Join us as we welcome Eileen Napier of Ramstead Ranch, who shares her remarkable journey from humble beginnings on a two-acre property in Washington to establishing a thriving 240-acre regenerative livestock operation. Eileen and her partners, Stan Hayes and Jean Hayes, embarked on this adventure with no agricultural background, initially raising poultry and vegetables for personal use. Today, Ramstead Ranch is renowned for its grass-finished beef and pasture-finished pigs, directly marketing their high-quality meats. Eileen reflects on the expansion of their ranch, highlighting their ventures into raising sheep for fiber arts and navigating the challenges and learning curves that came with managing a diverse livestock operation.
Listen in as we explore the intricacies of running a diversified livestock business, focusing on the strategic planning and adaptability required to scale from a small homestead to a business-oriented farm. We discuss their choice of specific livestock species, such as Romney sheep for their resilience and turkeys for environmental suitability, and the balance between personal interest and business needs. Eileen also shares valuable insights into the challenges and rewards of maintaining consistency in product quality and the importance of low-stress environments for their animals.
Discover the marketing strategies that have been instrumental in Ramstead Ranch's success, including the importance of engaging with customers through virtual farm tours and maintaining relationships beyond the seasonal farmers markets. Eileen discusses their transition to a simplified model by partnering with like-minded producers and the strategic focus required to balance marketing efforts with farm operations. Additionally, learn about the significance of creating a collaborative team environment and nurturing a regenerative mindset, underscoring the importance of curiosity and critical evaluation of farming practices to tailor them to specific local conditions.
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
Ramstead Ranch
Visit our Sponsors:
Noble Research Institute
Redmond
Kencove Farm Fence
NOTE This file was generated by Descript
00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Welcome to the Grazing Grass Podcast, episode 139.
00:00:04 --> 00:00:06 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: keep asking why.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 Just keep asking why.
00:00:09 --> 00:00:10 There's, there's a lot of it.
00:00:10 --> 00:00:12 There's so much advice
00:00:12 --> 00:00:15 Cal: You're listening to the grazing grass, podcast, sharing
00:00:15 --> 00:00:19 information and stories of grass-based livestock production
00:00:19 --> 00:00:21 utilizing regenerative practices.
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 I'm your host, Cal Hardage.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 You're growing more than grass.
00:00:28 --> 00:00:31 You're growing a healthier ecosystem to help your cattle
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 thrive in their environment.
00:00:33 --> 00:00:38 You're growing your livelihood by increasing your carrying capacity
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 and reducing your operating costs.
00:00:41 --> 00:00:46 You're growing stronger communities and a legacy to last generations.
00:00:47 --> 00:00:50 The grazing management decisions you make today.
00:00:50 --> 00:00:56 impact everything from the soil beneath your feet to the community all around you.
00:00:56 --> 00:01:01 That's why the Noble Research Institute created their Essentials
00:01:01 --> 00:01:06 of Regenerative Grazing course to teach ranchers like you easy to follow
00:01:06 --> 00:01:13 techniques to quickly assess your forage production and infrastructure capacity.
00:01:13 --> 00:01:17 In order to begin grazing more efficiently.
00:01:17 --> 00:01:21 Together, they can help you grow not only a healthier operation,
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 but a legacy that lasts.
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 Learn more on their website at noble.
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 org slash grazing.
00:01:30 --> 00:01:37 It's n o b l e dot org forward slash grazing.
00:01:37 --> 00:01:42 This week's Grazing Grass farmer of the week is Eileen Napier of
00:01:42 --> 00:01:45 Ramstead Ranch in Washington.
00:01:46 --> 00:01:49 We talk about their journey of going from two acres.
00:01:50 --> 00:01:51 To what they have now going on.
00:01:52 --> 00:01:56 Starting at two acres, some of us may think, Hey, that's a limitation.
00:01:56 --> 00:02:01 Eileen found some ways for them to get started with poultry on small acreage.
00:02:01 --> 00:02:02 Then they included sheep.
00:02:03 --> 00:02:07 And now on their current ranch, they have sheep, pigs, and cattle.
00:02:07 --> 00:02:11 And then they work with some local farmers for the poultry side of it.
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 Very interesting episode to follow their journey.
00:02:15 --> 00:02:19 For the overgrazing section, we talk about team management because
00:02:19 --> 00:02:24 no longer is it just the founders working on the farm or ranch.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 It is a team of employees.
00:02:26 --> 00:02:27 They have to manage them.
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 We talk about how they manage them.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 For 10 seconds about my farm.
00:02:31 --> 00:02:34 I have a black Spanish buck for sale feed one's interest.
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 It's shoot me an email cal@grazinggrass.com.
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 I'm located in Northeast, Oklahoma.
00:02:42 --> 00:02:43 So I've had him.
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 Used him last year, I was planning on using him this year.
00:02:47 --> 00:02:52 However he has recently figured out how to get out of my fence.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:54 And he is doing that.
00:02:54 --> 00:02:59 He, he was doing it nightly, not a big deal.
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 He was staying right here on the farm.
00:03:02 --> 00:03:07 And I thought, well, he's going to earn himself a vacation from the farm.
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 Because I don't have time to put him back in.
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 However he is not gone on his vacation yet.
00:03:15 --> 00:03:18 And my neighbor called after dark other night that.
00:03:19 --> 00:03:25 He was the, my buck was about a half mile from the house.
00:03:26 --> 00:03:32 And I didn't go get him that day because trying to to drive a black
00:03:32 --> 00:03:35 buck in the dark is quite difficult.
00:03:36 --> 00:03:40 I was able to locate him a following morning and drive him home.
00:03:40 --> 00:03:45 I have him in and I've went and I weaned my buck kids.
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 So now that they are with him, so he's got some company, a stay put.
00:03:49 --> 00:03:53 But, um, I, I prefer animals stay in their pastures.
00:03:54 --> 00:03:55 He is a very good buck.
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 If you have different fencing than I do.
00:03:57 --> 00:03:58 He might work for you.
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 For 10 seconds about the podcast.
00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 For grazing grass insiders, we have our first monthly
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 zoom next Tuesday at 7:00 PM.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 We're going to talk about types of grazing and what kind of
00:04:10 --> 00:04:11 grazing and you should be doing.
00:04:13 --> 00:04:17 And also for grazing grass insiders, today's episode has a bonus segment and
00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 it's about fiber production and use.
00:04:20 --> 00:04:21 Very interesting.
00:04:21 --> 00:04:25 I find that fascinating, not something I'll probably ever do,
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 but I do find it really fascinating.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:29 Anyway.
00:04:30 --> 00:04:31 It's a wonderful episode today.
00:04:31 --> 00:04:34 And let's go ahead and talk to Eileen.
00:04:35 --> 00:04:36 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Eileen, we want to welcome you
00:04:36 --> 00:04:37 to the Grazing Grass Podcast.
00:04:37 --> 00:04:38 We're excited you're here
00:04:38 --> 00:04:39 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
00:04:39 --> 00:04:40 Thanks for having me.
00:04:40 --> 00:04:41 I'm really happy to be here.
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Eileen, to get started, can you tell us a little
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 bit about yourself and your operation?
00:04:47 --> 00:04:50 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah I am a co founder of Ramstead Ranch.
00:04:50 --> 00:04:54 Stan Hayes and Gene Hayes are also my partners and co founders.
00:04:55 --> 00:05:00 And we started our ranch I mean, it was a journey that started back in 2006.
00:05:01 --> 00:05:06 On a two acre piece of property that was basically mixed residential area
00:05:06 --> 00:05:10 where we had animal rights where we were able to raise, you know, chickens
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 or have horses and that sort of thing.
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 But our neighbors didn't and they had manicured lawns.
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 And so did we to begin with.
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 And we decided, hey, we want to start, raising our own proteins.
00:05:20 --> 00:05:25 We're already doing garden boxes and, you know, keen on having clean vegetables.
00:05:25 --> 00:05:28 And we made a go of it with meat chickens to begin with.
00:05:28 --> 00:05:32 And it wasn't too long after that we were doing turkeys and then some sheep,
00:05:32 --> 00:05:33 and then it just grew from there.
00:05:33 --> 00:05:39 And we've transitioned now onto what today is a 240 acre ranch.
00:05:39 --> 00:05:45 That is you know, full blown regenerative grazing and we're grass finishing
00:05:45 --> 00:05:50 beef and pasture finishing pigs in the northeast corner of Washington state.
00:05:50 --> 00:05:54 And we do direct market sales with all of our meats as well.
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 So that's kind of where we've been and where we are today.
00:05:58 --> 00:05:59 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, very good.
00:05:59 --> 00:06:00 A lot going on
00:06:00 --> 00:06:01 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yes, yep,
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Now, when you all started, you mentioned
00:06:04 --> 00:06:05 some garden boxes and stuff.
00:06:05 --> 00:06:08 Were you all selling veggies at that time?
00:06:08 --> 00:06:09 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: no, it was it
00:06:09 --> 00:06:13 all started yeah, it all started with we want to know where our food
00:06:13 --> 00:06:16 is coming from and of course garden vegetables are amazing and and
00:06:16 --> 00:06:17 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, yes,
00:06:17 --> 00:06:17 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: and
00:06:17 --> 00:06:22 it's fun and you know we we kind of had the bent to be homesteaders and
00:06:22 --> 00:06:27 just back to the land and learn how to do it ourselves and Not only the,
00:06:27 --> 00:06:30 the growing and the raising, but there was also an interest in sheep.
00:06:30 --> 00:06:35 So, so sheep that grew wool for fiber arts and hand spinning and that sort of thing.
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 So we just really wanted to try it all out.
00:06:40 --> 00:06:41 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Did you when you were growing up?
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 Did you imagine this to be your life?
00:06:44 --> 00:06:44 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Oh, not at all.
00:06:44 --> 00:06:48 So personally, none of us come from agriculture.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:52 The three of us individually have come from various backgrounds and
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54 none of us were born into agriculture.
00:06:54 --> 00:06:56 We had, we had some exposure.
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 I I rode horses when I was young,
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 but and I loved pets.
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 I had a rabbit and I had dogs and I love being outdoors.
00:07:02 --> 00:07:06 It was, it's really more of an interest in being outdoors and
00:07:06 --> 00:07:11 being in touch with nature and then learning in our adult lives.
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 The reality of what the you know, the food system in America
00:07:15 --> 00:07:16 is sort of typically based
00:07:16 --> 00:07:21 on and seeing what that does to our health over time and going, Hey, we
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 can be empowered to do it differently.
00:07:23 --> 00:07:27 So I was exposed to permaculture when I was in college.
00:07:27 --> 00:07:27 I
00:07:28 --> 00:07:33 and, and and the, and I went to Colorado state and there was a student run
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 vegetable garden a sustainability group.
00:07:35 --> 00:07:38 And so I participated in activities with them and learned
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 a lot that way, but it was.
00:07:40 --> 00:07:43 Farming and ranching and agriculture was really still a pipe dream.
00:07:43 --> 00:07:47 It was like, you know, nobody, you know, you can't really get into this
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 unless you were born into it or unless
00:07:49 --> 00:07:50 you grew up doing it.
00:07:50 --> 00:07:57 And it wasn't until we I would say, yeah, so 2006, we were watching
00:07:57 --> 00:08:00 a reading Omnivore's Dilemma and,
00:08:00 --> 00:08:01 you know, and right.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:05 And then got introduced to Joel Salatin and his methods.
00:08:05 --> 00:08:08 And he's obviously all about, you can farm.
00:08:08 --> 00:08:08 And
00:08:09 --> 00:08:09 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, yes.
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 so it was like whoa that kind of blew the doors off and it's like
00:08:12 --> 00:08:16 hey, yeah We let's let's try this like, you know, there is a way.
00:08:18 --> 00:08:21 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Last week's episode started the same way.
00:08:21 --> 00:08:22 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Mm hmm.
00:08:22 --> 00:08:25 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: the gentleman was introduced to the omnivores dilemma
00:08:25 --> 00:08:29 and that started his whole journey.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Oh, yeah, it was it was completely pivotal
00:08:34 --> 00:08:35 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: So you started with your garden,
00:08:36 --> 00:08:42 but then on two acres in a housing addition, basically.
