Moving cattle from your desktop? While it’s not exactly that advanced, virtual fencing is being trialed by two northern Montana ranchers. Hear from Ranchers Stewardship Alliance President Leo Barthelmess and Secretary Tyrel Obrecht as they discuss the technology.

In this episode, we discuss virtual fencing:

· Costs

· Relationship to Grazing Strategies

· Opportunities and Challenges

· Technical Components

· Physical Setups

· Animal Reaction

· Management Changes in Response to Technology

Want to learn more about what RSA is up to? Sign up for our e-newsletter at https://ranchstewards.org/contact-us/

The Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA) is a rancher-led, grassroots organization, dedicated to improving the quality of life for rural communities throughout the Northern Great Plains. Through collaborative conservation projects, rancher education events, and local community outreach, RSA works to strengthen our rural community, economy, and culture for generations to come.

For more on the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, head to www.RanchStewards.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Your feedback is always welcome. Email info@ranchstewards.org. Want to support our mission? Visit https://ranchstewards.charityproud.org/Donate.

A bonus episode from the Ranch Stewards podcast, this "Success Story" features Saco, Montana rancher Paul Williams. For full story, photos, and video content, visit RSA's website or YouTube channel.

Water Weary Rancher Resourcefulness

How community and the internet set one rancher’s capacity to create ablaze.

Birds chirp in no-man’s land. A tall red barn, weathered paint but no hint of a lean, stands as the beacon welcoming you into the yard of Paul Williams, military veteran and newly invested Montana landowner. For all the silence, his yard is lively. A smiling Jack Russell Terrier looks up from the seat of an old ranch pickup. The reluctant Australian Cattle Dog keeps a wary eye on a drone capturing aerial footage, eager to grab hold if it gets too close. Crisply colored chickens waddle behind the slight buzz of their electrically charged enclosure. Through the fence line, tall green grass sways in the breeze.

It is in this private sanctuary that Paul is carving out this season of life on his land north of Saco, Montana. Purchased just shy of five years ago, he immediately went to work remodeling and improving. High on that list was addressing water scarcity.

Cue rancher resourcefulness.

Faced with high costs and an undersupply of tradespeople to drill a well, Paul turned to his own hands and mind to solve the problem. Following hours of YouTube tutorials and some engineering assistance from a Great Falls, Montana company, Paul built a custom drilling rig powered by a 5-horsepower motor. “It’s slow as the dickens,” he laughs, “but I’ve got lots of time.”

Story continued at www.RanchStewards.org...

The Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA) is a rancher-led, grassroots organization, dedicated to improving the quality of life for rural communities throughout the Northern Great Plains. Through collaborative conservation projects, rancher education events, and local community outreach, RSA works to strengthen our rural community, economy, and culture for generations to come.

For more on the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, head to www.RanchStewards.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Your feedback is always welcome. Email info@ranchstewards.org. Want to support our mission? Visit https://ranchstewards.charityproud.org/Donate.

Mark Twain coined it: "Water is for fighting, Whiskey is for drinking."

While we’re not doing any fighting today, it’s not that kind of podcast, we are echoing the sentiment of importance.

In this episode, we’re focusing on mesic restoration. Joining host Haylie Shipp to unpack this topic are two incredible guests who bring hands-on experience and insight to the table: Brian Fox, a rancher from Turner, Montana, and a board member of the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, and Autumn Holzgen, with the Montana Conservation Corps, who has been instrumental in bringing conservation efforts to life across the state. Together, we’ll talk about practical strategies for water retention and how improving water resources on your land can mean healthier cattle, better forage, and increased profitability for your ranch.

The exciting part is that livestock grazing and habitat restoration aren’t at odds—they’re mutually beneficial. By increasing water retention in mesic areas, ranchers can ensure that pastures remain lush and usable longer into the season. At the same time, the landscape itself becomes more resilient, better able to withstand periods of drought and offer a refuge for the diverse array of species that rely on these habitats.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs)
• Mesic Restoration
• Grassland Response to Mesic Restoration
• Grass Utilization/Grazing Management
• Wildlife Habitat
• Collaborative Conservation
• Volunteerism
• Sage Grouse
• Cattle Health

Also mentioned in this podcast, the Montana DNRC Guidance for Landowners and Practitioners Engaged in Stream and Wetland Restoration Activities.

The Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA) is a rancher-led, grassroots organization, dedicated to improving the quality of life for rural communities throughout the Northern Great Plains. Through collaborative conservation projects, rancher education events, and local community outreach, RSA works to strengthen our rural community, economy, and culture for generations to come.

For more on the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, head to www.RanchStewards.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Your feedback is always welcome. Email info@ranchstewards.org. Want to support our mission? Visit https://ranchstewards.charityproud.org/Donate.

Tax deadlines and end-of-year planning are looming! Join Haylie Shipp as she chats with Britney Tempel (CPA at Montana Roots Accounting), Angel Devries (CPA and RSA Executive Director), and Michelle Math (rancher and RSA board member).

