The Stockman Grassfarmer Podcast

🎙️ Episode Title: Understanding Landscape Function and Holistic Management
📝 Featured Speaker: Darren Doherty

In this episode, Darren Doherty, a seasoned project manager, delves into the critical elements of landscape function and holistic management. He shares practical insights on observing landscape health, managing grazing practices, and fostering a deeper connection between land and food culture. With his hands-on experience, Doherty provides valuable advice for beginners in land management and highlights the continuous journey of learning and observation.

🔑 Key Points Covered:

Understanding Landscape Function:
Doherty introduces the concept of landscape function, focusing on the indicators found at the soil surface—like plant pedestalling, manure incorporation, litter decomposition, and soil armor. These signs help in gauging factors such as rainfall infiltration, soil stability, and nutrient cycling, allowing for more informed land management decisions.

The Importance of Observation and Curiosity:
Curiosity and intent are key components of effective landscape management. Doherty discusses how frequent observation transforms understanding and notes that peer feedback and grazing groups play a crucial role in overcoming isolation and refining techniques.

Food Culture and Personal Health:
Highlighting the link between diet, food culture, and land health, Doherty reflects on how many Western cultures have lost their strong food traditions. He underscores the need to restore both land and personal well-being, suggesting that healthy landscapes can foster healthier diets and communities.

Tips for Beginners in Landscape Observation:
For newcomers, Doherty recommends starting with simple indicators of landscape function. He emphasizes using livestock as a feedback tool and learning from everyday interactions with animals, advocating for de-stressing animals to encourage greater curiosity and diet diversity.

Holistic Management and Continuous Learning:
Discussing the holistic management framework, Doherty advises making decisions with the assumption that they might be wrong. This approach promotes humility, adaptability, and ongoing improvement, encouraging land managers to constantly observe, monitor, and refine their methods.

🌱 Actionable Insights:

📌 For more insights and resources, be sure to check out our monthly magazine, live events, and the latest specials here.

🎙️ Episode Title: Pasture Management: Best Practices
📝 Featured Speaker: Abram Bowerman

This episode explores the fundamentals of pasture management, focusing on rotational grazing and optimizing forage growth. Abram Bowerman shares practical tips on observing pasture conditions, managing legume and forb growth, and using weeds as a resource. The episode emphasizes the importance of adaptive grazing practices and minimizing the use of fertilizers for healthier pastures and livestock.

🔑 Key Points Covered:

Pasture Observation and Grazing Readiness:
Observing plant species, soil cover, and manure quality helps determine when to move livestock. Grazing is recommended when grass stems have developed more than two leaves, with two left intact for regrowth.

Legume and Forb Management:
Proper grazing of legumes like alfalfa and red clover helps promote reseeding. Timing is key—alfalfa should be grazed when 10% is blooming, while red clover should be grazed after full bloom with some brown blooms.

Grazing Management and Species Composition:
Non-selective grazing promotes diversity by weakening dominant grass species, allowing forbs and legumes to thrive. Weeds should be viewed as a food source for livestock, rather than eradicated.

Forage Inventory and Rationing:
Techniques for measuring forage inventory and rationing stockpiled forage during dormant seasons are discussed. Managing these resources is critical to ensuring livestock have enough forage while preventing starvation.

Fertilizer Use and Potential Drawbacks:
Overreliance on fertilizers can cause issues like magnesium deficiency, fescue toxicity, and financial loss. The episode recommends focusing on animal impact and legume reestablishment to naturally improve pasture fertility.

🌱 Actionable Insights:

📌 For more insights and resources, be sure to check out our monthly magazine, live events, and the latest specials here.

🎙️ Episode Title: Managing for Animal, Pasture, and Soil Health
📝 Featured Speaker: Greg Brann

In this episode, Greg Brann emphasizes the importance of regenerative grazing practices for maintaining healthy animals, pastures, and soil. Ruminants, like cattle, play a crucial role in this process, cycling nutrients back into the soil through manure and urine, and helping speed up the improvement of soil health.

🔑 Key Points Covered:

Ruminant Animals and Soil Health:
Ruminants help improve soil fertility by cycling nutrients through manure and urine, speeding up soil health improvements by three times.

Grazing Management and Soil Health:
Grazing cool-season forages at 8-10 inches promotes root growth, moisture retention, and a healthy environment for soil life.

Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management:
Maintaining a balanced soil pH (6.8 is optimal) is essential for soil life. Regular soil tests are recommended to manage macronutrients and secondary nutrients.

