Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
The Grazing Grass Podcast features insights and stories of regenerative farming, specifically emphasizing grass-based livestock management. Our mission is to foster a community where grass farmers can share knowledge and experiences with one another. We delve into their transition to these practices, explore the ins and outs of their operations, and then move into the "Over Grazing" segment, which addresses specific challenges and learning opportunities. The episode rounds off with the "Famous Four" questions, designed to extract valuable wisdom and advice. Join us to gain practical tips and inspiration from the pioneers of regenerative grass farming.
This is the podcast for you if you are trying to answer: What are regenerative farm practices? How to be grassfed? How do I graze other species of livestock? What's are ways to improve pasture and lower costs? What to sell direct to the consumer?
Welcome to the Grazing
Grass podcast episode 116.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
keep a very open mind about what's
possible and not get caught in the
stigma of owning any certain type of cow.
Cal: You're listening to the Grazing Grass
Podcast, sharing information and stories
of grass based livestock production
utilizing regenerative practices.
I'm your host, Cal Hardage.
You're growing more than grass.
You're growing a healthier
ecosystem to help your cattle
thrive in their environment.
You're growing your livelihood by
increasing your carrying capacity
and reducing your operating costs.
You're growing stronger communities
and a legacy to last generations.
The grazing management
decisions you make today.
impact everything from the soil beneath
your feet to the community all around you.
That's why the Noble Research
Institute created their Essentials
of Regenerative Grazing course to
teach ranchers like you easy to follow
techniques to quickly assess your forage
production and infrastructure capacity.
In order to begin
grazing more efficiently.
Together, they can help you grow
not only a healthier operation,
but a legacy that lasts.
Learn more on their website at noble.
org slash grazing.
It's n o b l e dot org
forward slash grazing.
On today's show we have August
Horstmann of Horstmann Cattle Company.
He was on the podcast way back on episode
15, almost three and a half years ago.
We caught back up with August
and shared what's happened since
then and what he's doing now.
It's a great episode.
Find out how his cattle program's going
and what else he's doing on his farm.
Before we talk to August,
10 seconds about my farm.
Later in the episode, we talk
about a little bit of a drought.
We were getting a little bit dry
here, but the rains have came and
we are so very happy for that.
However, I would like for
the tornadoes to stay away.
10 seconds about the podcast.
We have some wonderful episodes
coming up in the coming weeks.
You don't want to miss them.
But enough of all that,
let's talk to August.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238:
August, we want to welcome you
back to Grazing Grass Podcast.
We're excited you're here today.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Thanks for having me back.
It's been a minute.
How's it been?
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: It's been good.
Lots have happened.
I figured lots have happened in your
world, so it's about time to catch back
up and find out what's going on there.
So in 21 early 21 January 21 and
for listeners who hadn't heard
your episode You were on episode
15 of the grazing grass podcast.
So So first off, I have to say
thank you for coming on to a no name
podcast and sharing about your story.
I'm still a no name podcast, but
I have a few more listeners now.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
That's good.
I don't have much of a name either.
So we're in it together.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: There we are.
When you were on before you had gone
cold turkey for regenerative ag.
You had stopped what you were doing
with your Angus and Angus Cross and
started in the South Poll journey.
And
Time you were getting ready to
calve out some of your first
50 percent south poll cows.
And then you also had your pork going
on, and you had broilers and layers.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Okay.
Yeah, so
That was right before All of it
death by diversity set in it's what
it sounds like that was and We were
ramping up production and diversified.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: So let's just
talk a little bit about your cattle.
Just to get started.
You were about to calve out some
of those 50% south polls and have
some 75% south polls on the ground.
How did that go?
Are you still a fan of South polls?
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah, so I can't remember Back
then, was that 50 percent corianne
or just 50 percent beef cow?
I can't even remember.
I would say
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238:
They were 50%, I think.
Al your black cows?
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah, okay.
Yeah, so we've been building on that.
Got all South poll bulls now.
And we've been building on that.
Still don't mess with papers, really.
That's more of a headache,
just on my end, I believe.
And yeah, so we got those cows now.
They're calving still on the place.
Majority of them are.
We've culled really hard.
We went through a D3 drought.
It was shaping up this past year.
And going into that, it was, uh,
cattle prices were coming up.
And I decided, made the
management decision of, we're
going to have to cull something.
What I turned three bulls out for 45 days.
So I cut my breeding season by 60.
I think I cut my breeding
season by, uh, 15 days.
So I went from a 60 to a
45 day breeding season.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh yeah.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
And and a lot of those cows
that I have started with most of
those bred in that season, but
really trying to push them a lot
harder.
I actually got them listed for
sale now with the way cattle prices
are and we're getting, we seem
to be still trending pretty dry.
So I do believe I'm I would
move those cows if You know if
they would go the right place.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: We're pretty
dry here in northeast Oklahoma.
We were wet for a while and
it was looking pretty good,
but spring has turned off dry.
And It's got me a little concerned.
I think we're a D1 right now, but
the county over is a D2, and we live
right in the corner of three counties.
