Behind the Burger
Created by the New Mexico Beef Council, we are telling the stories behind the beef in New Mexico.
Behind the Burger
Ranching on Thin Margins in Fort Sumner with Sarah Fitzgerald
A famous outlaw's grave you can see from the kitchen sink, a trail that once fed frontier forts, and a family betting on rain—this is ranching in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. We sit down with Sarah Fitzgerald, chair of the New Mexico Beef Council, to unpack what it really takes to raise beef in an arid landscape where stocking rates stretch to 50–70 acres per animal unit and every decision hinges on land, water, and numbers.
We explore the engine room of their operation: a small, tightly run grow yard designed for careful weaning and efficient gains. Sarah explains how a grow yard differs from a feedlot, why audited feed labels and certified natural programs matter, and how source verification with EID tags builds traceability and trust. The conversation moves from dust to data—budgets, P&Ls, forward contracts, and the high cost of inputs that shape thin ranch margins. Along the way, we tie in Wild West history, the Goodnight Loving Trail, and the modern realities of rotational grazing, native grasses, and adapting to weather that doesn’t always cooperate.
This episode is also a window into family life on a ranch. Sarah shares how she runs the books, handles audits and trucking, and still reads the land for subtle signs—trampling near waters, cow patties, grass height—that guide pasture moves. We talk land prices, leasing strategies, and how to make farmland and forage work together when buying a traditional ranch won’t cash flow. For students and career changers, the beef industry’s breadth comes into view: animal science, meat science, nutrition, accounting, marketing, trucking, and more. And for anyone curious about grocery store beef, Sarah’s message is simple and clear: family-owned operations care deeply, and beef safety and quality are non-negotiable.
Stick around for a bit of holiday warmth as Sarah shares her family’s tradition of homemade Italian meatballs on Christmas Eve—proof that beef is more than a meal; it’s memory and connection. If you value grounded stories about food, land, and the people who make both possible, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves beef, and leave a review to tell us what you learned.
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Welcome back to another episode of Behind the Burger. I'm Caroline Romo, the executive director of the New Mexico Beef Council. And I am here with Sarah Fitzgerald, who is the chairman of our New Mexico Beef Council and a New Mexico Ranger. So Sarah, will you uh thanks for joining me and will you introduce yourself and kind of what you guys do? Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Um, well, my husband, Jimmy, was on a few episodes before. And um of course this will be a contest, so we'll see who who wins out on that. But no, um, we uh have a little grow yard in Fort Summer, New Mexico. Uh we also do cow calf, um, some custom feeding. Um, and we always joke and say it's you know kind of anything to make a buck. We've got some Airbnbs, um, you know, a little little bit of everything. So yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And you guys um tell me kind of about your background.
SPEAKER_00:You grew up in the area, right? I did. I did. Um my husband's from Texas, and I I don't hold that against him. But um my family actually, they immigrated from Italy in the um first part of the I guess 1900s, you know, that that time frame. Um, worked in the coal mines in southern Colorado. There's a little town called Morley, um, not far from Trinidad. It was a company town. And they grew up there. Um, they tried to go to Fort Sumner and ended up kind of going broke and went back to the coal mines and finally decided, you know, this isn't um the way that we want to raise our family. This isn't what I want my sons, you know, to grow up in. And so they were like, okay, we're, you know, kind of they picked themselves up by their bootstraps and went for round two in Fort Sumner. And in one way or another, we've kind of been there, you know, ever since then.
SPEAKER_01:So that's a long, long history in a in the small town, uh, which makes for a lot of great memories and a lot of great uh connection to the community, right?
SPEAKER_00:Yes, yes, very much so. We've um uh feed store owners, uh farming, ranching, you know, a little bit of everything. And um, you know, just part of a overall community. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, absolutely. I think uh can you tell us about Fort Sumner? I know uh we've had these conversations a lot, but but tell us about Fort Sumner, right? And if you're a listener and you haven't been, it's it's a very charming community. No, it really is.
