True Stewards

Gene Goven is a farmer and rancher in North Dakota’s Prairie Pothole Country. He has owned and managed shortgrass prairie and cropland for more than 50 years. In the 1980’s he attended an intensive holistic management course taught by Allan Savory that greatly influenced him to manage diversity for soil health enhancement. As Gene says, it was and is “hundreds of little things” that add up over time. He manages for increased biodiversity, aims to capture rain where it falls, and feeds the soil first – livestock second.

For Gene, we should all be striving to continuously learn and share what we learn. The North Dakota Grazing Lands Coalition, of which Gene is a founding member, hosts an innovative Mentor Network to bring along fellow farmers and ranchers on their own journey. Gene is equally as pleased to influence people outside of agriculture as well. A few weeks back he hosted a group from the North Dakota Chapter of the National Audubon Society to tour his ranch, discussing how the use of livestock can enhance bird habitat.

In our conversation, we talked about soil health and water infiltration, the impacts of climate change including drought planning, cross-fencing and planned rotational grazing, the power of networking, advice for those just getting started farming and/or ranching, and so much more. There’s a lot packed into this 40-minute episode, so I hope you enjoy!

--- FULL EPISODE NOTES WITH LINKS @ https://truestewards.com/gene-goven ---

--- TOPICS DISCUSSED ---

1:27 – A brief overview of the Goven Ranch

4:33 – Conservation efforts on the ranch including soil health and water quality

6:21 – Impacts of climate change, drought planning, and increasing resiliency down the road

10:06 – Using livestock for birding enhancement 

11:54 – Cross-fencing, planned rotational grazing, and working with Mother Nature

13:42 – Barriers to implementing a regenerative management system

15:46 – The North Dakota Grazing Lands Coalition, the power of networking and sharing with neighbors

19:40 – Advice for those just getting started

22:57 – Best resources to stay on top of agricultural trends

24:26 - The biggest areas in agriculture Gene is curious about

27:11 – Intro to companion crops, root depth enhancement, and 1+1 = 3

29:19 – A concern about soil carbon markets

30:53 – Food comes from the soil and other lessons with Gene’s grandson

32:30 – Grass fed vs. grass finished

33:46 – A silver lining of COVID: buying local and direct markets to consumers

34:38 – Minimizing chemicals for insect control

37:40 – Reducing fuel loads through grazing livestock

Bruce Rominger is a farmer who, along with his brother Rick, owns and operates Rominger Brothers Farms, a diverse and large-scale operation in California's Sacramento Valley. The Rominger’s family established the farm back in the 1930s, and now, five generations later, the family’s hard work, thoughtful vision, and deep respect for the land have made Rominger Brothers Farms a shining example of growing crops while also managing for wildlife.

The Romingers do more than produce the food we eat. By thinking outside the box and partnering with UC Davis, California’s Rangeland Trust and other organizations, Rominger Brothers Farms has set a new standard for conservation, creative problem solving, and sustainable land stewardship.

Bruce is an interesting guy who has thought very deeply on issues related to sustainable agriculture. We had a fun conversation that covered many topics including the communication breakdown between agriculture and urban populations, conservation efforts on the farm, why embracing failure is critical to success, and much more. There’s a lot of great information in this 30-minute interview, so I hope you enjoy!

--- FULL EPISODE NOTES WITH LINKS @ https://truestewards.com/bruce-rominger ---

--- TOPICS DISCUSSED ---

1:46 – A brief overview of Rominger Brothers Farms

3:46 – Conservation efforts on the farm

6:58 – The attitude you need to be a successful farmer

10:20 – Best resources to stay on top of farming trends

12:15 – The biggest area in farming Bruce is curious about

14:20 – Intro to cover crops and barriers to implementation

18:25 – Bruce debunks one myth about farming and farmers

20:15 – Ever wonder what farmers do on vacation? Bruce recommends a day trip to Winters, CA.

21:16 – Unintended consequences of different state regulations on the price of food

28:08 – Communication breakdown between agriculture and urban areas

Hi and welcome to the True Stewards podcast. I'm your host, Jackson Moller, and I invite you to listen in on casual conversations with farmers, ranchers, and conservation partners to better understand how they steward roughly 1 billion acres - just shy of half the land in the Lower 48 states. I will introduce you to these innovative and hard-working people, giving you a better understanding of how your food is produced and a deeper appreciation for the other public benefits received such as clean air and water, scenic views, and the preservation of wildlife habitat. Find out more about the True Stewards podcast at TrueStewards.com.