00:08:42 --> 00:08:43 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Well, it was mixed.
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 Yeah mixed mixed residential so, I
00:08:45 --> 00:08:48 mean, you know we had there were there was trees and there was planters around
00:08:48 --> 00:08:54 the house that had concrete curbing and There was grass that you know, we were
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 we were laboring to mow and it's like
00:08:56 --> 00:08:56 we plowed it.
00:08:56 --> 00:09:01 We literally plowed up the front yard and planted pasture grass and started
00:09:01 --> 00:09:05 raising chickens and, you know, we did the, our version of the chicken tractor
00:09:05 --> 00:09:08 and the egg mobile on a small scale.
00:09:08 --> 00:09:11 Yeah, there was, there was a little, there was a plot of trees
00:09:11 --> 00:09:12 that kind of needed to be thinned.
00:09:12 --> 00:09:16 And so we got in there and cleared out the overgrowth and that became the
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 turkey shelter so that they could get
00:09:18 --> 00:09:19 out of the water.
00:09:19 --> 00:09:20 And yeah, it was, it was great.
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 It was really like an urban adventure.
00:09:23 --> 00:09:24 Suburban,
00:09:24 --> 00:09:25 suburban adventure.
00:09:26 --> 00:09:26 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: right.
00:09:26 --> 00:09:30 And the thing that jumps out at me at first, you didn't
00:09:30 --> 00:09:31 have a HOA, I'm thinking.
00:09:32 --> 00:09:33 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Right.
00:09:33 --> 00:09:33 No,
00:09:34 --> 00:09:35 no, no, that's true.
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 No, but we, I mean, no, we didn't.
00:09:37 --> 00:09:40 And, and we had animal rights, but we had to
00:09:40 --> 00:09:42 defend those animal rights, you know, like there's
00:09:42 --> 00:09:48 a lot of, there's, you know, there's the trend is to try to remove that
00:09:48 --> 00:09:52 sort of thing and try to say, try to dictate to people that, no, this is,
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 you know, we're moving away from that.
00:09:53 --> 00:09:56 But it was like, Hey, these, these were animal rights.
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 We, you know, we, you have it in print that this is,
00:09:58 --> 00:09:59 this is.
00:09:59 --> 00:10:05 What we're zoned for and so we stuck to them and and yeah and made a go of it
00:10:05 --> 00:10:08 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: And then even, even if you have those animal
00:10:08 --> 00:10:11 rights, a lot of people want to come in and dictate how you do it.
00:10:11 --> 00:10:12 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: How you do it or
00:10:13 --> 00:10:13 yeah.
00:10:13 --> 00:10:17 or or complain and say you're not you know, you're causing problems and it's
00:10:18 --> 00:10:24 You know, we, we had an amazing, robust pasture in the, in the back area, and
00:10:25 --> 00:10:28 we had neighbors whose gardens weren't doing well, and they were trying to blame
00:10:28 --> 00:10:29 things on us, and it's like, that's,
00:10:30 --> 00:10:33 how is it possible that the corn on our side of the fence is like going
00:10:33 --> 00:10:38 gangbusters, and, and, and our animal activity is somehow impacting your
00:10:38 --> 00:10:40 strawberries, that sort of thing.
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: right.
00:10:41 --> 00:10:41 Yes.
00:10:41 --> 00:10:42 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah,
00:10:42 --> 00:10:43 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Maybe
00:10:43 --> 00:10:44 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: you gotta, you gotta, you gotta
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 learn how to get along and,
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 and, you know, and harmonize.
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 Yeah.
00:10:50 --> 00:10:53 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: when you started you, I think you mentioned you started
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 with pasture poultry or chickens first,
00:10:56 --> 00:11:01 and that was because you were because the omnivore dilemma and Joel
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 Salatin and way he was doing stuff.
00:11:03 --> 00:11:04 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yes.
00:11:04 --> 00:11:08 And it was really the I mean, we knew that we didn't know that much
00:11:09 --> 00:11:12 and that we were going to try this out and ultimately it's very easy
00:11:12 --> 00:11:14 to get out of the chicken business.
00:11:14 --> 00:11:14 You
00:11:14 --> 00:11:19 know, you, you know, it's, it's it's a low barrier to entry and it's easy to
00:11:19 --> 00:11:20 say, you know what, this isn't for me.
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 It was a nice, we gave it a try.
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 We don't love it.
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 We're done.
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 So, that's why we started with chickens.
00:11:26 --> 00:11:29 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: What did you, what was the biggest surprise for you?
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: How delicious homemade, home
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 raised, pasture raised chicken is.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: It's just like the difference between garden
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 vegetables versus store vegetables.
00:11:40 --> 00:11:43 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: yeah, and, and, and maybe even more so.
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 Yeah, you're, you're
00:11:44 --> 00:11:44 absolutely right.
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 It's like, this is
00:11:45 --> 00:11:49 like the, it's, this is what wholesome that tastes like.
00:11:49 --> 00:11:52 This is what, and, and you hear the stories, it's, it's really true.
00:11:52 --> 00:11:56 And that this is what meat used to taste like, and this
00:11:56 --> 00:12:00 is, it's got texture and it holds up when you cook it and you know, it's
00:12:00 --> 00:12:03 just, it's just robust and it's hearty.
00:12:03 --> 00:12:04 And nourishing.
00:12:05 --> 00:12:05 So that
00:12:05 --> 00:12:09 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Just on a tangent on that Eileen, I grew up
00:12:09 --> 00:12:11 on a dairy, so we drank raw milk
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Oh
00:12:12 --> 00:12:12 yeah, right.
00:12:13 --> 00:12:13 Yeah.
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: up on it.
00:12:14 --> 00:12:19 It wasn't until I went to college that I started having to drink store bought milk.
00:12:20 --> 00:12:23 And, and I went, and I have a degree in animal science, so I went through
00:12:23 --> 00:12:27 some fluid milk processing classes and stuff, and people would tell me there's
00:12:27 --> 00:12:29 no taste difference between them.
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 I'm like, oh yeah, there is.
00:12:31 --> 00:12:31 You,
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Then You, have, then you don't know.
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Yeah, there is.
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 Yeah, oh
00:12:36 --> 00:12:36 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: yeah.
00:12:36 --> 00:12:41 And it's interesting too, because when you do it for yourself and you, you
00:12:41 --> 00:12:44 know, you, you sort of, we entered it and I think most people enter it out
00:12:44 --> 00:12:49 of a passion for, you know, And so there's, you know, you kind of have to
00:12:49 --> 00:12:52 question like, am I just kidding myself?
00:12:52 --> 00:12:55 Like, am I just, do I just want it to be different because
00:12:55 --> 00:12:57 I've got so much invested?
00:12:57 --> 00:13:01 Not, not just in my time and, and, and, you know, the, now our front yard is
00:13:01 --> 00:13:04 full of chickens, but You know, passion.
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 Am I just kidding myself?
00:13:05 --> 00:13:08 But then, you turn around and you start to sell products.
00:13:08 --> 00:13:12 And you get people, like we, we lived, we were in a community,
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 we were in Lewiston, Idaho.
00:13:13 --> 00:13:16 And so there's plenty of agriculture around there.
00:13:16 --> 00:13:19 Folks who, folks who are not far removed from the land.
00:13:19 --> 00:13:24 And I mean ladies who are like, They'd buy a chicken, they'd go home, they'd
00:13:24 --> 00:13:27 come back to the farmer's market the next week and go, I haven't tasted a chicken
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 like this since I was a little girl.
00:13:29 --> 00:13:29 And like,
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 they remember.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:33 And it's go, it's like, okay, well, I'm not pulling the wool over her eyes.
00:13:34 --> 00:13:34 And
00:13:34 --> 00:13:36 I'm not convincing her of anything.
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38 And she's coming back and saying, I remember chicken like
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 this when I was a little kid.
00:13:40 --> 00:13:43 So it's, it's nice to get that kind of validation that
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 it is, it truly is different.
00:13:45 --> 00:13:47 It's not just because I want it to be different.
00:13:47 --> 00:13:47 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, yeah.
00:13:49 --> 00:13:54 When, when you all got started with poultry low entry barrier, low barrier to
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Low barrier to entry
00:13:56 --> 00:13:56 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Yeah.
00:13:56 --> 00:14:01 Did you also find, did you find the market there and readily available?
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: to sell.
00:14:03 --> 00:14:03 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Yes.
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Well, I would say yes.
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 But that's, that's twofold.
00:14:07 --> 00:14:11 I would say initially we also weren't you know, we weren't charging enough.
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 Like you, you kind of
00:14:12 --> 00:14:16 start out and go, Oh, I don't, these are my neighbors, you know, but no people
00:14:16 --> 00:14:21 like we, we did you know, a self serve, you know, Refrigerator for our eggs.
00:14:21 --> 00:14:24 And so it was just, you know, honor system, come get your eggs
00:14:24 --> 00:14:26 and, and drop your money off.
00:14:26 --> 00:14:29 And we had to limit who we told because it, we could, we'd easily
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 be stripped out.
00:14:31 --> 00:14:34 And then the same thing with the chickens, you know, it was like, you get, you
00:14:34 --> 00:14:39 get the word out to a few people and, and folks who know, and kind of, they,
00:14:39 --> 00:14:43 there's kind of a community built around it, especially when it comes to finding
00:14:43 --> 00:14:46 people who maybe have food sensitivities.
00:14:47 --> 00:14:50 You know, they're, they're, they're struggling to find food
00:14:50 --> 00:14:53 that doesn't set their system off and, and it's work, right?
00:14:53 --> 00:14:56 Cause it's, you can't just go to the store and buy stuff.
00:14:56 --> 00:15:01 So there tends to be support networks or networks around that sort of thing.
00:15:01 --> 00:15:06 And so it was pretty quick that we were, we'd meet one person and
00:15:06 --> 00:15:08 we would kind of get introduced to friends, their friends and things
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, yeah.
00:15:11 --> 00:15:14 How long did you all stay at that two acres producing?
00:15:15 --> 00:15:15 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: I
00:15:15 --> 00:15:15 think we were,
00:15:16 --> 00:15:18 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: maybe a better, sorry Eileen, maybe a better
00:15:18 --> 00:15:21 question is, how did you expand for
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: yeah, it's a great question.
00:15:22 --> 00:15:27 So we were, I would say we were there for two and a half to three years before
00:15:27 --> 00:15:31 I would say three years before we were really like ready to launch and, and
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, yeah.
00:15:32 --> 00:15:35 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: but It wasn't a matter of like, it was,
00:15:35 --> 00:15:39 it was a matter of, we were looking for land before that, and we were destined
00:15:39 --> 00:15:44 to be, to have a property and at least, and at least do the homestead experience
00:15:44 --> 00:15:47 on a larger scale, regardless of whether it was going to be a business or not.
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 And so
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 that was kind of in the works.
00:15:50 --> 00:15:53 So it wasn't so much that, all right, we're going to, we're going to build
00:15:53 --> 00:15:56 this small business and the business is going to be the thing that launches
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 us onto a new piece of property.
00:15:57 --> 00:16:01 That's not a realistic expectation, nor is that how it happened.
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 It was, it was really a planned, like.
00:16:03 --> 00:16:06 You know, this is in part retirement, in part long, long
00:16:06 --> 00:16:08 term goals and things like that.
00:16:08 --> 00:16:14 So, but it was, but it was, you know, it was two years before of, of
00:16:14 --> 00:16:19 experience that said, Hey, we can, we can do this on a, on a larger scale.
00:16:19 --> 00:16:23 Like, like, this is something that we're, you know, it's a good fit.
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 We're able to do the, you know,
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 the processing and the butchering ourselves.
00:16:26 --> 00:16:30 No one's getting scared off of that or turned away and turned off by it.
00:16:30 --> 00:16:33 And let's, let's take it to, let's bring the, the small
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 operation to the next chapter.
