Working Cows

Bart and Shannon Carmichael run a seed stock operation North of Faith, SD. Over the last several years they have been on a journey to find a cow adapted to their environment. They joined me to talk about that process. We talked about what they have learned, where they have learned it, and the importance...

Pete Ferrell of Ferrell Ranch and 4L Grazing joined me to discuss the difference between succession and perpetuating an ecological and economic unit that can benefit generations to come. We also talked about the value of separating the land business from the management company as well as ways to create buy-in among those who want...

Elaine Froese is a agricultural business transition expert. She joined me to discuss the ways farm families get stuck as well as how they can go about getting unstuck.

Luke and Natalie Kovarik joined me to discuss how they have used technology to build a business that can scale as first generation operators. We talk about the importance of making use of overheads to produce multiple streams of income as well as tools like Performance Beef and how it has helped them keep track...

Steve Kenyon a grazier and educator in Canada joined me to discuss how he manages every year to prepare for a drought. We talked about his approach to grazing in good years and drier years and how he thinks about grazing given the history of a given paddock’s management.

Aaron and Tara Helmick joined me to talk about the journey they have been on toward radically transforming their business. We talk about what facilitated that change, how they decided which direction to head, and some of the lessons they have learned on the road less traveled.

Roger and Betsy Indreland of Indreland Angus near Big Timber, MT joined me to talk about the journey they have been on to rejuvinate soil health on the landscape they manage. We talk about the use of different soil ammendments and how they have kickstarted their soil health and their plan to use grazing to...

Wyatt Donald is a key decision maker at Cayuse Livestock Co. near Big Timber, MT. This is a ranch that manages land in multiple locations with people from outside the family in different states. We talked about the what goes into management of all those moving parts.Sponsor:PerformanceLivestockAnalytics.com

Aaron Berger, an Extension Educator from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, joined me to answer a listener question regarding ranching as a side hustle. How do we do it well? What are the challenges? What enterprise lends itself to fitting into a side hustle?

Margaret Byfield is the Executive Director for American Stewards for Liberty an organization committed to protecting property rights. Specifically they focus on helping agriculturalists respond to Federal overreach into their lands and operations.

Jared and Marion Wine are first generation stocker operators from near Corpus Christi, TX. We talked about what it takes to get started as a first generation couple. We also talked about how they are using technology like Performance Beef and social media as part of their operation.

Chad and Crystal Berg are living nomadically and working to develop a platform where ranchers can develop relationships with the end consumers of their beef. They sat down with my wife and I to talk about a wide range of subjects from property rights, to beef consumption in urban areas, to the role of the...

Ryan Noble, a rancher in Eastern Colorado, joined me to discuss how they make use of the information contained in EPDs. We talk about what the numbers mean and what numbers matter most when trying to organize a profitable ranching business.

Dr. Jonathan Lundgren is and agroecologist and the CEO of Blue Dasher Farm near Estelline, SD. He joined me to discuss the role of bugs on the landscapes we managed. We talked about how to invite beneficial bugs and how to mitigate the damage of less desirable bugs.

Derek Schwanebeck welcomed me into his office to talk about what they have been doing with Corriente cattle on their ranch in the Sandhills of Nebraska. We talked about the advantages and disadvantages as well as why they are getting out of cow/calf all together.

Hugh Ingalls is a rancher along Stoneville Road in western South Dakota. He was born in 1929 and has been managing his family ranch for nearly 70 years. We sat down at his kitchen table to talk about some of the history he has witnessed and lived.

Spud Lemmel has been making management decisions on the prairies of western South Dakota for nearly 70 years. I sat down with him to discuss how ranching has changed in that time and how it has stayed the same. We talk about living in sheep wagons, and fighting fires, as well as why it is...

David and Janet Paul have been partners in life, agriculture, and family for nearly 60 years. They have been through lean times and times of plenty. We sat down to document a portion of that history in part of a new series.

My Beautiful Wife, the mother of my children, and my best friend Miranda Conry joined me today to talk about some of the challenges we have been facing in the 2021 drought season. We talk about grazing strategy, culling strategy, and custom grazing strategy.

Shanon Sims a rancher from McFadden, WY. He joined me to discuss the motiviations and process of starting to raise the bulls they use in their operation.