In this episode, we discuss:

• Difference Between Cash Flow & Taxable Income
• Sunsetting Tax Rules
• Agricultural Tax Planning
• Estate Tax
• Entity Selection
• Managing Deferred Income
• How to Best Utilize Your Accountant
• Bookkeeping Management Strategies

Also mentioned in this podcast, the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance "Basic Ranch Bookkeeping" webinar series is now available on our YouTube channel and the replay of Jolene Brown's "The Positives of Passing It On" workshop can be accessed through our website. Brown's workshop expires November 11, 2024.

The Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA) is a rancher-led, grassroots organization, dedicated to improving the quality of life for rural communities throughout the Northern Great Plains. Through collaborative conservation projects, rancher education events, and local community outreach, RSA works to strengthen our rural community, economy, and culture for generations to come.

For more on the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, head to www.RanchStewards.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Your feedback is always welcome. Email info@ranchstewards.org. Want to support our mission? Visit https://ranchstewards.charityproud.org/Donate.

Join Haylie Shipp as Ranchers Stewardship Alliance Vice President Dale Veseth and Conservation Coordinator Martin Townsend talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of crested wheatgrass

In this episode, we discuss:

• A history of Crested Wheatgrass' Introduction into the Northern Great Plains
• Seasonal Benefits of the Grass
• Grazing Strategies to Complement Existing Grasses
• Native Grass Varieties in Northern Montana
• Crested Wheatgrass Mitigation
• Reseeding to Native Grasses with the Help of Organizations like the World Wildlife Fund
• Crested Wheatgrass' Compatibility as Wildlife Habitat

The Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA) is a rancher-led, grassroots organization, dedicated to improving the quality of life for rural communities throughout the Northern Great Plains. Through collaborative conservation projects, rancher education events, and local community outreach, RSA works to strengthen our rural community, economy, and culture for generations to come.

For more on the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, head to www.RanchStewards.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Your feedback is always welcome. Email info@ranchstewards.org. Want to support our mission? Visit https://ranchstewards.charityproud.org/Donate.

Join Haylie Shipp as Ranchers Stewardship Alliance Treasurer Vicki Olson and Ellie Brighton of the Montana Public Lands Council talk about the importance of public lands grazing and current hot topics.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Definition of Public Lands
• BLM and State of Montana Grazing Leases
• Introduction to the Public Lands Council
• The Importance of Volunteer Leadership
• ACES - Areas of Critical Environmental Concern
• BIDEH - Biological Integrity, Diversity, and Environmental Health
• Agricultural Lobbying

The Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA) is a rancher-led, grassroots organization, dedicated to improving the quality of life for rural communities throughout the Northern Great Plains. Through collaborative conservation projects, rancher education events, and local community outreach, RSA works to strengthen our rural community, economy, and culture for generations to come.

For more on the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, head to www.RanchStewards.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Your feedback is always welcome. Email info@ranchstewards.org. Want to support our mission? Visit https://ranchstewards.charityproud.org/Donate.

Join Haylie Shipp as Ranchers Stewardship Alliance and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) staff outline exciting opportunities with new funding from BLM.

This podcast is a shorter version of what was heard on KLTZ Glasgow's "Live Under the Big Sky" talk show. CLICK HERE to listen to the full interview.

Want more information on Restoration Landscapes? Visit the BLM's website.

The Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA) is a rancher-led, grassroots organization, dedicated to improving the quality of life for rural communities throughout the Northern Great Plains. Through collaborative conservation projects, rancher education events, and local community outreach, RSA works to strengthen our rural community, economy, and culture for generations to come.

For more on the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, head to www.RanchStewards.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Your feedback is always welcome. Email info@ranchstewards.org. Want to support our mission? Visit https://ranchstewards.charityproud.org/Donate.

Join Haylie Shipp as Ranchers Stewardship Alliance member Sheila Walsh and Kelsey Molloy of The Nature Conservancy talk birding in the Northern Great Plains.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The relationship of responsible ranching and good bird habitat
• Traditional bird species in the Northern Great Plains
• Threats and opportunities to bird populations
• Sage grouse politics...without getting political
• Your "Birding Starter Kit"
• Challenges presented by certain species

From Kelsey Molloy, our "resident bird expert," here's a list of suggested reading material:

https://www.3billionbirds.org/

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/

https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/montana/?vu=r.v_montana.local.na.mt

https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/montana/stories-in-montana/montana-candidate-conservation-agreements-with-assurances/#:~:text=With%20Candidate%20Conservation%20Agreements%20with,habitat%20of%20certain%20designated%20wildlife.

The Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA) is a rancher-led, grassroots organization, dedicated to improving the quality of life for rural communities throughout the Northern Great Plains. Through collaborative conservation projects, rancher education events, and local community outreach, RSA works to strengthen our rural community, economy, and culture for generations to come.

For more on the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, head to www.RanchStewards.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Your feedback is always welcome. Email info@ranchstewards.org. Want to support our mission? Visit https://ranchstewards.charityproud.org/Donate.