205 | Jonathan Kilpatrick, Minnesota | What Ranching for Profit School Led to a Cross-Country Move and Starting Over From Scratch

205 | Jonathan Kilpatrick, Minnesota | What Ranching for Profit School Led to a Cross-Country Move and Starting Over From Scratch

Author: Grazing Grass January 7, 2026 Duration: 1:09:29

Jonathan Kilpatrick of Red Lantern Ranch and Kilpatrick Land & Livestock joins Cal to share what changed since he first appeared back on episode 2, including moving from Oklahoma to west central Minnesota (Alexandria area) and rebuilding a grazing operation from the ground up with sheep, goats, and pastured poultry.


In This Episode, We Explore:

  • What prompted Jonathan and his family to move from Oklahoma to Minnesota and restart their operation
  • Lessons Jonathan took from the Ranching for Profit School and how they shaped his decision-making
  • Starting a grazing operation with a clean slate and building genetics that match the environment
  • Grazing sheep and goats together and using goats as part of a buckthorn control strategy
  • Outwintering sheep and goats with minimal infrastructure and what that requires
  • Using adaptive grazing decisions that fit real life, time constraints, and family priorities
  • Expanding from a 45-acre grazing lease by adding tillable acres and converting some to perennials
  • Partnering with a regenerative crop farmer for strip-till or no-till, cover crops, and added grazing opportunities
  • Mobile range coop pastured poultry production, daily moves, and labor efficiency
  • Processing options, state-inspected processing, and why time is often the limiting resource
  • Marketing channels including direct-to-consumer, wholesale, and opportunities in ethnic markets


Why This Episode Matters

If you are building or rebuilding a grazing business, Jonathan lays out a realistic path that balances production, business management, and family life. This conversation is a good reminder that experience matters, time is a real constraint, and matching livestock, grazing, and marketing to your context is what keeps the whole system working.


Resources Mentioned

  • Ranching for Profit School
  • Executive Link program (Ranching for Profit)
  • Google Sheets
  • Excel
  • ChatGPT
  • Gemini
  • P.L. 90-492 (Poultry Products Inspection Act exemption referenced in the discussion)

Find Out More

  • Red Lantern Ranch website | https://redlanternranch.com
  • Kilpatrick Land & Livestock website | https://www.kilpatricklandandlivestock.com
  • Sustainable Farming Association (SFA) | https://sfa-mn.org


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
178. Grazing Lessons from the Ground Up with Marque Renshaw [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:32:13
In this episode of the Grazing Grass Podcast, we hear from Marque Renshaw of Peace in the Valley Farms in West Plains, Missouri. Marque shares her journey into rotational grazing and the lessons she and her husband Ryan…
174. A Subscription Model Transformed Jeff Siewicki’s Farm Business [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:29
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 p…
171. Growing a Farm Brand with Alex Russell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29:48
In this episode, we chat with Alex from Chucktown Acres, a regenerative farm based in Charleston, South Carolina. Alex shares his transformation from suburban musician and Bible college student to full-time regenerative…
170. Building a Bison Empire in Oklahoma with Dusty Baker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:52
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…