We're I've got land in two of the counties
bordered up against each other, so I've
got some land in a D2 right now, and some
land in a D1 drought, which, just getting
started, we did get rain last night.
I don't know if you're getting some
rain up your way, but just on that
conversation, where are you located?
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah, so I'm in Owensville,
Missouri 60 miles southwest of St.
Louis off 44.
I'm about 20 miles north of 44 at the
Cuba exit yeah, it's, the dryness is
when it rains here, we're just getting
these wicked storms that just dump
tons of rain in a short period of time.
We had a couple nice spring
rains, but for majority, they've
just been wicked and we've been
getting a lot of wind, kind of
trending over the past couple of
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh, yeah,
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
It's it seems like we're getting a
lot more wind And the wind just I mean
it just really doesn't seem to stop.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: it always
seems like we get a fair amount of
wind here, but yeah, it seems like
we're getting I would say the wind
intensity, pressure has increased.
I don't know, but just anecdotally as
I think about it, it seems that way.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: And we're
likewise we've got, I've got a few
cows for sale myself just because I'm
like, I'm gonna have to de stock some
if we don't get some rain in here.
And talking to my dad on his
place, we're gonna sell some sheep,
To try and
what the rains do, and this week
we're supposed to get some, so
hopefully it'll be much better.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: You mentioned
on your cattle earlier, you said,
Corrientes, or were they black cows?
Are you running some Corrientes now?
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah, so I think About 21, I started
just dabbling in the Koreanese.
I guess that would have been that
fall I got my first little set.
And just started experimenting with them.
And I actually grew that up some.
And had, I think, 60 or so full Coriannis,
and then I had some half blood South
poll Coriannis, and things like that.
And, uh, this fall, we were
really dry, didn't get any rain.
Hardly any fall rains.
Hay was expensive, hard to come by.
And just started selling the stuff
people wanted, it's, I can, no one
wants a slick black cow because
everybody has, everybody has that eye.
In the world that I'm in, my little small
circle, a lot of it is the red cattle.
I see a lot of people buying papered,
hairy south polls over
a slick hided black cow.
That's got South poll influence, they'll
pay more for a one that's got hair
But for that piece of paper that
goes with her and But so back to the
Corianne so it was something like I
could get out of Corianne's and I knew
Roughly how to get back into them,
and that was the easiest Thing to get
out of it and get back in my mind.
So we sold all the coriander cows
this fall one guy came and got all
the cows and funny thing is every cow
that calved on my place to my bulls on
20 in the spring of 23 so that means
they went through a breeding season
basically a full year with me I was 100
percent on breed up on that cow,
on that group of Corianni cows.
In a D3
drought, 45 day breeding season.
Basically, but I had taken the
time, I trained them to polywire.
I lined them out, got them grazing,
come when I'd call, everything
like that, and I enjoyed that part.
I enjoy training cattle to
polywire and moving them and stuff.
I've got border collies that I train
too, that gives those dogs a lot of
time, when I bring those new cattle in
for a couple weeks, it's a, like right
now, we just got back into Cory and he's
about, oh, it was like the Tuesday before
Easter, so it's been a month now, and
we bought a pot load of 80 heifers
out of Texas, And most of them
never seen Hotwire, et cetera.
I would say all of them
hadn't seen Hotwire.
But, and we
would and we just started grazing
them, but, so we're going to go back
and I'm going to line out this set and
then hopefully whatever breeds will be
bred on my papered South Pool bulls.
I'm going to plan on
moving them this fall.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: On those
heifers and getting them in,
how'd you break them to poly wire?
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
We bring them in and basically, I'm
more of a turn out and put back.
The last time I can keep cattle
penned up.
When you bring a lot of cattle in
like that, it seems the quicker
you can get them out on grass,
the healthier they'll stay.
So we brought them in, we put them
in a trap for a couple of days.
They had some grass and we unrolled
some hay that allowed us to let them
calm down from being on the truck.
We gave them new ear
tags, stuff like that.
We we did go ahead and warm these because
they were pretty pretty rough shape.
I, for the first few days,
I really was wondering about
them, but as they're grazing
We're getting them there seem to be
coming around but And then we just turn
out into like high tensile paddocks,
bigger paddocks And we'll start
pushing those around and into bigger
and bigger paddocks with dogs then
once we have that high tensile Down
where the shock and then we'll start
putting poly wire out and stuff like that
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh, yeah.
Did you have any jumpers?
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
No, we got a lot that like want to
go under if a fence is high and we're
running on one strand or if you got
some of our you know We have some gates
that start at 33, but then diagonal up
to a 44 inch Wire, hot wire, whatever,
We'll see some go under a creek
crossing that you know where we
didn't put any drop downs in it,
they're smart, they'll go right on,
they'll go underneath stuff like that.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh, yeah.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238: And
then we just open, open gates and, then,
but that gives my dogs a chance to go out,
grab them, bring them to a gate, and so
they're learning multiple things there.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh, yeah.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
and, so like training dogs, training
cattle, all at the same time.
And it just, just that
part of it seems to work.
It's the part that I really like, I like.
I like handling cattle
and I like orking dogs.
So it's like my favorite things to do.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh yes, yeah.
I'm dealing with much smaller numbers,
but I got a few Coriante heifers in,
and
They wanted to go under, but I had
one that was hopping over everything.
Of course, I had a little bit of an
issue with my Energizer right then.
I got that resolved, and now I
got it hot enough that she doesn't
even get close enough to hop, but
she was causing me some
fits for a few days.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238: Yep.
Yep.
That.
I've had just one.
I mean, Most of my cows, like if
they were pushed they would go over.
A lot of our fences at 30 and
33 inches, right?
Our top wire is 33 if they would
be pushed I mean they're going
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: oh yeah.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
jump but I'd say most majority
of everybody's cows would too.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Yeah,
if you're providing enough
pressure on them and causing,
and no way to escape, yeah
they're gonna get out of that situation.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
so yeah, it's just all about getting
that mind those cows minds You know
around that fence and then they're good.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Now you talked
a little bit about using your border
collies and your love doing that.
Are you, do you raise some border
collies and train them for sale or do
you just have your own that you use?
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
I've done a couple so I've sold
a couple started dogs and But and
then I'll have I have my main dog.
She's seven now.
I've raised two letters of puppies
out of her And I've got a son
from her first litter and her
daughter from her last litter.
She's, I think she's too old to breed.
I actually just bought, spoke
for another dog that I get.
I'm not sure when this episode
will come out, but it, I think it's
going to be around the first of.
May I get a, I'll be picking up a,
another, this'll be my first papered dog.
I am gonna go
papered on my Border Collies, just because
I think, coming up, down the road, selling
puppies it'll be easier to do that.
I didn't have a problem
selling out of my last litter.
My main dog, in the male we bred her
to, He was down from South Missouri
Southwest, Missouri and these they
were it was a pretty sought after Deal.
I mean we sold all the puppies
basically before the litter was born.
So
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh, yeah.
I kick around the idea of
getting a border collie.
yeah.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
yeah.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: time to time,
I get pretty wink need and I start
looking and I think about it and then
I'm like, that's a lot of work I'm
committing to because they need a lot of
attention and then I've gotta train it.
And I haven't trained a dog.
So you know, I've read, I've actually
got some books on it because I've
thought far enough ahead that I need
to read on this to know how to do it.
But at the same time, I have not taken
that step and listening to when I talk
to someone who's got border colleagues.
I'm always like, Oh, I need to go get one.
I take a step back and I'm like, will
that cause too much stress to my animals?
Do you find any downsides
to working your dogs?
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
No, I personally don't the weird thing
is on what I've noticed You know a
dog with a good down and that's not
running around not barking I take
my dogs with me everywhere they'll
sit on the four wheeler, cattle will
walk up and sniff on them they
might get their nose snipped at, but
I've found that if I can actually
settle cattle into a paddock better
with dogs, if I move with a dog
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh yeah.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
versus a bunch of other people on four
wheelers chasing them or something
like that, I can just move those.
Cattle and handle them so much calmer
it seems and I don't know if I it's
just because I spend a lot of time Out
with my cows, but I mean I have found,
just sending a dog down a poly wire And
bringing a cow back through a gate versus
me driving down with a four wheeler and
chasing her back in It just seems like
I get along with Uh I'll strip graze
cattle and my dogs will be right there
and there's a difference with working
and there's a difference, when we go
to work versus if we're just going
to go roll up polywire and strip
graze, those dogs go right with me
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: yeah.
Very good.
When you trained your dogs is there,
and I'm completely talking about
something I know nothing about.
Like I said, I've bought a
couple of books, but I haven't
read very much in them.
Is there a certain philosophy you use on
training them or how do you go through
that process of training your dogs?
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
I don't know if I'm the best
one to be talking to about that.
My, my seven year old
dog was my first dog.
And luckily she was probably one of the
toughest border collies out there cause
I started her on pears at 8 months old.
Like I did everything wrong with her.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh, yeah.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
but we, I mean she gets me out of a
lot of jams and she's, my go to dog.
We gathered some bulls yesterday
and moved them to a new paddock
and we had a new bull in there.
And and she, and he wanted to stand off
and fight and kind of show who's boss.
And, she goes in there real calm
and she'll just stand there.
And she'll just one time bite,
bite him on the nose and, but she
doesn't continue to chase, right?
It's a bite.
He backs
off and goes with other bulls and
like I didn't teach her that, right?
She, so like I don't,
It's, I put some command with it, like
a walk up or a stand, but most of the
time I really don't have to see anything.
If she's watching one and I can overlook
her on the like we'll use yesterday You
know though the main bulls they wanted
to break to the other side and she was
focused on this one she hit him and then
I hit him with hit the dog with a right
command and center to turn those bulls
That had tried to walk past her So like
I kind of oversee but you know She knows
where all my gates are and she knows if
I start calling the cows in one One deal.
