Ep 18: Duke Phillips on Sustainable Ranching & Livestock

Duke Phillips is a third-generation rancher living in Wyoming. He is the CEO of Ranchlands, an agricultural-based business that operates large-scale cattle and bison ranches in the American West that are dedicated to conservation and sustainability. They partner with conservation-minded owners to implement ambitious and complementary programs, including hospitality, hunting and fishing, a leather shop, strategic advisory services, and ecotourism.

Duke's journey has led to creating a set of core beliefs that balance ranching, conservation, and economics. He leads the strategic vision and business development oversight of Ranchlands' ventures and managed properties.

Quotes:

"Regenerative agriculture should include humans too. You want to be having a good time, be happy with what you're doing, and have a healthy community and healthy family while you're doing it." "Nature is powerful as hell."

Topics Discussed:

How Duke got started in ranching The origins of RanchlandsBusiness diversification and land conservationCombatting draughts and building contingency plansYellow Stone the showMisconceptions about ranchersUnderstanding bison, the national mammal The differences between managing Bison and Cattle How education has become a core piece of the businessDuke's thoughts on what conservation needs today How to live symbiotically with natureThe importance of questioning a company's motives before supporting themThe dichotomy of urban sprawl and what to do about it How nature has impacted DukeA Rancher's essential gearBeing alone and not having Amazon PrimeBrewing beer from homeThe ecological benefit of rewilding & how it affects landWhat it's like being a cowboyThe importance of keeping family as a priority

Resources Mentioned:

RanchlandsRanchlands MercantileThe Nature ConservancySmith Sunglasses Swarovski OptikFilsonREIShow: YellowstoneMusician: Steve EarlBook: Twenty Love Poems and a Song of DespairBook: Cadillac Desert by Marc ReisnerBook: The Teachings Of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of KnowledgeBook: DuneBook: Land: How the Hunger for Ownership Shaped the Modern WorldPodcast: Mountain & Prairie 

The Adventure Made Podcast is sponsored by Rewild Gear. Essential gear built for the great outdoors, designed to fuel your next adventure. Come find your wild at RewildGear.com!