Strategies for Improving Degraded Land:
Techniques such as unrolling hay and using cattle to pug wet soils can increase carbon levels and restore productivity in degraded areas.

Herd Management and Soil Health:
Proper herd management, including natural fly control and selective culling, helps maintain a healthy pasture ecosystem.

🌱 Actionable Insights:

📌 For more insights and resources, be sure to check out our monthly magazine, live events, and the latest specials here.

📝 Featured Speaker: Darren Doherty, an expert in farm planning, regenerative agriculture, and agroforestry.

In this episode, Darren Doherty delves into the intricacies of integrating trees, livestock, and infrastructure into agricultural landscapes for improved sustainability and efficiency. He discusses the benefits of agroforestry practices, such as alley farming and savannah-style tree layouts, and explores the use of portable farming systems, including mobile chicken coops and dairies. Darren also touches on innovative fencing strategies and stress-free stockmanship techniques to improve farm management and environmental outcomes.

1. Tree Integration and Agroforestry:
Darren highlights the benefits of integrating trees into agricultural systems, such as providing shade, shelter, and biodiversity. He shares a case study from Geelong Grammar School, where 38,000 trees were planted in an alley farming system. He emphasizes the importance of considering vehicle access, species selection, and pattern placementbased on desired outcomes like lumber production or bee forage.

2. Portable and Modular Farming Systems:
The episode explores the use of portable farming systems to increase efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Darren discusses examples like movable chicken coops, portable dairies, and slaughterhouses, which provide flexibility and streamline farm operations. A client’s experience with a portable slaughterhouse is shared, highlighting its positive impact on farm life without increasing costs.

3. Fencing Strategies and Stress-Free Stockmanship:
Darren covers different fencing strategies, including riparian fencing and self-herding techniques. Drawing from Bruce Maynard's stress-free stockmanship, Darren emphasizes how training livestock to move without physical fences can reduce stress and enhance animal welfare. He also suggests strategically planning fence placement by considering natural land features like creeks, valleys, and ridges.

1. Integrate trees into agricultural landscapes using techniques like alley farming or savannah-style layouts for benefits such as shade, shelter, and enhanced biodiversity.
2. Use a tree index algorithm to select species based on key criteria, such as lumber production or bee forage.
3. Explore portable and modular farming systems, like movable chicken coops, dairies, and slaughterhouses, to increase farm efficiency while reducing environmental impact.
4. Implement stress-free stockmanship techniques, like self-herding, to train livestock to move without the need for physical fences.
5. Strategically plan fence placement, considering land elements like creeks, valleys, and ridges for more efficient grazing and farm management.

📌 For more insights and resources, be sure to check out our monthly magazine, live events, and the latest specials here.

📝 Featured Speaker: Darren Doherty, an expert in regenerative agriculture and farm planning.

In this episode, Darren Doherty dives deep into the tools and techniques for effective farm planning and management. The discussion highlights a range of topics, from mapping resources in the US to the history of Keyline design, developed by P.A. Yeomans, and its role in managing water and soil.

Darren explores the Regrarians platform, the use of Google Earth Pro for farm design, and the importance of maintaining 100% ground cover to increase soil organic carbon and water retention. This episode also touches on advanced techniques such as landscape function analysis, agroforestry software, and the design of roads for water catchment.

1. Mapping Resources in the US:

2. Regrarians Platform & Google Earth Pro:

3. History of Keyline Design:

4. Landscape Function Analysis:

5. Water Management & Infrastructure:

6. Agroforestry & Farm Planning Software:

7. Road Design for Water Catchment:

1. Generate a farm map using resources like LiDAR data and historical topographic maps from the USGS TopoView.
2. Utilize the Regrarians platform template in Google Earth Pro to organize and design your farm, capturing key details about your farm's objectives and infrastructure.
3. Implement landscape function analysis to evaluate the soil surface’s stability, water infiltration, and nutrient cycling on your farm.
4. Focus on maintaining 100% ground cover to promote soil health and improve water retention across your landscape.
5. Explore the use of gravity-fed water systems and portable infrastructure, such as electric fencing and water troughs, to enhance your farm's efficiency.
6. Look into using Overyield software for agroforestry projects to integrate trees and assess their economic and environmental impacts.
7. Consider the benefits of gradient catchment roads to effectively capture runoff water and replenish water sources for your farm.

For more insights and resources, be sure to check out our monthly magazine, live events, and the latest specials here.

