Ranching Returns Podcast

Latest Episodes:

303: Brandon Shirah - Profitable Ranching in the Southeast Nov 02, 2026

Show notes

Brandon comes from a history of families in agriculture, but his ranch he built on his own. Having the opportunity to take over cattle herd and land leases from somebody leaving the cattle business he dove right in. He shares his history up to that point, how he bought the cows and got into the business from scratch. We talk about the genetics he has found work best in that region, we discuss calving season, grazing management and much more!

Resources Mentioned:

Pharo Cattle Company Newsletters

Ranching Returns Podcast

Soil Health Academy

Podcast Sponsors:

Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pharocattle.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information on how to put more fun and profit back into your ranching business!

As always, check us out at Ranching Returns Podcast on Facebook and Instagram as well as at ⁠www.ranchingreturns.com⁠.

For Ranching Returns shirts, hats, and sweatshirts check out https://farmfocused.com/ranching-returns-merch/

To get more information on how Ambrook can benefit your operation, check out ambrook.com/ranchingreturns

If you’re interested in both technical and financial support in improving your ranch productivity and efficiency, check out https://agspire.com/rff/

302: Matt Feldhaus - What's New With Ranching Sodak Oct 26, 2026

Show notes

Matt is a returning guest, previously on episode 240 and absolutely worth listening back to that one to hear how he built his. ranch from scratch to the 600+ cow ranch it is today. In this episode we discuss what's new from working with Agspire to completely diving into virtual fence on his entire cow herd!

Resources Mentioned:

Ranching Returns Podcast

Ranching for Profit

Ranchenomics Podcast

Podcast Sponsors:

If you are looking to add somebody to your team to help with your farm or ranch numbers, check out John Haskell and his team at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.ranchrightllc.com/⁠⁠⁠.

Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pharocattle.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information on how to put more fun and profit back into your ranching business!

As always, check us out at Ranching Returns Podcast on Facebook and Instagram as well as at ⁠www.ranchingreturns.com⁠.

For Ranching Returns shirts, hats, and sweatshirts check out https://farmfocused.com/ranching-returns-merch/

To get more information on how Ambrook can benefit your operation, check out ambrook.com/ranchingreturns

If you’re interested in both technical and financial support in improving your ranch productivity and efficiency, check out https://agspire.com/rff/

For more information on or to order Redmond salt or conditioner check out Redmondagriculture.com

301: Tom Cotter - Cattle and Crop Integration Oct 19, 2026

Show notes

Tom is a farmer in Southern Minnesota on some of the highest quality productive row crop land Minnesota has to offer. Yet he chooses to grow more than just corn and soybeans. He raises both organic and non-organic crops and has a variety of short and long season crops that allow for cover crops and livestock integration. He also bale grazes on row crop land which makes for an amazing sunflower crop. Lots to learn on how to integrate livestock on some of Americas best cropland.

Resources Mentioned:

John Kempf

MN Soil Health Coalition

National No-till conference

Podcast Sponsors:

Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pharocattle.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information on how to put more fun and profit back into your ranching business!

As always, check us out at Ranching Returns Podcast on Facebook and Instagram as well as at ⁠www.ranchingreturns.com⁠.

For Ranching Returns shirts, hats, and sweatshirts check out https://farmfocused.com/ranching-returns-merch/

To get more information on how Ambrook can benefit your operation, check out ambrook.com/ranchingreturns

If you're interested in Farmatan to fight scours in your operation, call Paul Mitchell at 515-745-1639 or check out farmatanusa.com.

300: Zach and Kacie - Moving Home but Starting from Scratch Oct 12, 2026

Show notes

Zach and Kacie moved back to Kacie's home but rather than working into the family ranch, they built their own. What started as a diversified direct to consumer farm has grown into a scaled commercial cow/calf operation. We discuss their growth, enterprises, virtual fence and more!

Resourced Mentioned:

Scale - Jeffrey west

Neccessary Endings - Henry Cloud

Wendell Berry

A Guide for the Perplexed

Small is Beautiful

Man, Cattle, Veld

Lassater Cattle Books

The Liturgy of the Ordinary

The Art of the Commonplace

Episode Sponsors:

If you are looking to add somebody to your team to help with your farm or ranch numbers, check out John Haskell and his team at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.ranchrightllc.com/⁠⁠⁠.

Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pharocattle.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information on how to put more fun and profit back into your ranching business!

As always, check us out at Ranching Returns Podcast on Facebook and Instagram as well as at ⁠www.ranchingreturns.com⁠.

For Ranching Returns shirts, hats, and sweatshirts check out https://farmfocused.com/ranching-returns-merch/

To get more information on how Ambrook can benefit your operation, check out ambrook.com/ranchingreturns

Check out https://www.mfga.net/regen-ag-conference to register for the Manitoba Forage and Grasslands Conference

299: Josh Tranel - Diversified Midwestern Farm Oct 05, 2026

Show notes

Josh Tranel farms with his 3 first cousins and they have grown a diversified farm that compliments their core organic dairy. They have row crops, feedlot, and a beef herd in addition to the dairy. We discuss the family dynamics, succession planning, the pros and cons of different dairy models and much more in this fantastic episode with Josh.

