Galen Gerrish with American Grazing Lands Services is my guest. They sell a lot of fencing material across the country and today we are going to discuss the components that they are finding success in for building Permanent Electric Fence, Portable Electric Fence, to Energizers. Things like wire, line posts, and insulators. Maybe you’ve been thinki…

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Andy Bollinger of Meadow Spring Farm in Northern Lancaster County, Pennsylvania reflects on how someone once told him that the best dairy farmers are not great at any one aspect of farming, but are good at three key areas of dairy f…

No doubt you’ve heard the phrase, “There’s an App for That”. On this program, Dave Voth with Good Grazing Makes Cents, joins us as we discuss a few of the apps that are available to us for Grazing Management. He’ll give us his review of some, and we’ll discuss others that he’s excited about as well. But the purpose for an app is to help us be effic…

Welcome Back to Wayward Stories! It’s been a long six week hiatus, but we’re back! Life has been crazy and I’ve been running like a maniac trying to keep things on track, but excuses aside it’s time for a new episode. This week we’re going to talk about some truly hidden gems…since modern travel writers don’t seem to know what the term “hidden” act…

Dr. Steve Paisley, (University of Wyoming) is back as a guest as we focus of Mid-Summer Nutrition in our cow herd. Some of you are dealing with little to no grass, while other have grass, but its quality is quickly declining. So, what are some options? Also, the market is good right now. What factors should you consider as you make strategic plans …

With the high cattle markets it easy to get lulled into a false sense of profitability. Allan Crockett is back as our guest as we are halfway through the calendar year and it’s a good time to reevaluate and be proactive for both planning for the rest of this year and future business plans. From marketing to tax Planning, to making wise decisions wi…

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! “I got told ‘no’ a lot,” Amy shares as she reflects on the years she spent getting her value-added dairy business off the ground. In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Amy Brickner of Stover Farms and Destiny Dairy Bar in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania opens up about h…

It's a market like we’ve never seen before! Clint Berry is back with us as we recap the results from the latest Superior Livestock Video Sale and talk about the tone it set as we look ahead to the summer sales and fall run. . Are we seeing any sign of herd retention? Is there the return on adding value to your calves whether it’s through various ma…

Ron Scott (Purina) is my guest as we jump into a deep discussion on Fetal Programming. We’ll explore a study done out of NDSU on heifer calves all the way from birth to a calving cow and the correlation between the nutrition, minerals, vitamins, their mommas received and their performance as 1st time mommas and their ability to re-breed. Fetal Prog…

The cost of not getting the second calf from a heifer you either bought our developed is a big hit. Karla Wilke, (University of Nebraska) joins us today as we go through several discuss points regarding getting that "elusive" second calf. While some would say “don’t baby the girl”, there could be some flaws in that theory. And what about the geneti…

Welcome Back to Wayward Stories! This week I embark upon both literal and philosophical adventures as I contemplate the importance of seizing the moments of our lives before they disappear like dust in the wind (see what I did there?). In addition to this philosophical sidetrack, we talk about some of my recent adventures as well as some of our lis…

"Everything that happens out here creates compounding cascading effects, and those effects are never neutral. They're either positive or negative"... a quote from our guest Allen William (Understanding Ag and Soil Health Academy). On this show he explains Adaptive Grazing and how it can generate positive effects on your ranch. Allen will explain wh…

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! For Mental Health Awareness Month, this episode of Cow-Side Conversations showcases how a unique friendship started years ago helps a small group of farm women located across the state balance the highs and lows of farming and family life. Katie Sattazahn and her family farm…

The gloves are off, which is usually what happens between siblings after Mom & Dad are gone if a good estate plan is not in place. Today we’re gonna take the gloves off and get gritty in a discussion with Attorney Rick Durfee (Durfee Law Group) about estate planning and the family dynamics that can often create conflict. Plus, the danger of relying…

Meteorologist Don Day joins us for the full program as we look at our extended weather forecast for the summer and fall across North America. He’ll discuss what lies ahead as a La Nina weather pattern begins to take shape. But first a discussion on modern weather forecasting and what it’ll take to have even more accurate forecasts. And, are you an …

It's more about the "unknown" than the "known" when it comes to Avian Influenza (Bird Flu). Dr. Fred Gingrich, American Association of Bovine Practitioners, is my guest today as we discussed the Influenza Type A H5N1 outbreak now being confirmed in Dairy Cattle. As a beef cattle rancher I have A LOT of questions like... Are beef cows susceptible? W…

Welcome Back to Wayward Stories! This week we explore Arkansas’…and America’s…First* National Park…Hot Springs! Listen in now to hear all about it! If you’d like to get in touch with me, just shoot an email to mywaywardstory@gmail.com -or- Head on over to www.waywardstories.com Thanks for listening!By Justin Minor

