Dusty Baker of Cross Timbers Bison joins us on the Grazing Grass Podcast to share his journey from city life to raising bison full time in Sulphur, Oklahoma. With a background in wildlife ecology and a deep appreciation for the nearby Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Dusty took the leap into bison ranching during the pandemic, starting out on an old dairy farm. Since then, he’s poured his passion into building a thriving herd and managing his land with regenerative practices that benefit both the soil and the animals.
In this episode, we dig into:
- Dusty’s transition from city life to bison ranching
- How he adapted a former dairy into a working bison operation
- The challenges of fencing and handling these powerful animals
- His approach to regenerative grazing and land stewardship
- Thoughts on bison genetics and today’s bison meat market
- Lessons learned from experimenting with multi-species grazing
- Straightforward advice for anyone looking to get into bison ranching
If you’re curious about bison, regenerative grazing, or just love hearing a good ranching story, you won’t want to miss this one. Dusty’s experience offers practical tips and a real-world look at the ups and downs of raising these incredible animals.
Links Mentioned in the Episode
Cross Timbers Bison Ranch
Cross Timbers Bison on YouTube
This is Oklahoma Podcast with Dusty Baker
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Chapters
- (00:00) - Introduction and FAST Five
- (00:23) - Welcome to the Grazing Grass Podcast
- (02:01) - Farm Updates and Teeter Farm Tech Gates
- (03:06) - Web Tinkering and Community Projects
- (05:24) - Interview with Dusty Baker Begins
- (05:47) - Dusty's Journey with Bison
- (16:57) - Challenges and Learnings in Bison Farming
- (21:59) - Transition to Full-Time Farming During COVID
- (29:29) - Starting a YouTube Channel
- (35:25) - Regenerative Practices on a Bison Ranch
- (45:05) - Transition to Overgrazing
- (45:59) - Redmond Agriculture Ad
- (46:56) - Getting Started with Bison
- (47:49) - Fencing and Keeping Bison Happy
- (50:25) - Bison Genetics and Breeding
- (57:32) - Bison Meat Market and Business
- (01:00:21) - Challenges with Multi-Species Grazing
- (01:11:34) - Cooking Bison Meat
- (01:14:00) - Famous Four Questions
- (01:25:48) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Looking for grass-based breeders?
Explore the Grass Based Genetics directory.
Visit our Sponsors:
Noble Research Institute
Redmond Agriculture
Grassroots Carbon
Grazing Grass Links
Website
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Original Music by Louis Palfrey