SPEAKER_00:Um it's I think there's maybe it's one of the, I think one of the biggest counties in New Mexico, but I think there's maybe 1,400 people in the whole county, um, when Fort Sumner is the county seat and pretty much the only place with a school and that sort of thing. But um if you like history, uh Wild West, Billy the Kid, uh Fort Summer was kind of one of the big towns, you know, with that um Lincoln County Wars, um, which actually kind of tying it into cattle, they were um uh different kind of factions were competing for the beef contracts for the forts in the area. And um, you know, it was big money going on. And so that's why Billy the Kid was kind of fighting on one side and the other. Um, he was shot in Fort Sumner and buried there. And um growing up, we could wash uh dishes and see his grave. So kind of a cool place, a lot of history. Um, and ranching, you know, beef production has always kind of been a part of that. Um, some sheep and then, you know, farming too, but yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely. And I think uh with that history and the and the cows, is it isn't it part of the Goodnight Loving Trail too?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so um the Goodnight Loving Trail was actually created to bring um beef to Fort Sumner. Okay. Yeah, so um, if you're a lonesome dove fan, you know, whenever he is um uh finally succumbs to his injuries and is buried and then, you know, brought back, he was uh truthfully was buried in Fort Sumner. So yeah, there's a lot of fun, you know, historical things with kind of the Wild West and ranching that that ties into Fort Sumner.
SPEAKER_01:So absolutely I always try and tell people New Mexico truly is the Wild West. No, it it is. Yeah, everything of the the fun, you know, stories, the the lore, and then the history, a lot of it happened there. And then in our travels as the New Mexico Beef Council, I'm pretty sure we went to a producer meeting in Gladstone, which is also on the Goodnight Loving Trail. Yeah. And then I wanted to say La Posta and Mesia was maybe on the Goodnight Loving Trail, right? It was a stagecoach stop. It was a stagecoach stop, yeah. Yeah, and now it's turned into a restaurant. So um, it's an important part of New Mexico's history. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. Well, tell me about your your operation a little bit more. Um, you guys, you know, you farm and you ranch. Um, but yeah, tell me, tell me about your your ranching.
SPEAKER_00:So we um have, you know, a history and Fort Sumter family history, but Jimmy and I are actually kind of first-time ranchers. You know, we've bought into everything we have and um built it, which causes, you know, some heartache. And but, you know, anything worth having is worth working for too. Um, but yeah, we um raise uh alfalfa in corn in the Pecas River Valley, which it's a really neat um, I I think it's a little spot of heaven because you kind of with New Mexico, there's such uh differing topography, you know, weather patterns, um, land masses, that sort of thing. But there's just this little valley that is flood-irrigated by the Pecos River, and it is green and lush, and it it's a neat, neat little reach. So we farm there. Um, and we also have a little grow yard. We initially created it. Um, it's a very efficient way for us to wean our calves. Um, nothing is really close in New Mexico, or at least, you know, in our part of the world. So um, you know, our reaches are like an hour, hour and a half, 45 minutes away. And so we're able to kind of keep eyes on them. Um, and then we also, you know, do uh cow calf operations, some stalkers, you know, depending on cattle or the price of of calves that year. So yeah.
SPEAKER_01:When you talk about a grow yard, oh yeah. Um, and you know, there's differences, right? So we have ranching and we have different types of ranching, and then you have grow yards and feed yards. Can you kind of explain a grow yard?
