In this episode of the Grazing Grass Podcast, Cal visits with Richard Popham about raising registered Katahdin sheep in Kentucky using practical grazing systems and portable electric fencing. Richard explains how he successfully manages sheep with two strands of polywire, why fence training matters, and how good grazing management helps keep sheep content and productive.

The conversation explores:

• Using two and three strand polywire systems for sheep
• Why sheep must be trained to electric fence
• Managing sheep with portable fencing and reels
• Selecting productive and efficient ewes
• Why buying better sheep matters more than buying more sheep
• Building low-stress handling systems
• Using records to improve flock genetics
• Parasite resistance and culling decisions
• Weaning strategies and lamb management
• Grazing sheep on small acreage near neighborhoods
• Managing sheep without livestock guardian dogs
• Portable fencing tools and equipment recommendations
• Rotational grazing timing and parasite management
• Why Richard prefers moderate-sized ewes
• The role of NSIP and flock performance records
• Selecting rams and improving flock genetics over time

Richard also shares practical advice for new sheep producers, including starting small, focusing on quality animals, and building systems that fit your lifestyle and available time.

Find out more

• Circle P Farm on Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/@circlepfarm3776

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In this episode, Cal visits with Gabe Wight from Northwest Arkansas about building a profitable grazing operation while simplifying life and focusing on long-term stewardship. Gabe shares how he reduced his herd size from several hundred cows to around forty cows and how that shift dramatically changed his grazing management, stress level, and profitability.

Gabe discusses lessons learned from overgrazing, why stock density matters, and how smaller herds allowed him to improve pasture recovery, calf performance, and equipment longevity. The conversation also covers rotational grazing design, water placement, erosion challenges, fertilizer decisions, chicken litter, stockpiling forage, and managing grazing through seasonal changes.

The discussion shifts into cattle genetics, breeding strategies, marketing calves through value-added programs, direct-to-consumer beef sales, and the importance of focusing on profitability instead of comparison with neighboring operations. Gabe also shares how his curiosity, podcasts, feed store conversations, and modern AI tools help him continue learning and improving his operation.

Topics Covered

• Downsizing a cow herd for profitability
• Flashlight farming and balancing off-farm work
• Rotational grazing management
• Recovering from overgrazing
• Designing paddocks and water systems
• Stockpiling forage for winter grazing
• Fertility management and fertilizer decisions
• Using chicken litter on pastures
• Cattle genetics and replacement strategies
• Selling calves through value-added programs
• Direct-to-consumer beef experiences
• Learning from podcasts, books, and AI tools
• Managing grazing in Northwest Arkansas

Find Out More

• Herd Advisor

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What happens when a cattle breed is designed specifically for grass-based farming instead of the feedlot?

In this special narrative-style episode of the Grazing Grass Podcast, Cal Hardage tells the story of the South Poll breed and the people behind it. Starting with Teddy Gentry’s journey in the late 1980s, this episode explores how one goal shaped an entirely new kind of cow: heat tolerant, fertile, efficient on forage, and built to thrive in regenerative grazing systems.

You’ll hear from Teddy Gentry, Greg Judy, Ralph and Jerry Voss, Steve Freeman, and Nathan Hahn as they share how South Poll cattle changed their operations and why they believe smaller, forage-efficient cattle are the future of profitable grass farming.

This episode covers:

• Why Teddy Gentry created the South Poll breed
• The four breeds that formed South Poll cattle
• Heat tolerance, slick hair genetics, and grass efficiency
• Why fertility and longevity matter more than size
• Greg Judy’s transition away from conventional cattle
• Leasing land to grow a grazing operation
• Why South Poll breeders avoid the show ring
• Building profitable cows instead of high-input cows
• Grass finishing cattle on pasture
• Selling direct-to-consumer grass-fed beef
• The economics of regenerative cattle production
• Longevity and maternal performance in grazing herds
• Using smaller cows to improve profit per acre

If you’ve ever wondered whether modern cattle genetics truly fit regenerative grazing systems, this episode will give you a lot to think about.

