In this bonus episode we hear from one of our colleagues at Winrock International, Dr. John Winsten. Jon is an agricultural economist and has spent the last 20 years working on sustainable livestock production systems, including diary grazing. We chatted with Jon about a dairy grazing project he’s supporting in Puerto Rico led by several partner organizations on the island. To learn more, we’ve linked to a blog post written by Jon about the project and on the benefits of regenerative grazing for dairy farms and Jon’s email address.  

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Music by The Lakes.

In this final episode of Beyond the Pasture: Grazing For Change, your co-hosts Kelsey, Juan, and Jane catch up on the season! We discuss what we learned from the amazing conversations we had and how it relates to Wallace Center's work to build healthy farms, equitable economies, and resilient food systems. 

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In this episode, Juan talks to Marshall Bartlett, co-founder and President of Home Place Pastures located in Como, Mississippi. Marshall is a 5th generational farmer who grew up spending his time enjoying all the farm had to offer. After college, he decided to venture back to his family’s farm and convert parts of the traditional row-crop operation to a regenerative farm that raises hogs and beef. Hear from Marshall as he discusses the importance of mentors for young farmers, his journey to incorporating cover crops, and his growing regenerative meat business. To learn more about Home Place Pastures and to support their work and business, please visit their website below. 

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Music by ⁠The Lakes⁠.

In this episode, Kelsey chats with Michele Thorne, Executive Director of the Good Meat Project. The Good Meat Project is a nonprofit organization that works with farmers, ranchers, butchers, chefs, consumers and everyone in between, throughout the meat value chain. We discussed the history of the project, the meaning behind good meat values, and the importance of communities of practice. Good Meat Project has developed a plethora of free trainings and resources for all that work in the meat value chain. We encourage everyone to visit their website, sign up for their newsletter, and give them a follow on social media to stay up to date on their impactful work. 

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Music by ⁠⁠The Lakes⁠⁠.

In this episode, we ventured to Texas to speak with 4th generational farmer and rancher, P. Wade Ross, Chief Executive of the Texas Small Farmers and Ranchers CBO located in College Station, Texas. Texas Small Farmers and Ranchers was founded in 1998 by P. Wade Ross's parents, who recognized the time had come for small and underserved farmers and ranchers to organize themselves, articulate their needs and issues, and chart their own destinies. We discussed the historical founding of the organization, the impact COVID-19 had on the way they operate, the importance of generating hope and belief in Black farmers and ranchers, and the negative impact heir property exploitation is having on the agricultural industry. To learn more about them and to support their work, contact Texas Small Farmers and Ranchers Community Based Organization via their email below and sending any opportunities their way! 

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Music by ⁠⁠⁠The Lakes⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode, Jane speaks with Trudy Ecoffey, Executive Director of Tanka Fund. Tanka Fund is a Native-led organization located on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Tanka Fund’s work centers on an effort called The Return – a campaign to repopulate the Plains with buffalo and re-establish a sustainable buffalo economy to the Land, Lives, and Economies of Native people. To learn more about their work, check out their website and videos on YouTube, linked below. Support their work by making a donation directly to the organization.

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Music by ⁠⁠⁠The Lakes⁠⁠⁠.

En este episodio, hablamos con el propietario de Cala Farms, Rodrigo Cala, sitado en Turtle Lake, Wisconsin. Como agricultor latino, habla de la importancia de tener un sistema alimentario étnico y cultural, de cómo comenzó su operación y como la ha convertido en una granja orgánica, de la importancia de la transferencia de conocimientos con sus hijxs,, y hasta da consejos a otros agricultores y ganaderos latinos que desean comenzar a cultivar. Para obtener más información, póngase en contacto con Rodrigo por mensaje te texto a su número con su pregunta o por correo electrónico. 

In this all-Spanish episode, we spoke with owner of Cala Farms, Rodrigo Cal, based in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin. As a Latinx farmer he speaks to the importance of an ethnic and culturally diverse food system, how he started his operation and has grown it to an organic farm, the importance of generational knowledge transfer, his work with the Latino Economic Development Center, and he even gives advice to other Latinx farmers and ranchers wanting to start. To learn more, contact Rodrigo via text with your question or via his email above. 

Piikani Lodge Health Institute is an indigenous-founded and led nonprofit organization focused on promoting the health and well-being of Blackfeet people and lands located in Montana. In this episode, Kelsey talks to Latrice Tatsey, formerly the Soils Scientist, Cultural Science Lead and Intern Supervisor with Piikani Lodge, about their regenerative grazing work and the strategies they’ve developed for engaging producers and working with younger generations. For more information and to learn how you can support this important work, visit their website. 

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Note: Since the recording of this episode Latrice has taken a new position with the National Resource Conservation Service in Browning, Montana as an American Indiana Tribal Liaison.  

The team at Wallace Center is excited to bring you a podcast we're calling, Beyond the Pasture! Our goal with the first season of Beyond the Pasture, which we’re calling Grazing for Change, is to engage the broader grazing community and highlight the work of regenerative ag practitioners, activists, and advocates across the nation. We talked to folks who are utilizing regenerative grazing to build culturally relevant food value chains, improve environmental outcomes of agriculture, and support Black, Indigenous, and Farmers of Color and communities.

~ keep listening to learn along with us ~