204 | Zach & Casey Abney, Oklahoma | From Health Scare to Ranch Business: Virtual Fencing, Brick-and-Mortar Stores, and Leasing Land

204 | Zach & Casey Abney, Oklahoma | From Health Scare to Ranch Business: Virtual Fencing, Brick-and-Mortar Stores, and Leasing Land

Author: Grazing Grass December 31, 2025 Duration: 1:19:53

Zach (first-generation) and Kacie (fifth-generation) Scherler-Abney are ranchers operating Re:Farm and Re:Supply in Cotton and Tillman Counties in southwest Oklahoma, running a cow-calf herd with some stockers while also managing land for others and operating retail stores in Norman, Oklahoma and Wichita Falls, Texas.  

In This Episode, We Explore:  

- How a personal health scare led them back to the family place and into raising their own food  

- Using an autoimmune protocol diet as a catalyst to question food labels and sourcing  

- Learning regenerative grazing through books, YouTube, and early hands-on trial and error  

- Grazing in a more brittle, variable rainfall environment in southwest Oklahoma and north Texas  

- Ultra high-density, non-selective grazing and why recovery time is the key variable for them  

- What polywire taught them, and why quality of life and labor forced a change  

- Building water systems with HDPE poly pipe, quick couplers, and central lanes for flexibility  

- Leasing strategies including Oklahoma state school land (CLO) and BIA tribal land leases  

- Transitioning to Halter virtual fencing and what changed in daily management and stress  

- How their cattle buying philosophy shifted to phenotype, productivity, and pounds per acre  

- Marketing reality checks: balancing direct-to-consumer beef with current sale barn economics  

- Why they built brick-and-mortar stores and how non-perishables help stabilize cash flow  

- Community-building through retail and sourcing other local products beyond their own beef  

Why This Episode Matters  

This conversation is a practical look at matching grazing goals to real life, especially when labor, family time, leases, and cash flow are all limiting factors. Zach and Kacie share what worked, what wore them out, what they changed, and how they think about staying flexible without abandoning the core principles that keep land and livestock improving.  

Resources Mentioned  

- Halter virtual fencing system  

- Passon quick couplers  

- Oklahoma Commissioners of the Land Office (CLO) grazing leases  

- Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) grazing leases  

Find Out More  

- Instagram | re:farm  

- Website | Re:Farm Market  

- Facebook | Re:Farm 



Looking for grass-based breeders?
 Explore the Grass Based Genetics directory.

Upcoming Grazing Events

Visit our Sponsors:
Noble Research Institute

Redmond Agriculture
Grassroots Carbon
Apr 22-24 3 Springs Utah

Grazing Grass Links
Website
Community (on Facebook)

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
Podcast Episodes
e129. Book Review: Ranching Like a 12-Year-Old [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:43
Join me as I explore the engaging book "Ranching Like a 12-Year-Old" by Tom Kravitz, which offers a refreshing approach to ranching that's simple, easy, and fun. I share my thoughts on its concise 183 pages packed with v…
e128. Reducing Labor to Ranch More Efficiently with Tom Krawiec [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:50
Is it possible to revolutionize your ranching practices with minimal labor and maximum efficiency? Join us as we explore the journey of a dedicated grass management enthusiast who expanded a custom grazing operation to 3…
e126. Four Principles for Grazing Infrastructure with Ben Glassen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:42
Join us on an enriching journey with Ben Glasson of Glasson Farms and Good Place Abattoir as we explore the multifaceted world of regenerative livestock production and grazing on Vancouver Island. Ben shares his unique e…
e124. From Tyson Foods to Regenerative Farming with Andy Youngblood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:01
Join us for an engaging conversation with Andy Youngblood of Youngblood Farm in Southwest Arkansas as he shares his transformative journey in farming. From growing up in a small town focused on beef cattle and poultry op…
e122. Renewable Energy with Dennis Stout [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:12
Join us on this enlightening episode as we welcome Dennis Stout, a wind energy expert with over 18 years of experience, to explore the world of renewable energy, focusing on wind energy projects. Dennis provides an exten…
e121. Grazing Lands with Hunter Lehman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:14
Join us for an insightful conversation with Hunter Lehman of Grazing Lands as we explore his transformative journey from managing a hunting property to embracing regenerative grazing near Stockdale, Texas. Hunter shares…

«1...678910