212 | Mike Guebert, Oregon | How Two Former Vegetarians Built a Multi-Species Direct-to-Consumer Farm

212 | Mike Guebert, Oregon | How Two Former Vegetarians Built a Multi-Species Direct-to-Consumer Farm

Author: Grazing Grass February 25, 2026 Duration: 1:25:40

Mike Guebert of Terra Farma in northwest Oregon joins Cal to share how he and his wife built a multi-species, direct-to-consumer farm over more than 20 years, from early days as first-generation farmers to running meat CSA sales, improving grazing systems, and teaching others through the Oregon Pasture Network.  

In This Episode, We Explore:  

  • Starting a first-generation farm from a blank slate with invasives, no fencing, and rough infrastructure  
  • Moving from vegetarian to raising and processing poultry on-farm  
  • Building a multi-species operation including beef, pork, sheep, goats, poultry, and more  
  • Managing grazing in a high rainfall, dry-summer region without irrigation  
  • Chicken tractor evolution, daily moves, and using a winch system for efficiency and injury prevention  
  • Marketing changes over time including launching a meat CSA in 2020 and the plan to transition away from it  
  • Stopping raw milk sales after losing liability insurance and regaining time and flexibility  
  • Moving toward a more seasonal, grass-only beef model to reduce winter feeding  
  • Teaching and producer support through pasture walks, cohorts, mentorship, and events with Oregon Pasture Network  
  • Conservation district work including farmland protection tools like conservation easements  

Why This Episode Matters  
This conversation is a practical look at how farm enterprises, marketing, and even personal capacity change over time, and why building community learning opportunities like pasture walks and cohorts can help producers avoid common pitfalls while improving grazing, profitability, and quality of life.  

Resources Mentioned  

  • Acres USA annual conference  
  • Ranching for Profit School  
  • Executive Link (Ranching for Profit)  
  • Oregon State University Small Farms Conference  
  • Oregon Pasture Network pasture walks  
  • Oregon FarmLink (Friends of Family Farmers)  

Find Out More  

  • Terra Farma website | terrafarmaers.net  
  • Terra Farma Instagram | @terrafarmaers  
  • Oregon Pasture Network | oregonpasturenetwork.org  
  • Friends of Family Farmers | friendsoffamilyfarmers.org  
  • East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District | emswcd.org  


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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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