When we think about reducing overhead, we often see we can get along with less equipment or fewer horses, but we are emotionally attached, and it becomes very difficult.

The essentials for profitable ranching: Part two

Burke Teichert discusses the remaining three essentials, as he sees them

In my last article I introduced the “five essentials” for profitable ranching and discussed the first two. The five essentials are: We will now continue. Planning and decision-making tools Acquire and use a good set of planning and decision-making tools. Today’s computers and cell phones make this job quite easy. We need accurate information to […] Read more

Green needle grass in a pasture of native prairie near Hanley, Sask. Plants function differently within diverse polycutures than monocultures.

Essentials for profitable ranching: Part one

What makes a profitable ranch? Burke Teichert introduces his five ‘essentials’ and unpacks the first two

Since the end of World War Two, we have been developing a ranching and farming culture more dependent on fossil fuel, iron, synthetic fertilizers and chemicals. Early on those inputs (tractors, vehicles, equipment, seed, fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides, etc.) were relatively inexpensive. During the last 60 years, those input prices have increased more rapidly than the […] Read more