Jeremy Kinder

Meet Your Rancher:

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE?

Our day starts with coffee.  Then it’s a balance--feeding horses, getting children ready for school and making breakfast.  Then, once the children are out the door, it’s time to truly get started on the ranch--feeding cows, working with our yearlings or doing operational tasks. 

How has technology changed the way you RANCH now compared to earlier generations?

For us, it’s a precision farming approach that means better utilization of chemical applications and seed to ensure we are being strategic with our inputs.  Back in the day, technology meant an old marker out in front of the tractor. Today we have access to GPS that gets within an inch or six inches of overlap. It is absolutely a step towards progress and with additional technology, we can continue to be a better steward of the land that we're entrusted.

What management practices do you implement to ensure that you're being cognizant of water use and taking care of your land as well as the livestock? Are there any specific practices that you put in place?

With cattle care, we implement a very specific and strategic vaccination program in the spring and the fall, and also with vaccinating calves. We take the health and maintenance of our cattle very seriously to ensure we are raising a high quality product.

As far as water and resources are concerned, we do not over-graze our pastures. We want to ensure we do not have to haul additional forage to cattle in the winter, but rather enhance with a protein supplement. Our location is blessed as far as water is concerned. We work hard to leave the ground water alone. There are limited acres where we use groundwater in order to water the cattle. In years of drought, we haul water and make adjustments, but that's part of the paradigm of ranching--going with the ebbs and flows and the challenges that we're presented with.

What would you say sustainability means to you and your family?

Sustainability is doing the very best job we can with what's in front of us.  It means that if I do my job, my ranch and our brand -- the 6K brand -- will be here for years to come because of the job we've done managing the country we're entrusted. 

If you could explain one aspect of agriculture or the beef industry to someone who isn’t familiar with agriculture, what would it be?

The use of antibiotics in cattle is no different than your dog getting sick and simply needing an antibiotic to get them over respiratory problems. We do the same thing with cattle. If we don't treat that animal, it is not going to be productive and will expire. Antibiotics are an important tool to our livelihood.

Last question, what is your favorite cut of beef and how do you like it prepared?

Medium-rare ribeye, salt and peppered and put on a grill!