Boosting Forage and Rebuilding Soil Health on Rented Land: A Cattleman Shares His Approach
Are we cattle ranchers or land rehabilitators? If you ask CJ and Russell Blew, they’ll say they are in the land rehabilitation business as they strive to leave the land they operate on better than they found it. “Land isn’t an annuity that always pays out. There are things you have to manage to make sure it stays in shape or improves,” said Blew. Blew partnership consists of CJ, his wife, their kids and his brother Russell Blew. They are primarily a commercial cow-calf operation that spans across 4 counties in south-central Kansas. In addition to the cow-calf segment of their operation, Blews also background calves and have some finish capacity. Blews raise Red Angus cattle and lease over 90% of their land which creates unique challenges and opportunities for their operation. Their story is nothing short of inspiring when you look at how they focus on both caring for the land and building a profitable operation that can be passed down for generations to come.
Blews aim to have their mature cows grazing 365 days out of the year. “We call them grass and cake cows but they get very little cake as a protein supplement. The only group of cattle that get penned up and fed are the females in our bred heifer program and even they are grazing winter cereals and cover crops,” said Blew. Blews make the cows work for them and use them as a tool to rehabilitate the lands they are grazing.
With 90-95% of the land Blew Partnership operates on being leased land, there are unique challenges that CJ and his brother face. One challenge that anyone who rents land will understand is knowing that you may not be running on the same ground next year depending on what the landowner or family decides to do. “One way we differentiate ourselves from others who are leasing land is that we seek out partnerships with landowners who have the same long-term vision for the land as we do,” said Blew. Blew recognizes that this doesn’t eliminate all the risk that comes from leasing land but it does make a difference for their operation.
Each piece of land is unique which makes the rehabilitation process both fun and challenging. When Blews start working on a new piece of land, they begin by simply assessing the native range to gain an understanding of what native grasses and invasive species are there and then stocking it correctly. “We’ll get a grazing plan put together and then leverage every resource we have whether it is EQIP through NRCS or local groups,” said Blew. They start with the basics and move forward from there.
One component of Blew Partnership is leasing poor-quality cropland and converting it back into grazing land. CJ and Russell are focused on sustainability which also includes an economic component. There are scenarios in their geographical area where continuing to grow crops on a piece of land is the less profitable option compared to planting it back to grass and grazing it depending on the length of the lease. “The main challenge with this strategy is that it might take a few years for a perennial grass to establish before we can put cattle on it and reap those benefits,” said Blew. However, Blews do not doubt that they are doing more for the soil by making these changes and taking on these challenges than by not making any changes at all.
Blew grew up in the cattle industry and has had the opportunity to connect with many producers both young and old. His advice for anyone who wants to build a successful operation is something we all need to consider more often. “Have a plan, build a team and don’t be afraid to go where the opportunities are. They won’t always be right across the road.” Carry this advice with you throughout the year as you look at your own operation and how you can continue to leave things better than you found them.
