I fell into becoming a rancher. This was not the career for me. I had different dreams for myself. My family has land and about 60 head of cattle. I know we are on the lower end but for me this is a lot of work. I can only imagine how much more work it will be with a larger herd. My grandparents are the ranchers in my family but with them getting older and the recent passing of my grandfather, the ranch fell on me to take care of. Before me, my cousin was the rancher. I would help him when he needed the help, but my cousin also past. I had no choice but to step up. Now I check the fences, check the cattle, and move the cattle from one pasture to another. It's not as easy as the show Yellowstone makes it, but I never thought I would love it so much. I'll tell you I would not trade this for anything in the world. My grandfather told me once "You'll never get rich ranching, but you'll sure have fun." My grandfather was right about that. It takes a lot of time and money from buying hay to mending fences, but I spend a lot of my time in the woods enjoying what I love now.
And once you get it in your blood and experience your hooked .Just have to make good business decisions. The ranching direction is changing since I was a kid in growing up in the business.
I’m looking to move to the US for 2-4 months to work on a ranch somewhere. Preferably somewhere that’s similar to home (Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota) Somewhere north mid west. I live in Sweden now. I do have some farming skills. I’m licensed to drive tractors and have been around em for some times of my life. Got any advice for me? I need to get away from home for a while and do some manual labor. So how does one go about finding the right ranch etc. All I can find are tourist ranches. What to expect outside early mornings and hard work? What’s some culture things I should be aware of?Things of that nature. I’ve only been around the trade culture in sweden. That language I can understand. Ranch work in the US no clue
Honestly I was lucky. My family has own 160 acres for over 100 years. I wanted a cow so I got a cow. I was 18 years old. By 20 I had 12. Now 23 I have 50 ish and I'm selling 30 if this summer isn't wet. Acres. I leased 60. By 20 I bought 80 acres. By 23 I was leasing another 320 acres. In 9 years that 80 acres will be paid off. It will be one collateral to buy 160 acres. Then 12 years more. Repeat and buy 320 acres. But I been ranching for big ranches since I was 14 years old. Been on them since 6 years old. Only person in my family that farms too.
@@Alpacabowl98 nothing. Grow damn trees. Last person to farm in my family was my great grandpa who died in 1987. I didn't show up on this planet since 1999 🤣 I just love ranching.
@@LifeintheWest it's a rodeo. My wife family has been ranching longer and more constantly then my family. That operation is heaven. Soooooo many cows. They only own 160 acres also, but lease A LOT of land. I would like to buy as much as I can with as little debt of possible. Do to inflation, ranching for someone all day is barely cutting my cost. I even already cut down on cost just so I have my own heard and leases and land during this drought and inflation. Only thing I hate rn is the fact I'm facing quiting what I love which is ranching full time. Idc if it's for the rich rancher. I love doing it. But inflation is so bad rn I've applied in the past week, 4 different oil field companies. I'm only looking for more money so I have my ranch still. I'm not stopping or slowing down tell I'm dead.
Most people fall away when they realize how much work really goes into it. They see cows, horses, whatever and think it's the Dutton life for me. They're in love with an idea. Then the late nights, the hard weekends, the sick animals and predators happen. The feed bills, the vet bills, and the repair bills start coming in. It gets cold, it gets hot, years go by between vacations and little time off. The Duttons are a fantasy. But, if you're built a little different from everyone else, you won't really notice. It's funny how good cows, a sweaty horse, hay, and grease can smell. You can be bone tired and not feel it, if you're built a little different.
My step dad was a guest rancher back in 2006. He was the only worker in the ranch. It was a lifestyle for him, already coming from a country mountain side in Mexico.
I’m in the army and when I get out I’m thinking of being a rancher myself, I was raised in the city but my family has a long line of Rancheros and Charros back in Mexico so I’m very familiar with ranches and farm animals lol, appreciate the tips
My cousin was a marine, and when retired, he did just that, bought himself a little ranch house on a big piece of land, and got himself some Texas Longhorns, which he regrets getting the Longhorns because they can and will jump pretty high fences apparently. So just stay away from Texas Longhorns, and you should be fine, lol. He started getting Angus and Herefords. He also has lots of other critters and really cool herding and guardian dogs. He trains, breeds, and sells dogs. He also has a team of mules that pulls a wagon camper, and he and his wife go exploring with his mules and wagon. He's definitely living a good life! I think all our military should get land, houses, and money to invest in cattle, or whatever they want to do on their land, really, for their service.
I inherited the 4000 acres in Texas, it was growing cotton when I got it. we shifted it over to beef . 10 years and about 1.5 million latter I make a lot of money. black angus Landry's steakhouse :) what you said is so so true but I love it.
You are very lucky! I’m also in Texas and 4000 acres is a goldmine with our current land prices. But even goldmines require hard work. Glad you’re making the most of it and it’s working out for you.
Great video. I remember as a kid helping my dad on the ranch and we made enough to get by on but I agree that starting from scratch would be really difficult. The only time I can remember my Dad making lots of money is when he sold the ranch and livestock. None of us decided to follow in that lifestyle.
You did such a great job explaining this so nicely without discouraging anyone. I live in a state where it is possible to own a lot of land for a obtainable amount. I’m very thankful for that. It can still be exspensive but it’s doable. I was very surprised to see online how expensive the land is in Montana. I just didn’t realize that it was so costly. It’s absolutely beautiful country. Everything you said about small herds of cattle is so right on. We experienced that ourselves. There is definitely a lot to learn. We learned a lot of things the hard way. Its pretty awesome you’re going to be teaching in depth what is involved in ranching and raising cattle. I’m fairly new to your videos and really enjoying them and loving seeing the scenery. I’m praying for you no pain and healed quickly. God bless you and your family.
Your video’s are outstanding and always insightful. Real quality! So when I was in the 3rd. Grade and the teacher asked the class what they wanted to be my answer was”I’m going to college and become a cowboy “ My first real job WAS working on several ranch’s but for a haying contractor. I was 15. We worked from 6 am till 6 pm. One hour lunch break where we usually ate fast and then took a nap. We lived on the ranch. Amazing food and plenty of it! I’m now 74 years old and never earned the title “Cowboy “ Please keep the wonderful videos coming, heal quickly and my our Lord’s bountiful blessings be with you and yours.
Montana is awesome. I was amazed how much development I witnessed when I was traveling the state in 2020. I hadn't been to Montana in a decade and was saddened in a way on the loss of of open spaces. Sometimes progress isn't really progress at all. Great videos and knowledge of the treasure state.
Love your videos! I too would like to live the ranch experience, there is something about it that calms my mind in some way. Maybe in the future I could go to the states and work for free in a ranch getting paid in knowledge and experience, at least for some months. Cheers!
