Working Cows - Regenerative Ranching to Maximize Profitability and Soil Health

Rob Havard has been on a journey from disillusionment with agriculture to running a financially struggling farm to paying off debt and being able to help others in his community get started. This has been made possible by his adherence to the principles of Holistic Management. Holistic Management has helped him see how functional genetics fit into a profitable system.

Sponsors:

South Dakota Grassland Coalition "Grasslands in Action" Conference

Ranch Right

https://www.ranching.fyi

Indreland Ranch

Relevant Links:

Call to the Land Podcast

Phepson Angus

Rob's Previous Episodes:

Ep. 225 Bob Havard – Grass-Fed Beef Genetics

Ep. 098 Bob Havard – Regenerative Ag in the UK

Jimmy and ShayLe Stewart of Big Country Genetics have scaled their operation from scratch. This December they will sell 130 forage developed bulls and 100 bred heifers. They started in 2019. The ability to scale that quickly intrigued me. I invited them on to talk about their mindset, how profitable cows helped this growth, and the values that have shaped their business over time.

Sponsors:

Remedi Animal Solutions

• Ep. 371 Ellen Bench – Implementing Homeopathic Livestock Health
• Ep. 368 Ellen Bench – Homeopathic Livestock Health

Relevant Links:

Big Country Genetics

Jimmy's Previous Episode:

Ep. 504 Jimmy Stewart - How to Let Your Environment Shape Your Cattle

The deck has been stacked against grass and specifically grazing animals for a while now. The RANCH Act seeks to help alleviate these challenges by creating a working lands payment structure that encourages marginal crop acres to come out of row crop production and open them again for grazing acres. AJ Munger has been involved in the development of this legislation. He joins me to discuss the process of bringing this legislation as well as what it seeks to accomplish and how it could help grow the cow herd in the United States.

Sponsors:

Big Country Genetics

Ranch Right

Graze! Magazine

Seven Weeks Coffee

Relevant Links:

South Dakota Grassland Coalition

South Dakota Grasslands Initiative

Central Grasslands Roadmap

RANCH Act

Luke Perman helps me think better. He has recently been sharing some challenging articles and perspectives on X. He joins me to discuss those ideas today. We talk about indicators of a peak in the cattle market, how to remain profitable no matter where the market goes, and where to make strategic investments to help mitigate our tax burden.

Sponsors:

https://www.ranching.fyi/

Big Country Genetics

Seven Weeks Coffee

Relevant Links

Luke on X

American Hippopotamus

Knowledge Rich Ranching by Allan Nation

The team at Vision Flight has helped many people hone their vision through their various consulting and educational roles. The problem was this wasn't scalable. They could only help one family at a time. Today we talk to Melinda Sims, John Locke, Shanon Sims, and Emilie Hopson about how they put their years of experience together and develop a tool to help people develop a great vision for the future of their business and life.

Sponsors:

Austin Hart at Redd Summit Advisors

Ranching.FYI

Big Country Genetics

Seven Weeks Coffee

Relevant Links:

Vision Flight (Code: WORKINGCOWS20 for 20% off)

Guests Previous Episodes:

Ep. 003 Melinda Sims – Windrow Grazing

Ep. 084 John Coleman Locke – Mob Grazing to Improve Land, Livestock, and Life

Ep. 147Stuart Austin and John Coleman Locke – Discussing Density

Ep. 199 Shanon Sims – Raising Your Own Bulls

Ep. 276 Shanon Sims – Having Hobbies Away from the Ranch

Ep. 387Shanon Sims – Being a Grass Nerd

Ep. 518 Emilie Hopson - How to Grow Employees that Help your Business Thrive

Stan Oller and his family have been making intentional pivots not only so they can generate greater profitability, but also to bring the business more into alignment with their passions. This includes pivoting away from direct marketing, pivoting to sheep, and now a desire to move West from Arkansas to fulfill their desire to steward vast landscapes.

Sponsors:

Graze Magazine

Big Country Genetics

Ranch Right

Austin Hart at Redd Summit Advisors

Relevant Links:

Contact Working Cows

In a previous conversation with Luke Jones he told me that healthy soil has room for air, light, and water. That got me thinking about the similarities to the conditions that help make for a healthy soul. I have had this sermon percolating for a long time and finally got a chance to share it at the Cowboys for Christ kickoff to the Newell, SD Labor Day Celebration.

Sponsor:

Seven Weeks Coffee

Relevant Links:

Ep. 411 Luke Jones – Changing Our Mindset to Facilitate Regenerative Agriculture

When Derek Jackson was described by his Ranch Rolodex Co-Host Zach Hopson Zach said Derek's strengths were in his ability to run the numbers and get useful information out of spreadsheets and other analytical tools. We discuss what numbers have mattered most in helping Derek and his family succeed early in their ranching journey.

Sponsor:

Remedi Animal Solutions

Relevant Links:

Ranch Rolodex Podcast

We are continuing to try and think outside the box regarding New World Screwworm. This time we are joined by Ellen Bench to discuss a homeopathic perspective on what makes animals vulnerable to infestation as well as how to prevent infestation and ways to approach care of those who are most vulnerable.

Sponsors:

Remedi Animal Solutions

The crew at Ranching.FYI has introduced a true innovation in the Marketing Education sector. Their Ranching SIM helps simulate the pressure we face everyday in our marketing decisions. Nelson Koehn, Cinnamon Lenhart, and Brian Munger joined me to discuss the mindset we must have to prepare for the next market fluctuation. We also discuss the ways that an understanding of the philosophy of learning has shaped their school.

