Ranching For Profit
The idea of leaving the ranch for nine days was daunting.
As the time drew nearer, I thought of a bazillion reasons to stay home and get my real work done.
The cards stacked against me. The Wall of The Never-Ending List loomed, impenetrable.
But I had been interested in this workshop for years. Ranching for Profit promised ideas to shatter that Wall of The Never-Ending List, and find good grass and more time on the other side.
I wondered if that promise was too good to be true, like becoming a millionaire by buying penny stocks.
My mom and a friend would tag-team, taking care of my daughter, Abby, so Abby could take care of the ranch.
A lot of people were putting effort into this class so I could break down that wall.
I was already doing okay. I pay my bills, make a few improvements and have a little money left over each year.
But I want to grow more grass, be prepared for the next drought and be able to dig into my soil to see lots of healthy microbes.
To me, microbes are Apple stock, not penny stocks.
I loaded my suitcase in my truck.
The first couple days in Bois, we worked on economics. I did the math, calculating whether it is worth it to run sheep and cows. I rely on consistent genetics for my grass-fed beef and lamb business. How much are those genetics costing me?
The next couple of days, we focused on growing grass.
Growing more grass creates more profit.
I already knew that timing grazing so grass has a chance to recover is crucial.
I already had a plan to divide my pastures into 10-day rotations.
I was horrified to learn that 10-day rotations will increase grass growth, but they are not enough to help the soil microbes.
Five-day rotations are likely to severely hurt livestock performance so that’s a bad idea.
Three-day rotations help the grass and the soil, plus keep the livestock healthy.
But fencing for three-day rotations would chop this ranch into tiny pastures.
The wide open prairie feeds my soul.
My uninterrupted view is the best reason to get up in the morning.
Would I have to sacrifice my soul to feed my soil?
My heart sank.
I could use temporary electric fence except that sheep carry the world’s greatest insulator on their backs. Even if I could train the sheep to electricity, I don’t want to spend the rest of my days rolling miles of poly-twine, even in good weather. What about in the snow?
After the last few winters, I have a bit of anxiety about snow storms.
I laced my running shoes and stepped into the dark of the dawn, my heart sad and my mind spinning.
The darkness hid me from the world as I ruminated.
The streets were unfamiliar, but I had a general sense of where I wanted to go, a lot like my ranch plan.
Just about the time I realized I was lost, Nature called.
I wasn’t going to make it back to my hotel in time.
I’m not built right for turning my back and pretending to study a bush.
I found a shadow and squatted.
A headlight shone behind my tree, coming fast.
I scooted deeper into the shadow, then slipped off a steep edge.
The bicycle passed.
I crawled up the edge and started running again. I had navigated that crisis successfully, a lot like making it through a snow storm. My mind reverted to my ranching problem.
An epiphany struck. I might be able to bait the sheep and cattle instead of containing them.
Baiting might not create clean lines, but it just might work.
Right then, I realized I knew where I was and how to get back to the hotel.
I had a goal and a plan.