This was the most helpful video ive come across. Im a kid who doesnt live anywhere near the west(im from the middle of ga) but moving out west into wyoming and being a rancher is my dream. Everyother video ive seen has made it seem so easy but i knew it couldn't be the case(there was no way). I want my dream to be a reality and this video really helped ❤ gained a new sub .
Starting a cow operation is very hard and you hit the nail on the head. It's a little easier in the south, I live in Louisiana, where rental property is easier to come by but its still hard.
I have around 380 acres in south Texas. Me and brother have been thinking of starting a cattle ranch. It use to be but the fences are bad and we been a drought for years. The other is Time since we both work. The ranch has been in my family for over a 100 years and has basically been abandoned. We use it for hunting and just plain fun. The ranch makes more money now then ever because of oil. Lots of memories there growing up very dear to my heart
worked at a ranch in high school and the oil fields after school. food was good, great people. not a lot of sleep. hard work rewarding work! that did not make me a Cowboy but It made me appreciate the lifestyle!
Very interesting. Having grown up in a ranching family, I realize how hard it is and always has been. For a kid, it was paradise, animals, horses, endless acres to run wild on, in an environment very much like Montana (Alberta foothills), but even then money was hard to come by. My grandpa ran a trap line, my grandma raised turkeys, my uncle had to do find various sidelines and my Dad took the cowboy route. We rarely ate beef, that was to be sold, but lived on wild meat, raised chickens, had big gardens and so on. Ultimately, the land and cattle got sold, none of the kids having the desire or the means to keep on ranching. The idea of a game format though to introduce people to raising cattle is great. Looking forward to that. Hopefully you heal fast, good luck with the ribs.
Im 34 years old live in denver its been my dream to become a rancher i love the outdoors and animals i know how to work hard im a plumber i just dont have the money inheritance or anyone who has a ranch.. but its not impossible thank you for the info
I worked on a ranch for 2 years. Goats, chickens, rabbits and any other pets people dumped on the prop got taken in, peacocks even. Fence mending and cleaning stalls with the daily feedings hay, grain, grain feed and water troffs. I LOVED IT! Goat kisses are the best! I also took care of 7 horsees on a forestry ranch whenever they needed me. 6 Am aint bad. We grew our own hay with supplimental grains daily.
Excellent, I had many laughs as you went through this one. I'd like to see those who want to become ranchers, when it's -40 and it's time to feed the cows. One option you forgot to mention was having a spouse that works a good full time job and gets medical benefits while the other runs the ranch. And how does a rancher make money? By not going out to eat, being frugal, driving old trucks, the older truck becomes the field truck, never traveling except to see family, spending holidays taking care of cattle, it's not very romantic. It'll be interesting to see what you come up with for your game. Keep the videos coming!
I forgot to add - it's ironic that the children of ranchers, who could inherit the ranches in your first option, often don't come back home to do so. Many of my neighbors may be the last of their family to ranch.
Many years ago there was a " Ranch " for sell in Wyoming - it was 29,000 acres @ $3.5 million - it had 2 houses a bunk house and the main house - 4 barns, several vehicles and 2 hay barns - there was 3 lakes - 150 acre, 40 acre, 10 acre - and a river ran thru the property - it sold to a land developer and turned into a hunting ranch and half sold for building homes on @ $3 million
I'm from PA been farming. My hole life it's a family farm seance 1866 .7th generation. It's very hard work to make a living just on cattle. I have to work away just to keep it taxes and insurance are killing me. Great video. Most people have no idea what goes into keeping cattle.
I have a small herd of Dexter cows. I we have anywhere between 15 and 20. We do pretty good dexter meet is definitely different than most. Cuts are smaller but costs to keep are smaller as well. I really injoy your channel. I pray your ribs heal fast so you can get back to normal duties 😊
"Like Kevin Costner" 🤣 Love when your videos pop up ~ always something interesting 😃 Love that the horses are following you🥰 I've signed up for your game awhile ago- can't wait!!
I helped out on a milking farm when I was younger but I've seen more and more of the smaller farms give up and sell out. It's not an easy or cheep thing to farm/ranch. Have you done a video on what a typical daily routine is like on your ranch? Your content is awesome.
It would maybe help people see what it cost to run a ranch if you could show them in a spreadsheet in a somewhat average year, and what weather has an effect on in ranching
Processing and and selling your own meat seems to be the only way to go. Help process for your local area by taking payments in both cash and beef. It would be seasonal so after startup cost, biggest cost would probably be storage and shipping.
Thanks for the good content. I believe that it is much more possible to be profitable in ranching when we apply the principles of regenerative agriculture and adaptive, intensive grazing management to become ultra low-cost producers. As you said, it is also possible to add value on the marketing end by developing our own direct sales avenues.
Big issue today is, can’t get a consistent supply chain of good grass. Basically in the red the entire operation and happy to break even. Good tongue in cheek video.
Your making some good Content Trinity. I was a raised ranch kid many years ago and I know the business has changed over the years where ranchers are taking control of their earned dollars/ranching methods more and more. S I appreciate your background and bringing to light these business models.
Aloha Trinity 🤙! Hey you left off one more option! Adoption! You could adopt some lucky kid! LOL JUST KIDDING! kinda, not me I'm 60 and my body could be lucky to get on a horse for a day! A horse farm in Wisconsin when I was 12 was my first job! I made 80 bucks a week and worked every day after school and 10 hrs sat. and Sun. It was HARD work! Girls liked me because I had money but my coats smelled like horses! You know the smell I'm sure! Just want to say thanks for your stories and beautiful pictures! I bet thier are lots of people after watching Yellowstone think they are just going to jump right on the chuck wagon and have a ranch. LOL Thanks for hopefully setting a few people straight! Take care of your ribs brother I know that pain,just can't get comfortable! Be safe,Happy New year! God bless,Mahalo!
@@LifeintheWest good luck. No rancher in their right mind would take on a greenhorn who’s so inexperienced they don’t even know where to begin. The environment right now is so flooded with experienced hands who are willing to work for less than 100$ a day, supplying their own horses, and their own tack. Right now you’d probably have to offer to work for free like I did and pray somebody would be willing to teach you or bring some super valuable skills to the table like welding/expert mechanic/CDL cert ect.
Get well soon Trinity! I really enjoyed this video. I was a horseback riding instructor for 20 years - that was hard enough - I could not imagine being a rancher. Another idea I thought of while I watched your video - being a homesteader. Can someone homestead in Montana or is the land and weather too crazy for that? If they are growing a lot of their own food/milk/meat and then sell their own specialized beef products on the side to help pay the bills, that could work.
