Grazing Grass Podcast | Rotational Grazing, Soil Health & Profitable Livestock Farming

Cian didn’t grow up farming. He didn’t inherit land. And he didn’t follow a traditional path.

Instead, he moved from Australia to Spain during COVID, started from scratch, and built a profitable small-acreage farm in under a year.

In this episode, Cian shares how he and his wife took a leap of faith, navigated government grants, and built a direct-to-consumer farm business using chickens, pigs, and sheep. All on just 15 acres.

This conversation goes beyond the romantic vision of farming and dives into the real numbers, mistakes, and lessons learned along the way.

If you’ve ever wondered whether small acreage can truly support a full-time income, this episode gives you a clear, honest look at what it takes.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
 How Cian went from city life to farming in Spain 
 Why small acreage can be more profitable than large operations 
 The role of direct-to-consumer sales in farm success 
 How egg production created fast cash flow 
 What went wrong (and right) with pigs and sheep 
 How government grants helped launch the farm 
 The importance of knowing your numbers before starting 
 Why mindset matters more than tradition in agriculture 
Key Takeaways

Cian’s farm became cash-flow positive in just three months, driven largely by egg sales.

By focusing on efficiency, direct marketing, and profitability, he’s proving that you don’t need hundreds of acres to build a sustainable farm business.

But it hasn’t been easy. From infrastructure challenges to livestock losses, Cian shares the hard realities behind the success.
Find Out More
Website | https://www.obicodorio.com/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/obicodorio/
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@obicodorio
Email | hola [at] obicodorio.com

Looking for grass-based breeders?
 Explore the Grass Based Genetics directory.
Upcoming Grazing Events
Noble Land Essentials - Ardmore, OK, May 12-13, 2026. https://noble.org
Visit our Sponsors:
Noble Research Institute
Redmond Agriculture
Grassroots Carbon
3 Springs Utah
Grazing Grass Links
Website
Community (on Facebook)
Original Music by Louis Palfrey

What happens when a producer in the heart of dairy country decides to build a grass-based beef herd? In this episode of the Grazing Grass Podcast, Cal visits with John Smith from northern Vermont.
John shares how his family farm moved out of dairying decades ago, how his career in dairy co-ops shaped his perspective, and how a desire to raise his own food led him back to livestock ownership. After trying multiple breeds, John found the fit he was looking for in South Poll cattle.

They discuss restoring worn-out pastures through grazing management, adapting southern cattle genetics to Vermont winters, raising pigs in wooded systems, and building a future seedstock herd for the Northeast.

This episode is full of practical lessons on persistence, genetics, pasture recovery, and finding livestock that match your goals and environment.

Topics Covered:
 Growing up connected to a former dairy farm 
 Working in the dairy industry and helping producers 
 Returning home to raise food for the family 
 Leasing family ground and restoring poor pasture 
 Why South Poll cattle stood out 
 Adapting cattle to harsh Vermont winters 
 Multi-move grazing and tighter paddock management 
 Using cattle to rebuild soil fertility 
 Raising feeder pigs in woodland systems 
 Building a seedstock future for New England producers 
Resources Mentioned:
Greg Judy
 South Poll cattle breeders and community 
Grazing conferences and producer networks 
Find Out More:
Wandering Brook Farms | https://www.wanderingbrookfarm.com
If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend and leave a review.
Until next episode, keep on grazing.

Looking for grass-based breeders?
 Explore the Grass Based Genetics directory.
Upcoming Grazing Events
Noble Land Essentials - Ardmore, OK, May 12-13, 2026. https://noble.org
Visit our Sponsors:
Noble Research Institute
Redmond Agriculture
Grassroots Carbon
3 Springs Utah
Grazing Grass Links
Website
Community (on Facebook)
Original Music by Louis Palfrey

What if your most valuable daily income isn’t cattle… but sunlight?

In this episode, we explore a powerful mindset shift around rebuilding your asset base and managing what your land can sustainably produce. Instead of chasing short-term outputs, the focus turns to strengthening the foundation—your soil, your grass, and your system.
We talk through what it really means to think like a grazier first, how to view your operation through the lens of regeneration, and why aligning production with what your land can handle long-term leads to better outcomes.

If you’re working to improve your grazing system—or just starting to think differently about your land—this episode will challenge and encourage you.
In this episode, we cover:
 What “rebuilding the asset base” actually means 
 Why sunlight is your most important input 
 Shifting from production-first to resource-first thinking 
 How to determine what your land can sustainably yield 
 The connection between soil health and profitability 
 Practical mindset shifts for regenerative grazing 
Resources Mentioned:
 Kachana Station, https://www.kachana-station.com/

Looking for grass-based breeders?
 Explore the Grass Based Genetics directory.
Upcoming Grazing Events
Noble Land Essentials - Ardmore, OK, May 12-13, 2026. https://noble.org
Visit our Sponsors:
Noble Research Institute
Redmond Agriculture
Grassroots Carbon
3 Springs Utah
Grazing Grass Links
Website
Community (on Facebook)
Original Music by Louis Palfrey

In this episode of the Grazing Grass Podcast, Cal sits down with Tom Krawiec to explore a practical, numbers-driven approach to grazing management. Tom shares how focusing on the “sweet spot” in grazing can dramatically improve forage production, reduce labor, and increase profitability.
We dive into the importance of understanding your numbers, including stock days per acre, and how small management changes can lead to massive results. Tom explains the concept of the tipping point in forage production, where your system becomes self-sustaining, and why many operations fall short of reaching it.