Sponsors:

Kip Fladland Horsemanship

100th Meridian Ranching

Ranch Right

Austin Hart at Redd Summit Advisors

Relevant Links:

https://www.ranching.fyi/

Zach Hopson struggled to get traction in the ranch business until he learned the skills and mindset necessary to scale his business. Since that time he has been able to successfully place cattle in a few different states. We discuss the advantages and challenges of this strategy as well as the benefits.

Sponsors:

https://www.ranching.fyi/

Austin Hart at Redd Summit Advisors

Dominium Wealth (Episode 490)

Seven Weeks Coffee

Relevant Links:

The Ranch Rolodex

Steve Campbell and Will Winter have decades of experience in keeping cattle thriving. They seek to do this through natural means that don't require a load of pharmaceuticals. Today we are turning our attention toward New World Screw Worm. What is it? Can we treat it? And how do we prevent it?

Sponsors:

Dominium Wealth (Episode 490)

100th Meridian Ranching

Ranch Right

Austin Hart at Redd Summit Advisors

Relevant Links:

Campbell's Daily Apple - Bulk Apple Cider Vinegar

Steve Campbell

Will Winter

Will Winter on Working Cows Discussing ACV

Steve Campbell on Working Cows Discussing Remineralizing Cattle with Salt

Steve Campbell on Working Cows Discussing Selecting Adapted Cattle

Joel Salatin on Working Cows Discussing Polyface's Approach to Profitability

Phone Numbers for the Plain Community to Listen:

New Episodes: (605)501-6005

Top Ten: (605)599-1535

Daniel Unruh and his wife Elli have started their ranch from nothing. They have taken an unconventional approach that wasn't worried about fitting into anyone else's box or ranching according to predetermined paradigms. We discuss the journey thus far as well as how they are working towards reaching some of their loftier goals in the near future.

Sponsors:

Ranch Right

Austin Hart at Redd Summit Advisors

100th Meridian Ranching

Dominium Wealth (Episode 490)

Relevant Links:

Ranch Rolodex Podcast

On this episode I share with you a conversation I had with Abby Rose of Farmerama, Ffinlo Costain of Farm Gate, and Ben Eagle of Meet the Farmers. They are all longtime UK based podcasters. This conversation was facilitated by Richard Tufton and Claire Mackenzie of the Six Inches of Soil Podcast. We discuss the ways that stories and storytelling are helping to heal soil and inspire change in our agricultural and food systems.

Sponsors:

Dominium Wealth (Episode 490)

100th Meridian Ranching

South Dakota Grassland Coalition

Kip Fladland Horsemanship

Relevant Links:

The Full Conversation

Farmerama Cereals Series by Abby Rose

Farm Gate with ffinlo Costain

Meet the Farmers with Ben Eagle

Will Harris has a unique perspective on the growth of regenerative agriculture. He has a front row seat to see its adoption and pushback. He joins me to discuss the ways he has seen it grow. Where it is today and what is needed for further progress in the adoption of regenerative agriculture.

Sponsors:

Redd Summit Advisors - Austin Hart

South Dakota Grassland Coalition

100th Meridian Ranching

Dominium Wealth (Episode 490)

Relevant Links:

White Oak Pastures

Center for Agricultural Resilience

Derek Schwanebeck has been on a journey of lifelong learning. Some of his classrooms have been unconventional, but they have all shaped him into the manager and leader that he is today. In this episode we discuss the winding road of his lifelong learning path.

Sponsors:

Dominium Wealth (Episode 490)

100th Meridian Ranching

Relevant Links:

Cornerstone Grazing

Executive Link

The Ranch Rolodex podcast is coming soon. The guys behind the podcast joined me to discuss their stories as it relates to starting a ranch. We discuss the importance of mentorship, challenging paradigms, and finding a network of people who can help you go further. Make sure to regularly hang out with Zach Hopson, Derek Jackson, and Daniel Unruh of the Ranch Rolodex Podcast.

Sponsors:

Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition - Grazing School

Dominium Wealth (Episode 490)

Ranch Right

100th Meridian Ranching

Relevant Links:

Ranch Rolodex Podcast

Ranch Rolodex of Facebook

Many are familiar with the benefits of essential oils for external use and aroma therapy. Advanced Ag Products has figured out a coating technology that can get essential oils to the lower GI tract. They have been seeing great results with increasing livestock health and animal performance. We discuss this technology and its benefits with Dr. James Caldwell and Ken Stewart today.

Sponsor:

By-O-reg+

Jake Miller has been facing a prolonged drought. They have been diligent to protect the range health and continue to challenge their cattle to move their ranch forward in the face of this drought. This has paid dividends when they have had large rainfalls. They have been able to hold on to the rain they do get and see the range spring back to life.

Sponsors:

Dominium Wealth (Episode 490)

Ranch Right

100th Meridian Ranching

Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition - Grazing School

Relevant Links:

Livewire Fence Supply

Long-term Care can easily eclipse five figures per month. That becomes an issue pretty quickly from a cash-flow perspective. There are ways to protect the ranch and other assets from the threat of long-term care expenses. Mary Jo Irmen and Michelle Prather are writing a new book that will walk ranchers through the process of protecting their assets.

Sponsor:

Remedi Animal Solutions

Relevant Links:

Care Income Planning

Farming without the Bank

Michelle's Book