Well, with that attitude, you'd fail at ranching regardless of what it takes to start up. You quit at the first sign of difficulty. Anything in life worth gaining is extremely hard to do. Or as my father and grandfathers who were all tradesmen would say. "Kid if it was easy everyone would do it". So yes you're going to need to learn what it takes to care for livestock, what livestock brings in $$ and then go in debt to start and run. With not a single guarantee of success. But if you do try who knows maybe your Grandson will say "Nothing happens in this valley without my ok"
@@lidlett9883 Yes, you are correct that anything in life worth gaining is extremely hard to do, and, your father and grandfather are correct also by stating, “kid if it was easy everyone would do it”. I was speaking rhetorically, meaning, that in today’s world with all the corruption and inflation etc., it would be next to impossible to start from scratch and build a ranching empire… for most people. Not totally impossible, but in my opinion, pretty rare indeed. I know about working extremely hard to accomplish goals and also know that not everyone can do it. I am retired now (thankfully) but I worked my way through college and had a 46 year long career as a Registered Nurse…Emergency Department, Critical Care and Educator… so yes, not everyone can do it.
I wish our hay was that cheap!!!! I am paying $500 a ton for first cut grass. If I want alfalfa or anything else for the horses we are looking at $550 to $600 a ton. (B.C Canada). Great video as always
Great video! I hope you heal soon! I love the horses. Do you use all of them? Your videos are very informative and I think it's great that you are willing to share so much information so people see the reality of ranching.
Love the videos, but not the music, it's distracting and takes away from the essence of the ranch. Keep up the great work, love what you do and stand for. Keep the faith, you are not alone!
When you get to feeling better , I would love to see you work more with your horses! They are so majestic and beautiful…. I also love to hear about “Thinking like a horse” bringing about awareness on does and don’ts I really hope you feel better soon!🙏 Happy New Year 🎉🎉🥳🥳🥂👍🏻
Wife and I have been raising + or - 5 Highland cattle on roughly 3 acres for about 5 years then selling calfs. I have been loosing money for all 5 years due to obvious expenses and stocking rate challenges. We do it because we enjoy it and its able to be done only because we both work. The thing cows eat.....cash, lots and lots of cash.
My family history is rich in ranching. Unfortunately, my Uncle had to sell the old homestead 10 yrs ago. I had always longed for that life. Sad that our family let it go.
I started 7 years ago with 4 Scottish Highland cows and a bull. I have raised and acquired more until I have 11 mother cows. I'm selling beef on the hook. They are now paying their own bills. In 2022 I had 11 calves. In 3 years if figure they'll begin to make a profit. You can't be in a hurry. Raising beef is not for the faint of heart.
Trini my men‼️ 😊thank you for doing videos even with a broken rip … i see caliper is doing ok though 😒.. this are such important information … here I’m thinking/dreaming I can be a small rancher 😅… kinda kidding kinda not… seriously your videos are awesome 👏🏾 your outfits are awesome (they should sponsor you) ⚠️taking advantage of you reading me right now because once you get big-ger ! You won’t have time to read us all. Nava from Grand Rapids Michigan Hellos to all cowgirls in Montana this channel has help me learn so much I just want to see the mountains 🏔 😮.
Hola Trinity! Mi nombre es Fabian y soy de Buenos Aires, Argentina y me encanta tus videos. soy fanatico de la vida del rancho, y los vaqueros. Mi ingles no es muy bueno, pero deseo poder seguir disfrutando de tus videos.
When I was a boy all I wanted to do was cowboy for the big outfits. Growing up in central Alberta there wasn't much of those around. My Dad's ranch at that time was 5,000 acres. But for me that wasn't big enough and I hated farming. We still had to put up feed for winter. It seemed there was very little time to be on a horse. I learned over the years however that I'm not tough enough to ride for the big outfits anyway. Later on my wife and I owned some cows but so much can go wrong in calving season and so much was at stake that eventually the stress became too much and it cost us a marriage.
I enjoy your videos Trinity and stop 72 so I'm not gonna be a cowboy now or a rancher but I enjoy your Videos and wish I could have ridden more horses of all the things I did growing up I've only ridden a couple But I enjoyed it very much Please keep making your videos and we'll keep watching them enjoy him immensely Your friend Curtis McAdams PS I'm a vivid motorcycle rider when I was young I did dirt bikes and harleys and I just do harleys
We we moving to novelty "heritage" breeds. Scottish Highland Cattle, Belted Galloway's and breeds like that. They are worth more and aren't priced by the pound.
So I'm a writer, and I'd like to learn more about the business side of horse ranching (rather than cattle) so I can be more accurate in the stories I want to tell. I like doing my research from actual people because their stories are important to me.
If you want to enjoy the cowboy/ranch life you can do it with out having millions of dollars. I have a job in town that supports me and my family. I have a small piece of land we live on with horses, a roping arena and roping cattle. I compete on weekends. It’s a lot of fun.
Serious question: Does Cattle Rustling still happen? Thanks Trinity, love your videos👍 (ps: in the 1990's I wanted to move my entire family to Montana & pool all our money and buy a 'small' Horse Ranch -- with a BIG house for all of us. Needless to say we're all still 'stuck' in Illinois😂)
Yes, cattle rustling still happens, but usually with a cattle liner from some out of the way field in the middle of nowhere. Raising cattle in dry areas like the Western US and Western Canada requires a tremendous amount of land and it is impossible for owners to keep an eye on their animals all the time.
Thank you Trinity! Great video that inspired me more. I will try to go to the USA, and see if i can get a job on a ranch. Maybe there is a cowboy hidden in me :)
A recent lottery winner of $6.0 million was asked what he planned to do with his winnings. He said “Oh golly….I think I will just keep ranching until it runs out.” One other consideration if you want to be a rancher is becoming a good cowboy and acquiring a good business mind, then look for a ranch that has no family succession for whatever reason…and go to work there and work your ass off. I’ve seen a number of cases where the rancher or farmer sold that person the business at a price that works for them to eventually own it. Second, with enough experience and stellar reputation there are a vast number of high net worth individuals who decide they want to own a ranch and be in the cattle business but need a ranch manager to make it work….instead of just leasing out the cattle operation. These can be good jobs, steady salary and opportunity to work your ass off. Greetings from Wilsall, MT.
I wanted to run my plan by you to get your opinion. I want to breed and sell horses, and also do light horse-riding tours. I plan on buying about 40 acres in a remote location where there is just a dirt road a couple miles from a busy highway. The property might not even have utilities (which I have to figure something out about those). This kind of property I could get for about $500 an acre, and it would be primitive. I'm looking at undeveloped land that I can grow on. But, my niche market is going to be selling very affordable horses. Not show or racing horses. Probably Appaloosa pony breeds. My marketing would be set up so that you could buy a good basic horse from me for about the same price as an ATV. I would include a basic saddle so that the customer could ride their new horse off the property if they wanted to. For the tours, I would set up a standard schedule for those, and market them in different creative ways. So, I have to worry about structures, water, and food. I plan on growing hay and straw right on the property, and using the horses themselves in helping to harvest that hay and straw. I could use any advice, though. I thank you for anything that you could provide.
