203 | Matt Goble, Dry Bottom Farms

203 | Matt Goble, Dry Bottom Farms

Author: Grazing Grass December 24, 2025 Duration: 1:24:07

Matt Goble joins the Grazing Grass Podcast to share how he’s built a profitable, resilient wool sheep operation in a high-elevation mountain valley using entirely private and marginal land. While working a full-time W-2 job, Matt manages 450 ewes with a strong focus on grazing efficiency, soil health, and thoughtful breeding decisions. His system blends management-intensive grazing, cover crops, and perennial pastures, all adapted to a short growing season and limited irrigation.


In this episode, we cover:

  • Grazing irrigated pasture and marginal land in a mountain valley
  • Using cover crops to build soil before establishing perennial pasture
  • Managing sheep with daily and multi-day grazing moves
  • Lambing systems, jug management, and efficiency at scale
  • Breeding strategies for maternal traits and terminal lambs
  • Using ear notching and simple visual systems to reduce decision fatigue
  • Predator pressure and why net fencing matters for sheep
  • Balancing stocking rates during drought years
  • Adding chickens and turkeys to improve soil and diversify income
  • Matching enterprise scale to land capacity and lifestyle goals

Why This Episode Matters:
This conversation is a clear example of how management, not acres, often determines success. Matt shows how intentional grazing, simple systems, and observation can double productivity without doubling land or inputs. His practical insights into lambing efficiency, breeding decisions, and drought planning offer valuable lessons for anyone managing livestock on limited or challenging ground.


Resources Mentioned:

  • The Soil Owner’s Manual by John Stika
  • The Art and Science of Shepherding (Premier 1 Supplies)
  • Field Area Measure (mobile app)

Find Out More:



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Original Music by Louis Palfrey


There’s a quiet revolution happening in the fields and pastures, one that ties the health of the soil directly to the health of a farm’s bottom line. Grazing Grass Podcast | Rotational Grazing, Soil Health & Profitable Livestock Farming is a part of that conversation, sitting down with the men and women who are putting regenerative principles into daily practice. Hosted by Grazing Grass, each episode feels like a candid chat across a fence line, moving beyond theory into the tangible details of managing livestock on grass. You’ll hear farmers recount their own journeys-what prompted their shift in thinking, the logistical hurdles of changing their operation, and the outcomes they’ve witnessed in their land and ledger books. A recurring segment called "Over Grazing" digs into the specific problems and hard-won lessons that come with this way of farming. This isn’t just a science or nature podcast; it’s a practical resource built on shared experience, aiming to strengthen a community where knowledge about profitable, grass-based systems is passed along openly. Tune in for honest stories that get to the root of what it means to work with the land.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Grazing Grass Podcast | Rotational Grazing, Soil Health & Profitable Livestock Farming
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