EPISODE 1

Goals & Objectives with Jim Gerrish

🎙️ Episode Title: Goals & Objectives with Jim Gerrish📝 Featured Speaker: Jim Gerrish In this episode of the Stockman Grassfarmer Podcast, we explore the vital importance of setting clear, actionable goals for your farming or ranching operation with expert insights from Jim Gerrish. Whether you’re focused on business growth or lifestyle improvements, Jim emphasizes the need for SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound—and shares his personal journey of balancing lifestyle ambitions with a successful consulting business. 🔑 Key Points Covered: The power of setting well-defined goals and how to apply the SMART framework. Aligning goals within multi-generational or family-run operations. The importance of balancing lifestyle objectives with financial planning and ranch improvement. Clear communication between management and labor to ensure seamless operation. How to differentiate between strategic goals and tactical objectives, and why both are critical for long-term success. Whether you're fine-tuning your current plans or starting from scratch, this episode will inspire you to take actionable steps toward achieving both your personal and business goals. 🌱 Tune in now and start shaping the future of your farming operation today! Ready to take your regenerative ranching to new heights? Learn more here: https://www.stockmangrassfarmer.digital/profile Be sure to explore the links for our monthly magazine, upcoming live events, and latest specials. Grassfarming is a 24-7 job and you can’t always get away. So we’ve put together this podcast, so that you can listen while you work (or whatever you’re doing) but always on your schedule. Whenever and where ever you want.

36 min

EPISODE 2

The Basis of Sound Genetics with Dr. Allen Williams Part 1 of 3

🎙️ Episode Title: The Basis of Sound Genetics with Dr. Allen Williams (Part 1 of 3)📝 Featured Speaker: Dr. Allen Williams In this episode of the Stockman Grassfarmer Podcast, Dr. Allen Williams dives into the intricate relationship between historical ecology, genetics, and epigenetics in agriculture. Drawing from his personal journey from academia to regenerative agriculture consulting, Dr. Williams highlights the importance of looking at agricultural systems holistically, stressing how centuries of environmental changes have profoundly influenced the genetics of livestock, crops, and microorganisms. This is the first of a three-part series aimed at helping farmers and ranchers approach genetics with an adaptive and comprehensive mindset. 🔑 Key Points Covered: The speaker’s transition from academia to regenerative agriculture, and how his experience with conventional approaches led him to embrace more holistic methods. The significance of historical ecological perspectives and how centuries of ecosystem changes have affected livestock genetics. Introduction of “adaptive stewardship,” a principle that encourages considering both ecological and economic health in genetic decisions. The interaction between environment, soil health, and living organisms, and their influence on genotype and phenotype expression. Whether you're exploring the roots of regenerative agriculture or seeking to improve your farm’s genetic base, this episode offers deep insights into how history and environment shape the future of agriculture. 🌱 Tune in now and discover how understanding historical ecology can improve your farm’s genetic potential! Ready to take your regenerative ranching to new heights? Learn more here.Be sure to explore the links for our monthly magazine, upcoming live events, and latest specials. Grassfarming is a 24-7 job, and you can’t always get away. That’s why we’ve put together this podcast—so you can listen while you work (or whatever you’re doing), always on your schedule, whenever and wherever you want.

47 min

EPISODE 3

The Cornerstones of Direct Marketing with Joel Salatin Part 1 of 3

🎙️ Episode Title: Direct Marketing Strategies for Farmers📝 Featured Speaker: Joel Salatin In this episode, Joel delves into the critical role of direct marketing for farmers and highlights how it contributes to business stability and growth. Direct marketing not only helps stabilize income but also attracts talent, provides flexibility, and creates a built-in support network. He discusses common challenges, such as fear of rejection and self-promotion, and offers practical strategies to overcome them. Farmers are encouraged to diversify products, collaborate with partners, and embrace commission-based models to create sustainable and successful farming businesses. 🔑 Key Points Covered: Business Stability: Direct marketing strengthens the farm’s financial stability by broadening income streams beyond production. Attracting Talent: Direct marketing draws in skilled and intelligent individuals who can contribute to the farm’s success. Customer Portability: A strong customer base provides flexibility in leasing or collaborating on farms, ensuring customers can follow regardless of location. Collaboration: Farmers are encouraged to partner with complementary businesses to enhance product offerings and market reach. Overcoming Rejection: Farmers often fear rejection, but the speaker stresses the importance of building confidence in promoting products and overcoming peer dependency. 🌱 Actionable Insights: Diversify Products: Create a 'one-stop shop' experience for customers by offering a range of complementary products. Collaborate with Partners: Work with complementary partners to balance different strengths and weaknesses, expanding reach. Utilize Commission Models: Use commission-based compensation to incentivize collaboration without financial risk. Avoid Perfectionism: Avoid the need to please every customer, pursue the highest price, or franchise your business, focusing instead on sustainable goals. 🔖 Chapters: 00:00:53 Reasons for Direct MarketingThe speaker highlights key reasons why farmers should adopt direct marketing: It ensures business stability through diversified income. Historically, direct marketing supported secure food systems. It attracts talented, intelligent individuals. A portable customer base provides flexibility in leasing or collaborating. Direct marketing forms a built-in support group from loyal customers. 00:12:12 Challenges in Direct MarketingDirect marketing involves hard work and creativity, which may deter some farmers. The speaker discusses the following challenges: Farmers often dislike interacting with customers. Fear of rejection stems from emotional investment in products. Dependency on peer validation can hinder direct marketing efforts. Self-promotion feels uncomfortable, but it is essential. 00:24:13 Strategies for Successful Direct MarketingThe speaker shares practical strategies for success: Diversifying product offerings can attract more customers. Collaboration with complementary partners balances strengths and weaknesses. Using commission-based models reduces financial risk while tapping into others' talents. Avoid setting goals like franchising, pricing highest, or trying to please every customer. 🌱 Action Items: 00:24:45 Consider diversifying product offerings to provide a 'one-stop shop' experience for your customers.00:27:14 Explore partnerships with complementary businesses to enhance product offerings.00:30:47 Investigate commission-based compensation models to reduce financial risk while expanding your reach.00:20:56 Avoid unrealistic goals like franchising or having the highest-priced product; focus on customer value. Want to try the first lesson from SGF's GMS by Joel for FREE? Joel, Sheri, and Carolyn are full of wise words... Click here. Be sure to explore the links for our monthly magazine, upcoming live events, and latest specials: https://www.stockmangrassfarmer.digital/profile. Grassfarming is a 24-7 job, and

36 min

EPISODE 4

What Really Determines Profitability in Grass Farming 1 of 3 with Jim Gerrish

🎙️ Episode Title: What Really Determines Profitability in Grass Farming (Part 1 of 3) 📝 Featured Speaker: Jim Gerrish In this episode, Jim Gerrish delves into key principles of profitability in grass farming and ranching operations. He emphasizes the critical role of understanding and managing costs, overheads, and gross margins in ensuring financial success. Gerrish explains how profitability is simply income minus production costs and provides practical strategies to both increase income and reduce expenses. Key metrics such as gross margin, overhead ratio, and return on investment are discussed, with examples drawn from top-performing ranchers. Gerrish encourages planning for profitability, even at the low points of the cattle cycle. 🔑 Key Points Covered: Profitability in Grass Farming and Ranching:Gerrish emphasizes the importance of shifting focus from traditional livestock production to managing ecosystems for sustainable profit, using natural resources like sunlight, water, and soil minerals. Factors Affecting Profitability:He highlights key factors that influence profitability, including weaning weights, labor costs, investment, and cow size. Farmers should evaluate these to enhance their bottom line. Strategies for Increasing Profit:Three main strategies include increasing production units, receiving higher prices per unit, and diversifying enterprises by adding livestock or value-added products. Gross Margin and Overhead Analysis:Gerrish introduces the concept of gross margin as the difference between product value and operating costs, advising a target of 50% gross margin. He also discusses overhead ratio, recommending it stay under 50% of gross income. Planning for the Cattle Cycle:He advises that ranchers should plan to be profitable even at the bottom of the cattle cycle, noting that the current cycle presents opportunities for new entrants into the cow business. 🌱 Actionable Insights: Attend a ranching for profit school to learn about business strategies for success in grass farming. Implement accurate cost tracking systems to better allocate costs to various enterprises. Analyze gross margins and overhead ratios to identify opportunities for cost reductions and profitability improvements. Plan for profitability at the bottom of the cattle cycle to maintain business sustainability. Diversify enterprises or add value-added products to increase revenue streams. Explore global market opportunities, particularly in the Pacific Rim countries, given the potential impact of events like the Australian bushfires on beef supply. Be sure to check out our monthly magazine, live events, and the latest specials here.

