South Poll Cattle Ranching by Association
ELKLAND, MO. – The Vahls are dedicated to being good stewards of the land as regenerative farmers. To the Natural Resources Defense Council, the definition of regenerative agriculture is, “The methods … meant to restore soil and ecosystem health, address inequity, and leave our land, waters, and climate in better shape for the future.”
“We want to strike the right balance on the land.” Josh says their goal for managing their farmland is to help the ecosystem and not be a detriment. “The beef will be better because of that,” added Josh.
While studying for degrees in religious studies and computer information services at Missouri State University, Springfield native Josh Vahl did not imagine himself as a cattle rancher.
Holly Vahl grew up on a farm near Marshfield raising mostly cattle and chickens. She worked at the Wild Animal Safari for 10 years. Starting in the gift shop at 16, she became an animal caretaker, and eventually assistant manager by age 20. Holly also worked for veterinarian clinics for about two and a half years. The experiences all of which engendered a love of and comfort with caring for and handling animals of all kinds.
Holly and Josh were introduced by a mix of family and friends who worked together to ensure they met, and in 2020 they got married. Afterward they resided for a time in a typical Springfield neighborhood, but having been raised on a farm Holly really longed to return to a more rural environment. So, later in 2020 they bought a 20 acre farm outside Elkland, MO northwest of Marshfield.
For the first several months on their new farm the Vahls didn’t acquire livestock as they took time to take stock of their land and contemplated how they wanted to farm. They first thought about raising sheep, but the fencing around the property installed by the previous owners while adequate for cattle was not the standard welded wire necessary to contain a herd of sheep. Typical welded wire fencing using metal T-posts can cost upwards of a thousand dollars for the necessary materials to enclose an acre of land. And although there are economies of scale for larger parcels, that still adds up to a lot of money for a start-up operation. These approximate costs don’t assume outside labor or include gates or a fence stretcher or the sometimes necessary strands of electric wire to keep out predators and deter would be escapees.
Fortunately at first, Holly’s dad, Mark Friend, had the need to graze some calves before taking them to market and so rented their pasture from the Vahls for a season. After watching over the animals and becoming more familiar with the process, the Vahls decided to start their own cattle operations.
After doing some research and visiting with a couple of ranchers who run cattle, Josh and Holly bought a registered white-faced, red South Poll bull from Rock, Kansas rancher Bob McBride. Currently they have 9 head that calved successfully from which they are going to retain 6 heifers to grow their herd. The elder Vahl purchased an additional 86 acres nearby Holly and Josh’s farm, and they have plans to expand a rotational grazing program there.
Registered South Poll cattle are either red or red and white and average 1,000 to 1,200 pounds. They’re slick haired with high fertility and longevity. The cattle are known for sound udders and easy calving. The breed is prized for their high fertility, docility, heat tolerance, easy finishing on grass, and tender meat.
The Vahl Farms long term plan is to have 20-25 head from which they can sell some stock for breeding as well as raise some steers for slaughter. Just by word of mouth they already have more inquiries from potential customers than they could currently service. As much as anything that demand reflects the reputation of quality South Poll beef. To date, although they are working to develop a totally ‘grass fed’ herd, Vahl Farms supplements their feeding protocols with locally harvested hay as needed and a mineral mixture. The folks that are asking for their eventual product, “They don’t want them fed a single grain of corn,” said Josh.
Vahl Farms are registered members of the South Poll Grass Cattle Association (SPGCA). Josh talked about visiting two particular farms and the quality of high value information the owners were openly willing to share. “We really appreciate their support,” stated Josh. The SPGCA said Josh, “It’s a great organization, and we’re proud to be part of it.”