00:16:36 --> 00:16:39 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: When you were still there on the small acreage and you'd
00:16:39 --> 00:16:42 started the poultry and you'd mentioned you added turkeys and stuff.
00:16:43 --> 00:16:46 Did you add turkeys at that time while you were still in the two acres?
00:16:46 --> 00:16:46 Did
00:16:46 --> 00:16:48 you expand beyond chickens at that time?
00:16:49 --> 00:16:49 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: At that time.
00:16:49 --> 00:16:49 Yeah.
00:16:49 --> 00:16:54 So we, on that piece of property, I want to say at the height we did I think we
00:16:54 --> 00:16:57 did about 300 chicken, meat chickens.
00:16:58 --> 00:17:02 We would have had two, I think we had about a hundred layers, less
00:17:02 --> 00:17:04 than a 75 to a hundred layers.
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 Our first.
00:17:06 --> 00:17:14 Batch of turkeys there were 40 and then we had five Five lambs as well.
00:17:14 --> 00:17:20 So yeah, so we brought them on as as young ones five lambs And I guess and then and
00:17:20 --> 00:17:24 then we and then we had I know remember we had our first lambing season there So they
00:17:24 --> 00:17:29 came they went they went a year and were bred because we didn't, we didn't breed
00:17:29 --> 00:17:34 them as lambs and they, they produced lambs there that first year and, and in
00:17:34 --> 00:17:40 their first year and we, we definitely transitioned that, that flock of five ewes
00:17:40 --> 00:17:42 and their lambs onto the new property.
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, yes.
00:17:44 --> 00:17:44 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: this is good.
00:17:44 --> 00:17:48 This is making me remember like back the, the timeline and how, how it happened.
00:17:48 --> 00:17:50 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: well, it just shows that that if you're
00:17:50 --> 00:17:55 dedicated and you're like, I'm going to do this two acres is enough to do
00:17:55 --> 00:17:57 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Oh, a lot.
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 Absolutely.
00:17:58 --> 00:17:58 Absolutely.
00:17:59 --> 00:17:59 Yeah,
00:18:00 --> 00:18:00 I
00:18:00 --> 00:18:03 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: As long as it and I think I hear this a lot of
00:18:03 --> 00:18:06 times people get small acreage and they're immediately want to get.
00:18:07 --> 00:18:11 large ruminants, cattle and stuff, but really starting with smaller
00:18:11 --> 00:18:16 poultry with your small ruminants that gives you the, the ability to
00:18:16 --> 00:18:18 actually be more than just one animal
00:18:19 --> 00:18:19 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: yes,
00:18:19 --> 00:18:21 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: getting something in motion.
00:18:21 --> 00:18:21 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: right.
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 Absolutely.
00:18:22 --> 00:18:25 And, and, and the, and the species diversity too, like
00:18:25 --> 00:18:32 with, with you got your chickens and your, and your sheep are a great small acreage
00:18:32 --> 00:18:32 animal.
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 I mean, they really are.
00:18:34 --> 00:18:37 And especially with, with the fertilizer and that sort of thing.
00:18:37 --> 00:18:40 And especially if you've got weeds, I mean, how many people are moving on to
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 a property that needs rehabilitated?
00:18:43 --> 00:18:46 In our area of the country, there's knapweed and sheep are
00:18:46 --> 00:18:46 just.
00:18:47 --> 00:18:52 Oh they're just great for eradicating it and turning over pasture into just
00:18:52 --> 00:18:56 revitalizing, you know, what's there and the seed, the seed bank that's, you
00:18:56 --> 00:18:59 know, already baked in the, in the soil.
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 Yeah,
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: I'm going to make an assumption, Eileen.
00:19:02 --> 00:19:05 I assume those first sheep you got were wool
00:19:05 --> 00:19:05 sheep
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: yeah, yeah, and they were,
00:19:07 --> 00:19:09 they were Romney sheep, and we
00:19:09 --> 00:19:11 still, we still have Romney sheep.
00:19:11 --> 00:19:14 We adore them and their fiber is wonderful.
00:19:14 --> 00:19:18 And it's great for hand spinners, but they're also a really docile breed.
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20 They're really, they're really cute.
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 And they're very hardy.
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 So they're dual purpose.
00:19:23 --> 00:19:27 So they they're, they're hardy for, for the weather, but they're
00:19:27 --> 00:19:30 also hardy because their hooves are very resistant to hoof rot.
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 So if
00:19:31 --> 00:19:35 you're in a wet area, you know, they, they're Romney because they're, they
00:19:35 --> 00:19:38 originated in the Romney Marsh of England where it was wet and boggy.
00:19:38 --> 00:19:38 And
00:19:38 --> 00:19:41 so they were adapted to that wet environment.
00:19:41 --> 00:19:47 And so the foot rot doesn't plague them as it, as much as it can in other breeds.
00:19:47 --> 00:19:49 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, yeah, that's good to know.
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 I didn't realize that
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 about Romney.
00:19:51 --> 00:19:54 To be honest, I'm not super familiar with wool breeds
00:19:54 --> 00:19:57 outside of what gets shown at the county fair.
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 I see them around.
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Well, the other cool thing about
00:20:00 --> 00:20:05 sheep is that, you know, they've been domesticated for so dang long and so
00:20:05 --> 00:20:10 adapted to the specific region where they've come from that it's kind of,
00:20:10 --> 00:20:14 they're kind of like a niche animal that if you've got a purpose, There's
00:20:14 --> 00:20:16 a sheep out there that will fit that
00:20:16 --> 00:20:19 purpose, you know, and that's kind of what's cool about them.
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 One
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 of the many things.
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Yes.
00:20:23 --> 00:20:26 So, before we went on a little bit of tangent about the sheep, you
00:20:26 --> 00:20:29 all moved to your bigger property.
00:20:29 --> 00:20:31 What was that move like?
00:20:31 --> 00:20:33 What did you jump in?
00:20:33 --> 00:20:35 I mean, you get to the property.
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 It's not ready for you,
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah, no, that's right.
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39 That's right.
00:20:39 --> 00:20:41 And so it was strategic.
00:20:41 --> 00:20:43 So That's a really great question.
00:20:43 --> 00:20:46 So for example, it was kind of like by by species.
00:20:47 --> 00:20:47 And
00:20:47 --> 00:20:53 so, and, and, like most, I would say probably like most people who get
00:20:53 --> 00:20:57 into this adventure, you're, you, you start, you dabble in it, and
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59 then you fall in love with it, and then you want to do everything, and
00:20:59 --> 00:21:01 then you probably overdo it a little.
00:21:02 --> 00:21:06 And so, And, and, and you, then you find out, you grow and find out what
00:21:06 --> 00:21:09 that boundary is and then, and then hopefully you have the sense to kind of
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 rein it back.
00:21:11 --> 00:21:13 in a little bit and come back to a more sustainable
00:21:13 --> 00:21:13 level.
00:21:14 --> 00:21:18 So, with, for us, it was it was easy to go, okay, we're going to
00:21:18 --> 00:21:23 start, I, I want to say, I mean, I think we probably did 75 turkeys the
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 next year, like we did 40 the first
00:21:24 --> 00:21:24 go around.
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 It was successful.
00:21:26 --> 00:21:26 They're great.
00:21:26 --> 00:21:28 I love we love turkeys next year.
00:21:28 --> 00:21:33 Okay, let's do 75 Well, we're the property's not going to support that so
00:21:33 --> 00:21:38 we started them and then We just created a we started them at the, at the original
00:21:38 --> 00:21:43 property, had, had the larger property in you know, in development and it was
00:21:43 --> 00:21:46 like, okay, well, we can start with a turkey pen and do an aerial closure
00:21:46 --> 00:21:51 because we're out in, we're we're near a river, so aerial predators are as big
00:21:51 --> 00:21:56 of a threat as coyotes and so, well, we created a, a paddock for them that was
00:21:56 --> 00:21:59 able, we were able to rotate, I say a paddock, I mean, it was a, it was kind
00:21:59 --> 00:22:03 of an ape large in the orchard, and so an area that we could rotate them through.
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 So it's kind of a species at a time.
00:22:05 --> 00:22:10 It's like, okay, how can we make the turkeys self sufficient as much
00:22:10 --> 00:22:13 as possible so that they need as little babysitting and start there.
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 And then,
00:22:14 --> 00:22:17 and then that let, once they're up and running, okay, that still allows people
00:22:17 --> 00:22:21 to be here to, to build fence for like the next generation of animals, which
00:22:21 --> 00:22:24 would, would have been cattle or, you know, make sure we have the field
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 fencing we need for sheep and like that.
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 Yeah.
00:22:27 --> 00:22:31 And so it was, it was kind of a, a, a, seasonal and by protein
00:22:31 --> 00:22:33 by protein slash species that
00:22:33 --> 00:22:36 we did the, the improvements.
00:22:38 --> 00:22:42 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: As you're expanding, were those additional
00:22:42 --> 00:22:47 species you added because you thought, Oh, I want to do this other species?
00:22:47 --> 00:22:50 Or did you have some customer drive there?
00:22:51 --> 00:22:53 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: I, it was because we wanted to do them
00:22:53 --> 00:22:58 initially and it was, you know, it was a small cow calf herd and in, and in part
00:22:59 --> 00:23:03 it was also thinking about a business plan that was, you know, we're out in the West.
00:23:03 --> 00:23:03 Yeah.
00:23:04 --> 00:23:08 And it's a long way to a population base.
00:23:08 --> 00:23:08 And
00:23:08 --> 00:23:11 if we're going to be doing farmer's markets and that sort of thing, we've
00:23:11 --> 00:23:16 got to be able to be, we've got to be able to make every road mile count.
00:23:16 --> 00:23:20 And rather than show up at a farmer's market, only selling chicken, it
00:23:20 --> 00:23:23 was like, well, you know, at some point we're going to have beef.
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 Let's have, let's do beef.
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 How about pigs?
00:23:26 --> 00:23:30 And so it was, I, that was, In part because we wanted it for ourselves,
00:23:30 --> 00:23:33 but also like thinking down the road, this is this, we're going to want to
00:23:33 --> 00:23:35 do this for, for business purposes too.
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, yeah.
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
00:23:37 --> 00:23:41 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: When along your journey, did you kind of make that shift
00:23:41 --> 00:23:44 from just doing the homestead to this?
00:23:44 --> 00:23:46 This is going to be a business.
00:23:46 --> 00:23:46 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
00:23:47 --> 00:23:50 And so I would say that was the year was 2013.
00:23:50 --> 00:23:55 And that was after we'd you know, we, we, we, we acquired this property in 2008.
00:23:55 --> 00:23:58 And from there, it was, it had, there was no, there was not a
00:23:58 --> 00:24:00 complete fence on the property.
00:24:00 --> 00:24:00 Like
00:24:00 --> 00:24:04 you, if you put an animal on the property, it was, it was free range open range.
00:24:05 --> 00:24:05 So,
00:24:05 --> 00:24:09 So we had to, there is, there is, there was a standing barn, but it,
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 it needed a roof and et cetera.
00:24:10 --> 00:24:12 And it, the place had been overgrazed.
00:24:12 --> 00:24:16 So it wouldn't necessarily support that great of a animal stocking rate.
00:24:17 --> 00:24:20 And so, yeah, so that was 2008.
00:24:20 --> 00:24:23 We started, we just started building as far as like the orchard.
00:24:23 --> 00:24:26 We put in early because you got to start with those trees early on.
00:24:26 --> 00:24:29 And then it was, and then it was just start to build, to build fences.
00:24:29 --> 00:24:34 And so I think our, I think our cow calf herd arrived, I want to say 2010.
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh,
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: And yep.
00:24:36 --> 00:24:41 And then, and then we were, And, and, and only one of us, we kind of transitioned
00:24:41 --> 00:24:43 as far as who was living here full time.
00:24:43 --> 00:24:47 So Stan started here initially, and he was, he was the one really
00:24:47 --> 00:24:50 pushing a lot of the building and the infrastructure improvements.
00:24:50 --> 00:24:56 And then I moved here in 2012 and came a full, a full season before it was
00:24:56 --> 00:24:58 like, well, We're going to start back.