Great video Trinity I always enjoy watching and listening to you hope your rib is healing up quick. Like they say the only way to own a ranch now days is by the Womb , Altar , or Tomb . 😂
My thing is with the low numbers a ranchers that are operating there has to be a way for someone like me that wants to get into it to get the numbers up to me it's a pick your poison either take over a ranch and take the debt or start with your Owen but with a manageable amount of land maybe I'm thinking wrong
Hey Trinity - Great Video. My brother and I owns around 3000 archers in Bakersfield that we inherrited from our ranching grandmother and father. We currently lease the land to a rancher who runs around 300 head on it. I am toying with the idea of getting involved, but the reality of doing it is challenging, as building a business plan for the ranch is difficult for me, as too many unknowns. I spend 30+ years in corporate america, so understand business very well. I also am a very active hunter and outdoorsman, so no worried about the "messy" part of ranching. The key is really the economics. I believe we can make a small but nice profit. That said, do you have any kind of recommendations for a consultants that can "fill in the blanks" with some of the question you raise. I believe that cow to cafe would work, as our current tenant has been doing it for years, and they do make money - and we lease the land extremely cheap to them, as our cost base is Zero. We have several ideas to monetize the land, but the cattle part is the big question mark. Look forward to hearing from you.. Appreciate your straightforward approach. Eric
It’s not as easy as you think. Being the son of a rancher is not easy. You have to work your ass off for basically nothing for many years. And you may think being a cattle framer is very lucrative and it’s not. Just like 2022 was a bad year due to the drought. Which means not grass or hay shortages. And if you have to buy hay it’s not cheep. The average cow eats about $125-$150 worth of hay per month. Not just feed cost money but you have vet bills, fuel to move animals, fencing, gates, etc. Being a farmer is not what you think.
Buy land in MN or Iowa. You can graze more cattle on less ground. AUs ( cow calf pair) is 30-40 acres per AU in Montana/ Wyoming. In minnesota/ Iowa/ Missouri. Looking at 5 acres per AU. 👀 You get more cuttings of hay in the summer as well. I remember growing up. Farmers some summers could get 4 cuttings that season. Everything is cheap in small communities in the midwest. Hay is MUCH cheaper as well. Yes, it is much hotter in the summer with humidity. That humidity though helps you profit more. 📈 Farm ground ave between 5-7000 an acre in MN right now. So 140 acres is 700,000. If bought at 5000 an acre. So if it is a good summer. Lets says 3 acres per AU. That is 46 AUs on 140 acres. Should buy some hay ground. That is all with out hay though for the winter. Have heard of ranchers renting pastures in the midwest to graze cattle over spring summer. Also mush cheaper to rent land to grass in summer. That way you can maybe hay your own ground.👀 My Rangeland education coming out.
So 46 cows and .90 wean a calf and you sell them for $1,000 a head, you got $42,000 gross for the year. Atleast half of that is feed, fuel and fertilizer, o how you gonna come up with the other $40,000 or so for the payment? Oh yeah, we haven’t discussed the cost of the livestock or equipment yet.
Here is my story. I am 43 my wife is 34. Her family is from Jordan MT and has a cattle farm. We have been discussing for about 2 years now to move to MT and start our own cattle ranch. Her brother is taking the family farm. We do not have millions to start but we do have the support of family. My wife will be getting a remote job but my income will be the ranch. We want to start with about 150 acres. What would be a real number of cattle to start with?
Really enjoy your videos I live in West Virginia and the city is starting to try to move in to are state we r not to happy bout it we have alot of farms an ranching if are own I would love to be able to start out there where u live but it just seems so hard to start with the way the world going
Land values have gone up terribly due to development and people moving out to Montana and places like that. It's all inflation. We're all hooked in together. The food is gone up for the cattle. Fuel is gone up. This is why if you go to a decent steakhouse, your steak is $35 to $40 at least here in the Midwest. I don't know what it is in Chicago now. Unless you form some sort of co-op with a bunch of other people, I don't know how you could get started and make money..
The land alone is very expensive, not to mention fencing, gates, feed, medications, veterinary care when needed, farriers, etc. And these are just a minimum of what it would take to even start.
what should I do, as a 16 year old who has absolutely zero ranching/cowboying experience, but wants to be a ranch hand and eventually when I get older, own a ranch myself
Hey Trinity, Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences. I was wondering how people get started in horse ranching. More specifically, does it require the same or more grazing land and feed, and how do you start from scratch in Montana acquiring enough horses to get going? If this has been covered in another comment or video, if you could point me to it, I'd be grateful.
So you can buy around 500 acres of land in western Nebraska for like $150,000 the expensive part is buying the cattle but you can run a large operation on 500 acres in prairie land Nebraska but why ranch if you can farm is what my grandpa always said soy and corn for biofuel is the way to go
I fell into becoming a rancher. This was not the career for me. I had different dreams for myself. My family has land and about 60 head of cattle. I know we are on the lower end but for me this is a lot of work. I can only imagine how much more work it will be with a larger herd. My grandparents are the ranchers in my family but with them getting older and the recent passing of my grandfather, the ranch fell on me to take care of. Before me, my cousin was the rancher. I would help him when he needed the help, but my cousin also past. I had no choice but to step up. Now I check the fences, check the cattle, and move the cattle from one pasture to another. It's not as easy as the show Yellowstone makes it, but I never thought I would love it so much. I'll tell you I would not trade this for anything in the world. My grandfather told me once "You'll never get rich ranching, but you'll sure have fun." My grandfather was right about that. It takes a lot of time and money from buying hay to mending fences, but I spend a lot of my time in the woods enjoying what I love now.
That's what its all about.
And once you get it in your blood and experience your hooked .Just have to make good business decisions. The ranching direction is changing since I was a kid in growing up in the business.
I’m looking to move to the US for 2-4 months to work on a ranch somewhere. Preferably somewhere that’s similar to home (Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota) Somewhere north mid west. I live in Sweden now. I do have some farming skills. I’m licensed to drive tractors and have been around em for some times of my life. Got any advice for me? I need to get away from home for a while and do some manual labor. So how does one go about finding the right ranch etc. All I can find are tourist ranches. What to expect outside early mornings and hard work? What’s some culture things I should be aware of?Things of that nature. I’ve only been around the trade culture in sweden. That language I can understand. Ranch work in the US no clue
Nobody knows how to put a story together like you Trinity. Fantastic video!
Thank you Peter. You are too kind! 😊
@@LifeintheWest can buy a ranch horse?
Honestly I was lucky. My family has own 160 acres for over 100 years. I wanted a cow so I got a cow. I was 18 years old. By 20 I had 12. Now 23 I have 50 ish and I'm selling 30 if this summer isn't wet.
