In this episode of the Grazing Grass Podcast, Cal talks with Ernie Mathis of Iron Root Pastures in Rising Fawn, Georgia. Ernie shares how he went from suburban New Jersey roots and metro Atlanta life to traveling the U.S. in an RV and finally settling on a dilapidated cow-calf farm to pursue a regenerative, multi-species livestock operation. He discusses starting with backyard broilers, managing raw milk production from his herd of Jerseys, raising pigs and poultry on organic, soy-free and corn-free feed, and why he’s adding rabbits next. Ernie also walks through his portable milking parlor setup, calf-sharing system, and lessons learned in farm infrastructure, grazing systems, and marketing directly to health-focused consumers.

Topics Covered

• Why and how Ernie and his family left metro life for farm life
• Starting with 10 backyard broilers and progressing to pasture poultry
• Transitioning from RV life to settling on a 225-acre property
• Developing a direct-to-consumer market with chiropractic clinics
• Raising soy-free, corn-free fed chickens, pigs, and layers
• Building a portable milking setup for 8 Jersey cows
• Implementing calf sharing with a custom calf shelter
• Using belted Galloways and moving toward more heat-tolerant breeds
• Plans for integrating rabbits and sheep
• Thoughts on A2 milk, sexed semen, and dual-purpose livestock
• Managing pastures and daily moves using simple infrastructure

If you’ve ever wondered how to go from urban homesteader to full-time grazier, Ernie’s story will inspire and inform you. His creative infrastructure, practical solutions for milking in the pasture, and strong values around health and transparency in food production make this a great episode for new farmers, aspiring dairy graziers, or anyone looking to build a regenerative, direct-to-consumer business. Whether it’s a discussion on milking schedules or raw milk laws, there’s something here for everyone walking a similar path.

Resources Mentioned

• Iron Root Pastures
• Kentucky Organics (feed mill)
• Justin Rhodes YouTube Channel
• White Oak Pastures (Rabbitat project)

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In this episode, we head to Zambia to talk with Doug Badcock of Green Lid Enterprises. Doug shares his journey from managing a diverse crop and livestock farm to developing a passion for grazing and livestock management. Situated just miles from the Congo border, Doug discusses the realities of ranching in Zambia’s unique environment—from tropical grasses and fires to high-density grazing and breeding Boran and Angoni cattle. His openness about trial, error, and continual improvement makes this a valuable conversation for graziers everywhere.

Topics Covered:

• Transitioning from conventional to regenerative grazing
• Grazing livestock near the Congo border
• Using electric fencing in remote areas
• Managing forage through fire and seasonal rainfall
• Adjusting calving and breeding seasons
• Adapting cattle breed selection to local conditions
• High-density grazing: when it works and when it hurts
• Forage management with bananas and corn stalks
• Differences between Boran, Sussex, Angoni, and other African breeds
• Using line breeding and natural selection in herd development

Doug Badcock brings a unique perspective to the Grazing Grass Podcast from his farm in Zambia. His willingness to share both successes and challenges—from learning to manage tropical forage to selecting the right breeds for his environment—makes this episode a global look at regenerative grazing principles. Whether you farm in Oklahoma or Africa, you’ll find inspiration and insight in Doug’s honest storytelling and deep curiosity for continual improvement.

Resources Mentioned:
Green Lid Enterprises Facebook & YouTube:
https://youtube.com/@green_lid_enterprises?si=elTGbGeGCylwOuSN
https://www.facebook.com/share/192BW7WRNN/
https://www.instagram.com/green_lid_enterprises?igsh=b2V5OHAwMmk0eG1o
Johan Zietsman's book Man, Cattle and Veld
Calvin Birioti's YouTube video featuring Doug’s farm

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In this episode of the Grazing Grass Podcast, we're joined by Jeff Siewicki of Vital Mission Farm in South Carolina. Jeff shares his journey from raising 25 chickens for personal use to building a thriving regenerative poultry business focused on pasture-raised ducks and turkeys. With a background in science and no prior farming experience, Jeff candidly discusses how he learned everything from scratch—facing the steep learning curves of pasture poultry, selling wholesale to top chefs, and ultimately pivoting to a hyperlocal subscription-based model for direct-to-consumer sales.

Topics Covered:

• Starting with chickens, transitioning to ducks and turkeys
• Challenges and benefits of pasture-raised poultry
• Lessons from selling wholesale to restaurants pre-COVID
• Pivoting during the pandemic to direct-to-consumer sales
• Creating value-added products like duck prosciutto and pet treats
• Launching and refining a customized local subscription box
• Online marketing and building an effective digital storefront
• Advice for farmers on capturing leads and converting sales

Why You Should Listen:
If you're a grass-based producer exploring poultry, value-added products, or direct-to-consumer models, this episode is packed with practical advice and real-world experience. Jeff doesn’t sugarcoat the hard lessons learned, but he also shares the wins—from building customer relationships at farmers markets to crafting a high-margin subscription service. Whether you’re looking to improve your margins, expand product offerings, or shift from wholesale to DTC, Jeff’s story is full of inspiration and actionable insights.

Resources Mentioned:

• Vital Mission Farm
• Regenerative Success
• Premier1 Supplies (chick-safe netting)

Visit our Sponsors:
Noble Research Institute

Redmond
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