Grazing Grass Podcast sharing Regenerative Ag Stories

Jonathan Kilpatrick of Red Lantern Ranch and Kilpatrick Land & Livestock joins Cal to share what changed since he first appeared back on episode 2, including moving from Oklahoma to west central Minnesota (Alexandria area) and rebuilding a grazing operation from the ground up with sheep, goats, and pastured poultry.In This Episode, We Explore:What prompted Jonathan and his family to move from Oklahoma to Minnesota and restart their operationLessons Jonathan took from the Ranching for Profit School and how they shaped his decision-makingStarting a grazing operation with a clean slate and building genetics that match the environmentGrazing sheep and goats together and using goats as part of a buckthorn control strategyOutwintering sheep and goats with minimal infrastructure and what that requiresUsing adaptive grazing decisions that fit real life, time constraints, and family prioritiesExpanding from a 45-acre grazing lease by adding tillable acres and converting some to perennialsPartnering with a regenerative crop farmer for strip-till or no-till, cover crops, and added grazing opportunitiesMobile range coop pastured poultry production, daily moves, and labor efficiencyProcessing options, state-inspected processing, and why time is often the limiting resourceMarketing channels including direct-to-consumer, wholesale, and opportunities in ethnic marketsWhy This Episode MattersIf you are building or rebuilding a grazing business, Jonathan lays out a realistic path that balances production, business management, and family life. This conversation is a good reminder that experience matters, time is a real constraint, and matching livestock, grazing, and marketing to your context is what keeps the whole system working.Resources MentionedRanching for Profit SchoolExecutive Link program (Ranching for Profit)Google SheetsExcelChatGPTGeminiP.L. 90-492 (Poultry Products Inspection Act exemption referenced in the discussion)Find Out MoreRed Lantern Ranch website | https://redlanternranch.comKilpatrick Land & Livestock website | https://www.kilpatricklandandlivestock.comSustainable Farming Association (SFA) | https://sfa-mn.org Looking for grass-based breeders? Explore the Grass Based Genetics directory.Upcoming Grazing EventsVisit our Sponsors:Noble Research InstituteRedmond AgricultureGrazing Grass LinksWebsiteCommunity (on Facebook)Original Music by Louis Palfrey

Zach (first-generation) and Kacie (fifth-generation) Scherler-Abney are ranchers operating Re:Farm and Re:Supply in Cotton and Tillman Counties in southwest Oklahoma, running a cow-calf herd with some stockers while also managing land for others and operating retail stores in Norman, Oklahoma and Wichita Falls, Texas.  In This Episode, We Explore:  - How a personal health scare led them back to the family place and into raising their own food  - Using an autoimmune protocol diet as a catalyst to question food labels and sourcing  - Learning regenerative grazing through books, YouTube, and early hands-on trial and error  - Grazing in a more brittle, variable rainfall environment in southwest Oklahoma and north Texas  - Ultra high-density, non-selective grazing and why recovery time is the key variable for them  - What polywire taught them, and why quality of life and labor forced a change  - Building water systems with HDPE poly pipe, quick couplers, and central lanes for flexibility  - Leasing strategies including Oklahoma state school land (CLO) and BIA tribal land leases  - Transitioning to Halter virtual fencing and what changed in daily management and stress  - How their cattle buying philosophy shifted to phenotype, productivity, and pounds per acre  - Marketing reality checks: balancing direct-to-consumer beef with current sale barn economics  - Why they built brick-and-mortar stores and how non-perishables help stabilize cash flow  - Community-building through retail and sourcing other local products beyond their own beef  Why This Episode Matters  This conversation is a practical look at matching grazing goals to real life, especially when labor, family time, leases, and cash flow are all limiting factors. Zach and Kacie share what worked, what wore them out, what they changed, and how they think about staying flexible without abandoning the core principles that keep land and livestock improving.  Resources Mentioned  - Halter virtual fencing system  - Passon quick couplers  - Oklahoma Commissioners of the Land Office (CLO) grazing leases  - Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) grazing leases  Find Out More  - Instagram | re:farm  - Website | Re:Farm Market  - Facebook | Re:Farm  Looking for grass-based breeders? Explore the Grass Based Genetics directory.Upcoming Grazing EventsVisit our Sponsors:Noble Research InstituteRedmond AgricultureGrazing Grass LinksWebsiteCommunity (on Facebook)Original Music by Louis Palfrey