The conversation also covers multi-species grazing, reducing workload through better systems, and the critical role of the grazing chart as a planning tool, not just a record. Along the way, Tom challenges common assumptions about rest periods, non-selective grazing, and the realities of modern homesteading.

If you're looking to improve your grazing system, simplify your operation, and get better results from your land, this episode is packed with actionable insights.

Topics Covered
 What “grazing in the sweet spot” really means 
 How to calculate and use stock days per acre 
 The tipping point in forage production 
 Why rest periods can be too long, not just too short 
 Multi-species grazing and its impact on soil health 
 Using animals to determine graze periods 
 The power of grazing charts as a planning tool 
 Labor reduction through smarter systems 
 Challenges facing homesteaders and small producers 
 Training livestock to diversify their diet 
Key Takeaways
 Small management tweaks can unlock major gains 
 You must respect both graze and rest periods 
 Numbers remove guesswork, “show me the numbers” 
 Grazing charts are essential for consistent results 
 Diversity in livestock can improve soil and forage 
 Profitability starts with understanding your system 
Resources Mentioned
Ranching Like a 12-Year-Old by Tom Krawiec 
 Holistic Management framework 
 Ranching for Profit principles 
 Dr. Kris Nichols (soil biology) 
 Fred Provenza (animal behavior & nutrition) 
About the Guest
Tom Krawiec is a regenerative grazing practitioner and author known for his practical, systems-based approach to ranching. His work focuses on simplifying operations, reducing labor, and improving profitability through better grazing management.

Looking for grass-based breeders?
 Explore the Grass Based Genetics directory.
Upcoming Grazing Events
Noble Land Essentials - Ardmore, OK, May 12-13, 2026. https://noble.org
Visit our Sponsors:
Noble Research Institute
Redmond Agriculture
Grassroots Carbon
3 Springs Utah
Grazing Grass Links
Website
Community (on Facebook)
Original Music by Louis Palfrey

Justin Frye of JMR Farm in Rio, West Virginia joins the show to talk about building a farm from scratch on a family property that's been in his family since 1847. He and his wife Maggie custom graze cow-calf pairs, run a Katahdin hair sheep flock, and buy and finish feeder lambs — all while working off-farm jobs and figuring out what enterprises fit their operation best.
Justin shares the story of how his grandfather's surprise offer to sell the family farm set everything in motion, how a connection through a mentor led to their first custom grazing arrangement, and what three consecutive years of drought have taught him about managing grass for someone else's cattle. He also walks through the sheep learning curve, going from 89 ewes down to 30 through hard culling, and explains their feeder lamb protocol from receiving through market.

Topics covered:
Growing up on a family farm in West Virginia and the influence of mentors at Potomac State College
Buying the family farm (in operation since 1847) and what made it financially possible
How a mentor connection led to their first custom grazing opportunity
What services JMR Farm provides under the custom grazing agreement, daily moves, pink eye treatment, weaning and vaccinating calves, getting them started on feed
Managing three consecutive drought years while grazing someone else's cattle
Moving toward 60-day rest periods and what they've learned about residual sward height
Building 13,000 feet of exterior and cross fence with just Justin and Maggie
Silvopasture plans: thinning wooded areas and controlling multiflora rose and autumn olive
Why they chose Katahdin hair sheep, the profitability case, and the steep learning curve
FAMACHA scoring, dewormer resistance, and culling hard for a parasite-resistant flock
Grazing sheep with cattle: their plan for this season
The feeder lamb operation: buying 40-60 lb lambs, feeding to 80-100 lbs, sell-buy marketing
Cattle handling with a Bud Box, the DS Livestock sheep system, and tips for low-stress flow-through
Freeze branding: liquid nitrogen vs. dry ice, container options, and offering it as a service
Cattle breed direction: Leachman Stabilizer genetics and why it fits their marketing channel
The sentimental story of buying back Maggie's heifer (M005) on Valentine's Day
Find Out More
JMR Farm on Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550043373027

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Looking for grass-based breeders?
 Explore the Grass Based Genetics directory.
Upcoming Grazing Events
Noble Land Essentials - Ardmore, OK, May 12-13, 2026. https://noble.org
Visit our Sponsors:
Noble Research Institute
Redmond Agriculture
Grassroots Carbon
3 Springs Utah
Grazing Grass Links
Website
Community (on Facebook)
Original Music by Louis Palfrey