31 min

EPISODE 5

The Cornerstones of Direct Marketing with Joel Salatin Part 2 of 3

🎙️ Episode Title: The Cornerstones of Direct Marketing with Joel Salatin (Part 2 of 3)📝 Featured Speaker: Joel Salatin In this insightful episode, Joel Salatin shares his wealth of knowledge on how farmers can enhance their direct marketing efforts through collaboration, value-adding, and offering unique customer experiences. By expanding product portfolios, embracing e-commerce, and creating special farm events, farmers can build a stronger connection with their customers and remain relevant in the ever-evolving market. Joel provides practical examples from his farm, Polyface, to illustrate the potential of thinking outside the box and innovating within the farming industry. 🔑 Key Points Covered: Collaboration and Expanding Product Portfolios: Joel emphasizes working with other producers to offer a diverse range of products and create a 'one-stop shop' for customers, increasing sales and customer satisfaction. Value-Adding and Integrity Convenience: Farmers should explore processing byproducts and salvage items into convenient, ready-to-eat products like snack sticks and frozen meals, which appeal to the modern consumer’s need for convenience. Adapting to Changing Consumer Preferences: Joel talks about the importance of embracing new marketing platforms like Amazon and understanding generational shifts in consumer behavior, particularly the growing influence of millennials. Farm Tours, Events, and Experiences: Offering on-farm experiences like tours and dinners helps create lasting emotional connections with customers while generating additional revenue and publicity. Collaboration in Event Planning: Collaborating with local partners and community organizations is key to organizing successful farm events and leveraging external expertise. 🌱 Actionable Insights: Expand Product Offerings: Collaborate with nearby producers and food artisans to offer a wider range of products, whether through consignment or wholesale partnerships. Value-Add to Byproducts: Process and sell byproducts or salvage items (e.g., chicken feet or broth) to capture additional revenue and appeal to health-conscious consumers. Embrace E-Commerce: Adapt marketing strategies to align with evolving consumer preferences, particularly by leveraging e-commerce platforms and catering to millennials' demand for convenience. Create Unique Farm Experiences: Host farm tours, dinners, and events with guest speakers to attract new customers and provide memorable experiences. Collaborate for Events: Work with partners, local talent, and community organizations to plan and execute successful farm events. 🔖 Chapters: 00:01:17 Collaboration and Expanding Product PortfoliosJoel discusses collaborating with other producers to expand your farm’s product offerings, creating a 'one-stop shop' for customers. He suggests using consignment or wholesale models with varying markup percentages depending on the product type and risk involved. 00:09:55 Value-Adding and Integrity ConvenienceWith a growing demand for convenience foods, Joel encourages farmers to value-add by turning byproducts into ready-to-eat products like snack sticks and broth, making the most of every part of the animal or crop. 00:04:12 Adapting to Changing Consumer PreferencesJoel addresses the challenges of adapting to consumer trends, including the rise of e-commerce and changing generational behaviors. He emphasizes the importance of aligning your marketing efforts with these shifts. 00:20:38 Farm Tours, Events, and ExperiencesFarm tours, on-farm dinners, and special events not only generate additional revenue but also foster deeper connections with customers. Joel shares examples of how Polyface has successfully integrated these experiences. 🌱 Action Items: 00:08:30 Work with local producers and food artisans to diversify your product offerings and appeal to a broader customer base.00:14:16 Consider processing byproducts into value-added products like broth o

