205 | Jonathan Kilpatrick, Red Lantern Ranch, Kilpatrick Land & Livestock
Jonathan Kilpatrick of Red Lantern Ranch and Kilpatrick Land & Livestock joins Cal to share what changed since he first appeared back on episode 2, including moving from Oklahoma to west central Minnesota (Alexandria area) and rebuilding a grazing operation from the ground up with sheep, goats, and pastured poultry.
In This Episode, We Explore:
- What prompted Jonathan and his family to move from Oklahoma to Minnesota and restart their operation
- Lessons Jonathan took from the Ranching for Profit School and how they shaped his decision-making
- Starting a grazing operation with a clean slate and building genetics that match the environment
- Grazing sheep and goats together and using goats as part of a buckthorn control strategy
- Outwintering sheep and goats with minimal infrastructure and what that requires
- Using adaptive grazing decisions that fit real life, time constraints, and family priorities
- Expanding from a 45-acre grazing lease by adding tillable acres and converting some to perennials
- Partnering with a regenerative crop farmer for strip-till or no-till, cover crops, and added grazing opportunities
- Mobile range coop pastured poultry production, daily moves, and labor efficiency
- Processing options, state-inspected processing, and why time is often the limiting resource
- Marketing channels including direct-to-consumer, wholesale, and opportunities in ethnic markets
Why This Episode Matters
If you are building or rebuilding a grazing business, Jonathan lays out a realistic path that balances production, business management, and family life. This conversation is a good reminder that experience matters, time is a real constraint, and matching livestock, grazing, and marketing to your context is what keeps the whole system working.
Resources Mentioned
- Ranching for Profit School
- Executive Link program (Ranching for Profit)
- Google Sheets
- Excel
- ChatGPT
- Gemini
- P.L. 90-492 (Poultry Products Inspection Act exemption referenced in the discussion)
Find Out More
- Red Lantern Ranch website | https://redlanternranch.com
- Kilpatrick Land & Livestock website | https://www.kilpatricklandandlivestock.com
- Sustainable Farming Association (SFA) | https://sfa-mn.org
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