#224 – Caleb Smith – Switching from Dairy to Sheep
Caleb Smith has taken a unique path into agriculture. He had the opportunity to take on a 40-year land lease from a non-profit, which allowed him to build a dairy farm from scratch. In this episode, he shares that story, along with his recent transition from the dairy...
#224 – Caleb Smith – Switching from Dairy to Sheep
Caleb Smith has taken a unique path into agriculture. He had the opportunity to take on a 40-year land lease from a non-profit, which allowed him to build a dairy farm from scratch. In this episode, he shares that story, along with his recent transition from the dairy to sheep production—and the...
#179 – Jared Faubus – Building His Own Ranch
I often wonder if the best route into agriculture might be to get a job with a high income that can then be used to reinvest in land and livestock. Jared followed that route and has been buying land and livestock while working full time off the ranch. Resources...
#178 – Eric Bailey – Doubling Down on Stockers
Eric Bailey shares his experience and research comparing a full season-long stocker operation and a doubled stocking rate for half the season. You may be surprised at the results. We discuss them and all the other benefits from this method of doubling the stocking...
#177 – Duane Thompson – Crop/Livestock Integration at Scale
Duane and his family have done an awesome job of integrating livestock and cropland in a way that benefits both. Piling and grazing crop residue keeps cow winter feed costs low, and rotating cropland into pasture has resulted in organic matter increasing by several...
#176 – Dr. Trey Patterson – Padlock Ranch
Dr. Trey Patterson manages the Padlock Ranch, a large family-owned diversified cattle and farming operation in Wyoming. He joins me today to talk about their management and marketing strategies, family ranch ownership dynamics, and much more! Resources Mentioned: The...
#175 – Tony Malmberg – Ranching Success Story
Tony Malmberg started his ranching career with enough setbacks to make most people quit forever. He faced bankruptcy, the death of his father, and divorce. But by being willing to think differently and ranch differently, he ultimately had a very successful career in...
#174 – Rory Londer – Bonus Episode with Crack Addict Who Broke Free
This is the first bonus episode, which admittedly has very little to do with grazing, livestock, farming, or ranching. Rory Londer shares his story of dealing with addiction, homelessness, prison, and more, but breaking free and creating a successful business and real...
#173 – Steve Kenyon – Custom Grazing on Leased Land
Steve Kenyon of Greener Pastures Ranching is someone I've wanted to interview for a while, and I finally had the opportunity. He's built a business entirely around grazing other people's livestock on nearly 3,000 acres of leased land! This has resulted in a great...
#172 – Jared Sorensen – Profitable Steward
Jared Sorensen is a rancher and host of the Profitable Steward Podcast. He shares his story of building a successful ranch and discusses all the enterprises they have experience with, including sheep, cows, custom grazing, and direct marketing. Resources Mentioned:...
#171 – Rylan Crawford – 600 Cow Ranch by 31 Years Old
At only 31 years old, Rylan has built a thriving cow/calf operation with over 600 cows. He's not only acquiring his own land base but also expanding on leased properties. In sharing his strategies for cattle production and growth, Rylan sheds light on what has...
#170 – Nic De Castro – Monetizing Recreation on Your Farm or Ranch
Nic De Castro is the founder of LandTrust, a company that partners with farmers and ranchers to help them diversify their income streams by monetizing various agricultural experiences and recreational opportunities on their farms and ranches. This can provide many...
#169 – James Holz – Livestock on Cropland
James is an Iowa farmer and cattleman discovering ways to integrate feeder and stocker cattle on cropland in unique and profitable ways! We discuss his turning cropland into grass to background stockers, how he uses crop residue as a cattle finishing area, and how he...
#168 – Taylor Moyer – Profit First Grazier
Taylor isn't afraid to sit down and do the math; he analyzes each business opportunity and does what makes sense, rather than following what everyone else does. This approach has allowed him to build a successful farm from scratch in North Carolina. In this episode,...
About the Ranching Returns Podcast
On this podcast, we talk to farmers and ranchers who are leading the industry in so many ways. We’ll discuss the various returns they get from ranching, including, of course, the significant financial returns, but also returns to their land resources and ultimately the amazing lifestyle. That might be the most important return ranching can offer!
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#227 – Matthew Menke – Risk vs. Reward, Leverage, & Knowing Your Business
Matthew Menke shares his powerful story of turning down what many would consider a dream opportunity—taking over a family business—because he couldn’t make it work profitably. Instead, he built an ag business from the ground up and eventually returned to farming and ranching when he knew he could do so successfully. He shares his perspective on not doing things just for the sake of growth and emphasizes the importance of truly understanding your business...