MOR Than Farming

They came for coffee and Highland cows. They stayed for the conversation.

Pull up a chair at Meadow Oaks Ranch for Episode 3 of MOR Than Farming. Chris "C-Lo" Loranger talks with Nick from The Calling Outdoors about purpose, connection, and helping veterans, active-duty service members, and first responders get outdoors.

Keith and Alexa share what brought them from New York City to North Carolina - and why an hour-long drive to meet the cows was worth it. Then Joe joins Chris to wrap up our first Cows & Coffee event with family memories, the people behind the ranch, and ideas for what could come next.

Follow MOR Than Farming and share this episode with someone you'd like to pull up a chair with.

CHAPTERS

00:00 A place to belong
00:27 Welcome to Cows and Coffee
01:10 Nick and The Calling Outdoors
03:44 Finding purpose outdoors
08:10 Keith and Alexa: coffee, cows and connection
11:11 Leaving city life and slowing down
14:50 Building a place to belong
20:24 Chris and Joe: event recap
24:52 Community, fellowship and family memories
27:04 Ideas for what could come next
30:50 The story behind the beef
33:30 Thanks to Smith's Enterprise and closing

VISIT AND FOLLOW

Meadow Oaks Ranch
YouTube - Active Duty Rancher
Meadow Oaks Ranch on Facebook
Chris on Instagram
Apple Podcasts

Follow us on YouTube, Spotify, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

TITLE SPONSOR

Thanks to Smith's Enterprise for supporting MOR Than Farming.

Recorded September 26, 2026, at Meadow Oaks Ranch in Cameron, North Carolina.
Produced by Chris Loranger | C-Lo Media.
Music: the original MOR Coffee and Cows song supplied for this project.

Future events and programs discussed are ideas being explored. Check the ranch's announcements for confirmed plans.

HOST AND GUEST DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions expressed are those of the individual hosts and guests, speaking in their personal capacities. They do not represent the official views, policies or positions of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), any branch of the U.S. military, the U.S. government, or any other organization or employer with which the speakers are or have been affiliated. References to military service, rank or affiliation are provided for context and do not imply official endorsement of this show, its sponsors, products or services.

Coffee, cows, and the memories families take home. A few voices from Cows & Coffee with MOR Than Farming.

A little MOR for your day. 🌈

Welcome back to The MOR You Know from Meadow Oaks Ranch! Join us for Episode 3, and follow the show so you’re ready for MOR.

Have a question or an idea for a future episode? We’d love to hear it.

🌐 ⁠https://www.meadowoaksranch.com⁠📍 1860 Stanton Hill Rd, Cameron, NC 28326📞 (315) 651-8186

Produced by Chris “C-Lo” Loranger | C-Lo Media

The views and opinions expressed by the hosts and guests are their own and do not represent the official positions of the U.S. military, Department of Defense, or any other organization with which they are affiliated.

A little MOR for your day. 🌈

Welcome back to The MOR You Know from Meadow Oaks Ranch! Join us for Episode 2, and follow the show so you’re ready for MOR.

Have a question or an idea for a future episode? We’d love to hear it.

🌐 https://www.meadowoaksranch.com
📍 1860 Stanton Hill Rd, Cameron, NC 28326
📞 (315) 651-8186

Watch the video version:
https://youtu.be/21QAtnZMizs

Produced by Chris “C-Lo” Loranger | C-Lo Media

The views and opinions expressed by the hosts and guests are their own and do not represent the official positions of the U.S. military, Department of Defense, or any other organization with which they are affiliated.

Welcome to The MORning Show with Chris “C-Lo” Loranger from Meadow Oaks Ranch in Cameron, North Carolina!We’re starting a new morning check-in to keep our customers, neighbors, and viewers connected to the ranch. The idea: ranch life, local flavor, familiar faces, and a little humor before you head out the door.Subscribe to Active Duty Rancher for MOR.Learn more or order local beef:https://www.meadowoaksranch.comMeadow Oaks Ranch1860 Stanton Hill Rd, Cameron, NC 28326(315) 651-8186Hosted by Chris “C-Lo” Loranger | C-Lo MediaInstagram: @chris.loranger#MeadowOaksRanch #RanchLife #CameronNC

A bull ride gone wrong. A missing tooth. And hard-earned lessons about starting a farm, leading people and learning to adapt.

In Episode 2 of MOR Than Farming, Joe Presher and Chris Loranger kick things off at Meadow Oaks Ranch in Cameron, North Carolina, with the new ranch store, local beef, changing cattle prices and the kind of banter you probably won't hear in a farming manual.

Janice Wright of Rooted in NC drops in with her unmistakable personality and a quick introduction to the woman helping farms tell their stories. Then Chris calls his former Army squadmate, Chris "Big Country" Phillips, the Redneck Roughneck behind Phillips Ag-Co in Georgia. They reconnect over farm life, military service, oil-field work and building something of your own.

The conversation gets into bringing solutions instead of just problems, knowing your strengths, accepting honest feedback, adapting to new tools and giving your team ownership of the plan. And when Big Country finally explains the bruised face and missing tooth, Joe has a bull-riding story of his own.

There's also a surprise tucked into this episode. We're keeping that one under wraps. You'll know as soon as you hear it.

Chris closes with a reminder that applies far beyond agriculture: you can't wait for perfect conditions to start. Plan, take responsibility, learn from the hard days and keep growing.

CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTS

Janice Wright | Rooted in NC
Farm marketing, business support and helping agricultural businesses get seen.
Website | Facebook | Instagram

Chris "Big Country" Phillips | Phillips Ag-Co
Follow his journey building a farm and putting a lifetime of practical experience to work.
Website | Facebook

MORE FROM MEADOW OAKS RANCH

Explore the ranch or order local beef
Watch on Active Duty Rancher

Sponsored by Smith's Enterprise.

Hosted by Joe Presher and Chris Loranger.
Produced by Chris Loranger, C-Lo Media.
Intro music: Alex Beck.

Follow MOR Than Farming for more ranch life, real conversations and lessons that reach beyond the fence. What is one lesson you had to learn the hard way? Leave it in the episode comments.

00:00 Cold open and welcome

02:10 Ranch store and real-life chaos

09:27 Livestock prices and local beef

13:12 Janice Wright of Rooted in NC

18:17 Meet Chris "Big Country" Phillips

25:20 Resilience and bringing solutions

31:00 Adapting to change and using AI

34:04 Humility and honest feedback

41:29 Delegation and owning the plan

45:38 The missing tooth and bull ride

56:57 When the plan meets real life

01:06:27 Closing thoughts and community

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on MOR Than Farming are those of the individual hosts and guests, speaking in their personal capacities. They do not represent the official views, policies or positions of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), any branch of the U.S. military, the U.S. government, or any other organization or employer with which the speakers are or have been affiliated. References to military service, rank or affiliation are provided for context and do not imply official endorsement of this podcast, its sponsors, products or services.

New to tractors? Before you turn the key, Joe walks Chris through the basics on a TYM T654 at Meadow Oaks Ranch - from checking the oil to your first forward and reverse moves.

The MOR You Know - Part 1: Check It Before You MOOve It.
Sponsored by Smith's Enterprise.

SHOP TYM WITH SMITH'S ENTERPRISE
https://smithsenterprise.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_id=activedutyrancher

Call: (910) 567-2680
Visit: 9269 Dunn Rd., Salemburg, NC 28385
Tell them the Active Duty Rancher sent you.

GET THE FREE ONE-PAGE TRACTOR GUIDE
Save it, screenshot it, or keep a copy for your next ranch hand:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1elJBOAWBKT1q9NUTKp0zWIvTYgm7agah/view?usp=drivesdk

GET MOR FROM MEADOW OAKS RANCH
Local beef. Real ranch life. More lessons along the way.
https://meadowoaksranch.com/

Joe brings the experience. Chris asks the beginner questions. Subscribe for more practical ranch lessons, and tell us: what should Joe teach next?

CHAPTERS
00:00 The MOR You Know
00:22 Check the engine oil
00:42 Cab setup and starting the tractor
01:19 Brakes and parking brake
02:03 Range, gears, and shuttle shift
03:49 Warm-up and loader clearance
04:28 First forward movement
05:07 Reversing the tractor
05:24 Park and shut down
05:49 Why Smith's Enterprise?
06:45 Pause and screenshot the checklist
07:01 Shop Smith's and get MOR

Demonstrated on a TYM T654. Controls and procedures vary by model - follow your tractor's operator manual.

Filmed and edited by Chris Loranger, C-Lo Media.

#TYMTractors #TractorBasics #TheMORYouKnow

Here is your FIRST LOOK, no fancy editing - Just PURE AWESOMENESS - The intro to Meadow Oaks Ranch's first video in our "TYM Tractor How-To Series: So easy, even an inexperienced Ranch Hand can do it.

This is just the first rough cut and there are some expletives, but 100% fun and laughs. The final version will be cleaned up. Stay Tuned!

Make sure to check out Smith's Enterprise! https://smithsenterprise.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_id=activedutyrancher

#veteranfarmer #meadowoaksranch #TYMTractors #ranchlife #howto #funnyreels #reelsvideo #diy

- Short clip from Episode 2 of the MOR Than Farming Podcast -

"THE MOR YOU KNOW"

Chris was today years old. Unfortunately, the microphones were on. 🤦‍♂️😂

Joe brings the ranch knowledge. Chris bring questions he probably thought no grown man would ask.

A little MOR education than I planned on. 🎙️

What’s something you learned embarrassingly late?

Make sure to follow so you don't miss the fun!

#MORThanFarming #MeadowOaksRanch #TodayYearsOld

Apparently, planning the podcast requires its own podcast.

Pull up a chair with Joe and Chris for a four-minute sneak peek behind MOR Than Farming. Before Episode 2 gets underway, we’re talking through the plan, trading a little banter, and giving you a taste of the personalities behind the microphones.

Joe brings the ranching experience. Chris brings the questions. Getting through the show plan is part of the entertainment.

While the full episode is being finished, enjoy a little of the show before the show.

New here? Active Duty Rancher: MOR Than Farming comes from Meadow Oaks Ranch in Moore County, North Carolina. It’s where ranch life, lessons learned, and honest conversation meet - whether you’re raising cattle, starting your first farm, or just enjoy good company and a few laughs.

Follow the podcast on Spotify so you can find Episode 2 when it drops. Share this preview with somebody who would fit right in at the table.

Want MOR of the conversation before the conversation? Tell us in the comments.

Full Episode 2 coming soon.

Presented by Meadow Oaks Ranch
Supported by our title sponsor, Smith’s Enterprise
Hosted by Joe and Chris Loranger
Produced and edited by Chris Loranger | C-Lo Media

Visit the ranch: https://meadowoaksranch.com
Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chris.loranger/