SPEAKER_00:I could try, but I know uh well, and I mean you could say it's a feed yard, but my husband Jimmy is always like it's not that big. So we call it a grow yard. But um it's it's a uh more efficient way for us to feed, but uh you kind of think of um a feedlot as or grow yard or you know, whatever you want to call it, as just part of the life cycle of um whether it be the animal or the life cycle in kind of the the feeding cycle there. Um for us, we you know, we might wean you know in the grow yard, but two, um, calves may come in and you're wanting to get them um, you know, from a certain so many pounds is so many pounds in a very efficient manner. So that's it's kind of a way that we can um two, maybe we may not have gotten as much rain in one area and we can kind of move things back and forth. Um so yeah, it's just kind of part of our overall operation, if that makes sense.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and and some of the things that I think kind of differentiate, like a like a grow yard is often the younger animals, the calves, right? And then the feed yard is maybe where it where you would finish an animal, right? And they go to the maybe that might be sometimes most tricky. And then I and then I think um it's an important understand too. It's uh when you guys are weaning those calves and keeping a closer eye on them. I always to to you know go to the goal of the podcast of knowing the work and the effort that goes in when there's calves in the grow yard, Sarah can't leave town. I mean Jimmy can't leave town. And it's not happening. Yeah, you hear the calves bawling in the background of every phone call. Yeah. Because that's because it's it's a place where you're keeping track of maybe maybe they would have been high maintenance on a ranch, right? So now they're closer together, you can keep them safe and and uh get them growing and and uh um right in a controlled environment.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, and a misconception, I think, um, about whether be a grow yard or feed yard is maybe level of care. And then also like we're certified natural, source verified, you know, all these things. And so all of our feed labels um are audited. Um and so there's a lot of different types of ways to, you know, feed um beef, if that makes sense.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, absolutely. And the and the level of care is extremely high. Yes, very much so. Well, and I think that kind of is a good segue into what is your role in the operation or some of the things you have to do on a day-to-day basis.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. So um I'm not reading anything, so I don't have readers, but I sit behind a computer every day. So hence the need for the readers. Um, when Jimmy and I first started, we just ran, you know, a few pairs, um, maybe a bull or two. And then whenever we're like, okay, this is gonna be our full-time, you know, um gig, um, we got to the point where we had to be a lot more deliberate about our numbers. Um, I actually have a background in marketing and NPR, which I enjoy, you know, using some of that um with a beef council. But I went back and took accounting classes and, you know, we pay attention to profit and loss statements, uh, budget versus actuals, you know, that sort of thing. And then also with our um operation, we also have a truck and that we run mainly our hay, um, but then also as far as if we sell calves, we may, you know, use that instead of contracting out, um, take care of all of that compliance items and then billing, um, and then also with our IMI, you know, uh certifications. So I handle all those audits too. So it's not as romantic, you know, as being horseback, but um it's it's a very important part of our operation. And even Jimmy, you know, he's yes, he's outside more, but um, there's just a lot of pieces that that you have to do that you may not want to do, but we just tell our kids, but you you still have to do it. So yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, absolutely. I think I think it's really neat how you've even taught us. I, you know, I I work a job behind the computer. That's that's my full-time job, and you know more about uh accounting and stuff than I'll ever know. And uh I think it's it's it's just a you know interesting part of ranching, that you are a rancher and you have to sit in an office all the time, right? And and that doesn't make you any less of a rancher. Um some days it probably makes you more of a rancher because you you've helped the business continue. But uh I always think that's well that's interesting.
SPEAKER_00:And two, um, with ranching, I I think another misconception is just how savvy ranchers are, how savvy beef producers are. Um, because if you're not, you know, if you may not end up, you know, it's just you have to pay attention to your PCQs, if that makes sense.
SPEAKER_01:So absolutely the margins are margins are so thin that you have to be you have to be careful and and paying attention. So even though you are, you know, working in an office, um, can we talk about the land and how the environment uh impacts how you guys ranch?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, most definitely. At least in our part of New Mexico, and and I think as a whole, um we're ranchers are stewards of the land anyway, but uh taking into account rainfall, uh maybe I don't know what the right term was, topography, you know, uh mountain ranges or hills, whatever, we have to be a lot more particular on how we utilize our land. Um we rotational graze, uh, not necessarily I don't know if prescribes the right word, but we'll pay attention to, okay, we may need to rotate two weeks earlier here or there, but that's something that we definitely, you know, take into account. Um we're pretty traditional as far as everything's done horseback, you know, of course, uh feed trucks and that sort of thing. But um, you know, some places that you have to be, it's easier to be horseback than otherwise.
SPEAKER_01:So absolutely. Uh so just at the very base of ranching in New Mexico, I was explaining to someone recently and I didn't realize how you know, simple of an idea it might be, but how unknown of a thing it is. So when you're ranching in New Mexico, you are waiting for native grasses and natural rainfall to grow in order to feed those cattles. And so that goes back to why you have the grow yard to have more predictability in certain times. Um but I think that's just an important background. At the very basis of it, a rancher is hoping for rain so that native grasses can come. And when you do rotational grazing, that means, you know, there was less rain here, so those those that's that two weeks early, right? Or anything like that. And I just wanted to say that because uh just at its simplicity, it's it's natural, natural rainfall and native grasses, and and uh, you know, it's not like you're running out on horseback throwing seeds out hoping necessarily, right? Yeah. It's uh it's hoping that the that you've cared for the land enough and rescue it enough for grass to come again the next year.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, and and two, the sheer monster scale, but as far as stalking rates in New Mexico, um, yeah, you you're depending on natural tendencies and and characteristics of your of your land. Um, at least in our area, there's a lot more um warm weather grasses than cool weather. And so that's something that we'll take, you know, take into account. Um it helps as far as uh hay that we may not sell to dairy or you know, other ranches, that sort of thing. It um it that allows us maybe an avenue we'll feed it, you know, out on the ranch or that sort of thing, if we can't sell it for a premium otherwise.