00:24:58 --> 00:25:00 Like we, now we need to start hitting markets.
00:25:00 --> 00:25:02 Otherwise our freezer is going to be over full.
00:25:02 --> 00:25:05 Like this is, this is where the rubber starts to hit the road.
00:25:05 --> 00:25:09 We need, we need to make a plan and, and really make some sales start to happen.
00:25:09 --> 00:25:11 And so that's when we really started.
00:25:11 --> 00:25:14 focusing on the selling side of the business.
00:25:15 --> 00:25:18 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Were you all at the time when you started
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 doing the farmer's markets?
00:25:20 --> 00:25:23 Were you all still processing all your own poultry at the time?
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yes.
00:25:25 --> 00:25:28 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: And just for a lay of land, I know you're in
00:25:28 --> 00:25:33 Northeast Washington, how far are you traveling to your farmer's market
00:25:33 --> 00:25:37 and how big of century or how big of city is that?
00:25:37 --> 00:25:39 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: yeah, so we're we have local
00:25:39 --> 00:25:41 smaller markets, but we
00:25:41 --> 00:25:44 were, we're really targeting, we wanted to go to a large, a
00:25:44 --> 00:25:46 farmer's market with a broader base.
00:25:46 --> 00:25:49 And so we go to Spokane and we go to Coeur d'Alene and we had also
00:25:49 --> 00:25:52 done we had also gone to Sandpoint when we first started because it's a
00:25:52 --> 00:25:56 great community and they're all pretty well equidistant from the
00:25:56 --> 00:25:59 ranch, which is about 70 miles, 70 to
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 80 miles, one way.
00:26:02 --> 00:26:02 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, yeah.
00:26:04 --> 00:26:06 And did the farmer's markets work out well?
00:26:06 --> 00:26:09 Did they, did they work as you thought they would?
00:26:09 --> 00:26:11 Was there some gotchas in there?
00:26:11 --> 00:26:13 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: I mean, I think, I think the
00:26:13 --> 00:26:16 gotcha is that we were listening.
00:26:16 --> 00:26:21 We had our ears open to the advice of others, which is that farmers markets are
00:26:21 --> 00:26:24 not typically going to float your ranch.
00:26:24 --> 00:26:26 They're not going to necessarily.
00:26:26 --> 00:26:31 Support support your ranch with the sales that you need, but they're a great start.
00:26:31 --> 00:26:34 They're a great way to learn about marketing, learn who your
00:26:34 --> 00:26:38 customer is, get that relationship, get that, get that feedback going.
00:26:39 --> 00:26:44 It's also, they've also got to be kind of multi tiered as far as You
00:26:44 --> 00:26:47 go to the farmer's market and you've got the products that you sell at
00:26:47 --> 00:26:50 that market, which is great, and it would be ideal if that could be the
00:26:50 --> 00:26:53 end of it, but it's, but it, like I say, it's not going to, we've, what we
00:26:53 --> 00:26:55 found is it's not going to support you
00:26:55 --> 00:26:59 full, full time unless you, maybe, maybe, unless you're closer to a larger city.
00:27:01 --> 00:27:04 So you've also got to be collecting emails and building an email list so
00:27:04 --> 00:27:08 that you can reach those customers year round or reach those customers
00:27:08 --> 00:27:11 when they're not at the, when they're not coming to the farmer's market
00:27:11 --> 00:27:15 weekly, so that you can do a delivery route or, you know, you can develop
00:27:15 --> 00:27:17 some other sort of fulfillment chain.
00:27:18 --> 00:27:22 And then there's also the art of getting pre orders, which is, You know,
00:27:22 --> 00:27:25 hopefully you're coming to the market with some guaranteed sales that you
00:27:25 --> 00:27:27 can just hand across the desk and go,
00:27:27 --> 00:27:29 Hey, we're, we're bringing product
00:27:29 --> 00:27:31 that we know is, is pre sold.
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 They've, the customer's already placed the order.
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 They're going to show up.
00:27:34 --> 00:27:36 They're going to take the order and go home.
00:27:36 --> 00:27:39 And that's not, it's, it's not speculative sales.
00:27:39 --> 00:27:39 So,
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, yes.
00:27:40 --> 00:27:44 So there's a few things in there I'd like to unpack a little bit.
00:27:44 --> 00:27:50 But the first thing I want to talk about is that capture of emails.
00:27:50 --> 00:27:55 So you have a list and all I really want to say right now, I'm very impressed
00:27:55 --> 00:28:00 with it because I went to your website earlier, looking over it, and you
00:28:00 --> 00:28:03 have a virtual tour of your ranch.
00:28:03 --> 00:28:03 so much.
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 So I clicked on it.
00:28:05 --> 00:28:11 Well, for me to watch it, I had to put my email address in, you know, you're
00:28:11 --> 00:28:16 giving something of value to someone and it's a little bit of a, I don't
00:28:16 --> 00:28:19 know, I hate to call it a pain point because it's not really a pain point.
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 It was really simple.
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 normal.
00:28:21 --> 00:28:25 I just thought that was a great way to capture an email address
00:28:25 --> 00:28:27 of someone visiting your site.
00:28:27 --> 00:28:34 And then the followup was I got an email and it included a link to that video
00:28:34 --> 00:28:37 as, and you mentioned, Hey, share it with your friends.
00:28:37 --> 00:28:40 I, I just thought that was very well done.
00:28:40 --> 00:28:40 So
00:28:40 --> 00:28:42 whoever was responsible, I was
00:28:42 --> 00:28:47 impressed with the, the workflow and how it captured my email because I'm I
00:28:47 --> 00:28:49 don't like putting my email out there.
00:28:49 --> 00:28:53 I mean, I do everywhere it seems, but I, I tried to not just do it and I thought
00:28:53 --> 00:28:55 that was a really nice way that you did
00:28:56 --> 00:28:56 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah, nice.
00:28:56 --> 00:28:58 Well, I'm glad you say so.
00:28:58 --> 00:29:03 And yeah, and I think it's important for farmers, especially who are doing, who are
00:29:03 --> 00:29:08 selling their products, to understand that you're, what you're doing is of value.
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 And it's not a,
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 it's not a big ask.
00:29:11 --> 00:29:15 If someone's genuinely interested in your farm, they'll give you their email.
00:29:15 --> 00:29:19 If, if you're, if you're giving them value, so hey, see how our farm,
00:29:19 --> 00:29:20 see how our animals are raised.
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 It's a, it's a virtual tour.
00:29:22 --> 00:29:25 We'd love to have you come here personally, but for now,
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 here's a, here's a quick video.
00:29:26 --> 00:29:29 And of course, they, if you don't, if they don't want to give you your email,
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 they can go to YouTube or whatever.
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 There's lots of ways to see that
00:29:31 --> 00:29:33 video, but, but the intent is there.
00:29:33 --> 00:29:35 Like, hey, yeah, I mean,
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 I'm curious enough.
00:29:36 --> 00:29:39 I'll give you my email and you'll give me a nice video experience.
00:29:39 --> 00:29:39 Cool.
00:29:40 --> 00:29:40 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: right.
00:29:40 --> 00:29:45 If you want to get around it, you could, but there's, yeah, it was, it
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 was painless to go through and do.
00:29:46 --> 00:29:51 And like you said, in the video at the end, you all invite them out to
00:29:51 --> 00:29:51 your farm.
00:29:51 --> 00:29:51 Yeah.
00:29:51 --> 00:29:53 Which I think is so important.
00:29:53 --> 00:29:56 And I'll be honest, that's not something I do a good job of.
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 So I really like that.
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Nice.
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 Mm hmm.
00:29:59 --> 00:30:02 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: I'm just unpacking a little bit there, talking
00:30:02 --> 00:30:07 about that farmer's market journey and it's not quite enough and you talked
00:30:07 --> 00:30:13 about building routes and making sure you had pre orders ahead of time, which the
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 pre orders I hadn't even thought about.
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 That's a great thing,
00:30:16 --> 00:30:16 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: hmm.
00:30:16 --> 00:30:19 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: but on the, the routes, are you all running a route now
00:30:20 --> 00:30:20 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: We are.
00:30:21 --> 00:30:21 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: meats?
00:30:21 --> 00:30:22 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yes, we do.
00:30:22 --> 00:30:24 It's a once a month delivery route
00:30:24 --> 00:30:28 and it's, it's just, it's one loop and what it does is it, you know, it
00:30:28 --> 00:30:32 connects our farmers markets essentially, so that we can continue to serve
00:30:32 --> 00:30:34 those customers in the wintertime.
00:30:34 --> 00:30:36 Our markets here are seasonal, so typically
00:30:36 --> 00:30:38 May through, through October.
00:30:38 --> 00:30:41 And that way we can still service them before Thanksgiving, before Christmas,
00:30:41 --> 00:30:45 and then through the winter months until it's the summer market season again.
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, very good.
00:30:47 --> 00:30:50 And on those routes, do you have like a drop off point?
00:30:50 --> 00:30:51 You'll be in this.
00:30:51 --> 00:30:53 Town at so and so time come here.
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yes.
00:30:54 --> 00:30:58 And so it's, you know, it's, it's for, for many people, it's an inconvenience.
00:30:58 --> 00:31:00 It's because it's a, Hey, you got to meet us at this time.
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 It's a brief window.
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03 We need you to be here.
00:31:03 --> 00:31:07 We, and then, and we're only there for so long, but you know, I think
00:31:08 --> 00:31:11 that also means our customer base is really, they're really dedicated.
00:31:11 --> 00:31:11 They're committed.
00:31:11 --> 00:31:14 If they can't make it, they'll send, you know, a friend or something like that.
00:31:15 --> 00:31:18 But we've, we've definitely tried to communicate that this
00:31:18 --> 00:31:20 is, This is how, how we operate.
00:31:21 --> 00:31:23 If, if you can, if you can join us, awesome.
00:31:23 --> 00:31:26 Here's, here's how, here's how you can connect and here's the schedule.
00:31:26 --> 00:31:29 And if you just explain that to people up front, they have the
00:31:29 --> 00:31:31 option to say yes or no, you know.
00:31:31 --> 00:31:33 Like that works for me or that doesn't.
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: right.
00:31:35 --> 00:31:41 Very good Let's take a little bit and just talk about what species you have on
00:31:41 --> 00:31:44 the farm currently on on Ramstead Ranch
00:31:45 --> 00:31:48 and what you're doing right now, and we'd already alluded to some of
00:31:48 --> 00:31:52 we'll get there in a moment But let's first start with just your species.
00:31:52 --> 00:31:54 You're continuing to do
00:31:54 --> 00:31:56 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: So we've transitioned, we've,
00:31:56 --> 00:31:59 we've reduced the number of species that we raise.
00:31:59 --> 00:32:03 And so we're currently finishing grass finishing beef and
00:32:03 --> 00:32:05 we're pasture finishing pork.
00:32:05 --> 00:32:06 And so,
00:32:06 --> 00:32:09 We do still have our sheep because we love them and we cannot be
00:32:09 --> 00:32:11 without our adorable fiber sheep.
00:32:12 --> 00:32:15 But, what we've done is partner with folks who are pasture raising
00:32:15 --> 00:32:18 chicken and pasture raising turkeys.
00:32:18 --> 00:32:21 To do that, that portion of the meat raising,
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, okay.
00:32:23 --> 00:32:28 So, so now you're not doing the poultry yourself or turkeys yourself,
00:32:28 --> 00:32:31 but you're partnering with people with the same principles,
00:32:31 --> 00:32:36 ideas as you to provide that meat product for your customers.
00:32:36 --> 00:32:36 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Right.
00:32:36 --> 00:32:38 It was not long.
00:32:38 --> 00:32:40 I mean, it was, I would say it was probably 2019.
00:32:42 --> 00:32:44 And yeah, 2019 that we really started to evaluate.
00:32:44 --> 00:32:49 Hey, If we're going to continue to do this and grow our business to a scale that's
00:32:49 --> 00:32:55 comfortable where we can hire people to support the work that has to be done.