Acres. I leased 60. By 20 I bought 80 acres. By 23 I was leasing another 320 acres.
In 9 years that 80 acres will be paid off.
It will be one collateral to buy 160 acres. Then 12 years more. Repeat and buy 320 acres. But I been ranching for big ranches since I was 14 years old. Been on them since 6 years old.
Only person in my family that farms too.
That is very cool! Great job!
You understand the word that so many people do not..."work".
hello. what was your family using all that land for before the cows?
@@Alpacabowl98 nothing. Grow damn trees. Last person to farm in my family was my great grandpa who died in 1987. I didn't show up on this planet since 1999 🤣 I just love ranching.
@@LifeintheWest it's a rodeo. My wife family has been ranching longer and more constantly then my family. That operation is heaven. Soooooo many cows.
They only own 160 acres also, but lease A LOT of land.
I would like to buy as much as I can with as little debt of possible. Do to inflation, ranching for someone all day is barely cutting my cost. I even already cut down on cost just so I have my own heard and leases and land during this drought and inflation.
Only thing I hate rn is the fact I'm facing quiting what I love which is ranching full time. Idc if it's for the rich rancher. I love doing it. But inflation is so bad rn I've applied in the past week, 4 different oil field companies. I'm only looking for more money so I have my ranch still. I'm not stopping or slowing down tell I'm dead.
Most people fall away when they realize how much work really goes into it. They see cows, horses, whatever and think it's the Dutton life for me. They're in love with an idea. Then the late nights, the hard weekends, the sick animals and predators happen. The feed bills, the vet bills, and the repair bills start coming in. It gets cold, it gets hot, years go by between vacations and little time off. The Duttons are a fantasy. But, if you're built a little different from everyone else, you won't really notice. It's funny how good cows, a sweaty horse, hay, and grease can smell. You can be bone tired and not feel it, if you're built a little different.
Beautiful
The fact you think people have vacations is funny as hell
My step dad was a guest rancher back in 2006. He was the only worker in the ranch. It was a lifestyle for him, already coming from a country mountain side in Mexico.
I’m in the army and when I get out I’m thinking of being a rancher myself, I was raised in the city but my family has a long line of Rancheros and Charros back in Mexico so I’m very familiar with ranches and farm animals lol, appreciate the tips
My cousin was a marine, and when retired, he did just that, bought himself a little ranch house on a big piece of land, and got himself some Texas Longhorns, which he regrets getting the Longhorns because they can and will jump pretty high fences apparently. So just stay away from Texas Longhorns, and you should be fine, lol. He started getting Angus and Herefords. He also has lots of other critters and really cool herding and guardian dogs. He trains, breeds, and sells dogs. He also has a team of mules that pulls a wagon camper, and he and his wife go exploring with his mules and wagon. He's definitely living a good life! I think all our military should get land, houses, and money to invest in cattle, or whatever they want to do on their land, really, for their service.
I inherited the 4000 acres in Texas, it was growing cotton when I got it. we shifted it over to beef . 10 years and about 1.5 million latter I make a lot of money. black angus Landry's steakhouse :)
what you said is so so true but I love it.
You are very lucky! I’m also in Texas and 4000 acres is a goldmine with our current land prices. But even goldmines require hard work. Glad you’re making the most of it and it’s working out for you.
Great video. I remember as a kid helping my dad on the ranch and we made enough to get by on but I agree that starting from scratch would be really difficult. The only time I can remember my Dad making lots of money is when he sold the ranch and livestock. None of us decided to follow in that lifestyle.
You did such a great job explaining this so nicely without discouraging anyone. I live in a state where it is possible to own a lot of land for a obtainable amount. I’m very thankful for that. It can still be exspensive but it’s doable. I was very surprised to see online how expensive the land is in Montana. I just didn’t realize that it was so costly. It’s absolutely beautiful country. Everything you said about small herds of cattle is so right on. We experienced that ourselves. There is definitely a lot to learn. We learned a lot of things the hard way. Its pretty awesome you’re going to be teaching in depth what is involved in ranching and raising cattle.
I’m fairly new to your videos and really enjoying them and loving seeing the scenery. I’m praying for you no pain and healed quickly. God bless you and your family.
Your video’s are outstanding and always insightful. Real quality! So when I was in the 3rd. Grade and the teacher asked the class what they wanted to be my answer was”I’m going to college and become a cowboy “ My first real job WAS working on several ranch’s but for a haying contractor. I was 15. We worked from 6 am till 6 pm. One hour lunch break where we usually ate fast and then took a nap. We lived on the ranch. Amazing food and plenty of it! I’m now 74 years old and never earned the title “Cowboy “
Please keep the wonderful videos coming, heal quickly and my our Lord’s bountiful blessings be with you and yours.
Montana is awesome. I was amazed how much development I witnessed when I was traveling the state in 2020. I hadn't been to Montana in a decade and was saddened in a way on the loss of of open spaces. Sometimes progress isn't really progress at all. Great videos and knowledge of the treasure state.
Love your videos! I too would like to live the ranch experience, there is something about it that calms my mind in some way. Maybe in the future I could go to the states and work for free in a ranch getting paid in knowledge and experience, at least for some months. Cheers!
This was the most helpful video ive come across. Im a kid who doesnt live anywhere near the west(im from the middle of ga) but moving out west into wyoming and being a rancher is my dream. Everyother video ive seen has made it seem so easy but i knew it couldn't be the case(there was no way). I want my dream to be a reality and this video really helped ❤ gained a new sub .
Quality content. That's why I watch. At 72 I'm not looking to become a rancher or a cowboy I'm looking over my shoulder,not ahead. Thanks
Starting a cow operation is very hard and you hit the nail on the head. It's a little easier in the south, I live in Louisiana, where rental property is easier to come by but its still hard.
I have around 380 acres in south Texas. Me and brother have been thinking of starting a cattle ranch. It use to be but the fences are bad and we been a drought for years. The other is Time since we both work. The ranch has been in my family for over a 100 years and has basically been abandoned. We use it for hunting and just plain fun. The ranch makes more money now then ever because of oil. Lots of memories there growing up very dear to my heart
worked at a ranch in high school and the oil fields after school. food was good, great people. not a lot of sleep. hard work rewarding work! that did not make me a Cowboy but It made me appreciate the lifestyle!
You forgot another way of getting into ranching, marry the rancher’s daughter!