And then they with new cattle, when
you, when I mix these 80 head of
coriander cows with my beef cows, and
you got all these cows and they're
stir, stirred up a little bit, and The
new cattle are trying to figure out
the pecking order and stuff, and you're
trying to move them, the dog and I
start calling, but the dog needs help.
She knows where we're going
and how to be, how it needs
to be done and can hold those.
So I don't, I didn't
teach her any of that.
Back to your question.
I follow Randall Walker
was say to stock dogs.
He's, I watch his videos.
I've been to one of his videos.
He's got really tough dogs and
he's like a no nonsense type guy.
And I follow his deal.
His dogs his brute dog is the reason
that I actually went with Border Collies.
And I
was fortunate enough to buy a grandson
out of brute that he actually got killed.
But I have a great grandson out
of the brute dog and then my
picking up a puppy that goes
back to his litters to this deal.
But so I follow a lot of his stuff with
sanctioning and how you start them.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Oh yeah, very good.
So what I'm hearing a lot is you
stay out of the way and let the
dog's instincts take over and you're
just there providing some insight.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah I try to, I mean, the, like I, yeah,
they know what to do or, Like a good one,
but I mean it took a lot.
We've had it's not all
Roses, I mean we've had some
issues before but I would say
majority of the time I couldn't
do what I do without a dog.
I guess I could.
It'd
take a lot of, it'd take a lot more time.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: right.
And that's something we're
all short on this time.
The hair sheep are like that for me.
I went out the other morning
and I have two flocks right now.
I have the flock that accidentally
lambed and I have the flock
that's getting ready to lamb.
And I keep them separated so
I know who's lambed and stuff.
And I go out the other morning and I
had them across a fence from each other.
But they got together.
And that's my fault.
I shouldn't have had them across
the fence to tempt them, but I did.
And so other morning I
got to sort sheep again.
So that's one of those.
They created a lot more
work for me that morning.
Wasn't a dog, but those
hair sheep do that for me.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: When we jump
back to, I was listening to your episode
earlier, just to refresh my memory,
and you were talking about pastured
pork at the time, and you were using
pork to, to get into some forest
areas to work towards silvopasture.
How has that process going?
Are you still doing it?
How is it?
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
It worked.
It worked really well.
So yeah created that silvopasture
template with the pigs.
I did have to go through,
select, cut some trees.
Yeah.
And then we, we had to go through
with equipment and pile that, those
trees that we cut, burned them.
Then I followed up with bale
grazing with cattle, and bale,
and, I never seeded it or anything.
And now it's right out my window
here, and I've got grazing.
I can get, I can utilize it for grazing.
Hogs are really neat.
We're in the process of looking
for somebody we to hire.
We're at the point where we need
another person to come on and it'd
be, I personally don't want to do
pigs, but, with the right person
coming on, I would be interested in
expanding One or two other enterprises
either goats, sheep, pork, broilers,
or layers, or a combination of them
for the right person.
But, yeah, shortly after, um, I
guess in 2021, we wrapped up all
the broilers, layers, pork, and
basically, we got death by diversity.
2022 of, June of 2022, I was, became
full time on the farm, so this year,
June, I'll be celebrating, or, my
second year full time for myself, but,
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: yes.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
But we strictly are cattle right now.
I have a couple layers that I
mess around with, and one, I
traded some chicks for a goat.
So I got one goat, and
I got two, two sheep
that I traded a couple steaks for.
That's how diverse I am.
I got a horse too, so I've got a bunch
of, I got a bunch of little bitty stuff
that takes a lot of time but like with
the pigs, broilers, cattle, at the
time we were spring and fall calving,
we were backgrounding, finishing
just, we got death by diversity.
There's just no question about it.
And got, I sold the, basically, fall
herd's gone, I just spring, spring
calve cows, have a meat business, herd
of cattle, and then, I've been trading
coriannies, there's no denying that I
like to buy and sell, so I guess that
air quotes me as a trader, whatever.
But
I like putting it, I like putting
together core yinnies and kind of,
getting them ready to go on for somebody
else to hopefully have success with.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh yeah.
So that death by diversification,
you just got too many irons in the
fire and not enough time, so you
had to scale back on those other
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah, you get so many,
so much thing going.
You got six pigs, 200 layers,
150 broilers, spring calving,
fall calving cows, stocker
cattle, meat business cattle.
And what ends up happening, or
did for us, and I still had an off
farm job, I was still working 35
plus hours a week for another guy, running
his 2, 500 acres and his 400 cows, and and
then also trying to deliver meat to St.
Louis.
And and You just, you can't get,
you can't get anything done.
You just do chores constantly
and you work all the
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh yeah.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
And it's, you start looking at it and
you maybe, you might, each thing might
make you a thousand or a $2,000, right?
You might net 2000 bucks
on some pasture hogs.
But if.
What would you have been able to
do if you could have taken another,
like hap, there's other things
That could have been done and you
could have made more whatever.