00:32:55 --> 00:32:58 We can't continue to do everything ourselves
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 because we're spread too thin.
00:32:59 --> 00:33:00 And, and.
00:33:01 --> 00:33:04 You know what, what you don't realize when you're getting excited and you're
00:33:04 --> 00:33:10 building your multi species operation is that you don't have just one business.
00:33:10 --> 00:33:14 You have, you have many, you know, you have
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 a beef business.
00:33:15 --> 00:33:17 And if you have a cow calf business and a finishing
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 business, you have two, that's two
00:33:19 --> 00:33:19 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Yeah.
00:33:19 --> 00:33:20 Those are two different.
00:33:20 --> 00:33:20 Yeah.
00:33:21 --> 00:33:23 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: And so multiply that by every species.
00:33:24 --> 00:33:27 Now you've got a 10 tiered business, not to mention your
00:33:27 --> 00:33:29 marketing business, which is,
00:33:29 --> 00:33:31 that's a heavy, that's a heavy thing.
00:33:31 --> 00:33:35 It's, it takes, it takes a lot, you know, in the beginning, it was easy to find
00:33:35 --> 00:33:39 those neighbors that were interested, but when you're reaching into a larger
00:33:39 --> 00:33:43 city, you really have to do some legwork and build your customer base.
00:33:44 --> 00:33:47 It's not a matter of if you build it, they will come like that's,
00:33:47 --> 00:33:51 it's, it's hard, you know, and, and I think people, I sure did.
00:33:51 --> 00:33:53 We underestimated how, how
00:33:53 --> 00:33:53 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh,
00:33:54 --> 00:33:56 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: it's going to take and, and, and the
00:33:56 --> 00:34:00 dedication it takes and it's, it's not just, I would say most farmers
00:34:00 --> 00:34:02 and ranchers are, they're tough.
00:34:02 --> 00:34:03 They're dang tough people.
00:34:03 --> 00:34:06 And we're used to grunting it out and doing the work until it's done.
00:34:07 --> 00:34:10 The work of marketing is never done and you have to do it
00:34:10 --> 00:34:12 with a smile and you have to be
00:34:12 --> 00:34:12 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, yes.
00:34:13 --> 00:34:14 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: and you have to be nice to people
00:34:14 --> 00:34:18 even when you're dehydrated and when there's, you know, if there's animals
00:34:18 --> 00:34:21 out or if someone didn't, couldn't show up today because they're sick
00:34:21 --> 00:34:24 and it doesn't matter that you're not feeling well, you got to go do it.
00:34:24 --> 00:34:25 So anyway,
00:34:25 --> 00:34:28 I think we've all, Live that on some level.
00:34:28 --> 00:34:32 And so, yeah, so it was a really a matter of like, okay, we've got, we've
00:34:32 --> 00:34:35 got to simplify what we're saying yes to reduce the number of things we're
00:34:35 --> 00:34:40 saying yes to and focus on what we, what we do well, what we do really
00:34:40 --> 00:34:41 well and partner with other people.
00:34:41 --> 00:34:45 And, And, what's cool about that is, you know, initially you kind of feel like
00:34:45 --> 00:34:50 you're leaving some things on the table, like, oh, I, but I love raising chickens.
00:34:50 --> 00:34:51 You know, I love, I love that.
00:34:51 --> 00:34:54 We're pulling the detractors around the pasture.
00:34:54 --> 00:34:54 Yeah.
00:34:56 --> 00:35:00 You do that now, now you're supporting another rancher, another
00:35:00 --> 00:35:05 farmer who's, and who's covering more acreage with regenerative agriculture.
00:35:05 --> 00:35:08 And it's like, that's when you look at it through that lens, that's a real win.
00:35:08 --> 00:35:11 And now, and we can do, we can do more together.
00:35:11 --> 00:35:15 So it becomes a network instead of you know, a solo effort.
00:35:16 --> 00:35:18 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Yeah, and I think that's excellent
00:35:18 --> 00:35:21 and maybe that's their strength
00:35:21 --> 00:35:24 and maybe marketing's not their strength
00:35:24 --> 00:35:25 or, or whatever.
00:35:25 --> 00:35:28 It really can be a really valuable relationship to both of you.
00:35:29 --> 00:35:29 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Oh, I agree.
00:35:30 --> 00:35:30 Yeah.
00:35:32 --> 00:35:36 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: So with your, your beef cattle and your grass fed beef,
00:35:36 --> 00:35:42 was there a learning curve for you to get that grass fed beef to taste good?
00:35:42 --> 00:35:46 To finish well on grass and be able to provide a quality product.
00:35:46 --> 00:35:46 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: hmm.
00:35:46 --> 00:35:47 Yeah.
00:35:47 --> 00:35:51 I feel like we kind of started at the top of the food chain with, with
00:35:51 --> 00:35:53 advice and information though, because
00:35:53 --> 00:35:59 we, you know, we really, we, we, early on, it was like, hey, let's do this.
00:35:59 --> 00:36:01 We're, we don't know this business.
00:36:01 --> 00:36:03 We don't, we are, we're not, we're not born into it.
00:36:03 --> 00:36:07 It's not like we have to take the herd, you know, dad's herd
00:36:07 --> 00:36:12 and use these animals in order to transition into this grass finishing
00:36:12 --> 00:36:12 program.
00:36:12 --> 00:36:16 It was like, we want to, we want to do grass finished beef.
00:36:16 --> 00:36:21 Therefore, we're going to go out and source the best animals we can
00:36:21 --> 00:36:23 to make the best product we can.
00:36:23 --> 00:36:26 And so we, we learned early on, you know, you want efficient animals.
00:36:26 --> 00:36:27 You want short animals.
00:36:27 --> 00:36:29 You can't just go to the sale barn and buy
00:36:29 --> 00:36:33 What's coming through that day, you got to get, you know, you got to get
00:36:33 --> 00:36:38 the, the guys that have the big barrel bellies that can fill that with grass
00:36:38 --> 00:36:40 and gain weight, you know, with ease.
00:36:40 --> 00:36:45 And so, that was our goal initially and, and, and anytime, and, and, and we
00:36:45 --> 00:36:49 were, we were taste testing product as, as we could, you know, I was like, Hey,
00:36:50 --> 00:36:50 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, yeah.
00:36:50 --> 00:36:53 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: we're interested in a delicious steak and,
00:36:53 --> 00:36:56 you know, so what, if we were, if we were going to buy animals, Hey, do you have,
00:36:56 --> 00:37:00 do you have some Steaks we can, we can try out and see what that product is like.
00:37:01 --> 00:37:06 So going slowly and kind of doing the research up front is, it pays off.
00:37:06 --> 00:37:09 It's not, it's, you know, it, it's, it's worth it.
00:37:09 --> 00:37:12 It's worth asking a lot of questions and trying things
00:37:12 --> 00:37:15 out before you jump, before you
00:37:15 --> 00:37:15 jump into it.
00:37:16 --> 00:37:19 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: as you're looking for those grass fed type of
00:37:19 --> 00:37:25 animals, did you settle on a breed or what did you come to on that?
00:37:25 --> 00:37:27 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: I, I like to say, you know,
00:37:27 --> 00:37:28 it's not about the breed.
00:37:28 --> 00:37:30 It's really about the phenotype.
00:37:30 --> 00:37:32 So, is it a short squatty animal?
00:37:32 --> 00:37:35 I think there are some, some breeds we tend to steer clear of
00:37:35 --> 00:37:39 because they can't traditionally finish well in our, in our region.
00:37:40 --> 00:37:43 Because, because they're so hardy, you know, I mean, we, we tried
00:37:43 --> 00:37:46 Highlanders at one time and it was like, they weren't too hardy.
00:37:46 --> 00:37:49 They just weren't able to finish and marble as well for us on our pastures,
00:37:50 --> 00:37:55 but they're absolutely great animals, 100 percent wonderful for homesteading.
00:37:55 --> 00:37:59 And, and we loved them, but it was like the, when it just came down to like the
00:37:59 --> 00:38:03 eating experience, we we, we, there's, there are some breeds that we avoid.
00:38:03 --> 00:38:03 And
00:38:03 --> 00:38:03 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, yeah.
00:38:04 --> 00:38:05 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: and, and typically around in our
00:38:05 --> 00:38:08 area, there's always, everybody's got a little bit of Angus in their herd.
00:38:09 --> 00:38:12 But there's, there's charlay that are fabulous too, and things like
00:38:12 --> 00:38:15 that, so it's, but it's really, it's more about the phenotype and, and
00:38:15 --> 00:38:19 knowing and knowing the rancher, where they come from, you know, like,
00:38:19 --> 00:38:22 have they, have, have those animals lived low stress?
00:38:22 --> 00:38:24 Have they been on the gain throughout their life?
00:38:24 --> 00:38:28 Because that's, I think that's a big part of what kind of gives grass finished
00:38:29 --> 00:38:33 beef a bad name sometimes is that people are selling grass fed beef, but it's
00:38:33 --> 00:38:35 not really properly finished and well
00:38:35 --> 00:38:35 fattened.
00:38:35 --> 00:38:36 So yeah.
00:38:37 --> 00:38:38 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: right.
00:38:38 --> 00:38:43 Yeah, I think that consistency of product is a industry problem
00:38:43 --> 00:38:44 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Well,
00:38:44 --> 00:38:45 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: have to address.
00:38:45 --> 00:38:45 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: yeah.
00:38:45 --> 00:38:51 And you know, yeah, it's, it's especially, especially as we, as the consumer base
00:38:51 --> 00:38:53 grows and more people are converting from.
00:38:54 --> 00:38:57 What they get in the store, which may not be as high a quality, but
00:38:57 --> 00:38:59 it's dang consistent, you know,
00:38:59 --> 00:38:59 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, it
00:39:00 --> 00:39:01 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: are used to super consistent.
00:39:02 --> 00:39:07 You know, we've, we've, we as, as small farmers and ranchers do have to kind of
00:39:07 --> 00:39:11 level up and go, Hey, there's, there's some expectation here that is fair.
00:39:11 --> 00:39:12 It's, it's fair to want.
00:39:12 --> 00:39:12 Hey, I
00:39:12 --> 00:39:13 had a good steak yesterday.
00:39:13 --> 00:39:14 I want a good steak tomorrow too.
00:39:15 --> 00:39:15 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: right.
00:39:15 --> 00:39:16 right.
00:39:16 --> 00:39:19 You know, we, we know what that burger's gonna taste like from McDonald's.
00:39:20 --> 00:39:20 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
00:39:20 --> 00:39:21 It's the same every time.
00:39:22 --> 00:39:23 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Yeah, it is.
00:39:23 --> 00:39:23 It
00:39:23 --> 00:39:24 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
00:39:24 --> 00:39:24 Yeah.
00:39:26 --> 00:39:28 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: So in addition to the cows, you
00:39:28 --> 00:39:30 mentioned you all have added pigs.
00:39:30 --> 00:39:34 When in your journey, did you decide to add pigs to it?
00:39:35 --> 00:39:37 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: I would say pigs were probably They
00:39:37 --> 00:39:41 were the, I would say they were the last animal that came here to the ranch
00:39:41 --> 00:39:45 Probably because the I think we, I, yeah, probably because they were, I,
00:39:45 --> 00:39:49 no other reason than everything else was just a little more favorite on the
00:39:49 --> 00:39:54 favorites list, you know, it, it was, it wasn't long after the cattle
00:39:54 --> 00:39:57 got here that, that the pig, that our first small herd of pigs came.
00:39:58 --> 00:40:01 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: And what are you, what breed are you using for
00:40:01 --> 00:40:04 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: on, on pigs, we do raise Berkshire pigs.
00:40:04 --> 00:40:09 And so, and again, that was like, it was not only flavor, but it was also about
00:40:09 --> 00:40:12 animals that are, that are a heritage breed that are going to do well in
00:40:12 --> 00:40:13 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh yeah.
00:40:13 --> 00:40:16 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: And these guys do awesome and, and the
00:40:16 --> 00:40:18 meat is, it's, the flavor is just amazing.
