December 05, 2023

Growing a First Generation Operation with Millennial Rancher Calli Williams

45 minutes

“Flexibility pays more than what you can ask for in a salary.”

In this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Calli Williams, or you may know her as the Millennial Rancher. Calli shares about her family’s cow/calf operation, how Calli met her husband, Tate, and how they are combining their cattle operation knowledge and making their own cattle operation thrive. Calli said that her involvement in FFA and 4H really shaped her life and who she is today and hopes that her boys want to get involved in those organizations as well. Calli talks about the benefits for her and her cattle operation to be able to work from home, but it doesn’t come without its own challenges. Calli shares what methods she uses to successfully work from home to utilize her time well. Calli and Tate are expanding their operation by offering straight to consumer beef from their own cattle. Calli shares how they started that business venture and what she hopes the future holds for the business.

About our guest: Calli Williams, TW Angus - South Dakota

Calli Williams, originally from Aurora, South Dakota now lives near Mitchell with her husband Tate and two sons, Jack and Tommy. Calli grew up on a small cow-calf operation and as an only child she was hands on with every aspect of the operation. Breeding season, AI season, herd health management, etc. She was also active in 4H and FFA where she had a passion for showing cattle they raised, and competing in Ag Sales through FFA.

Calli and Tate met at the South Dakota State Fair in 2014. Calli had just returned from her second summer interning with Certified Angus Beef in Wooster, Ohio and was helping a family she had known from all the years of showing in 4H and Junior Shows, who Tate was also helping. That's when Tate asked Calli to show his Angus heifer for him, and the rest was history!

Tate and Calli are first-generation, Millennial Ranchers. They purchased their acreage the weekend they got engaged. After selling their Angus bulls via private treaty, they held their inaugural online bull sale in March 2021.

When they saw a need to find a better way to market their steers, Calli decided in addition to offering beef shares, they should offer beef bundles. They launched their retail beef business in 2022, where they offer bundles and steaks a la carte.

Calli works as a Livestock Field Representative with the Wyoming Livestock Roundup, and Tate works full time for his family's business - Williams Masonry.

If you are interested in connecting with Calli, check out her Instagram or learn more about their business at their website and Facebook page.

At a glance:

Calli and her husband combining cow/calf operation methods and starting their own farm on a previous farrowing operation.

Calli’s involvement in 4H and FFa and how it impacted her.

The future of Calli and her husband’s operation.

Working off the farm while building the farm.