channels? What about coincidences? What about other voices that claim to be from God? How do we test those? Steve Kenyon of Greener Pastures Ranching has some questions as a result of some classes he has been taking at church. I try to answer...

Jimmy Stewart and his wife have been on a journey to find cattle that can graze year-round, calve on their own, and raise a calf on the range. They are continuing to push the envelope to find consistent and even cattle that can provide a heterosis bump for the customers purchasing their bulls. Sponsors: Ranch Right Graze Magazine (Code: WORKINGCOWS) Sunshine Bible Academy Relevant Links: Big Count...

Dan Glenn of Deep Grass Graziers has been thinking deeply about what it means to be profitable in the ranching business. He has come up with a plan that could help more people be profitable when this current cattle cycle comes to an end. We discuss this plan as well as his upcoming innaugural bull sale where you can get your hands on his forage developed bulls and females. Sponsor: Ambrook Relevan...

When times are good in any sector of the economy it presents an opportunity to grow the business or diversify by investing outside of the sector in which we are most heavily invested. Chris Wiley has been a successful real estate investor for many years. He has done this while also holding down other positions sometimes across the continent from his properties. We discuss the how, when, and why of...

There is a day coming when food buyers will be able to scan an individual food item, not a barcode, and determine its nutrient density. Dan Kittredge is a part of the team working to develop this technology. Karl Palmberg is a farmer excited about the prospect of the technology and working to retool his farm to take advantage of it by growing the most nutrient dense beef possible. Sponsor: Remedi...

Teddy Gentry of the band Alabama was self-educated in the back of a tour bus about what it takes to make money in the cattle business. He learned about soil health, grazing, and genetics. This led to his development of the South Poll Grass Cattle breed. We discuss the breeds that make up this hearty and profitable composite as well as the process and the unique restrictions they have placed on the...

Jay Young of Young Red Angus is a big picture thinker. He has been experimenting with grazing collars for a while now and he is excited about the potential they have to revolutionize his business. He is talking about being more profitable running on fewer acres with better soil health and less time invested. That hits every facet of ranching. We discuss his vision for what the future could look li...

South Dakota Representative John Shubeck is on a mission to help South Dakota be ready when Thomas Massie's PRIME Act passes. He joins me to discuss his bill as well as what other states and residents in other states can do to help with Thomas Massie's PRIME Act.  Sponsor: Get Rogue Food Conference Recordings Relevant Links: John Shubeck Legislative Page Bill Page (Already Signed :facepalm: Congra...

One of the sweet spots in any system is when you can turn a "waste" product into a beneficial output. Wool, unfortunately, has become one such product. It isn't as high quality in wetter environments and certain breeds also struggle to produce high quality wool. Add to that the difficulty of those who know how to or want to shear sheep and you can see how this has led to a drying up of the wool ma...

Whenever I hear the "Welcome Back to Ranch Hacks" opener I am immediately intrigued to see what Malcolm MacLean has done to repurpose something to optimize his effectiveness on the ranch. While we do discuss some of his Ranch Hacks today we actually spend a fair bit of our time discussing his Total Grazing program and the cowherd he has been developing to fit that system.  Sponsors: Kaizen Solutio...

It takes a unique mindset to continue to stay in touch with the traditional way of doing things. Scott Gore has been on this journey from a young age. His focus has been on rawhide braiding. We discuss how he got started, lessons he has learned, as well as how he would recommend getting started today. We also discuss what he is doing to help others develop a similar passion to what he has for rawh...