SPEAKER_01:So, what is something you are looking for to know when you can move on to the next pasture?
SPEAKER_00:Certain things like we really don't want much uh trampling, you know, around waters, um, that sort of thing. We'll pay attention to that. Um, sometimes, quite frankly, as far as on um cow patties, you know, certain characteristics with that. Um, but two, based upon say the time of the year, um, there's certain grasses that we, you know, notice they may be a little lower than than they need to be, um, you know, that sort of thing. There may be, and I I've been to um, you know, regenerative grazing classes and courses and that sort of thing, and it's great, but at least for our operation, it's more of a hands-on than, you know, um a formula, if that makes sense.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and you you mentioned stocking rate, and stocking rate would mean how many head of cattle per acre.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, or or animal unit. Yeah. Like as far as bull might be more than than that, but yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Right, right. So, so in um New Mexico, I think I heard Dr. Wentzel say recently that it was like 50 and upwards of 70 acres per animal unit um in New Mexico. Exactly. And then where it's really dry, it might be a hundred acres. Um, and and that's you know, the comparisons to, you know, if you go in the Midwest, they might have they all they almost have multiple animals in one acre, right? Because their grass is so lush and the humidity and the rain and all of that. So because New Mexico is so dry and arid and and all the things that we are, um that stocking, right? So you have to have, you know, if you want to have 50 uh animals, which I'm not gonna be able to do that math while we're on the podcast, I'm gonna get embarrassed. Yeah, uh, but you know, if you have one animal for 50 acres, so you have to buy 50 acres to have one animal. Yeah. Just imagine if you want to buy 50, right? Exactly. Um, or have the opportunity to. So yeah, that's a really important part of New Mexico's landscape. Um what would you say is one of the biggest challenges you face in your ranch?
SPEAKER_00:Um, for us, I say starting out, you know, we're purchased or built everything that we've that we have is just the cost, the sheer cost of all of your input. Um especially nowadays with the way cat you know, beef prices, cattle prices are. Um I've heard a lot of comments on social media about all those rich ranchers. And that's not necess that it's not necessarily it's not the case because your input costs are are so um high that you really have to pay attention to that and make sure that, okay, yes, did I really make this amount because all of the cost that it took um you know to get to that point?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, absolutely. We're we talked about it a long time in the last podcast about you know, everything costs more money nowadays. Everything. The the feed truck costs more money. The horse that you were just in talking country about that. Yeah. Horses are expensive nowadays. Everything has, you know, a higher price tag. And so when you see cattle prices go more up, or even if you see it at the grocery store that beef is more expensive.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:If you think about life being more expensive and everything we have to go, all of the inputs into it, we even were working on kind of a comparison of of what the inflation is. Well the price of beef now versus 10 years and the but the price of your coffee cup for two years ago and all of the things that that have increased in price. And so we understand, you know, nobody wants super expensive groceries. We hope everyone can feed their families in in an affordable way. And we have to understand everything is expensive now.
SPEAKER_00:Oh yeah. And and even uh New Mexico, as far as real estate, you know, ranch real estate, you know, that sort of thing. Um a lot of people will buy and flip things, which is great. And that that's a wonderful way um, you know, to make money and that sort of thing. But for people that are wanting to utilize um the land to, you know, raise animal or long term, it it's created some difficulties on, you know, getting man. Um and another viable option is leasing, leasing land, which a lot of the places that we have, we've got that as well. So it's just it's kind of paid, it's forced us to pay attention to our P's and Q's once again. So yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely. Absolutely. And if we go back to the the lingo or the jargon of the stocking rate and the animal units, nowadays you like. Look at you hope you can get, I think, from what you can land under$15,000 an animal unit. And if it's$10,000 an animal unit, you're getting a good price. Yeah. But most things are priced at$20,000 and more per animal unit right now. Yeah. And so yeah, you have, again, just more, more high input costs.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, no, it is. And and for us, what we've seen, at least recently, is uh as far as the price of land on being able to cash flow it. You know, say if you have to get a loan on doing that, um, farmland, we're still able to cash flow that. So maybe we invest in that, which we can then use, you know, to put our calves out or steers out on wheat or, you know, that sort of thing. That's, you know, part of our overall operation. But it it's important to realize that, well, maybe you can't buy this, but you can buy this, or you can lease this. There's a lot of options for people wanting to, you know, start out.