00:40:19 --> 00:40:22 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Were you able to source your original stock
00:40:22 --> 00:40:24 locally or do you have to go very far?
00:40:24 --> 00:40:26 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: We were able to go to search locally.
00:40:26 --> 00:40:29 It's, it's pretty easy to find small breeders.
00:40:29 --> 00:40:31 It gets harder as you get bigger
00:40:31 --> 00:40:32 and need, and need more pigs.
00:40:32 --> 00:40:33 Mm hmm.
00:40:34 --> 00:40:37 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Are you all faring out your own sows
00:40:37 --> 00:40:38 or just bringing in feeders?
00:40:38 --> 00:40:40 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: No, we have, we've just been bringing in
00:40:40 --> 00:40:47 feeders for the last I would say since 2021 was our last batch of, of true,
00:40:47 --> 00:40:49 or we were truly farrowing ourselves.
00:40:49 --> 00:40:49 Mm hmm.
00:40:49 --> 00:40:50 yeah,
00:40:50 --> 00:40:53 And here and there we'll have a, we'll have a her, but, or a batch, but, but it's
00:40:53 --> 00:40:55 not it's not part of the business plan.
00:40:55 --> 00:40:56 It's just for novelty.
00:40:57 --> 00:40:59 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: why did you make that change moving
00:40:59 --> 00:41:01 over to feeders rather than
00:41:01 --> 00:41:03 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah, again, it was it was it was
00:41:03 --> 00:41:07 just to simplify and so it was just to reduce again If you if you've got
00:41:07 --> 00:41:09 feeder pigs, that's one business.
00:41:09 --> 00:41:12 If you've got a farrowing operation, that's a second business
00:41:13 --> 00:41:17 And and you know, and also we learned quickly not quickly, but it we learned
00:41:17 --> 00:41:20 that We were year, it was year round.
00:41:20 --> 00:41:21 The demands are year round and
00:41:21 --> 00:41:23 we're, we have a proper winner here.
00:41:23 --> 00:41:26 And so it was like, well, if we're going to give ourselves a break, if
00:41:26 --> 00:41:29 we're going to make a little slack in the system, let's, let's reduce
00:41:29 --> 00:41:32 the, the demand on our winter time,
00:41:33 --> 00:41:33 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh yeah.
00:41:33 --> 00:41:34 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: tasks.
00:41:34 --> 00:41:35 And, and so that's, that's what we did.
00:41:36 --> 00:41:39 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Going through this, you all have expanded from
00:41:39 --> 00:41:42 just the three of you into a team
00:41:43 --> 00:41:43 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Mm
00:41:43 --> 00:41:44 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: you're having to manage.
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00:42:45 --> 00:42:45 com
00:42:46 --> 00:42:48 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: we're going to take a deeper dive into that
00:42:48 --> 00:42:52 team management and team dynamics.
00:42:52 --> 00:42:52 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: hmm.
00:42:53 --> 00:42:56 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: So let's talk about your team you have there and how
00:42:56 --> 00:42:59 you manage them and how it works for you.
00:42:59 --> 00:42:59 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
00:43:00 --> 00:43:00 Yeah.
00:43:00 --> 00:43:03 So we have you know, the, the total number of employees will
00:43:03 --> 00:43:05 fluctuate throughout the year.
00:43:05 --> 00:43:06 We're, we're higher in the summertime.
00:43:07 --> 00:43:13 So, as we're as few as eight we're as many as 12, 12 to 15.
00:43:13 --> 00:43:14 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, yes.
00:43:14 --> 00:43:14 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
00:43:14 --> 00:43:17 And so it's it's really a function.
00:43:17 --> 00:43:22 What, what we've tried to do is really create a, A team where there's
00:43:22 --> 00:43:27 not the hierarchy of, of top down control, but more spreading things
00:43:27 --> 00:43:31 out and giving people the information that they need to do the jobs that
00:43:31 --> 00:43:33 they're responsible for and, and
00:43:33 --> 00:43:38 the autonomy to do them, to do them well, you know, and so it's because
00:43:39 --> 00:43:42 there's, there are so many moving parts on a farmer ranch, and especially when
00:43:42 --> 00:43:44 you mix in the sales, it's, it's, it's.
00:43:44 --> 00:43:51 It's hard even when you add employees and get the help you need to not be It's, it's
00:43:51 --> 00:43:54 easy to, to create the situation where everyone's coming to you for the answers.
00:43:55 --> 00:43:58 And if, if that's the case, you really haven't built a team that is,
00:43:58 --> 00:44:02 is self supporting and autonomous that can do the work without you.
00:44:02 --> 00:44:04 You're, you're just, they're just dependent on you.
00:44:04 --> 00:44:09 And so it's been a real journey to like, okay, we've got to create the system
00:44:09 --> 00:44:13 so that everyone can, can thrive and, and own their own position really.
00:44:13 --> 00:44:15 Yeah.
00:44:15 --> 00:44:15 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: that?
00:44:15 --> 00:44:21 Because I, I see a lot of things where it's very much, well, I'll
00:44:21 --> 00:44:23 just use a local example for me.
00:44:23 --> 00:44:27 My dad, when he comes down here, he expects us all to ask him what to do.
00:44:27 --> 00:44:31 Now, I say that a little bit in Jess because he lets me do whatever I want,
00:44:31 --> 00:44:34 but we do have some people helping us.
00:44:34 --> 00:44:37 And yeah, dad's very much the person that's in charge.
00:44:37 --> 00:44:38 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
00:44:38 --> 00:44:38 Yeah.
00:44:39 --> 00:44:40 Well, it's, it's two part.
00:44:41 --> 00:44:46 You know, it's, it's, creating a system using tools that
00:44:46 --> 00:44:48 anybody can pick up and quickly.
00:44:49 --> 00:44:52 Quickly learn and and get the basics so that so that they have they've got
00:44:52 --> 00:44:55 a template for this is this is a job I'm supposed to do and this is what's
00:44:55 --> 00:45:00 expected and that's a system of SOP standard operating procedures which
00:45:01 --> 00:45:06 can look kind of like a checklist or a simplified bullet point of
00:45:07 --> 00:45:07 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh
00:45:07 --> 00:45:11 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: if If you're rotating cows around the
00:45:11 --> 00:45:13 pasture, here's here's your steps.
00:45:13 --> 00:45:14 Here's what you got to Here's what you got to
00:45:14 --> 00:45:15 do.
00:45:15 --> 00:45:16 Here's what you got to watch for.
00:45:16 --> 00:45:19 And here's what you got to make sure happens before you're done.
00:45:20 --> 00:45:27 And then it's also a system of teamwork that is like coming together and
00:45:27 --> 00:45:28 going, Hey, what are the problems?
00:45:28 --> 00:45:31 What are the barriers that we're facing today?
00:45:31 --> 00:45:32 What's our common goal?
00:45:33 --> 00:45:35 As a team to grow into the future.
00:45:35 --> 00:45:40 So, and, and for that method, we've actually looked at other, into other
00:45:40 --> 00:45:42 industries and modeled what they do.
00:45:42 --> 00:45:43 There's a couple of methods.
00:45:43 --> 00:45:48 One's called the, it's called agile or the scrum method, where you come
00:45:48 --> 00:45:53 together as a team to, to solve problems or to accomplish goals.
00:45:53 --> 00:45:54 And everybody is a part of that.
00:45:54 --> 00:45:55 So everybody has.
00:45:57 --> 00:46:02 Everybody has the the opportunity to contribute or you know, kind
00:46:02 --> 00:46:06 of punch holes if, if it's a problem, hey, brainstorm together
00:46:06 --> 00:46:10 or, hey, I've got an idea and, and you never, it's, it's surprising.
00:46:10 --> 00:46:15 When you, when you pull everybody together and ask open, open questions and
00:46:15 --> 00:46:17 make things transparent, it's amazing.
00:46:17 --> 00:46:21 The skill sets you'll find in people that are on your team that you didn't realize
00:46:21 --> 00:46:25 they had, you know, if you may, maybe you hired them to come do farmer's market
00:46:25 --> 00:46:30 sales for you, but it turns out they actually are a spreadsheet wizard and they
00:46:30 --> 00:46:32 can run Excel, you know, really easily.
00:46:33 --> 00:46:34 So, Hey, okay, cool.
00:46:34 --> 00:46:36 Well, here's, here's some other, you know, maybe you could take this on
00:46:36 --> 00:46:40 and, and Handle, you know, handle creating a spreadsheet or, or some
00:46:40 --> 00:46:43 kind of calculating tool that we need to, to better, you know, to better
00:46:43 --> 00:46:45 manage cattle rotation or whatever.
00:46:46 --> 00:46:52 So it's really a matter of being more transparent, sharing information with
00:46:52 --> 00:46:56 team members so that they can help and that they can understand you know, they
00:46:56 --> 00:46:59 can understand the problems that the business is facing, that we, everyone can
00:46:59 --> 00:47:05 remove and remove impediments together and therefore more more
00:47:05 --> 00:47:06 efficiently accomplished goals.
00:47:07 --> 00:47:08 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh yes.
00:47:08 --> 00:47:08 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
00:47:09 --> 00:47:09 yeah.
00:47:09 --> 00:47:14 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Does, do you all plan meetings every so every so
00:47:14 --> 00:47:15 often?
00:47:15 --> 00:47:16 Are they regularly
00:47:16 --> 00:47:17 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: very regular.
00:47:17 --> 00:47:18 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: I'm trying to say.
00:47:18 --> 00:47:20 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah, yeah, the meetings are it's
00:47:20 --> 00:47:23 it's it's imperative and because and that's that's again to just
00:47:23 --> 00:47:28 keep in order to keep the meeting short there often and so we do a
00:47:28 --> 00:47:31 daily we do a daily stand up 15 minute meeting where.
00:47:31 --> 00:47:34 Hey, what did, what am I doing today?
00:47:34 --> 00:47:36 What are the impediments I'm facing?
00:47:36 --> 00:47:37 And that's, and that's it.
00:47:37 --> 00:47:38 What did I do?
00:47:38 --> 00:47:40 You know, what did I accomplish yesterday?
00:47:40 --> 00:47:40 And so
00:47:41 --> 00:47:43 that's that's what those, they're, they're quick and it's,
00:47:43 --> 00:47:45 everybody's sharing the information.
00:47:45 --> 00:47:49 So, and it helps keep everybody in touch with what the other folks are doing.
00:47:50 --> 00:47:52 Basically what we're trying to do is break down.
00:47:52 --> 00:47:55 A silo system, the old school way of doing things
00:47:55 --> 00:47:59 where, you know, Hey, maybe marketing is over here working on one thing and
00:47:59 --> 00:48:02 the folks you know, who are rotating cattle are working over there in
00:48:02 --> 00:48:06 the field and they don't necessarily know what each other, what each
00:48:06 --> 00:48:09 other's facing, what, what you're contributing to the ranch that day.
00:48:10 --> 00:48:11 Maybe they should be working together.
00:48:11 --> 00:48:14 Like, hey, let me know your schedule so that I can come take
00:48:14 --> 00:48:16 video of you moving the cattle or
00:48:16 --> 00:48:17 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh yeah.
00:48:17 --> 00:48:18 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: So it just really
00:48:18 --> 00:48:19 simplifies and saves time.
00:48:19 --> 00:48:23 That way we're not all having to like text each other independently and like
00:48:24 --> 00:48:25 chase each other down and stuff like that.
00:48:25 --> 00:48:27 It's just, we know that the meeting is going to happen.
00:48:28 --> 00:48:30 And if we need to exchange information, that's a good place to do it.
00:48:30 --> 00:48:32 Yeah, so that's the regular daily thing.
00:48:32 --> 00:48:37 And then we have a once a week meeting where we basically kind
00:48:37 --> 00:48:41 of grouped, grouped together and talk about what our goals are for
00:48:41 --> 00:48:42 the week or the two weeks ahead.