Today you get to listen in as I talked with two, totally unrelated, products in our ranching industry that I am considering using on our ranch. The first is GPS tags in livestock. Rob Paxson with 701X lays out how GPS tag technology works, how you would use it, who’s using it, who controls the data, and of course the cost. Then we’ll hear about a p…

It’s all in the Title when it comes to Cull Cattle Management… Right Way… Right Time. Trey Patterson (Padlock Ranch) and Patrick Linnell (CattleFax) join me today as we discuss the details of a guide to Cull Cattle Management called Right Way – Right Time. Our initial discussion starts with looking at practices that lead to financial losses to our …

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! Duane Stoltzfus of Pennwood Farms LLC in Somerset County, PA shares a glimpse inside their nutrition program, the feeding decisions they make for their 600-cow herd as they crop 2,000 acres, and the return on investment they’ve seen after implementing a feed watch technology…

The use of Antibiotics, Implants, and Feed Supplements... honestly it feels like the start of an awkward conversation. However, Dr. Michael Apley (KSU) unpacks these topics as we not only talk through the history of Antibiotics in our food animals, but also their purpose in today’s cattle industry… from both an animal efficiency point of view but a…

Welcome Back to Wayward Stories! This week…well, we all know what happened this week. It was the much anticipated 2024 total solar eclipse, and it scurried its way right over my head in this great state of Arkansas. This week’s episode details my adventure to find a wilderness setting in which to experience and capture it. This experience truly mov…

The USDA closed the loophole that requires IF a beef product CHOOSES to be labeled a "Product of the USA" it must be Born, Raised, Slaughtered, and Processed in the USA. Leo McDonnell is my guest as we get his take on this change. It's a topic he has been advocating for, for 25 years. And as we know Country of Origin Labeling has been a controversi…

Over 6 million head, that’s the size of the cattle herd in the state of Kansas and today Matt Perrier (Dalebanks Angus & host of Practically Ranching), 5th generation rancher from Eureka, KS, walks us through the history of the Kansas Cattle Industry. From those iconic Kansas cow towns to the expansion of the railroad, the arrival of the Black Angu…

Welcome back to Wayward Stories! A little sidetrack adventure a few weeks ago inspired an idea within me…more of a question really, at first. Why doesn’t Arkansas, with all of our glorious forestry roads and backcountry trails, have designated backcountry byways? A short fact-check indeed confirmed we have none so designated, so your ever-benevolen…

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! Too often, we hear about dairies that are exiting the industry or those without a next generation. We don’t always hear how dairy farm families are positioning their operations for the future. In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Yvette Longenecker of Penn England LLC …

Estate Planning... a topic nearly every ranch family will have to… or has dealt with. Attorney Dal Houston walks us through the various topics like: the difference between a Will and a Trust; the difference between a Revocable Trust and an Irrevocable Trust as well as discussion on Joint Tenancy, Partnerships, and LLC’s. You may have heard this top…

Welcome back to Wayward Stories! This week we continue a series we started last year and digitally explore Bend, Oregon! Join me this week as I look at the many incredible aspects of Central Oregon and discover why Bend belongs on top of everyone’s bucket list! From waterfalls to the Cascades, volcanic landscapes to backcountry byways and including…

It's the second most costly animal health issue in our industry… Lameness. And today Dr. Lacey Fahrmeier is my guest as we discuss the factors that contribute to animals coming up lame. We'll talk about nutrition, the environment and even your genetics. Also, not everything is Footrot and how improper diagnosis can have long-term effects. Plus, wha…

Welcome back to Wayward Stories! This week we wrap up a series we started about this time last year, and head back to Cali for the final installment! Join me this week as I reminisce on exploring some of the beaches and sights to see along California Highway 1 from Watsonville to Point Reyes Station. If you’d like to get in touch send me an email a…

Buying bulls in a BIG investment. Dr. Mark Johnson with Oklahoma State University Extension is back with us to bring into context some practical insight when searching for and buying bulls. It starts with defining the purpose and role that bull will be playing in shaping the desired outcome. We'll discuss how you can determine what the value of a g…

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! Managing calves can be a challenge, especially when you’re dealing with the up and down temperatures we’ve had this winter. But getting calves off to a good start can make all the difference in the future productivity of your herd. In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, …

The Estate Tax Exception amount is set to roll back from 13 million per person to 7 million at the end of 2024 and attorney Dal Houston returns as a guest to explain the details. We’ll discuss options that can be looked at should your estate be bumping into the potential for those Death Taxes… which will lead us into a great discussion on the uses …

This week we take our yearly philosophical sidetrack and explore the direction of the podcast, the outdoor sub-culture at large, and purpose in production, as it were. No new wilderness adventures this week, save perhaps the wilderness of the soul… I want to thank you all for tuning in, and encourage you to reach out if you’d like to get in touch a…