Matt Goble joins the Grazing Grass Podcast to share how he’s built a profitable, resilient wool sheep operation in a high-elevation mountain valley using entirely private and marginal land. While working a full-time W-2 job, Matt manages 450 ewes with a strong focus on grazing efficiency, soil health, and thoughtful breeding decisions. His system blends management-intensive grazing, cover crops, and perennial pastures, all adapted to a short growing season and limited irrigation.In this episode, we cover:Grazing irrigated pasture and marginal land in a mountain valleyUsing cover crops to build soil before establishing perennial pastureManaging sheep with daily and multi-day grazing movesLambing systems, jug management, and efficiency at scaleBreeding strategies for maternal traits and terminal lambsUsing ear notching and simple visual systems to reduce decision fatiguePredator pressure and why net fencing matters for sheepBalancing stocking rates during drought yearsAdding chickens and turkeys to improve soil and diversify incomeMatching enterprise scale to land capacity and lifestyle goalsWhy This Episode Matters: This conversation is a clear example of how management, not acres, often determines success. Matt shows how intentional grazing, simple systems, and observation can double productivity without doubling land or inputs. His practical insights into lambing efficiency, breeding decisions, and drought planning offer valuable lessons for anyone managing livestock on limited or challenging ground.Resources Mentioned:The Soil Owner’s Manual by John StikaThe Art and Science of Shepherding (Premier 1 Supplies)Field Area Measure (mobile app)Find Out More:Facebook: Dry Bottom FarmsSnow College Agriculture Department (Utah) Looking for grass-based breeders? Explore the Grass Based Genetics directory.Upcoming Grazing EventsVisit our Sponsors:Noble Research InstituteRedmond AgricultureGrazing Grass LinksWebsiteCommunity (on Facebook)Original Music by Louis Palfrey

In this Field Notes episode, Cal slows things down to share a simple way to think about soil health principles that actually sticks when you’re in the pasture. Instead of another list to memorize, this episode introduces CRADLE, a practical framework that organizes well-known soil health principles into something easier to remember and apply in real-world conditions.In this episode, we explore:Why soil health principles are easy to understand but hard to recall in real-world decision momentsHow context shapes the way soil health principles are applied on different operationsHow the core soil health ideas fit together through the CRADLE frameworkWhere disturbance, soil cover, diversity, living roots, and livestock fit within that bigger pictureA simple way to step back and diagnose what might be missing when things aren’t working as expectedWhat CRADLE stands for:C — ContextR — Reduce DisturbanceA — Armor on the SoilD — DiversityL — Living RootsE — Embrace LivestockWhy listen to this episode?If you understand soil health principles but struggle to recall or apply them under real-world pressure, this episode gives you a mental model you can actually use. CRADLE helps move soil health from theory into day-to-day decision-making — without adding complexity.Looking aheadNext week’s Field Notes tackles a listener question on low-cost corral options, focusing on what actually matters, what you can skip, and practical ways to work animals safely without overspending on infrastructure.Thanks to our partnersField Notes is made possible by the continued support of Noble Research Institute and Redmond Agriculture. Their commitment to soil health education and stewardship helps make these conversations possible.More grass. Better soil. Happier livestock. Keep on grazing, and we’ll see you next week. Looking for grass-based breeders? Explore the Grass Based Genetics directory.Upcoming Grazing EventsVisit our Sponsors:Noble Research InstituteRedmond AgricultureGrazing Grass LinksWebsiteCommunity (on Facebook)Original Music by Louis Palfrey

In Episode 201 of the Grazing Grass Podcast, Cal Hardage sits down with Jacob Morin of Target Angus and Le Paysan Gourmand in Quebec. Jacob shares how a college humanities class unexpectedly set him on a path toward regenerative agriculture and how he and his family transitioned a conventional cow-calf operation into a diversified, grass-based farm. Together, they discuss intentional grazing, winter management in cold climates, infrastructure decisions that make daily moves possible, and how direct-to-consumer beef, market gardening, and livestock diversification work together to support the next generation on the farm.Topics covered in this episode include:Intentional grazing and adaptive decision-makingWinter grazing and bale grazing in cold climatesGrazing infrastructure: fencing, water systems, and daily movesDirect-to-consumer beef sales and pricing challengesDiversification with vegetables, hogs, and value-added productsTransitioning family farms and planning for future generationsLessons learned from trial, error, and staying flexibleWhy you should listen: This episode is packed with real-world insight for producers navigating cooler climates, land constraints, and direct marketing. Jacob’s story highlights how thoughtful grazing, diversification, and intentional choices can build resilience—both in the soil and in the family running the operation. If you’re balancing tradition with change or looking for practical ideas to strengthen your grazing system, this conversation will resonate.Resources mentioned in the episode:Target AngusLe Paysan GourmandSalad Bar Beef by Joel SalatinPastured Poultry Profits by Joel SalatinThe Bold Return of Giving a Damn by Will Harris Looking for grass-based breeders? Explore the Grass Based Genetics directory.Upcoming Grazing EventsVisit our Sponsors:Noble Research InstituteRedmond AgricultureGrazing Grass LinksWebsiteCommunity (on Facebook)Original Music by Louis Palfrey