Jesse Womack - Land Stewardship is in His Blood

Jesse Womack wears many hats, but at his core, he is a rancher. He is the fifth generation to operate his family’s ranch near Victoria, Texas, a large-scale cattle operation that uses progressive land management techniques in a very unique landscape. Jesse also works closely with Texas Christian University’s Institute of Ranch Management, traveling far and wide to teach sustainable agricultural techniques to ranchers and farmers around the world. And on top of all of that, he is also a cofounder of Explore Ranches, alongside past podcast guests Jay Klebergand Allison Ryan.

Responsible land stewardship is in Jesse’s DNA, and it is the foundation of all of his professional ventures. And as you’ll hear, he’s an open-minded, independent, and critical thinker who is able to speak eloquently on a wide array of sometimes-controversial issues surrounding agriculture. When you combine those traits with his rock-solid work ethic and focus, you will understand why he has been able to establish himself as such a leader in agriculture, both in Texas and abroad. Whether you're deeply involved in agriculture or you’ve never set foot on a ranch, you’ll glean a great deal of value from Jesse’s perspective—his knowledge, passion, and worldly perspective are applicable for any type of endeavor.

Jesse and I went to high school together, and even after knowing him for more than 25 years, I still learned a lot from this conversation. We talk about his work with TCU, and he shares some success stories from his time teaching in Panama, Ghana, Nigeria, and Brazil. He explains the importance of community buy-in and how focusing on commonalities and shared goals can help overcome cultural divides. We talk about his family’s history in Texas, and how he is raising his two sons to love and respect the outdoors. Jesse give a few updates on Explore Ranches, and talks about some exciting events they will be hosting soon. We also chat about his involvement with the Texas Agricultural Land Trust, and how conservation easements can be a useful tool for ranchers in Texas and beyond. And as usual, we discuss favorite books and movies, and Jesse shares the best piece of advice he’s ever received, which I especially appreciated.

Thanks so much for listening, and I hope you enjoy this conversation with Jesse Womack!

Episode Notes: http://mountainandprairie.com/jesse-womack/

https://www.exploreranches.com

TOPICS DISCUSSED

• 3:30 - Funny story about Jesse’s son
• 5:00 - How Jesse describes his work
• 6:30 - TCU Institute of Ranch Management explained
• 8:30 - Experience in Brazil
• 10:00 - Countries where Jesse works
• 12:45 - Adjusting to different landscapes and cultures
• 14:00 - Success stories from TCU
• 17:45 - Importance of community buy-in
• 20:15 - Challenges of ranching in Brazil
• 23:30 - Misconceptions of ranching by environmentalists
• 30:30 - The need to be open-minded and consider other viewpoints
• 34:30 - Climate change and ranching
• 38:00 - Jesse’s family history in Texas
• 41:30 - Jesse’s family’s commitment to conservation
• 44:30 - Pressure of multigenerational ranch ownership
• 46:00 - Jesse’s career
• 47:30 - Surprises of running a ranch
• 49:00 - Texas Agricultural Land Trust
• 52:30 - Easements as a tool for agricultural
• 55:30 - Updates on Explore Ranches
• 57:30 - Mentors and heroes in ranching
• 59:30 - Our shared experience at Woodberry Forest School
• 1:02:00 - Lessons learned at Woodberry
• 1:05:30 - Favorite books
• 1:08:15 - Favorite films
• 1:08:45 - Hobbies
• 1:09:30 - Most powerful outdoor experience
• 1:14:15 - Favorite location in the West
• 1:14:45 - Best advice ever received
• 1:16:45 - Connect with Jesse online