31 min

EPISODE 6

The Pros and Cons of Multi-Species Grazing with Greg Judy Part 1 of 3

🎙️ Episode Title: The Pros and Cons of Multi-Species Grazing with Greg Judy (Part 1 of 3)📝 Featured Speaker: Greg Judy In this episode, Greg Judy, a rancher from central Missouri, explores the benefits and challenges of multi-species grazing. Greg shares how running diverse livestock, from cattle and sheep to pigs and chickens, can improve soil health, control pests and weeds, and promote profitable and sustainable farming practices. He also discusses leasing land, managing invasive species, and the importance of passing on knowledge to younger generations. 🔑 Key Points Covered: Introduction and Background:Greg Judy introduces his ranching background, emphasizing the need for creative and unconventional methods to succeed, particularly in leasing land and sustainable practices. Pros of Multi-Species Grazing:Greg explains how using various animal species increases diversity, soil health, and pest control, making farms more resilient and productive. Managing Problem Plants and Invasive Species:He discusses strategies for controlling plants like sericea lespedeza and invasive species like autumn olive using grazing animals, mowing, and selective herbicide. Grazing Behavior and Compatibility:Greg talks about the grazing habits of different livestock species and how they interact, addressing issues like parasite transfer and maintaining balance in the ecosystem. Profitability and Goal Setting:He stresses the importance of setting clear profitability goals, remaining optimistic, and involving the next generation in farming for long-term success. 🌱 Actionable Insights: Introduce multi-species grazing to manage weeds, brush, and pests naturally with diverse livestock. Combine grazing, mowing, and herbicide to effectively manage problem plants and invasive species. Maintain a balance by retaining some trees for wildlife and shade while clearing others. Monitor livestock compatibility to avoid parasite transfer and ensure herd health. Set profitability goals and engage young people in agriculture to foster continuity and innovation. Be sure to check out our monthly magazine, live events, and the latest specials here.

33 min

EPISODE 7

The Basis of Sound Genetics with Dr. Allen Williams Part 2 of 3

🎙️ Episode Title: The Basis of Sound Genetics with Dr. Allen Williams (Part 2 of 3)📝 Featured Speaker: Dr. Allen Williams In this second installment from The Grass & Genetics School, Dr. Allen Williams continues to explore “The Basis of Sound Genetics,” focusing on the foundation of healthy soil and its role in supporting solid genetics in livestock production. Dr. Williams emphasizes regenerative agriculture practices and the key ecosystem processes that drive nutrient cycling, epigenetics, and overall livestock performance. 🔑 Key Points Covered: Healthy Soil as the Foundation: Dr. Williams underscores that the true basis of sound genetics starts with maintaining healthy soil, not just genetic factors or breeding strategies. Soil Microbes & Microbial Ratios: The speaker highlights the importance of balanced soil microbiomes, including fungi-to-bacteria and predator-prey ratios, to support epigenetics. Mycorrhizal Fungi & Soil Aggregates: Learn about the crucial role of mycorrhizal fungi in improving soil structure, increasing water-holding capacity, and boosting nutrient exchange. Impact of Modern Farming Practices: Dr. Williams discusses the negative impact of chemical dewormers and neonicotinoid treatments on soil health and beneficial species like dung beetles and pollinators. Brix & Nutrient Density: Explore how higher brix levels in forages enhance livestock performance and the importance of soil health in achieving nutrient-rich pastures. This episode offers practical insights into how healthy soils drive robust genetics through regenerative practices, with clear examples of how modern practices can be both harmful and avoidable. 🌱 Tune in now to build the foundation for stronger genetics through regenerative soil health! Want to try the first lesson from SGF's Grass & Genetics with Allen Williams for FREE? Learn more here. Or read his writings? Dr. Williams asks, “Are You An Accomplished Grazer?” in one of our featured articles. Read it here. Ready to take your regenerative ranching to new heights? Learn more here.Be sure to explore the links for our monthly magazine, upcoming live events, and latest specials. Grassfarming is a 24-7 job, and you can’t always get away. That’s why we’ve put together this podcast—so you can listen while you work (or whatever you’re doing), always on your schedule, whenever and wherever you want.