SPEAKER_01:So as long as you uh are adaptable, right? Yes. Oh, exactly. Yeah. Um, what is something that you're excited about in your operation right now, or something that that makes you makes you proud?
SPEAKER_00:Um the past few years, uh, I mean, this year, of course, yes, it's great. Cattle prices were were wonderful. Um we Ford contracted out, so we're able to, which means um you essentially have a contract at a certain price. And so they will honor that, you know, however many months out whenever you uh ship out your calves. So that was great. But the past few years were, you know, a little tough. But one of the joys, I don't know if joys, yeah, one of the rewarding things about ranching, um, and sp you know, I think in New Mexico too, is just family. Um, I work with my husband every single day, which isn't the easiest, but now I know we can get through anything. I mean, truly. And um it's yeah, so I I I think it's that. I we're looking forward to brighter days and and uh you know, our kids are getting older, they're able to help more. So I think one of the things I'm most excited about is just uh growth and and including our little, you know, cowboy and cowgirl that that help out on the on the daily. So yeah.
SPEAKER_01:That's definitely something to be proud of. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Uh what is the best piece of advice you've ever received?
SPEAKER_00:I'm trying to think. My my dad was very particular about his books. Um and so I I think that's probably it. I don't have like a great quote to say, but um, yeah, I I think it's just paying attention to the bottom line, paying attention to your numbers. Um and two, uh, we make some people may see things that Jimmy and I are doing being like, what in the world are they doing? But it's a calculated risk. Um and so I think you can kind of step out and try some different things if the numbers work. So yeah, I think just paying attention to your numbers, um, regardless of how big or little you might be, um, if the numbers work, then you're in it for the long term. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:That's I great advice, right? And obviously uh something that you learned well, right? Yeah, because that's that's something you guys work on really hard. Can you give an example of how you care for your cattle to ensure their health and well-being? Maybe an example, something different than we've already talked about.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. We don't really take vacations. Yeah. You know, um, everything rotates around, okay, we have this window between, you know, calving and this window between, say, Hayes and and and that. So, um, so yeah, they're our priority. Uh, they eat before we do most of the time. Um, sometimes that's you know, later nights, that sort of thing, but they're they're our number one priority um as far as that goes. But also one of the things, you know, as part of our um, you know, all natural program, and you know, as far as that goes, is we've we pay attention to them. I mean, we know them uh as I g I don't know, like the back of our hand as far as you know, paying attention to that. Well, and do you want to talk any more about some of the certifications you have?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. So there's um it's I I think you you'll have a like a third party audit company or certification company. We use IMI. Um our auditors actually grew up on a ranch not far from us, so it's it's neat as far as she really knows what she's you know checking out. Um, but there's different certifications that you can get. Um for us, it was a financial decision because you can get a little bit more of a premium, you know, on that as far as uh price per pound. But uh we've got all natural, which basically means that there's um the food that we feed them is has to meet certain, you know, certifications, that sort of thing. Um and then also there they will receive um you know vaccinations, but anytime, say that they were sick, of course, you know, I'm a mom. When my child is sick, I I give it medicine, you know. I mean, of course, why would I not not do that? Right. But um when you do that, it it'll kick it out to a more traditional route. And so what we do is we'll usually um contract out calves that are um I say traditional or you know more traditional, and then we'll have our all natural for that. Um one thing that's pretty interesting is uh source verified. So, you know, I mean uh it's an EID tag for people that that don't know, um, kind of like almost like a barcode reader. And so essentially what that does is it guarantees that you know kind of where it's been from point A to point B for that.
