170. Building a Bison Empire in Oklahoma with Dusty Baker

Dusty Baker of Cross Timbers Bison joins us on the Grazing Grass Podcast to share his journey from city life to raising bison full time in Sulphur, Oklahoma. With a background in wildlife ecology and a deep appreciation for the nearby Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Dusty took the leap into bison ranching during the pandemic, starting out on an old dairy farm. Since then, he’s poured his passion into building a thriving herd and managing his land with regenerative practices that benefit both the soil and the animals.In this episode, we dig into:Dusty’s transition from city life to bison ranchingHow he adapted a former dairy into a working bison operationThe challenges of fencing and handling these powerful animalsHis approach to regenerative grazing and land stewardshipThoughts on bison genetics and today’s bison meat marketLessons learned from experimenting with multi-species grazingStraightforward advice for anyone looking to get into bison ranchingIf you’re curious about bison, regenerative grazing, or just love hearing a good ranching story, you won’t want to miss this one. Dusty’s experience offers practical tips and a real-world look at the ups and downs of raising these incredible animals.Links Mentioned in the EpisodeCross Timbers Bison Ranch Cross Timbers Bison on YouTubeThis is Oklahoma Podcast with Dusty BakerVisit our Sponsors:Noble Research InstituteRedmondGBT AngusGrazing Grass LinksNew Listener Resource GuideProvide feedback for the podcastWebsiteInsidersResources (Coming Soon)Community (on Facebook)Check out the Apiary Chronicles PodcastOriginal Music by Louis PalfreyChapters(00:00) - Introduction and FAST Five (00:23) - Welcome to the Grazing Grass Podcast (02:01) - Farm Updates and Teeter Farm Tech Gates (03:06) - Web Tinkering and Community Projects (05:24) - Interview with Dusty Baker Begins (05:47) - Dusty's Journey with Bison (16:57) - Challenges and Learnings in Bison Farming (21:59) - Transition to Full-Time Farming During COVID (29:29) - Starting a YouTube Channel (35:25) - Regenerative Practices on a Bison Ranch (45:05) - Transition to Overgrazing (45:59) - Redmond Agriculture Ad (46:56) - Getting Started with Bison (47:49) - Fencing and Keeping Bison Happy (50:25) - Bison Genetics and Breeding (57:32) - Bison Meat Market and Business (01:00:21) - Challenges with Multi-Species Grazing (01:11:34) - Cooking Bison Meat (01:14:00) - Famous Four Questions (01:25:48) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts Looking for grass-based breeders? Explore the Grass Based Genetics directory.Visit our Sponsors:Noble Research InstituteRedmond Agriculture Grassroots CarbonGrazing Grass LinksWebsiteCommunity (on Facebook)Original Music by Louis Palfrey