Resources Mentioned:

• Teddy Gentry
• Greg Judy
• Burk Teichert
• South Poll Grass Cattle Association

Listen, learn, and keep on grazing.

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Cian didn’t grow up farming. He didn’t inherit land. And he didn’t follow a traditional path.

Instead, he moved from Australia to Spain during COVID, started from scratch, and built a profitable small-acreage farm in under a year.

In this episode, Cian shares how he and his wife took a leap of faith, navigated government grants, and built a direct-to-consumer farm business using chickens, pigs, and sheep. All on just 15 acres.

This conversation goes beyond the romantic vision of farming and dives into the real numbers, mistakes, and lessons learned along the way.

If you’ve ever wondered whether small acreage can truly support a full-time income, this episode gives you a clear, honest look at what it takes.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How Cian went from city life to farming in Spain
• Why small acreage can be more profitable than large operations
• The role of direct-to-consumer sales in farm success
• How egg production created fast cash flow
• What went wrong (and right) with pigs and sheep
• How government grants helped launch the farm
• The importance of knowing your numbers before starting
• Why mindset matters more than tradition in agriculture

Key Takeaways

Cian’s farm became cash-flow positive in just three months, driven largely by egg sales.

By focusing on efficiency, direct marketing, and profitability, he’s proving that you don’t need hundreds of acres to build a sustainable farm business.

But it hasn’t been easy. From infrastructure challenges to livestock losses, Cian shares the hard realities behind the success.

Find Out More

• Website | https://www.obicodorio.com/
• Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/obicodorio/
• TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@obicodorio
• Email | hola [at] obicodorio.com

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What happens when a producer in the heart of dairy country decides to build a grass-based beef herd? In this episode of the Grazing Grass Podcast, Cal visits with John Smith from northern Vermont.

John shares how his family farm moved out of dairying decades ago, how his career in dairy co-ops shaped his perspective, and how a desire to raise his own food led him back to livestock ownership. After trying multiple breeds, John found the fit he was looking for in South Poll cattle.

They discuss restoring worn-out pastures through grazing management, adapting southern cattle genetics to Vermont winters, raising pigs in wooded systems, and building a future seedstock herd for the Northeast.

This episode is full of practical lessons on persistence, genetics, pasture recovery, and finding livestock that match your goals and environment.

Topics Covered:

• Growing up connected to a former dairy farm
• Working in the dairy industry and helping producers
• Returning home to raise food for the family
• Leasing family ground and restoring poor pasture
• Why South Poll cattle stood out
• Adapting cattle to harsh Vermont winters
• Multi-move grazing and tighter paddock management
• Using cattle to rebuild soil fertility
• Raising feeder pigs in woodland systems
• Building a seedstock future for New England producers

Resources Mentioned:

• Greg Judy
• South Poll cattle breeders and community
• Grazing conferences and producer networks

Find Out More:

• Wandering Brook Farms | https://www.wanderingbrookfarm.com

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend and leave a review.

Until next episode, keep on grazing.

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What if your most valuable daily income isn’t cattle… but sunlight?

In this episode, we explore a powerful mindset shift around rebuilding your asset base and managing what your land can sustainably produce. Instead of chasing short-term outputs, the focus turns to strengthening the foundation—your soil, your grass, and your system.

We talk through what it really means to think like a grazier first, how to view your operation through the lens of regeneration, and why aligning production with what your land can handle long-term leads to better outcomes.

If you’re working to improve your grazing system—or just starting to think differently about your land—this episode will challenge and encourage you.

In this episode, we cover:

• What “rebuilding the asset base” actually means
• Why sunlight is your most important input
• Shifting from production-first to resource-first thinking
• How to determine what your land can sustainably yield
• The connection between soil health and profitability
• Practical mindset shifts for regenerative grazing

Resources Mentioned:

• Kachana Station, https://www.kachana-station.com/

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In this episode of the Grazing Grass Podcast, Cal sits down with Tom Krawiec to explore a practical, numbers-driven approach to grazing management. Tom shares how focusing on the “sweet spot” in grazing can dramatically improve forage production, reduce labor, and increase profitability.