I mean if you're gonna
net 2, 000 on a set of hogs, but
you're running 24 hours a day and
really don't factor your labor
Into your pasture pork I don't,
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: I totally get
that my wife keeps me in track, otherwise
I'd have a little bit of everything, and
I already have a little bit of everything,
so I don't need anything else, but Ahem.
I I could easily add stuff
which I don't need to.
I totally get that and I think it's
important to take that step back and
realize hey, this is adding to the
bottom line but it's not adding enough
to make up for the increase in labor and
another chore I'm doing and everything.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
yeah, the
opportunity potential, like
what could we have been doing
or, could we have maybe made 3, 000
if we would have been able to get a
new piece of grass fenced or whatever
if we were, had water at this point,
but you weren't able to get it done.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Yeah.
That makes sense to me.
Now, one thing you mentioned there
was about selling meat to St.
Louis area.
So let's talk about
your direct to consumer.
When did you, and on the first episode,
we really didn't talk about that.
When did you all start
selling direct to consumer?
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah, so it's just me now.
on the farm.
It just me.
Let's see, 2019, we got to some farmers
markets, COVID shut that all down.
And right when
COVID was, when we had the
mandated lockdown, that's when
we started delivering meat to St.
Louis.
And from there, we've.
Basically delivered basically from the
lockdowns till now shutdowns, whatever you
want to call it I've delivered meat to st.
Louis almost every week Since then
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh yes.
Do you have a route you go?
Do you have,
how, how does it work for
you delivering it to them?
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238: okay
So it started out as text messages and
I would just text message on pictures of
my you know handwritten inventory and Now
we're then we went to barn to door from
barn to door We left that now we're at
Shopify I have a lady, her name's Jordan.
She works with me.
She's the main person behind
all of the social media posts.
I do the stories, but she does
a lot of the posts, emails.
You email, if you email
us she's responding.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh, yes.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
And you go online, order cuts, bulk,
whatever and it's all home delivery.
So the routes each week vary.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh yeah.
You mentioned there you went
from barn to door to Shopify.
Why did you make that transition
and how has it worked for you?
Oh
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Barn2Door wants me back, so I've been
they've been setting up meetings.
I left because of the number of
clicks it takes to get to sale.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Yeah.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
customers flat out, if they
gotta click two more times it's
frankly just a pain in their ass.
It doesn't seem
like it, but if you've gotta, those
extra clicks, people get fed up with it.
There's a whole nother, nother,
I mean there's other reasons.
Shopify's One of the biggest, if not the
biggest e commerce businesses, right?
They've got an app.
It's
super easy to manage inventory.
All my orders are at a, are on an
app, I can click through, I can
get it all laid out inventories,
managements all right there.
It's super, super easy compared
to what it was back then.
And honestly, that was a few
years
ago,
when we left and honestly, it
doesn't sound like much has changed.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh, yeah.
I see it, but I haven't used it.
I'm not at that point.
So it's interesting to
have that take on it.
I have used Shopify a little
bit and Etsy about some other
stuff, but that's interesting.
Now, switching gears just a little
bit August you started, or you were
inspired, I'm sure you were inspired
because I made podcasting look just so
glamorous, but you started a podcast.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah.
I did.
It it was, I love listening to podcasts.
The idea behind it was
long form conversations.
I would just talk to
people I wanted to talk to.
I really didn't have.
I still have a giant list of
people I want to talk to, right?
But I would talk to people that I would,
with, basically with no notes, right?
It was just all off
the cuff conversations.
I would hear about somebody,
Doing something this way.
So then I would just call them
with maybe a general topic in mind
And then we would go from there.
I am wherever the
conversation Went it went
And I really enjoyed it.
I'm in my podcast studio here, right?
I've got the whole deal is, we can
do four people at me and three other
guys, three other gals, whatever
we can do a four way conversation.
But it's, it was It took an entire
day by the time people came down
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh yeah.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238: We
toured around established a Relationship
how you know, I would pay attention to
how people talked and stuff We'd go to
lunch and then we would record and then
by the time you edit something that's
a couple hours long it You know, that's
where You know, like I really enjoyed it.
I recorded a few episodes
right at the end.
And, uh, that one was in person
with Eric Fuchs of Understanding Ag.
And one was from a guy
in Texas about vence.
And I recorded those pretty much, not the
same day, but like within a couple days.
And those were my
third and fourth episode that
had gotten just wiped out.
Like I couldn't even access
them, the chip whatever
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh no.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah, so
and it was like that was like the straw
that broke the camel's back, you know
It was like man, I you know, Eric took
the time we sat down Talked really
good conversation, And I had the number
one and number two people that the
first and second time it happened, one
was Jason Meadows and one was, uh, my
vet that I use, both super busy guys,
basically, The same thing happened.
It was like, man, these people are
taking their time to do, to come, and
then their stuff gets erased, and just
feel terrible about it, and I better
just quit and figure out the issue
so it doesn't happen again, and I
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh yeah.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
life's happened, and
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh yeah.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
just haven't gotten back to it,
but I did thoroughly enjoy The
conversation and I was tickled that
you had asked me to come back on.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: You
mentioned something there.
