Advancing the Legacy

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Jim Smith: An Unexpected Connection

I realize I’m breaking the rules  by interviewing Jim Smith phd,—he’s not a beef producer—but I couldn’t imagine leaving him out. Jim is a swine nutritionist and a longtime friend of Terry’s. They met in grad school at Kansas State, and as Jim likes to say, their paths never should have crossed. That friendship lasted a lifetime. Jim stood up with Terry at our wedding, and his wife, Kim, even caught my bouquet. These days, Jim shares reflections and stories through his podcast Patio Pondering, offering the same thoughtful perspective that made him such an important part of our lives.

Patio Pondering https://www.buzzsprout.com/2429369

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Today, we’re talking with Kenny and Jody  Rogers of Wagon Wheel Ranch in Yuma, Colorado. They run a successful Angus Seedstock operation and both have served in numerous leadership roles across the beef industry.

They recently won the Leopold Conservation Award, and together, they’re pushing the envelope on conservation.

Kenny was on the Colorado Cattlemen's board when Terry was hired. Kenny has been in our lives since we first moved to Colorado, and he and his wife Jody have been a special part of our family‘s lives.

We cover several topics in this episode that are concerning for those of Colorado

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Janie VanWinkle is a fourth-generation rancher from south of Grand Junction, Colorado. She and her husband, Howard, own and operate VanWinkle Ranch, a Charolais cow-calf operation that runs about 600 head. Together, they’ve spent decades building their ranching business, starting in the early 1980s with just a small herd and growing steadily over time.

The VanWinkles transitioned to full-time ranching in 2015, and today manage a mix of private land and public grazing allotments in the region. Their work is focused on responsible land stewardship, herd health, and maintaining strong relationships with their community and partners. They’ve also expanded into direct-to-consumer beef sales, offering locally raised ground beef to families and food banks across Colorado and Wyoming.

Janie has long been an active voice in Colorado’s agricultural community, having served as president of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association and most recently recognized as the 2025 U.S. Livestock Industry Leader of the Year at the National Western Stock Show. She’s known not just for her leadership, but for her commitment to practical, hands-on work in the industry.

At the heart of it all is family. Janie and Howard are proud to work alongside their son Dean, his wife Tayler, and their granddaughter Paisley—continuing the ranching tradition into its fifth and sixth generations.

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The Colorado Cattlemen’s Association’s mission is to serve as the principal voice and advocate for Colorado beef production. CCA accomplishes this through its vision of “advancing the legacy” of beef production for its members. CCA’s commitment includes government affairs and issues management, 

Terry envisioned this podcast entangling the stories from producers with issues facing them in the state and the nation. 

Erin Spaur, the current EVP, is joining us to discuss these issues from several previous episodes. 

Listen in as she fills us in on how CCA handles the producers’ concerns. 

From the CCA website 

Colorado Cattlemen’s Association’s (CCA) mission is to serve as the state’s premier cattlemen’s association and the principal voice and advocate for Colorado beef production. CCA accomplishes this through its vision of “advancing the legacy” of beef production for our members by ensuring a dynamic and profitable industry that provides growth and opportunity for future generations. CCA’s commitment lies within these core competencies: government affairs, issues management, communication and outreach, and member services and benefits.

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Matt Horton: Stewarding His Fifth Generation

Matt Horton is a fifth-generation Angus-cross cow-calf producer who also raises row crops alongside his wife, Stacie. Rooted in deep generational ties to the land, Matt shares how the values instilled by his parents and grandparents continue to shape how he approaches ranching, family, and the future of agriculture. His story reflects the complexity of preserving a legacy while adapting to the demands of a changing industry.

In this conversation, Matt talks about the challenges and rewards of working alongside family, the importance of good communication, and the pressures that come with trying to pass on a healthy, viable operation to the next generation. With humor and honesty, he reflects on how his role has evolved over time—from the kid carrying feed buckets to the man making the big decisions. Whether you’re part of a multigenerational farm or just passionate about rural life, Matt’s insights will resonate.

Key Topics:

• Fifth-generation family ranching traditions
  
  
  
• Raising Angus-cross cattle and managing row crops
  
  
  
• Balancing legacy and innovation in agriculture
  
  
  
• Family roles, responsibilities, and communication
  
  
  
• Learning by doing: generational mentorship
  
  
  
• Transitioning decision-making to the next generation
  
  
  
• Financial pressures and long-term sustainability
  
  
  
• The joys and tensions of working with family
  
  
  
• Parenting and passing on agricultural values
  
  
  
• Faith, patience, and humor in everyday ranch life

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Tim Canterbury: Public Lands, Private Values

Today, I’m joined by Tim Canterbury, a longtime family friend and true cattleman. My kids know him as “Uncle Tim.” He’s played Barbie dolls and many rounds of checkers with our kids, and more importantly, he was a loyal friend to Terry.

