Jonathan Kilpatrick of Red Lantern Ranch and Kilpatrick Land & Livestock joins Cal to share what changed since he first appeared back on episode 2, including moving from Oklahoma to west central Minnesota (Alexandria area) and rebuilding a grazing operation from the ground up with sheep, goats, and pastured poultry.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• What prompted Jonathan and his family to move from Oklahoma to Minnesota and restart their operation
• Lessons Jonathan took from the Ranching for Profit School and how they shaped his decision-making
• Starting a grazing operation with a clean slate and building genetics that match the environment
• Grazing sheep and goats together and using goats as part of a buckthorn control strategy
• Outwintering sheep and goats with minimal infrastructure and what that requires
• Using adaptive grazing decisions that fit real life, time constraints, and family priorities
• Expanding from a 45-acre grazing lease by adding tillable acres and converting some to perennials
• Partnering with a regenerative crop farmer for strip-till or no-till, cover crops, and added grazing opportunities
• Mobile range coop pastured poultry production, daily moves, and labor efficiency
• Processing options, state-inspected processing, and why time is often the limiting resource
• Marketing channels including direct-to-consumer, wholesale, and opportunities in ethnic markets

Why This Episode Matters

If you are building or rebuilding a grazing business, Jonathan lays out a realistic path that balances production, business management, and family life. This conversation is a good reminder that experience matters, time is a real constraint, and matching livestock, grazing, and marketing to your context is what keeps the whole system working.

Resources Mentioned

• Ranching for Profit School
• Executive Link program (Ranching for Profit)
• Google Sheets
• Excel
• ChatGPT
• Gemini
• P.L. 90-492 (Poultry Products Inspection Act exemption referenced in the discussion)

Find Out More

• Red Lantern Ranch website | https://redlanternranch.com
• Kilpatrick Land & Livestock website | https://www.kilpatricklandandlivestock.com
• Sustainable Farming Association (SFA) | https://sfa-mn.org

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Original Music by Louis Palfrey