We dive into the importance of understanding your numbers, including stock days per acre, and how small management changes can lead to massive results. Tom explains the concept of the tipping point in forage production, where your system becomes self-sustaining, and why many operations fall short of reaching it.

The conversation also covers multi-species grazing, reducing workload through better systems, and the critical role of the grazing chart as a planning tool, not just a record. Along the way, Tom challenges common assumptions about rest periods, non-selective grazing, and the realities of modern homesteading.

If you're looking to improve your grazing system, simplify your operation, and get better results from your land, this episode is packed with actionable insights.

Topics Covered

• What “grazing in the sweet spot” really means
• How to calculate and use stock days per acre
• The tipping point in forage production
• Why rest periods can be too long, not just too short
• Multi-species grazing and its impact on soil health
• Using animals to determine graze periods
• The power of grazing charts as a planning tool
• Labor reduction through smarter systems
• Challenges facing homesteaders and small producers
• Training livestock to diversify their diet

Key Takeaways

• Small management tweaks can unlock major gains
• You must respect both graze and rest periods
• Numbers remove guesswork, “show me the numbers”
• Grazing charts are essential for consistent results
• Diversity in livestock can improve soil and forage
• Profitability starts with understanding your system

Resources Mentioned

• Ranching Like a 12-Year-Old by Tom Krawiec
• Holistic Management framework
• Ranching for Profit principles
• Dr. Kris Nichols (soil biology)
• Fred Provenza (animal behavior & nutrition)

About the Guest

Tom Krawiec is a regenerative grazing practitioner and author known for his practical, systems-based approach to ranching. His work focuses on simplifying operations, reducing labor, and improving profitability through better grazing management.

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Justin Frye of JMR Farm in Rio, West Virginia joins the show to talk about building a farm from scratch on a family property that's been in his family since 1847. He and his wife Maggie custom graze cow-calf pairs, run a Katahdin hair sheep flock, and buy and finish feeder lambs — all while working off-farm jobs and figuring out what enterprises fit their operation best.

Justin shares the story of how his grandfather's surprise offer to sell the family farm set everything in motion, how a connection through a mentor led to their first custom grazing arrangement, and what three consecutive years of drought have taught him about managing grass for someone else's cattle. He also walks through the sheep learning curve, going from 89 ewes down to 30 through hard culling, and explains their feeder lamb protocol from receiving through market.

Topics covered:

• Growing up on a family farm in West Virginia and the influence of mentors at Potomac State College
• Buying the family farm (in operation since 1847) and what made it financially possible
• How a mentor connection led to their first custom grazing opportunity
• What services JMR Farm provides under the custom grazing agreement, daily moves, pink eye treatment, weaning and vaccinating calves, getting them started on feed
• Managing three consecutive drought years while grazing someone else's cattle
• Moving toward 60-day rest periods and what they've learned about residual sward height
• Building 13,000 feet of exterior and cross fence with just Justin and Maggie
• Silvopasture plans: thinning wooded areas and controlling multiflora rose and autumn olive
• Why they chose Katahdin hair sheep, the profitability case, and the steep learning curve
• FAMACHA scoring, dewormer resistance, and culling hard for a parasite-resistant flock
• Grazing sheep with cattle: their plan for this season
• The feeder lamb operation: buying 40-60 lb lambs, feeding to 80-100 lbs, sell-buy marketing
• Cattle handling with a Bud Box, the DS Livestock sheep system, and tips for low-stress flow-through
• Freeze branding: liquid nitrogen vs. dry ice, container options, and offering it as a service
• Cattle breed direction: Leachman Stabilizer genetics and why it fits their marketing channel
• The sentimental story of buying back Maggie's heifer (M005) on Valentine's Day

Find Out More
JMR Farm on Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550043373027

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