Will Vogl on Grazing in the Urban/Rural Interface
On this episode, host Taylor Muglia speaks with Will Vogl, owner and operator of Vogl Homestead Farm near Black Forest, Colorado. Will discusses the difficulty of accessing affordable grazing land on the front range and the development pressure his county is facing. While this can be a setback for many graziers, Will has used it as an opportunity to work with landowners and graze sheep on smaller parcels that cattle ranchers wouldn’t consider. He talks about how he balances the operation with being a husband, father, and firefighter (who occasionally likes to take a vacation!), and how his skills in wildfire mitigation help him diversify land management services for landowners beyond just grazing.
Music attribution:
A Folk Story by Alex Cristoforetti
Shownotes
2:22 Introduction to Will Vogl and his operation
7:37 history of the ponderosa
11:08 aspect of the operation that includes leasing
16:22 benefits of sheep on smaller acreages
17:31 land management of smaller acreages
22:41 methods of finding property for leases
23:42 crafting leases
25:30 approach to payment
28:08 additional lawn care after running sheep
30:14 organizing grazing schedule on lease properties
34:32 agricultural tax status when leasing
37:47 other enterprises within the operation
40:25 schedule during the season
45:31 making sure your operation is something you enjoy doing
46:36 advice to those interested in this industry
49:30 connect to Vogl Homestead on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VoglHomesteadFarming/
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