What if you’re a girl 😭
@@berniceforevermarry the Ranchers son? 🤣😅
Very interesting. Having grown up in a ranching family, I realize how hard it is and always has been. For a kid, it was paradise, animals, horses, endless acres to run wild on, in an environment very much like Montana (Alberta foothills), but even then money was hard to come by. My grandpa ran a trap line, my grandma raised turkeys, my uncle had to do find various sidelines and my Dad took the cowboy route. We rarely ate beef, that was to be sold, but lived on wild meat, raised chickens, had big gardens and so on. Ultimately, the land and cattle got sold, none of the kids having the desire or the means to keep on ranching. The idea of a game format though to introduce people to raising cattle is great. Looking forward to that. Hopefully you heal fast, good luck with the ribs.
Im 34 years old live in denver its been my dream to become a rancher i love the outdoors and animals i know how to work hard im a plumber i just dont have the money inheritance or anyone who has a ranch.. but its not impossible thank you for the info
I worked on a ranch for 2 years. Goats, chickens, rabbits and any other pets people dumped on the prop got taken in, peacocks even. Fence mending and cleaning stalls with the daily feedings hay, grain, grain feed and water troffs. I LOVED IT! Goat kisses are the best! I also took care of 7 horsees on a forestry ranch whenever they needed me. 6 Am aint bad. We grew our own hay with supplimental grains daily.
Excellent, I had many laughs as you went through this one. I'd like to see those who want to become ranchers, when it's -40 and it's time to feed the cows. One option you forgot to mention was having a spouse that works a good full time job and gets medical benefits while the other runs the ranch.
And how does a rancher make money? By not going out to eat, being frugal, driving old trucks, the older truck becomes the field truck, never traveling except to see family, spending holidays taking care of cattle, it's not very romantic. It'll be interesting to see what you come up with for your game. Keep the videos coming!
I forgot to add - it's ironic that the children of ranchers, who could inherit the ranches in your first option, often don't come back home to do so. Many of my neighbors may be the last of their family to ranch.
Many years ago there was a " Ranch " for sell in Wyoming - it was 29,000 acres @ $3.5 million - it had 2 houses a bunk house and the main house - 4 barns, several vehicles and 2 hay barns - there was 3 lakes - 150 acre, 40 acre, 10 acre - and a river ran thru the property - it sold to a land developer and turned into a hunting ranch and half sold for building homes on @ $3 million
Start your ranch in Arkansas where there is more water more grass with less expensive land. And it is beautiful.
I appreciate your honesty. Even generational farms and ranches are struggling to continue. I can’t imagine starting from scratch.
I'm from PA been farming. My hole life it's a family farm seance 1866 .7th generation. It's very hard work to make a living just on cattle. I have to work away just to keep it taxes and insurance are killing me. Great video. Most people have no idea what goes into keeping cattle.
I have a small herd of Dexter cows. I we have anywhere between 15 and 20. We do pretty good dexter meet is definitely different than most. Cuts are smaller but costs to keep are smaller as well. I really injoy your channel. I pray your ribs heal fast so you can get back to normal duties 😊
"Like Kevin Costner" 🤣
Love when your videos pop up ~ always something interesting 😃
Love that the horses are following you🥰
I've signed up for your game awhile ago- can't wait!!
I helped out on a milking farm when I was younger but I've seen more and more of the smaller farms give up and sell out. It's not an easy or cheep thing to farm/ranch.
Have you done a video on what a typical daily routine is like on your ranch?
Your content is awesome.
1:49 Horse "come on everyone come follow the food bringer!"
Montana is absolutely stunning.
It would maybe help people see what it cost to run a ranch if you could show them in a spreadsheet in a somewhat average year, and what weather has an effect on in ranching
Processing and and selling your own meat seems to be the only way to go. Help process for your local area by taking payments in both cash and beef. It would be seasonal so after startup cost, biggest cost would probably be storage and shipping.
Thanks for the good content. I believe that it is much more possible to be profitable in ranching when we apply the principles of regenerative agriculture and adaptive, intensive grazing management to become ultra low-cost producers. As you said, it is also possible to add value on the marketing end by developing our own direct sales avenues.
Big issue today is, can’t get a consistent supply chain of good grass. Basically in the red the entire operation and happy to break even. Good tongue in cheek video.
Your making some good Content Trinity. I was a raised ranch kid many years ago and I know the business has changed over the years where ranchers are taking control of their earned dollars/ranching methods more and more. S I appreciate your background and bringing to light these business models.
Aloha Trinity 🤙! Hey you left off one more option! Adoption! You could adopt some lucky kid! LOL JUST KIDDING! kinda, not me I'm 60 and my body could be lucky to get on a horse for a day! A horse farm in Wisconsin when I was 12 was my first job! I made 80 bucks a week and worked every day after school and 10 hrs sat. and Sun. It was HARD work! Girls liked me because I had money but my coats smelled like horses! You know the smell I'm sure! Just want to say thanks for your stories and beautiful pictures! I bet thier are lots of people after watching Yellowstone think they are just going to jump right on the chuck wagon and have a ranch. LOL Thanks for hopefully setting a few people straight! Take care of your ribs brother I know that pain,just can't get comfortable! Be safe,Happy New year! God bless,Mahalo!
This is great!
You should do a video just on how to become a cowboy.
That’s a good idea. Thank you!
@@LifeintheWest good luck. No rancher in their right mind would take on a greenhorn who’s so inexperienced they don’t even know where to begin. The environment right now is so flooded with experienced hands who are willing to work for less than 100$ a day, supplying their own horses, and their own tack. Right now you’d probably have to offer to work for free like I did and pray somebody would be willing to teach you or bring some super valuable skills to the table like welding/expert mechanic/CDL cert ect.
Get well soon Trinity! I really enjoyed this video. I was a horseback riding instructor for 20 years - that was hard enough - I could not imagine being a rancher. Another idea I thought of while I watched your video - being a homesteader. Can someone homestead in Montana or is the land and weather too crazy for that? If they are growing a lot of their own food/milk/meat and then sell their own specialized beef products on the side to help pay the bills, that could work.
So, in other words, unless you are fortunate to fall into category one or two… you’re outta luck! Especially in today’s market.
No. You just have to adjust your expectations down to living in a horse trailer and eating ramon for a few years to learn.
Or marry a ranchers son or daughter 😊
Well, with that attitude, you'd fail at ranching regardless of what it takes to start up. You quit at the first sign of difficulty. Anything in life worth gaining is extremely hard to do. Or as my father and grandfathers who were all tradesmen would say. "Kid if it was easy everyone would do it".
So yes you're going to need to learn what it takes to care for livestock, what livestock brings in $$ and then go in debt to start and run. With not a single guarantee of success. But if you do try who knows maybe your Grandson will say "Nothing happens in this valley without my ok"
@@lidlett9883 Yes, you are correct that anything in life worth gaining is extremely hard to do, and, your father and grandfather are correct also by stating, “kid if it was easy everyone would do it”. I was speaking rhetorically, meaning, that in today’s world with all the corruption and inflation etc., it would be next to impossible to start from scratch and build a ranching empire… for most people. Not totally impossible, but in my opinion, pretty rare indeed. I know about working extremely hard to accomplish goals and also know that not everyone can do it. I am retired now (thankfully) but I worked my way through college and had a 46 year long career as a Registered Nurse…Emergency Department, Critical Care and Educator… so yes, not everyone can do it.