🎙️ Episode Title: Designing Your Landscape (Part 1 of 4)
📝 Featured Speaker: Darren Doherty

In this episode of the Stockman Grassfarmer Podcast, Darren Doherty, a renowned farm planner, takes us through the fundamentals of designing landscapes with a regenerative agriculture focus. This episode is the first of a four-part series where Doherty shares his extensive knowledge on farm planning and landscape management.

🔑 Key Points Covered:

Understanding Purpose & Context: Doherty emphasizes the importance of defining a clear purpose and thoroughly understanding your farm’s unique context before transitioning to regenerative agriculture.

Holistic Approach to Farm Design: He outlines the importance of considering various factors such as climate, geography, water, access, ecosystems, buildings, fencing, soils, economy, and energy in farm planning.

Learning from Aboriginal Australians: Doherty reflects on the profound influence of Aboriginal Australians in nurturing and managing the landscape, drawing lessons for modern regenerative practices.

Challenges of Adoption: The speaker acknowledges the difficulties farmers face in adopting new systems and breaking away from conventional models.

Introduction to the Regrarians Platform: He introduces listeners to the Regrarians platform, a planning framework built upon P.A. Yeomans' Keyline Scale of Permanence, designed to support farmers in creating a sustainable and resilient landscape.

Tailored Strategies Over Replication: Doherty advises against simply copying successful models like Polyface Farm, encouraging a more strategic, pragmatic, and incremental approach, tailored to each farm’s specific needs and circumstances.

🌱 Actionable Insights:

Before making any major changes to your farm, define your goals and align them with the broader context of your land and resources.

Adopt a holistic approach in farm planning that integrates natural systems with your farm’s infrastructure and management practices.

Consider taking inspiration from indigenous land management practices, which have sustained ecosystems for millennia.

Start small and be strategic—incremental changes lead to lasting success.

Use the Regrarians platform as a comprehensive tool for planning and implementing regenerative agriculture practices.

For more insights on regenerative agriculture and to dive deeper into designing a farm landscape that works in harmony with nature, tune in to the next episode in this series.

Be sure to check out our monthly magazine, live events, and the latest specials here.

🎙️ Episode Title: Why “Take Half, Leave Half” Is Not a Universal Rule
📝 Featured Speaker: Jim Gerrish

In this episode, Jim Gerrish, a renowned grazing management expert, challenges the traditional “take half, leave half” rule and explores why it may not be the best approach for every grazing situation. Drawing from his vast experience as both a researcher and practitioner, Jim explains how this guideline can vary greatly depending on environmental factors and management goals.

🔑 Key Points Covered:

🌱 Actionable Insights:

To learn more about Jim Gerrish’s work and his approach to adaptive grazing management, check out the show notes for links to his books and resources on Management-intensive Grazing. Be sure to explore our monthly magazine, live events, and latest specials. 

For more insights and resources, be sure to check out our monthly magazine, live events, and the latest specials here.

🎙️ Episode Title: Keys to Success
📝 Featured Article: Keys to Success by Joel Salatin (from Meadow Talk)

In this episode of the Stockman Grassfarmer Podcast, we highlight Joel Salatin's insights on what separates thriving farmers from those who struggle, drawn from his reflections in the "Meadow Talk" column. Inspired by a conversation with a $2 billion New Zealand agriculture cooperative, Salatin dives into four key principles for achieving long-term success in farming. Drawing on the wisdom of Allan Nation, founder of Stockman Grass Farmer, Salatin offers invaluable guidance on mindset, peer influence, patience, and financial management.

🔑 Key Points Covered:

Pretties vs. Practicality:
Salatin shares Allan Nation’s belief that profitable farms often have a "threadbare" appearance. Instead of focusing on aesthetics like white fences, the key to success is putting time and resources into what truly matters: forage, animals, and operational efficiency.

Peers and Unorthodox Thinking:
Successful farmers often go against the grain, adopting unconventional methods that neighbors might consider crazy. Salatin emphasizes the importance of learning from the top 10% rather than following what the average farmer does. From installing water lines to managing without vet bills, it’s about doing what works, not what’s typical.

Patience in Biological Systems:
Salatin reminds listeners that farming operates on nature’s timetable, not ours. From regenerating overgrazed land to managing weeds, real transformation can take years. Success comes with patient management, strategic grazing, and thoughtful interventions like pastured poultry.

