Boosting Forage and Rebuilding Soil Health on Rented Land: A Cattleman Shares His Approach

Season 7 || Episode 02 • Do you want to enhance the productivity of your leased land for cattle production? CJ Blew will reveal the key to improving soil and forage quality, leading to more sustainable grazing practices from environmental and economic standpoints. Discover how the family members of Blew Partnership work together to rehabilitate leased grazing lands in Kansas. By implementing these strategies, they leave land better than they found it while building a thriving diversified beef cattle operation. In this episode, you will be able to: Discover how to find leased land opportunities that work in your favor. Learn the crucial role of maintaining good relationships with landlords. Become inspired to take on new opportunities. Understand the importance of considering the wishes of the current generation when planning for the future. Discover the starting point of rehabilitating grazing lands. My special guest is CJ Blew CJ Blew is a seasoned cattle rancher from south-central Kansas, where he operates a family partnership primarily focused on a commercial cow-calf operation. With a strong emphasis on sustainable land management and conservation practices, CJ and his brother have successfully thrived on leased lands, which constitute the majority of their operational base. Their commitment to land stewardship is evident in their strategies for improving soil and forage quality through grazing, soil rehabilitation, and forage management. With a wealth of practical knowledge and experience, CJ's insights are invaluable for landowners looking to enhance their grazing operations and improve land quality on leased lands. The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:02 - Introduction to Red Angus Cattle 00:02:11 - Overview of the Cattle Operation 00:07:19 - Grazing Practices and Calving 00:09:11 - Land Rehabilitation and Partnerships 00:14:50 - Connecting with Landowners 00:15:20 - Regenerative Agriculture and Land Rehabilitation 00:16:49 - Converting Crop Land to Perennial Forage 00:20:40 - Learning Grazing Management 00:23:10 - Reflecting on Past Decisions 00:25:03 - Managing Risks in Ranching 00:30:47 - Family Dynamic and Succession Planning 00:32:22 - Challenges of Succession Planning 00:33:46 - Generational Change and Land Management 00:34:57 - The Epidemic of Inadequate Planning 00:35:39 - Advice for Young Producers Resources: Red Angus Association - https://redangus.org/ HerdDogg - https://www.herddogg.com/   Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes  Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources  • The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos  Take Your Ranch to the Next Level Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic! Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events  Connect with me on Social Media Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/ Podcast Coaching Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot. Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching