e1. Introducing the Grazing Grass Podcast and Myself

In this very first episode of the Grazing Grass Podcast, host Cal Hardage shares the story behind the show, his background in farming, and the vision for building a community of graziers who want to maximize forage production through better management. Cal reflects on his upbringing on a dairy and beef operation, his lifelong learning in the world of grass farming, and his current practices on 240 acres in Oklahoma raising cattle, sheep, and goats using regenerative rotational grazing.

Listeners will learn why Cal created the podcast, what to expect from future episodes, and how to connect with others through the Grazing Grass Community. He also answers the original version of the Famous Four questions, sharing his favorite grazing books, top tools on the farm, and where listeners can learn more about his work.

Topics Covered

• Why Cal launched the Grazing Grass Podcast
• The need for a dedicated grass-farming focused podcast
• Cal’s background—from dairy to beef to sheep & goats
• The evolution of his grazing practices
• Current rotational grazing approach across 240 acres
• Forage species on his farm (Bermuda, fescue, clover mixes, lespedeza, Johnson grass)
• Fence setups and rotational challenges
• Using technology, electric fence, and daily vs weekly moves
• Performance impacts of weekly moves
• The origin of the Famous Four questions
• Cal’s favorite books, tools, and community resources

Why You Should Listen
This episode sets the tone for everything the Grazing Grass Podcast is about: practical grazing knowledge, farmer-to-farmer learning, and real-world insights from someone working to improve forage and livestock production. It’s an honest, down-to-earth introduction that helps listeners connect with Cal’s story and the mission behind the podcast.

Resources Mentioned

• No-Risk Ranching by Greg Judy
• Comeback Farms by Greg Judy
• The Stockman Grass Farmer
• Hedge Apple Acres — https://hedgeappleacres.com
• Grazing Grass Community — https://grazinggrass.com

Need genetics that perform on forage?
Take a look at Grass Based Genetics—a directory of livestock bred to thrive on grass.

Helpful Grazing Grass Links:
• Website (Episodes, Resources & More)
• Join the Grazing Grass Community on Facebook

Original music by Louis Palfrey.

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Website: https://grazinggrass.com/

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Twitter: @grazing_grass

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Creators and Guests

Host

Cal Hardage

What is Grazing Grass Podcast sharing Regenerative Ag Stories?

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—helping you produce forages for livestock grazing. I'm your host, Cal Hardage, and today I’m introducing the podcast, why it exists, and a little about my background.

I love podcasts. When I looked for shows focused specifically on becoming a better grass farmer, nothing quite fit the niche I wanted. Some podcasts touched on grazing, but none centered on forage production the way I needed. So I decided to start one.

The future plan is to interview a grass farmer each week to learn about their operation, challenges, and successes. While I’m developing the workflow, episodes will begin biweekly and later move to weekly.

If you're a grass farmer or know someone who would make a good guest, email me at [e-mail].

A little about me: I’m not an expert, but I’m learning. I grew up on a beef operation, and one of my earliest memories is checking a baby calf—and being pushed back into the truck by the mama cow. Since then, I’ve held a personal grudge against Angus, though I know many people use them successfully.

My family started dairying when I was a teenager. After earning an Animal Science degree from Oklahoma State University, I returned home to dairy with my parents. Eventually we sold the dairy and returned to beef cattle. I later moved into education and now work in technology, farming evenings and weekends.

I don’t consider this a “hobby farm.” I expect every animal to earn a profit, and grass farming is how I pursue that. We raise Kiko goats, hair sheep, and around 50 limousine cows, aiming to grow both the sheep and cattle herds to around 60 head each.

We graze 240 acres divided into about a dozen paddocks. I rotate livestock according to forage availability. The cattle move weekly, though I hope to return to daily moves once I repair my electric fencing.

Our forages include Bermuda grass, fescue, Ladino and sweet clovers, lespedeza, and a bit of Johnson grass. Lespedeza helps with parasite control for goats and sheep. Johnson grass is fine unless conditions are hot and dry.

Sheep fencing varies. Some areas have goat wire and barbed wire and hold them well. Other areas rely on five-wire fences which sometimes work depending on wire height. Goats are trickier; only a few pastures reliably hold them.

I’ve used electric netting for goats and four-wire electric fence works, but daily moves are difficult time-wise. I use a Stafix charger and like Greg Judy’s approach to land leasing and grass farming.

We discovered that rotating cattle greatly increased forage production. I’m still improving; I want fences set up so I can move cattle daily. Weekly moves can cause performance swings—high at the start when animals choose the best forage, and lower by week’s end.

As we wrap up, I want listeners to get to know me and understand the purpose of the podcast. Like BiggerPockets, I’m developing a set of recurring questions—the Famous Four.

My favorite grazing-related books: No-Risk Ranching and Comeback Farms by Greg Judy. I revisit them often. Land leasing is difficult in my area but those books keep me motivated.

Favorite tools: my T-post puller and my electric fence remote with fault finder. Being able to shut off power anywhere and locate shorts saves tremendous time.

Where to find me: grazinggrass.com, where we have community forums for graziers to connect. You can also find me at hedgeappleacres.com or on our social media pages.

I appreciate you joining me in this first episode. If you enjoyed it, please share and leave a review. Until next time, keep on grazing grass.