Just the opportunity to talk
to everyone through this
podcast has just been amazing.
So I fully agree with you that the
opportunity to talk to people and like
you coming back on here, finding out
what's happening since and what I can
take away from it for my own operation, I
think is wonderful.
And I think, In your format, it's a
little bit different than my format,
and I think there's room for all of us.
Because, some people are going
to listen to me and say, I'm
not listening to him anymore.
And I don't blame them, but
there are a few people that will
listen multiple times to me.
So you get, that personality
of the host, the format of it.
There's room for us all here.
And podcast grazed in America
and hopefully, The future comes
and you can get some time to get
back on that, but I do understand
technology issues are a killer,
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah,
and Yeah, and I've
thoroughly enjoyed yours.
One of my favorite episodes is with
Jennifer and Luis Hernandez and You know
down there at man I met them at a
Joel Salatin event a couple years
ago And then we stay in contact
and they're Awesome people.
So fun to talk to Louis.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: they are
and they're always doing something.
I have not made it down there or made
it to the farmer's market where they're
selling and I keep planning on to but they
are always busy doing stuff and there's
so much they're doing that I look and
think, oh, that's something I could try.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah,
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: to the
problems, I just recorded a episode
other day that It didn't keep any of it.
Actually, we're going to record an
in person episode pretty soon, but
they're doing some similar stuff.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
yeah.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: The other
thing, you started that Grazed in
America podcast, but you also started
a Facebook group, Grazed in America.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah,
so I've got,
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238:
the Facebook group?
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
so I've got, yeah, I have
grazed in America on Facebook,
grazed in America on Instagram.
Those are more for the podcast
and then I have grazed in
America livestock and basically
it.
was Just the, a spot where, people could
come and not for sale their animals, but
uh, re homing, you know, their animals
and this one stop shop for these people
with meat businesses and, looking for,
you know, I guess my goal is with, is
to get this regenerative farm movement,
help nurture it to continue it to grow,
to be a part of the growth of it, because
I truly 110 percent believe in it.
I believe about nutrient
density, quality of the meat
family farm life, that work life
balance, the whole thing about it.
110 percent believe it.
Live it every day.
Foods medicine, that whole deal.
And so just want to be
a part of helping that.
that grow and share information
and provide provide an area for
people that share that same vision,
same mission where they're, they
can go and find these, this stock.
And so that's the idea
behind it as just Oh, we need
something for our meat business.
Let's go put it here.
And, it's, I don't, it's organically
grown to 1, 700 members so far, I believe.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh, yeah.
Very good.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah, just a spot you can put your
sheep or your lambs or, you said you
got some, you're re homing some cows,
your cows are looking for new pasture.
You can put them on there.
Anymore, I don't, I used to take the
time people would put for sale, and
I would take the time and message,
this is not a for sale, just change
for sale to re home or looking for it.
Now I just, I
don't really have the time.
To do that and just because then some
people were like it lets me do it here and
then so then you get like in this beat,
this back and forth with somebody on rules
and I'm like, it's just for Facebook.
Don't
ruin it for the rest of us, so now
I don't even I just don't I have to
scan every post now and now I just
delete the ones that say for sale.
I don't even Take time to message back
because it's just, if you don't know
the rules of Facebook by now, I don't,
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: right.
And you get into they, they
want to debate it with you.
And you're like, it's not a debate.
I
don't have a choice in this.
I want the group to continue.
We can't do it.
Yeah.
And that, that admin side of that,
it's like the podcast, the admin
side of the Facebook group takes
up a little bit more time than you
ever anticipated when you started.
Oh,
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
yeah.
and like I'm approving people to
join because there's so many of those
groups that have those spam accounts.
That post just bad stuff, so one thing
I do is I go through and approve people
now because, I want to make sure we're
keeping the, keeping it relatable, right?
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Yeah.
Now I completely agree with that.
And one thing I found with
Facebook, the Facebook groups are
my favorite part of Facebook now.
That's why I get on there, is the groups
that I'm part of to find out information.
When we first started,
it was about family.
And then everyone and their
dog went to be your friend.
And then it just got,
all got lost in there.
And it's, and really My family, the
people I guess my extended family, I see
some updates from them that I may not
hear otherwise, but really the Facebook
groups are why I'm still on Facebook.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yep, 100%.
I think last time I looked,
I was like on 110 groups.
All I see is groups.
Stuff.
Just the sheer
amount of information or certain things.
People looking for, meat, or
restaurants or whatever, you see
so many things, people looking for
dogs, I don't know how many border
collie pages I'm on or how many, St.
Louis, looking for groups I'm a
part of just, you know, it's a
giant tool Like people say, you're
always on your phone, right?
I get that all the time, but it's like
it's not like I'm looking at other
people, I'm just constantly scrolling
through, a hundred plus groups with, some
of those groups get 20, 30 posts a day.
And commenting, and shit,
and just hoping one hits just
any little bit of downtime, plus
it might be a sort of an addiction.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Yeah.
I think there's certain amount valid to
that because I catch myself scrolling
when I should be doing something else or
just, I just pick it up and I'm scrolling
and I'm like, why am I doing that?