00:48:43 --> 00:48:47 And then we also look back and go, Hey, how did, did we meet our goal from the
00:48:47 --> 00:48:51 last week or the last two weeks and, and how did that go, you know, so we, we're
00:48:52 --> 00:48:55 constantly trying to like kind of evaluate how we've done things how the system's
00:48:55 --> 00:49:00 working and, and how well, how efficiently everyone's feeling the process is running.
00:49:01 --> 00:49:05 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: I think that reflection piece is so important.
00:49:05 --> 00:49:07 And you know, I think often times we all do it.
00:49:07 --> 00:49:09 We all reflect upon what we've done.
00:49:09 --> 00:49:11 But sometimes that's where it stops.
00:49:12 --> 00:49:15 got to take that next step and what did we learn from it?
00:49:15 --> 00:49:17 And we've got to implement that in our future things.
00:49:17 --> 00:49:19 So I just think that reflection is so important.
00:49:19 --> 00:49:20 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Absolutely.
00:49:20 --> 00:49:22 It's kind of like, it's kind of like letting the pasture rest.
00:49:22 --> 00:49:23 Like that's,
00:49:23 --> 00:49:24 that's really,
00:49:24 --> 00:49:25 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: analogy,
00:49:25 --> 00:49:27 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: that's really like calm down.
00:49:27 --> 00:49:32 Like let it, let it, let things simmer, let things soak, let things regrow.
00:49:32 --> 00:49:35 And when we regrow, we'll be better next time.
00:49:35 --> 00:49:35 We'll be
00:49:35 --> 00:49:36 healthier next time.
00:49:36 --> 00:49:40 We'll think what have we learned from our last experience that we
00:49:40 --> 00:49:45 can take And you know, and, and, and make things easier and more fun.
00:49:45 --> 00:49:50 And that's, and that's the idea is that our jobs should be light
00:49:50 --> 00:49:53 and lean and, Not a burden.
00:49:53 --> 00:49:53 And if they
00:49:53 --> 00:49:57 are, then what can we do to simplify so
00:49:57 --> 00:50:01 that, so that we can all enjoy working together and doing more of what we love.
00:50:04 --> 00:50:04 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: right.
00:50:04 --> 00:50:07 Because if you're enjoying it, it's just going to be so much better.
00:50:07 --> 00:50:07 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
00:50:08 --> 00:50:08 And you're going to
00:50:08 --> 00:50:09 do a better job.
00:50:09 --> 00:50:09 You're going
00:50:09 --> 00:50:10 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, you are.
00:50:10 --> 00:50:12 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: You're going to be more inviting and
00:50:12 --> 00:50:13 welcoming when the customers show up.
00:50:14 --> 00:50:14 .Yeah.
00:50:14 --> 00:50:17 It's, it's, it's good for, it's good for everybody.
00:50:17 --> 00:50:20 And lower the animals shouldn't be the only one living a low,
00:50:20 --> 00:50:22 low stress lifestyle, you know?
00:50:23 --> 00:50:25 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: right that that work life balance
00:50:25 --> 00:50:29 and I hate to use the word balance because it's never in balance, but
00:50:29 --> 00:50:34 that ebb and flow of work life and home life should be there so that
00:50:35 --> 00:50:36 it's not a burden all the time.
00:50:38 --> 00:50:44 As we look towards the future, where do you see Ramstead Ranch going?
00:50:44 --> 00:50:47 Are there some, any changes you all want to do?
00:50:48 --> 00:50:51 Is there anything on the horizon you think that's what we should be.
00:50:52 --> 00:50:53 Or where we should be.
00:50:53 --> 00:50:56 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Well, I would say that we're, we're in
00:50:56 --> 00:51:01 a good place as far as our enterprise mix, our, our, that we're grazing.
00:51:02 --> 00:51:08 We do have a need to bring more species back to the land and, and graze more
00:51:08 --> 00:51:10 since, since we have started partnering.
00:51:11 --> 00:51:16 You know, we miss having the chicken schmear on a fertilizer on the
00:51:16 --> 00:51:16 ground.
00:51:16 --> 00:51:22 And, you know, so there's some of that that's like, Hey, now, now we're
00:51:22 --> 00:51:26 probably because, because, we've improved the quality of our pastures.
00:51:27 --> 00:51:29 We have excess grass that we're not
00:51:29 --> 00:51:30 grazing.
00:51:31 --> 00:51:35 You know, maybe we can start to bring in you know, some goats to, you know,
00:51:35 --> 00:51:39 to do some prescribed grazing here and there, or to really break down, you know,
00:51:39 --> 00:51:40 some of the underbrush in some areas.
00:51:41 --> 00:51:44 You know, that still needs help still needs improvement and
00:51:44 --> 00:51:48 get some more grazers and more hoof action on, on the land.
00:51:49 --> 00:51:52 And that doesn't necessarily have to be for the, for the end
00:51:52 --> 00:51:55 result of, of having it be, you know, a meat product in the end.
00:51:56 --> 00:51:56 Like the,
00:51:56 --> 00:52:01 the, the thing about, the thing about building the meat business has
00:52:01 --> 00:52:03 been You've got to do it quality.
00:52:03 --> 00:52:07 You know, if you're, if you're, if you're selling to customers, you've
00:52:07 --> 00:52:08 got to follow up with customer service.
00:52:08 --> 00:52:09 You've got to build a
00:52:09 --> 00:52:09 team.
00:52:09 --> 00:52:14 So we've been really careful to make that successful and, and and a good
00:52:14 --> 00:52:16 working a good working business.
00:52:17 --> 00:52:21 And it's kind of time to pivot back and maybe start to bring in some more of the
00:52:21 --> 00:52:26 regenerative ag piece just for the sole purpose of the, of the land and having,
00:52:26 --> 00:52:30 and having that regeneration happen in the areas, in the areas that it hasn't
00:52:30 --> 00:52:34 been easy to do with finishing animals, because you, again, if you're, if you're
00:52:34 --> 00:52:37 finishing beef, you don't want them to put, you don't want to put them to
00:52:37 --> 00:52:42 work in the kind of in the areas that aren't as rich with quality grass.
00:52:43 --> 00:52:46 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Right, yeah, you don't want them on rougher ground.
00:52:46 --> 00:52:47 That's not quite ready,
00:52:47 --> 00:52:48 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: right.
00:52:48 --> 00:52:48 Yeah, exactly.
00:52:48 --> 00:52:52 So I think that's, you know, maybe like kind of the next generation
00:52:52 --> 00:52:55 of The grazing and the and the animals that we'll have here.
00:52:57 --> 00:53:02 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Do you find you offer a wide variety of products at your
00:53:02 --> 00:53:02 store.
00:53:03 --> 00:53:06 Do you find your customers are asking for anything you all
00:53:06 --> 00:53:07 don't provide at this time?
00:53:08 --> 00:53:09 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yes, that's I think that's always
00:53:09 --> 00:53:16 going to be the case To is you know, well guys I said goat as grazers, but
00:53:16 --> 00:53:21 we don't offer goat meat and There's always, you know, like, you know,
00:53:21 --> 00:53:27 sort of the game hens or the, the, you know, I would, I would say more novelty
00:53:27 --> 00:53:31 animals and so, and, and it's sometimes it's feels a little hard
00:53:31 --> 00:53:33 to say no sometimes, but that's just not something that we can
00:53:33 --> 00:53:35 realistically offer and don't plan to.
00:53:36 --> 00:53:37 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, yeah.
00:53:37 --> 00:53:37 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yep.
00:53:37 --> 00:53:39 Milk is another one.
00:53:39 --> 00:53:39 You know?
00:53:39 --> 00:53:40 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, yes.
00:53:40 --> 00:53:41 Yeah.
00:53:41 --> 00:53:46 Well milk listeners of the podcast will know I, I have this ongoing
00:53:46 --> 00:53:50 dilemma and I feel like I tell everyone this, but you know, I'm
00:53:50 --> 00:53:54 dying to have a milk cow or a few milk goats, but then I grew up on a dairy.
00:53:54 --> 00:53:55 So I know that is
00:53:55 --> 00:53:57 that's scheduling me quite busy
00:53:57 --> 00:53:58 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
00:53:58 --> 00:54:00 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: I'm not quite there yet, but
00:54:00 --> 00:54:01 at the same time.
00:54:02 --> 00:54:02 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
00:54:02 --> 00:54:05 And I think, I think it's just as much about, Hey, we've, we've, when customers
00:54:05 --> 00:54:09 find you and they, and you're, they're doing what you're doing the work that they
00:54:09 --> 00:54:10 love, it's like, Hey, what else is it?
00:54:10 --> 00:54:11 Can I, Can I,
00:54:11 --> 00:54:12 can I get milk?
00:54:12 --> 00:54:13 And so, yeah, no,
00:54:13 --> 00:54:16 There's There's always, there's always one more thing.
00:54:16 --> 00:54:17 And it's like, yeah, we'd know we don't offer that.
00:54:18 --> 00:54:20 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: well, it's kind of like, juggling,
00:54:21 --> 00:54:21 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
00:54:22 --> 00:54:24 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: you juggle, you juggle three balls.
00:54:24 --> 00:54:25 What does the audience want?
00:54:25 --> 00:54:27 They want you to add a fourth ball.
00:54:27 --> 00:54:27 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: A
00:54:27 --> 00:54:28 flaming one.
00:54:29 --> 00:54:31 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: yeah, and you, you start doing four balls,
00:54:32 --> 00:54:33 then what does the audience want?
00:54:33 --> 00:54:35 They want you to add another one.
00:54:35 --> 00:54:39 So you've got to know yourself and, and not get yourself into a problem
00:54:39 --> 00:54:39 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: A hundred.
00:54:39 --> 00:54:41 That was, yeah, that's a really good analogy.
00:54:43 --> 00:54:46 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Eileen, it is time for us to move on
00:54:46 --> 00:54:47 to our famous four questions,
00:54:48 --> 00:54:49 by Kencove Farm Fence.
00:54:50 --> 00:54:53 Cal: Kencove Farm Fence is a proud supporter of the Grazing Grass
00:54:53 --> 00:54:55 podcast and graziers everywhere.
00:54:56 --> 00:55:00 At Kencove Farm Fence, they believe there's true value within the community
00:55:00 --> 00:55:02 of graziers and land stewards.
00:55:02 --> 00:55:05 The results that follow proper management and monitoring can
00:55:05 --> 00:55:07 change the very world around us.
00:55:08 --> 00:55:12 That's why Kencove is dedicated to providing an ever expanding line of
00:55:12 --> 00:55:15 grazing products to make your chores easier and your land more abundant.
00:55:16 --> 00:55:19 Whether you're growing your own food on the homestead or grazing
00:55:19 --> 00:55:24 on thousands of acres, Kencove has everything you need to do it well.
00:55:25 --> 00:55:29 From reels to tumblewheels, polytwine to electric nets, water valves to
00:55:29 --> 00:55:33 water troughs, you'll find what you're looking for at Kencove.
00:55:34 --> 00:55:37 They carry brands like Speedrite, O'Brien's, Kiwitech,
00:55:37 --> 00:55:39 Strainrite, Jobe, and more.
00:55:40 --> 00:55:43 Kencove is proud to be part of your regenerative journey.
00:55:43 --> 00:55:46 Call them today or visit Kencove.com.
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00:55:58 --> 00:56:00 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: They're the same four questions
00:56:00 --> 00:56:01 we ask of all of our guests.
00:56:01 --> 00:56:05 And our first question, what is your favorite grazing grass
00:56:05 --> 00:56:07 related book or resource?
00:56:07 --> 00:56:08 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah, it is.
00:56:08 --> 00:56:11 So I love the book, The Hidden Half of Nature.
00:56:11 --> 00:56:18 It's by David Montgomery and his wife Bickley, Bickley, and Bickley.
00:56:19 --> 00:56:21 And it's a really great read.
00:56:21 --> 00:56:26 It's, it's, I love it because it is like the whole story of The health of the
00:56:26 --> 00:56:33 soil, the grazing of the animals and how they're especially ruminants are adapted
00:56:33 --> 00:56:39 to eat grass and how we transition away from that with our industrial agriculture
00:56:39 --> 00:56:43 and, and what impact that has had on our food and therefore our bodies.