@@LifeintheWest sounds pretty good to me to be honest
God Bless you brother it ain't easy
That’s for sure.
U have the life I always wanted as a kid wish you well
I wish our hay was that cheap!!!! I am paying $500 a ton for first cut grass. If I want alfalfa or anything else for the horses we are looking at $550 to $600 a ton. (B.C Canada). Great video as always
Great video! I hope you heal soon! I love the horses. Do you use all of them? Your videos are very informative and I think it's great that you are willing to share so much information so people see the reality of ranching.
To old to do ranching, but the game looks like fun.
Hope your ribs heal soon.
How to make $1M with horses? Start out with $2M😂
😂😂 Exactly!!
Love the videos, but not the music, it's distracting and takes away from the essence of the ranch.
Keep up the great work, love what you do and stand for.
Keep the faith, you are not alone!
Thank God for farmers and ranchers to have the nice slabs of beef on my table 🥩🤠
Thank you all to help keep our nation fed.
When you get to feeling better , I would love to see you work more with your horses! They are so majestic and beautiful…. I also love to hear about “Thinking like a horse” bringing about awareness on does and don’ts
I really hope you feel better soon!🙏
Happy New Year
🎉🎉🥳🥳🥂👍🏻
My family decided to sell all of our ranch land so now I have to start practically from square one
Wife and I have been raising + or - 5 Highland cattle on roughly 3 acres for about 5 years then selling calfs. I have been loosing money for all 5 years due to obvious expenses and stocking rate challenges. We do it because we enjoy it and its able to be done only because we both work. The thing cows eat.....cash, lots and lots of cash.
I have 5 acres here in California. Is that enough to start?
Hope your healing up. Thanks for the video.
Big money in roping stock, might be something to consider.
My family history is rich in ranching. Unfortunately, my Uncle had to sell the old homestead 10 yrs ago. I had always longed for that life. Sad that our family let it go.
I started 7 years ago with 4 Scottish Highland cows and a bull. I have raised and acquired more until I have 11 mother cows. I'm selling beef on the hook. They are now paying their own bills. In 2022 I had 11 calves. In 3 years if figure they'll begin to make a profit. You can't be in a hurry. Raising beef is not for the faint of heart.
Get well Trinity 🙏🙏🙏
Trini my men‼️ 😊thank you for doing videos even with a broken rip … i see caliper is doing ok though 😒.. this are such important information … here I’m thinking/dreaming I can be a small rancher 😅… kinda kidding kinda not… seriously your videos are awesome 👏🏾 your outfits are awesome (they should sponsor you) ⚠️taking advantage of you reading me right now because once you get big-ger ! You won’t have time to read us all. Nava from Grand Rapids Michigan Hellos to all cowgirls in Montana this channel has help me learn so much I just want to see the mountains 🏔 😮.
Hola Trinity! Mi nombre es Fabian y soy de Buenos Aires, Argentina y me encanta tus videos. soy fanatico de la vida del rancho, y los vaqueros. Mi ingles no es muy bueno, pero deseo poder seguir disfrutando de tus videos.
When I was a boy all I wanted to do was cowboy for the big outfits. Growing up in central Alberta there wasn't much of those around. My Dad's ranch at that time was 5,000 acres. But for me that wasn't big enough and I hated farming. We still had to put up feed for winter. It seemed there was very little time to be on a horse. I learned over the years however that I'm not tough enough to ride for the big outfits anyway. Later on my wife and I owned some cows but so much can go wrong in calving season and so much was at stake that eventually the stress became too much and it cost us a marriage.
I enjoy your videos Trinity and stop 72 so I'm not gonna be a cowboy now or a rancher but I enjoy your Videos and wish I could have ridden more horses of all the things I did growing up I've only ridden a couple But I enjoyed it very much Please keep making your videos and we'll keep watching them enjoy him immensely Your friend Curtis McAdams PS I'm a vivid motorcycle rider when I was young I did dirt bikes and harleys and I just do harleys
Really enjoy your videos
We we moving to novelty "heritage" breeds. Scottish Highland Cattle, Belted Galloway's and breeds like that. They are worth more and aren't priced by the pound.
I know it must be difficult but try to minimize the pain killers, ibuprofen and acetaminophen included. God bless you brother with a speedy recovery 🙏
So I'm a writer, and I'd like to learn more about the business side of horse ranching (rather than cattle) so I can be more accurate in the stories I want to tell. I like doing my research from actual people because their stories are important to me.
Trinity I absolutely love your videos. But my horse girl heart can't handle it when you walk by all those horses without petting each one😂
God bless 😊
Hang in there Trinity.
He visited New York City...and ran back to Montana as fast as he could!
If you want to enjoy the cowboy/ranch life you can do it with out having millions of dollars. I have a job in town that supports me and my family. I have a small piece of land we live on with horses, a roping arena and roping cattle. I compete on weekends. It’s a lot of fun.
Serious question: Does Cattle Rustling still happen? Thanks Trinity, love your videos👍
(ps: in the 1990's I wanted to move my entire family to Montana & pool all our money and buy a 'small' Horse Ranch -- with a BIG house for all of us. Needless to say we're all still 'stuck' in Illinois😂)
Yes, cattle rustling still happens, but usually with a cattle liner from some out of the way field in the middle of nowhere. Raising cattle in dry areas like the Western US and Western Canada requires a tremendous amount of land and it is impossible for owners to keep an eye on their animals all the time.
@@debbienester9330 Thanks for the info.😁
Caleb John Dover of Greatfalls Montana.
Thank you Trinity! Great video that inspired me more. I will try to go to the USA, and see if i can get a job on a ranch. Maybe there is a cowboy hidden in me :)
A recent lottery winner of $6.0 million was asked what he planned to do with his winnings. He said “Oh golly….I think I will just keep ranching until it runs out.” One other consideration if you want to be a rancher is becoming a good cowboy and acquiring a good business mind, then look for a ranch that has no family succession for whatever reason…and go to work there and work your ass off. I’ve seen a number of cases where the rancher or farmer sold that person the business at a price that works for them to eventually own it. Second, with enough experience and stellar reputation there are a vast number of high net worth individuals who decide they want to own a ranch and be in the cattle business but need a ranch manager to make it work….instead of just leasing out the cattle operation. These can be good jobs, steady salary and opportunity to work your ass off. Greetings from Wilsall, MT.