SPEAKER_01:So well, and those the E ID, I think it stands for just electronic identification. Yeah. Um and those are now mandatory um nationwide, but you were doing that prior.
SPEAKER_00:Prior, yeah. As far as a um, you know, just it for us, like I said, it was a financial decision on that. But yeah, I think we've been doing it about uh this may be our fourth year, I think.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. And they just recently implemented it that if an animal moves across state lines, they have to have that um so that they can know where they came from and I think an attempt to um understand when outbreaks happen, when disease happens, things like that, right? For for that. But I I'm I'm not as familiar with that. We'd have to ask the livestock board and cattle growers more about that if we go if we go too far into it. What is your favorite part of your job?
SPEAKER_00:Um, no two-day, no, you know, two days are ever the same. Um I think for us we're married to our operation, but it allows us some, you know, some flexibility. Um, there's always something new to learn. We're always um, I would love to say that we don't talk shop at at night, but we do. So we kind of, you know, um sleepy and and breathe all of all of that. So yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Is there anything else that you would want someone um especially if it was a you know consumer, all they know is they get their beef at the grocery store. What do you hope they learn about ranching or hope they know about uh the beef industry?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. I I don't know, I'm almost thinking that is it in the US like 95% of the operations are f family owned?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Um maybe even higher, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. And so um, and actually the uh as far as um size of herds, that sort of thing, is a lot smaller than what people think. So whenever you're choosing to purchase, you know, beef, it's there's a story, you know, behind it. Um and a family um that has benefited from it, um, at least in our operation. There's a little boy and little girl that learned some life lessons in raising and uh yeah, raising your beef. So we uh and and two, I want people to know that it it's safe. Um I yes, we do retain, you know, some beefs to process ourselves, but like especially when I don't have time to defrost something or don't want to mess with it, like I buy my beef the same place that y'all would, and I feed it to my family. Um so yeah, there's just a lot of lot of options out there. And but to the story behind it, I think it's important to know. And and uh that's one of the reasons I appreciate you with a podcast is what behind the burger. Okay, this is a story behind what you eat, what you consume. Um, and I think it makes people a little more educated in their food choices. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, absolutely. And and if you're, you know, curious for the story, or we just hope you're curious for the story, it's here we are. Yeah. Don't we won't uh at least we are we are putting it out there.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Um, well, why do you do what you do? What makes you keep going?
SPEAKER_00:Um I think Jimmy and I'm gonna say the exact same thing. It's family. You know, we're we're providing a future for my son and my daughter. Um and I would hope that they both want to come back home. Um, which is, you know, essentially I came back home. But at the very least, there's life lessons that they learn on the daily that we're providing for them. Um, and it's a blessing to be able to w some days, I may not say it, but it's a blessing to work with my husband. Um, I think there's a closeness that that we get to, you know, have that not many, you know, may have. And then two, just um for me, it's it's almost a spiritual thing, you know. Um as a believer, I think we're tasked to care for God's creation. And that's something that um that I'm honored, you know, that our family gets to do. So yeah.
SPEAKER_01:What a what a wonderful answer and what a what an impactful statement. Uh what is a piece of advice you'd give someone that might want to follow in your footsteps?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. You can you can do it. I mean, truly. Like, yes, our family um has a long history in ranching in New Mexico and you know, that sort of thing, but we just didn't have the flexibility to inherit something. So it it can be done. Um, and there's uh is it Siles Pastures? Sile. Sile pastures. I just think they are the coolest ever.
SPEAKER_01:On was he a chef? Yeah, he was a chef and uh I think trained all over the world, and then he's a chef in like Hollywood.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, and you know, I you can do it. I I truly think that if your goal is to um have some part in the you know beef production in New Mexico that it is possible. Um I think uh Beef Council is, you know, we've got the directory and education as far as sponsoring educational aspects. Um, and then two, you know, there's a lot of other organizations in New Mexico that and two, just quite frankly, people are willing to help. I think that's one of the things that I appreciate about the ranching community in New Mexico is whether it's in your local community, as far as someone's, you know, willing to at the drop of the hat help. Maybe you've got issues with calving or you need, you know, test something, or I don't know, a fire, and you've got to move things, you know, really fast. But it it's uh everyone's willing to help. So just don't be afraid to ask for help too. So yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely. I think I think you and Jimmy, I think uh C Lai Pastures, and I think there's a lot of other great examples of uh folks that that have decided they wanted to ranch and now they've done it. Right. Just doing it and just building and growing. Um so I think that's that's really neat and really special that as we go through this this you know podcaster task of of talking to ranchers, we now have learned about so many of them.