Resources Mentioned:

E-Myth

The Goal

James Collins

Larry Tranel Iowa State Extension

Ranching Returns Podcast

Episode Sponsors:

Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pharocattle.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information on how to put more fun and profit back into your ranching business!

As always, check us out at Ranching Returns Podcast on Facebook and Instagram as well as at ⁠www.ranchingreturns.com⁠.

For Ranching Returns shirts, hats, and sweatshirts check out https://farmfocused.com/ranching-returns-merch/

To get more information on how Ambrook can benefit your operation, check out ambrook.com/ranchingreturns

If you’re interested in both technical and financial support in improving your ranch productivity and efficiency, check out https://agspire.com/rff/

Check out https://www.mfga.net/regen-ag-conference to register for the Manitoba Forage and Grasslands Conference

298: Jason Fradette - Building a Ranch Sep 28, 2026

Show notes

Jason Fradette along with his family built their ranch from scratch. He discusses purchasing their land, the management changes they made to achieve more profitability and more!

Resources Mentioned:

Ranching Returns Podcast

Understanding Ag

Working Cows Podcast

Podcast Sponsors:

If you are looking to add somebody to your team to help with your farm or ranch numbers, check out John Haskell and his team at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.ranchrightllc.com/⁠⁠⁠.

Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pharocattle.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information on how to put more fun and profit back into your ranching business!

As always, check us out at Ranching Returns Podcast on Facebook and Instagram as well as at ⁠www.ranchingreturns.com⁠.

For Ranching Returns shirts, hats, and sweatshirts check out https://farmfocused.com/ranching-returns-merch/

To get more information on how Ambrook can benefit your operation, check out ambrook.com/ranchingreturns

Check out https://www.mfga.net/regen-ag-conference to register for the Manitoba Forage and Grasslands Conference

297: Eamon O'Toole - Running on Grass Sep 21, 2026

Show notes

Eamon O'Toole is a large commercial rancher who recently started the Running on Grass Podcast with Logan Pribbeno. We discuss his ranch spanning multiple western states, how he manages it as a business. Their willingness to shift enterprises and why and what makes a new ranch opportunity worth taking. Lots to learn from this one and when you are done listening to this episode, check out Running on Grass podcast!

Resourced Mentioned:

Undaunted Courage

Burke Teichert

Allan Nation

Dallas Mount - RFP

Episode Sponsors:

Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pharocattle.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information on how to put more fun and profit back into your ranching business!

As always, check us out at Ranching Returns Podcast on Facebook and Instagram as well as at ⁠⁠www.ranchingreturns.com⁠⁠.

For Ranching Returns shirts, hats, and sweatshirts check out ⁠https://farmfocused.com/ranching-returns-merch/⁠

To get more information on how Ambrook can benefit your operation, check out ⁠ambrook.com/ranchingreturns⁠

Check out ⁠https://www.mfga.net/regen-ag-conference⁠ to register for the Manitoba Forage and Grasslands Conference

296: Ross MacDonald - Building a First Generation Ranch Sep 14, 2026

Show notes

Ross MacDonald shares his awesome story of going out and building his own ranch business from the first land purchase to his recent shift into building a low input PCC registered herd and starting the first Pharo Cattle Company Canadian sale!

Resources Mentioned:

Let My People Go Surfing

Nourishment - Fred Provenza

Joe Walter video clips

Episode Sponsors:

If you are looking to add somebody to your team to help with your farm or ranch numbers, check out John Haskell and his team at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.ranchrightllc.com/⁠⁠⁠.

Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pharocattle.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information on how to put more fun and profit back into your ranching business!

As always, check us out at Ranching Returns Podcast on Facebook and Instagram as well as at ⁠www.ranchingreturns.com⁠.

For Ranching Returns shirts, hats, and sweatshirts check out https://farmfocused.com/ranching-returns-merch/

To get more information on how Ambrook can benefit your operation, check out ambrook.com/ranchingreturns

295 (Bonus): Haley Potter - How to Use AI in Ranching Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

Haley and I discuss how we can use AI to more efficiently manage our businesses by reducing the time we spend doing simple tasks and more!

Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pharocattle.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information on how to put more fun and profit back into your ranching business!

As always, check us out at Ranching Returns Podcast on Facebook and Instagram as well as at ⁠www.ranchingreturns.com⁠.

For Ranching Returns shirts, hats, and sweatshirts check out https://farmfocused.com/ranching-returns-merch/

To get more information on how Ambrook can benefit your operation, check out ambrook.com/ranchingreturns

294: Colleen Withers - Ranching in Eastern Oregon Sep 07, 2026

Show notes

Colleen joins me to discuss her family's eastern Oregon ranch business. The challenges that region presents and how they are constantly evolving their management and improving the operations every generation.

Episode Sponsors

Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pharocattle.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information on how to put more fun and profit back into your ranching business!

As always, check us out at Ranching Returns Podcast on Facebook and Instagram as well as at ⁠www.ranchingreturns.com⁠.

For Ranching Returns shirts, hats, and sweatshirts check out https://farmfocused.com/ranching-returns-merch/

To get more information on how Ambrook can benefit your operation, check out ambrook.com/ranchingreturns

For more information on or to order Redmond salt or conditioner check out Redmondagriculture.com

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