Tim runs a cow-calf operation near Salida, Colorado, and currently serves as President of the Public Lands Council, where he advocates for ranchers across the West.

In this episode, we talk about his journey, his deep connection to the land, and what it means to carry forward a legacy in work, friendship, and family.

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Rachel Gabel is a writer, speaker, author, and the assistant editor of The Fence Post Magazine. She’s a longtime agriculture journalist who focuses primarily on protein production. Rachel lives in northeastern Colorado, where she and her family are part of the state’s beef industry.

She invited me onto her podcast, Ag Pro, to discuss my starting the Advancing the Legacy podcast in Terry’s memory. I found out Rachel started her podcast, thanks to Terry’s encouragement. During our discussion, I also learned a new story about Terry and his time serving Colorado’s ag advocacy in state government. I hope you get as much of a laugh out of it as I did.

Let’s listen in.

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Cliff Polk:  The Cost of Silence

In this episode, we sit down with Cliff Polk of Rocky Mountain Financial Group to discuss the critical but often overwhelming topic of estate and succession planning for agricultural families. Cliff explains how his team streamlines the planning process by gathering essential information upfront, making it easier and more efficient when families meet with their attorneys.

We dive into the biggest challenges facing farming and ranching families as they approach retirement, including the tough realities of how operations can often only support one family and the importance of planning for siblings who may have moved off the farm.

Cliff shares cautionary tales about what can go wrong without proper communication and planning, including a story about a Nebraska family whose lack of clear arrangements led to the forced sale of their ranch. He contrasts this with a success story from eastern Colorado, where open communication and clear agreements helped keep the family united and the operation thriving.

We also explore the expectations of the younger generation taking over, the importance of honest conversations, and practical tools like estate equalization and life insurance to ensure fairness, even when “equal” isn’t necessarily fair.

Finally, Cliff offers insight on major industry challenges today — from environmental pressures to animal rights activism — and stresses the need for a united voice in agriculture to educate the public about sustainable and responsible ranching practices.

Key Topics Covered:

• How Rocky Mountain Financial Group streamlines estate planning
  
  
  
• Starting the planning process without overwhelm
  
  
  
• The importance of early and clear communication in families
  
  
  
• Real-life examples of succession planning gone wrong and right
  
  
  
• Managing family expectations around inheritance
  
  
  
• Life insurance and estate equalization as planning tools
  
  
  
• Industry challenges: environmental and animal rights issues
  
  
  
• The need for a coordinated agricultural voice and public education

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Robert and Shari Kurtz: Family Beyond the Fences

In this episode, we sit down with Robert and Shari Kurtz, lifelong farmers from east-central Kansas, to talk about what it means to steward both land and legacy. Shari, the only sibling of Terry — whose memory and impact inspired the podcast — brings a deeply personal perspective to the conversation. Together, they reflect on a family shaped by farming, resilience, and strong bonds.

Robert shares stories from his grandfather’s era, when cotton and sheep were part of the farm’s experimentations, and how that pioneering spirit continues today through conservation practices and cover crops, always balancing ideals with the realities of modern agriculture.

Shari offers heartfelt insights on raising farm kids and grandkids, highlighting how children learn not just by teaching but through observation and participation. The couple discusses the challenges and joys of passing down traditions while navigating change, and the importance of sharing their story to build greater understanding about farm life.

From kids make-believe ranching with toy calves to physically helping with chores, the Kurtz remind us that farming legacy is as much about family and character as it is about the land.

Key Topics Covered:

• The long view: multi-generational farming and its influence on decision-making
  
  
  
• Balancing conservation goals with financial realities
  
  
  
• How children learn life lessons naturally on the farm
  
  
  
• Tradition, transition, and technology in agriculture
  
  
  
• Overcoming misconceptions about farming through storytelling
  
  
  
• The role of family humor and close relationships in farm resilience

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Brett Datteri’s roots run deep in the beef industry—even without working on a ranch full-time. In this episode, we talk about how he's passed on agricultural values to his kids, his work within the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, and the deep friendship he shared with Terry. A story of loyalty, purpose, and the many ways to make a difference in agriculture. 

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