I don't need to do
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah, like in the
middle of a
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: we won't go
on that addiction very much further.
Yeah, I've done that.
Yeah.
That's the reason I try and keep
it in my pocket and the earbud
in so I'm listening to something
or if I'm choosing not to listen.
But try and keep the phone out
of my hand during those times.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yep, yep, I get no notifications
from any social media
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238: So,
the only thing, if you need me, text
or call, that's the only way if you
need an immediate something I don't
respond to Instagram messages, because
it doesn't, I will respond to them,
but it's when I see them, because I've
opened my phone.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Yeah, which
makes sense because you've got to
stop all this incoming noise because
there's just so much incoming noise.
Yeah
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: August
really enjoyed catching up with you.
Like we said at the beginning, three and a
half years since you were on the podcast.
So finding out what you've done
since then and where you're going.
One thing you did, you
scaled back on everything.
And before we move to the,
Famous four questions.
You had mentioned, you would be open
to adding another species in, but
if I understood you that's really
kinda, you hire someone, if they have
an interest in something, you may
be willing to add that species back.
Or is there anything you
want to add back for sure?
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah, So we scaled back on all the
other enterprises to basically zero
right now, but then scaled up on
cows and our meat business side.
Yeah, currently I would say we're,
I don't want to put a number with
how many acres is fenced, but
currently we are fencing to bring in
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh yeah.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
and with cattle prices as high as
they are, you, there's a, you can see.
If you sell your cows there's a, I
don't, there's a tax kind of deferral
that, that gain, the gain on the
livestock, that can be deferred for
X amount of years to buy back in.
Everybody's we're looking at different
options there, but yeah, for the
right person, the right fit, For
somebody to bring in sheep or not
bring in, we go out and buy them.
But if to,
Definitely we have the room to add
something sheep or goats preferably,
but yeah, it comes with a house and
everything for the right person.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238:
There we go, yeah.
Yeah.
Get the word out, maybe you
can find that person that'll
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah.
Hopefully
you'll listen to her, right?
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: ya.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Like learning about grazing.
They're on the right path.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Exactly.
Yeah.
August, it is time for
our famous four questions.
And we're going to ask them again, even
though you answered them on episode 15.
One difference now in the questions,
they are sponsored by Kencove Farm Fence.
Kencove Farm Fence is a proud
supporter of the Grazing Grass
podcast and graziers everywhere.
At Kencove Farm Fence, they believe
there's true value within the community
of graziers and land stewards.
The results that follow proper
management and monitoring can
change the very world around us.
That's why Kencove is dedicated to
providing an ever expanding line of
grazing products to make your chores
easier and your land more abundant.
Whether you're growing your own
food on the homestead or grazing
on thousands of acres, Kencove has
everything you need to do it well.
From reels to tumblewheels, polytwine
to electric nets, water valves to
water troughs, you'll find what
you're looking for at Kencove.
They carry brands like
Speedrite, O'Brien's, Kiwitech,
Strainrite, Jobe, and more.
Kencove is proud to be part
of your regenerative journey.
Call them today or visit Kencove.com.
And be sure to follow them on social
media and subscribe to the Kencove YouTube
channel @KencoveFarmFence for helpful
how to videos and new product releases!
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: They are the same
questions we ask of all of our guests.
So let's get to them.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238: And
I did not listen to the re listen to it.
So I don't remember
what I answered.
So we'll see what
happens.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: I did listen
so I'm curious to see what all you
say and I I have part of those answers
in my mind so we'll see what you
go with.
First question, what is your favorite
grazing grass related book or resource?
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
man, a good one.
I've been doing a lot of audio
books and podcasts still.
Grazing grass podcast, working cows
herd quitter and I'm still pretty
much involved with understanding ag
and going to those schools and free
events and stuff that they host.
Off the top of my head I'm in
the process of listening to Will
Harris book, which is very good.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh,
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Read by him.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh,
even better, I have it on my
shelf, but I haven't read it yet.
Maybe I should get the audio
version and listen to him.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Read by him, it's pretty,
it's a pretty good listen.
Bold return to giving a damn,
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Yeah, and I'm
always a fan when the author reads a book.
Just, I feel like it
just adds so much to it.
Excellent resources there.
Just as a Just tell you what you answered
before you had talked about Greg Judy's
books, and you had talked about YouTube,
and Gabe Brown, and Greg Judy, and
Alan Williams, and listening to them.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Okay, yeah, so it's changed.
I don't, I spend very
little time on YouTube.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: I find, this is
a tangent, I may cut it out, I find it's
very interesting the process or learning
cycle a person goes through on gathering
information and gaining information
and the different stages in it.
With YouTube freely available,
everybody just goes to that and you
can get so much information there.
But at a certain point you get,
you want a little bit deeper level.
Or higher level knowledge,
whichever way you want to go.
So then you're gravitating through some
audiobooks or books or some courses or
conferences, stuff to go to like that.
I think that process is really
interesting and I've seen it in
my own life on different things.
