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