Ranching Returns Podcast

Latest Episodes:

33: Doug Voss - Not Afraid to Pivot Sep 20, 2021

Show notes

Over the years Doug transitioned from a high input commodity dairy farm to a low input grazing based operation with a stop as an organic crop farmer in between. Hear how he made those transitions and how his focus has never been on dollars first but on stewarding his land resource and improving his soil. Even with a focus on improving soil, his farm has remained profitable and his lifestyle has improved dramatically.

Resources Mentioned:

Sustainable Farming Association

Soil Health Academy

Grazetek.com

As always, check us out at Herd Quitter Podcast on Facebook and Instagram as well as at herdquitterpodcast.com. You can also check out Pharocattle.com for more information on how to put more fun and profit back into your ranching business!

32: Kit Pharo - Make Ranching Fun Again Sep 13, 2021

Show notes

Today Kit shares how we can reduce the work required to run a ranch and make it more enjoyable! If a business isn't enjoyable it's not sustainable and there are some very simple changes that we can make to simplify our ranch businesses. The neat thing is that typically profitability comes along with these simple changes.

31: Ed Bezett - A New (Zealand) Perspective Sep 06, 2021

Show notes

Ed Bezett came to our farm in 1981 as a foreign exchange student and wasn't afraid to tell my grandpa that he thought there was a better way of running our beef, sheep and cattle operation here in Goodhue, MN. This began a decades long journey to where we are today of being a low-input, pasture based production model and today we talk with Ed about his families farm in New Zealand and his time here in Minnesota.

30: Blaine Hitzfield - Building a Food Marketing Brand Aug 30, 2021

Show notes

In part 2 of our conversation with Seven Sons we talk to Blaine Hitzfield, CEO of Distribution for Seven Sons. He goes into depth on the transition from commodity production and marketing farm to a direct, diverse and profitable farm! He shares practical tips for people just starting down the path of direct to consumer marketing and for people who are well into their marketing journey!

Resources Mentioned:

https://www.statsamerica.org/radius/big.aspx

Story Brand - Donald Miller

Ranching for Profit

Grazecast Podcast

29: Blake Hitzfield - Seven Sons Production Aug 23, 2021

Show notes

Seven Sons is a farm and food brand from Indiana that has focused on raising and marketing grass finished and pasture based meat products. Today we talk to Blake Hitzfield, Chief Ranching Officer for Seven Sons. He talks about the transition of the farm from a 1500 acre conventional crop and hog production model to the 500 acre grass finished beef, pastured pork and laying hen operation today. He talks about the reasons why they made the transition, the logistics of management, and much more! Next week, join us again when we talk to Blain Hitzfield about building the brand and marketing meat. There will be tips for the meat marketer at any scale!

Resources Mentioned:

Dirt to Soil - Gabe Brown

28: Doug Ferguson - Profitable Cattle Marketing Aug 16, 2021

Show notes

Doug Ferguson is a cattle marketing expert, blogger under his blog https://mrcattlemaster.com/ and contributor to Beef Magazine in his column Dougs Market Intel. He has also built a stocker/backgrounder business of his own in southeast Nebraska. We talk about how sell/buy marketing allowed him to build a profitable business and get into the details of the sell/buy marketing process.

Forgive the audio issues, there are sections that are difficult to understand but the content is well worth listening to despite the audio trouble.

Resources Mentioned:

Ann Barnhardt's Marketing School

Ranching for Profit

Episodes 17 and 18 of the Herd Quitter Podcast with Wally Olson

27: Jim Howell - Ranching in Unique Environments Aug 09, 2021

Show notes

This is our second conversation with Jim Howell, CEO of Grasslands LLC. Check out episode 13 of the Herd Quitter podcast to learn about Jim's story, experience and how he started Grasslands LLC. Today however, we dig in deep into three very different and unique ranching environments where he has implemented Holistic Management successfully at scale! First in the Northern Great Plains in western South Dakota and eastern Montana, then in New Zealand, and again in south Florida. His latest venture is in the mountains of western Colorado, but we actually discussed that more in the first conversation on episode 13.

Resources Mentioned:

https://www.grasslands-llc.com/

https://savory.global/

26: Jon Luhman - My Family's Regenerative Journey Aug 02, 2021

Show notes

I might be biased, but this is my favorite episode yet. Every time I talk with my dad about the history of our farm I learn something new! In today's episode, I sit down with my dad and get into the details of how our farm came to be what it is today. From our roots as a progressive, high input crop, beef and dairy operation to our transition to a low input beef grazing enterprise and all the stops in between.

As always, check out the Herd Quitter Podcast on Facebook and Instagram as well as at Herdquitterpodcast.com. You can also check out Pharocattle.com for more information on how to put more fun and profit back into your ranching business!

25: Robert Pulliam - Changing Paradigms Jul 26, 2021

Show notes

Robert Pulliam has a history of diversified farming in Missouri, beef production in Iowa, 12 years in ministry, and then found himself managing a ranch in the mountains of Western Colorado. After all his experience in agriculture, it was a challenge to transition to a low input, high profit enjoyable ranching business model. But several years into the transition, he has no regrets. In this weeks episode we discuss his history and experience changing paradigms.

Resources Mentioned:
Pharo Cattle Company Newsletter

Jim Gerrish - Kick the Hay Habit

Books by Chip Hines

24: Kit Pharo - Building a Network Jul 19, 2021

Show notes

Whatever your goals in life, career or business plans, very rarely are we able to accomplish much entirely on our own. Building a network around you of people to bounce ideas off, share work load, and to learn from is essential and Kit Pharo realized this necessity early on in his career. In this episode, Kit talks about his start with 5 or 6 local ranchers and how he has grown his network to tens of thousands! We discuss the tools he used, how providing value to the network is essential, and simple steps you can do to start your own network.

Resources Mentioned:

Seth Godin - Tribes

Michael Gerber - The E Myth Revisited

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