I wanted to run my plan by you to get your opinion. I want to breed and sell horses, and also do light horse-riding tours. I plan on buying about 40 acres in a remote location where there is just a dirt road a couple miles from a busy highway. The property might not even have utilities (which I have to figure something out about those). This kind of property I could get for about $500 an acre, and it would be primitive. I'm looking at undeveloped land that I can grow on.
But, my niche market is going to be selling very affordable horses. Not show or racing horses. Probably Appaloosa pony breeds. My marketing would be set up so that you could buy a good basic horse from me for about the same price as an ATV. I would include a basic saddle so that the customer could ride their new horse off the property if they wanted to. For the tours, I would set up a standard schedule for those, and market them in different creative ways.
So, I have to worry about structures, water, and food. I plan on growing hay and straw right on the property, and using the horses themselves in helping to harvest that hay and straw. I could use any advice, though. I thank you for anything that you could provide.
Great video Trinity I always enjoy watching and listening to you hope your rib is healing up quick. Like they say the only way to own a ranch now days is by the Womb , Altar , or Tomb . 😂
Would love to train as a cowboy and learn roping and riding and all of that.
You need a really good cattle buyer and you have to cut costs. No fancy stuff, just what you need to get buy.
Hey Trinity.....find someone who has a Class IV Laser and get some treatments on that rib!!! You'll heal up a WHOLE LOT FASTER!!!
My thing is with the low numbers a ranchers that are operating there has to be a way for someone like me that wants to get into it to get the numbers up to me it's a pick your poison either take over a ranch and take the debt or start with your Owen but with a manageable amount of land maybe I'm thinking wrong
You can actually ranch goats on a lot less land...and they're more reaonable to buy a few head to get started
Hey Trinity - Great Video. My brother and I owns around 3000 archers in Bakersfield that we inherrited from our ranching grandmother and father. We currently lease the land to a rancher who runs around 300 head on it. I am toying with the idea of getting involved, but the reality of doing it is challenging, as building a business plan for the ranch is difficult for me, as too many unknowns. I spend 30+ years in corporate america, so understand business very well. I also am a very active hunter and outdoorsman, so no worried about the "messy" part of ranching. The key is really the economics. I believe we can make a small but nice profit. That said, do you have any kind of recommendations for a consultants that can "fill in the blanks" with some of the question you raise. I believe that cow to cafe would work, as our current tenant has been doing it for years, and they do make money - and we lease the land extremely cheap to them, as our cost base is Zero. We have several ideas to monetize the land, but the cattle part is the big question mark. Look forward to hearing from you.. Appreciate your straightforward approach. Eric
You could also breed bulls.
Rasches in spain cost a fraction of what land costs in the US
I want to see the horse behind you at 4:07. The mane on it is wild lol
Jacob Dover of Lewistown Montana 👍.
It's really easy to get into the business if you dad is already in it.
Exactly!! 😄
It’s not as easy as you think. Being the son of a rancher is not easy. You have to work your ass off for basically nothing for many years. And you may think being a cattle framer is very lucrative and it’s not. Just like 2022 was a bad year due to the drought. Which means not grass or hay shortages. And if you have to buy hay it’s not cheep. The average cow eats about $125-$150 worth of hay per month. Not just feed cost money but you have vet bills, fuel to move animals, fencing, gates, etc. Being a farmer is not what you think.
That's turn for anything
Well first off I would not chooses ranching in Montana I would pick a prairie state like Nebraska, Iowa or Kansas
Buy land in MN or Iowa. You can graze more cattle on less ground. AUs ( cow calf pair) is 30-40 acres per AU in Montana/ Wyoming. In minnesota/ Iowa/ Missouri. Looking at 5 acres per AU. 👀 You get more cuttings of hay in the summer as well. I remember growing up. Farmers some summers could get 4 cuttings that season. Everything is cheap in small communities in the midwest. Hay is MUCH cheaper as well. Yes, it is much hotter in the summer with humidity. That humidity though helps you profit more. 📈 Farm ground ave between 5-7000 an acre in MN right now. So 140 acres is 700,000. If bought at 5000 an acre. So if it is a good summer. Lets says 3 acres per AU. That is 46 AUs on 140 acres. Should buy some hay ground. That is all with out hay though for the winter. Have heard of ranchers renting pastures in the midwest to graze cattle over spring summer. Also mush cheaper to rent land to grass in summer. That way you can maybe hay your own ground.👀 My Rangeland education coming out.
So 46 cows and .90 wean a calf and you sell them for $1,000 a head, you got $42,000 gross for the year. Atleast half of that is feed, fuel and fertilizer, o how you gonna come up with the other $40,000 or so for the payment? Oh yeah, we haven’t discussed the cost of the livestock or equipment yet.
Can also supplement income with dude horses or ranch simulators games.
Starting at 28 acres how many more would you need to start a small operation?
Here is my story. I am 43 my wife is 34. Her family is from Jordan MT and has a cattle farm. We have been discussing for about 2 years now to move to MT and start our own cattle ranch. Her brother is taking the family farm. We do not have millions to start but we do have the support of family. My wife will be getting a remote job but my income will be the ranch. We want to start with about 150 acres. What would be a real number of cattle to start with?
How about marrying one??? ;)
Really enjoy your videos I live in West Virginia and the city is starting to try to move in to are state we r not to happy bout it we have alot of farms an ranching if are own I would love to be able to start out there where u live but it just seems so hard to start with the way the world going
Very informative!
I know nothing about ranching but I wanted to ask why has it become so expensive to get started. What could be done to make it more affordable.
Land values have gone up terribly due to development and people moving out to Montana and places like that. It's all inflation. We're all hooked in together. The food is gone up for the cattle. Fuel is gone up. This is why if you go to a decent steakhouse, your steak is $35 to $40 at least here in the Midwest. I don't know what it is in Chicago now. Unless you form some sort of co-op with a bunch of other people, I don't know how you could get started and make money..
And they aren’t making and more land .
The land alone is very expensive, not to mention fencing, gates, feed, medications, veterinary care when needed, farriers, etc. And these are just a minimum of what it would take to even start.
I can inherit my dads land, but it’s in Mexico. Ranching in Mexico is about the same.
Could you please give me some tips on how to become a cowboy working on ranches? Please let me know. God bless you and your family. Duane
what should I do, as a 16 year old who has absolutely zero ranching/cowboying experience, but wants to be a ranch hand and eventually when I get older, own a ranch myself
Hey Trinity, Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences. I was wondering how people get started in horse ranching. More specifically, does it require the same or more grazing land and feed, and how do you start from scratch in Montana acquiring enough horses to get going? If this has been covered in another comment or video, if you could point me to it, I'd be grateful.
So you can buy around 500 acres of land in western Nebraska for like $150,000 the expensive part is buying the cattle but you can run a large operation on 500 acres in prairie land Nebraska but why ranch if you can farm is what my grandpa always said soy and corn for biofuel is the way to go