Grazing Grass Podcast sharing Regenerative Ag Stories

In this episode, Cal talks with Eli Mack of Mack Farms.  Eli grazes a variety of livestock and poultry while he builds his holistic management knowledge. Book(s)/Resource(s)Holistic Management by Allan SavoryStockman Grass Farmer magazine Dirt to Soil by Gabe BrownKick the Hay Habit by Jim GerrishLinksMack Farms on Instagram Follow us on social media!Website: https://grazinggrass.com/Facebook: Grazing Grass PodcastInstagram: @grazinggrassTwitter: @grazing_grassAffiliate links:Riverside - Create professional-quality podcast episodes with ease using Riverside's seamless recording and editing tools.Podium - Unlock your podcast's potential with Podium, the AI copywriter for show notes, articles, social posts, and more!

In this episode, we interview Bill Fosher of Edgefield Farm. Bill has over 30 years of experience grazing sheep and shares about his operation. You can find out more about Edgefield Farm at https://edgefieldsheep.com and http://www.nhacd.net.  Bill encourages us to visit https://onpasture.com.  He finds it a very valuable resource.  Follow us on social media!Website: https://grazinggrass.com/Facebook: Grazing Grass PodcastInstagram: @grazinggrassTwitter: @grazing_grassAffiliate links:Riverside - Create professional-quality podcast episodes with ease using Riverside's seamless recording and editing tools.Podium - Unlock your podcast's potential with Podium, the AI copywriter for show notes, articles, social posts, and more!

Ben Hepler of Hepler Beef describes his commercial beef operation and Red Poll operation.  We discuss electric fence equipment, watering, and breeds of cattle.You can find out more about Hepler Beef at https://www.facebook.com/Hepler-Beef-1746380145653321. Follow us on social media!Website: https://grazinggrass.com/Facebook: Grazing Grass PodcastInstagram: @grazinggrassTwitter: @grazing_grassAffiliate links:Riverside - Create professional-quality podcast episodes with ease using Riverside's seamless recording and editing tools.Podium - Unlock your podcast's potential with Podium, the AI copywriter for show notes, articles, social posts, and more!

Jonathan Kilpatrick manages Bent Tree Farms—a 780-acre, multi-species, grass-based operation producing beef, lamb, and pastured poultry. In this episode, Jonathan shares what he’s learned managing a complex, regenerative system in the challenging rainfall patterns of southeastern Oklahoma. We dig into forages, stockpiling strategies, multi-species management, finishing beef on grass, and the practical realities of running a farm largely solo.You’ll hear how Jonathan has shifted from drilling annuals to managing a rich perennial polyculture, why he now treats clover like a key ally, the challenges and rewards of keeping cattle and sheep together, and the detailed strategies he uses to stretch stockpile through winter while minimizing hay.If you want real-world insight from someone doing the work day in and day out—this is a great conversation.Topics CoveredOperation overview and forages on Bent Tree FarmsMoving away from drilled annuals toward perennial managementWhy 2024 was the “Clover Year”Hay feeding strategies (rolling vs rings)Stockpiling fescue and stretching winter forageUsing leader-follower and daily moves for finishing beefRunning sheep and cattle together (and why the guardian dogs complicate it)Managing fencing for multi-species grazingLambing management and annual cycleGrazing for energy vs grazing for landscapingJonathan’s lessons on performance, residuals, and leaving more behindWhy You Should ListenJonathan brings a practical, grounded, and honest view into what it takes to manage a regenerative grazing operation in real life—not theory. His reflections on animal performance, forage diversity, stockpile strategies, and multi-species grazing offer tools you can use today. Grass finishers, sheep producers, and anyone thinking about expanding their grazing toolbox will take away something valuable.Resources MentionedKick the Hay Habit — Jim GerrishBent Tree Farms — https://benttreefarmsok.comBent Tree Farms on Instagram & Facebook (benttreefarmsok) Follow us on social media!Website: https://grazinggrass.com/Facebook: Grazing Grass PodcastInstagram: @grazinggrassTwitter: @grazing_grassAffiliate links:Riverside - Create professional-quality podcast episodes with ease using Riverside's seamless recording and editing tools.Podium - Unlock your podcast's potential with Podium, the AI copywriter for show notes, articles, social posts, and more!

In this very first episode of the Grazing Grass Podcast, host Cal Hardage shares the story behind the show, his background in farming, and the vision for building a community of graziers who want to maximize forage production through better management. Cal reflects on his upbringing on a dairy and beef operation, his lifelong learning in the world of grass farming, and his current practices on 240 acres in Oklahoma raising cattle, sheep, and goats using regenerative rotational grazing.Listeners will learn why Cal created the podcast, what to expect from future episodes, and how to connect with others through the Grazing Grass Community. He also answers the original version of the Famous Four questions, sharing his favorite grazing books, top tools on the farm, and where listeners can learn more about his work.Topics CoveredWhy Cal launched the Grazing Grass PodcastThe need for a dedicated grass-farming focused podcastCal’s background—from dairy to beef to sheep & goatsThe evolution of his grazing practicesCurrent rotational grazing approach across 240 acresForage species on his farm (Bermuda, fescue, clover mixes, lespedeza, Johnson grass)Fence setups and rotational challengesUsing technology, electric fence, and daily vs weekly movesPerformance impacts of weekly movesThe origin of the Famous Four questionsCal’s favorite books, tools, and community resourcesWhy You Should Listen This episode sets the tone for everything the Grazing Grass Podcast is about: practical grazing knowledge, farmer-to-farmer learning, and real-world insights from someone working to improve forage and livestock production. It’s an honest, down-to-earth introduction that helps listeners connect with Cal’s story and the mission behind the podcast.Resources MentionedNo-Risk Ranching by Greg JudyComeback Farms by Greg JudyThe Stockman Grass FarmerHedge Apple Acres — https://hedgeappleacres.comGrazing Grass Community — https://grazinggrass.comNeed genetics that perform on forage?Take a look at Grass Based Genetics—a directory of livestock bred to thrive on grass.Helpful Grazing Grass Links: • Website (Episodes, Resources & More) • Join the Grazing Grass Community on FacebookOriginal music by Louis Palfrey. Follow us on social media!Website: https://grazinggrass.com/Facebook: Grazing Grass PodcastInstagram: @grazinggrassTwitter: @grazing_grassAffiliate links:Riverside - Create professional-quality podcast episodes with ease using Riverside's seamless recording and editing tools.Podium - Unlock your podcast's potential with Podium, the AI copywriter for show notes, articles, social posts, and more!