00:56:43 --> 00:56:46 And so it's it is magical.
00:56:46 --> 00:56:46 It's a great book.
00:56:47 --> 00:56:49 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, very, I, very interesting.
00:56:49 --> 00:56:50 I have not heard of that book.
00:56:51 --> 00:56:51 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: He's got.
00:56:51 --> 00:56:52 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: to look it up.
00:56:52 --> 00:56:54 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: He, they, they together have a series.
00:56:54 --> 00:56:56 I think they call it the Dirt Trilogy.
00:56:56 --> 00:56:58 I, I think that's what kind of they
00:56:58 --> 00:57:01 lovingly call it, but there's another book they wrote called Dirt and then
00:57:01 --> 00:57:05 another one that is the I think What Your, What Your Food Ate is the other title.
00:57:05 --> 00:57:06 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, okay.
00:57:06 --> 00:57:07 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
00:57:07 --> 00:57:08 They're, and they're, they're all awesome books.
00:57:08 --> 00:57:09 Yeah.
00:57:10 --> 00:57:11 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Yeah, I'll have to look those up.
00:57:12 --> 00:57:13 So thank you for that resource.
00:57:13 --> 00:57:14 I'm
00:57:14 --> 00:57:15 always excited.
00:57:15 --> 00:57:19 I'm always excited just to hear what people find that's
00:57:19 --> 00:57:20 been beneficial to their
00:57:20 --> 00:57:21 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
00:57:21 --> 00:57:22 Yeah,
00:57:22 --> 00:57:24 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: In a selfish way, I'm always excited when there's
00:57:24 --> 00:57:26 a new book that I haven't heard of.
00:57:26 --> 00:57:28 Now, if you look behind me, I have a few books here.
00:57:29 --> 00:57:33 And as I was talking to Farmer Angus the other day, I haven't read them all yet.
00:57:33 --> 00:57:35 So I have plenty of reading to
00:57:35 --> 00:57:37 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Oh, it's never ending, which is
00:57:37 --> 00:57:38 great.
00:57:38 --> 00:57:38 Right.
00:57:38 --> 00:57:39 Yeah.
00:57:40 --> 00:57:42 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: I did see a meme earlier.
00:57:42 --> 00:57:44 that really, I really liked.
00:57:44 --> 00:57:49 It shows two guys standing against a cement block fence,
00:57:50 --> 00:57:52 and one guy can't see over it,
00:57:52 --> 00:57:56 and the other guy can see over it, only because he's standing
00:57:56 --> 00:57:58 on all the books he's read.
00:57:58 --> 00:57:59 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Oh,
00:58:00 --> 00:58:00 that's good.
00:58:01 --> 00:58:02 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: I really like that.
00:58:02 --> 00:58:04 In fact, I don't think I saved it to my phone.
00:58:04 --> 00:58:07 I kind of wish I would have, because I kind of like that analogy there.
00:58:07 --> 00:58:09 You know, you're standing on that knowledge.
00:58:09 --> 00:58:11 You can gain so much from reading.
00:58:11 --> 00:58:12 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: So much.
00:58:12 --> 00:58:13 Yeah, that's great.
00:58:14 --> 00:58:16 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: For our second question, what is
00:58:16 --> 00:58:18 your favorite tool for the farm?
00:58:18 --> 00:58:19 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Okay, I had to think long
00:58:19 --> 00:58:20 and hard about this one.
00:58:21 --> 00:58:24 And it's actually, this may be cheating, but it's actually,
00:58:24 --> 00:58:25 it's called the trucker's hitch.
00:58:25 --> 00:58:29 And it's not a tool, it's a knot that you can make with a rope.
00:58:29 --> 00:58:30 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, okay.
00:58:31 --> 00:58:33 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: yeah, and it's like, I think I was
00:58:33 --> 00:58:37 when we have interns or new, new employees that are out in the production
00:58:38 --> 00:58:40 division of, of outdoors at the ranch.
00:58:40 --> 00:58:44 It's not, I like to teach them because it's the best way.
00:58:44 --> 00:58:46 It's basically, it's, it creates a pulley.
00:58:46 --> 00:58:50 So that you can tie things down tightly or lift things that are heavy.
00:58:50 --> 00:58:53 And or if you're headed to a farmer's market and you've brought ropes instead
00:58:53 --> 00:58:57 of ratchet straps, it's basically like a homemade ratchet strap.
00:58:59 --> 00:59:02 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Okay, two for two, because I do not know how
00:59:02 --> 00:59:06 to tie a trucker's hitch, so I am going to have to look that up as
00:59:06 --> 00:59:07 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah, it's, it really is.
00:59:07 --> 00:59:08 It's, it's, it's just like that.
00:59:08 --> 00:59:11 It's a ratchet strap in your brain as low, as long as you have a rope,
00:59:11 --> 00:59:13 you can make a trucker's hitch.
00:59:13 --> 00:59:13 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: yeah.
00:59:13 --> 00:59:14 Very good.
00:59:14 --> 00:59:15 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah, and I don't know
00:59:15 --> 00:59:16 that everybody calls it.
00:59:16 --> 00:59:17 That's how I learned the name of it.
00:59:17 --> 00:59:21 It's basically a slipknot on one side and you loop through and
00:59:21 --> 00:59:22 make a, make a pulley so that you
00:59:22 --> 00:59:23 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, okay.
00:59:23 --> 00:59:23 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: yeah.
00:59:23 --> 00:59:25 So you, so you've got a mechanical advantage.
00:59:27 --> 00:59:28 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Yeah, very good.
00:59:28 --> 00:59:32 And, and I, I will have to say, I believe that's the first time we've used some
00:59:32 --> 00:59:35 kind of knot as our favorite tool, so.
00:59:36 --> 00:59:36 Yeah.
00:59:36 --> 00:59:37 there you
00:59:37 --> 00:59:37 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
00:59:37 --> 00:59:39 All my other ones were kind of, kind of dumb.
00:59:40 --> 00:59:41 Yeah,
00:59:41 --> 00:59:44 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Oh, it's never dumb if it's useful for you.
00:59:44 --> 00:59:44 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: that's true.
00:59:44 --> 00:59:45 That's a good
00:59:45 --> 00:59:45 point.
00:59:46 --> 00:59:49 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Our third question, Eileen, is what would you
00:59:49 --> 00:59:51 tell someone just getting started?
00:59:53 --> 00:59:57 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah, keep asking why.
00:59:57 --> 00:59:59 Just keep asking why.
01:00:00 --> 01:00:01 There's, there's a lot of it.
01:00:01 --> 01:00:09 There's so much advice and it's like, There's there's good advice and there's
01:00:09 --> 01:00:14 bad advice and they can sound the exact same coming out of someone's mouth.
01:00:14 --> 01:00:14 And so
01:00:15 --> 01:00:15 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Right.
01:00:15 --> 01:00:18 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: yeah, and so it's it's really
01:00:18 --> 01:00:22 understanding where the person's coming from and the reason for
01:00:22 --> 01:00:25 what they're saying or what they're telling you and you just really have
01:00:25 --> 01:00:27 to keep evaluating your sources.
01:00:29 --> 01:00:33 So that, so that you know, you know, so, so much about learning and education
01:00:33 --> 01:00:35 and information is about come from.
01:00:35 --> 01:00:39 And so the only way you're going to get to that is to be like a
01:00:39 --> 01:00:42 little kid, keep the curiosity high,
01:00:42 --> 01:00:43 and keep asking why.
01:00:44 --> 01:00:44 Yeah.
01:00:45 --> 01:00:49 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: You know, Eileen, as I looked over your website and as
01:00:49 --> 01:00:56 we've had this conversation, I've already jotted down a title to the episode.
01:00:56 --> 01:01:00 But now I'm questioning that because I'm thinking, I really like that.
01:01:00 --> 01:01:01 Keep asking why.
01:01:02 --> 01:01:04 That's really good advice, I
01:01:04 --> 01:01:04 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: yeah.
01:01:04 --> 01:01:08 And it's kind of goes to saying like, you know, there's, we talk a lot about like
01:01:08 --> 01:01:13 what works in your zip code and especially with regenerative grazing, because
01:01:13 --> 01:01:15 it's really, it's really the principles.
01:01:15 --> 01:01:16 It's not the methods.
01:01:17 --> 01:01:20 If you can learn, if you can learn the principles, you can apply
01:01:20 --> 01:01:21 them in those different zip codes.
01:01:22 --> 01:01:24 But if you ask someone their methods, they're going to
01:01:24 --> 01:01:25 give you a specific answer.
01:01:25 --> 01:01:26 This is here's
01:01:26 --> 01:01:26 what I do.
01:01:26 --> 01:01:27 Here's what you should do.
01:01:27 --> 01:01:29 Maybe, maybe they say, here's what you should do.
01:01:29 --> 01:01:30 Okay.
01:01:30 --> 01:01:32 And this, and don't do that.
01:01:32 --> 01:01:33 You'll, it'll never work.
01:01:33 --> 01:01:37 Well, if you ask why it's because it's probably has something to do with
01:01:37 --> 01:01:39 that zip code, and there's probably a
01:01:39 --> 01:01:42 very good reason that they're giving you that advice, but it may be a
01:01:42 --> 01:01:45 completely different, it may need to be a completely different answer
01:01:45 --> 01:01:47 in a, in a different zip code.
01:01:48 --> 01:01:48 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Right.
01:01:48 --> 01:01:50 That could be completely valid
01:01:50 --> 01:01:51 in their context,
01:01:51 --> 01:01:52 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: they're not wrong.
01:01:52 --> 01:01:53 They're right.
01:01:53 --> 01:01:53 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: to work in
01:01:53 --> 01:01:54 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: hmm.
01:01:54 --> 01:01:54 Mm hmm.
01:01:54 --> 01:01:55 Yeah.
01:01:55 --> 01:01:56 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: exactly.
01:01:56 --> 01:01:56 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
01:01:57 --> 01:01:59 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: And lastly, Eileen, where can
01:01:59 --> 01:02:00 others find out more about you?
01:02:01 --> 01:02:03 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah, so we're online at ramsteadbranch.
01:02:03 --> 01:02:05 com That's our website.
01:02:05 --> 01:02:09 And if you're on any of the kind of major social media platforms,
01:02:09 --> 01:02:10 it's we're ramstead branch.
01:02:10 --> 01:02:16 So If it's Facebook or Instagram or YouTube, that kind of thing, or
01:02:16 --> 01:02:17 come
01:02:17 --> 01:02:19 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: up with a name that's going to be unique enough
01:02:20 --> 01:02:22 that it's going to be available everywhere.
01:02:22 --> 01:02:23 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
01:02:23 --> 01:02:23 No kidding.
01:02:23 --> 01:02:24 Yeah.
01:02:24 --> 01:02:25 And it's not a last name.
01:02:25 --> 01:02:26 It's, it was just a word we made up.
01:02:26 --> 01:02:30 It was like homestead, but, but especially with our love of the sheep, it was
01:02:30 --> 01:02:33 Rams, you know, the place of the Ram.
01:02:33 --> 01:02:33 So, Yeah.
01:02:34 --> 01:02:34 Yeah.
01:02:35 --> 01:02:36 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Well, very good, Eileen.
01:02:36 --> 01:02:39 Really appreciate you coming on and sharing with us today.
01:02:40 --> 01:02:40 eileen---ramstead-ranch_1_10-08-2024_152835: Yeah.
01:02:40 --> 01:02:41 Well, thank you.
01:02:41 --> 01:02:42 Thank you for having me.
01:02:42 --> 01:02:45 And I'm really, really appreciate what you're doing for the regenerative
01:02:45 --> 01:02:50 agriculture community and for grazers out there and new, new and experienced.
01:02:50 --> 01:02:51 So thank
01:02:51 --> 01:02:52 cal_1_10-08-2024_172835: Well, thank you.
01:02:52 --> 01:02:53 Appreciate that.
01:02:53 --> 01:02:56 Cal: I really hope you enjoyed today's conversation.
01:02:56 --> 01:02:57 I know I did.
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