Simple Supply and Demand indicated the Ranchers are going to have leverage for the next few years. Clint Berry, Marketing Rep for Superior Livestock joins us as we work through the CattleFax projections for 2024. The US Beef Cattle herd is the smallest since 1961 and expansion of the US herd appears to be rather slow. What could be causing that? We…

Lamar Steiger returns as a guest in his role both as a rancher and a consultant to beef retailers as we discuss the value in knowing and understanding more about the end user of our product, we call Beef. We’ll also get an update on the Walmart Beef Supply Chain... and while we’re on the topic of Beef Supply Chain, let's talk vertical integration. …

How does a case in Idaho over stock water rights on public lands have a much broader implication? That’s basically the crux of our conversation today as Gage Zobell with the law firm of Dorsey & Whitney walks us through the multiple angles of this topic starting first with water and land use of our public lands. We’ll discuss how policy rather than…

Welcome back to Wayward Stories! This week we take a road trip to several different Civil War battlefields located throughout Western Arkansas, Eastern Oklahoma and Southern Missouri. They range from NPS National Historic Sites to State Parks, museums to driving tours, and each one has a potent story to tell! Join me this week and learn about a few…

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! January on the farm can be rough for everyone: you, your employees, and your herd. In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Justin Risser of Meadow Vista Dairy in northern Lancaster County shares how his team takes it one day, one decision, and one individual at a time. He…

The USDA recently launched a pilot program that will allow local or independent beef processing facilities the ability to get official USDA Grading… remotely. Lia Biondo & Patrick Robinette with the US Cattlemen’s Association join me today to talk about the details of this pilot program. How it came about, how it will function, and why they believe…

It’s Part 2 in our series on Beef on Dairy. Dr. Ty Lawrence of West Texas A&M University and director of the Beef Carcass Research Center, continues walking us through this topic. Last week he provided an overview and then we started with the Good… then into the Bad… and this week we get into the Ugly. Also, are "Beef on Dairy" animals a competitor…

Welcome back to Wayward Stories! This week we pick up where we left off when last we met. In this show we talk about the glancing blow we landed on Arizona, committing 1 day of our 5 day trip to exploring Route 66 from Albuquerque to Petrified National Forest. After that we wrap up the show discussing a day 5 that found us exploring caves in a dese…

Beef on Dairy... today is Part 1 of a two-part series looking at that segment of our cattle industry. Dr. Ty Lawrence of West Texas A&M University is one of the most recognized experts on this subject. Today we will look at the factors in the dairy industry that has dairy producers cross breeding to non-dairy genetics. Then we’ll begin to peel back…

Welcome back to Wayward Stories! Our holiday adventure is complete, and this week we’re going to talk about the adventures we found! Tales of back country drives through tunnels in dramatic box canyons, ancient cultural relics, petroglyphs, national monuments, Route 66 and the Big Chili Cartel await you in this week’s show! Tune in to hear all abou…

With the start of a new year let’s stop and think about what we want in the year ahead. While we may know what we’d like to accomplish, what we end up doing is often something different. Ranching Consultant and Coach Allan Crockett returns as a guest as we discuss what we can do to be effective in the next year. From settle goals to identifying the…

It's the final show of 2023, and the last of a three-part series where we have been counting down the top 12 shows of this past year. We started at 12. We've worked all the way down to number five and today we'll recap the top four shows of the year. We'll be talking about Windfall Profits, Kicking the Hay Habit, Not Being A Debbie Downer, and Usin…

 We continue with part two of a three-part series of shows as we are counting down the top 12 shows of 2023. Last week we started at 12 and worked down to 9. This week we'll start at the 8th ranked show and work down the list to 5th. The topics will range from the Cattle Market to addressing issues of the next generation coming back to the ranch, a…

Welcome back to Wayward Stories! This week we’re going on a road trip into the past! I recently took a couple of weekend road trips to Little Rock and Eastern Arkansas to explore Plum Bayou Archeological State Park, Hampson Archeological Museum State Park, and Parkin Archeological State Park. These three state parks represent excellent examples of …

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! “Cheese-making is kind of like farming. There are many different ways to do it well and do it right.” The holiday season is here, and can you imagine having to fill a bunch of orders from last-minute customers looking for the perfect gift? For Pennsylvania dairy farmers in t…

 Today, it's the start of a three-part series of episodes as we look back over 2023 and bring to you highlights from the top 12 shows. Today we'll start at number 12 and work down the number 9th ranked show of the past year. Plus, the Captain, Tim O'Byrne will be in for "T2Cents" and Meteorologist Don Day gives us the weather outlook for the next c…