Penny-Watching:
Borrowing from Allan Nation’s wisdom, Salatin underscores the importance of watching every penny. Whether it’s eliminating unnecessary costs or considering value-adding opportunities, successful farmers know their numbers. They don’t just compete—they innovate and differentiate, wearing the "middleman hat" to capture retail dollars.

🌱 Actionable Insights:

Focus on Practical Investments:
Don’t get caught up in making your farm look perfect. Invest in things that directly improve your bottom line, like healthy forage and efficient animal management.

Seek Out Unorthodox Solutions:
Don’t follow the crowd. If your methods seem odd to your neighbors, you’re probably on the right track. Be willing to try new ideas and learn from the most successful in the field.

Give Nature Time:
Farming success takes patience. Don’t expect overnight changes, but trust that careful management will yield long-term results.

Be Meticulous with Your Finances:
Watch every penny and look for opportunities to increase income, whether through diversification, custom grazing, or direct marketing.

For more insights and resources, be sure to check out our monthly magazine, live events, and the latest specials here.

🎙️ Episode Title: Permanent Fencing Options
📝 Featured Article: Permanent Fencing Options by Brandon Mitchell

In this episode of the Stockman Grassfarmer Podcast, we explore essential choices for permanent fencing, a cornerstone of effective farm management. Whether managing cattle, goats, or hogs, selecting the appropriate fencing can significantly impact your livestock's well-being and land management. We cover the three primary types of fencing—barbed wire, high-tensile electric, and field fence—each with its unique benefits and challenges tailored to different livestock, property sizes, and terrains.

🔑 Key Points Covered:

Types of Fencing:
A comprehensive overview of barbed wire, high-tensile electric, and field fence. Each type is examined for its suitability depending on the specific needs of your livestock and property.

Cost and Maintenance:
A comparison of costs and maintenance requirements for each fencing type. This includes initial investment, long-term upkeep, and durability.

Best Fencing Options by Species:
Recommendations on the most effective fencing choices for different types of livestock, such as cattle, goats, and hogs.

Pros and Cons:
Analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of each fence type in relation to property size, local weather conditions, and potential wildlife interactions.

Decision-Making Tips:
Guidance on upgrading existing fencing or installing new systems, offering valuable insights for making informed decisions to enhance farm success.

🌱 Tune in now to make the best fencing choice for your livestock and land management needs! For more detailed information, check out our monthly magazine, live events, and the latest specials here.

🎙️ Episode Title: Smart & Special: The Big Picture with Joel Salatin (Part 2)
📝 Featured Speaker: Joel Salatin

In Part 2 of Joel Salatin's Smart & Special series, Joel dives into advanced strategies for sustainable farming, focusing on financial management, diversifying income streams, and maximizing farm profitability. He emphasizes capital preservation, creative revenue generation through agritourism, and the benefits of stacking multiple enterprises on a single property. Joel provides actionable advice on niche markets and strategic planning to help farmers thrive in a competitive landscape.

🔑 Key Points Covered:

Financial Management and Capital Preservation:
Joel stresses the importance of preserving capital and managing cash flow. He advises against depleting resources and suggests renting or sharing equipment to maintain financial flexibility. He also introduces a payback period framework for investments: green light for three years, yellow light for three to seven years, and red light for over seven years.

Diversifying Income Streams and Agritourism:
Joel highlights the potential for additional revenue through agritourism. He provides examples such as farm tours, events, classes, and workshops, including creative ideas like farm Olympics and pizza nights. He encourages farmers to leverage their unique assets to attract visitors and create differentiated experiences.

Stacking Enterprises on a 10-Acre Farm:
Joel illustrates how to maximize profitability by stacking multiple agricultural enterprises on a 10-acre farm. He covers raising various livestock, growing crops, beekeeping, and offering value-added products. The idea is to create a complementary mix of activities that can generate substantial revenue and support multiple full-time workers.

Niche Markets and Differentiation:
Joel advocates for exploring niche markets and differentiating farm offerings. He provides examples like customized rose cultivation and artisanal food production. He emphasizes the importance of branding, storytelling, and offering unique products to attract customers and command premium prices.

Mission Statement and Strategic Planning:
Joel underscores the value of a clear mission statement for guiding business decisions and attracting collaborators. He also stresses the need for measurable objectives, a written roadmap, and strategic planning to effectively allocate resources and avoid costly mistakes.

🌱 Actionable Insights:

For more insights and updates, check out our monthly magazine, live events, and the latest specials here.