SPEAKER_00:And two, um, there's a place for everyone as far as your place, um, may not be specifically like on the production side of it, you know, raising cow calf or having a grow yard or having a feed yard. Um it's been really interesting. Like we've through the beef council, we've been able to um assist whether it be a meat science, you know, which is so interesting, you know, all of the things that they can do with that aspect. So it's, you know, um, it's you can find your place, I guess, in in the production cycle or science aspect of it.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, absolutely. I try and when we talk to high schoolers and college kids, a lot of times I think the conversation with an 18-year-old is the same. It's like, I don't know what I'm gonna do, or what what can I do? And and I always try and explain, especially in the beef industry, the possibilities are endless. We have a registered dietitian on staff, we have a marketing expert on staff, we can, you know, and then we work with food scientists and meat cutters and we have accounts and all of these things that if you want to be involved in the beef industry, come one, come all. We've got well and jobs.
SPEAKER_00:I mean, we even have nutritionists for our cattle. Right. So um whether it be um making up a specific ration or mineral pack or on, you know, say bulk feed on the the ranch side, it it's it's it's a calculated decision, if that makes sense. And there's specialists that will definitely, you know, assist you with that.
SPEAKER_01:So absolutely. And and if you're a you know, a college kid or even a high school kid and there's an ag there's an agriculture class at your school, I I wholeheartedly say sign up. Um I grew up, you know, showing for each and and having horses, but I didn't understand, you know, agriculture necessarily or commercial agriculture until I went to college and I figured out I could take a uh beef management class and have a class about cows, and it's like, what? How is this a thing? And then and then, you know, my my love and hope to work in the industry grew from there. And so if there's a class, you need an elective, sign up for animal science class, yeah. Sign up for, you know, the the ag uh agriculture class or FFA program at your high school. Um if you have any interest and just in and at least at least if it stops at that class, you have a a bit of information about where your food comes from.
SPEAKER_00:Exactly. Yeah. I think with anything, as far as being educated isn't a bad thing. You know, yeah. And and make your decision as far as whether be what you eat, what you decide to be when you grow up. Um, I still, you know, I'm not sure what what my decision is, but um at least you're educated and then you proceed accordingly. So yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Yep. Always good to uh get more information. Uh so we I like to say this is my my favorite question and last question. Um, what is your current? I kind of edited it a little bit. What is your current favorite way to eat beef or favorite recipe?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. So as we're um coming up to Christmas, um, my family, my dad's family in Italian. So we always have uh homemade spaghetti meatballs, sauce, that sort of thing um for Christmas Eve. And they've done that for I don't know. I mean a hundred, I don't know, a hundred years, whatever. And so that's special. So yes, I love making homemade meatballs. Um and I I think with beef or with preparing it, whether you choose to serve it, you know, just a family meal or you're having a party or something, there's something sacred about sharing a meal together. And for us, at least, beef's, you know, usually on the plate too. So yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely. There is definitely something special in how uh you can connect over a meal. And I always feel special when you have beef. We know it's high quality. Yes. You you know that you uh brought your guests the best thing and and uh you know, and then I'm also paid to do that. So yeah, exactly. Uh well I appreciate your time. Thank you for joining the podcast. Thank you for always being uh willing to tell your story. Yeah. And lastly, you know, thank you for what you do to help feed the world.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, no, it's our pleasure. And um, I think Jimmy said it, but truly, I think yeah, he's on on Facebook. I am or or um LinkedIn or all of that. But like, ask questions and we're open book. I don't we may not know everything, but we sure know who to ask or happy to help. So yeah. Thank you for that. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Awesome. Well, thank you again. Yeah, thank you. Behind the Burger is a podcast produced by the New Mexico Beef Council with the goal of telling the stories of the cattlemen and cattlewomen of the New Mexico beef industry. Thank you for joining us for today's episode. If you would like more information, please visit nmbeef.com. Whether it be a burger, a steak, or another beef dish, we hope you are enjoying beef at your next meal.