I learned Back before YouTube, I'd be
all about a certain set of magazines.
I'd read them every month, but
then I hit a certain point in
my knowledge, my focus changed.
So I think that's always
really interesting.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah, I noticed that with myself as well.
I, like you said, started with YouTube.
Then I got really into podcasts,
listening to all of them.
Now I'm more pick and choose
episodes I want to listen to
on the podcast side of things.
Focus a lot on audio books and been
doing a lot more of the business
books, but still really big and focused
on Going to the schools.
I budget closer now to, three to 5, 000
a year just for continuing education.
And
getting out there and
networking and things like that.
And then when I did the podcast
that, that was that was,
Learned so much from the people.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh yeah.
Opportunity to talk to people
in the trenches and find out
what's going on and the experts.
It's a wonderful resource
as a host of a podcast to be
able to talk to these people.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah.
Yeah.
Talk to people
way smarter than me
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Yeah,
that's what I try and do.
Talk to people smarter than me.
I find the bar is set pretty low
with me, but it's working out.
Our second question.
What is your favorite tool for the farm?
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
I'm still pretty partial to my four
wheeler I would say that's probably
what I answered I don't know if that is,
but my four wheeler dogs, and polywire
and stuff, polywire and step ins.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: That's
basically the answer you gave before.
Start with your four wheeler, include your
tools on your four wheeler and your dog.
So pretty close there.
For question three, what would you
tell someone just getting started?
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
That's a good question.
I would learn, find a mentor.
And start slow.
I would look for, keep a very open
mind about what's possible and
not get caught in the stigma of
owning any certain type of cow.
If you want, let's say, we'll use cows,
for example, because that's what I love.
But look more for undervalued and how
to add value versus going with any
specific breed or stuff like that.
Kind of more of the buy, buy
the undervalued cow at the time.
There's Wally Olson, Doug Ferguson,
Understanding Ag started to put some
of these marketing schools out just and
focus on that and match the livestock
with your environment.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Yeah
I think all that's great advice
and Wally and Doug's school are
both schools I'd like to attend.
The matching your livestock to the
environment, that is huge, I think.
And when I think about that the people
that come to mine are the people that,
that are like, I've got five acres, I've
got ten acres, I want to buy a few cows.
Maybe in that situation, we
should be looking at small
ruminants or some other species.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
Yeah, or it's you know, I've got
just bought this farm and I've
been watching, these videos and
we're gonna buy Super expensive
paper South poll cattle, maybe you
know, I don't know there's probably
better buys currently and breeding up or
maybe it is by The better, if you're in
that period of your life and maybe more
retired age and stuff have the income
or the Disposable income or whatever
to purchase South polls and or papered
Angus, whatever, you know do so there's
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238:
So many variables in there.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
yeah so many learn.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: And
August, lastly, where can
others find out more about you?
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
I'm on social media Horstmann
cattle Co Grazed in America and then
August Horstmann, that's H O R S
T M A N on Facebook and Instagram.
My website's www.
Horstmann, H O R S T M A N, cattleco.
com.
And phone number 314 322 1076.
That's probably that is the best way
if you want to get a hold of me call or
text if you don't get me my phone rings
constantly, so Just feel free to shoot
me a text if you don't get me and we can
talk So love helping people love sharing
my thoughts on I've seen I mean what I've
seen and learned every place is different
but my experiences I like, like I said,
really passionate about the regenerative
farm movement, nutrient density and yeah
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: August,
we appreciate you coming on and
sharing that update with us today.
Thank you
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
yeah, no, thanks for having me.
It's been fun.
It's been fun kind of getting
back into the podcast.
Again, it's been a while since I've
done one or been on one and uh,
I've been That's been enjoyable.
Maybe I need to get mine fired
back up sooner than I thought.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Oh I think you
do, but I fully get about irons in the
fire and the amount of time it takes.
It's not you record and you
publish it all in just a moment.
It takes a little bit.
squadcaster-892d_1_04-25-2024_085238:
too many irons.
cal_1_04-25-2024_085238: Yes.
Yeah.
Cal: I really hope you
enjoyed today's conversation.
I know I did.
Thank you for listening, and if you
found something useful, please share it.
Share it on your social media.
Tell your friends.
Get the word out about the podcast.
Helps us grow.
If you happen to be a grass farmer
and you'd like to share about
your journey, go to grazinggrass.
com and click on Be Our Guest.
Fill out the form and I'll be in touch.
We appreciate your support
by sharing our episodes and
telling your friends about it.
You can also support our
show by buying our merch.
We get a little bit back from that.
Another way to support the show is
by becoming a grazing grass insider.
Grazing Grass Insiders
enjoy bonus content,
monthly zooms and discounts.
You can visit the website
grazing grass.com.
Click on support and they'll
have the links there.
Also, if you haven't left
us a review, please do.
It really helps us as people
are searching for podcasts.
And I was just checking them and we do
not have very many reviews for 2024.
So if you haven't left
us a review, please do.
And until next time,
keep on grazing grass.