31 min

EPISODE 8

The Pros and Cons of Multi-Species Grazing with Greg Judy Part 2 of 3

🎙️ Episode Title: The Pros and Cons of Multi-Species Grazing with Greg Judy (Part 2 of 3)📝 Featured Speaker: Greg Judy In this episode, Greg Judy continues his discussion on the benefits and challenges of multi-species grazing, with insights from his experience and those of other farmers. He explores how integrating diverse species like pigs, chickens, and even wild game can create additional revenue streams and improve farm sustainability. Key topics include fencing, water management, drought resilience, and strategic grazing practices. 🔑 Key Points Covered: Multi-Species Grazing: Pros and Cons:Greg shares a conversation with Ian, a farmer from Africa, about the potential benefits of multi-species grazing. Ian discusses selling wild game for hunting leases, showing how activities beyond cattle can generate revenue. Additional Species and Marketing Opportunities:The episode highlights the advantages of incorporating various animals, such as pigs, chickens, and even fish, to create diverse products like eggs, pork, and raw milk, providing multiple revenue sources. Managing Drought Conditions:Greg emphasizes strategies to manage droughts, including reducing herd sizes to prevent overgrazing and maintaining ground cover for better moisture retention and grass regrowth. 🌱 Actionable Insights: Install proper fencing, such as high-tensile electrified wire, to control animal movement and facilitate rotational grazing. Introduce additional species like pigs, chickens, and fish to diversify your product offerings and create new revenue streams. Explore ways to charge for farm access, such as offering hunting leases or fishing days, to capitalize on your land's resources. Monitor forage growth carefully during droughts and be prepared to sell off parts of the herd to avoid overgrazing. Prioritize maintaining ground cover and soil carbon to enhance moisture retention and support grass regrowth during dry periods. Be sure to check out our monthly magazine, live events, and the latest specials here.

25 min

The Stockman Grassfarmer Podcast

Goals & Objectives with Jim Gerrish

The Basis of Sound Genetics with Dr. Allen Williams Part 1 of 3

The Cornerstones of Direct Marketing with Joel Salatin Part 1 of 3

What Really Determines Profitability in Grass Farming 1 of 3 with Jim Gerrish

The Cornerstones of Direct Marketing with Joel Salatin Part 2 of 3

The Pros and Cons of Multi-Species Grazing with Greg Judy Part 1 of 3

The Basis of Sound Genetics with Dr. Allen Williams Part 2 of 3

The Pros and Cons of Multi-Species Grazing with Greg Judy Part 2 of 3

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The Stockman Grassfarmer Podcast

Episodes

Goals & Objectives with Jim Gerrish

The Basis of Sound Genetics with Dr. Allen Williams Part 1 of 3

The Cornerstones of Direct Marketing with Joel Salatin Part 1 of 3

What Really Determines Profitability in Grass Farming 1 of 3 with Jim Gerrish

The Cornerstones of Direct Marketing with Joel Salatin Part 2 of 3

The Pros and Cons of Multi-Species Grazing with Greg Judy Part 1 of 3

The Basis of Sound Genetics with Dr. Allen Williams Part 2 of 3

The Pros and Cons of Multi-Species Grazing with Greg Judy Part 2 of 3

About

Information

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