When we began this journey it was with eyes wide open. We sought information and guidance in every direction we could find.
We researched fencing, husbandry, environment, health, history, and anything and everything in between, below, above, and hidden as deep as we could find it.
What we knew:
We would be grass-fed and finished - meaning NO GRAINS at all. No corn, no soy, no silage, no range cubes (have you looked at the ingredients of those oh-so-natural-sounding gems?), and nothing but good healthy grasses that promoted and supported the health of our herd.
We needed to start small to properly monitor how our land responded to having buffs grazing it.
We would not follow the "industry" by setting up rotation grazing (I've covered that in other posts). But, would instead implement continuous grazing to support the herd's inherited instinct to "roam" (within the confines of our land).
Our approach was more holistic in our view than the methods we continue to hear are the only way to raise "bison" -- which is why we've stopped using the term 'bison' -- we do not raise them like their domesticated cousins, the cattle.
When we bought our land in 2019, we didn't buy as much as I wanted to purchase. But, we didn't want debt, and therefore, we had to reduce our wants to meet our realities. That said, there was additional land behind us (on three sides) that we planned to purchase when we were established and in a position to pay for it without having it tied up in financing.
We had finally reached that point, 2024 was the year that would happen. Our plan was established and we were moving forward, surveys were ordered and completed, contractors were providing bids and estimates on projects that needed completing before the land purchase could be started, permits and approvals by government agencies were required, etc.
We had finally received all of the permits and had the surveys recorded, the next step was the bids from the contractors and short-term financing for the projects/purchase - the intent was to move our current house to a 1-1/2 acre lot at the front of the property that we use for nothing but paying taxes. Dave and I would live in a camper while we sold that, and with the proceeds from that project (after paying the short-term loan off), we would build a new home and begin the fencing projects for the new property - which would expand "leg room" for the herd.
We learned a couple of weeks ago that someone had made a cash offer on the land and was willing to pay more than we had agreed to purchase it for.
Suddenly we were being pushed into a situation that meant taking on a lot of debt with no foreseeable end. And, while the top priority is our herd's health and well-being, we can only accomplish what we are committed to if we can afford the care.
I read recently that a successful beef program recommends a daily cost of $5/hd. Our daily investment in our herd? Nearly $9/day. We cut zero corners, and take no shortcuts in how these animals are raised. At a cost of nearly double what it costs to raise a Prime Black Angus beef animal -- and selling at a rate that is competitive with that same "product" -- only, we're not taking high numbers to the customers. We're harvesting 3-5 animals annually on an as-needed basis. Profit from meat sales isn't what keeps us going.
So, as I sat in the field this evening watching the herd enjoy their haystacks, the sad reality of my options hit hard.
Sell the farm and move the herd
Reduce the herd by half
Selling the farm? You've probably heard the old wives' tale that if a marriage can survive building a home it can survive anything. Dave and I built this farm. We didn't contract a single thing. We built the miles of fencing, we built the new barn, we built the fields - well, we rebuilt the fields from the weeds and Johnson grasses to the clovers and fescues that the herd thrives on. We built the corrals, he has the burn scars from welding stick after stick of guardrail and pipe, and I have the scars from the cuts and broken bones that were encountered along the way.
Our blood, sweat, a few tears, and love are in every stinking inch of this place. We made this home for ourselves, our daughter, and the herd. We brought an old muddy pond to live for fish, turtles, otters, Cranes and ducks, and a myriad of land animals that enjoy feasting on a few of those aquatic lives.
We banished and deterred the wild boar that had previously destroyed a vast part of our land, and brought back an environment that was welcoming to the black bears, the whitetails, the red tail hawks, wild turkeys, and the flora and wild blackberries have been amazing to watch grow and provide. Even medicinal herbs were anywhere and everywhere we looked.
The last option, #2 - Reduce the herd by half is a full-stop. I run a small herd, unlike those roaming Yellow Stone with thousands and thousands of acres, my herd is more like a pod of Orca's. They are family. Their social structure is easily upset by adding or removing just one animal. They recover because they are in their environment, and our methods provide some closure for them rather than how we started - which was rounding up and loading them onto a trailer. That method creates far too much stress and takes weeks for them to 'restructure' their social positions among themselves.
I can only imagine how hard removing half at one time would be for them. It simply isn't an option for me. I'd sell or cull the entire herd before removing half. Below, the video is the behavior my typically docile and sweet breed bull presented the last time I loaded a cull animal up and headed out with him. It was a devasting blow to my heart seeing the herd's reaction.
So, long story short? We are meeting with the realtor on Friday. We plan to have the ranch on the market this spring, find our new landing spot with the amount of ground we need, and get to work rebuilding again.
Yes, we hope to find what meets our needs and the must-haves for the herd in and as close to the Smoky Mountain area as possible. Are we willing to consider outside of the area? If we must, we will.
Stay tuned....there is definitely more to come!
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